#and I never hear it played in stores or on holiday radio stations or anything which is bizarre to me like.. it has all the markers

[motownfiction]

an old fashioned love song

Lucy’s not sure when it happens. Maybe around her thirtieth birthday. Maybe it was earlier. But over the past few years (decades, actually, but who would admit that?), her favorite songs have been … migrating.

She noticed it the first time on a trip back home to Detroit. She was driving past what used to be Elenore’s dance studio when she heard the Dexys cover of “Jackie Wilson Said” on the classic rock station, where it should never be. It freaked her out, but maybe it was just a fluke. Maybe the classic rock station went a little almost college rock for a minute there. Yes. That must have been it. It couldn’t have been anything else.

But in the past few years, Lucy hasn’t been able to live in that much denial. As soon as the grocery store becomes the most likely place for her to hear most of her favorite songs, she knows she’s gotten very, very old.

To be fair, most of Lucy’s favorite songs are older than she is. A little older, anyway. When she was a little girl, she listened to music like her parents and like her very cool babysitter in Connecticut with the short dark hair. She always wanted to be older, and she thought music was the best place to start. And, of course, it was … until they started playing her favorite songs in grocery stores.

It hits her harder than ever on July 3, 2023. She and Will took the rest of the family to a little town in North Carolina for the holiday, and they’re shopping at a local market for tomorrow’s meals. As they peruse the aisle for the best hot dog buns, Lucy hears it. “An Old Fashioned Love Song” by Three Dog Night. She begins to sing under her breath, almost like she can’t control herself.

Just an old fashioned love song / playing on the radio …

Will looks up from the hot dog buns and smiles at her like he knows too much. He always knows too much. That’s what you get for marrying your boyfriend when you’re both sixteen. You memorize each other like … well …

Just an old fashioned love song / one I’m sure they wrote for you and me.

“I always forget you like this song,” he says, tossing a good package of buns into their cart. “It always seems too cheesy for you.”

“Please,” Lucy says. “I love cheese. And not just cheddar and gouda. I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t like a little … production.”

“I love how you can make everything sound just a little dirty.”

“I love how you can take it that way, even when very few people would.”

“Hey. It’s a testament to how well we know each other.”

“And how well we fuck.”

“Same thing?”

“If one is lucky. Which we are.”

“You’re right. We always have been, haven’t we?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Will laughs and pushes the cart down to the next aisle. The song follows them there. It doesn’t seem to bother Will that they’ve gotten a bit old. Aging never really seems to bother Will. He’s one of those guys who’s happy being alive … who loves taking a deep breath before blowing out the candles on his birthday cake just to prove he can still do it.

Lucy loves that about him. Every corner of him is so … breathing.

“You don’t also secretly like 10cc, do you?” Will asks.

“Oh, fuck no,” Lucy says. “We do many things for love, but listening to 10cc for more than three seconds while you fiddle with the station is not really one of them.”

Will stops pushing the cart. He spins on his heels, takes Lucy in his arms, and kisses her swiftly, like a cartoon character counting his blessings before the anvil gets him on the head.

“Good afternoon to you, too,” Lucy says.

Will chuckles. He doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t have to. With Lucy, he never really does. The song still follows them into the next aisle.

Just an old fashioned love song / coming down in three-part harmony.

[icewindandboringhorror]

...time for the best holiday song! 

[just-a-monster-blog]

Invisible (Yautja X Human) Ch1

   (Reader X Yautja ) (Got some inspiration, let me know what you guys think!) 

     Going hard into college courses with five classes at once was rough enough but working to keep the rent paid at the same time was hell, but it was a hell you are used to. The alarm clock next to your bed is automatically turned on at 7 A.M before you wake up, slamming it off. Waking up groggy as usual, you make your way into the living room to find that your roommate had forgotten to turn the television off before he left for work again. Right as you grab the remote to turn off the television, you notice the news playing an interesting story. "This morning, we find officials baffled at the sight of what appears to be an unknown aircraft impacted into the ground," the reporter explained as the news cameras showed the large spacecraft from a helicopter view. "People over exaggerating," you sigh to yourself before turning the television off.

In the small, dreary town you live in, you could bet that this is the hot topic everyone will be talking about; it’s not like anything special happens around here anyway. You searched the radio station to find music because every other radio host was still chattering about the aircraft crashing. You pull your Volkswagon bug up to the local pet store you work at and park your car near the front of the parking lot. Nothing incredibly exciting happened that day or for the next couple of days. Work and school consumed your life.

That is until about a week later when you pulled up to work. You couldn't help but notice that the mom and pop store located at the plaza right next to your work place was clustered with forensic, police, and the locals. You raise a brow in curiosity before checking your watch "eh, I have time," you told yourself before putting your car back in drive and heading over to see what all the fuss was about.

You step out of your car at the next plaza over and head over to the commotion. Before police shoved everyone back while repetitively saying, "ok, move it along guys, nothing to see here," You did a double-take at the horrifying scene dangling from the back of the shop. You could hardly make out three skinned bodies, hung upside down like cattle at a slaughterhouse. "What the hell," was all you could mutter. You had never seen anything like this. The worst part was those eyes staring right at you, not blinking, not moving, just a lifeless gaze staring into you. You turn to leave; curiosity certainly did kill this time.

          The day was long and dragging, not just because the pet store was open a little later than usual because everyone needed to stock up on supplies for their animals right before the holidays, but because of the burning image of the skinned dangling bodies you had witnessed earlier. Every time you stopped throwing bags of dog food on the shelf, the scene came back into memory. It was almost as if it was searing into your brain.

         At 11 pm, after completing a double shift, the only thing to do left was to check the store for any customers before locking up. You check the bathrooms, backrooms, storage, and everything looked all set. You start walking from the back of the store to the front. Just as you were about to set the alarm system and lock up for the night, you jump at the incredibly loud sound of a holiday display hitting the floor. You freeze in fear before your instinct screams at you to run and call the cops. Your hand is on the door handle to flee when you hear what sounds like a clicking sound coming from an animal of some sort. Your mind goes from store intruder to lose animal in the store. It wasn't the first time it happened. You let out a loud sigh and begin searching for the said loose animal. You check on the ferrets, Guinea pigs, then the reptiles, nothing. Everyone was in their respective cages. "Probably stress," you reassure yourself. You wipe the sweat from your forehead with your arm in confusion. You see a tall, broad shadow behind you; you spin around to look up at a massive beast. You stumble with a gasp and end up leaning against a shelf in sheer panic, too terrified to run. The reptilian-being leaned down as if it were inspecting you, only about two inches from your face now. You remember those fangs, those sharp mandibles, and bright yellow eyes that seemed to glow. You felt a large hand coming from the monster grab your shoulder before passing out in a deep slumber. 

[kindahoping4forever]

All I Want For Christmas Is You // Ashton Irwin

Day 3 of Hoe For The Hoe-lidays! I hope everyone is enjoying the event so far, we’re having a lot of fun! Please be sure to let us know what you think either via ask or in your tags if you’re a kind reblogging soul 😉

Stay tuned today for a new Cal blurb from Cass on her @cal-puddies​​ blog and as always, each new piece will be linked on the masterlist below.

Warnings: Oh you know, just gifting Boyfriend!Ash with some good old fashioned road head for the holidays 😌

Word Count: 1785

Hoe For The Hoe-lidays Masterlist

Masterlist // Taglist and Ko-Fi linked above

Let  me  know  what  you  think!

“I would’ve taken you to get some real coffee if you’d asked,” Ashton comments grumpily.

You ignore his negativity, pecking his cheek. “It’s good! I mean it’s still gas station coffee but it’s not flavored or anything. Unsweetened and disgusting, exactly what you like,” you cheerfully reply, sitting the drinks in the cup holder.

When he’d heard you were planning to travel a couple hours away to pick up a gift you wanted to give your mother for Christmas, he eagerly offered to accompany you on your journey, even volunteering to drive.

The trip there went smoothly; he picked you up early, you stopped for breakfast along the way and had fun singing Christmas songs, sharing holiday memories and enjoying each other’s company. You’ve only been dating since the summer so every new fact you learn about each other is fascinating and the idea of spending time together is even more novel as the holiday season unfolds.

The rest of the trip, however, is a different story: you got caught up at your destination and your one-stop shopping trip turned into a multi-store, multi-hour tour of the mall, putting your return trip smack in the middle of rush hour traffic.

You'd hoped that your suggestion of pulling off the freeway to fill up the tank would’ve helped either his mood or the traffic but as you plop back in the passenger seat, wincing at the latest traffic delays, you concede your plan may have failed.

“That bad, huh?” Ashton guesses, seeing your face as he starts the car back up.

“Yeah… traffic looks pretty light if you skip the freeway and take the streets, though,” you offer positively.

“Traffic’s light because no one’s taking the streets unless they have to,” he scoffs. “Long stretches of road without anyone or anything nearby and it’ll add at least another hour, if not more to our trip.” He runs a hand through his long hair and over his tired face, scratching at his beard, frustrated.

You’re not used to him like this, so pessimistic and combative. You respond, much quieter than before, “Just thought it’d be better than white knuckling through another hour of bumper to bumper.”

He immediately notices your change in demeanor and reaches over to squeeze your knee. “Hey... you know I’m not mad at you, right? It’s just been a long day and stuff like this makes me a little crazy,” he explains.

“I know… I’m just sorry I turned this into a way bigger deal than you thought it was going to be, I didn’t mean to take up your whole day,” you shrug.

“I offered you my day, baby,” he corrects. He takes a sip of his iced coffee and makes a displeased face, yet keeps drinking it. “We haven’t seen each other much lately and I’m not gonna see you at all for the holidays so I’m not complaining about a few extra hours with you.”

He laces his fingers with yours, bringing them to his face to place a kiss on your knuckles. He gets back on the road and it takes less than 10 minutes of freeway traffic for Ash to agree with you about taking the alternate route.

His disposition may have lightened but he’s clearly not in the mood to talk so you flick the radio to the local Christmas music station. You hear him take a deep, steadying breath but don’t think anything of it as you quietly sing to yourself while you sip your coffee and answer texts.

The music simply exists in the background, neither of you paying it much mind until the opening tinkles of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” sound out through the speakers. You excitedly sit up in your seat to sing along but notice your boyfriend clenching his jaw, gripping the steering wheel as if his life depends on it.

You get through the first verse before you steal another glance at Ash and he looks inexplicably, comedically furious. You don’t want to push your luck based on the day you’ve had but you can’t imagine what the issue is. “Um, babe? Everything alright?” You tentatively ask, turning the radio down.

He takes another deep breath and says as evenly as he can manage, “Sweetheart. You know I care about you. You know I want you to be happy. I love when you’re happy. Nothing makes me happier than when you’re happy. But I swear to fucking GOD if I have to hear that fucking song one more fucking time I’m going to lose my goddamn fucking mind.”

You can’t help but burst out laughing. “What?!”

“Baby, it was on the radio a few times on the trip there, we heard it at the breakfast place, every goddamn store in the mall played it. I’m at my wit’s end," he insists.

“Was my rendition really that bad?” You joke.

A grin threatens to creep up his cheeks but he remains stoic. “Just trying to get us back to our respective homes with my mind and body in one piece.”

“Homes plural? I don’t even get to invite you in to make up for how today turned out?” You tease, walking your fingers up his thigh.

“You're not ready for a break from a grinch like me?” He asks with a faint smile. You feel a rush of serotonin shoot through you when you see the sparkle back in his eyes.

“Aww, I’m pretty sure I know a way to raise your holiday spirit,” you smirk as your hand settles on his crotch.

"That so?" He laughs coyly, enjoying the build up.

You drape yourself over his seat, attaching your lips to his neck while you palm him. "Long stretches of road without anyone or anything nearby?" You quote his words back to him as you hastily undo the button and zipper of his jeans. "Sounds like a perfect opportunity to help relieve some holiday stress."

Ashton inhales sharply as you pull him out of his boxers, attentively massaging his tip between your thumb and forefinger. "You know you don't have to do this just because of earlier, baby," he states softly.

You press a soft kiss to his cheek before ducking down to lick a long stripe all the way up his shaft, suckling gingerly at the head when you reach it. You let your spit collect in your mouth and fall onto him when you pull off to say, "Oh, I meant I'm doing this to relieve my stress but you're right, I can see how this would help you out too."

He laughs loudly and you think there may not be a sweeter sound in the world - at least not until you hear the awed way he mutters your name when you slowly slide your mouth down his cock, almost making it all the way to his balls before you start to choke and pull up.

You hollow your cheeks and bob your head, tongue working him over in your mouth just how you've learned he likes. His hand rests gently on top of your head, occasionally tangling his fingers in your hair but careful to never apply pressure. It enters your mind that part of you wishes he would and you moan around him at the thought.

Ash can't help but quickly cast his eyes down to take a peek; he groans loudly at the sight of you in his lap with his cock nearly buried in your throat. You swirl your tongue around him as you pull up, hand cradling his balls.

"God, baby… feels so good… your mouth is fucking heavenly," he sighs breathlessly.

You press your legs together at his praise, regretting you didn't wear that skirt you'd considered this morning, wishing there was some way you could relieve the ache between your thighs before you got home.

He must've noticed your struggle because suddenly he's asking, "Being such a good girl turning you on, baby? How wet has sucking me off made you?"

You whine, pulling off with a loud pop. "Ash… been wet since I first thought to do this," you admit, stroking him while you catch your breath.

"Poor baby," he replies with a smirk. "Can you behave and wait to cum until we get back? Or are you so desperate for my cock that I'm gonna have to pull over and fill you in the middle of this goddamn highway?"

Your head spins, overwhelmed by arousal. "Only ever wanna be good for you," you whimper, sloppily kissing up and down his length. "Wanna be good and make you cum." Your declaration has barely left your lips before you're sucking him again, with renewed intent.

"Fuck, baby, yes… wanna give you my cum, you deserve it," he babbles as your mouth works him, up and down, up and down.

You pull up to pump him again and out of the corner of your eye, you notice his blood moon tattoos practically jumping off his skin with how tightly he's beginning to grip the steering wheel.

Before you even have a chance to teasingly comment, Ashton's breath hitches and with a sharp cry of your name, his cock is suddenly throbbing in your hand, cum shooting up and onto the shoulder of your sweater.

You giggle in shock but act quickly, moving to try and get him back in your mouth, a task made difficult by the forceful pulses of his orgasm; you can't help but moan as you feel the stripes of hot cum hit your cheek before you're able to wrap your lips around him, sucking the final drops from his tip.

He finally lets out an exhausted huff, followed by an elated chuckle. "Jesus, baby, I'm sorry," he apologizes, looking over in disbelief as you shift back to your seat, trying not to make a mess of the car, digging through the glove box for tissues. "That came out of fuckin' nowhere."

You wipe your face, snickering, "You're telling me." You use your water bottle to dampen a tissue and start carefully dabbing at the stain on your sweater. "To be fair, you did say you wanted to give me your cum. So. Mission accomplished, pal."

He cackles, stealing another glance at you, unsure if this memory will ever leave his mind. "Gonna make you feel so fucking good when we get back," he promises breathlessly.

"Decided to come over to mine after all, then?" You tease with a smile.

Ash squeezes your knee. "I've got favors to return, my dear," he giggles. "Plus, we need to go online so you can pick out the new sweater I clearly need to give you for Christmas."

————-

Taglist issues again so my apologies if you get notif’d more than once (or not at all)

@mymindwide​ @suchalonelysunflower​​ @pxrxmoore​ @loveroflrh​ @ghostofmashton​ @sexgodashton​ @feliznavidaddycal​  

@castaway-cashton​ @ashtonlftv​ @cashtonasfuck​ @megz1985​ @ashdork-irwin​ @angelicfluffs​ @findingliam-o​ @youngbloodchild​  @irwinsbetch​ @everyscarisahealingplace​

@wiildflower-xxx​ @metalandboybands​​  @realisticnotes​​  @makeamovehemmings​​ @golden166​​ @burstintocolor​​

@mfartzzz​​ @babyoria​​ @petunias-pet​ @youngblood199456​​ @notinthesameguey​​ @seanna313​​  @zhangyixingxing1​​ @stardust-galaxies​​  @zackoid​​

@lovelybonesetc​​ @xsongxbirdx​​ @justhereforcalum​​   @ashtonangst​

@laura66sos​​ @calumrose​​ @karajaynetoday​​  @pilunb​​ @jazzyangel242​​ @babylon-corgis​​  @heyheyhaleyd​​ @calmsweetcreature​​

@spicycal​​ @talkfastromance4​​  @holystxne​​

@meetmedowntown​​ @myloverboyash​​

@irwindoll​​ @cheekysos​​ @carrielfisher​​ @lukedorkyhemmings​​ @creampiecashton​​ @lovelywordsblog​​

@trix-arent-for-kids @uh-huhh-honey @tobefalling @aladyofalbion @likehuhdude

@curlycalums​​  @cxddlyash​​  @reddesert-healourblues​​

@fedorable-killjoys​​  @iamcalumswhore​​   @i-like-5sos​​   @Too-et-moi215

@photochic18  @kouska901 @Indermeow  @dantord

[thiswasinevitableid]

winter prompt fill 29, indruck, sfw?

29. i should’ve done my shopping a month ago but now i’m running around last minute and when i enter your store, i’m absolutely frazzled. help me.

(Pinecone is borrowed from harrisonator’s fic “Monster Mash”)

Working at Kepler Petco isn’t the worst thing, even during the holiday shopping hellscape months. It’s not like anyone is getting in fistfights over cases of Fancy Feast. Which is why, on the 22nd of December, Duck is unprepared for the sudden sound of hands on hitting the countertop. 

“I need help.” The guy’s about his age, silver hair going patchy black near the top, pink and white striped sweater around his neck and a massive sweater hanging off his lanky frame. His red glasses barely conceal brown, anxious eyes. 

“Sure, what’re lookin for?”

“Rat treats, the kind that won’t make them ill.”

“Can handle that, right this way.” Duck leaves the counter and leads the guy back to the small mammal section. As they go the man spins a ring on his index finger, flushing under the merciless heating vents. 

“I’m sorry for the dramatic entrance. I have a mountain of things to do today and your store closes first.”

Duck glances at the AKC branded clock on the wall, which shows 12:30 p.m, “We close at five.”

“Yes, I know, but I really cannot overstate how behind I am on my Christmas shopping. Or, well, holiday is more accurate, since Joseph celebrates Hanukkah, which means I’m already late on that.” He sighs, runs a finger with chipped black nails through his hair.

“Big family?” Duck points to the row of snacks, grabs the man a basket from the end of the aisle when he starts piling them into his arms. 

“Lots of friends. We’re having a party tomorrow and I completely forgot about it until today. I know it’s ridiculous to forget about a holiday where you can’t turn around without being slapped with a reminder of it, but my brain doesn’t always work in the way I’d like it to.”

“No judgement here. Once forgot my sisters birthday until the minute my mom asked if I could get some candles for the cake after school.”

“Oh dear.” The man smiles, the expression shifting from odd to shy when Duck meets his eyes, “thank you for your help.”

Five minutes later the guy heads towards the register, then stops, backtracking to the display of rats, mice, and hamsters. Duck joins him in case he has questions, and to steal another look at his singular features. They’re not handsome on the surface, but something about them draws his eye back over and over. He’s just in time to hear the man cooing to a pair of brown rats.

“...so lovely, aren’t you just charming? If I could I’d take you home but space is limited. Oh” he blushes when he sees Duck, “I’m, ah, ready to pay now.”

“One of your friends got rats?” He indicates the pile of treats the man is buying.

“Hmm? Oh, no, these are for Luna and Emperor, my rats. I wanted to get them presents too.”

Duck can’t decide if the fact the guy prioritized spoiling his pets on the day he had to buy a bunch of gifts is adorable or worrying.

“As I said, I came here because you close first. And I, ah, I like spoiling them. It’s nice to know exactly how to cheer another living thing up.”

“I get that. Pinecone, that’s my, uh, my cat, gets more treats a month than I do.”

“Someone ought to buy you a few, then.”  The man murmurs, handing over his debit card. 

