#Wine gift Wisconsin

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Wine gift baskets in Wisconsin - WiscoBoxes

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[tastesousweet]

⭒ the other woman

christopher sturniolo x poc!reader

summary: an angsty story of regret and selfishness told through different moments in time

warnings: alternate universe (takes place in the early 2000s bcs i’m obsessed), angst, implied sex, cigarettes, cheating (with, not on y/n)

a/n: hiiii srry for ghosting u guys again :/ i finally have motivation to write again!!! send in blurb or one shot ideas pls. unfortunately im putting tgwtt on hold for right now bc i feel writing that series takes so much out of me and i end up not enjoying anything i write. i hope u understand & im sorry to those who enjoy it! anyways i hope this is well received since it’s a bit different than my other works — lowkey tuned into my inner sally rooney bc her angst HITS . luv u baiiii

★ march 2004

there’s a vile and shameful look to you that you’re not so sure you’ve hidden well enough.

your stomach feels overweight and heavy with an extreme amount of pain bubbling and stabbing your insides whenever they decide to pop.

you clutch at the edge of the bathroom sink, staring at your figure and aching eyes (you added some dark eyeliner into your routine hoping to distract from your disdainful mood but you’re starting to think you may have drawn more attention with the dramatic look).

you suck your stained bottom lip into your mouth out of comfort or maybe a need for something to hold as you move to dig for the pack of slightly crumpled cigarettes in your small, wine-red purse.

the door handle begins to rattle unnervingly just as you spark the slim stick to life.

you comically still yourself in your exact position (bent over odd and cupping your hand around the cig as if there was any sudden wind to blow out your flame in your friend's classy bathroom).

"y/n? you in here?!"

your eyes widen first, before they eventually roll. you wave your hands around to cut through the plumes of clogged smoke in the quaint room.

“y/n!”

“someone’s in here!” you reply, taking another puff of smoke and adjusting your hair a bit in the mirror.

“you gonna open up for me?”

“ummm,” you sputter through the cigarette held in your mouth as you adjust your strapless dress with both hands in the mirror.

“y/n.”

you let out a soft groan and quickly smash the cigarette a few times against the french vanilla ceramic sink bowl, throwing what's left of it in the trash. you practically shove yourself against the tiny wall space to the side of the door as you inch it open enough for the two of you to gain a full view of each other.

you smile, “chris.”

★ december 2003

they say the holidays are worst when spent alone.

and despite having three siblings and parents who’d want nothing more than to spend their christmas eve with their son, chris has always preferred to spend the holidays with a beautiful girl — in hopes that she’d gift him the intoxicating feeling of her thighs tightly trapping his face by the end of the night.

so it’s shocking that he’s at your door step, dressed in a suave, ribbed white long sleeve, dark blue jeans, and somehow caught without one of his usual hats slouched on top of his head of fawn hair.

and it’s real fucking odd that you answer the door wearing a dress that fits you extremely well, paired with a cardigan to keep some modesty.

it’s so very weird given that chris has his girlfriend of over a year texting him another apology for abandoning their plans together to visit her family in wisconsin as you both share an intimate hug on your porch.

you try not to think it’s so unnatural for you and chris to go out for dinner, despite the fact that everyone in your small town knows he has a girlfriend who’s notably quite the opposite of you.

thank goodness chris keeps some casualty — leaving you to open your own door when climbing into his beloved truck.

★ february 2004

“okay, um, this is something you can eat and there’s, like, a million types- you like granny smith!”

“oo, apples!”

chris nods excitedly and flips to the next card, “it’s my favorite meal of the day.”

“breakfast!”

“yes, you’re perfect. alright this is casper the friendly-”

“ghost!”

“amazing! ‘kay, i’m always complaining that mine isn’t stiff enough.”

“your dick?” josh jokes.

“fuck off, josh! i’m more than capable…” chris laughs.

“gross! chris?!”

“what?! don’t make it a biggie. now hurry ‘n gimme that answer baby, please?”

“well i’m guessing it’s your mattress?!”

“you have 7 seconds!” nick says while intensely staring at the tiny hourglass.

chris gives an encouraging hand motion for her to continue on that path.

“ummm… your bed?!”

“yes! that’s what i’m talking about!” chris shoots up from his position, on the ground in front of the coffee table, and immediately picks liv up from the couch in celebration.

the group let out plenty of laughs and giggles at the fear in her eyes as she’s lifted up and down excitedly.

cassie yells out, “aw yay mom and dad!” when chris sets her down and kisses her lips.

you try to control your face. your eyes flicker over and see them smiling with their faces so close together. and it drives you a little mad that whatever chris whispered to make her burst into laughter can’t be heard from your spot across the couch, especially not when there are so many conversations going on at once.

it’s just a game. you have no right to be jealous. it’s fucking taboo.

you clear your throat and uncross your legs as you begin to leave from the leather couch, “matt and josh, you can go before me- i’m just gonna grab some water.”

★ march 2004

“smoking cigs again?” chris asks as he steps into the bathroom.

“no,” you lie, resting your hip against the edge of the counter.

he knows you’re lying but doesn’t bother to pressure the truth out of you, he’s not your father. or your boyfriend at that.

“are you doing okay?” he pauses and waits for you to acknowledge him.

you don’t.

he clears his throat, “you look beautiful in this,” he tugs your dress down showing off the cleavage you’d just got done hiding.

“‘m all good,” you answer his initial question while exaggerating a smile.

chris mindlessly nods his head and somehow gets even closer to you, to the point where you have to tilt your head just the slightest bit to make eye contact.

“can i kiss you?” he asks with a genuine glimmer of generosity in his eyes and tone; as if he wanted you to want it more than he wants it himself.

you’re silent. he holds your neck gently and raises his other hand to drag your large bottom lip downward, cooing a tease, “hmmm..?”

you whine a little to yourself — this can’t happen again.

“yes?” chris mocks a little, giving a squeeze to your neck, “say it.”

your eyes droop and suddenly the ache of pain and guilt melts down to a slush of excitement and warmth both inside and evidently outside, if the stickiness of your lace underwear says anything. you nod your head.

chris is so obsessed with your mouth, his thumb doesn't move from your bottom lip as you peek your tongue out to wet it, "yes, please." your words echo off of his lips that now practically hover yours.

even though you've used your manners you manage to deliver it as a command. and it doesn't help that you paired the sentence with your hands running up the hot skin underneath his dark shirt. his mouth hangs slightly ajar as his head nods softly once more and his eyes flicker over your pretty face.

you wait for his response before your eyes lock onto his and you pout, "i thought you wanted to kiss me, chris?"

★ december 2003

“that’s hot,” chris mumbles as he kicks his legs over eachother and stretches out on the longest part of your L - shaped, funky-green couch.

“what is?” you ask as you return to the living room, popcorn cradled in an oversized bowl against your waist.

“pamala anderson,” chris jokingly moans out, biting his bottom lip and covering his lower half with one of your fuzzy throw pillows.

“gross, you perv!” you throw a handful of popcorn at his face — that’s stretched into an adorable smile — and take a seat next to him.

“baywatch reruns are all that nbc play anymore,” you squint with a sigh, taking a swig of the cool bottle of beer chris requested before handing it to him.

“they lost the best thing to ever happen to ‘em, i’d milk that shit too.” he then takes a sip, smirking when a desperate pamala anderson begins to run in slow motion on your fuzzy box television.

“what would liv think of you drooling over some baywatch tits?”

“what would liv think of me replacing her with you for my christmas eve dinner?”

you can’t help but think that ‘replacing’ is possibly the meanest word he could have used.

he smiles and gives a soft laugh when your face doesn’t respond, “joking- don’t spaz on me now…” he rolls his eyes from you back to the screen in front of you.

you swallow and adjust your legs to sit underneath you, trying to get comfortable while remaining in your small red dress.

★ march 2004

“never again,” you remind chris and yourself as you step into your once discarded underwear.

chris nods his head a few times, replying when he finally catches his breath, “right.”

“okay,” you slip your dress back on and chris redresses himself away from you.

chris slowly comes up behind you, kissing your shoulder once and hugging you gently. you want to cry — because in any other circumstance you’d embrace this feeling. but you can’t help but feel dirty.

he whispers with his head buried in the side of your crowded neck, “you know your my best friend, right? i love you.”

and you can’t help the shivers and sobs that decide to escape from your sad, used body.

“shhhh,” he apologizes, “i’m sorry.”

★ december 2003

chris imagined having sex with you plenty of times before — figuring most guys have thought of it with all of their girl friends, at least his friends made it seem true.

though his imagination could never ever live up to your whines and the way your body effortlessly takes him as you bounce yourself on top of him.

you both knew this was a bad idea, it was bad before you ended up back at your place after dinner. chris is an admittedly horny drunk and you’re no better so sharing a few beers while sitting so close to each other was bound to backfire.

only in the morning would some ounce of guilt and regret wash over him, when he’d listen to the cheerful voicemail his unknowing girlfriend left him while he was busy with his fingers in your mouth.

★ november 2004

chris hasn’t spoken to you since you came clean to liv about your disloyalty, six months ago.

he yelled and cried at your doorstep. he told you that you ruined his entire life, that he never wants to see you again.

you convince yourself you never want to see him again, but you tend to miss him in the loneliest times. when you’re sat awake in your dark bedroom.

you still miss his voice and his face.

