#and baking is fun but still work but i need the extra snack option

[audiovisualrecall]

I scooped the litterboxes and brought the previous bag and the new one down, and took the bag of trash out of the pail, brought those out to the outdoor din and threw them in there, then got the bag of glass/metal/plastic recycling out and the cardboard/paper one and one more small bag of trash, and then i brought all of that out to the curb.

I'm exhausted.

[hobobobo-fett56]

It’s Bedtime Pumpkin: Lloyd Hansen x spouse!reader

Warnings: slight angst, y/n subtly not liking coffee, sleep deprivation

Excuse the grammar mistakes, I am very tired but I cannot fall asleep until I write down this idea

Insomnia was a bitch. Sorry, insomnia was making you it’s bitch. That, and your nightmares kept you from wanting to sleep even if you could.

Usually your husband would be home to wrap you in his arms and protect you from anything that dared disturb your sleep, but he was out on a job, and you didn’t know when he would be back.

So you had been up for a week, it’s not a big deal to you, you had developed a “routine” for when Lloyd wasn’t home, and you had almost perfected it:

1. Kiss Lloyd goodbye and make sure he has extra snacks in his bag just incase

2. Go to work, the busy rush of your job was an easy distraction from your exhaustion

3. Clean and throw yourself into as many jobs as you possibly can, your current hyper fixation should do the trick

4. Lots of sugar and food, eating kept you awake.

Rinse and repeat daily (except for step one of course)

It was unusual for Lloyds job to last more than two or three days, so of course the exhaustion was getting to you, but at this point, you had convinced yourself that sleep was the worst possible option, that it was life threatening. It was getting so hard to stay awake that you were tempted to drink coffee, but alas your distaste for the beverage won, and you were running out of ideas.

Currently it was two in the morning, the house was spotless, all of your work projects for the next two months had been finished hours ago, and you were out of yarn, thread, fabric, flour, chocolate and basically any art or baking supply you could think of so coming up with a fun new craft to be focused on was out of the question.

Now, in a last ditch attempt to stay awake, you were doom scrolling on your phone, from baking compilations to tumbler stories to some of the filthiest smut you could find, you were looking at everything to stay awake.

If Lloyd were here, he would have scolded you for not taking proper care of yourself, telling you that you need to find a way to sleep without him, and (as your therapist does constantly) suggest some form of anti-anxiety medication to help with your fears.

But he wasn’t here. In fact you couldn’t remember the last time you had talked to him, it felt like years although it had probably only been a day or so. You missed him desperately during the times that he was away, but you knew he loved his job so you were happy for him.

You had switched to instagram and were scrolling through reels when you heard some scuffling downstairs by the front door. It was so quiet that if you were asleep, you wouldn’t have heard it, but you of course were not asleep, just halfway delusional from lack thereof. Without thinking, you grabbed your guitar which you had been taking lessons for, and crept out of your room brandishing the instrument like a baseball bat. You got down the stairs and turn the corner only to scream in fright and drop the guitar when you ran straight into your husband.

He in turn, screamed in surprise causing you to jump and fall.

Immediately he had his arms wrapped around you and was holding onto you tightly before you could hit the ground.

You could hear his rich laugh “honey I’m home” he said still laughing while he pulled you up so he could face you. You began laughing too, finding the situation quite comical.

Lloyd checked his watch “why are you up so late pumpkin? Are you ok?” He asked

Just the question sent you into hysterics. From laughing loudly to sobbing, your body crumpled to the floor, relieved that you could finally rest.

“Woah woah woah, what’s going on here pumpkin, hey sweetheart what’s the deal?” Lloyd crouched down to you and you tried to calm down.

“I’m so tired, I’m so so so tired, I just want to sleep, but I couldn’t” his face softened at that, and he easily picked you up off of the floor.

“Come on then, it’s bedtime pumpkin” with that he was carrying you both up the stairs and placed you into your shared bed.

He kissed your hand before he left your embrace for at the most fifteen seconds (the utter betrayal) to strip down to his underwear so he could crawl into bed with you.

Thankful he had chosen to not wear a shirt as he pulled you into his chest, and gave you as much skin to skin contact as he could, you breathed a sigh of relief. His body was radiating warmth and safety. You finally felt like you could relax.

“Are we gonna need to have a talk about your sleeping habits, baby?” Lloyd broke the silence.

“Mmm probably, but can we do it tomorrow, I’m tired, and I missed you so much” you mumbled

He kissed you forehead “sure pumpkin, go to sleep, I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“Thanks bubba” the soft rhythmic rise and fall of his chest lulled you into a deep peaceful sleep, unknowingly to you, Lloyd was just as tired, and crashed as hard as you did. Neither of you could sleep without the other.

The end.

[levi-supreme]

Rei! I have this imagine in my head of you, Levi and Renée in the kitchen. The boys are close by in a playpen (is that what you would call it?) and you and Levi play pass the baby with Charlotte on one of your hips at all times.

Whether you and / or Levi love cooking or it's not generally your favorite (but isn't it?) Renée woke up one morning wanting to make blueberry muffins and it's become a family event as you pour and mix and laugh together and make a bit of a mess but clean as you go and make so much you put the extra in a cake pan.

While it's baking you check on the twins who have been playing with soft toys together and get excited for the upcoming sweets (I remember Léon is a blueberry fan!) and let Renée hold Charlotte, they share an unbreakable sisterly bond.

Levi takes out the muffins and cake because he doesn't want Renée to get burned but once it's cool enough lets her take them all out of the tin and you all sit around enjoying a a family made breakfast together as Renée talks about the next thing she wants to make!

Also anyone in our household like oatmeal? I kind of think that's a healthy, simple breakfast option in your household that you can add different toppings to depending on who likes what.

PS: Can I borrow Charlotte? Jeans getting baby fever again and I need to borrow a baby to hold him over LOL.

Eliza!!!!! 🥺🥺 oh man you have no idea how wide my smile was after seeing this!!! I played out this entire fluffy scenario in my head and I can't stop smiling 💖

I'm going to answer this below the cut because you know me, and my response is going to be long as heck haha XD

Self-ship assumptions!

Levi and I cook a lot at home, and Renée enjoys being our little helper in the kitchen now that she's older!! We'll let her stand on a stool and watch over her while she fries her own scrambled eggs, or makes her own sunny side ups! When I'm chopping vegetables, I'll give some of the unwanted bits or leftover to Renée and she'll chop them on a small wooden chopping board with a butter knife haha.

When we aren't cooking or preparing loads of food, we'll take turns carrying Charlotte and cook while the other watches the twins (and make sure they aren't playing rough). Otherwise, Charlotte is still too young to be in the kitchen with us hehe, so we'll leave her in the cot in our room and have Renée watch over her!