Duck, caught up in the mechanics of fighting with the card reader, doesn’t realize he’s being flirted with until the man is no more than a silver head merging into the throng outside. 

He’s lowkey annoyed with himself the rest of the day; he’s been in the market for a cute guy, and while his mystery shopper may not be Ryan Gosling, but Duck wouldn’t mind getting his number. 

Since he opened today, he gets off at three, decides to swing by Crate and Barrel in case the apron he thinks Barclay might like. There’s small hallways dotted through the mall, leading to exits or to backrooms.  As he passes one, he gets a glimpse of silver hair and a vibrant scarf. That’s the only good part of what he sees; the man from earlier is pressed close to the shiny wall, trying and failing to get his breathing order.

“Hey, man, you okay?”

He jolts, registers who’s speaking, and looks at the ground, “N-not really. I, part of the reason put this off so long is I can get incredibly overwhelmed in crowds sometimes, and yes I know that makes coming here three days before Christmas even worse an idea but I thought maybe I could handle it, but I’ve only managed to buy two of the gifts I need because I cannot focus with everything going on and, and I’m sorry, here I wanted to charming around you and now you’ve seen this and-”

“What would help?”

“I, I’d like to go somewhere quiet, but there’s nowhere, even the bathrooms are packed.”

“Do you, uh, want to come sit in my car for a bit? I can run the heater so we don’t freeze.”

“That’s really alright?” The question is so small and vulnerable he wants to tuck it into a shoebox to keep it safe.

“Yeah. C’mon, I’m parked on this end.” 

It’s snowing on and off as they walk to his car, and as he gets it running and turns on the heat his passenger finally pulls his clenched hands from his pockets; one holds a fidget cube, the other a very small, plush moth.

“I tried so hard to prepare for every possible future.” Is what he gets as explanation. The man sets both items in his lap and shuts his eyes, breathing slowly in and out. Duck says nothing, opens his phone and plays two rounds of Plants vs. Zombies before he hears anything at all from beside him. 

“Would you mind turning the radio on, at a low volume?”

“Any requests?” Duck hits the power button.

“No talk radio.”

“Can manage that.” He fiddles around and finds the alternative station. Even it has Christmas songs interspersed with the usual mix. 

“Is your name really Duck?”

He wonders if the guy is omnipotent until he remembers his nametag.

“It’s a nickname.”

“I’m Indrid.” He opens his eyes, “thank you for letting me come here to calm down. I may actually manage to succeed in my quest now. It’s so hard, I actually enjoy being out around the lights, the feeling of so many people being happy or trying to do kind things for each other. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially when I’m alone.”

“Would it help if you weren’t?”

“Possibly, but I couldn’t ask you to spend even more time in that mall given you work there.” 

“Got some last minute shoppin to do myself. Besides, if you get stuck on a gift, I’m pretty damn good at comin up with ideas.”

“Thank you.” Indrid smiles, excited, and that settles it: Duck is asking for his number after this.

They brave the crowds and the holiday cheer blaring across the speakers once more. The first stop is a store selling housewares, including a pair of small succulents that Indrid deems worthy of giving a friend as he listens to Duck talk about his part time job at the National Forest, laughing when Duck mentions last weeks run-in with a pissed-off migratory bird. 

The next few stores are no help, and they opt to take advantage of the lull between when people are done with school and when people are done with work to hit up the coffeeshop, Indrid ordering a white chocolate peppermint mocha and promptly getting whipped cream on his nose. Duck is tempted to kiss it off, settles for handing his new friend a napkin while he talks about his recent return to Kepler after traveling around the country in a Winnebago, selling his art at shows. As luck would have it, the store has a shelf devoted to artisan or local coffees, and they’re each able to find one for someone on their list. 

Macy's proves more treacherous, and once five o’ clock hits even Duck is feeling cramped. Indrid is tensing, his replies getting short or far off, and just as Duck is about to offer to dip out again, chilly fingers link with his own.

“Is this alright?”

“Better than alright.” He grins and Indrid holds tighter, breathing in through his nose and out his mouth as Duck guides them into a less crowded corner. The do eventually find some high quality hiking socks that Indrid buys, only letting go of Duck in order to pay. 

They reward themselves with dinner at Johnny Rocket, Duck hopping over to Indrid’s side of the booth to see pictures of Emperor and Luna, and show off the photos he has of Pinecone hiding under his ranger jacket. 

“One more stop, thank goodness.” It’s going on seven and Duck has to say he agrees; he loves being around Indrid, but his feet are killing him and he’s had “Jingle Bells” stuck in his head for an hour. 

Indrid’s last item is at Crate and Barrel, and Duck laughs when the other man goes straight to the aprons. 

“You got good taste, I’m gettin’ one of these too. Barclay said he needed a new one.”

A fine-boned hand freezes mid-reach, “Did you say Barclay?”

“Yeah?”

“I am also buying this for a Barclay. Is your Barclay, by chance, dating someone named Joseph and hosting a party tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

They stare at each other, frozen long enough that another shopper passes between them. Then they double over in sync, Duck wheezing out a laugh while Indrid cackles. 

“Holy shit, we’ve been shoppin for the same folks!”

“Barclay mentioned there’d be new people at the party but I never thought one of them would be such a catch.”

Duck gets his breathing in order, steps across the faux-hardwood and takes Indrid’s hand.

“Hey, Indrid? You wanna be my date to the party tomorrow?”

“Absolutely.”

“....wait, fuck, which one of us is gonna give him the apron?”

“You can, I have another idea for him. Consider it an early present from me.” Indrid tease. 

“Sugar,” Duck slips his hands into Indrid’s back pockets, smiling up at him, “you might just be all the present I need.”

[lovemesomesurveys]

weird asks that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? I choose 3: Coffee mugs, water bottles, and soda cans.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops? Chocolate bars.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy? Cotton candy.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? I was the “pleasure to have in class.”

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? Cans or bottles. 

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? Pastel.

7. earbuds or headphones? Earbuds.

8. movies or tv shows? Both.

9. favorite smell in the summer? The smell of the ocean/beach air, coconut, and sunscreen.

10. game you were best at in p.e.? I sucked at everything.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day? Over-easy eggs and Eggo’s.

12. name of your favorite playlist? My main playlist on Spotify is my “Starred” playlist.

13. lanyard or key ring? Key ring. 

14. favorite non-chocolate candy? Candy corn.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment? One of them is A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

16. most comfortable position to sit in? I sit with my legs crossed or to the side.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes? My black Adidas.

18. ideal weather? Fall and winter weather.

19. sleeping position? I sleep slightly turned to my side.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? My laptop.

21. obsession from childhood? I was obsessed with Barbies.

22. role model? My mom.

23. strange habits? My eating habits. I pick apart my food and eat it that way, I’m very picky and particular about my food, I like some odd pairings, my appetite is up and down, I don’t eat edges...

24. favorite crystal? Rose quartz and amethyst are really pretty.

25. first song you remember hearing? I have no idea. Probably something on Barney, another childhood obsession I had when I was really little.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather? Go to the beach

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather? Enjoy hot cups of coffee. I drink it year round, but it’s even more special during the cold months.

28. five songs to describe you? *shrug*

29. best way to bond with you? Watch the same TV show series.

30. places that you find sacred? The beach.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? I have no such outfit. I’m not a badass, I’m a a lame ass. ha.

32. top five favorite vines? Vine is dead.

33. most used phrase in your phone? Uhh, I have no idea? 

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? I don’t have any.

35. average time you fall asleep? It really varies.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Pfft, I have no idea.

37. suitcase or duffel bag? Both.

38. lemonade or tea? Tea.

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? Lemon cake.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Nothing I’ve experienced.

41. last person you texted? My mom.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets. 

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Hoodie, leather, jean, and bomber.

44. favorite scent for soap? The typical soap scent for body soap. I like various scented ones from Bath and Body Works for hand soaps. I’m obsessed with their foamy hand soaps.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? I enjoy all 3.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Lounge shorts or t-shirt dress.

47. favorite type of cheese? I love a variety of different cheeses. 

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be? I don’t know.

49. what saying or quote do you live by? There isn’t one.

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? Uhh, I have no idea.

51. current stresses? Health stuff as always.

52. favorite font? Tahoma, Verdana, Georgia.

53. what is the current state of your hands? What?

54. what did you learn from your first job? I haven’t had a job.

55. favorite fairy tale? Is Alice in Wonderland one?

56. favorite tradition? Holiday ones.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? Various surgeries and health related things.

58. four talents you’re proud of having? I have no talents.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? I don’t know.

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? I don’t know.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? I have a lot of those.

62. seven characters you relate to? I don’t feel like spending a bunch of time thinking about it.

63. five songs that would play in your club? Five upbeat, catchy songs ha. I’m too lazy for this.

64. favorite website from your childhood? Neopets, dollcentral or something like that, Club Penguin... I can’t think of the others I frequented.

65. any permanent scars? Yes, several.

66. favorite flower(s)? I don’t have one.

67. good luck charms? I don’t believe in luck.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? Seafood and alcohol.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? Blah.

70. left or right handed? Right.

71. least favorite pattern? Animal prints.

72. worst subject? Math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo? Dipping my sandwiches that have mayo in it in my ramen cause I like the mayo and ramen flavor combo.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? Well, I’m on a pain management regimen so I’m on a schedule to try and keep the pain manageable. 

75. when did you lose your first tooth? I think I was 6.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? I love potatoes in a lot of different ways.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill? I have no idea.

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Coffee from a gas station. I don’t like sushi at all from anywhere.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? I don’t have a driver’s license, but I never liked my school ID photos.

80. earth tones or jewel tones? Jewel tones.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs? No bugs.

82. pc or console? PC.

83. writing or drawing? Writing.

84. podcasts or talk radio? Podcasts.

84. barbie or polly pocket? I had both, but I was obsessed with Barbies.

85. fairy tales or mythology? Fairy tales.

86. cookies or cupcakes? Both.

87. your greatest fear? Losing my loved ones, death, never getting better/getting worse, never doing anything with my life...

88. your greatest wish? To get my health under control and do something with my life.

89. who would you put before everyone else? I put my loved ones first.

90. luckiest mistake? Uhh.

91. boxes or bags? Depends?

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? Fairy lights.

93. nicknames? Steph and Sis.

94. favorite season? Fall and winter.

95. favorite app on your phone? Kindle, DoorDash, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

96. desktop background? Alexander Skarsgard.

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized? Just a few that I’ve known forever.

98. favorite historical era? Hm.

[pathetic-has-been-rockstar]

Finding Warmth

Pairing: Crowely x reader

Written for: @spnchristmasbingo​

Square filled: sharing a bed

Warnings: none

Summary:  Chuck is gone, Amara is in charge, and the world is finally free. You're heading to the bunker for the first proper Christmas celebration with Team Free Will, but you're forced to stop along the way. When the former King of Hell shows up, you manage to surprise him, and discover a new side of the demon.

Words: 2644

Beta: @raspberrymama​

my work can be found on AO3, here! If you’re interested in the whole series, you just have to click here!

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The road to the bunker is pretty long, and the radio doesn't bring reassuring news. Apparently, there's a snow storm raging somewhere, and the roads aren't going to be open for long.

With a sigh, you peek at your car's clock. It's well past nine, and you're hungry and tired, so you decide to pull over at the first motel sign you see. You book a room, head to the gas station next to the motel and buy a couple of sandwiches, a cupcake and a couple of soft drinks. You're in the mood for some beer, but you're tired enough as it is.

Walking back to your room, you make a call.

“Hey there, Dean!”

“Kid! We were starting to worry. Where are you?” You smile at the concern in his voice. Since Chuck is gone and things have changed, he became almost overprotective in regards to his little found family.

“Still a state over. Snow storm raging, closed lanes. I've managed to snatch the last room in a motel, tomorrow morning things should be better.”

“Crap. I'm sorry. Anything we can do?”

“Nah, don't worry. I'll have some food and hit the bed, it's been a hell of a drive so far”, you quietly thank yourself for being reasonable and driving something maybe less fascinating but definitely more comfortable than the Impala. Dean's voice brings you back shortly.

“Take some rest and stay safe, ok? We'll check in tomorrow, but you keep us updated”.

“Won't miss. Night guys.”

You quickly hang up and walk in your room. It's pretty cold, close to the road, and the bed doesn't look really comfortable, but it still beats the idea of sleeping on some shoulder of the road.

Once you're done with your dinner, you try to turn on the tv, but it doesn't work, just like the heating, apparently. Bored and slightly frustrated, you make yourself a cup of tea using the courtesy set, then pick up your phone and send a text.

A moment later, a familiar British accent rings behind you.

“Hello, darling.”

You turn around in your chair, smiling at the king of Hell. As usual, he's clad in black, looking both impeccable and mildly bored.

“Hello, Crowley. How are you?”

“I'm curious, actually. How can I help my favourite non-hunter on this fair night?”

The day he won't tease you about the fact that you still refuse to label yourself as a hunter will be the day Hell freezes over, probably. You laugh it off, and make your request, hoping he's in a good mood.

“Do you have a way to bring me to the bunker that's not through a snowstorm?”

He tilts his head, looking at you.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I need to get to the bunker, but the snow...”

“Do I look like a bloody taxi service to you?”

Alright, he's not in a good mood. You shake your head, feeling the tiredness of the day washing over you, and you shift a bit in the chair.

“You don't have enough juice anymore, do you?”

He gives you a cold glance, and doesn't even bother denying. He pulls up a chair and sits, stretching his legs under the table and looking at you.

“Why are you in a rush to get there, anyway? As far as I know, the Wonder Brothers are on holiday break.”

“Yes, they are. I'm part of that break.”

He looks surprised, then he pouts for a second before talking, like he does when something doesn't go the way he wants.

“Of course you are. Well... since you summoned me for a stupid request, I'll take advantage of it. Which means... I'm staying here.”

You choke a little at the idea. You're not going to complain about spending a night with him, but the idea of doing it like that, without anything to steal, hunt, or kill just feels a bit weird. It's also the first time that you two spend time together alone after the whole Chuck affair and his return from the Empty.

“The whole night?”

He nods, eyeing the bed with a smirk you know too well.

“You fear we'll run out of things to do, love?”

“Oh, please. It's freezing in here.”

“One more reason to take advantage of the bearer of Hellfire, love.”

You laugh off his swagger and take it for what it is: the very essence of Crowley, and a clear attempt to play his favourite game of making people uncomfortable. Then, you remember something.

“Yeah, sure. Hang on, I gotta pick up something from my car.”

You grab the keys of your car and rush out of the room, leaving a very bemused Crowley behind you.

That's not how he was expecting a nightly summoning to go... nor what he was hoping for. You don't seem particularly interested in replaying that only night in which you fell between his arms, but that doesn't mean he won't play his cards to get there.

He walks to the table and picks up the cup of what looks like tea, but smells like chemicals and bad food colouring, until he hears you stepping back in the room and closing the door behind you.

“Here.”

Crowley raises his nose from your cup of “tea”, which he was curiously smelling, and looks at you with a confused expression.

“... what... what’s that?”

“A box. Inside it, there’s a thing I’d like you to have on my behalf. It’s called a present, or gift. Mortals do this thing of exchanging them at Christmas. Remember that?”

“... you got me a present. A... a Christmas present.”

“Yeah.”

“You... got the King of Hell a Christmas present.”

“Former king of Hell, last time I checked. If you don’t want it I can always take it back, you know.”

Setting the cup back on the counter, Crowley’s stare shifts from your hands holding the box to your face, studying your features. You seem good willed enough.

“I didn’t say that”, he mumbles.

“Well, take it, then. Careful, it’s fragile.”

Crowley finally takes the box from you, brushing your fingers with his ones in doing so, and noticing the slight pink tingeing your cheeks for a moment.

The box is wrapped in brown paper, but you drew a geometric pattern on it, snowflakes-shaped. Then, watching more carefully, Crowley sees a pitchfork here and there in the middle of the snowflakes, and he smiles. You really put some effort in that, and you're glad he seems to appreciate it.

“You surely do have a certain sense of humour, kitten.”

“There’s not a single good enough reason to be dull”, you brush off his compliment, but it surely flatters you.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

With a snap of his fingers, the wrapping paper opens without tearing, making you smile. You stand, awkward, and watch Crowley carefully examining the wooden box in his hands, until he sees the name branded on it. Immediately, he grins. You certainly know him.

“Kitten, of all the surprising things you could have done, this goes easily up in the top ten.”

“I am surprising, after all.”

You shrug, awkward. You're happy that he liked the present, but you keep hoping that he won’t ask you the most obvious question, the one whirring through your mind since you decided to give him one bottle of the finest whisky in the world.

“Indeed. Just... why?”

“One of my clients saw a bottle you left at the store and asked me if I was interested in whisky. I treat him pretty well, so he sent me a couple of these, and I thought you might like it.”

“That's not what I asked.”

“It's just... tradition, you know?”

Crowley shakes his head, carefully setting the bottle on the table of the motel. You both are well aware that what you gave him is rare, coveted, and incredibly expensive. It surely is not a token exchanged to respect a tradition.

“No, it's not. And you put me in a difficult position, now. I haven't gotten you anything.”

You smile, a bit disappointed by the fact that he deemed that present as a formality.

“It's fine, actually. You must be terrible with presents.”

“Pardon?”

“Of course. You were a king, used to being revered and obeyed... when was the last time you gave someone a present, just because you felt like doing it? And don't mention paying Dean's bar tabs, that doesn't count. It must be something you picked out, not a deal.”

Crowley thinks about it for a second, then scoffs. You got him, and yet he's not particularly bothered. There's something in the way you tease him that he really likes. Perhaps it's because you're not scared of him, or maybe because you don't seem conflicted about him. No awkward shuffling and senseless musings about right or wrong. Even after your night together, you simply moved on, like you would have done with any other one-time lover... even if perhaps he didn't exactly appreciate that.

“Alright, kitten, you got me. But I'm sure that, if I had a chance, I could certainly surprise you with a nice present”.

“Ah, now. I gave you something... it's already impossible to be spontaneous.”

“I don't think this game has fair rules.”

You laugh and relax on the uncomfortable chair. “Of course it doesn't. Christmas is a very tactical time of the year. If I surprise you with a present, you will be forced to be nice to me until next Christmas. I'm an evil genius in a very hot body.”

He laughs, his eyes roaming your forms.

“While I can definitely see that... I'm sorry, love, but you lack conviction.”

“Meaning what?”

“I am quite the epitome of the villain... and that speech lacks the necessary emphasis to be believable. In fact, I think you like Christmas quite a lot, and you took real pleasure in giving me something.”

“I've never been so insulted in my life!” you mock him, making him laugh. You've always taken a certain pride in being the one able to make Crowley genuinely laugh, and his humour is one of the things you appreciate most of him.

He snaps his fingers and conjures two crystal glasses from thin air. They're made of crystal, finely etched, and you recognize them as a part of his personal collection, one you've often seen in his hand. He gives you a questioning look.

“... what is it, your highness?”

“I was wondering how upset you'd be if I were to share my present with you.”

You think about it for a second, then solemnly look back at him.

“You know... I think a quality check is in order.”

“Just what I thought. Let's see if mister Gordon and mister MacPhail have honoured fifty years of ageing.”

When Crowley pours you your whisky, you immediately take a deep breath of it, studying the articulate aroma. You rarely had the chance of drinking something this old, and you're always curious about it.

The first note is sweet, like apple and honey, followed by a hint of smoke, and that promise is kept when, after a proper toast with your favourite demon, you indulge your dram. The sweet and thick taste is balanced by a sour note, and it leaves a peaty finish on your tongue. After the first few sips, it's already going to your head, and you lick your lips. The smoky finish reminds you of something similar, far more tempting.

Something that's currently sitting in front of you, telling of a deal he made with the owner of a distillery in the Speyside, a couple of centuries ago. You try to engage in conversation, at first, but time flies, the bottle empties more and more, and pretty soon you're half asleep.

You almost miss his laughter when he stands up and places his hands on your shoulders, helping you up on your feet. You protest weakly, closing your eyes.