[caustinen]

I’d love to hear more about Hollywood!AU Clegan’s early days of dating! How did they manage to spend time together and keep it hidden? Privacy plus conflicting work schedules must have been hard? Did anyone in their circle / Bucky’s team warn against it?

ahh I missed yapping about Hollywood au thank you for your asks <3

the early days of dating for them are such a love bubble after months of pining that the secrecy doesn't even feel like an issue, if anything it's exciting to be sneaking around and finding all possible nooks and crannies to show little affection each chance they get. they meet each other socially via work events a lot so they don't mind not being able to go to restaurants by the two of them anymore at some point — like mentioned in some of the early hc's, john's career takes off a bit after their relationship starts, so the attention John is getting is not so bad for the first few months; he's pretty unknown for a city the size of LA, and there are far more interesting people to photograph at that time. when he does make it big the relationship is already a bit more established, and they're in that part of it where the best kind of time either of them can think is just cuddling on the couch and talking over trashy reality tv with a bottle of red wine and then explore each other bodies in peace 😌

their home is a safe space as long as they don't arrive or leave together; it's a big apartment building, so there are a lot of people coming and going, and the media people aren't interested in tracking anyone else. by the time John is actually so famous people start following home etc he already has a couple of places (one in Wisconsin, LA apartment, Gale's apartment and a office/studio space with Curt) to keep everyone guessing where he actually stays most time so he can come and go and people won't make the connection. another very easy place is gale's office; John’s pr team is based there, so no one questions seeing him loitering around, and they don't pay attention that most times he disappears to the office of Cleven and not Brady. Sometimes they sneak into little local gigs or theatre shows that are not big happenings, and people don't pay them any mind. The private gym they go to is also a safe space, and Gale loves hiking so he knows some good trails nearby that people are not expecting to find John Egan in at the dawn on Sundays, so they are left alone.

it's actually very good for them that buck doesn't like partying too much — they don't feel like missing anything, since again, they do go to events and bars and clubs with bigger groups of friends where there's no speculations — and Bucky has a lot of friends to do that with, and at times when gale gets freaked out by the possibility of someone figuring them out there's always a new rumor about Bucky hooking up with someone new as a photo of him dancing drunkenly with someone surfaces. gale finds them amusing; Rosie once gifted him a card where he had cut and glued his favorite drunk faces of his boyfriend, and he has it on his nightstand still. he doesn't get jealous, because during those nights he keeps getting interrupted with affection aggression from Bucky until it starts to turn into heavy flirting as the night progresses, like clockwork.

the reason he doesn't post about gale even in the beginning when he doesn't have a big following is a mixture of his pr team's suggestion, and gale's preference. he's just starting to make a name for himself, and the cold truth is that people will react more positively to him if they have an illusion of him being available. gale supports this theory on his professional side, but on personal note he also is just shy about his picture being taken, and while he doesn't necessarily feel anxious about Bucky's love for him shifting once he makes it big, there's some kind of draw in the security of keeping this amazing thing just between the two of them and their closest people. He grew up where love was a fickle and violent thing, so the comfort and glow of Bucky's love sometimes makes him terrified just because he didn't know there would be something that great to lose in the world. Bucky doesn't mind, though it annoys him that his team seems like they want to hide gale "just in case" they break up and it would look bad on his brand if it happened around the same time when he was having a breakthrough in his popularity. ever since gale came to his life like a comet he has been his priority number one, and his humble opinion is that he wouldn't even have a successful career to ruin if it wasn't for his boyfriend so it's unfair they try to hide him into shadows. Gale's reasonings he understands, of course, and he doesn't care if they're secret as long as Gale is happy (until they get married, that is their mutual decision).

their friends would be mostly on board, curt would tease john like crazy for being in his puppy love era after complaining about ”how annoying this one guys” for months and flirt with gale every chance he gets until gale starts representing him (after which he only does it occasionally). bucky’s professional friends would all know gale as a soft spoken, professional and lovely person who always gets the job done. gale’s friend’s might be a bit weary at first because john seems so different from gale, but they quickly warm up to him. rosie is one of gale’s best friends in this au and he in particular would be a bit critical at first, like ”what does this loud mf actually want” but once he sees them together, staring at each other like idiots, he realizes they’re perfect for each other 🥰

Thank you for great asks, hope you liked!! <3

[chrisbitchtree]

Enchanted to Meet You

Lokius - 2.6k - T

***

Loki knows he’s not meant to be a part of a loving family. If there was anything that growing up with Odin as his adoptive father showed him, it was that he never had been, and never would be. It was hard to understand as a child why nothing he ever did made him good enough for Odin, good enough for him to sing Loki’s praises as he constantly did Thor’s.

So, it was with that in mind that Loki built a life for himself that safeguarded against making any meaningful connections. He worked for his father’s finance company, in a role that took him all over the country. A week in Florida, two nights in Wisconsin, down to Mississippi for a week and a half. With his schedule the way it was, he never had to worry about difficult goodbyes, because even if he wanted to stick around, he couldn’t.

If he couldn’t stick around, he couldn’t get attached, couldn’t fall in love, couldn’t get his heart broken after wrapping it up and handing it to someone like the precious gift that it was, and he wouldn’t have to worry about breaking anyone’s heart himself.

If anyone asks Loki about his lack of meaningful friendships, or the fact that he’s never dated anyone long enough to even say they were in a relationship, he tells them carefully crafted tales about being a commitment-phobe who chose this for himself, but deep down, Loki knows he wants more.

He wants to have birthdays to buy presents for, wants pictures and postcards to hang on his fridge. He wants to be invited to holiday parties, wants people to buy souvenirs for on his work trips, wants to share a good bottle of wine or an ice cream sundae. He wants people to dote on and love and have love him in return.

***

His latest trip to Houston starts out the same as usual. He arrives just before work starts for the day, so he goes straight to the office, puts in a full day, then heads over to the hotel to check in and freshen up before going out to his favourite wine bar. He’s been looking forward to it all day, as they have an excellent cheese plate and a terrific cabernet, but when he arrives, he finds it closed due to a water main break. Fuck.

Frowning, he considers his options. He could go back to his hotel and order dinner at the restaurant in the lobby, but that’s a ways away, and his grumbling stomach reminds him that he hasn’t eaten anything since the smoothie he had for breakfast this morning.

He’s about to pull out his phone and see if he can find anywhere else suitable in close proximity when out of the corner of his eye, he notices the blinking neon sign for what is apparently “Frank’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill” across the street. It is as far from Loki’s kind of place as you could possibly get, but he needs food now, so with a deep sigh, he quickly jogs across the street and into the low brick building.

***

Stepping inside, Loki surveys the space, and is pleased to see that it’s not too crowded. A couple patrons and the bartender look up as he enters, but he mostly goes unnoticed. He takes a seat at the bar and picks up a greasy, laminated menu. After much consideration of his limited options for things that aren’t completely soaked in grease, he settles on a burger and chef’s salad. He’ll just have to make sure he goes to the hotel gym before heading into the office in the morning so he can work the burger off.

Food order settled, he flips over to the pages listing the drink options and notices that there’s only one white and one red wine listed amongst all the beers and cocktails. This has to be a mistake. “Excuse me, bartender, can I please see your wine list?”

The bartender sets down the glass she’s polishing with an amused laugh and leans over to look at the menu. She points to the two wines, the house red, and the house white. “You’re looking at it. Which one would you like?”

Good god, this night can’t get any worse. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he replies “I’ll take a glass of red, with a burger, medium rare, no cheese or…” he glances at the menu again “special sauce, extra pickles, and a chef’s salad, dressing on the side.”

“Coming right up,” she says, writing down his order and slipping it through a small window before grabbing a wine glass and filling it for him from a bottle on one of the dusty shelves.

She hands it to him and it’s as he’s taking his first sip that he first notices the only other patron at the bar. He’s probably about ten years Loki’s senior, with greying hair, a moustache, and a crooked nose, and what’s certainly an interesting sense of style. He’s decked out in khaki dress pants, a baggy dress shirt and a bright blue fleece vest. Loki’s fairly certain he’s never even touched fleece before, let alone worn it. He shudders at the thought. And just to top the look off, he’s got sunglasses dangling from his neck on some odd sort of rope.

“Not the kind of place a guy like you is used to, huh?” The man asks, before taking a sip from the bright orange cocktail he’s drinking through a skinny little straw.

Usually, Loki would just brush off strangers who tried to converse with him, pretending to look very interested in his phone, but for some reason, he didn’t have it in himself to be rude tonight. And they were the only two seated at the bar. It was quite obvious that the man was speaking to Loki.

“You can say that again,” Loki laughs bitterly into his drink.

“Not the kind of place a guy like you is used to, huh?” the man repeats, a wide grin on his face.

Loki stares at him blankly for a moment before catching on. “Oh gods,” he groans. “That might just be the worst attempt at humour in all of human history. Are your jokes always that bad?”

“Sure are,” the man laughs, taking another sip of his stupid drink. Loki wants to slap it out of his hand, but he also wants to grab it and take a sip. It probably tastes better than this cheap wine. “I’m a dad. I can’t help but tell terrible jokes.”

Loki zones back in just in time to hear him say it. Of course this man is a dad. It makes perfect sense. And that probably means that he’s married. Which means that Loki has no chance. He shakes his head to rid himself of that alarming line of thinking. The wine coupled with the lack of food must be getting to him. There’s no way Loki would want a man wearing fleece. And yet, he can’t help the little spark of excitement he feels when he notices that the man isn’t wearing a wedding ring.

“Ah, how lovely.” He replies, unsure of what else to say. He wants to continue the conversation but isn’t sure how. It’s not like he and this man will have a whole lot in common.

Thankfully, he’s saved by the bartender arriving a moment later with his food.  That’ll give him a couple minutes to think of his next move. He inhales half his burger, along with the majority of his salad, before coming up for air. When he does, he finds the man eyeing him, a curious look on his face.

“Do you have any kids?” The man asks, picking up his drink and moving two stools over, to the seat next to Loki.

“Oh, no,” Loki laughs, surprised that the man would even ask. He gestures to himself. “Do I look like a doting father?”

The man shrugs. “You never know. Not everyone’s look can scream exhausted and overworked father of three like mine.”

Loki tries to hold his tongue, but he can’t, so he asks “Just getting a little time to yourself? Wife at home with the kids?”

The man shakes his head. “Oh, no. I’m a widower. Two years now.” He pulls a chain out from inside his shirt, a ring dangling from the end.

Loki can see the sadness in the man’s eyes as he toys with the ring, and he suddenly feels an incredible urge to cry for the first time in years. He awkwardly pats the man’s back in what he hopes is a comforting gesture.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to dump that on you. That was weird. I’ll just, uh…” he tucks the ring back under his shirt and sticks out his hand to shake Loki’s. It’s warm and calloused and he’s got a nice, firm grip. Loki’s mind wanders to thoughts of the man firmly gripping something else, and he berates himself for it.