Levi and I aren't really big fans of baking, but for our princess, we got all of them baking necessities and supplies haha. Levi did remind Renée that this is real food and ingredients and not play-doh or clay, so she has to be extra careful. We even got Renée a nice pink apron to wear around the kitchen! Renée wanted to eat blueberry muffins one day after seeing it in a children's cookbook we bought her. We all have lots of fun trying to make the mix! Renée kept wanting to add more blueberries into the mix because she knows Léon loves them!

Renée loves to carry Charlotte, but she would put her down on the sofa or couch after a while and complains that her sister is too heavy haha. Renée likes to play peek-a-boo with Charlotte, and Levi and I can hear their laughter in the kitchen!

When the muffins are cooled, Levi does let Renée take them out of the tray. She would gather our plates and put a muffin on them, and decorate it with other fruits too. Levi and I put the twins on their baby chairs and the boys make a mess eating with their hands (as long as they're not throwing food at each other.... we're fine XD). Renée says she wants to try making pancakes next time, and we're all looking forward to the next family fun!!

Oh yes, we love oatmeal in the Ackerman household!! Sometimes I make overnight oats for the boys, and I love making pancakes with oatmeal too!! Levi loves eating those pancakes as well, and sometimes he brings a jar of it to work for an afternoon snack!

Of course, you and Jean can baby sit our kids whenever you want!! Levi has very kindly reminded me to tell you all to stop giving Renée so many sweets (like the last time Jean did :x). Now that Charlotte is a little older, I'm sure you and Jean will have more fun playing with her now!! The twins might still be a little chaotic, but hey, they can spend their energy running around with Murphy!!

[hooterhorror]

Hi! I'd love a matchup if you have the time! I'm 5'7 & chubby, fair skinned, brown hair& hazel eyes, like makeup & match it to my mood! Kind of insecure. Shy, creative, extra/humorous, romantic/affectionate, tons of interests, v curious! Accepting & try to always be kind/polite but I tend to come off as intimidating. She/her, bi or pan. Loves writing/reading, baking, movies, crochet/knit, etc. Ideal date would be something casual like taking a drive or staying in. INFP I think. Thank you! ^^

OFCCC sorry to everyone who's been waiting a while, it's easier to work my way down my inbox than up it... I be fighting for my life rn.... You're very lucky btw cus I match you up with

Bo Sinclair.

Don't kid yourself into thinking this Sinclair has ever seen you as "intimidating". maybe to other people, but to him you were always a cute face. And you ended up being an even sweeter human being who turned bright red when he'd try to charm you. And oh how cocky that makes him....

at 6'1 he isn't much taller, but still likes to show off the notable difference by slinging an arm around your shoulder and grinning at you.

and if you ever wear heels? he'll huff about it at first but he adores it deep down <3 just takes a hot second for it to show or for him to say it outright.

Your humor probably not like his.... His idea of funny is poking fun at his brothers or some old inside joke that only he and they could chuckle at. Hates puns, do not try them.

don't worry, if that's your idea of funny, Lester will bust a lung laughing with you, which makes bo a little jealous

In the south, everyone is raised to be polite. So you doing your best to be respectful and kind when you meet the brothers isn't exactly shocking but puts a big smile on bo's face. You're way different than the other travellers, like that girl and her boyfriend who walked in on his momma's fake funeral, demanding a car part.

Bo is a very hands on work kind of guy, but baking or writing never clicked with him.. art in general never was his thing, it's always been Vincent's. He'll probably look over your shoulder as you write or mix some batter mix in a large bowl. he's nosey like that! careful, he'll probably take a taste of any cookie dough when you're not looking!

if you ever knit or crochet bo a pair of gloves, a hat, or a scarf when the weather starts getting cold? he mutters that he doesn't need it but he'll throw HANDS if anyone tries to touch them. Including you, sorry babe.

you didn't hear it from me, but bo loves the scarf the most :)

He loves having movie dates with you if his time and energy allows it- it's literally so sweet when he does cus he tries to go all out. Talking about gathering as many good snacks as he can, even if he totally forgets which ones you actually really liked- whoops.

He loves late night drives with you. I think they're very common tbh. If neither of you can sleep, he's grabbing the keys and telling you to come with him. He knows the best spots for star gazing and stuff like that. If you end up falling asleep during one of the drives? he thinks it's adorable. Don't worry, he'll carry you inside ;3

staying in is obviously the only other option in ambrose for a date, but you both make it work. He'll cook something up to the best of his abilities and you're free to make dessert if you want to!

you also did not hear this from me but bo finds comfort in some chub and might fall asleep with his head on your lap or sum....

and also! he adores all your makeup looks and is kinda fascinated by it, just don't leave anything out or laying around... or in his way. that's the only way he'll really get annoyed. And lord he'd love it if your lipstick left a mark on his cheek.

again, he isn't outright about his love for all that. quite frequently will roll his eyes if you ask him to pass you a brush or what kind of look you should try.

"I ain't kissin' you with all that shit on your face!!"

says the man who wears a lipstick smear like a badge of honor the entire day, and smacks his brothers hands or yours away if you try to wipe it off.

don't worry hun, he's insecure too. Deep down he isn't the self assured man he acts like he is. He's been hurt and scarred physically and mentally. He's never had the chance to heal because he refuses to admit he's been hurt in the first place.

what he won't accept, is any negative self talk. If he catches you saying anything bad about yourself, he goes protective bo mode.

no one can talk about his baby like that! not even his baby!

"Look at me baby. don't you dare go talkin' like that, a'ight? nothin' but horseshit comin' out of your mouth right now."

if you just need him to hold you during moments where you're really down, he will. no questions asked.

AND IM GONNA SAY IT. BO MF SINCLAIR IS A SUCKER FOR HAZEL EYES

they make him WEAK.

[herohotline]

Wet Clay (P.5)

Shouta Aizawa x Reader

Summary: You’ve got your own handful of problems- being a counselor doesn’t mean you can’t also have anxiety or feel overwhelmed by it all.

A/N: it’s finally here!! thank god!! and thank you everyone who was so patient waiting for the new part. i honestly had a lot of fun making this new chapter- i wanted it to be a bit longer as a Thank You for the long wait. I hope you all enjoy it, and look forward to the next chapter!

Word Count: 5,500+

Tag List: @babayaga67, @cosmichorse95, @sugacookiies, @howthe-f-didigethere, @rintomoj​, @missadorable96​

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

Technically-not-but-still-technically House Arrest is finally over, much to your relief.

You, Bakugo, and Midoriya were finally freed from Aizawa’s punishment and proceeded with your regular schedules. And while Bakugo and Midoriya have a lot of catching up to do, the same goes for you.

Which you weren’t expecting at all, but you’re pleasantly surprised by a few students standing at your office on your first day back greeting you and asking for a scheduled meeting.