“Come on, kitten. Let's get you to bed.”

“... no... I don't want to, it's cold...”

“I'll see to it. Do you trust me?”

The warm voice purring to your ear is a dream, a promise of comfort and warmth that you’re not willing to give up, but you also know you’re not supposed to indulge.

“... I shouldn't...”

“But do you?”

You drop your head on his shoulder, rubbing your face against the fabric of his suits while you nod.

“... yes.”

“And thanks to Christmas magic, this time you won't pay for this mistake.”

Crowley laughs next to your ear while he effortlessly carries you to bed. With a snap of his fingers he takes off your shoes and clothes, substituting them with a comfortable flannel pyjama.

You curl up under the thin sheets, shivering in the cold bed, and close your eyes, trying to relax. You hear another snap of fingers and you feel Crowley slipping in the sheets behind you, wrapping you in a warm embrace.

You'd like to protest, but he's too warm, and you're tired. All you manage to do is let out a muffled sound, before snuggling closer to him and falling asleep right away. You enjoy the best night of sleep you had in months.

The following morning, you open your eyes and, for a second, you don't see anything. It takes you a moment to realize that you must have turned in your sleep, and your face is now pressed against Crowley's chest. One of your arms is folded between you, while the other is draped on his side. You pull back, suddenly awkward, making him laugh. Your breath hitches imperceptibly when you feel the soft rumble shaking his chest, but you hope he didn't notice.

“Morning, love.”

“I... hi. How... how are we... did we...”

Crowley runs a hand through your hair, pulling them away from your face. “We shared the only bed, yes. I think we could have done something more interesting, but you were drunk, and quite exhausted.”

“I wasn't drunk, just... never mind. What time is it?”

“Barely 9. We still have plenty of time to get to the bunker.”

“... we?”

The kiss on your forehead is so light that you wonder if you imagined the light prickle of his beard on your skin, but Crowley lingers there for a moment before answering your question.

“You surely need a copilot to get there in one piece, and you can't die while you're one up on me.”

You finally chuckle and slowly, very slowly, you disentangle yourself from Crowley. One of his hands moves on your side, and his fingers sink in the fabric covering your skin. The shiver running down your back has very little to do with the room temperature.

“... alright, you can come with me, then. Let me just take a shower and...”

“No rush, love. Actually, why don't we...”

Your phone buzzing furiously on the nightstand interrupts Crowley. You give him an apologizing look, then grab your phone and pick the call, groaning.

“Yeah?... yes, Dean, I... alright, sure. Thanks. I'll get going”. You hang up and turn to Crowley, blushing. “He... he heard that the roads are open, but the weather cast says it's snowing again this afternoon. We'd better get on the road.”

Before he can say anything, you stand up, grab your bag and walk into the bathroom, locking the door behind you. On the good side, you're so confused and excited that you barely notice the cold. On the bad side, you're so confused and excited that you almost try to use your mouthwash as skin tonic.

Crowley , still lying on the bed, smirks at the stained ceiling. He's seen how nervous you are around him, and he congratulates himself on his decision to come with you at the bunker. He's never been a fan of holidays, but it looks like things might change soon.

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Thank you for reading! I truly hope you enjoyed this little story. Every kind of feedback is very much appreciated, just as much as likes and reblogs!

Please, do not repost my works or part/s of it on different places, not even if you give credits.

[wastelandcth]

we’re going home - cth

we’re going home (calum hood x fem!oc) || masterlist || series masterlist

summary: how calum discovered home isn’t necessarily a particular place but rather can be a point in time, a memory, or a person.

warnings: calum is having a bad day. 

author’s notes: hope you guys enjoy this chapter! once again - based off of vance joy’s album nation of two!

previous chapter || next chapter

Calum hadn't been home in years. Sure he'd visited a couple of times during the holidays or whenever they were on tour or doing promo. But he hadn't been able to enjoy being home in years, not since he left with the band to London those many years ago. He missed not having to go to bed in a small bunk that made his back hurt in the morning when he woke up in a city he hadn't fallen asleep in. He missed being able to take Duke on a walk, hell, he even missed waking up to him barking at the birds in the backyard. 

Lying awake in the bunk for what seemed like the third day in a row, Calum listened to the soft breathing coming from Clementine next to him. She'd been asleep for a couple hours, something that Calum was extremely jealous of, she could always just fall asleep whenever and wherever. He'd held her close when they had gotten into the bunk after the band and they had played an intense round of Mario Kart, Clementine's laugh ringing out throughout the bus as. Michael had decided to call it a night, no longer being able to stand coming in second place and especially after Luke had beaten him and he was brought down to third.

With one of his arms wrapped around Clementine, their soft whispers about the day they'd spoken in the darkness of his bunk. Calum felt her breathing even out and eventually heard the soft snores leaving her body, with her mind in dreamland, Calum was left alone with his racing mind. The last couple of shows had been exhausting for him, his body still not accustomed to the ever-changing time zones they seemed to be experiencing every day. He was tired, exhausted even, of waking up after restless nights in a new city or in some cases, a new country. He was tired of the constant interviews that all asked the same questions. He missed the days when he could run home to his mother on the days when it all became too much. Calum was just tired and eventually, his brain shut off for long enough that his eyes closed and sleep overtook him. 

It wasn't much of a  surprise to the rest of the band and Clementine that Calum wasn't himself lately. He'd been grumpy ever since the bus had pulled into whatever arena they'd be playing at the next day. Clementine had noticed how his hands wouldn't stop shaking, his fingers playing an invisible bass. She had tried to cheer him up, to get him to talk to her about how he was doing. She even tried distracting him with pictures of Duke that the dog sitter had sent her and all she got was a simple nod before Calum walked off the tour bus with the rest of the guys, off to some radio show they'd have to do before they had the rest of the day off to explore whatever city Calum hadn't bothered to look up when he woke up to his alarm blaring. He was like this sometimes, locked away from the rest of the world as his sunglasses shielded everyone from seeing his tired eyes, so the car ride to the radio station was quiet and lonely for him, the rest of the band lost in their own conversations as he tried to get a couple extra minutes of sleep. 

Clementine had been checking out at a local grocery store when she got the call from Ashton. A sigh leaving her lips as she rushed to pay for the few essentials she'd picked up for herself and Calum. Ashton's retelling of the radio show made her nerves run wild as she made her way back to the arena, knowing she was walking into a situation her and Calum had only been in once before. Calum's bad days were an accumulation of multiple days gone wrong, finally spilling over. The man was known for his blank expressions, never showing emotions whether they be good or bad. So whenever those emotions did spill over, Clementine knew that he'd been holding something in for far too long. 

When Clementine saw the other three men standing outside of the tour bus, small smiles on their face, she realized that either Calum had kicked them out or he was a lot more bothered by this morning's events than Ashton had let on over the phone. Giving Aston's arm a small squeeze, Clementine walked up the steps and onto the tour bus. The lights weren't on, the windows filtering soft light into the bus. Calum's soft cries were heard throughout the bus, the only other noise was the bus engine, which hummed like a song you hear in a dream. 

Calum looked out of the tour bus window, his eyes focusing on the birds outside. Anything he could do to get his mind to be blank. He hadn't slept since yesterday, his mind was awake after the radio show, the adrenaline pumping through his body and mind. Even now, when the sun was shining through the bus windows, Calum was sitting on the couch, his fingers tapping against the couch as he watched the birds fly away when they'd eaten all the crumbs, moving on to their next destination. 

Making her way to the back of the bus, Clementine felt her heartbreaking as she saw Calum. His shoulders shook with every sob he let out, his body curled under a blanket with his back turned to the door, his gaze focused on the outside world.. The soft knock against the wall Clementine made caused his head to perk up and turn to look at who the intruder was. His eyes were overflowing with tears, his nose red from his hoodie sleeve coming up to wipe away his sadness. He stayed silent as he sat up, pulling open the blanket as he looked at her, his brown eyes pleading for her. Once she was in his arms, Clementine wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him close as she laid back against the couch. They laid like that for what seemed like ages, Calum's cries muffled against her shoulder as she ran a hand through his hair, her lips pressing kisses to his curls every once in a while.

"I...I don't know what happened. I just couldn't play the damn notes and I couldn't remember the right words." Calum finally spoke after his tears had died down a bit, his voice shaky as he pulled Clementine closer to him, his face nuzzling itself in the space between her neck and shoulder. "I didn't feel like myself, didn't feel like I was putting on a good show for the fans and they all just seemed to laugh it off. And the stupid questions they kept asking were just...it's like they don't even know us, we're not teenagers anymore and they talk to us like we are I couldn't...I was an asshole to them, to the fans, to the guys, and even to you. I'm sorry..." He mumbled, his voice laced with sleep as his tired eyes closed, his brain wishing he could tell her about everything he was feeling.

Watching Calum sleep, Clementine couldn't help but hold him a little closer than normal. He was so good at hiding his emotions, she knew that the radio show going bad wasn't the reason for the breakdown. But she wasn't going to push him more than he had already pushed himself these past couple of days, she'd noticed the lack of sleep. How his eyes weren't as bright as she was used to while they explored arenas and the city sights whenever they had a chance. She'd noticed how he hadn't told her any facts about the cities they'd seen the last week, he hadn't mentioned the wonky buildings in Amsterdam and their meaning. He hadn't been Calum, and Clementine wasn't going to push him into admitting what was really wrong until Calum was ready to say it out loud. Looking back down at the sleeping man, she pressed a kiss to his forehead before her own eyes closed and she joined him in sleep. 

Clementine's arms were around Calum when he'd woken up, her hands running through his curls as she tried to soothe his anxieties, his worries, his fears. His body had stopped shaking a while ago, his sobs being replaced by soft breaths as he listened to the soft words Clem spoke into his ear. She'd only ever seen him like this once before when his thoughts overran him and the pressure of the world became too much for him. It was when their relationship first took a turn into something more than just sex, it was the first time he'd slept over at her place. It was when Calum realized that Clementine was different, that she was more than just a distraction from whatever the hell was going on in his mind. It was when he realized that Clementine was someone he wanted in his life whether that'd be as a friend or more. And as she let Calum cry into the band shirt he'd gotten for her from the merch stand a couple days ago, Calum knew she would always be there for him, in the good and bad days. 

Calum's head raised from her chest, his puffy eyes meeting the guys' as they walked onto the tour bus. Ashton's smile made Calum sigh, his body sitting up as he turned to face them. He knew he should say something, but all he could manage was a shrug of his shoulders as he ran a hand through his hair. 

"Alright, Hood. Let's get some good food in you. We got a whole night out planned." Ashton nodded, chuckling as Calum shook his head and sighed, "Oh come on, when have I ever led you wrong?" 

Calum's mouth was on fire as he ate the noodles, coughs escaping him as he took a sip of his milk tea. The guys laughed at him, Ashton teasing him about how he told him that the spicy was going to be too spicy. But Calum was always up for a challenge and he was going to finish his noodles even if it meant his taste buds would be gone for the next couple of days. Clementine laughed softly,  leaning against his arm, her lips meeting his cheek. Her laugh brought a smile to his face, his eyes looking over at his friends and then they landed on Clementine, who also seemed to be in as much pain as he was from the spicy food.  The guys had planned a whole night out for Calum, none of which included a club or a beer. Which Calum was eternally grateful for, he didn't think we could handle a night out with paparazzi following them and then having to wake up with a hangover tomorrow. 

After a very spicy and laughter-filled dinner, Ashton led them all to a park nearby, the place lit up with music and stalls offering different keepsakes. The night market was bustling with people, no one seeming to mind the group of them walking from stall to stall until they found their way to the open grass field where the music playing in the air seemed to float up into the stars. Even as they all sat down in the grass, a bottle of cider passed between them all, Calum felt like he was in a dream, a  dream he didn't want to wake up from. He felt warm, Clementine's hand was holding onto his arm, seeking warmth as he looked up at the night sky, his attention shifting to his best friends who seemed to be laughing at how Luke was horrible at trying to speak to the German shopkeeper earlier that day. His own laughter surprised him, the bottle of cider being passed to him as Michael went off into a story about how he'd almost broken his guitar at the last show they'd played when he tripped over a microphone stand Luke had thrown. Calum felt his worries slip away from him, even if it was just for a moment, he was happy about it. He felt content, he felt safe, he felt like everything would be okay in due time. Calum realized at that moment that this was home to him. That being there in the park on a cold winter evening with his best friends and Clementine, that was home. It might not always be perfect, hell, it was almost never perfect but at that moment as he sat in the freezing cold next to them all, he knew he'd always be home as long as he had them all by his side. 

[tcm]

Rediscovering Bob Hope by Susan King

I once turned down Bob Hope’s offer to take a piece of his pumpkin pie. It was a week after Thanksgiving in 1991. I had been dispatched by my editor at the Los Angeles Times to interview the comic legend, then 88, for his upcoming Christmas special on NBC, Bob Hope’s Cross-Country Christmas, which featured Macaulay Culkin, Reba McEntire, Miss America and the Associated Press All-America Team (football).

Hope had been with the Peacock network for 54 years at that time and he had been doing holiday specials for them since 1953.

All press interviews took place at his famed mansion in Toluca Lake in a Vermont Country Store-decorated family room that overlooked his expansive backyard which was spread over several acres. Lunch was served during the 30-minute interview. Though he was extremely hard of hearing, Hope refused to wear his hearing aids. So, interviewers were placed on his left side at the table because his hearing was better in that ear.

We were served a delicious warm chicken salad with bacon. But the highlight of the meal was a pumpkin pie with warm homemade whipped cream. All conversation stopped while we ate the heavenly dessert. Hope still had once piece left when he forked it and proffered it to me.

“I’ll give it to you for 25 cents,” he said laughing. I didn’t have any change, so I politely turned down the offer. He smiled as he popped the piece into his mouth.

Most baby boomers like myself grew up with Hope. I remember my mother taking me at the age of five to see his last good movie, 1960’s THE FACTS OF LIFE, which also starred Lucille Ball. And on early Sunday evenings, one of the TV stations had a Bob Hope/Bing Crosby Theater, which featured their slaphappy Road comedies (1942’s THE ROAD TO MOROCCO is my fav), as well as such solo Hope hits as 1940’s THE GHOST BREAKERS and 1949’s SORROWFUL JONES, with Ball. And in the 1960s, Hope’s NBC specials, especially the ones where he entertained the troops, were must-see viewing. 

When I was old enough to finally see the Academy Awards, I found him the perfect Oscar host. In fact, he would host the ceremony 19 times either solo or as part of a team. Though he always joked that he was never nominated for an Oscar, he actually received four honorary Oscars as well as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

But the quality of his movies dropped drastically in the 1960s. I remember sitting in horror in the theater during 1966’s BOY, DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER! and 1967’s EIGHT ON A LAM. And I rarely watched his specials from the 1970s on. He seemed out of touch and too conservative. Hope’s once fun shows seemed wheezy.

When I talked to Richard Zoglin for the L.A. Times in 2014 about his biography, Hope: Entertainer of the Century, he noted that the comic alienated viewers during the Vietnam War.

“He was so sure that we were doing a good thing over there in Vietnam,” he said. “He had been convinced by the generals he met over there that the military was being hamstrung by politicians and if we went all out, we would win this war in a couple of months. He hated that there were protesters out there picketing. He was from the World War II generation. He started speaking out. He would bad-mouth picketers.”

Hope died July 27, 2003, just two months after his 100th birthday. There haven’t been any major retrospectives of his classic films. In fact, the Bob Hope Airport has been renamed the Hollywood Burbank Airport. (Its legal name is still Bob Hope Airport). In a 2016 interview with the L.A. Times, Burbank commissioner Don Brown said that “Bob Hope isn’t doing it. We’ve been told by our travel agencies here and been told by the airlines that we’ve got to do something, and the name Bob Hope just doesn’t identify with this airport.”

I think it would be great if the new decade started with a rediscovery of Hope, who not only conquered film, but vaudeville, Broadway, radio and television. And he was the complete package. Not only was he funny, but he could sing and dance.

Even before he made his feature film debut in 1938’s THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1938, he had starred on Broadway in 1933’s Roberta. Hope and Eve Arden introduced the standard “I Can’t Get Started (with You)” in Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, and he and Ethel Merman turned Cole Porter’s “It’s De-Lovely” into a major hit in 1936’s RED, HOT AND BLUE. “Thanks for the Memory,” the Oscar-winning song from his first film, became Hope’s signature song and a decade later he introduced the Oscar-winner “Buttons and Bows” from his hysterically funny 1948 farce, THE PALEFACE.

Hope really came into his own with the 1939 mystery-comedy THE CAT AN THE CANARY with Paulette Goddard. It was the first time he played what would become his on-screen persona of the brash, wisecracking coward who loved women. Woody Allen later admitted his reel-life character was inspired by Hope.

Hope told me in 1991 that he had been offered a return to Broadway after he came to Hollywood, but “I got lucky after my third picture, THE CAT AND THE CANARY. I turned into box office. When Cat and the Canary came out (people) started running to the theaters. Then Paramount ran over to my dressing room with a contract for seven years. So, I signed up for seven years.” He made one hit after another in the 1940s and 1950s.

“They were not great films, but Hope is great in them,” Zoglin told me. “You can see how focused he is as a performer, how in character he is all the time. He’s good physically, and verbally he’s absolute perfection.

Film and TV historian Stan Taffel also explained to me in 2014 that Hope was as “perfect as Chaplin was. He knew where the camera was, and he knew how to pose for the camera. He didn't take his character so seriously, so we could have fun with it. I think his movies in that era are the best things he ever did.”

Save for the wan 1962 THE ROAD TO HONG KONG, the Road comedies with Crosby and Dorothy Lamour are perhaps his finest achievements. The comedic chemistry between the three is hard to match. Hope noted in my interview that he and Crosby had no idea that 1940’s THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE would kick off a successful franchise. “We didn’t care,” he said. “We used to do anything for a laugh. After about a week [into production], the director, Victor Schertzinger, went into the commissary and sat down at the table and said, ‘I got the easiest job, all I have to do with these guys is say ‘Start.’ But I don’t want to say ‘Stop.’ It was fun.”

The last time I saw Hope in person was at the taping of the special Bob Hope: The First 90 Years in early May, 1993, executive produced by his daughter Linda Hope. The special would go on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy Special.

It was an extraordinary evening. I was at the front table with Karl Malden ad his wife and Telly Savalas and his wife. Les Brown and His Band of Renown was to my left. Michael Feinstein and George Burns were sitting behind me. Lamour was at a nearby table and so was Ginger Rogers. I looked to my right and saw President Gerald Ford sitting with Walter Cronkite.

Johnny Carson, who had retired from The Tonight Show opened the special in what would be his last monologue. He told the crowd that it was “astonishing” how much Hope had accomplished over his near seven-decade career, adding that the world is a “better and happier” place with Hope in our lives.

There wasn’t a dry eye int the house when veterans of several wars talked about what it meant to them when Hope came during the conflicts to entertain them.

Back in 1991, I asked if he would ever retire.

He smiled: “Not as long as I feel good. It is too much fun. God, you just have fun just doing things with people. You have fun writing. …It keeps your mind alert and keeps you thinking.”