“My name’s Mobius, by the way.” The man, Mobius, says. Mobius, what a curious name. Not what Loki would have expected, but somehow fitting.

Loki remembers his manners and introduces himself in return.

“Loki, like the Norse god of mischief?” Mobius asks, a twinkle in his eye.

Loki’s impressed. It’s rare that anyone actually knows who he was named after without him having to explain.

“Bingo,” Loki replies, downing the last of his wine. “How’d you know?”

“Oh, just a big fan of mischief,” Mobius replies, winking, and Loki feels himself flush. What the fuck is going on? Loki should not be this attracted to a man whose wallet probably had Velcro on it, but he feels himself giving into it, shuffling his chair a little closer to Mobius’s, close enough that their feet touch.

“Can I buy you another drink?” Mobius asks, reaching for his wallet. He pulls it out, and yes, of course it has Velcro on it.

“Sure,” Loki nods, because why not? The man is nice, and it’s not like Loki has any other prospects in this establishment.

“Great,” Mobius signals the bartender before glancing at his watch. “It’s only 7, and I’ve got the babysitter until 9. We can talk some more, get to know each other better.”

The bartender gets to them, and Loki starts to place his drink order. “I’ll have another glass of-“, but Mobius cuts him off before he can finish.

“No, he won’t. Two tequila sunrises, please and thank you.”

Loki can’t believe this. Someone ordering for him? He’s always the one to make the decisions on a date. Not that this is a date. Is it? It’s starting to feel like one.

He turns to Mobius, mouth agape, only to find the other man looking right back at him, a twinkle of mischief in his eye. “Thought you could use a little sweetness in your life. Something tells me you don’t get a lot of that.” And then he has the audacity to wink at Loki! Where does a man in a fleece vest get off winking? And why is it hot?

Loki hums in response, too flustered to speak. Their drinks arrive shortly, and while it’s a bit too much for Loki to add it to his regular drink rotation, he finds that Mobius was right. Much like the moustachioed man beside him, it does provide him with a bright punch of sweetness that he didn’t know he was missing until he had it. He grabs the older man’s hand and squeezes it in thanks as they drink in companionable silence.

They spend the next hour and a half trading questions back and forth, hands clasped between them, and Loki finds himself opening up to Mobius in a way he hasn’t opened up to anyone in a very long time. He tells Mobius about growing up in Thor’s shadow, feeling like he would never be enough for their father, no matter what he did, how it made him feel unlovable, and uncapable of giving love to anyone.

In return, Mobius tells Loki about his sons, how proud he is of them, even when they’re driving him up the wall with their pranks and messy bedrooms, about the watercraft sales business that he owns and operates, and how it feels to have loved and lost someone. It makes Loki’s heart ache for this sweet man. He wants to hold him close and tell him that he’s proud of him. It also privately pleases him that Mobius has chosen to spend his small sliver of time that he gets to himself with Loki.

Before Loki knows it, and certainly before he’s ready, Mobius’s phone starts chirping loudly in his vest pocket. He extracts it and punches a button, silencing it. “Time for me to head out if I want to be home by 9,” he says with a sigh.

“Can I walk you to your car?” Loki asks, once they’ve settled their bills. He surprises himself when the words pop out, as he’s not usually one for drawn out goodbyes. But he really shouldn’t be that surprised. He’s known almost from the first minute that they spoke that Mobius is different. Special.

Mobius nods, a grin settling back on his face. “I’d like that.”

All too soon, they’re standing beside Mobius’s vehicle, a minivan that appears to be near the end of its lifespan. It’s worlds away from the luxury cars that Loki’s used to, but of course, it just adds to Mobius’s charm, to think of him driving his children to school and sports practice, to ride the jet skis that he speaks so highly of.

Suddenly, Loki’s feeling shy, something else he’s not used to. He’s always the one to take charge, to go for what he wants. Does he kiss Mobius? Hug him? He can feel his palms getting sweaty as he stands awkwardly, hands in his pockets, staring at some far-off point over Mobius’s head.

Thankfully, Mobius isn’t feeling shy at all, as evidenced by the calloused hand that he cups under Loki’s chin, directing his gaze slightly downward, so they’re eye to eye. Mobius isn’t a short man, but Loki’s a good four to five inches taller, and it’s cute the way Mobius peers up at him with his soft blue eyes edged with laugh lines.

“Can I?” Mobius asks, and Loki barely has time to respond before his lips are being captured in a soft, sweet kiss. He’s gently guided backwards so his back is up against the van, and Mobius crowds between his legs. Loki can feel the beat radiating from his body as he presses his tongue to the seam of Loki’s lips, seeking entry. Loki lets him in, moaning softly at the feeling of the other man inside him, even in this small way.

“Come back to my motel,” Loki pants, a hand fisted in Mobius’s shirt as they come up for air.

“I’m sorry, Loki, but I can’t. The kids. My youngest especially. He gets up at 10 every night like clockwork for a glass of water, and he’ll be upset if I’m not there to tuck him in. Plus, the babysitter starts charging time and a half if I’m late.” With one more chaste kiss to Loki’s lips, he pulls away and takes out his keys, unlocking the van. “Can I see you again?”

Loki, who’s trying not to visibly pout and is definitely failing, perks up at that. This too is different. He’s usually not one for seconds dates, but he rattles off his number and smiles when Mobius says he’ll text him.

And with that, Mobius drives away, and Loki finds himself alone in the parking lot, grinning like an idiot, and for the first time, feeling like he might be capable of loving, and being loved in return.

[depressedstressedlemonzest]

Hey Lem ✨ Time for Gallavich wedding headcanons: 1. Besides edible boxers from Carl and the honeymoon Car from Liam, what wedding gifts do they get? 2. What flavor was their wedding cake? 3. How the fuck do they have 120 guests at the wedding? Who are they inviting? (only to claim they have no friends a season later?) 4. Why did Ian say Mickey and not Mikhailo? 5. What's one thing in the wedding that way important to Ian? (Chiavari chairs level important)

@gallavich-headcanon I'm Finally getting around to these.

Fiona sent them some money, she didn't have enough to send plane tickets to visit her in Florida, but she promised that by the time they were off parole they'd be able to come down and they'd all go to Disney. Mickey is excited to get Ian to a beach finally after him missing out in Mexico. Lip got them a huge ass box of pizza rolls from Costco, a case of beer (that Tami went to buy and wrap so Lip wouldn't have to look at it) and a movie pack of action movies from the 80s. Mickey won't admit that he likes the movies but he does. Debbie gets them

this shirt, as well as a book on the five love languages and a 5000 piece puzzle to help their relationship stay strong. She read it somewhere online that couples who do puzzles together stay together. Franny picked out some coffee cups for them at the store, because they like coffee and the birds on it were pretty. but it's one of those mugs

a d she fills one with mini snickers for uncle mickey and one with mini hershey bars for uncle Ian. Frank had snagged a fancy bottle of whiskey from the house in glencoe before he left and gave them that. Mandy sent them some money and a couple bus tickets to see her in Wisconsin, she moved there with a nice guy she met through the escort agency and now she doesn't have to work. Sandy got them a giftcard to the sex shop and a costco size bottle of lube Iggy+Colin dropped off matching handguns and a nice bottle of wine.

2. Wedding cake flavor was Velvet Valley with cream cheese buttercream frosting. AKA red velvet without the red dye, except for the top tier which was chocolate. They saved two slices of it to freeze, but ate the rest of the chocolate part.

3. God I wondered that too. I think a majority of them are Ian's gay jesus "friends" and Trevor's LGBTQ youth kids that Ian had helped a bit, they heard about the wedding through the pastor because she's the local gay wedding pastor and she talks about each couple she marries at church whether or not they attend and they figure out it was Ian and they kind of invite themselves after seeing Ian and being like "Oh it's so great you're getting married, we would love to meet your new husband!" and Ian's like "Oh yeah you should" and they're like "Great when's the wedding?" and Ian's like "oh... it's this day." And they're like "Awesome we'll be there. By the time Ian realizes that they intend to come he'll feel like a dick for uninviting them. Mickey invites some family that he thinks won't try to murder him, as well as people that he "works for" like the laundromat guy who he kind of bullies into going so they get some good gifts.

4. Ian always called him Mick or Mickey, Mikhailo probably sounded weird on his tongue. Mickey used Mikhailo because he was giving all of himself to Ian.

5. THE MUSIC Ian was Chiavari chair level for the MUSIC, he's the one who picked Ella Fitzgerald and Ed Sheeran to sing about how much he loves his fucking husband, All the sappiest most romantic music possible just to express how much he adores him.

[wausaupilot]

Art of Wine to return to CVA

WAUSAU – The Center for the Visual Arts in downtown Wausau will host its annual fundraising event, Art of Wine, on Sept. 14, and tickets are now on sale. This event is a popular fundraiser that supports the programs provided to the community, including the CVA’s free art galleries, school of art for children and adults, scholarship funds, and its gift shop, which supports Wisconsin-based…

[cityseeker789]

A Festive Wonderland: Christmas Markets and Shopping Extravaganza in Elkhart Lake, WI

As winter blankets the charming town of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the spirit of Christmas comes alive with its enchanting Christmas markets and delightful shopping experiences. Elkhart Lake, known for its picturesque landscapes and warm hospitality, transforms into a festive wonderland during the holiday season, offering locals and visitors alike a unique and magical shopping experience.

Throttlestop Motorcycle Museum: A Unique Stop for Christmas Treasures

For those with a penchant for distinctive finds and a love for all things vintage, a visit to the Throttlestop Motorcycle Museum, Lake Elkhart is a must. Nestled in the heart of Elkhart Lake, this museum isn't just a haven for motorcycle enthusiasts—it's a hidden gem for Christmas shoppers seeking one-of-a-kind gifts. Imagine discovering rare motorcycle memorabilia, vintage accessories, and quirky collectibles that make for the perfect holiday surprises.