Slowly but surely, word of you and your practice has been moving around the school, which is exactly what you were hoping for. Especially since it got out that you were able to have a successful session with Bakugo, of all people, the students seem to suddenly have a newfound interest in trying therapy that wasn’t there before. It’s the progress you’ve been waiting for to report to Nezu, letting him know that students even outside of the hero course were asking about therapy.

Due to your agreement, you couldn’t give them a session. Your time was pointed strictly at the hero classes for the time being, but it wouldn’t always be that way. You had the interested students fill out a simple questionnaire once the idea popped in your head, which helped you immensely for your reports to Nezu.

They were simple questions, not asking anything too personal, of course. Things like, ‘why does therapy interest you?’, ‘what problems would you like to talk about?’, and ‘what are some of the things that stress you daily?’

The answers you received confirmed that you were right from the beginning- U.A needed a proper counseling team hired, and it would be best if it was sooner rather than later.

And on top of all that good news (though kids needing therapy admittedly wasn’t the best news, but at least it was being assessed instead of being ignored), Nezu agreed with you! After hearing and reading your reports on the students, he agreed to start working with you to begin making after-school programs and looking for professionals to hire. It would take a few weeks, if not more, but the beginning of your dream for U.A was finally taking big steps, and it was overwhelmingly exciting.

You haven’t been able to fill anybody in on your news quite yet, but your change in attitude was noticeable by the staff and the students. It’s especially noticeable to the staff when you come in one morning, cups of coffee and tea hot and ready that you had bought for them when they came into the Teacher’s Lounge before class.

Yamada enters with Kayama, whistling low as he quickly walks over and inspects the cups. “Ho-hey!” He exclaims. “What’s all this?”

“Good morning, Yamada,” you smile at him and nudge a cup his way, which he takes with a gleeful hum. “I was just feeling good this morning and I’m really thankful to how much everyone has helped me settle in, so I figured I could buy everyone a drink.” Kayama walks up as well, grabbing one of the teas, surprising you with her choice.

She notices, a deep frown on her lips. “You tempt me, honey, but I have to watch my figure!” She gestures to her body, which is on full display at all hours. Not that you’re a prude, but it makes you wonder how the pubescent boys and girls feel while in her presence. You’re not envious of them. “But I appreciate you very much, thank you.”

“It’s no problem, I’ll make sure to try and get something better for you next time,”

“Oh, don’t worry! A little tea won’t hurt me.” Kayama quickly waves off your concerns and she sits on one of the chairs available in the admittedly small room. “So? Why’re you so happy?” She raises an eyebrow, and before she can ask-

“Nothing that you’re assuming, I’m sure,” you tell her quickly. “Truthfully, it’s because my work is going well. My tenure here might actually be useful- Nezu and I are talking specifics on hiring other counselors, now.”

Yamada cheers, as loud as ever, “really?! Good job!” He wraps an arm around you and shakes you- if the coffee hadn’t woken you up before, you were surely awake now with his energy! “Does that mean you’ll be staying?” Kayama perks up from her seat.

“Oh, does it? It would be so nice to keep you around longer!”

“I’m not sure about that,” you laugh uneasily, “what the students really need is someone that can be fully devoted to them and their needs, you know? I can’t give that to them while I’m still working as a counselor on the side, and I’m really not sure if I can give up that job.”

“Aw,” Yamada frowns, keeping his arm secure around your shoulder as he looks down at you. The man was freakishly tall, honestly. “Shouta will be so bummed. Do you know how long your tenure lasts?”

“I sort of hoped you were giving up on that,” you deflate. “But, no, I’m not very sure. But it’s probably not for much longer. A month more, maybe two at most. Then I’ll be leaving.”

“Leaving?”

You and Yamada turn your head towards the door, and you get a face full of his hair, making you sputter and sneeze as he laughs at you and apologizes (but it doesn’t sound like he’s sorry). You shove him away so you can actually look at Yagi, dressed in his usual baggy, bright yellow suit.

“Morning, Yagi,” you greet him tiredly. If you said before that you were energized by Yamada’s behavior, you take it back now. He’s actually exhausting. “Yes, eventually. I’m not officially hired, you know.”

“I must have forgotten,” Yagi mumbles under his breath, looking equally tired but thankful as you nudge a cup of tea his way and he takes a long sip. You remember him telling you that coffee was one of the things on his long, long list that his stomach couldn’t handle. “I’m getting too old, probably.”

“How old are you, anyway?” Kayama asks from her seat and Yagi smiles.

“That’s a good question,” he says, and then looks to you. “You’re leaving in a month or so, though? That’s unfortunate, Shouta will miss you.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Nice job avoiding the question, pro-hero,”

“I swear the two of you never quit it!”

The three of you talk over one another at the same time, and after a moment’s silence, burst into laughter together. Despite everything, these people had quickly become your friends, and chatting with them like this every morning was a part of what made the extra stress and work all worth it. “I’ll miss all of you when I have to leave, I mean it,” you tell them once the laughter subsides, and Kayama coos.

“We’ll miss you, too. I’m sure the students will as well, you’ve grown on them.”

“That’s true… I don’t feel good about the whole making-a-relationship-and-bowing-out thing. It takes a long time for a child to feel comfortable talking to you about their issues, and I finally have that! And now that I'd have to leave…” You sigh heavily as you rest against one of the tables, crossing your arms at your chest.

“Give it some more thought, then,” Kayama suggests. “Everyone would be happy to keep you around, including Nezu. Think about all your options before you make any decisions.”

It’s good advice, but the truth is, you’ve already done that.

The time you’ve spent at U.A has been amazing, yes, but you’ve never been more overworked in your life. The stress of keeping up your two professional jobs has you tossing and turning at night, and the burden of feeling like you’re going to let everyone down isn’t good for your mental state, either. For your own health, you can’t keep working the way you are now.

You’re going to have to choose. And it hurts you more than anything.

Despite all of that, you smile at Kayama. “You’re right,” you say, and you try not to sound as tired as you feel, “I’ll think about it.”

—-

The first thing you have to do with your new duties from Nezu is put together after-school affairs. He doesn’t give you a lot to go off of- he just wants you to put together some sort of event or club that the students can go to after hours that will be good for them. Nezu is nice, but he gives you too much freedom. It’s hard to create ideas all on your own and be the judge on if they’re worth the school’s time and money or not.

You’ve thought of several things. The thing you’re trying to do is create an original idea that isn’t purely formed around therapy , per se, but a way for students to vent their problems in a healthy and calm environment. Your best idea has been a little something you called ‘food for thought’, a baking club students can go to where they can learn to bake and cook a variety of simple dishes, and while they bake, everyone gets a turn talking about something that’s bothered them or that they’re working through, no judgment. It can be a bit therapeutic to cook in general for some people, and if you gave students the chance to vent during that time, you think it might be something healthy and fun. And then they could all eat snacks afterward.