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #246

(song lyrics here idc)

What is the most you’ve ever eaten in one sitting? I don't know. Probably too many slices of pizza back when I could kill pizza if I was hungry enough. How often do you skip breakfast? Rarely. What’s the longest you’ve gone without leaving the house? A couple+ weeks, probably. Where are you going the next time you go out? School. What kinds of things are likely to make you cry? Reunions of like any type, seeing things (esp. animals) in pain, if my feelings are deeply hurt, deaths... stuff like that. Really nothing unusual. What are some things that make others cry that don’t make you cry at all? Hm. I dunno. I'm sure there's something, but I'm unsure. If you drink/smoke, how often do you do these things? I don't smoke, and I'll ever only have like a drink or two on some holidays or for my birthday. What website do you spend the most time on and why? YouTube because it essentially replaces television for me. What’s the most amount of time you’ve spent online? Is this usual for you? Oh my god don't ask me this. What is one belief you used to have, but no longer do? In what ways are you influenced by the opinions of others, if ever? The one I disdain the most was being homophobic up to my late teenage years. I wanna curb stomp that ignorant fucking kid. I wouldn't say I'm influenced by other's opinions on things very much. What was the last thing to make you feel good about yourself? Drinking water lmao. How would you describe your overall (or preferred) personal aesthetic? My friend recently described me as a "gothic lolita" and y'know he's onta something. What kinds of small judgments are you likely to make about others? *Small* judgments? Uhhhh... God why am I blanking on surveys so much lately. What was the last thing you did mostly because society expected you to? Shower, 'cuz I seriously wasn't feeling it but needed to anyway. When was the last time you felt out of place? I had to babysit my nephew on my own early last month and I felt like I was in a different universe. I felt so, so unfit in the position and just all-around uncomfortable. I love that boy to death but babysitting is noooooot my thing. Do you believe in aliens, spirits, or angels of any sort? Yeah. Well, not "angels" by true definition, no. In what ways are you superstitious? I'm not. Where was the last place you went walking and how far? Would you rather exercise alone or with other people? Like, for fun? Not since I was at Sara's. I DO NOT like exercising in front of other people at all. What kinds of nail polish colors do you prefer to wear? How about makeup? Black is the entirely superior makeup color. How would you describe your own relationship with makeup? It's just for fun for me when I actually feel like it, and even that's rare. I usually only put makeup on for some pictures. Who has been in your life the longest amount of time? What about the shortest? My mom the longest, and my school teachers the shortest, I guess? Who was the last person to leave your life? How about return to it? My fucking therapist that deserves my fist through her face. Return, uhhhh yeah I dunno. It might be Sara, and that was yearsss ago. When it comes to travel, what kinds of places intrigue you most? Wildernesses, especially with mountains, rivers, waterfalls... that kind of stuff. Do you think humans colonizing Mars is a good idea? Would you go, if you could? No. Focus on the goddamn planet we're already on. If it was a life or death situation, I'd go, but otherwise, I'm staying here and at least trying to patch it up. What is the farthest you’ve walked in one day and what made you do it? Oh, many miles, I'm sure. I used to walk for literally hours out in my yard at night with my iPod. That was so common for me. Funny how now I'm recovering from muscle atrophy in my legs. Do you have a chore/housecleaning routine or anything like that? A "routine," no. How organized would you say your living space is? The house is currently a travesty. What is something important that’s often on your mind lately? Success in school. Do you find it easier to forgive yourself or others? Others. Have you ever had to call 911? For who/what reason? Yes; Mom thought she might've been having a heart attack. Thank fuck she wasn't. Do you like oatmeal? If so, what kinds of things do you like in it? Oh yeah. It's like a regular for me now that I'm big time trying to lose weight. I like the apple cinnamon one. What was going on the last time you felt nostalgic? Thinking about that walking question. How much attention do you pay to the movements of the stars and planets, and do you believe they influence anything? The most non-Pagan belief I have is being void of this one. No. When was the last time you were afraid to tell someone something? Heh, speaking of being (mostly, ig) Neo-Pagan. Classmate and I were doing an assignment getting to know each other and she asked my religion. She was a serious Christian and was clearly SO uncomfortable when I awkwardly answered lmao. When was the last time something didn’t go the way you expected it would? My disability case hearing just a week back. I expected to be way, way more terrified, shaking even, and was prepared for an intimidating judge. Just in general I was afraid of it being "court-like" and with a lot of people, but it was okay. I think having my attorney there was crucial to my (relative) calmness, though, because I was comfortable with and liked him. What is the most difficult or involved video game you’ve ever played? Most difficult that I ever tried, Dark Souls. Quit that waaaay early. Hardest that I've beaten, I honestly think The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night. Don't even @ me w/o trying it yourself 'cuz that game was so fucking hard to where I rage-quit for years until beating it. I did play it a second time for fun, though. Still hard. Most involved, oh, easily World of Warcraft. Years of effort put into too many characters la;ksdjfawoei Have you ever taken lessons for anything? Yeah; dance for a very long time as well as guitar. What’s your favorite band’s name? Well Ozzy goes solo. Btw I nearly died when I heard the Parkinson's news wtf life how dare why him- Who is your last sent text to? My mom. What’s your favorite flavor of Gatorade? I do noooot like Gatorade. What does your bikini look like? Oh hunny I'm barely comfortable in a one-piece. Do you drink the milk after you finish cereal or just leave it in the bowl? I can almost never drink it. The taste is just changed and is usually gross. Have you ever worn glitter eyeliner? No, yikes. Imagine that getting in your eye. Has anyone ever called you a hippie? I don't think so. Did you have any unread texts this morning? No. Have you ever been involved in strength training? No. Who is the last person you kissed? Sara. Have you ever been to a pottery painting store? No. Are bonfires common with you and your friends? Not at all. I don't think I've ever done that with friends. If you’re really quiet, what is probably the reason? I'm thinking about something intently. What does your boyfriend/girlfriend call you? N/A How much does the last person you kissed mean to you? A whole lot. Do you use lotion? If my skin is particularly dry. Have you ever used a sewing machine? No. Is hairspray a staple in your morning routine? I've never regularly used it. Do you believe in teenage love? Fuck yes I do, I can promise you that. When is your favorite TV show on regularly? It's discontinued. Who is your favorite person to waste time with? Sara. What has been the most significant thing to happen to you this year? Well, it's the first day of February, so I'll imagine you're asking about the past year, in which case I went back to school. What kind of kid were you when you were seven? Happy, weird, kinda hyper, outgoing and goofy. Do you always eat those mints you get at some restaurants? Yeah, if they're not the semi-soft ones that kinda melt in your mouth. Ew. Is there a subject you know so much about that you’d be able to teach it? Sure, but nothing like seriously important. Do you believe that being ‘cultured’ is important? Why or why not? I mean, probably if you travel. It's definitely wise to try to act at least semi-"appropriately" in another country. Where did you purchase the computer you’re using right now? Best Buy or Office Depot, idr. Do you think it’s fair to compare Family Guy to The Simpsons? I don't care? Will you miss CDs if they end up going obsolete? Why or why not? Not really, I just don't care. If you could relive one hour of your life so far, what would you choose? I don't have a clue. Do you think animals have a sense of humor? Probably. Animals can definitely act silly. Are you proud of your hometown, or do you try to distance yourself from it? That place is shit. Has your idea of the perfect romantic partner changed with age? Oh yeah, to a degree at least. I had such a fairy-tale ideology on love back then. How many cars have you ever owned? Myself, zero. Can you do math in your head well? I almost can't at all. What’s your favorite flavor of potato chip? Oh man, that's hard. Maybe salt and vinegar. Do you ever read the weather forecast? I mean I'll check the app on my phone occasionally. Do amusement park rides make you sick? Thus far in my life, no, but I'm too afraid to try some out of fear of that. Who is your favorite Star Wars character? Don't even like SW. What kind of cheese do you put on your sandwiches? American. What radio station do you listen to the most? None. Who was the last person to give you a gift? A family friend for Christmas. How old were you when you got your driver’s license? I'm about to be 24 and still don't have it. What was the first thing you ever learned how to cook? Scrambled eggs. Did you ever collect beanie babies? Maybe? I know I had one big one (me and my sisters had a matching set of different colors; mine was pink, what a shocker), but idk if I actually collected them. When was the last time you got a haircut? Early last month. Have you ever been to a bachelor/bachelorette party? No. How many people can you say you TRULY love? Romantically? Two. Platonically, a whole lot. Where are you most ticklish on your body? My feet jfc. Have you ever bailed anyone out of jail? Nope. What’s the last board game you played? Shit, what's it called. Something with my nephew. It's the one with the popping dice in the middle and four different colors to move around the board. "Sorry!" or something? Have you ever given someone a fake phone number? Might've when stupid kid me made prank calls. Do you have any bumper stickers on your car? No. Do you leave good tips when you eat out at restaurants? I've never been the one paying. Do you still own any VHS tapes? I'm sure Mom has home videos stored somewhere. If there was a real Jurassic Park, would you visit it? Oh fuck yeah 'cuz I'm dumb and love dinos. Have you ever gone golfing? Not legit golfing. Do you know any sign language? No. How many friends do you have that are married? Close friends, like people I still regularly talk to, none. Do you still have your wisdom teeth? Yes. Did you have a swing set in your yard when you were a child? Yes. Do you eat your mac & cheese with a fork or a spoon? I don't really care so I haven't noticed which I usually use. Where did you have your first kiss? His bed. When you were a kid, were you ever afraid of cooties? Lol no. Do you ever go Christmas caroling in December? No, I could never omg. Which overrated tattoo are you sick of seeing? I don’t care. Get what you want. What was the last thing you taught a younger kid? Apparently to say "aw shucks" at everything lmao. Are the clocks in your house mostly digital or analog? Digital. We have on analog in the living room. How long have you had your television(s)? God, years. A loooong time, but it's a fine TV. Do you like watching movies made with CGI or do you prefer hand-drawn ones? I tend to enjoy CGI more. I like realism in what I watch. Where did your parents buy their car(s)? Dad, idk. Mom got hers for free; a dance friend ran into a deer, so the front bumper got fucked up, and she wanted a new vehicle. Mom took it because shit, it was drivable, and she DIY fixed up the bumper to make sure it stays in place. Literally with zip ties and duct tape lmfao but HEY it WORKS. Do you know why your grandparents chose your mother’s name? No. Do you think you’d do well at teaching the English language to a foreigner? I think I'd be at least decent. What is a store you like that is exclusive to your country? Idk what's only exclusive to the country. If you attend school, what time do you usually get home after? Like, 4:35 or so. Mom finishes her field work at 4, and afterwards we go home. Have you written a resume before, either for yourself or someone else? Yes. What is your favorite thing about snow? IT'S PRETTY. What do you usually do when you have trouble sleeping? Try to go back to sleep at first, and if I really can't, I get back up on the laptop for a while. Are you satisfied with your social life (or lack thereof)? NONONONONONONONO. What TV show do you just assume you wouldn’t like? 13 Reasons Why. Do your friends have more money than you? lol duh I make none. Who always has the power to make you feel intimidated? Pretty much men as a whole...

[jennifersylvesters]

ring ring ( part one )

Pairing: flower shop owner!Chris Evans x coffee shop manager!reader Word Count: ~3.2k A/N: an update after four months?? can you believe?? sorry for the wait on this! hopefully it doesn’t disappoint. thanks to fay for helping me edit this. feedback is always appreciated/loved aka it’d be real swell if you did

There was a certain rhythm in your life that you became used to. Certain sounds were easily recognizable as you became used to hearing them daily.

The gentle chimes indicated someone was either entering or exiting the shop. During busier hours, the chimes clanged violently with people bustling in and out.

The frantic beeping from the small timer reminded whoever was on “drip duty” to make a fresh batch of coffee.

These peculiar yet distinct sounds even helped you perfect shorter times when making drinks.

Three seconds of the hissing sound from the steam wand would shrill throughout the store before moving into a low rumble. You’d pour the milk into the cup before placing any necessary garnishes. Into the sink the used container would go, clunking as it fell. With a quick click of the lid snapping into place, you would call out the customer's name on the completed beverage. Warm water would quickly slosh through the barista cup and once clean, it was set aside, signaling you were finished with one order. And then it was onto the next one.

Sometimes these sounds blended together so effortlessly that you were unaware of how quickly time slipped away in the cafe.

When the morning rush dwindled down, you often took your lunch break. Before heading to the break room you always reminded the crew to tidy up, earning you eye rolls. Of course they would do so. They appreciated their dedicated leader too much than to let you down.

Silence lingered in the break room, often driving you crazy and forcing you to turn on the radio. While you ate, you ran through tasks you needed to complete. You’d scribble down everything swarming in your mind from the supply order that week to the notes you wanted to discuss with the owner. Lucky for you the monthly meeting with the big boss usually went fairly smooth seeing as he had complete faith in you.

When you finally finished creating tasks, your thoughts would roam to more pleasant and lighthearted topics. More often than not you wondered about what surprises your favorite day might bring.

Wednesday rolled around and you were mildly disappointed when Tommy swung open the door instead of Chris. Tommy was one of Chris’s workers who often did deliveries despite rarely delivering to you. That, of course, didn’t stop Tommy from frequenting the shop.

At this point you knew Tommy fairly well. He was a sweet kid with high energy, sometimes bouncing off the walls; the iced mochas you provided him never seemed necessary but who were you to deprive him of caffeine?

You greeted Tommy with a wave as you stepped from behind the counter. The bouquet in his arms was stunning, causing you to bite down on your lip; they were marigolds wrapped in brown wrapping paper with gold ribbon tying them altogether. You saw your name on the note written in gold ink and a small heart doodled at the end.

It made you wonder if your secret admirer had that good of handwriting or if he got someone else to write your name with such elaborate calligraphy. Either way, you couldn’t believe someone would gift you something as marvelous as this.

“Sorry to have your hopes dashed like that” Tom apologized, pulling you out of thoughts.

You turned your head up gazing at him questionably.

“Must’ve been expecting Chris, but you got me instead.”

“Oh, Tommy. That’s not true!” you replied, feeling guilt swell up. “I like when you drop by too! I think you’re great company! Really!”

He just smiled knowingly as he handed you the flowers. You took it into your arms cradling it delicately.

Gently tugging the note intertwined with the flowers, your face lit up seeing the words neatly sprawled on the paper.

Y/N,

Sometimes it's difficult choosing the right flowers. I want them to encapsulate your beauty yet I know that would never be possible. How could they ever compare to you? I hope these marigolds can express how much you light up my day.

-Your Secret Admirer

“These are lovely” you gushed. Tommy nodded his head watching your enamored state.

“He wanted to come, y’know.” Tommy mentioned as you reread the note, words always sweeter than the last. “He’s just, erm, tied up at the moment.”

You glanced up to see the young man fidgeting. He seemed slightly nervous, almost as if he said too much. Looking across the street, you saw Chris and his beau.

Scarlett’s hands were on her waist with a scowl upon her face while Chris’s brows pinched together. He tried taking her hand in his, but she yanked away. He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his temples. Despite being unable to hear the conversation, you could tell how she was shouting at him in the empty shop.

“It’s fine,” you managed out before turning away from the scene.

Something about the commotion you witnessed troubled you. Just the sight of Chris looking distressed made you wish there was something - anything - you could do to lift his spirits.

You hesitantly asked Tommy to wait a minute to which he nodded compliantly. As he drummed his fingers on the counter you made two cups of coffee, adding a sprinkle of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon. You slid the cups his way, announcing they were on the house.

“Thanks. He’ll appreciate it.” You ignored his latter comment and the scampish grin he wore walking out the door. He could think whatever he wanted about your feelings for the flower shop owner; it didn’t mean they were true. At least nothing you would ever admit out loud.

Work days had a defined rhythm, something you paced yourself to. Days off played differently with no distinctive beat. They left you with a desire to do something enjoyable outside rather than keeping yourself cooped up. Yet you often struggled to think of leisurely activities, asking friends for advice on what to do.

This week’s day off was no exception. You simply wandered around a recommended outdoor market, picking up a couple of items while conversing with friendly faces. By the time your evening rolled around, you settled on the plan of going to the movies.

Despite an invitation to go out to the bar with friends, tonight you wanted to relax and wind down; it would be a nice moment to simply breathe.

As you entered the multiplex’s lobby, you noticed a couple arguing near the napkin station. To your surprise, you recognized the pair as Scarlett and Chris.This felt like deja vu witnessing her lash out at him as he ran his hand through his hair frustratedly.

“Scarlett, please” he pleaded, taking her hand in his.

“Go watch the movie by yourself” she snapped as she yanked her hand away and stormed out of the theater.

As Chris stood there dejected, it nearly broke your heart. His slumped posture made him look so small and weak despite his tall stature. How someone could treat him so roughly was beyond your understanding.

“Hey, Y/N.” Shoot. You had been so lost in your thoughts that you hadn’t noticed his head turn and spot you nearby. You wanted to scurry off in hope he might believe he mistook you for the wrong person. But after seeing that terrible display, you weren’t sure you could muster that.

“Are you watching ‘Roman Holiday’ as well?” It made you wonder if Scarlett got upset because it wasn’t her first choice of film.

Still, you nodded your head at him, telling him how you planned on finding a good seat in the middle.  

“Aw, c’mon. The middle? Where’s the fun in that?” he teased you. “You should sit with me.”

You knew it wasn’t a good plan. After all, you just watched him get into a fight with his girlfriend. But the way he looked at you - almost pleading for you to join his company - made you eventually agree to sit with him.

Despite the previous fight, he acted as if nothing happened between him and Scarlett. He walked in and scanned the auditorium before gesturing you to follow him. “The second to last row is the best option” he confirmed as he plopped down in the center of said row. You weren’t sure you agreed, but you took a seat to his right.  

While waiting for the movie to begin, he apologized for not showing up on Wednesday to which you easily waved off. He informed you how his dog got sick and that he needed to attend to him. It made you wonder if this was an excuse to cover up the argument or if this was what set off the argument that day in the flower shop.

Still, you didn’t pry. You told yourself it wasn’t your business. If he could respect your privacy, you could extend the same courtesy. Instead, you switched subjects, talking about how earlier you spent time at the outdoor market he recommended you visit. He beamed as you told him how much you enjoyed the vendors there before proudly announcing that most of them were good friends of his.

As the lights dimmed, you realized that there were only four other people in the theater. Apparently no one wanted to pay to see a classic when they could watch it at home. But there was something more enjoyable about seeing it in a theatre with the huge screen; it was a  completely different experience than your apartment’s small television.

Apparently Chris must’ve felt the say way as he leaned over and whispered “The movie theater’s really the only way to experience a classic, isn’t it?” You nodded, glad that someone understood your thoughts.

He asked if you wanted candy, holding out a bag of M&Ms for you to enjoy. You politely declined, stating that you bought Skittles. The two of you began to quietly argue about which candy was best only stopping when you became entranced by the film stars on the screen.

As the movie played, Chris repeatedly offered his popcorn to you. “It’s not like I can finish a whole tub by myself,” he insisted. You found yourself scooping up handfuls of popcorn as the movie progressed, leaning closer to him as he whispered fun facts about the movie.

By the time the credits rolled, you couldn’t believe how quickly the two hours flew by. You could’ve stayed longer if that meant you got to hang with Chris. He let out a low grunt as he stretched his arms up, inadvertently pulling his shirt up and exposing some skin. You turned away feeling shy by this view. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to have your nerves on end. 

“That’s probably one of my favorite movies” he admitted as he stood up. As you both walked back to the lobby, you thanked him for his company. “Honestly, I should be the one thanking you” he replied flashing you a bright smile.

Why was it that he could get you so flustered with just a simple glance? You told yourself that he was off limits, yet your heart couldn’t help but beat faster for him.

He offered to walk you home and despite your initial protests, you were weak to his insistence. You were grateful for the good weather as the two of you walked side by side. Despite having longer legs, he took his time so that you never needed to catch up with his pace.

Normally silence bothered you, begging for something to fill the emptiness. Yet this moment being with Chris - arms gently swinging next to one another and just enjoy one another’s presence - was pleasant in a way that you couldn’t particularly define.

“Am I difficult?” he asked out of the blue. You paused, unsure of what to say. Where had that thought come from?

“No. I don’t think so. You’re really amazing” you assured him.

“Sometimes I feel-” he sighed, pausing as he attempted to construct his thoughts properly. “-It feels like I can’t do things right sometimes. Do y’know what I mean?”

Was this about Scarlett? His shop? Either way, this felt personal. You wondered if it was your place to even say anything. One look at his face and your heart ached at his visible frustration.

“I get it. But you’re not difficult, Chris. Maybe you’re going through something hard that I can’t understand, but I mean it. You’re not a difficult person. You’ve always been very nice to me, and I’m just...I guess I’m thankful for that.” You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks hearing those words slip out. It wasn’t a confession yet it felt oddly revealing.