The museum, with its eclectic blend of history and craftsmanship, sets the stage for a shopping adventure like no other. Whether you're shopping for a motorcycle enthusiast or someone who appreciates unique artifacts, the Throttlestop Motorcycle Museum promises an unforgettable Christmas shopping experience.

Elkhart Lake, WI, United States Tours: Unveiling Local Treasures

Embrace the holiday spirit by embarking on one of the enchanting Elkhart Lake, WI, United States tours. These guided tours not only showcase the town's scenic beauty but also unveil hidden gems that serve as ideal spots for Christmas shopping.

Stroll through the quaint streets adorned with festive decorations, and explore local boutiques and artisanal shops that offer a curated selection of holiday delights. The tours provide a perfect opportunity to discover handcrafted ornaments, locally made treats, and unique gifts that capture the essence of Elkhart Lake's charm.

The Christmas Markets: Where Magic Meets Shopping

No Christmas shopping experience is complete without a visit to Elkhart Lake's enchanting Christmas markets. These markets, adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, create a magical atmosphere that beckons shoppers to explore the seasonal treasures on display.

Wander through the market stalls filled with handcrafted goods, festive decorations, and artisanal treats. Local vendors showcase their talents, offering a diverse array of gifts that reflect the warmth and creativity of the community. From homemade jams to intricately designed ornaments, these markets are a treasure trove for those seeking unique and thoughtful presents.

The scent of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine wafts through the air, adding to the festive ambiance. Live music and entertainment further enhance the experience, making the Christmas markets in Elkhart Lake a destination for not only shopping but also for creating lasting holiday memories.

Embrace the Warmth of Elkhart Lake's Hospitality

Beyond the shopping extravaganza, Elkhart Lake's warm hospitality adds an extra layer of charm to the holiday season. Local businesses and residents come together to create a welcoming atmosphere that makes visitors feel like part of the community. Whether you're sipping on hot cocoa at a cozy cafe or exchanging smiles with friendly shopkeepers, the genuine warmth of Elkhart Lake enhances the joy of Christmas shopping.

Embrace the magic of the season, explore the charming streets, and discover the perfect gifts that reflect the heart and soul of this picturesque town. Elkhart Lake's Christmas markets and shopping experiences promise not only delightful finds but also a memorable celebration of the most wonderful time of the year.

Author Name Wcities Admin

[luxebeat]

Say Cheese to Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese

While exploring Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, we stopped into the Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese Factory to see and taste some of the best cheese in the state. Inside the cheese, wine and gift shop, we were warmly greeted by Katie Franzen, Quality Assurance at Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese. Yes please to Henning’s Cheese. Photo Jill Weinlein Leading us to the back windows to see the cheesemakers in action,…

[englishstrawbie]

A Very Montana Christmas (3/ 4)

Fandom: Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy

Characters: Maya Bishop & Carina DeLuca

Summary: AU. When her flight to Seattle gets diverted because of a snow storm, Carina Deluca unexpectedly finds herself in Billings, Montana. Just a few days before Christmas and with no way of getting to Seattle for a family Christmas with her brother, she ends up being thrown together with fellow passenger, Maya Bishop. Surrounded by snow and fairy lights, the two women end up rediscovering the magic of the holidays. Spoiler: there’s only one bed!

Also @ AO3. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

25th December

Carina moves a slice of pancake around the plate, knowing that her belly is too full for any more but not wanting to be rude. The chef had, rather sweetly, designed their breakfast pancakes in the shape of reindeer, the remains of a tall stack sitting between them with a bowl of winter berries and a jug of maple syrup on the side – another on-the-house thank you gift for Maya’s heroics with the Christmas tree.

Except after a three course meal last night and several bottles of wine between them, Carina doesn’t have a big appetite.

On the other side of the table, Maya stares at her plate with a look of steely determination, and Carina guesses she is thinking the same thing. Breakfast has been a muted affair, not just because of their shared wine hangovers, but also because they have been walking on eggshells since waking up together. After a boozy dinner, they had both been happy to fall into their respective sides of the bed and sleep. Somehow, during the course of the night, the pillow wall that Maya insisted on had been discarded, and they had awoken with legs tangled and hands resting next to each other. The smiles they wore as they slept had quickly faded into awkwardness, and they had been avoiding each other’s eyes ever since.

“I don’t think I can eat any more,” Maya breaks the silence, leaning back in her chair as she admits defeat.

Carina pushes her plate away from her. “Me too,” she says, picking up her coffee mug and taking a swig, before cradling the warm mug in her hands. She looks around the room, the air full of excitement for Christmas Day. There are couples of all ages and several families enjoying the same stack of stencilled pancakes, some who travelled to Billings for the holidays and some who have found themselves here unexpectedly. It seems that, no matter why they are here, everyone is looking forward to the day.

Carina remembers that feeling. She loved Christmas growing up, especially once Andrew was born and she had someone to share it with other than their parents. They had so many Christmas traditions – making their own Christmas decorations under the watchful eye of their Mama, nativity plays and performances of A Christmas Carol, trying to create the perfect panettone, carols in the local piazza, and always midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day would start early. Andrew would always come bouncing into her room before sun rise and they would exchange the gifts they had bought each other, much too the chagrin of their Nonna who always demanded that presents should wait until the whole family had gathered for lunch.

Even as they got older and their belief in Babbo Natale was gone, and Christmas morning would start later and later, Carina’s bedroom was always Andrew’s first stop on his way downstairs.

And then, one year, there was no quiet knock waking her up and no cheeky face appearing at the door. Andrew was in Wisconsin with their Mama, and it was just Carina and Papa. He had tried to make Christmas joyful for her, making sure that she was surrounded by family during the holiday season, but it wasn’t the same.

She hadn’t spent another holiday with them again. Mama refused to come home to Italy, not while Papa was there, and Carina couldn’t leave her father alone at Christmas time. There were occasional visits to the States in the summer holidays but their relationship was mostly kept alive through phone conversations and video calls.

Ten years later, Mama died and there was nothing joyful about anything for a while. Slowly, over time, life got better and Carina found happiness again, but Christmas was never the same. She just couldn’t find the joy in it any more.

This year was supposed to be different. She had thought her Christmas Day would start with Andrew poking his face around her door to wake her up, just like when they were younger.

“Thinking about your brother?” Maya’s voice interrupts her thoughts.

Carina looks across the table at her, surprised that Maya can read her mind so easily. “It was going to be our first Christmas together since we were children.”

“You never visited them in the States for Christmas?”

Carina shakes her head. “Families are complicated,” she says with a small shrug.

Maya seems to accept her explanation easily and doesn’t push her to talk more about it. Silence falls between them as a flustered waitress comes over to clear their plates, clearly overwhelmed by the number of guests they were not expecting at the inn today.

“Well, I know it’s a poor consolation prize,” Maya says, “but the manager told me that there’ll be Christmas carols round the tree later. They’ve called in a favour and they’re getting a new one delivered this morning. He invited us to help decorate it. I know it sounds like a cliché…”

Carina finds herself cheered up by the idea and she smiles. “I think it sounds great.”

Maya returns her smile. “So, it’s Christmas morning and you insisted that we should have a present to open this morning.” She leans down underneath her chair and picks up her gift for Carina, wrapped up in white tissue paper decorated in candy canes and tied together with a red ribbon. “Merry Christmas, Carina.”

Carina’s smile gets wider as she reaches for the square box that she had placed on the spare chair at their table earlier. She places it on the table between them. “Buon Natale, Maya.”

“You first,” Maya insists.

Carina pulls the ribbon and carefully pulls back the tissue paper to reveal a pair of flannel pyjamas.

“I figured that if you’re gonna move to New York, you’ll need some warmer pyjamas for the winter months,” Maya says with a teasing smile.

Carina runs her hand over the soft material. “They’re lovely, thank you,” she gushes.

She looks up and nods at her gift that is in front of Maya. “Your turn.”

She feels her heart flutter in anticipation as Maya opens the box and peers inside. Her face breaks out into a smile as she pulls out a snow globe. Inside is a quaint little brick building that looks a bit like their inn, the roof white with snow, and Santa’s sleigh parked up outside, overflowing with gifts.

“A memory,” Carina says, “of our unexpected vacation here.”

“It’s going to be a Christmas to remember, for sure,” Maya says, chuckling. She tips it upside down until all of the glitter pools at the top, then turns it the right way up and watches as the snow falls over the scene below. “I love it, thank you.”

Carina is pleased that her gift has been received well. Maya hasn’t given much away about herself, so finding a gift she might like had been tricky.

Carina becomes aware of a commotion out in the reception area and her eyes wander to the door where she sees a Douglas fir carried into the foyer. Maya follows her gaze and looks over her shoulder.

“I guess the tree just arrived.” She turns back and looks at Carina. “Want to go help?”

Carina grins. “Let’s do it.”

They make their way out of the restaurant where they are greeted fondly by the manager.

“Ms Bishop, Ms Deluca – please, come and help us decorate the tree!”

Maya takes charge of the lights, of course; checking them carefully before she starts to wrap them around the branches, starting from the bottom and carefully making her way to the top. She has to use a stepladder to get to the highest branches. Carina finds herself watching as Maya stretches forwards, the bottom of her sweater lifting and exposing her toned abs, Carina’s own body shivering in delight at the sight.

“Are you cold, Ms Deluca?” one of the reception staff asks her. “Would you like me to turn up the heating?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine,” Carina says, blushing with embarrassment, although it seems that Maya hasn’t noticed.

She picks up an assortment of baubles from one of the boxes and hangs them neatly on the branches. She works alongside some of the hotel’s staff as they each take a box of tree decorations and hang them on the tree.

“Pass me a box and I’ll hang some up here,” Maya says.

Carina hands her a box of smaller decorations that suit the higher, shorter branches. Maya hangs them a little haphazardly, with no discernible pattern, and Carina has to stop herself from saying anything. Her Mama’s Christmas tree was always immaculate and Carina has always tried to replicate it. There would be no place for mismatched decorations on the family tree.