...But you doubt yourself again and think about scrapping the idea. There’s too many variables- some students might not like the idea of group therapy like that, and some students might abuse the club by coming only for treats and ruin it for everyone else. Plus, not everyone likes to cook.

You groan and deflate in your seat, laying face-down on your desk. This is too hard…!

Out of nowhere, your phone vibrates. It makes you reluctantly pull your head up, grasping for the device and wincing at the bright screen when it turns on.

It’s one of your clients asking for an appointment.

You take a deep, tired breath in, and let it out slowly. Slowly you sit up in your chair and open one of your desk drawers, fumbling around for your planner and slapping it down on the desk as you open the text and start to ask for details.

Your schedule is crammed, a lot more than it used to be. You end up feeling guilty not being able to see your patient soon enough and give up some of your free time in order to see them. Not that they know that- they thank you and tell you they’ll see you soon, and the conversation is ended.

Somehow, you’re even more tired than before.

Eyes wander over to your plush, comfortable couch. It’s a tempting idea, but… the scattered papers full of drafts of ideas for an after school activity are staring at you, so you shake your head at the idea and try to focus on the papers instead. You can’t afford to nap right now, even though it sounds so, so nice right now.

Your eyes droop, but you can’t sleep. Absolutely not. Your shoulders sag.

You fall asleep slouched over your desk before you can even realize it.

—-

Waking up is surprising, because you didn’t remember falling asleep. It’s always odd when that happens- opening your eyes and forgetting you even closed them, so it has you sitting there like, wait, what ? For a few moments.

You’re not even at your desk like you remember being. Instead, you’re laying on your couch- something you very much remember wanting to do, but you hadn’t. You’re alone in your office too, which is even more odd. You don’t think you sleepwalk.

As you slowly sit up and stretch your tired limbs, you look at the clock on your wall and see that it reads 3:20- school is just about to end.

Drat. You were hoping to get more done before now…

You suppose that’s fine- you can always work more at home and email Nezu if you come up with a great idea by the end of the night, but you sort of doubt that will happen. You go back to your desk to start gathering your things, but from the corner of your eye, a bit of yellow catches your attention.

There’s a sticky note on your ‘food for thought’ paper. Your eyebrows spring up in curiosity as you lean forward to read it.

It’s not much. It just says ‘good idea’ and then there’s, strangely enough, a doodle of a cat giving a thumbs up. It’s not the best drawing you’ve ever seen, but it’s cute.

Kind of strange though. A cat? Who even wrote this, anyway? Who was in your office when you were asleep?

You doubt it was a student. You’re not really bothered, but… the sticky note says it was a good idea. You were doubtful about it, but the second opinion makes you rethink your decision.

Maybe it wasn’t that bad of an idea? According to the mysterious cat-doodler.

Hm. You pocket the sticky note, and then put the paper with details of your idea in your bag as you continue to pack up. Maybe if you run into one of the teachers on your way out, you can ask them what they think. You should have thought about that earlier, to be honest.

Quickly you pack up and lock your office. You’re going to miss the train home if you don’t hurry, after all, and you want to get out of the building before the bell rings and the students crowd the halls.

Fortunately, though, you spot Cementoss- Ishiyama- at the front doors, and you wave to catch his attention.

“Ishiyama! You're heading out, too?”

The cement-like man looks toward you, and he walks through the doors, holding it open for you. “Mm. I need to make it to an appointment,” he says simply.

“I see. You wouldn’t mind if I ran an idea by you really quick? It’s for the kids.”

He shakes his head. “Not at all, I just needed to get out before the children did.” You grin and tell him you were doing the same- and then you tell him about your after-school baking idea.

By the time you finish telling him the small details, you’ve walked to the school’s parking lot and Ishiyama looks interested in what you have to say. “I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all. It’s creative, and I think the students would like having something to do besides sitting in a circle and talking.”

“Right!” You animatedly burst for a second- and then bashfully smile at your outburst. “That’s what I was trying to do. I’m glad to hear that it might be worth it. For hires, we could maybe hire a cook, and then the therapist who’d be willing to lead the conversation. That’s where my worry comes in- we’d be paying two people at most, along with spending money on ingredients…”

“Ah, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that,” Ishiyama says, and he slowly comes to a stop in front of what is probably his car. It’s a big, heavy looking vehicle- which kind of makes sense. The guy probably weighs a lot and needs something he won’t crush into the ground. “We have plenty of ingredients and food left over from lunch time, and Lunchrush would be willing to chip in. It could be something that’s held once a week, maybe.”

“Ah, you’re right. I guess I just didn’t want to assume anything on his part, since he already does so much.”

Ishiyama laughs. “You’re very considerate, but don’t let that get in the way of exploring your ideas. And don’t let Nezu scare you- he’ll let you know if it works or not. If it doesn’t, that’s fine. You’re not wasting his time.”

The words are, quite frankly, reassuring. You didn’t realize how much you needed to hear that, and your body naturally relaxes a bit. “Yeah,” you smile at him, “you’re right. Thanks a lot, Ishiyama. I’ll let you go now- good luck with your appointment!” You wave at the cement-man as he enters his car, but right before he closes the door, you suddenly remember something as you light up. “Oh! I had one more question?”

He looks up at you as he keeps his door open.

“Do you know anyone that likes cats?”

The question is an odd one, and his cemented eyebrows raise in surprise, but you don’t really have a proper explanation. Ishiyama thinks about it, and then he says, “the only person I know who actively likes cats is Aizawa.”

It’s your turn to be surprised. Really? You had no idea.

“Huh,” you say aloud. “Well- anyway, thanks a lot for your input! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

You wave off Ishiyama as he drives off, and once he’s gone, you pull out the sticky note still in your pocket. Aizawa likes cats, huh…? He might have been the person who looked over your paper, then, and he probably moved you over to the couch when you fell asleep at your desk.

The thought makes your chest warm. That was certainly nice of him, if that’s the case. But- ah!

The school bell rings, and you jolt into action. If you’re not quick, you’re going to miss your train home!

—-

Your phone had died on the train ride home.

It was tragic, honestly, because that meant you didn’t have anything to distract yourself with as you swayed in the crowded cart during your long ride home. No music, no texts, no articles… you busted yourself by reading the ads on the ceiling of the train, but there was only so much to read, honestly.

By the time you got home, you quickly plugged in your phone and started to make yourself some dinner. It wasn’t until after your dinner, which was just some quick and easy curry and rice from a package, that you were able to look at your phone again.

There’s several text messages waiting for you.