Looking up at Chris, he seemed to be in higher spirits. With a lopsided grin on his face, he pulled you in for a hug, catching you by surprise. “Thanks” he murmured, holding you in his arms for longer than you expected. When he finally pulled away, all you could do was nod.  

The rest of the walk was filled with Chris discussing his favorite movies with you. You couldn’t help but giggle as he proclaimed how much he loved Disney movies, admitting that he always cried at Mufasa dying. “I weep like a big ol’ baby! Just tears everywhere” he laughed, moving his hands around animatedly.

When you finally reached your apartment, he insisted you two should hang out again. It was a nice thought, something you wished could happen. Yet you knew it wouldn’t.

There was the factor of Scarlett being a part of his life. You highly doubted she would approve of him hanging out with you. In fact you could imagine the sharp glares she’d send your way, making your mornings even more difficult.

Not to mention the tiny detail that the more time you spent around Chris, the more you liked him. He wasn’t your secret admirer, yet his words constantly rung in your head. The minuscule facts that he told you stayed on your mind making you wish you could know him better. But he wasn’t yours to love or even dream about in a romantic way.

“Yeah, maybe” you shrugged, knowing that nothing would escalate. You wouldn’t let it.

“See you around, Y/N” he waved as you entered your complex. Despite repeating that you wouldn’t fall for Chris, you found yourself already looking forward to Wednesday.

Monday rolled around and you found yourself falling back into your normal routine once more. The repeated sounds comforted you as your workday flew by. As one of your workers went on their lunch, you found yourself reorganizing espresso bags until the chimes rang.

Peeking your head out of the stock room, you were surprised to see Anthony coming into the shop by himself. Normally he got coffee with Sebastian, but his upbeat presence was always welcomed.

“Hey, Anthony” you smiled, already grabbing a medium cup to get his usual dark roast. He grinned widely pulling out his wallet.

“You’re not even going to ask what I want?”

“Don’t tell me you plan on switching up on me now” you joked as you poured the coffee three fourths of the way. You ducked down to the fridge grabbing the whole milk and filling the rest of his order.

“Course not. But this sorta feels like you're trying to kick me out. You would kick this pretty face out just like that? ‘Cause that’s cold. I think I'm pretty good company to be done dirty like that.” You rolled your eyes at his joking nature.

“If you say so.” Ringing up his order, you slid the coffee his way as he handed you a couple bills insisting you keep the change. Tossing the change into your tip jar, you started back towards the stock room when you realized he still stood in front.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” he asked nervously.

You nodded, curious what had him so serious and perplexed. “Go for it.”

“What are your thoughts on Sebastian?”

You paused trying to think of what to say. It wouldn’t be professional to talk about any of your customers in such an impolite manner, but how could one even explain the feelings you had towards Sebastian?

“I don’t mean to be intrusive” he apologized. “It’s just...Seb isn’t particularly mindful about how he’s perceived.”

“He’s” - you paused, selecting your words carefully - “very thoughtful in his own specific manner.”

This notion seemed to relieve Anthony, who took a deep breath before scratching his eyebrow. “Yes, that’s one way to view him.”

The door chimed and both of you turned spotting Sebastian at the front. Speak of the Devil. He paused, letting the door swing shut behind him. The bartender seemed confused by his friend’s presence, quirking his eyebrow up as he stared at Anthony. His friend just returned the glance with a tight lipped smile.

Despite this strange energy, you warmly welcomed Sebastian into the shop.

He approached the pair of you slowly, hands shoved in his pockets as his eyes flicked from you to his friend. There seemed to be a mental communication between the men as Anthony quickly dismissed himself, thanking you before giving a brief nod towards Sebastian.

“He wasn’t…” Seb started, watching his friend rush out the door. “He didn’t say anything inappropriate, did he?”

You shook your head as Seb seemed to be relieved at your response.

Grabbing a cup, you began working on a latte as Sebastian watched you with a puzzled expression. “Decaf latte with skim milk and two shots, one pack of raw sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, right?” He blinked, taken back by your recital of his usual order. Normally you simply made his drink while he finished the rest of the minor details at the milk and sugar bar. Then again he never spoke much besides his order and a gruff thanks; so perhaps he had good reason to be surprised.

Watching your brisk movements, he blinked a couple times before he nodding his head. “You can always ask us to put the sugar and cinnamon in for you, y’know? We don’t mind.” Seb said nothing, only listening to the sound of the espresso machine whirring as you hummed to the song that bustled throughout the shop.

Placing the coffee in front of him, you held up a hand indicating for him to stop rummaging for his wallet. “Wait one sec. Just...Try it first.” There it was again; the hesitant glance he gave you made you laugh. The more he resisted, the more you wanted this man to trust and understand you. “I wanna know that I did it right,” you reassured him.

His brow creased almost unnerved at how lighthearted you were in this matter. Sebastian took a sip before nodding his head. “Good” he grunted, which caused you to beam. It wasn’t much, but you could deal with baby steps.

“Glad to know that I can do something right” you smiled as you watched him stare down at his drink.

He slid a ten dollar bill your way. As you opened up the register to make change, he was already close to breezing out the door. He paused before leaving, turning and looking at you. “You’re a lot more amazing than you give yourself credit for” he stated, leaving the words to linger in your mind while a pink tinge lingered on your face.

tags list: @sleepybesson, @tomhaz, @supernatural-girl97, @sophiatomlinson23 | @allynalemons | @achishisha, @bibliophilicwit, @brastrangled, @calwitch, @iwonder-womani, @marvelellie, @mustbeaweasleyginger, @nicholasbich, @sillydecoy, @thinkin-bout-queue, @theonelittleone

bolded means tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you

[killianmesmalls]

SQUEAKING this in for KnightRook Secret Santa for my super, super secret giftee @leiandcharles! A Christmas meets New Year’s fic for you!!

“You know, in most of the world it’s already next year,” Tilly started suddenly.

Rogers chuckled as she carefully drew in the sketchpad he’d gifted her days earlier. For years he’d worked over the holidays, pulling long hours Christmas straight through to New Year’s Day to allow other officers the chance to spend time with their families. Often he’d kept the company of a radio playing on low, the DJs commenting every now and then about the joys of the holidays before another call came into the station.

He’d welcomed the calls then more than the commentary. At least the calls distracted him from his loneliness. On those days, the desperation for just one more drink pulled at him more than normal.

This year was different—he’d taken the holidays off. Well, more was forced to by Weaver rather than having requested them. His partner insisted that it would do him and Tilly some good to enjoy the season. Though the man didn’t outright say it, Rogers could practically hear it blaring with the looks he was given: now that you both have someone to share it with.

The scraping of pencil to paper provided a white noise to his thoughts. Someone to share it with. Rogers smiled to himself, grateful his back was to Tilly as he started on a late snack for the two of them. She was sitting on one of his bar stools in an oversized shirt he’d lent her as a pajama top and a pair of leggings she’d received from Goodwill, making broad strokes over the paper as he debated on how many vegetables to sneak into their meal.

Strange to think how worried he’d been in the days leading up to Christmas, practically breaking out in a cold sweat as he debated on how much or how little to do, what to get, what to not get, whether anything was appropriate at all.

His worries had been pushed aside Christmas morning when his whirlwind of a roommate laid eyes on the few modest gifts perfectly organized under a two-foot tree settled on the coffee table.

“Well,” he said, shaking away the warm memory, “since we’re still firmly in the last day of this year, what would you like to do to give it a send off?”

“Dunno,” she replied, looking up. “Haven’t quite figured this year out yet. Can’t remember another one like it, really.”

Neither can I.

“Hopefully it’s at least ending on a good note.”

Tilly beamed, cheeks flushing. “The best.”

Rogers cleared his throat and went back to his task, willing away the pleased look he felt pulling at the corners of his mouth and the crinkles around his eyes. The best. Damn it all, the day could end now and he’d still feel the same. Well, not yet. There was still one little thing that had to be done. Or, rather, given. 

“You know, there’s no reason we can’t get out of the house.”

“You? Go out? For New Year’s? For fun? Detective, are you feeling alright?”

“Ha ha,” he retorted, rolling his eyes. “Funny. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we go out to some nightclub where they have a forty dollar cover charge or somewhere with a mediocre prix fixe menu—”

“Ah, there’s Rogers, I was worried we lost him for a moment.”

“Funny, Til.” The nickname rolled off too quick to catch. He chanced a glance at her, resolving to shove past the awkwardness when he caught a fond glint in her usually mischievous eyes. Damn it, something about it reminded him of someone… “I was just thinking that maybe it would do us both some good to get some fresh air. Maybe see the fireworks if we can find a place that’s—”

“Secluded from drunk crowds?”

“I was going to say quiet, but essentially yes. If you don’t want to, though…”

Tilly hopped from her barstool and half-skipped toward her room. “You had me at ‘fireworks’. I’ll be ready fast, quick as a bunny.”

There were perks to being a police officer. Knowing where to go and which buildings had rooftop access. Rogers had come to know the center of Seattle like the back of his hand, and his years serving through the insanity of New Year’s Eve had given him a unique understanding of where was close to the action but away from stumbling twenty-somethings in gold glittering party hats.

While Tilly had been busy getting ready, he’d put a couple of camping chairs he’d never had the chance to use and some refreshments into the trunk of his SS Chevelle, finishing the Tetris-ed pile off with one last belated Christmas gift. He’d even allowed a smug, self-satisfied smirk to grace his lips before his roommate bounced out to join him.

“Ready to say goodbye to this year?”

“More ready to say hello to the next one, I think,” he replied.

The drive was filled with the mixing of Tilly flipping through cassettes he kept in his glove box and her chattering about everything from books she was reading to the unbelievable things she had witnessed while people watching. Though he could have gone the rest of his life without knowing Mr. Harris the florist had a habit of speaking seductively to the bushes outside his store, the noise was a welcome reminder that this year was different.

He drove to an old retail building that had been part of his route for years. Back when he’d first started, he’d learned the various security codes and, he was ashamed to admit, had used the roof as a place to drink in seclusion. No time like New Year’s to give it a better purpose.

Piling everything he could into his arms until Tilly insisted she grab her fair share, Rogers led them up the the freight elevator then up the final flight of stairs to the roof. Seeing it now with sober eyes, he could see now how perfect a view it was with all of Seattle twinkling below.

“I’ve never been up this high before!”

He chuckled at the excitement in her voice as they unfolded the chairs and he took out a bottle of sparkling apple juice and paper cups. “Just please don’t try to jump off this one onto anywhere.”

“Yeah, I don’t fancy starting the year off as a pancake.”

“Glad we’re on the same page with that.”

Any quip she may have had caught in her throat as the hum of the city began to change. He glanced down at his phone in time to spot 11:58.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready,” she said, grinning like a cheshire cat.

He counted down at first in his head as the seconds on is phone ticked down. Then, he could hear the hum change to a unified voice, fuzzy from distance as tens of thousands of people began to count down to midnight. As they rose higher and higher, memories of the past year began to rush through his mind like a flipbook, the highs and lows mixing together until they settled on the moment that had mattered to him the most.

10. 9. 8.

How about you come stay with me for a while?

7. 6. 5.

I’d like that. Very much.

4. 3. 2.

Come on, then. Let’s go home.

1.

He looked next to him to see Tilly’s wide-eyed, beaming face as the clock struck midnight and an indescribable feeling surged through him. It wasn’t finding Eloise or being promoted or anything else that had stuck to him in those last seconds of the year, but offering a home to the wild, mischievous young woman sitting next to him, taking in the revelry below.

The pop of the first fireworks sent a shock through him, and together they watched them dance and light up the sky. A new year, this one with friends and something that could maybe, possibly, almost, one day be considered something like family.

His hand landed again on the gift in his pocket, playing with the corners of the wrapping paper with each explosion of light and color. At long last, the crackles and pops died away, leaving behind clouds of smoke and a dizzying feeling of newness and second chance.

“There’s one more gift I didn’t have the chance to give you yet for Christmas,” he started, pulling it out and handing it to her.

At first she simply sat there, stunned, focus darting between the cloudy remnants of the fireworks and the small package in her hands. “Detective, you didn’t have to. I mean, you’ve done enough. More than enough. Really—”

“One more thing couldn’t hurt. Besides, I think you could really use this. At least, I hope you can.”

She grinned and gave a little nod before she turned her attention to the gift like a cat laying its eyes on a ball of yarn. As she had done on Christmas, she tore into the paper with the feverishness of a child. When the last bit of tape was stripped away, a set of keys fell into her lap, earning a quizzical look.

“Ummm…” Tilly’s face journeyed from confusion to panic to sadness concealed with humor. “Did you get me a better lock on the boxcar door?”

Bloody hell. Of course she’d think something like that. 

Rogers quickly shook his head, hoping she could see his insistence in the city lights, all the more dim now without the sparkling of fireworks. “It’s a set of my apartment keys. I asked my landlord to get a new one for the front door, and the others are to the front door and mailbox. Just, well, it seemed like it was time for the place to feel like home to you, not just a place you were ‘crashing’ in, so to speak. I… well, I… I mean, if you want…”

He scratched the back of his ear, thinking and overthinking then analyzing his thoughts once again, when he felt a gentle hand rest on his left forearm. His eyes darted up, locking with hers that were glittering with emotion as her free hand toyed with the keys.

“Thank you. Really. Thank you so much.”

For a moment Rogers felt a lump settle in his throat then settle slowly into his chest, preventing him from speaking. Instead, he grabbed their paper cups and poured the sparkling juice, handing her one and keeping one for himself.

“Happy New Year, Tilly.”

[nex-pls]

Short Horror Story

I work in a small Gelato Caffe in Colorado, the kind that's tucked into a small outdoor shopping strip with light foot traffic since it's right beside the interstate.

About two weeks before this incident, I was in a pretty bad car accident. The airbags deployed, car was totalled, and I was slammed back against the driver's seat, since I was the driver. This is relative to the story, since tonight my back still ached pretty badly, so I couldn't really do much work, mostly just small tasks that didn't involve a lot of lifting or bending over.

A little thing to know about my work, during the fall we don't have as many customers as we do in the summer or winter, so I end up working most of my shifts during the week by myself, either opening the store or closing. Tonight, I happened to be closing alone.

In the front, the owner allows us to choose what plays on the radio, but it has to be a family friendly station. In the back, we can listen to whatever we want, so this night I was in the back working on hot chocolate bombs (little hallow chocolate spheres full of hot cocoa). My store prides itself on making most everything from scratch, and our customers love it, so all of us are trained on how to make anything from cake pops to waffle cones, so I chose an easy task to give my back a break. Since it was slow (maybe had four customers during my first five hours), I decided to listen to one of my horror podcasts. It was October, my favorite holiday is Halloween, and I couldn't resist the spooky podcasts I listened to regularly. As the narrator read a horror story from one of the many listener submitted stories, I left my phone on the counter and continued to work, occasionally going up front whenever I needed to.

I remember this one lady came in, and she bought a cone with cookies n cream in it. She smiled at me and seemed pretty normal, but after leaving the store for half an hour, she came back in and walked towards the back. To use our restroom, I assumed, since I never saw her come back up front.

Whenever I went up front, I left my phone in the back, but would pause my podcast, not wanting to miss any detail. One of these times I went up front and left my phone in the back, I was only grabbing some more cups to display the hot cocoa bombs in.

When I came back, my phone was gone. I don't just mean it fell off the counter, I mean it was just gone, I couldn't find it anywhere. After looking for about an hour, I gave up, deciding the store ghost (the entire staff believes our store is haunted, myself included) would return it eventually, or my friend who was picking me up tonight could help me call it once the store was closed. So I went back to my tasks.

An important thing to note, we have a back entrance that is usually unlocked on weekends, since it's the back entrance to the mall and there's restrooms customers use often. On this night, I had locked it, since my coworker told me she had a lot of creepy and weird people come in, I didn't want to be startled by anyone coming in from the back entrance, which only had a very soft alarm noise, unlike the front door which practically screamed every time a customer entered.

Anyway, as I'm standing in the back, starting to clean the mess of dishes I created, I heard it. The soft noise of the back door being opened with the very soft chime. I didn't hear any customers enter, but I was also making a lot of noise, so I rushed up front, expecting to see a family waiting.

Only.... No one was there. Then I heard it, very faint, coming from the storage room. The sound of someone talking. I was nervous to open the door, I'm only 4'11", and while I know self defense, I've never been in this situation before. Thankfully, I had a spade we use to scoop the gelato in my hands, one I had just cleaned, just in case.

As I opened the door, I saw no one in the storage room. It's very small, there was stuff crammed everywhere, so it's not exactly the best place to hide, but regardless I checked every place I could. The talking hadn't stopped, but I realized where it was coming from. My phone sat atop one of the boxes, and my podcast was playing full volume, just as I had last left it. I quickly grabbed my phone and paused the podcast, seeing I had a missed call from my mother. My phone isn't the greatest, so sometimes if Spotify is paused and I get a phone call, it will play automatically. That must've been what happened here, and I chalked it up to the ghost, pocketing my phone and turning off the light to the storage room as I left.

After about an hour, I hear the back door opening through that soft chime again, and so, assuming I must've left it unlocked and the wind blew it open, I grabbed the keys and rushed towards the back. I saw the door was ajar, but it was fully locked still, clicking fully into place when I pulled it closed. To note for the door, you can push it from the inside to leave when it's locked, but you can't pull it from the outside to open it when locked. This put me on edge, because that meant it had been ajar for quite a while for the soft breeze to affect it. I hesitantly stepped back, and rushed back towards the store's small office room, to grab my key chain to use as a makeshift weapon just in case.

As I'm rummaging through my bag, the lights to the kitchen all turn off at once, leaving only the light from the office for me to navigate by. The kitchen is small, and the light switch for it is just beside that hallway where the door was ajar.

Now I'm completely on edge, phone gripped tightly in my hand with the flashlight on, as I make my way through the dark towards the hallway. As I round the corner leading towards the light switch, I see her. That woman from before, with the high pony tail who only ordered a cone. She was peeking her head around the corner, eyes wide and glowing ominously in the light from my flashlight.

I screamed, rushing back to the office and closing the door as much as I could before crawling under the desk, waiting with bated breath for her to come charging after me.

For what felt like hours, though it was probably just minutes, I heard silence and the sounds of the freezers. Finally, I heard the back door open with the soft chime. I rushed up and ran out of that kitchen, turning on the light instantly and seeing her standing in that hallway with all the bathroom, keeping the back door wide open. She smiled at me, her smile feeling too wide for her face, before closing the door fully.

I made sure the door was closed and called mall security after that, as well as my boss. I don't know what that woman was planning, or why she tried to scare me like that, but I can only assume the worst, seeing as I was a young girl working alone at a small Gelato Caffe. Maybe she was messing around, but knowing what happened to another girl in my city just a few months before this, how she was killed while working alone on a closing shift, I can't say for certain that she wasn't a murderer or even serial killer. One thing is for certain, however. I'm glad I didn't have my address saved on my phone. The last thing I need is to have this woman breaking into my house in the middle of the night. Still, I slept at my friend's house that night.

[prettylittlesestras]

christmas magic

Christmas has always been Beca’s favorite. As a teenager, she scoffed at cheerful holiday shoppers and rolled her eyes at couples holding hands while ice skating, but she couldn’t help but smile when she listened to her mom sing Christmas carols, when she watched her family’s faces light up when they opened their gifts, or when she stepped back to admire the tree after placing the final ornament in its place. Christmas was her favorite because even as a broody teenager she couldn’t stay angry when she thought about the magic of Christmas.

The magic this Christmas, however, was…lacking. Beca was still working at the local music store she’d been at since leaving the campus radio station, and, while she knew she’d have to pay her dues, she didn’t count on them including working alone on Christmas Eve.