Carina reaches up just as Maya leans down and their hands brush against each other as they try to hang their ornaments on the same branch.

“Sorry.”

“Scusa.”

They talk over each other as they apologise, and Carina feels her body shiver again. Their eyes meet just as Maya steps down to the next rung on the ladder, her foot slipping while she is distracted by Carina’s deep brown eyes. She falls, her quick reflexes meaning that she lands on one foot, only she wobbles precariously. Her hands flail and Carina leaps forwards, grabbing her hips before she falls into the tree and pulling her backwards until she falls against Carina’s body.

Carina smiles as she watches Maya’s cheeks flush pink.

“Now who’s saving a damsel in distress,” she teases.

Their eyes stay locked on each other and Carina feels her heart start to beat a little faster in her chest. Maya has a way of doing that to her, just like last night under the mistletoe, when Carina had wondered if Maya might kiss her. The fire had interrupted the moment and Carina has been wondering ever since what would have happened next. She thinks about kissing Maya right then and there, hoping that she hasn’t misinterpreted the chemistry between them, but there are too many people around.

“Is everyone okay?” comes a voice from behind them.

Maya shuffles backwards, her eyes shifting their focus to the hotel manager. “We’re fine.” She picks up another box and turns her attention back to the tree, avoiding Carina’s gaze as she starts to hand more ornaments.

It is not long before the tree is full and they all step back to appreciate their work.

“It needs something on top,” Maya notices.

The bellboy rummages around in a box and pulls out a bright, silver star. He runs up the staircase and leans over the handrail to place it on top of the tree, looking down proudly at the majestic tree.

The hotel manager kneels down to the right side of the tree and clicks the switch to turn on the lights. There is a murmur of appreciation amongst the crowd that has gathered and Carina feels a little bit of joy creeping in at how happy something so simple can make people.

The rest of the day is chaotic, even by Carina’s standards and she grew up in a big family made up of four generations. There are carols in the lobby as people gather around the tree to sing. At lunch time, they all pile into the restaurant. The tables have been rearranged into a large square and guests occupy every side, tucking into the feast that has been cooked up for everyone.

Carina sits in between Maya and an elderly gentleman who tells her all about his family back home in Florida. He and his wife had travelled to Montana to experience a white Christmas, much to the disappointment of their grandchildren who were apparently missing them around the dinner table today.

Maya is caught up in conversation with a woman on her left who was trying to get home to Seattle for Christmas, a social worker with a penchant for serial killer documentaries apparently. They move on to happier topics and Carina hears them sharing stories about afternoons at the science center and trips on the ferries when they were children.

Lunch is a long affair, taking several hours to get through the multiple courses on offer.

Carina’s mind wanders to the moment she shared with Maya by the Christmas tree. If someone had told her that the woman she bumped into – literally – forty-eight hours ago would be playing on her mind so much, she would have laughed. Maybe it is the craziness of the situation they find themselves in or maybe it is the Christmas spirit that is everywhere in this little city, but Carina is enjoying the festivities and she is pretty sure that Maya’s company is the reason why.

She misses Andrew, of course, but this isn’t a bad way to spend her Christmas.

The hotel residents are a little more sombre after lunch, too full of food to do much. The children run around playing with their new toys while the adults take refuge in the comfortable chairs in the hotel lounge. Someone tinkles on the piano but no-one has the energy to sing along.

Carina lingers by one of the windows that overlooks the street below. It is just starting to snow, a light sprinkling of snowflakes landing on the trees and bushes, but it doesn’t settle on the sidewalk. She has never seen a white Christmas; the winters in southern Italy are mild and Milan rarely drops below freezing.

Maya appears next to her. “Your first white Christmas?” she asks, as if reading her mind again.

Carina smile. “It’s pretty. Like a Christmas card.”

“Yeah, it is,” Maya says. She leans against the wall. “So the hotel manager was telling me that people go all out with their decorations here. He showed me where the best houses are. I could do with some fresh air, do you feel like coming for a walk with me?”

Carina has heard of people going crazy with decorating their houses around here and she agrees enthusiastically. Ten minutes later and they are bundled up in their thick coats, following the route they have been given. It is late afternoon and there are a few people out for a post-lunch walk. The sun is going down, so they rely on the strings of fairy lights that hang over the road to guide their way, while the snow continues to fall, making everything look magical.  

Pretty soon into their walk, they reach a street that shines bright with so many Christmas decorations that it is almost blinding.

All of the houses are covered in lights, some with white lights and some choosing multi-coloured ones that dance and twinkle. The front lawns are packed with Christmas trees and illuminations. There are snowmen and Santas and reindeers pulling the sleigh. One has gone all out with an animal theme, boasting penguins and polar bears and seals. Another has recreated the North Pole, Santa sitting proudly on his chair to greet the children, surrounded by elves carrying presents.

“Oh wow!” Carina exclaims when she sees it. “This is…”

“A fire hazard,” Maya says.

Her pragmatism makes Carina laugh and Maya shrugs. “It’s part of the job.”

They fall into step together as they walk down the street.

“Your family didn’t decorate your house when you were younger?” Carina asks.

“My mom used to hang a few lights, nothing like this,” Maya says. “We’d have a wreath on the door and my brother made a sign once that said ‘Santa, please stop here’ which my Dad would hammer into the front lawn.”

It is the first time Maya has mentioned her family and Carina is interested to know more. “You have a brother too?” She feels Maya’s body tense next to her and remembers the way Maya’s walls had gone up yesterday when they had talked about their Christmas Day plans. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, it’s… it’s okay,” Maya says. She hesitates, as if wondering whether to let those walls down or not. “I have a younger brother, Mason. But we’re not close. I haven’t seen him for over two years.”

Carina twists her lips, curious to know more. “Why not?” she asks eventually.

“I used to run competitively. I started in High School and I was good at it, so I worked with a trainer for a while and then, when I was fifteen, my dad took over as my coach.” She speaks slowly and Carina listens silently as she talks. “My dad was so focussed on me and my running that Mason got forgotten. And, in time, that led to substance abuse problems.”

Maya digs her hands deeper into her pockets. “When I was twenty-two, I competed in the Olympics in London. My parents came with me and we left Mason at home.” She takes a deep breath as she gets to the hard part of her story. “On the day of my race, he overdosed. It was only because he had friends staying with him in the house that anyone even knew. I won my race and was on the platform getting my gold medal when my dad got the call… so, of course, we all jumped on the first plane home. Except, instead of wrapping him up and taking care of him, my dad practically threw him out on the street. And I… I wasn’t a very good sister. I didn’t look out for him like I should’ve. The last time I saw him, he was living under a bridge in the park in Seattle. I tried to persuade him to come and live with me, but he pretty much told me to go to hell.”

“I’m sorry,” is all Carina can think to say, knowing it is an empty platitude. Maya’s family sounds just as complicated as hers.

“I went to New York because a hospital called me, said that they had a patient who’d been beaten up pretty badly. He had Mason’s ID on him but they couldn’t tell if it was him because his face was too bruised and swollen from the attack,” Maya says. “So I went to New York to find out.”

“Was it?”

Maya shakes her head. “No. Mason has a tattoo on his wrist, a compass pointing north. Whoever that guy is, he is didn’t have it.”

Carina can see the conflict in her face. “How did that make you feel?”

“Relieved,” Maya admits. “And disappointed. I mean, of course I’m glad that he wasn’t the one in a hospital bed. But there was a part of me that hoped that I’d find him and that this would be a turning point in our relationship. That maybe I could persuade him to trust me.”

Maya sighs.

“But that was just stupid and now I still have no idea where he is or if he’s okay.”

As if suddenly aware of how much she has been talking, Maya lowers her eyes to the ground, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the Christmas spirit.”

“No, it’s okay,” Carina says, reaching out and wrapping her hand around Maya’s wrist. She tugs at it gently until Maya pulls her hand out of her pocket and Carina can wrap hers around it.

“I’m glad you told me.”

Maya pulls a face that Carina can’t read.

“What?”

“I don’t normally tell people about it,” Maya admits. “And especially not people I’ve only known for a couple of days.” She looks towards Carina as they walk. “You know, I was watching all those families at lunch today, and how much fun they were having together even though they had somewhere else they were supposed to be. And I was thinking about you and Andrew, and how you live thousands of miles apart, and you travelled all this way to spend Christmas with him. I wish I had that with my brother.” She squares her shoulders resolutely. “I want to find him. I want to find Mason so that next year he’s sat at the table with me for Christmas.”

Maya suddenly laughs sadly.

“I mean, I have no idea how I’m going to do that. But I wanna try.”

Carina tightens her grip of Maya’s hand. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. I think…” She pauses for a moment as she feels herself becoming emotional. “I think we should have the people we love around the table at Christmas because we never know when they might not be there any more.”

“Your mom?”

Carina nods, thinking back in time to their last Christmas together as a family before Mama and Andrew moved to America. She thinks about them decorating the tree while her Mama hummed along to the Christmas songs on the radio, and how Papa was the only one tall enough to reach the highest branches to put the angel on top, and how Andrea had eaten the cookies that they were supposed to leave out for Santa.

“Christmas lost its magic once my Mama and Andrea moved to America. You see all these movies with families round the dinner table or singing songs by the piano or playing games by the fire, and I didn’t have that any more. I just had my Papa, and he was lost in his work most of the time, even at Christmas. And, ten years ago, Mama died and the holidays became even more hard.”

She feels Maya squeeze her hand a little and smiles at the gesture.

“I didn’t think that I would ever find any joy in Christmas again. And then we ended up here, and the Christmas spirit is everywhere. For the first time in years, I sat round a big table for Christmas dinner, and okay it wasn’t with my family, and I’m sorry that I didn’t get to spend it with Andrea, but it was the happiest Christmas I’ve had in years. I feel like I’ve got a little bit of that Christmas spirit back.”

Carina stops suddenly, next to a house with an archway leading to the front door that is covered in lights and sprigs of holly. She turns towards Maya. “I know that this trip was unexpected,” she says with a small smile, “and it’s not exactly what either of us had planned, but I’ve really enjoyed spending Christmas with you.”