Some of them are from Yamada, and then there’s a few from a client of yours. But there’s an odd contact among them that you never saw in your messages.

Who knew Shouta actually texted people? He seems like the call-only type.

You click on his messages first. There’s three of them, all sent at different times during the day.

Shouta (7:43am): Thank you for the drinks. Glad to hear your work is going well.

You wonder who told him, but you figure it was probably Yamada.

Shouta (1:30pm): If you keep sleeping during work hours, you’re going to want to get a sleeping bag.

So it was him who was in your office! You should have known he’d be a cocky bastard about it, too.

Shouta (4:10pm): Bakugo only yelled five times today?

The last one was kind of funny. Without thinking, you reply back to him.

You (6:45pm): Thanks for the sleeping bag idea, but I’ll pass for now. It was sweet of you to move me to the couch, but next time you’ll need to wake me up instead!

You (6:45pm): Did you see Bakugo go anywhere after class?

Surprisingly, you don’t have to wait at all for his reply.

Shouta (6:45pm): You looked like you needed it.

Shouta (6:46pm): He didn't go to his dorm, but he stayed on campus. Why?

Hmm. You wiggle on your bed, plugging your phone out of its charger so you can relax in a comfortable position as your fingers tap on the screen.

You (6:47pm): I guess if anyone’s a good judge of someone’s need for sleep, it’s Mr.Baggy Eyes, huh? Go figure

You (6:47pm): also, that’s confidential. But I think he deserves a lollipop at this point. Bakugo cares a lot more than he likes to show, but the fact he’s actually thinking about our session and considering some new methods says a lot about his character. Thanks for telling me.

Shouta doesn’t say anything after that, at least not right away, so you move on and look at your other messages. Yamada’s are a bunch of absurd internet pictures, so nothing too important, and your other client who texted you is asking for a reschedule.

It takes a bit of back and forth with your client until you eventually decide on a new date where both of you have time- thankfully, it didn’t require you taking time out of your weekend more than you already have. By the time you’re done, you have one new message from Shouta.

Shouta (6:56pm): You’re right about that. Bakugo is difficult, but with some help, he’ll be able to do a lot for society. Hopefully you’ll be around enough to see him change. His trust doesn’t come easy.

The words make a heavy feeling in your stomach drop. Without meaning to, Shouta has stabbed you in the gut with guilt, and you’re feeling even more about your decision to leave U.A.

How could you leave, really? The students need you- but so do your clients.

Stress builds up in your shoulders again, and staring down at Shouta’s message, your head swarms with bad thoughts.

Anxiety and discomfort rolls over you in waves.

And you don’t really have anyone to confide in. Part of you feels like talking to Shouta- but you’re not really that close to each other yet. You doubt he wants to hear your complaints about work.

Shouldn’t you be grateful for your opportunity?

You blink as you barely make a reply, and then you toss your phone to the side once you turn it off. Your eyes look at the ceiling of your room, and despite the exhaustion deep in your bones, you’re suddenly wide awake.

You feel like you won’t be going to sleep tonight, as much as you would like to.

You (7:08pm): You’re right. I’ll try my best.

——

Coming into work the next morning is dreadful. The only thing keeping you awake and mildly aware of your surroundings is the caffeine that’s running through you- you’ve drank so much coffee and energy drinks that you wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a part of your bloodstream at this point. You look like a mess, but there’s work to be done.

It’s Friday, which is usually nice, because Saturday is your only day off. But you sacrificed your Saturday for a session tomorrow, so there’s no promise of a break for you for at least another week.

Overnight, due to your lack of sleep, you thought of three other ideas for after-school activities the students might like, and you sent all of them over to Nezu once the sun began to rise and you decided it was an appropriate hour to message him. He hasn’t gotten back to you yet, but that’s unsurprising.

With nothing else to do, you got on the train early enough that it's not even that crowded. You still can’t find a seat, but that’s fine. You’re afraid if you sit down and relax for more than a moment, you might fall apart.

Hence why you’re heading to work several hours early. Hopefully you’ll be able to pull yourself together before work starts.

You stumble a bit each time the cart shakes when it comes to a stop, but eventually you get off and walk to U.A. It’s practically empty, which is also unsurprising, but the doors are open for you, so that’s good. You were a bit worried it might all be locked down.

As you head to your office, it’s eerily quiet in the building. Beside the sound of your shoes tapping on the floor, there’s nothing. It’s a bit unsettling.

Maybe that’s just because you haven’t slept at all recently and your anxiety is through the roof at the moment. Who knows? Regardless, you make it to your office with no issues. But when you open the- unlocked- door, you jump.

And then you slam the door shut with a surprised scream.

“Oh my god!” You yell at the door, and you can hear the people scrambling from inside your office. “What’re you doing?! On my couch?!”

Kayama speaks up, her voice just a lilt higher than it usually is. “Would you believe me if I said it was nothing??”

“No! No I wouldn’t!” You yell back, and you rub your eyes with the heel of your palms. “I will never be able to wash my eyes from what I just saw, Jesus-“

“We’re sorry!! You’re really early!”

“Do you always do this shit on my couch?! I have students sit on that thing- oh my GOD, I was laying on it yesterday!”

“No- we swear-“

And then suddenly, as if from nowhere, Shouta is coming from around the corner with his face twisted up in confusion. “What’s going on?” He asks as he walks up to you, and you gesture angrily toward your closed door.

“Yamada and Kayama were fucking on my couch!”

“No we weren’t!!” Yamada’s screechy, way too loud voice denies.

“Yeah, tell me that again as if you’re not scrambling to put clothes on right now.” You huff, and Shouta’s eyebrows have successfully disappeared beyond his hairline. “Did you have any idea about this?” You look toward him, a hateful look in your eye- but he quickly shakes his head.

“I just got here. I was actually- well.” He looks toward your office. “I was going to nap.”

“ Lord - does everyone use my office as they so please? Do the keys I own mean nothing?”

Yamada wails, “we’re sorry- “

“Shut! Shut it!” You snap.

This is the worst. You have had no sleep, no food. You’re overworked and stressed enough as is- this was just the last straw.

“Clean up my office. Get rid of all your ridiculous germs- the door, my desk, the couch- anywhere the two of you touched needs to be squeaky clean or else.”

You’ve never been the type to really get mad, especially at your friends. Especially at friends who you haven’t even been friends with for less than a year. You try to keep your cool. This was just… bad timing.

“Yes, right. We promise,” Kayama says from beyond the door.

“And you-“ you point at Shouta, who is more than a bit surprised at your tone, and his face shows it. “You haven’t had sex in my office, have you?”

“Never.”

“Good.” You let out a frustrated breath. “Then you’re invited to get breakfast with me so I can cool down while those two put themselves together.”