In all truthfulness, she brought this on herself. The music store is owned by a 87 year old woman known all over town as “Mrs. Bea”. When Mrs. Bea told Beca that she couldn’t get anyone to work the Christmas Eve shift and that she’d have to miss Christmas dinner with her grandchildren, Beca immediately insisted on working, and since Beca had been managing the store for eleven months without any problems, Mrs. Bea agreed. Beca wouldn’t have sacrificed her holiday for just anyone, but she knew closing the store wasn’t an option when ten percent of their holiday sales happen on Christmas Eve when last-minute shoppers rush in. Beca couldn’t bear to let Mrs. Bea miss Christmas dinner, so she faced the day alone. Christmas magic, right? She hadn’t really been in the Christmas spirit this year or felt any semblance of Christmas magic this year, but maybe doing something nice for someone else would help. Hopefully.

“Christmas magic. Christmas magic.”

That’s what she muttered over and over under her breath as hundreds of customers filed in and out of the music shop. She expected quite a few people to be out shopping today, but there’s no way she could’ve predicted truly how many shoppers she’d have to help.

By the end of the day, she couldn’t even muster up an ounce of Christmas cheer until her watch struck 9:30 and she looked up and saw Chloe strolling through the door to pick her up. It’s hard not to smile when a smile as bright as Chloe’s is directed right at you. She made her final decision to stick around campus for the holidays when she found out Chloe was staying too. Since Chloe had decided that this would be the year she would graduate, she was all business. She was staying at school over Christmas break to prep for the next semester and complete her grad school applications. If Beca had to be here, Chloe is the only person that could make it still feel like Christmas.

“Let’s go, Mitchell! It’s almost Christmas, and there’s four boxes of Chinese food in the car getting cold!” Chloe said with a smile as she brought Beca in for a hug. Chloe’s hug was soft and warm. She smelled like the perfect mixture of vanilla and peppermint, and she was the literal embodiment of Christmas joy. Beca glided over to the automatic sliding glass doors and as the last customer left and punched around on the keypad to lock the doors behind him, her mood already picking up.

“Let me just grab my stuff from the back and I’ll be ready to go,” Beca said as she disappeared down the hall and into the break room. She grabbed her bag, and as she was putting on her jacket she heard a loud crack and then all the lights in the building went out.

“Chloe? Are you okay?” Beca yelled as she ran down the hall to find her.

“I’m fine. What happened?”

They both walked over to the glass doors and looked out to see that a large tree branch had fallen onto the power lines and caused them to fall. There was so much snow on the branches that it wasn’t surprising that one had fallen.

“No no no this can’t be happening,” Beca muttered getting more and more panicked.

“What’s wrong? It’s just the power, and the store is closed. I’m sure it’ll be back on by the time the store reopens after Christmas,” Chloe said reassuringly.

“The locks on the doors are electronic. I was here when they came and installed all new doors and locks three weeks ago. Mrs. Bea may be old but she really likes to stay on top of all the new technology,” Beca said looking more panicked than ever.

“What does Mrs. Bea’s love for technology have to do with the fact that we’re still inside and there’s an egg roll in the car that’s calling my name?” Chloe asked with a slight giggle.

Beca closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead in frustration. “Chloe, we’re locked in here until the power comes back on. There’s a generator outside, but it’s not doing us any good in here.”

Chloe’s eyes got wide, and she started to look worried. “You mean we have to spend Christmas in here?”

“There’s no way I’m letting that happen. I’ll call the power company and let them know about the outage and see how quickly they can get it fixed,” Beca said, starting to look less worried now that she had a plan. She called the power company on her cell phone and was told by an automated voice to leave a message but that with the amount of ice on the roads, holiday traffic, and outages all over town that it would take days before the whole city had its power restored. When she told Chloe the news, Chloe’s mood quickly shifted from worried to determined.

“Well, I guess we better get busy,” Chloe stated very matter-of-factly.

“Busy with what?” Beca couldn’t think of anything they had to get done while stranded in a music store on Christmas Eve.

“Christmas, silly,” Chloe said with a grin. She stood up and gathered tinsel and santa hats from around the store that had been used as decorations. She placed pieces of tinsel around their necks as scarves and hats on each of their heads. They looked like two of Santa’s elves, and Beca rolled her eyes but kept the costume on. If Chloe wanted to make the best out of this situation, she wasn’t going to stop her.

Beca walked down the hall once again and emerged with a battery-powered lantern, a bottle of eggnog, and a bottle of rum. “We need to keep warm, right?” Beca asked with a smirk on her face. “Mrs. Bea loves a good cup of eggnog, and I figured we could break into her stash just a little.” Beca laughed as she poured two mugs full of eggnog for them to sip on. They sat and talked and drank eggnog for hours.

After a while, Beca got up and headed to the guitar section, grabbed a beautiful acoustic guitar, and brought it back over to where the two had been sitting. She sat down and began to strum the tune of “Deck the Halls”. Chloe sat in awe, and when Beca finished playing she said, “I didn’t know you could play! We live together! How could you not tell me?”

“I’ve worked in a music store for two years, Chlo. I don’t know; I picked up a few chords here and there, I guess,” Beca said as she smiled sheepishly. “We get lots of cool people who shop with us for their guitars, and they love to sit down and play. Sometimes people even give free lessons too, so I just pay attention while I work.” Truthfully, Beca had stayed after work many nights playing around with the guitars and teaching herself how to play different things with the “Guitar for Dummies” book. She couldn’t believe she was actually playing for Chloe. She never really got nervous when she was singing with the Bellas, but there was something so vulnerable about playing for Chloe and showing her something she’d worked so hard on and never let another person hear, like it really mattered if Chloe liked her playing. It was more intimate with another person than she had been in a long time; more intimate in a close and personal way than she had really been with Jesse if she’s being honest with herself.

Chloe sat, amazed, while Beca began to play “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. Chloe sang along, and Beca joined in on the chorus. This was the first time during the night when it truly felt like Christmas for Beca, and she could tell that Chloe felt it too.

After their impromptu concert, Beca was practically shaking she was shivering so hard, so she got up and grabbed the lantern. “Wanna go see if we can find some blankets?” Beca asked while hanging the guitar in its rightful place. “There’s a pull-out couch in the break room, and I think there are blankets and pillows in the closet. Mrs. Bea keeps them up here for when her grandkids come and visit.”

Beca laughed as Chloe struggled to pull out the creaky bed from within the couch and quickly helped her get it set up. While Beca straightened out the mattress and sheets, Chloe rummaged through the closet to find two pillows and a couple of blankets. She tossed them over to the bed, and one of the pillows was so heavy that it hit Beca and knocked her onto the bed.

“Not nice!” Beca yelped. Chloe couldn’t hear her over her own laughter though. Chloe skipped over to the bed and plopped down beside her friend.

“I’m tiny! I can’t help that my body can’t withstand the force of the pillows you launch at me from across the room.” Beca laughed as she spoke.

“Well get your tiny body under these blankets! There’s no way we’re going to keep warm all night if we don’t share body heat.”

“You’re just trying to get in my pants, Beale. I see through that ‘good girl; facade,” Beca said with a level of sarcasm that only Beca Mitchell could achieve, but she didn’t actually mind.

“Sure, Becs. You just keep thinking that.”

Beca nestled into Chloe’s arms, and the two drifted off to sleep rather quickly. After a couple of hours, all of the lights came on at once, and Beca and Chloe both jolted awake.

“Hey Becs, do you want to go home now or just wait until morning?” Chloe whispered.

“Let’s just wait until morning,” Beca slurred sleepily. Chloe got up and turned out the lights and dropped back onto the bed. After a few minutes, Beca rolled over to face Chloe, their faces only inches apart.

“Hey Chlo?” Beca whispered

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for sticking by me through all of this. I’m sorry we had to spend our Christmas Eve trapped in a music store. Even though it’s been cold and dark and not actually anything like Christmas at all, I’m glad I had you here with me.” Beca spoke so quietly that her words were almost inaudible. She felt dumb for being so open with her feelings.

She started to turn back over when Chloe grabbed her face and brought their lips together, and that’s when she felt it. Christmas magic. That’s what she’d been missing. The music and trees and decorations were still the same this year, but she hadn’t felt the magic until now, until she was laying on a creaky pull-out couch cuddling for warmth and kissing her best friend. And that’s when she knew for sure that she loved her. She’d ignored the feeling for years. From the moment she spotted Chloe at the activities fair, the thought was there, always gnawing at her. But she pushed it further and further back in her mind. And then once being friends turned into being best friends which turned into the two of them being practically inseparable, she knew nothing could happen from there. She wouldn’t ruin a friendship over some stupid feelings. Beca pulled back looking confused but happy.

“Sorry, I don’t know what gave me the courage to do that, but I’ve wanted to for a really long time. I’m sorry, really, I am. I overstepped. I know we’re just friends and I–” Beca cut off Chloe’s desperate ramblings with another kiss. She felt it again. Christmas magic wasn’t about the presents or the songs or the decorations; it was about people, and Chloe was her person.

“Okay yeah so here’s the thing. I kinda love you, and I think I have for a really long time, so please don’t apologize for kissing me,” Beca said while adding a quick peck on her forehead. Chloe smiled and wrapped Beca in a big, warm hug. That’s when Beca knew that Chloe was all the Christmas magic she’d ever need.

merry pitchmas to @enchanteecloneclub from your (no longer) secret santa!!! sorry i’m a day late, but i hope you like it!

[redditnosleep]

The December Tapes

by Pippinacious

Every year on December 12th, a new one would arrive. Always in the same bright Christmas wrapping, always unmarked, always left on our front porch.

They started coming a year after my sister, Libby, disappeared.

She was last seen walking home from the elementary school in her favorite bright purple jacket with the faux fur hood. It was just a couple blocks, a walk she'd made hundreds of times, and our mom was standing at the foot of our driveway keeping an eye out for her. No one knows for sure what happened in the ten minutes it should have taken Libby to get home; we only know that she never made it.

I remember lying in bed that night, listening to my dad trying to keep his voice steady while he spoke to the cops and my mom making phone call after phone call to Libby’s friends and our neighbors and all the local stores that Mom knew she liked to visit, just in case she'd decided to take an uncharacteristic detour and lost track of time.

Our quiet life quickly became media fodder. It was surreal and upsetting to see my nine year old sister’s latest school portrait grinning at me from the TV screen on the evening news, to hear her name spoken on the radio. My parents gave interviews and pleaded for anyone with any information to come forward, which only resulted in dead ends and prank calls. There were reporters stationed outside our house for a week, just waiting to pounce with their invasive questions.

And then, slowly, the attention began to fade. A missing girl only kept people interested for so long and, when no new leads appeared, they moved on. The reporters gave up first, then the cops, and then our neighbors, until only my family was still looking.

“We'll keep it open, but inactive,” we were told over the phone by a sympathetic sounding desk sergeant, “it” being my sister’s case file. She didn't even have a name to them anymore.

The first year after Libby disappeared went slowly. My parents did their best to keep things normal for me, but it always felt thin, fragile, strained. Normal now meant pretending I didn't notice Mom staring at the seat Libby used to sit in every night at dinner. It meant tiptoeing back down the hall so my dad didn't know I saw him standing in the middle of her room, her favorite stuffed toy hugged against his chest. It meant dreading her birthday and holidays because they were now just razor sharp reminders of loss.

It meant trying to cope without my little sister, and there were some days I wondered how anything would ever feel right again.

And then, on December 12th, exactly one year after she went missing, a package arrived on our doorstep.

It was wrapped in sparkly red paper and tied off with a bright purple ribbon. There was no card or name tag attached, just the box, but Mom brought it inside anyway. She figured it was from one of our neighbors just trying to spread a little Christmas spirit. It was the first gift we'd gotten. She put it aside and set about making dinner, careful to keep her back to me so that I might not notice she was crying, but I did anyway and any tiny speck of holiday cheer I might have been feeling was swept away.

The package sat on our kitchen counter, unopened, until my dad got home and asked what it was.

“Go ahead and open it, Phin,” Dad said with a tired smile.

With as much enthusiasm as I could muster, I tore into the wrapping paper and pulled open the small cardboard box within. Sitting inside, nestled on a bed of red and green tissue paper, was a cassette tape.

Curious, I ran to my room for my boombox and lugged it back to the kitchen, where I popped open the front and dropped the cassette into its player.

The room filled with my sister’s terrified, desperate screams.

“Mommy,” she wailed from the speakers. “Daddy!”

We all sat in stunned silence for a moment before my dad leapt at the boombox and tore the tape out.

I listened to that cassette many times in the following days. First from just outside the kitchen, when my parents played it in full after they thought I'd gone to my room, and then a second time when the police came. Snippets were released to re-generate interest in the case and they were played on the news and on the radio and, once again, Libby Helmer was a household name for another couple of weeks.

It didn't matter how many times I heard it, though, it never got any easier.

Libby screaming for our parents, the gut wrenching fear in her voice, the way she sobbed and begged to go home, and behind it all, a soft voice that just kept saying, “Shhh, shhh.”

Nothing came of it except more heartbreak. There were no prints, no DNA, nothing to trace the package or its contents, and all we were left with was Libby’s terrified voice.

The only solace we could take from it was that, somewhere, Libby was alive.

Mom and Dad redoubled their search efforts and upped the reward offered for Libby’s safe return, but another year came and went without any new information, until December 12th was upon us again.

For the second year in a row, we received another cassette tape.

“Hi Mommy and Daddy and Phin,” Libby said from the boombox once we'd gathered enough courage to hit play. She sounded tired, the kind of tired that resonates from deep down; the kind no kid should be familiar with. “I miss you. I hope I can come home soon, but I don't know. I think about you lots. I hope you think about me, too.” Her voice cracked and I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from doing the same. “Smiling Thom says I've been a good girl. He wanted you to know that.”

The tape ended.

Again, we went to the police, and again, nothing came of it. Even with the inclusion of a name, this Smiling Thom, they weren't able to dig up anything that might have helped us find Libby. All we had to hold us over for another year was her sad, small voice.

The third tape arrived, right on time, the next year. Libby’s voice sounded a little older, but it was still recognizably her’s.

“Hi, it's me. You remember me, right? I try to draw you lots so I don't forget you, but it's getting harder. Smiling Thom says that's just the way it goes. I asked him for a picture of you, but he hasn't brought me one yet. He said if I was really good, he will, and I've tried to be, but I dunno if he will. I want to go home. Smiling Thom said maybe next year. He says that a lot. I love you.”

It hit me then that it was getting harder for me to remember her, too. Not just what she looked like, but the sound of her voice and the things she liked and the way she laughed. While my parents played and re-played the tape, desperately listening for any clues that it might hold as to Libby’s whereabouts, I went and dug out her baby book. I spent the rest of the night studying her face and all the little notes that Mom had put in the margins.

I fell asleep with the book clutched against my stomach and tears staining my face.

It was another long year with no answers.

For four more years, we waited for December 12th to arrive with a strange combination of hope and horror. We fed off of those tapes, used them to get us through another 365 days with the belief that Libby was still alive. We dreaded getting them, but we dreaded the December 12th that we opened our front door to find nothing there even more.

Every tape followed a similar pattern: she'd tell us she missed us, that she wanted to come home, that she thought about us. In some, she'd ask questions like whether we still thought of her. She'd tell us that Smiling Thom said she'd been good again.

She sounded more and more different in every one; older and more articulate, but always sad, always tired. It was like listening to my sister grow up in sound bites when I played the tapes back to back.

There was never anything new in them. We kept bringing them to the cops, but it felt more like a hollow effort each time, until Dad finally decided he'd had enough and we wrote them off the same way they had us.

“We're not giving up,” Dad said. “We're just on our own now.”

Another year passed. We put up posters, we shot local commercials, we gathered volunteers and combed wider and wider areas, although it was obvious that those who joined us were doing it more for solidarity than out of any actual belief that we would find Libby. Even when we played the tapes for people, they didn't seem quite convinced that the girl they were hearing was my sister

It had been 8 years since Libby disappeared and the only people who still thought she might come home were me and my parents.

Until we got the tape that year.

Mom stood over the table, staring at the still wrapped box, for a long moment. Her eyes were glassy, her lips trembling, and she shook her head.

“I can't,” she said weakly. “I can't listen to another one. I don't even know her voice anymore. What kind of mother am I? What kind of mother doesn't even recognize her own child’s voice? Just take it away; put it back! Put it back! I don't want it in this house!”

She started to sink to the floor and Dad hurried around the table to catch her.

“Just do it, Phin!” He shouted over his shoulder.

The pain I saw on both their faces, still so raw after so long, drove me to grab up the box and run to the front door. I dumped it back on the porch and left it to sit in the gathering snow. I didn't think about it at the time; if I had, I would have hidden the box in my room or just tucked in a drawer somewhere. In that moment, though, I just did what Mom said. I got it out of the house.

I had no doubt that, once Mom calmed down, I'd be told to retrieve it again and we'd listen to it the same as we had all the others. Neither of my parents would miss the chance to hear their Libby’s voice.

It was only an hour later that I was instructed to go and get the tape. Mom apologized and said she was ready.

But when I opened the front door, the package was gone and no amount of searching made it reappear.

We assumed some opportunistic low life looking to steal Christmas gifts had taken it and tried to console one another with reassurances that there would be another tape the next year, but it didn't really help. Mom blamed herself, I blamed myself, and Dad was just caught up in his grief over not getting to hear his little girl. We thought about filing another police report, but after all the previous years of no real help and dead ends, we decided against it.

We'd just have to try and wait until the next December 12th.

We didn't put up posters or launch search parties or do anything else to look for Libby in that year. It was too exhausting, too expensive, too heartbreaking. Mom was especially fragile after the loss of the last tape. There was nothing we hadn't tried and it had all ended in failure. We just needed some time to recoup and collect ourselves before we began the search again.

I was woken up the morning of December 12th that year by a muffled thud coming from downstairs. It was early, still dark, and I almost rolled over and went back to sleep until I remembered what day it was.

I was up and out of bed instantly.

My parents bedroom door was still closed and their light off when I hurried past on tiptoes. I was relieved, in a way. It was always hard to get the tapes, but seeing what it did to my parents just made it harder. I thought, maybe, if I could listen to it alone first, it would make it less horrible somehow.

It didn't occur to me until I was opening the front door that the tapes had only ever come in the evening before.

By then, I'd already seen the package, and I knew immediately that something was very wrong.

Instead of a small box, this one was large. Very large. It was still wrapped in the same bright paper and tied off with a purple ribbon, but this year, there was a card on top. Instinctively, I closed the door behind me before I moved towards it, as if I was doing something wrong and didn't want to get caught, and I reached for the card.

Only 9 years before you gave up. I had hoped for better from you. She was such a good girl.

The message was written in slanted, thin letters and ended in a drawn smiley face.

A slow boiling queasiness had started in my stomach. I let the card slip through my fingers to the ground and I grabbed the edge of the large box and I started to peel back the paper. The box beneath was plain white and covered by a lid.

I paused, panting, sweating despite the cold, my heart hammering against my chest, and I fought back the bile rising in my throat.

I could only bring myself to lift the lid ever so slightly, just enough to see inside. Just enough to see the thin brown hair and the pale face with its slack jaw and sightless eyes peeking back at me from within a bed of red and green tissue paper. Just enough to see the edge of a bright purple coat wrapped around her emaciated body.

Just enough to see that Libby had finally come home.

[formerprincess]

A tale written with fangs and claws || Chapter 26

Chapters: 26/? Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken Characters: Liam Dunbar, Theo Raeken Additional Tags: Alpha Liam Dunbar, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, Dunbar Pack, Bisexual Liam Dunbar, Werewolf Theo Raeken, Alpha Theo Raeken, Canon-Typical Violence, Smut, Mates, Liam and Theo are mates Series: Part 1 of Morning Dew Pack

Some of the Betas leave to celebrate Christmas with their families while Liam, Theo, and Mike stay behind and start preparing for their Christmas dinner and their guests. But, of course, nothing goes ever according to the plan for the Dunbar Pack.