Maya smiles. “Me too. I’m gonna be sad when it’s over.”

The snow is clearing in Seattle, and they know that it could be any time that the airport opens up and they are notified of their rescheduled flight. Carina tries to ignore that reality. Instead, she tugs Maya’s hand and pulls her closer.

“Well, we don’t need to think about that right now,” she says softly.

She follows Maya’s eyes as they travel upwards and sees the mistletoe that hangs from the arch. The snow starts to fall a little heavier, landing on their hair and eyelashes and shoulders.

“I really am in a Hallmark movie,” Maya comments with a wry smile.

Carina doesn’t get it. “Hmm?”

“Never mind,” Maya says.

Carina lifts one hand and runs the tip of her gloved finger along Maya’s jawline, guiding her face to look at her.

“Baciami,” she murmurs.

“I don’t know what that means,” Maya says.

Carina doesn’t bother to translate it, but shows Maya exactly what she means by dropping her chin and pressing her lips against Maya’s, kissing her hard. The snow continues to fall around them but Carina doesn’t feel the cold; she only feels a warmth that starts in her chest and slowly spreads through her body as it connects with Maya’s.

[jessbakescakes]

I did this one on Twitter and forgot to post it here! 

Prompt was “Take my jacket. It’s cold outside.” From this post.

Pre-series Josh/Donna!

They’ve been in office for four weeks when they finally get to leave the White House before midnight. CJ puts the lid on and strolls into Josh’s office, declaring that she’s going to make everyone dinner.

Josh drives Donna to CJ’s since she took the Metro to work. Of course, Donna insists on bringing a hostess gift and a dessert, even though Josh points out that they were invited less than an hour ago and CJ has done nothing to prepare. They arrive shortly after Sam, and Donna gets to work helping CJ in the kitchen.

“Are we sure this is only February?” Sam asks before taking a sip of his drink. 

“Painfully sure,” Donna confirms.

“Is it going to get any easier?”

“Well, with good food, good company, and probably a healthy dose of good luck, I’d say it will only go up from here,” CJ declares.

Carol arrives with a bottle of wine and Donna drops what she’s doing in the kitchen, as though she’s just remembered something. She washes her hands and quickly moves toward the living room where Josh and Sam are seated.

“I need your keys,” she whispers. “I forgot CJ’s gift in the car.”

Josh opens his mouth to argue, but he knows he won’t get anywhere, so he changes course. “They’re in my pocket,” he says, nodding his head toward his coat hanging on CJ’s coat rack. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”

“I’m from Wisconsin, and your car is parked a hundred feet from the front steps,” Donna points out.

“Would you just take the damn coat and stop pretending you’re made from heartier stock than the rest of us?” he laughs.

She shrugs. “I am made from heartier stock than the rest of you. But since you’ve been so chivalrous as to offer your coat, I’ll accept.” Donna makes her way toward the coat rack and slips Josh’s coat on, pulling his keys out of his pocket along with a few receipts. “I’m cleaning out your pockets while I’m out there.”

“Those receipts…” Josh starts.

“Should have been turned in a week ago,” Donna interrupts. “But I won’t get rid of them, I promise.”

Donna turns on her heel and walks out the door, returning a few minutes later with a box of chocolates in her hand. When she sees that Carol has taken over in the kitchen, she plops down next to Josh on the couch.

“Cold out there?” Josh teases, noticing that her cheeks, nose, and ears are tinted pink from the wind that has likely picked up outside.

“Windy,” Donna confirms. “But you’ll see I survived.”

He sees Donna’s hands in her lap, her fingers the same shade of pink as her nose and ears. Josh reaches for her hand, which is freezing. “God, Donna, how long were you out there?”

She shifts a little when he touches her, her gaze flickering toward their now-adjoined hands for just a moment. “Well, I had to clean out your glove box in order to save your receipts. It took a little self-restraint for me not to detail your car.”

“I’m beginning to regret driving you here,” he teases, still holding her hand. They sit like that for just a moment, long enough for him to recognize that it’s been a significant amount of time and he should probably let go. 

CJ announces that dinner is ready, and he pushes aside the pang of disappointment he feels when she drops his hand.

[wiscoboxes]

Gift for Christmas in Wisconsin - WiscoBoxes

WiscoBoxes in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, is a great collection of festive Christmas gift boxes and hampers filled with products from local sources. Each box includes attention to quality and rich Wisconsin-based artisan cheeses, smoked sausages, chocolates, and other gourmet recipes, so they are great for gifting during holidays.

 Whether looking to surprise family, friends, or business associates, these beautifully packaged gifts capture the spirit of the season and highlight the best of Wisconsin. 

Contact us for more information            

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[1dsource]

This list consists almost entirely of recent fics, so please show them some extra love and leave a kudos, and even a comment if you have the time. It’s important we also give the newer, unknown authors a chance so they keep having motivation to write more amazing stories for us all to read <3

loving you's a bloodsport by @rosesau l 106K l Royalty AU l Soulmates

harry is a bratty prince, louis is a guard who works in his palace, and niall is the only who's got his life in control.

as someone once said: this is not a love story, but love is in it. that is, love is just outside it, looking for a way to break in.

Fearless by @suspendrs I 97K I Childhood Friends I Famous/Not Famous

“You’re my best friend, Louis,” Harry says, barely above a whisper. Even if he was yelling, Louis wouldn’t be able to believe his ears. “And I know it’s been a while, but you’re still the person I consider my best friend,” Harry says.

Louis blinks, and then blinks again. “I honestly cannot say the same, Harry,” he says.

Or, Harry left home without a word after high school, and a lot can change in ten years.

Kill Me/ Heal Me @millionlittletings I 92K I Royalty I Dystopia

The kingdom of Scotland hasn't been in peace for decades now. In the heart of the country lies the rivalries, hate, and struggle of power. Amidst the chaos, five young men discover the meaning of life, friendship, love, hate, and heartbreak through their journey. Louis, who is struggling to find a place where he belongs. Niall, who will protect what belongs to him with his life. Zayn, who is learning to navigate through life. Liam, who knows when to use his heart and when to use the brain. Harry, who is set to kill anyone who will come into his way of finding the truth about his mother. From dealing with their personal issues to finding out the real culprit who changed the course of their lives, these five men are set to uncover the deepest and the darkest secrets of the kingdom.

adjudication @bottomlinsons I 75K I Royalty I Arranged Marriage

Harry's been engaged to Princess Charlotte of Ryde for as long as he can remember. He's come to know her, to love her, through the letters she's sent him over the past three years.

But when the wedding finally arrives, Harry quickly learns that nothing is as it seems. With his crown and country at stake, Harry must decide who to trust in this strange new land. And the sly Crown Prince of Ryde doesn't seem inclined to make things easy.

The Devil In My Brain by larryshares I 74K I Devil Harry

“Jesus Christ!” Louis yells as he jumps back in reaction to Harry once again popping up out of nowhere.

Harry doesn’t even flinch.

“Quite the opposite.” He jokes, holding out one of the drinks for Louis to take. A freshly sizzling vodka Red Bull; his favorite.

Louis’s initial reaction is the thought you remembered.

His rational brain says, “No thanks.”

“Louis.” Harry says it like a concerned parent, the tone of it matching the way his mum used to say Boo Bear, you have to eat your vegetables to grow up big and strong, and that ignites something feral within him.

“Satan.” He counters, same tone coupled with a glare and a pair of arms crossed over his chest.

-

Louis used to be good friends with Harry, until he woke up alone and immortal with no one to blame but The Devil himself.

Under your skin, Over the moon by @indiekissy I 35K I Royalty

If there was one thing Harry didn’t expect the day before his uni graduation, it was for his long lost grandmother to show up and tell him he’s actually a prince thats next in line to rule Genovia. He also didn’t expect to fall for his royal advisor, who happens to hate his guts. A Princess Diaries AU.

robbers and cowards @adoredontour I 33K I Enemies with Benefits

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think that you’re enjoying yourself.”

The familiar voice immediately gets Louis’ blood boiling, shoulders tensing as he calmly spins around, trying not to draw any suspicion to the pair.

“You don’t know me at all,” Louis spits, managing to maintain the polite smile he’s been wearing all evening. “You’re just some asshole who always ruins my nights.”

“If I keep ruining your nights, why do you keep going home with me?” Harry asks, taking a sip from his own wine glass.

“I don’t go home with you by any choice of my own,” Louis says. “I think you’re annoying and I have no idea how I keep ending up in your bed.”

“You end up in my bed because you knock on my apartment door at two in the morning.”

Louis wants to punch the smirk right off of his face. “Maybe you should move,” is what he says instead.

or a modern day robin hood au where louis and harry (don’t really) hate each other but they hate greedy billionaires more

Strong Enough by @jacaranda-bloom I 20K I Exes to Lovers

“So…” Liam starts, and Louis instantly knows where this is going. He’s actually glad it’s Liam that's dragging the subject out from the shadows and into the light. Louis turns to face him, mirroring his position on the couch and nods, ready for him to continue. Liam takes a deep breath. “Have you spoken to Harry recently?”

Five years after Vertigo goes on hiatus, the band comes back together for a benefit concert. Can Louis and Harry work through their complicated past, or are some wounds too deep to be healed?

solid as a stone (when everything is gone) by @onlyforthebravee I 20K I ABO

“Why’d you take me with you?”

Louis startles at the question, the car almost swerving off the road in the process. He holds his breath as he waits for the twins to wake up and start wailing, but they don’t. They keep sleeping on peacefully, covered in the family blanket.

Harry’s looking at him with an unreadable expression.

Louis takes a minute, mulling it over. He answers quietly. “I hate to say it, but as much as we hate each other, I can’t bear to leave you alone to deal with this whole thing all by yourself.” and I wouldn’t be able to bear it if you died, he adds in his mind.

or, it's the zombie apocalypse and Louis is stuck with Harry, with whom he shares a complicated relationship.

once bitten and twice shy by @pinkcords I 19K I Christmas Fic

This time as his stomach rolls, there’s no doubt about it. He’s going to vomit. And if he does, it’ll be on Louis’ shoes, a nice little parting gift to go with the embarrassment he’s caused the both of them. “I’m gonna throw up,” he says just as Louis turns to look at him, blue eyes swimming with shock and confusion, and asks, “Is that true?”