He doesn’t really need much more convincing. He’s already walking by your side as you turn around, walking much faster than you normally do as you head for the front doors.

Shouta walks a bit faster and opens the door for you, too, which you barely mumble a thanks for.

It’s quiet as you walk down the sidewalk in the early morning, but eventually Shouta speaks up, keeping up with your pace easily. “Do you know where you’re going?”

You stop in your tracks.

“No.” You bite your lip as you frown, and you truthfully can’t even look at him. Instead, you keep your eyes on the ground, at the pebbles on the ground. “Do you know anywhere to go?”

“...Yeah. Follow me,” his voice is surprisingly soft as he reaches forward and nudges your arm his direction, and you both turn around as he takes the lead. You don’t walk for long, crossing a few streets and making a few turns, until you’re at the same place that Shouta brought you to last time.

The familiarity as you enter the restaurant makes you relax just a little bit.

“So,” Shouta starts once the two of you sit at a booth. A waiter handed you both a menu, but you haven’t opened it yet. “You’re not usually so tense.”

Shouta doesn’t make meaningless observations, you know that much about him. He’s inviting you to talk about why you’re acting strangely, and you’re tired enough that you take the bait.

You vent. You vent and vent and vent about everything you’ve been feeling lately- stressed from two jobs, guilty for having to leave, not wanting to leave, tired, upset you have to give up your free time, upset you can’t talk to anybody about your feelings, anxious that you’re not good enough- all of it.

You’re a therapist, so you know how important it is to communicate your feelings, but you haven’t been doing it for yourself. You should know better, but it’s hard. You tell all of that to him too, even though he didn’t ask for any of it.

He gave you an opportunity to speak, so you did. All of it.

And by the time you’re done, your food (which you don’t even remember ordering, so Shouta must have done it when you were busy ranting) is sitting hot in front of you and ready to be eaten. You feel like a hot pile of blubber by the time you’re done, releasing a big sigh full of all the ghosts that have haunted you the past few days. And then you stab your fork into your food, and it feels oddly gratifying.

“...Sorry.”

Shouta just barely moves his head as he closes his eyes- a fairly weak version of shaking his head as a way to deny your apology. “I’d be on my last wire if I saw Nemuri and Hizashi fucking, too.”

Despite yourself, you snort.

“I know you haven’t worked at U.A for long, but if you wanted to ask for a day off, I think Nezu would be willing.” You barely open your mouth before he’s already shutting down your argument, “you want to help the students, and I understand that. But how much are you going to help them in this state? You can’t do anything if you’re doubting yourself and you’re sleep deprived on top of it all.”

Brutally honest, but they’re words you needed to hear. You sink into your seat and nibble on your food instead of arguing with him, which Shouta snorts amusedly at as he eats his food too.

Once again, he pays for the meal, but you don’t really try to argue about that, either. You appreciate how considerate he’s being right now.

“You’re right, and you know it too, so I don’t really have to say it. But you’re right.” Shouta smiles as you play with your fork, food now finished. “I haven’t had a day off in so long, I guess I forgot they existed. I don’t even know what I’d do, besides sleeping a lot.”

“Sleeping is always nice,” He comments and you roll your eyes, because of course he’d say that.

“What do you do on your days off?” Shouta gives you a look and you click your tongue. “Right.” Sleeping.

“Could always go out of town. Have a day trip.”

“I suppose, but I’m not really sure where I’d go,” you hum thoughtfully. “I’m not really sure what I even like to do… I know I like spending time with you. But I guess you have even less time than I do to really go anywhere, huh?”

You’re too out of it to really think about what you just admitted, and you’re looking out the window so you don’t see how Shouta’s face shifts at your little confession. “If you’re fine with me being on patrol, we could go somewhere. That’s probably the best I can do.”

And you’re also not aware of how foreign it feels for him to offer his time up like that for another person. You really have no idea- you just smile at him and light up. “Yeah, that’d be fine! Just having a day out, walking around and all that sounds nice. Aw man, it’s kind of exciting now,” you laugh, your eyes squeezing shut as your nose scrunches up.

Shouta discreetly looks away.

“I’m not very exciting, but whatever you say.”

“Well, that’s true,” ow, “you’re relaxing. And I think I need to relax more than I need excitement, really.” Oh.

He just hums in response.

“Well, anyway. Thanks a lot for letting me say all that. It was really nice of you,” you move the subject along, rummaging through your things until you find your phone and click it on. “It’s still awhile until class starts, but we should head back and check on the two love birds.”

“Hopefully they’re decent by now.” Shouta rolls his eyes, scooting out of the booth with you, and with the food already paid for, you both walk out of the diner together.

“I really can’t believe those two to begin with. Did you have any idea they were together?” You look up at him as you walk.

“Honestly? No. And that’s on purpose. I don’t want to know.”

You laugh. “That’s fair.”

Shouta hums again in response, and the two of you chat some more as you head back to U.A together. It’s nice that you can feel a bit lighter than before, now.

But it’s not fair. It’s not fair that now you’re feeling better, a bit more energized than before, you completely miss the way that Shouta looks at you. The way he’s been looking at you ever since you were exploding with anger at his two best friends.

A look that’s a bit too akin to attraction.

[gainingfiction]

Lifeguard Off Duty: Chapter 9

(Read Chapter 8 by gainerstories here)

Rather than risk ending up like a sitcom character with two dates to the dance, Bradley decided to roll a few of plans together into the ultimate evening of celebration. Jeremy and the boys from Muffin Tops would stop by his work happy hour at Michaela’s on Friday night. Peter would join him there, and they’d move onto their romantic dinner date afterwards: it had taken a little rearranging, but he’d managed to line everything up into a perfect stretch of hedonism.

After finishing up with the gym’s seated press on Thursday evening, Bradley decided to see if his workouts had done anything for his weight. He stepped off the scales, after clocking in at an eye-popping 324 pounds: a full 11 pounds heavier than he had been just a couple of weeks before. Had he been doing that much celebrating? 

“Hey, man. Can’t wait for tomorrow,” came Jeremy’s voice from behind him.

“Hey, me neither,” Bradley said, turning to greet his gym buddy. He joked, “You trying to see the number?”

“Don’t need to. I can tell by your outfit that it’s still going up,” Jeremy laughed as he gave Bradley’s belly a gentle pat right around his exposed navel. It was Jeremy’s favourite running joke—not that Bradley ever ran anymore.

“Very funny,” Bradley grinned, as he turned to head out for the evening. After half an hour at 24 Hour Fitness, he couldn’t wait to eat whatever lavish spread Peter had come up with that day.