“Have a good trip and stay safe. Enjoy your time with your family and have fun during your holidays no matter what.” Liam hugged his Betas tightly one by one before they left the house. It was quite a queue they had set up with Mike right in front of the stairs and the first to hug the others, then Theo, and Liam was the last in line to hug the Betas before they finally left the house to get in the cab and Isaac’s car waiting outside for them. Sadie and Tim would take the cab to the airport, Nolan, Ever, and Maya would take the train home and Isaac would drive them to the train station. “If you ever need something, just call, okay?” Liam made his Beta promise. He was still worried about them but he also wished them a great time with their loved ones at home. Now they all repeated again they would call in case of any problems and then they left. Sadie turned around and blew the remaining three guys a kiss before she climbed into the cab as the last one. Isaac raised his hand. “See you tomorrow.” He called out, closed his window again, and then started his car and pulled out of the driveway. The cab with the two Betas inside followed.

“It’s strange to see them all leave.” Mike said and Liam hummed in agreement. “Guys, they will come back in a few days.” Theo reminded them and cast a glance at the sky where grey clouds hung and snowflakes were falling down without stopping. “If they even make it out of town with all the snow.” He muttered and closed the front door again. Theo rubbed his hands together and looked at his Alpha and his pack mate. “Okay, we’re alone and our guests will only arrive later on. What are we going to do now?” “Video games?” Mike suggested and Theo nodded. The three of them wandered into the living room and Theo and Mike started a game. Liam was fine with watching them for a while, but soon got bored and left the living room in favor of wandering into the kitchen. Before their guests arrived he wanted to bake some more cookies and maybe have some hot chocolate and/or mulled wine for the adults. 

It was December 23rd and the guests they were expecting were Liam’s parents, Isaac, and Lana and Byron. They would arrive during the day or, in Isaac's case, would join them tomorrow for eating together and celebrating Christmas together. It would be amazing and Liam could not wait until they all were here. This Christmas would be truly wonderful and he wanted it to be perfect. One of the reasons he was now messing around the kitchen, humming along to the Christmas songs on the radio. Soon enough he had the hot chocolate and the mulled wine brewing on the stove and his hands covered in flour while he mixed the batter. The snowstorm outside reached new highs and big white flakes were swirling around. Liam didn’t care, he was warm and cozy, and he had no motivation to leave the house anytime soon. Even an Alpha werewolf didn’t have to be out in the cold without a good reason. 

His first batch of Christmas cookies was in the oven when Mike and Theo trotted into the kitchen. Mike sniffed. “It smells delicious in here.” Liam smiled from where he had poured some hot chocolate into a mug.”Thanks.” He said and handed the mug over to Mike before he filled the second one and handed it to Theo.Theo smiled and kissed his cheek and Liam chuckle warmly. He still felt giddy whenever Theo was close to him and caressed him one way or another. Sometimes Liam thought Theo had no idea about the impact he had on Liam and Liam worked to show Theo this every day as good as he could. He wasn’t that good with words, but he was good with actions, so he let his actions speak for him. Right now, for example, he pulled Theo closer to peck his lips before he let go of him and filled himself a mug with hot chocolate.

“Are you enjoying the Christmas so far, Mikey?” Theo asked and Mike blew into his mug to cool down the chocolate but then he nodded enthusiastically.  “It’s amazing!” “I wish we could have done more to really celebrate your first real Christmas.” Liam muttered. “Do all the Christmas activities and such.”

“Are you kidding me? We have a tree, we decorated the tree together, I could decide on one ornament that now hangs on the tree, and I know I will get presents that don’t consist of me pointing at something at the toy store or some gift cards for the electronic store. Liam, seriously, this is the best way to celebrate Christmas for me because the most important thing is, I’m around my family, my pack.”

Liam smiled at that. Mike seemed genuinely happy and that’s all he wanted. After years of his parents abandoning him, he deserved to have those nice things. Theo put one arm around Liam and pulled him closer. “Stop worrying so much and just enjoy the holidays.” He said and kissed Liam’s neck. Liam rumbled happily and pressed against Theo and Mike grinned at the Alpha couple. “You can’t keep your hands off each other, can you?” “Have you seen Liam? Never.” Theo replied and Liam blushed a very interesting shade of red. He wasn’t used to compliments like this, especially not from someone looking like Theo. Mike snickered at his Alpha’s blush and Theo smirked and kissed Liam’s cheek again. His hand sneaked to Liam’s backside and gave him a soft slap and Liam squeaked. Theo laughed. “Now he’s acting all innocent and shy.” “I am innocent and shy.” Liam said with a sly grin and Mike and Theo laughed. “Sure.” Liam just grinned and sipped his hot chocolate. “Are you done playing your video game or do you want to continue?” “We don’t want to play when you’re not involved.” Mike explained to Liam and really, that was so cute. 

“Aw, boys, you are the cutest.” Liam said with a chuckle. “If you want you can help me bake cookies. Or, if you want to wait a little bit until I’m finished, we can play a board game?” He suggested and both Betas seemed happy with this solution. They didn’t help Liam finish the cookies - which probably was for the best since it probably would have resulted in total chaos otherwise - but they helped Liam clean the kitchen and then they settled around the kitchen table for a round of Monopoly. To sit, play and drink hot chocolate was really nice and they laughed a lot. It was carefree and Liam enjoyed this moment. With the Christmas dinner tomorrow he would have a lot of stuff to do and he used this free time right now to relax and gather his strength for tomorrow. Lana and Ilona had offered to help but Liam was the host and he was kind of stubborn about cooking for his guests. 

“Do any of you know who got who for Secret Santa?” Mike asked and moved his token on the board.  “I’m sure Liam knows who has who but he refused to share his knowledge with me.” Theo muttered. “Hey, that’s my street. Pay up!” Mike handed the money over while Liam grinned. “I really have no idea who got who. I put the box outside of our room and next day the gifts were there. I’m only assuming based on the wrapper.” “My gift smelled like Sadie so I think she got me.” “No. I asked her to spay perfume over the gifts to cover up any scent. That would have been cheating in the werewolf way and would have been unfair to Ever and Nolan.” Liam declined and his Betas gaped at him. “That was sneaky.” Theo finally said and Liam just grinned like a cat who got the cream. “I live to be sneaky.” He replied and winked at Theo. The chimera snorted.

 “Puppies can’t be sneaky!” “Seriously, when I first heard this nickname I was really confused and thought it was silly. Now I get how Theo thought of it.” Mike admitted and Liam glanced at him. “I feel insulted.” “Good.” Mike and Theo said at the same time and with similar grins on their faces and Liam groaned. “You two are a match made in heaven!” “Don’t worry, Lee, Theo only has eyes for you.” Liam scoffed. “I’m his mate. If he didn’t, I’d file for divorce.” “Ouch.” Theo moved his chair closer to Liam. “That was harsh, puppy.” Liam looked at Theo, leaned in, and nudged his nose against his boyfriend’s. “As if I would ever leave you. You’re my Theo, I found my counterpart in you, and I love you without any doubt.”  Theo smiled and kissed him again. Their sweet moments mattered to them both and they both needed some reassurance from time to time that they loved each other and would stay together forever. Mated or not, it was nice to hear if every now and then. 

“If you start to get cute, I’ll leave.” Mike joked. Liam laughed. “Shush, nobody leaves. Let’s continue playing, I have to beat Theo.” “Hah, I want to see that!” The older replied dryly. 

****** “I think I ate my body weight in Christmas cookies.” Mike said.  “I would laugh but I am too stuffed to do anything but breathe.” Theo replied.  They were in the living room again. After the board game, they had moved with the cookies Liam made and stuffed their faces while watching silly Christmas movies. It was a fun way to spend the time.  “I am slightly envious of Liam seemingly not even remotely fazed by the number of cookies he had.” Mike said.  Theo looked over to Liam who lounged in one of the settles. “Did you see how Liam eats? He has no problem with stuffing his face. With how much running he does and with how often he trains for Lacrosse he probably needs the amount of food.” He theorized and Liam grinned.

“Fast metabolism, guys. That’s the key.” “Were you ever not skinny and trained?” Mike wanted to know. “Come on, were you a chubby child?” “Nope. I was quite scrawny, only my cheeks had some baby fat.” “Liam was an adorable child.” Theo muttered. “I’ve seen the pictures. What happened, Liam?” “Fuck you!” Liam called out and laughed.

The doorbell rang and Liam got up to answer the door. Byron and Lana were standing outside and beamed at Liam when he opened the door. “Liam!” Lana called out and hugged him tightly before Liam stepped aside and let them enter. Snow was slowly melting into their hair and the short moment the door had been opened had been enough to make Liam shiver. It was freezing out there and the storm seemed to have gotten worse. “It’s awful in the streets. I’m so happy we made it here.” Lana ranted and took her coat off. Mike and Theo had joined them entryway and Theo took her coat while she hugged Mike and then him. Byron had pulled Liam into a bear hug and now let him go again to place their bags down and shrug off his coat too. Then he hugged Mike and Theo as well. 

“The storm’s getting worse. I really hope the Betas make it home.” Liam said after a look outside and then closed the door again. “And I’m happy you’re finally here. Welcome to the pack house. Do you want some hot chocolate or mulled wine?” “Later.” Lana said and curiously looked around. “This is such a pretty house.” She then praised. Her and Byron had only seen the house on videos and pictures and Liam knew she had been curious to see how they lived. Byron also declined the hot beverage at first.  “Okay, then a tour around the house?” He offered and of course the former Alpha couple accepted. 

“This is the living room. We spend most of the time here.” He started to explain and Byron and Lana curiously looked around. Lana laughed at the pictures on the wall, all pack members of just some of them, and even some of the pack members at the lake. 

Liam continued to lead them out of the living room and into the kitchen. “Oh my, such a pretty kitchen. I know why you were so happy to have it.” Lana called out. “Can’t wait to cook the Christmas dinner here.” “Lana!” Liam said with a laugh. “We talked about this.” “Liam, if you really think my wife will let you cook the dinner all on your own, you are sorely mistaken. For her not to come and help you, you would have to chain her up in the basement.” Byron said with a chuckle. “You shouldn’t do the work all by yourself. Let us help you! That’s my last word!” Lana said and Liam sighed. He was aware it was useless to argue any further. “Okay, fine.”

Lana beamed and followed Liam into the library and then upstairs. Byron and Lana inspected every room and Liam explained some things. “This is Ever’s little magic corner. Her powers are steadily growing.” He explained and then latched into the explanation how she managed to unload the mountain ash.

“She managed to do that? That’s impressive. She must be very powerful to even pull this off once.” Byron praised. Liam smiled. “She’s a great witch.” “Look at you being all proud of your pack!” Lana chuckled and rubbed his arm. “Like the great Alpha that you are.” “My Betas are amazing, that’s all. I have to tell them this.” Liam shrugged it off but he was happy about the praise. “Your Betas only get stronger being led by you, Alpha. And we have a great leader in you.” Byron told Liam and squeezed his shoulder. Theo behind Liam wrapped one arm around Liam’s waist.  “My mate’s a great Alpha indeed. Always working for his pack. He made all of us Advent calendars and filled them with personal things. The money and the time he spent on creating this alone is insane.” “That was something I really wanted to do and you all deserved it.” Liam still had trouble adjusting to all the praise. Theo chuckled and kissed his cheek.  “It was a great idea. Stop being so modest and accept the praise!”

 He let go of Liam and opened the door to their bedroom. It was the last room on the tour and Lana took one look inside and laughed. “The biggest room for the Alpha couple.” Theo nodded with a grin. She gently nudged his shoulder. “Would you have ever thought you would be part of this?” She asked him in a teasing manner. “Part of an Alpha couple in general or part of this Alpha couple?” Theo asked back.  “Both.” “No and no. Especially not a part of the Alpha couple consisting Liam. I mean, months ago I had no idea he felt the same way about me as I felt about him.” “Oh, honey, but everybody else did. It’s hard to overlook heart eyes that big.” Lana teased Theo and he laughed and actually blushed a little bit. Liam grinned amusedly and now it was him who kissed Theo’s cheek. 

The sound of the front door opening could be heard and Liam frowned. He stepped back from Theo and went to check out who had just arrived. He was halfway down the stairs when he caught glimpse of Ever, Nolan, and Maya, all kind of solemn and with snow in their hair.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” The young Alpha asked and sat down on the stairs.  “There is too much snow, all trains are canceled.” Nolan said. “We left the train station but after a few miles, the train came to a stop and then drove back. The snow is getting worse.” Ever shook her head to clear off the slowly melting snow. “No way we would have made it home. A friendly cab driver offered to drive us back here, thank god for that.” Maya hung her coat on the coat rack. “The train was freezing and as much as I want to see my aunt, spending Christmas on a freezing train full of strangers is not my idea of a good Christmas.” “I’m sorry you can’t celebrate Christmas with your families but welcome back.” Liam got up again and hugged his three Betas while the others gathered around too. “But I’m also happy we can celebrate Christmas together.” He added and the three smiled.  “Our first Christmas together.” Ever said and hugged Liam a second time. He smiled and gently squeezed her for a moment.  “I heard something about a freezing train: Does anybody feel like hot chocolate?” Theo said and a chorus of “yes” sounded up so they all returned to the kitchen and then sat and talked about each and everything. 

Suddenly Liam’s phone chimed up with an incoming call and he picked it up and left the room to talk in silence.  “Hey, mom.” “Liam, honey, listen, your dad and I really tried leaving Beacon Hills but the streets are closed. The storm is raging and we can’t see anything. I’m afraid we won’t make it to Seattle in time, sweetie.” Liam could not lie, that was sad. But he would never want his parents to drive in a snowstorm. He swallowed. “Where are you now?” “Back at home. We can try in a few hours.” “No, it’s fine. We can see each other after Christmas, I’m sure we can make time for a visit. Maybe we can come to Beacon Hills. I don’t want you to drive in this weather.” “I’m sure we can take some days off and come to visit you. And we talk during the Holidays, right? How are Theo and Mike?” “Good, they’re good. We surely talk. Maya, Nolan, and Ever didn’t make it home either and returned. Seemed like Byron and Lana were lucky to arrive before it got worse.” “Stay safe, okay? Don’t go outside, werewolves or not.” “We’ll stay inside, don’t worry. Did all the shopping.” Liam looked out of the window. “With how it’s snowing we’ll probably end up getting snowed in any way.” He muttered under his breath. “But you do the same, okay? Stay safe and don’t go outside. Tell dad I love him, okay? Love you both.” “We love you too, honey. Tell Theo that too. And the other boys and girls. Catch you on Christmas.” Liam hung up and stared at his phone for a moment then he sighed and returned to the kitchen.

“My parents are not coming, the weather is too bad.” He announced with a sad smile. Theo who had refilled his mug obviously noticed his sadness and sat it down on the counter to walk over to pull him into a hug. “Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry.” Lana said sympathetically.  Liam shook his head. “It’s fine. I’d rather have them not here but safe at home than driving around during a snow storm. They can visit one other time.” Theo squeezed him and Liam’s arms wrapped around his mate as well. He hid his face against Theo’s shoulder and inhaled Theo’s scent, it made him feel secure.

“Uhm uhm, this is me trying to lighten the mood again.” Nolan suddenly spoke up. “The two of you are standing under the mistletoe.”  Theo and Liam both looked up and Nolan was right, they stood right under the little twig. Both laughed and it worked to lighten the mood again. Liam wasn’t alone, he had half of his pack around as well as the love of his life. He put one hand on the back of Theo’s neck and pulled him in, their lips meeting in a loving kiss. Theo’s hands stroked over his waist and then wrapped around Liam and lifted him up. Liam squeaked into the kiss and everybody else laughed. He felt Theo’s lips curling into a smile as well and then Theo sat him down again and they parted. “I love you.” Theo said softly and Liam nodded. “I love you too.” He replied and rubbed his cheek against Theo’s. Theo chuckled and kissed his neck lovingly. “My naughty little - and mostly sweet - Alpha.”

The front door slammed shut again and suddenly Sadie and Tim stood in the kitchen. Sadie was visibly upset. “They canceled all flights. I waited for hours in hope of finding another flight but they literally closed the airport!” “Because of the snow.” Tim added even though everybody already could imagine that. Sadie’ lips trembled. “Oh wow, you’re upset.” Maya said softly. “I wanted to go home and meet my parents again after I gained control. I wanted to hug them and show them how much I learned and how good I became in staying in control. I wanted them to be proud of me.” Sadie lamented and tears streamed down her cheeks. To everyone’s surprise, it was Mike who stepped to her and hugged her in consolation. Maya was the second one and stroke over her hair.  “They are proud of you if you’re there or not. You are their daughter.” Sadie snuffled and looked up. “Why are you here?” She asked Maya and the black haired wolf shrugged. “The snow. No trains are leaving town.” “Oh.” Sadie said. “So we’re all here for Christmas?”

“Yeah.” Liam confirmed. “My parents aren’t coming either due to the weather.” He told his Betas and shrugged sadly. “Maybe we can reschedule Christmas and invite all our parents here after the actual holidays? That way we would meet them before the year ends and they can maybe even celebrate New Year with us.”  “That is a fantastic idea, Liam. Spoken like a great Alpha.” Byron chimed in and Liam smiled gratefully at him. He had just wanted to make Sadie smile again. They all would have loved to see their families again but now they had this situation here and while it was sad on one hand, he was also ecstatic about celebrating Christmas with the whole core pack. “Guys, we are all together for Christmas? Our first Christmas together and Liam’s idea is great. Let’s be...I don’t know, jolly!” Tim called out and everybody laughed. 

Sadie wiped her tears. “Yeah, you’re right, Timmy. I’d have loved to see my parents but now I will see them some days later and that’s great too. I would have missed you during Christmas anyway so hey, this is awesome too.” “We would have missed you too, Blondie” Theo said fondly and she stuck her tongue out at him for the nickname. The first Beta just chuckled and then offered them some hot chocolate too which Tim and Sadie gladly accepted before they joined the pack in talking.

Liam ended next to Byron after a while and the former Alpha gave him a soft smile. “How has life been treating you, young wolf?” “Good, really. I plan on talking to Scott shortly after the new year comes around, so I’m anxious about that, but I see how far my pack has come and what we already accomplished and I am just so proud of them. I told my parents about werewolves and all, I finally told my crush how I feel about him and he didn’t reject me and now we’re mated an in a passionate and perfect relationship, we moved into a freaking pack house, so the years ends on a pretty great note.”

Byron nodded with a soft laugh. Liam drank his hot chocolate and considered something while he swallowed the sweet drink. “Byron, can I ask you something? You know so much more about the pack and the history and I’m still reading the journal but I have not found what I’m looking for yet.” “You can ask me anything, Liam, and you know that. What’s on your mind?” “Do you know any narratives about Alphas seeing their wolves in their reflection? Or them dreaming about their wolves on a regular basis? As if the wolf wants to give them a message?” Byron took his time with answering. “Do you see your wolf in your reflection?” Liam nodded. “The dreams are regular too and the other day I accidentally used more strength than I wanted and hurt Theo. He laughed and said it’s okay but I was still shocked. Sometimes I feel like wolf and person are too close to each other.” “That’s the scary part of working with your inner animal. That person and wolf become closer. It takes a lot of bravery and in the beginning, you will probably feel very overwhelmed. I see you already reached this stage. But from what I saw when you connected with your wolf and from what you told me, did it ever feel like your wolf was hostile?” “No. But I’d have liked to know why it’s happening.” “You know some of our ancestors had this strong bond with their wolves and even gave them a name. Your wolf is your closest friend and always with you. He protects you, no matter what, maybe that’s why he appears. To tell you, you’re not alone.”

Liam smiled. This was a pretty nice interpretation of all this and it took some of the worries away he had in the back of his mind. His wolf never did anything to harm him since they started to work as a team and Liam felt himself trusting his inner animal. “Tim named his wolf Henry.” He called out and everybody turned to look at Tim who blushed. “This is a very lovely name and I’m sure it suits your wolf perfectly.” Lana said with a smile and Tim beamed proudly at her and nodded. 

Theo leaned over to Liam. “Do you have enough food for all of us?” He suddenly asked, partly to tease and partly because he was really interested. “I have to fiddle a bit and maybe it won’t be all just the usual Christmas dish but it will work in the end.” Liam replied. 

****** “Do you feel reassured now?” Theo asked while he pulled the covers back to crawl under. Liam did the same on his side of the bed and made a questioning humm in Theo’s direction.