Or, in a rush of bravery only senior year can bring, Harry confesses his feelings in a letter to his neighbor and best friend, Louis, only for the entire school to hear it and laugh him out of their small town in Wisconsin. Ten years later, Harry's a successful lawyer at Columbia Records, coming home for Christmas for the first time since he departed for college. He plans to work his way through the trip, eat his mom's cooking, and avoid everyone from his past for as long as possible. The only problem is best laid plans hardly ever go as intended.

Equals by onlythebravekat I 12K I 1970′s AU

Louis and his family work for the Styles and live on their property. Louis has dreams of traveling the world and never having to associate with Harry in any way.

The Boxer by heyidkyay I 4K I Uni AU

At the age of twelve Harry’s life is turned upside down. After a traumatic experience, he leaves school and finds comfort in boxing. Six years later and Harry finds himself facing some of his former demons.

Again, if you read, please remember to leave kudos and/or a comment so we keep motivating our lovely, talented writers and make them feel valued

[aic-design]

Best Products Showroom, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Perspective, S.I.T.E., Inc., 1983, Art Institute of Chicago: Architecture and Design

James Wines’s firm SITE was founded as a hybrid practice fusing architecture and art. In the 1970s SITE received a commission from the retailer Best Products Company to design nine signature showrooms around the country. Wines responded with a series of designs that began with the recognizable structure of a bigbox store, and then applyed exterior surfaces that appear to be deformed or transformed in different ways. This series was best known for its trompe l’oeil designs, including a facade that appears to be crumbling into a pile of bricks. The drawing for the Best Products Showroom in Milwaukee shows the brick veneer of the building removed in layers to reveal the steel structural beams and HVAC, and a row of store racks staged like a Hollywood set outside of the real glass curtain wall of the building. Through prior gift of the Three Oaks Wrecking Company Size: 40 × 89.2 cm (15 3/4 × 35 1/8 in.) Medium: Ink and wash on watercolor paper

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/236829/

[artificialqueens]

You're the Best Part (Heidi x Jaida) - Frankenvenus

a/n i wrote for this pairing cause of the way heidi and jaida talk about how close they got on the show which is so cute. i thought fuck it! let’s write a pregnancy au. the title is a lyric from best part by daniel caeser & h.e.r - 2 very talented black artists.

.

Jaida didn’t plan it. She had been with her deadbeat boyfriend for seven months before realising she didn’t swing his way. She ended up coming out to him over a very uncomfortable dinner date, and before she could even register what was going on, he had packed everything of his from her small Wisconsin home and left.

It was difficult at first. When your life revolves around this one person, it’s hard to find meaning when things are just over. Heidi helped - of course. Heidi from across the street - Jaida’s ride or die. There wasn’t a dull moment around the younger woman. Although the break up was rough and sudden, Heidi was by Jaida’s side to ease the pain.

Then, out of nowhere, Jaida fell sick. She would just be sitting, minding her own business when she would suddenly feel nauseated. She would have to rush to the bathroom and throw up, then she’d sit there for hours afterwards, head pounding painfully at the mere thought of food. It wasn’t until Heidi came over did Jaida move from her position. The young blonde rushed towards where she lay on the bathroom floor, placing a hand on her forehead.

“Jesus, girl. You are burning up. Let me get you some Tylenol or something I-” she yanked open Jaida’s medicine cabinet above her sink, rummaging through it for any kind of pain killer. “Are you food poisoned? It wasn’t my soup, was it? Fuck, I knew it smelt funny.”

Jaida groaned, wisps of her brown hair clinging to her forehead with sweat. She felt disgusting. She felt even worse having to tell Heidi that she hadn’t touched her soup. She just wasn’t feeling it. She had started to have strong cravings for peanut butter over the previous few days, so she had only really been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for meals.

Upon telling Heidi this, the young blonde’s face dropped.

“Cravings?”

“Mhm.”

“Bitchhh,” the girl bit her lip and she looked at Jaida with a strange expression, “When was the last time you, you know… did it?”

“Did what?”

Heidi thought over how to say what she wanted to respectfully, without crossing the line. After dodging the big word with many synonyms to no avail, she just said it straight up. “When did you last get fucked?”

The older woman’s jaw went slack, suddenly feeling like passing out. She gripped the bottom of the sink to steady herself. She and her ex-boyfriend had had sex at least twice in the month prior to their break-up, and although she had been taking her birth control, he had consistently refused to wear a condom. Jaida remembered from her college reproductive biology class that 1 in 100 women would get pregnant on the pill annually. She really hoped she had food poisoning instead of being part of the unlucky 1%. She directed Heidi to the emergency pregnancy test in her cabinet, and the blonde promptly waited outside whilst Jaida followed the instructions printed on the box.

“Can you please talk to me whilst I wait? Distract me with your dumbass stories or somethin’,” Jaida joked, but her voice was shaky.

“Did I ever mention I’m a dom top?” Heidi began, and Jaida almost choked. “Yeah, I like tied a gal to the bed once. She said I was really good at it, but I wouldn’t know. She sounded super bored so I wanted to impress her. Her name was like… Dahlia, I think… and when I was fucking her I couldn’t stop thinking about the Black Dahlia and how when they found her body her mouth had been cut into a smile-”

“Preferably not about murder, Heidi. Chile…” Jaida tried to sound angry, but god it was hard. The fact that she was sitting here, possibly pregnant, after throwing up non-stop and Heidi could still elicit a laugh from her blew her mind.

Five minutes passed, Heidi continued to lie about being a dom-top, and then it was time to check the test.

“Heidi? Can you come in and look for me? I don’t think I can do it myself,” breathed Jaida, and her friend nodded without a word. The brunette clenched her fists subconsciously, looking at the floor whilst Heidi picked up the small stick.

“What do the two red lines mean again?” asked the blonde.

Fuck.

.

Jaida had made the decision not to tell her ex-boyfriend, the father of her soon-to-be child, that she was pregnant. She had heard from mutual friends that he had left the state and moved to Illinois, but quite frankly, she didn’t care.

Her mom had been overjoyed upon finding out, for she had always wanted to be a grandmother. She promised to support Jaida as a single mother throughout her pregnancy and her child’s life.

However, the most supportive person in the brunette’s life at that moment in time was Heidi. Heidi would always knock on the door and bring round a dish that matched Jaida’s daily cravings, she would buy her non-alcoholic wine so they could still drink and watch movies together, she would tend to Jaida when her mourning sickness got back and she would attend every single one of her friend’s check-ups. Jaida was starting to believe Heidi was her guardian angel - because she sure looked like it.

They sat together in the waiting room for Jaida’s second ultrasound. She was nearing her second trimester, and although it was small, there was a visible bump on her stomach. Heidi couldn’t take her hands off it. The blonde held a cheap magazine in one hand and kept her other hand on Jaida’s tummy, awaiting the feeling of a kick (although Jaida had told her it was likely too early for that.) Heidi mocked the trashy magazine headlines while they waited, causing the brunette to laugh so hard she almost cried.

“Girl, one day you’re gonna make this fuckin’ baby shoot out of me five months early cause I’ve been laughing too hard,” Jaida wheezed, gripping the side of the uncomfortable waiting room chair. People around them stared, but they didn’t pay attention.

Heidi gasped, “Oh my goodness Jaida, you can’t curse! What if your baby hears? You don’t want it to pop out of your coochie trash talking like its mommy…”

“Shut up bitch!”

Before they could disturb their surroundings anymore, a nurse entered and called them in. Jaida sat herself down on the chair and the nurse reclined it back slightly. Heidi sat on a small stool to the left of Jaida, watching Jaida with a shit-eating grin on her face. The sonographer, Dr Cox, entered the room, pulling gloves onto her slender hands.

“Well, I can see you have developed a small bump since your last check-up with me,” Dr cox smiled, applying lubricating jelly to Jaida’s stomach to prevent friction from the ultrasound transducer. The gel sent shivers through the brunette, but Heidi reached for her hand and warmed her up. “How are you feeling?” asked the sonographer.

“I’m feeling great. The sickness and nausea have kinda gone away. I’ve been having lots of cravings though,” Jaida sighed, “But it’s all good. Heidi over here got me a Build-a-Bear as a baby shower gift, but it’s more so for me than the baby.”

Dr Cox chuckled as Heidi flipped her hair like the proud best-friend she was.

“Isn’t it early for baby gifts? You don’t even know the gender yet!” Dr Cox said as she hovered the transducer over Jaida’s stomach.

Heidi cut in, “I think she’s plannin’ to raise the baby neutral. She’s gonna let it decide what it wants as it gets older. Until then, we are dressing it rainbow.”

Dr Cox couldn’t help but grin as she stared into the ultrasound, and Jaida felt her face heat up, hoping that the doctor wouldn’t notice. There was just something about the way Heidi spoke with such confidence and conviction that made Jaida’s heart swell in ways she didn’t know it could. What also caused the brunette’s head to spin was the way Heidi said we. They were going to raise this child together.

“Well, of course you can raise the baby gender-neutral. That’s a great idea,” Dr Cox chuckled, moving the transducer across, “But, I can tell you the sex. I can see it right here!”

Jaida’s eyes widened, “You can?”

“Mhm. Do you wanna know?”

“Uh, yes please. Duh.”

Dr Cox pointed at the screen as Jaida and Heidi watched curiously, “Thatis a little girl!”

Jaida tipped her head back in pure bliss. Although she hadn’t spoken it out loud, she had desperately wanted a girl.

“I am so happy. No loud ass boys in this house!” Heidi clapped with glee.

“You don’t even live with me,” Jaida laughed.

“I may as well!”

.

“Do you have a name for it?” Heidi asked whilst Jaida was biting into a hot pickle - the eight one she had eaten that day.