The next morning, Bradley had a spring in his very heavy step. He whistled as he soaped up the rolls and bulges of his colossal body in the shower, and hummed as he ran his towel along the sloping curves of his huge rear. He inhaled sharply to get his work shirt closed, and then inhaled the massive breakfast feast that Peter had cooked up for him: bacon, sausages, hash browns, syrupy pancakes, and buttery toast. Shirt buttons spreading apart as they fought to restrain his gut, Bradley heaved himself into his car and made his way to Muffin Tops.

After loading up on pastries for the day, Bradley headed to work. He greeted his friends in the recreation department before making his way to his own corner of city hall. As usual, Malcolm appeared with a huge plate of home cooking, followed shortly by Diane and Eric who wanted confirmation that Bradley wasn’t going to bail on drinks. By the time he left the office, he had eaten every crumb that had been put in front of him, but his mind was already wandering to the nachos and fries at Michaela’s.

The place was just starting to get lively when Bradley arrived. He plodded over to Eric and Wanda, who were standing by the bar. As soon as he arrived, Wanda placed a frothy mug of beer in his hand. She added, “Even if you work in another department now, I’m still the boss.”

“Of course,” Bradley said, feeling sincere. Wanda had done so much for him. He chatted with her for a while, digging in when a large platter of nachos appeared beside him. And when Diane appeared with an overloaded plate of fries, he allowed himself to be stolen away. He let his co-worker grab a few pats of his monster gut as he polished off the snacks, before turning to Eric and his boyfriend.

The one-time twinks looked completely overstuffed as they stood side-by-side, splitting well over 300 pounds of excess relationship weight between them. They were still fairly fashionable, but Bradley could see that they shared his struggles with fitting into clothes: buttons strained and cotton rode up to expose their mutual overindulgence. Ordering another beer, he chatted with both of them, realizing that they were as charming and fun as Eric’s social media profiles made them seem.

While Bradley was talking to them, he watched Peter arrive and slip effortlessly into a conversation with Malcolm and Wanda. Bradley realized that they had probably been going to Peter’s coffee cart for longer than he had. He admired the way Peter’s athletic-fit blazer flattered his lithe build, contrasting it to the massive men in front of him and the equally massive man he had become. As he chatted with Peter and Blake, he felt a distinct appreciation for the tattooed hunk in his life.

Bradley was pleased to see that Jeremy had met Hayden and Diego. Excusing himself, he made his way over to the two mountains of lard and the muscle-bound jock. “How are three of my favourite people?” he asked, when he arrived. He stifled a belch, before taking a swig of beer.

“Ah, I love fat Bradley,” Diego said to Jeremy and Hayden, as he clapped his loyal customer on the back. He turned to Bradley. “You were never this relaxed when we worked at the beach! But that’s all water under the bridge.”

Bradley flushed. “I guess I needed to walk a mile in your shoes.”

“Or waddle,” Hayden said. “And maybe not a full mile.”

The guys all laughed in response. Bradley noticed that Peter had joined the group. Patting the lower part of Bradley’s back, he joked, “This guy doesn’t even walk to the fridge anymore, he gets me to grab his beers for him.”

“That sounds like the life,” Hayden said, as the group laughed. “Diego, we need someone to bring us beers.”

“That could be a job for Jeremy,” Bradley said, giving his gym buddy a wink. Jeremy had been throwing himself at the blubber-bound bakery owners practically since he arrived.

The group chatted, and the beer flowed. After a while, Diego and Bradley got to reminiscing about their time at Thick Sands beach. Diego pulled out his phone, showing off an old picture of the two complete with sunglasses, smiles, and perfect abs. Bradley could barely remember what it felt like to be that small, and yet he’d been the beach babe-in-residence for years. If he tried to climb the lifeguard tower at his current size, he’d probably wreck the wooden ladder.

The time at Michaela’s flew by, with Bradley helping himself to the beer and bar food as his friends from work and beyond dropped by to congratulate him and talk. After what felt like no time, but what had really been hours, Peter arrived to remind Bradley of their dinner reservation. Draining his fourth beer, Bradley settled his tab and said goodbye.

“I was just chatting with Christian, the head lifeguard that replaced you. Looks like Wanda offered him your old job. He really is following in your footsteps,” Peter said, as they made their way out of the bar.

Bradley turned and looked at Christian, who was chatting with Wanda and Eric. He reminded Bradley of himself. With a smile, Bradley said, “If Wanda gives him the desk next to Eric, that might be in more ways than one.”

Outside, the air was cool and fresh. Side by side, Peter and Bradley walked to the end of the next block, to the small bistro that had come highly recommended. It was simply decorated, with sleek wooden furniture and a few rustic touches. The couple followed the hostess to their seat, and had a chance to look over the menu.

After a few moments, their waiter arrived with water. He was tall and thin, with a forgettable face. “My name is Justin, I’ll be taking care of you guys this evening,” he said. Justin was obviously gay, and he shot judgemental looks in Bradley’s direction as he spoke. Then, he turned to Peter with a smile. “Can I interest you in any drinks?”

“Yes, we’ll share a bottle of the house red,” Peter said. His face was blank. When the waiter took the drink menu and retreated, Peter rolled his eyes and Bradley chuckled. Apparently some guys still tried to deny the allure of the dad bod.

The pair chatted as they continued to weigh menu options. After a little while, the waiter reappeared to pour the wine and take their orders. After Peter ordered the white fish for his main course, it was Bradley’s turn to order.

“I’ll start with the fettucine alfredo, and then—”

“The fettucine alfredo is a main course,” Justin interrupted.

“I know. I’m gonna have it as an appetizer. And then for my main I’ll have the surf and turf, with an extra baked potato on the side,” Bradley said. He closed his menu. “Medium for the steak.”

With a glare in Bradley’s direction, the server clicked his pen and disappeared as the guys attempted to say thanks.

The two relaxed, drinking freely and swapping opinions about happy hour and whether Diego and Hayden would take Jeremy home. Peter painted quite a picture of the thick throuple that they were destined to become, and Bradley complimented his insight. Conversation was easy, moving from Peter’s family in Korea to Bradley’s high school diving career. Bradley slurped back the pasta, before tearing into his steak and lobster with gusto. Buttery potato and fried veggies disappeared into his vast gut. He felt increasingly stuffed, but he plowed forward. As they talked and ate, they (especially Bradley) finished the wine.

When the time came for dessert, Bradley couldn’t pass up the chocolate cheesecake. Peter tasted a spoonful, leaving Bradley to stuff himself with the rest. When the dessert plate was empty, Bradley excused himself to go to the washroom.

After relieving himself at the urinal, he paused in front of the mirror. No wonder Justin’s eyes had boggled as Bradley walked to the washroom: there were gaping spaces between the buttons of his shirt, revealing swathes of fat. And his gut looked massively round after a full day of stuffing himself stupid. Stifling a belch, Bradley plodded back across the restaurant.