“The Betas are spending Christmas with us and you don’t have to worry about them.” Theo clarified and pulled the blankets over his chest when he was finally underneath the warm covers.

“Now you’re making me sound mean. Yes, I was worried but I also would have liked for them to meet their parents again, okay?” Liam defended himself and tugged the blanket around him before turning on his side and facing Theo.

The chimera shook his head. “I wasn’ t trying to be mean, I’m sorry. I just know how worried you were, so I thought it must be reassuring for you to have them here. Plus, Christmas with the pack will be amazing.” He smiled at the end and Liam had to smile too. He gently kissed Theo and then moved into a better position to curl up in the warm bed. Theo used it to snuggle close to him and Liam’s arm wrapped around his mate. 

“This Christmas surely will be amazing, it already was amazing today. After they all overcame the frustration of not leaving the town due to the storm, they started laughing again and were happy. I want to see my pack happy.” “You have to be happy too, Alpha.” Theo muttered and kissed Liam’s collarbone. His tongue licked the mating bite and Liam moaned softly.  “You want me to be happy? Then never leave. I know you won’t, so I don’t see any reason not to be happy because you make me happy.” Liam frowned. “Did that make sense or did I get too tipsy from the mulled wine?” Theo raised his head and chuckled. “It made sense and you make me happy too so I will never leave you and I know you will stay too. But are you really tipsy?” He asked amusedly.  Liam moved his head from one side to the other while pondering. “Not really. But the wine was tasty.” “Tasty it was indeed.” Theo agreed. 

He watched Liam with a soft smile. “What?” Liam asked with a smile of his own and carded his hand through Theo’s hair.  “I hope this Christmas all your wishes come true. You surely deserve it.” “My biggest wish already came true, I got you. Every other present will be great but not as great as this. I finally get to call you my boyfriend.” “And your mate.” Theo added and he kissed Liam again.  “The love of my life.” Liam continued between the kisses the couple shared. “The best sex you ever had.” Theo teased and Liam laughed. “True.”

They looked at each other again and Liam played with the pendant on Theo’s necklace before he pulled him down for another kiss.  “We should sleep, tomorrow will be a very exhausting day. It will be great but also exhausting and you need all your energy.” Theo muttered against Liam’s lips and he sighed, accepted his boyfriend was right. He needed his sleep.  “Good night then, baby.” “Good night, Lee. Sweet dreams with me in them.” Liam chuckled and squeezed Theo’s waist before he closed his eyes. Soon enough the couple fell asleep wrapped around each other. 

****** Liam woke up and rolled on his back. He blinked the last remains of sleep out of his eyes and then sat up. His wolf stood at the open door of the bedroom and obviously waited for Liam. The Alpha sighed but gently pulled away from Theo’s  hold and pulled the covers back. The air was chilly but Liam didn’t care when he followed his inner wolf out of the room and downstairs and finally out of the house. The animal led him directly to the woods behind the house. 

“Where are we going? What do you want to show me?” Liam asked and tried to keep up with his wolf’s pace. And then the wolf stopped and looked at him again, tilted his head lightly.

An icy breath hit Liam right in the face, along with some snow the breeze had blown from a tree, and he blinked. His wolf had disappeared and Liam was awake again, in the middle of the snowy forest, and now that he wasn’t dreaming anymore, he noticed how cold it was. He shivered and wrapped both arms around him and then turned around to walk back to the house. He jumped when Theo stood right behind him.

“Holy shit, T!” “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you!” “What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” It was still dark and Liam had no real idea about the time but he figured it must still be in the middle of the night. “I followed you. You jerked up in your sleep and that woke me up. I talked to you but you didn’t even register I was there so I followed you while you sleepwalked.” Theo explained his sudden appearance. “Did you see my wolf?” Liam inquired. Theo shook his head. “No. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. Maybe your inner wolf didn’t want to show himself to me, that doesn’t make him any less real.” He said hastily when the corner of Liam’s mouth dropped. 

Liam groaned. “Sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy. I’m the only one seeing him and all.” Theo stepped closer and cradled Liam’s face in his hands. “You’re not crazy, your wolf is there. He guides you and all your dreams always had a point or led you to something. Trust him more, okay? You’re not crazy, Liam.” Liam smiled weakly and leaned up to kiss Theo. “I wandered out into a forest in the middle of a snowstorm. It is a little crazy.” He said with a chuckle. Theo laughed softly. “You’re Liam. Crazy is some sort of default setting for you. May I remind you what kind of pack you’re the Alpha of?” “You say the sweetest things. But I’m in love with you, so I’m pretty crazy.” “Absolutely.”

The couple smiled at each other. The storm had calmed down a bit during the last few hours but it was still going on and the snow was still falling. It was icy outside and they were about to go back when they heard a whine and the angry voice of a man. “Shut up, just shut up!”

Theo and Liam looked at each other and frowned before they synchronically turned in the direction the sounds came from. Both marched to find out what this was about and soon reached a small frozen lake. A man was holding a black sack with something wriggling inside and whimpering again. He knelt at the lake and used a hammer to break the ice. Liam’s breath hitched when he realized what this guy was about to do. Whatever was in the sack, he wanted to drown it.

“Hey!” He called out or rather roared and the guy’s head shot up. He saw Liam and Theo approaching and sneered. “Go away, boys, there’s nothing to see!”  “Drop the sack!” Liam growled and when the guy startled he knew his eyes flashed. The guy got to his feet but still held the sack. Theo tilted his head with a grim smile. “I would listen to him. I’m the psychotic one, he’s the crazy one, you don’t want to mess with us.” He warned the man with a growl at the end. It worked and he dropped the sack before turning around and running away with a scream. Liam looked at Theo then both slowly walked to where he had dropped the sack.

“Be careful.” Theo instructed and Liam nodded. He slowly pulled the sack away from the water and then used his claws to open the tape holding it together. The sack slipped down and revealed two clearly malnourished puppies. One was grey with white and the other seemed to be red with white, Liam could not really see it due to the night around them. “Oh my god!” The puppies squirmed and whimpered, clearly afraid and tried to get away from them, but were too weak in the end. They shivered from the cold and Liam really wanted to help them but they would not let the two young men touch them. “Flash your eyes.” Theo said and knelt down. His own eyes flashed too and when Liam let his eyes glow red, the puppies calmed down enough that Theo and Liam could pick them up.

“Liam.” “No, don’t even start with letting them here! We have to help them!”

“I was just going to say we need to change since we’re still wearing pajamas. I know you would help them. You always want to help, no matter if person or animal. I know there is an animal clinic open 24 hours in town. Let’s get change and then let get them some medical attention.” Theo said with a soft smile. Liam’s heart fluttered. He had the best mate in the history of mated couples ever. 

They carefully carried the puppies back to the house and into their room. Liam had been so focused on the poor animals, he ignored how cold he was. It now hit him full force and he pulled out his thickest sweater and jeans along with thick socks. The puppies were wrapped in a fluffy blanket and put in an open cardboard box to make carrying them easier. They still whined and squirmed but were noticeably quieter than before. 

“I googled the address of the clinic. Come on, let’s go.” Theo said and they quietly walked to the house and got into Theo’s truck. It was still the middle of the night, according to the clock on Theo’s dashboard 3:27 and Liam groaned. Another night with little no sleep and that on Christmas when he had a lot of stuff to do. But on the other hand, they were currently saving two lives. He looked down and gently reached into the box to let the puppies sniff his fingers. They did but were still incredibly weak and Liam hated the guy who mistreated them so badly. “You’re going to be fine, we’ll get you help.” He said and stroke over the red puppy’s head. The little fella just tiredly blinked at him and Liam heard their heartbeats getting slower. “Theo!”

“We’re almost there, Liam! There is still a lot of snow on the streets in case you haven’t noticed!” Theo grumbled and carefully maneuvred his truck towards the clinic. Both let out a relieved sigh when they pulled into the parking lot. Theo jumped out of his truck and rounded the car to take the box from Liam so Liam could also get out of the car.

The clinic was almost empty, aside from a small reception desk with a young woman behind the counter, and a waiting area where currently one woman was waiting who held a turtle in her hands. The reception clerk looked up when the two young men entered and Theo explained why there were here.  “Okay, thank you for bringing them here. Do you want to wait or do you want to leave the pups here?” She asked and Liam blinked. “How many people just bring them in and then leave without caring if they make it or not?” He inquired and she scoffed. “You would be surprised.”

The nurse pointed to the waiting area. “Just take a seat, the doctor will soon see you.” She said politely while the woman with the turtle was called up from another nurse or the doctor herself and left the waiting area. Liam and Theo sat on the first two chairs and Theo cast a look at the pups. He reached into the box and let the grey pup sniff his hand before he was allowed to slowly pet them. “I hope they make it.” He said quietly.  “Me too.” Liam muttered and leaned against Theo. 

It took a while but suddenly the woman with the turtle left again and the other woman stepped up to him. “You are the two guys with the puppies. Come on, I’ll have a look at them.” She smiled warmly and Liam trusted her with the puppies immediately. Her name tag said she was Dr. Foster and she led them into an exam room. Liam carefully put the box on the examination table and then stepped back so she could work. She picked the grey puppy up and put it on the table to examine it.  “You said you found them?” Theo nodded. “A guy wanted to drown them. They are very weak.” “I hate people who do that but for some people, the way to the animal shelter is too far and this is the easier way. They are just some stupid animals after all.” The doctor said bitterly and then worked efficiently to make sure the pups got the best treatment possible. She gave both pups an injection and ran some tests before she made some notes. It took its time and Liam sat on at the side, hand linked with Theo’s while he worried his lip. He really hoped the pups would make it and not die because some asshole decided to torment them. 

“They are healthy. Clearly malnourished and traumatized but healthy overall. Some food and love should do wonders.” Dr. Foster finally said and Liam let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He and Theo stepped to the table again where the two pups were curled together. Dr. Foster petted the red one. “They are the same age, so I guess they are from the same litter. And they are both males, two male puppies.”

Liam smiled and gently stroked the red one’s head who lazily blinked at him. Dr. Foster cleared her throat. “You can leave them here, we will give them to the animal shelter.” Liam sighed softly, especially when the dog licked his fingertips. Theo gently petted the grey dog and then he suddenly looked up. “Can we take them home?” Liam turned his head and looked at Theo, the surprise was written all over his face. Theo shrugged. “We saved them and just like any other member of our family, fate brought us together. We can’t abandon them now.” He explained and Liam smiled and leaned in to kiss Theo. “You’re the best!”

The doctor smiled. “Of course you can. If you think of names I can fill out the documents.” Liam looked at the red puppy he was still petting and who now looked at him with big round eyes. “Koda.” He said when the name suddenly came to his mind. “That’s Koda.” “A beautiful name.” Dr. Foster praised. “And the grey one?” Theo tilted his head and smiled when the pup nibbled at his finger. “Aka.” he decided. “That sounds nice. Does it have a meaning?” Liam asked with a smile while the doctor went to get everything ready.  “It means shadow in Hawaiian. I heard it when I was a kid once and I always wanted a pet to call Aka. Now a grey little one will be called shadow.” He grinned and then looked at the doctor. “Uh, are they mixed breeds? I’m just curious.” The doctor shook her head. “No, this two are purebred Tamaskans, from what I can see. They show every attribute of this special breed. They were created to have a dog that looks like a wolf and they get quite large.” Theo grinned at Liam. “There you have your wolf. You wanted one as a pet and this is as good as you can have it.” Liam laughed. “Probably.” He said and gently petted Koda.

****** Coming home with their new pets made Liam grin. The animal clinic had given them enough food for Koda and Aka to last the holidays but they would have to go shopping for the newest pack members afterward. For now, two bowls from the kitchen would serve as the water bowl and food bowl and the blanket was placed on the floor in Liam’s and Theo’s room so they had a place to sleep. The rest of the pack was still sleeping and Liam sat cross-legged on the floor and petted the dogs who were slowly falling asleep. 

“You don’t mind this, do you? Having kids with me already.” Liam joked and looked at Theo who crouched down next to him. Theo laughed softly and tugged the blanket higher to cover the shivering Aka. The dogs were so thin, not more than skin and bones, they were freezing even though the heating was on.  “If we get kids after we saved them from getting killed, I would like to have as many kids with you as possible.”  Liam smiled while he blushed at the same time. Theo was just so sweet sometimes. Theo watched him and chuckled. “I always love to see my naughty little Alpha blush. It’s a good look for you.” “Stop it!” Liam said and blushed even harder. The pups had finally fallen asleep and he leaned against Theo. “I’m happy we found them.” “They continue the tradition of this pack: Getting saved when needed and coming into a loving home. The pack will freak out when they meet them.” Theo said and cuddled close to Liam. He kissed Liam’s neck. “But let them sleep now and we could use a few more hours of sleep as well.”

Liam had to agree and so he nodded and slowly got up. He pulled Theo to his feet as well and both crawled into bed. Now the exhaustion set in and Liam yawned. He curled up with Theo and watched the sleeping pups and then he fell asleep too.

Only to be woken up what felt like five minutes later but a glance at the alarm clock told him it had been three hours later. He still groaned and pulled the blankets over his head. He heard Theo’s muffled voice. “Guys, can you keep it down? Liam’s still sleeping!”

“Why is he still sleeping? I thought he planned on getting up early to get everything ready for Christmas.” Nolan replied. Liam could imagine how Theo raised his eyebrow at this. “We both didn’t get much sleep last night and no, not because we had sex! Get your mind out of the gutter, all of you!” The pack still teased Theo and Liam listened for a while before he threw the covers aside and got up. The pups were squirming in their makeshift bed and Liam ripped the door open. “We didn’t have sex last night, we were too busy saving the two newest pack members!” He called out and the whole pack stilled to look at the Alpha. Even Lana and Byron looked quite curious and Liam nodded over to Theo. Both walked back to their room and picked the pups up to show them to the pack.

“Puppies!” Sadie and Ever squealed and Liam shushed them. “Guys! Take it easy! We found them last night after my wolf led us into the woods again. Their former owner wanted to drown them.” Liam explained.

“What? Oh my god, poor babies.” Nolan said and reached out so Aka could sniff his hand. The dog whined and pressed closer to Theo at first but then got braver and stretched to sniff Nolan and then the others. Koda did the same and both obviously realized they were safe and stayed relatively calm in the arms of the Alpha couple. Byron smiled and Liam caught his glance. “It’s like my wolf knew they needed help and thus he led me there.” He confessed and though he said it loud enough for everyone to hear, he mostly said it to Byron. 

Byron nodded. “Liam, did you already read about Mckenna Sholes in the Alpha journal?” Liam shook his head. “No, why?” “You remind me a lot of her.” “Really?” Liam asked with a smile. “Why?” “Mckenna was also very close to her wolf, some stories even say her wolf was her spirit animal, always around her, like a guardian spirit. Other stories even mention a real wolf from the woods who took a liking to her and was always close to Mckenna. She often told stories how her inner wolf led her somewhere and helped her in life.” Byron explained Liam and the nineteen-year-old Alpha smiled. “Mckenna was also one of the few Alphas that was so close to her wolf she managed to fully shift.” Lana added to her husband’s explanation. “A truly remarkable women. And just as caring and hard-working as you were, Liam.”

This was one of the nicest compliments Liam ever received and he smiled softly before he tilted his head and pressed a gentle kiss on Koda’s head. To resemble one of the former Alphas was huge and Mckenna seemed like a truly amazing woman. He could not wait until he reached her part in the journal. 

“Now, we have a Christmas dinner to prepare. Isaac will arrive soon and we can’t let our guests starve, can we? The Alpha says no.” Liam said and put Koda down. The small dog yipped softly and tentatively started sniffing around. Theo sat Aka down too and the two puppies slowly discovered their new home while Liam walked into the bedroom to grab his clothes, take a shower, and finally start the day. 

****** Despite more people attending the Christmas dinner than expected, the food was enough. Liam had tricked a bit and added some homemade potato salad and some sausages and one cake more but everybody got enough to eat. The pack sat around the table in the dining room and talked and laughed and really it was amazing. 

Maya cleared her throat at one point. “I’d like to use the chance to say something. Actually, we all would like to say something and somehow I got elected as the spokesperson. Why did I get elected as the spokesperson again?” She asked her fellow Betas. 

“Because you’re cute when you try to find the right words.” The instant reply came and Lana, Byron, Theo, Liam, and Isaac laughed. Maya considered that and then nodded. “Okay, got it. Anyway, Liam, Theo, we, the Betas, would like to say thank you. None of us would end the year on such a great note if it weren’t for you. You helped us through everything and we really wanted to make sure you know how grateful we are for you.”

Ever took over from Maya. “You’re great, guys, and you helped all of us to get better. You gave us a home base and you never asked for anything in return. And you were so open and honest with us. Thank you for this too.” The last had been addressed especially for Theo and he smiled softly. Liam squeezed his hand. 

“I have five siblings and they all are older but none of them is as great as you. You never made me feel like a loser, no you help me get better in things I’m really good at. You always protect us. That’s true strength.” Tim added.

“This is getting highly emotional but they others are right. And we thought this would be a great opportunity to say thank you. Because you deserve to hear it. So thank you for everything you already did for us and for everything you will do for us in the future.” Mike also joined and Liam was completely touched. His Betas were just too good to be true. 

“Thank you guys.” He said softly and when he looked over to Theo he saw tears shimmering in his mate’s eyes. That someone was so happy to have Theo around, so grateful for Theo being there, was all so new for Theo and he never experienced this to such an extent. He knew Liam was grateful to have him but that was different.

“No, thank you for being the awesome big brothers we needed.” Nolan said with a smile. 

Sadie raised her glass. “Cheers. This pack will stick together for as long as we can and we will take on everything. Because we’re family and family never abandons anyone!” They all raised their glasses. “Cheers!”

Isaac sipped his drink and then sat his glass down. “If you keep this spirit up, the talk with Scott will be a piece of cake. By the way, have you already thought of a meeting point?” Liam shook his head. “Not yet. Why?” “I wouldn’ t meet in Seattle or in Beacon Hills.” Isaac put in his own two cents and Theo looked surprised. “Why not?” “Because - and I really don’t want to be the bad guy - but you have to keep in mind that everything could go wrong. Sure, we all hope Scott will be happy and everything is sunshine and roses but I’m probably too realistic to think it will go without a hitch. That would be too easy and easy isn’t in the vocabulary of any resident from Beacon Hills. So, be prepared for the worst, and if you’re in his territory then it could be seen as a threat. You’re two Alphas, after all. I’d recommend meeting on neutral ground. Maybe somewhere in the middle, on a viewing platform or whatever.”

What Isaac said sounded absolutely logical. Liam wished for the best but he had to be prepared for the worst. “Good point.” He said. “Also, Corey and Mason need to be there too, it’s essential. You’re making a statement. His pack against yours. You’re not only saying you’re an Alpha, you’re also saying you’re an Alpha with a pack full of strong Betas of all kinds. So, the whole core pack needs to be there.”  Another valid point Isaac brought up. Liam looked at him. “Are you coming with us? As mediator?”

Isaac smiled. “Sure. If it goes south, I can attract some of the anger. Because I’m sure some people would be not that happy to see me again.” Liam laughed. “Thank you, Isaac.” “Nah, don’t mention it. I live to surprise people.” “Do you think it will turn out bad?” Liam inquired further and Theo reached out to put his hand on Liam’s leg and gently squeeze it. Isaac let out a breath and shrugged. “Honestly? I have no idea. Scott is a great person but I also know how it is to be on the receiving end of Scott McCall’s anger. So, really, it could go both ways.” “No matter how it goes in the end, you talked to Scott and that’s the most important thing. No more secrets from your former Alpha.” Byron said softly and that was also a valid point. Liam still hoped it would all turn out well.  Liam nodded. “Right.” He said thoughtfully. 

Writing this chapter was frustrating because every time I sat down to write it, I got disturbed. It seriously disturbed the creative progress and I almost lost my mind. But now it's finished and I can't wait to hear what you have to say about it. Constructive criticism is always welcome, just like wishes, hopes, and nice comments :D

In case you were curious:

That’s Aka

That’s Koda