“Yeah, but it’s a surprise,” Jaida winked with a mouthful of food, “You’re just gonna have to wait and see.”

The blonde slammed her dainty hands on the table, “Bitch! Tell me.”

“Girl, I said surprise. You only have about a month to wait.”

Jaida was right. Her bump was ginormous, to the point that she couldn’t see her toes anymore, and it was clear that the baby was well on its way. Her back hurt constantly, her boobs had swollen their way out of most of her bras, and her hormones were going nuts. She was horny all the time, and incredibly touch starved. Despite having no love for her boyfriend, she missed the feeling of nuzzling her nose into his neck or having filthy words whispered in her ear whilst she was showering.

Every time the brunette looked at Heidi - plump lips, button nose and all - she tried to suppress the need to intertwine their fingers, rub her thigh or gently kiss her forehead. Jaida blamed the thoughts about her friend on the hormones, but deep down she knew there was more to it.

She still hadn’t grown tired of Heidi, even though they had spent practically every minute of the past eight months together. Heidi would still make her warm soup, brew her cups of tea and come over with bags of chips for Jaida, and she would never hesitate. The brunette felt like she owed her life to the younger woman.

It was Heidi’s idea to get the baby’s heartbeat tattooed. They had been given a picture by Dr Cox, and as a birthday gift for Jaida, Heidi had taken her to her friends Widow and Crystal’s tattoo parlour just out of town. The two girls were very well known for their minimalistic yet stylish tattoo designs, and they worked on dark skin flawlessly, unlike many other tattooists in the state. Heidi handed the picture to Widow and the latter was more than excited to execute the idea.

Jaida, being the overly cautious mother-to-be that she was, forced Crystal to thoroughly clean the needle right in front of her out of fear of hurting the child with infection. Crystal assured her that everything was fine and perfectly hygienic, but the brunette didn’t believe it until Heidi told her so. She finally relaxed as Widow pressed the needle against the soft skin of her upper arm.

“How does it look so far?” Jaida asked Heidi through gritted teeth.

“It’s gorgeous.”

“I wish my mom got tattoos done when she was pregnant with me,” Crystal chuckled, preparing the petroleum ointment that she would gently apply on Jaida’s skin once Widow had finished. “That’s so badass.”

“It was all Heidi’s idea,” Jaida smiled, nearly fainting when the apple’s of Heidi’s cheeks reddened slightly.

.

They were in line at Wendy’s when it happened. Jaida had been craving a spicy chicken sandwich, so Heidi drove her there without debate. The place was busy, so they were waiting for quite a while. Jaida earned a few stares, which was understandable considering she was heavily pregnant. And then she felt it.

“Oh my God, why does it feel like I’m fucking peeing?” Jaida gulped, her heartbeat quickening with distress. “Am I peeing? I didn’t need the bathroom? I feel like my bladder bopped…”

Heidi gasped and grabbed Jaida’s hand, “Holy fuck Jaida, I read about this. Your water just broke!”

It made sense. Jaida’s due date was set for the next week, but for some reason, the brunette hadn’t considered the child being anything but on time. She found it really cute that Heidi had done her research, though she hardly had time to register it because she was being rushed back to the car.

“What about my chicken sandwich?” she frowned as Heidi pressed her foot down on the pedal.

“Fuck your chicken sandwich! We gotta go!”

Thankfully, the hospital wasn’t far. Within ten minutes, they had reached the large building and were being attended to by multiple nurses.

“Oh fuck!” Jaida whimpered as she felt a heavy pressure press against her pelvis, not unlike a period cramp. The nurses told her not to worry, as she was just experiencing contractions, but she was worrying a lot.

Quicker than she could express her feelings, Heidi sensed them. She reached for Jaida’s shaky hand and gripped it, bringing her lips to it and kissing it gently multiple times.

The action was friendly, but it for sure eased Jaida’s pain.

“Heidi can you… can you call my mom?”

“Sure, hon.”

Hon. It seemed like such a domesticated pet name. Jaida felt like crying.

Ten minutes later, Jaida’s mom burst into the hospital room, looking glamorous as ever. Jaida was the spitting image of her, and Heidi found herself wondering if Jaida’s child would be the same.

“Are you okay, sweetie pie?” her mom asked, pushing past Heidi and grabbing her daughter’s hand comfortingly.

“I’m fine. Slightly uncomfortable, though.”

Jaida was still yet to go into labour, but the doctors and nurses had advised that she stay put at the hospital because it was likely that she would start soon. She was extremely nervous. Growing up, she had always found the prospect of birth disgusting and painful. Now that she was experiencing it - she was right. Her head was sticky with sweat, her lips were dry and the milk that had started coming in two days prior had caused her to feel constantly uncomfortable. To her surprise, Heidi had shown her how to use the breast pump, so now she had many cups of milk sitting in the fridge, waiting for baby Hall to arrive.

It wasn’t long before Jaida went into labour, and Heidi stayed by her the entire time (after having to argue with a nurse to try and convince her that she was practically family.) Their hands stayed connected through the entire process, and Heidi whispered Jaida comforting promises whilst the latter screamed in pain and agony.

Jaida didn’t cry often, but in the four hours that it took to deliver her baby, she must’ve cried her entire body mass. She cried harder after Heidi softly whispered in her ear, ‘We can do this together.’ She knew she couldn’t cope simply being Heidi’s best friend and next-door neighbour anymore. She wanted Heidi. Even more so, she wanted Heidi to be her child’s second parent. It was a huge thing to ask, and she told herself that she would never seriously ask it, but she knew that Heidi would make an incredible mom.

After hours of sobbing, the only cries that filled the room were the cries of Jaida’s beautiful little baby. The baby’s small head was already covered with little black curls upon delivery, and Jaida couldn’t help but stroke them softly whilst the newborn fell asleep in her arms. The baby’s nose was small and cute and Heidi had already gently booped it about fifteen times.

“It’s so tiny,” Jaida’s mom gaped.

“Look at its little hands,” Heidi added.

“Y’all wanna know what I decided to call it?” questioned Jaida, and both women nodded profusely, “I decided to call it Willow cause it’s kinda unisex and the willow tree on our street started growing right when I found out I was pregnant. It cannot be a coincidence.”

For the first time that day, Jaida watched as Heidi’s eyes became glassy. They quickly became filled with tears that spilt over after she said, “I love it.”

Jaida looked into Heidi’s eyes and saw something there that she hadn’t seen before. Both their eyes were dark and stared deeply into one another, further past what each of them saw.

“Momma, can you take Willow for a second? I need a moment with Heidi here,” the brunette asked and her mom nodded, carefully scooping the sleeping baby from her daughter’s arms. She stepped out of the room and into the hallway, leaving Jaida and Heidi there alone.

“Thank you for being here,” Jaida sniffled, reaching forward to take her friend’s soft hands, “I really don’t know how I would’ve coped without you. You have helped me more these past nine months than anyone has ever had. I owe you everything.”

“Girl, you’re gonna make me so emotional,” Heidi giggled through her tears, “I am so proud of you. You really said fuck this baby daddy I’m gonna birth this child all alone and raise it alone cause I’m the baddest bitch alive.”

The brunette bit her lip before placing her hand on the side of Heidi’s face nervously, causing the blonde’s lips to part subconsciously, “But I didn’t do it alone. I did it with you.”

Before either of them could say another word, Heidi pulled Jaida in by the back of her neck and tipped their lips up to meet one another in the softest, gentlest kiss either of them had ever experienced. It was nothing like the ones Jaida shared with her ex-boyfriend - those had no meanings - but this meant the world. Nine months of pent up emotions spilt out into the intimate embrace. Heidi’s lips explored Jaida’s hesitantly, like she was made of glass, but the brunette assured her not to be afraid by gently dragging her tongue across the blonde’s lower lip.

After another minute, they pulled away, breathless. They kept staring into one another’s eyes, looking for answers, until Jaida was the first to say it.

“I love you,” she muttered, “I have loved you this whole damn time.”

“I love you too,” Heidi wept, pressing her lips against Jaida’s flushed cheek briefly.

“Heidi I- I don’t know how to tell you this but I… I want you to be Willow’s mom, along with me. I want us to parent this kid together. I can’t do it alone.”

Heidi gasped, “Oh my lord I was waiting for you to ask that.”

“Chile… Are you serious?”

“Yes, bitch! I’ve always wanted to raise a child and teach it my ways and Willow… Willow is so beautiful. Just like their momma. Of course I wanna raise this baby with you.”

“I love you so, so much.”

.

11 months later

Jaida and Heidi had made an agreement that Jaida was to be called mom and Heidi was momma, to avoid any confusion, however, Willow was still yet to form a real word. Willow was a fantastic babbler and had perfected the art of incoherent sounds and blowing raspberries, but nothing that had escaped their lips was actually in the dictionary.

“Oh lord, what if Willow never speaks… What if they grow up mute?” Jaida panicked, her head in her hands against the kitchen counter.

“Calm down, baby,” Heidi sighed, placing her hand on the small of her girlfriend’s back, “If they’ve got even a fragment of your brain, I just know they’re gonna be a smartass.”

“Smartass!”

A voice echoed across the room. Heidi shoved Jaida gently for mocking her, but Jaida defended herself, promising that it wasn’t her who said it. They were confused for a second before the realisation dawned on them. They rushed towards Willow’s crib where the child sat, sucking on the floppy ear of a stuffed toy.

“What did you just call me, Willow Essence Anthonie-Hall?” Jaida squinted, leaning over the crib to watch her baby’s lips curl up into a smile.

“Smartass,” Willow grinned, causing Heidi nearly to pass out with laughter.

Jaida scooped Willow up and held them over her head, “You can’t say that! Heidi, tell Willow that they can’t say that!”

Heidi was wheezing too hard to respond, but after a minute of bellowing laughter, she managed to say, “Willow ain’t wrong!”

“Not only am I being bullied by my girlfriend, but also my almost 1-year-old kid,” she faux-gasped, “I’m leaving!” she joked, before bursting into laughter. Things couldn’t have been better.

[wiscoboxes]

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