Bradley pulled back his chair and slumped into it, ready to call for the cheque and take his boyfriend home. Except, as his giant rump made contact with the seat, he could feel something shifting. And as his bulging ass settled into place, Bradley heard a whining creak. A moment later, after a violent snap, Bradley’s big butt was on the floor, and he was surrounded by pieces of broken chair. Looking down, he realized that the two buttons straining over the fattest part of his gut had chosen that moment to give up, flying off under the pressure of Bradley’s behemoth belly.

“Holy shit, babe, are you okay?” Peter was at Bradley’s side in a flash.

“Fine,” Bradley said, feeling dazed. He felt embarrassed that part of his massive, hairy gut had been exposed to the cool air of the restaurant, made all the more embarrassing by every set of eyes bearing down on him. Peter’s shredded muscles bulging from the exertion, he helped Bradley to his feet.

By the time Bradley was standing, the manager had appeared. He was a middle-aged man, no more than 5’5” and skinny as a rail. Bradley’s gigantic frame absolutely dwarfed him. “Oh, my God. Are you alright? We are so sorry, sir, truly. Your meal is on us, of course. And let me write a note, your next meal will be on us, too.”

With nothing injured but his pride, Bradley certainly wasn’t going to turn down that offer.

By the time they got home, the couple was already laughing it off. “I really never thought I’d do something like that,” Bradley said, as he undid his remaining shirt buttons.

Planting his hands on Bradley’s sides, Peter traced the expanse of his lover’s thick gut. “You were just too much man for those shitty chairs.”

“Well it’s a good thing you’re man enough to handle me,” Bradley said, clapping the underside of his belly and making it shake, despite the overwhelming fullness.

The two made their way to the bedroom, Peter caressing Bradley’s bulging love handles as they walked. “You know, the first time I went to the beach here, I fantasized about getting rescued by the hunky lifeguard?” Peter said. “If you still have your old uniform around, I could go for some role-play.”

“Sounds great,” Bradley said. He ran a hand along Peter’s hip. “You know what? I have a feeling we’ll be rescuing each other for a long time to come.”

[lilyvandersteen]

Out of the Blue: Chapter 6

Cover art: @redheadgleek​

Beta extraordinaire: @hkvoyage​

Author’s Note:

I love Model!Klaine, so this chapter is my tribute to that trope :-)

Warning: this chapter might make you hungry if you check out the pictures of the party food.

Chapter 6: A True Chameleon

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.”

(An excerpt from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Kurt looked at the address he’d just written on an envelope and bit his lip.

Would he dare send it or not?

He was veering towards the YES option. After all, Cooper had told him he wanted to be invited to any bash Kurt threw, and Halloween was one of Kurt’s favourite party occasions, so he went all out.

He had a feeling Cooper would appreciate a Kurt Hummel Halloween Extravaganza. Slightly over-the-top and too much seemed to fit the guy to a T.

His mind made up, he shoved the invitation onto the pile and continued writing.

Of course, he had no idea whether Cooper would be able to make it. The guy did a lot of charity work, and in spite of being the CEO of a multimillion dollar firm, he still starred in many ad campaigns, so he had to be fiendishly busy all the time.

But Kurt was in luck. Three days after he’d sent the invitations, he got a call from an unknown number, and for once, it wasn’t a telemarketer but a much more welcome caller.

Cooper! Who promised to come to the party! With his brother in tow again, but hey, maybe the guy would be less grumpy this time around.

But what Cooper said next wiped the grin off Kurt’s face. He planned on buying them a sofa bed as a gift for the party. Yes, he was rich, but that was completely ridiculous and way too much.

Now that Kurt had actually met Cooper and talked with him, he liked the guy. Not because of his looks or his money, but because he was good-natured and personable and interesting to talk to. Plus, it wasn’t just on the surface. Yes, he was full of compliments and a first-class charmer, but more than that, he seemed to go out of his way to help people and cheer them up and devise solutions to all sorts of problems. Another point in his favour was that he wasn’t uppity in the least, unlike his brother.

Because of all that, it didn’t sit right with Kurt to profit off his friendship with Cooper, and he told the man so.

Cooper proved stubborn about it, however, and by the time he rang off, the delivery of the sofa had been planned for that Wednesday, with Cooper overseeing the installation and making sure the delivery men had brought the exact one he ordered.

Kurt took a few minutes to collect himself before he went to the living room to brief Rachel and Santana.

Unlike him, they had no qualms about accepting extravagant gifts from Cooper, and whooped gleefully about the sofa bed.

“And he asked for pumpkin pie, so I’ll add that to the snacks I was planning,” Kurt said. “You can nibble on anything else beforehand, ‘cause I’m making plenty, but don’t you dare touch the pumpkin pie!”

“Oh, are you making those ghost sugar cookies again? Britt loves those!”

                        Kurt nodded. “Yep. The other desserts are a coffin cake, Dracula dentures, blood drip cupcakes and now pumpkin pie as well.”

“Anything vegan?”

Kurt hummed, thinking fast. “I planned on making black bean hummus, because Elliott loves that. I could also make stuffed mushrooms, those choco bites you like, and your special pumpkin cupcakes, maybe? And a skeleton crudité with a vegan dip, like last year? Only I’d expect you to actually HELP this time around instead of leaving it all to me.”

Rachel swore to help, glaring at Santana, who made no such promise to Kurt.

“You’ll be making your graveyard chicken enchilada dip again?” Kurt asked Santana, who nodded lazily, grinning at Rachel, and said, “And hot pepper mummies.”

“Good,” said Kurt. “Then with the ghost pizza bites, the mummy meatballs, the puff pastry eyeballs and a parmesan breadstick spider with lots of extra legs, we’re all set.”

Kurt put their old sofa on a second-hand sales website and arranged for it to be picked up on Wednesday at noon.

“You better hope Cooper turns up with that new sofa, or I’ll bunk in your bed tonight!” Santana said before she left for work.

Kurt bit his lip, and hoped that Cooper would be as good as his word.

After the old sofa had been picked up, Kurt cleaned the whole loft and made as much room as he could for the delivery men to maneuver. Then he made himself a quick lunch and ate it.

He didn’t want to sit around doing nothing until Cooper showed up, so he got started on the sugar cookie dough for the Halloween party. He’d just put it in the fridge when he heard knocking.

Quickly, he took off his apron, checked his clothes for flour stains, and then went to open the door.

There stood Cooper, with next to him a cute and smartly dressed curly-head, who was wearing a bow tie with ducks on it and announced that Kurt’s delivery was here. His accompanying smile dazzled Kurt, who could muster up no more than a rote answer, and led everyone inside.

Two delivery men installed the sofa, and then left. The cutie with the duck bow tie did not leave with them. He stayed around to explain to Kurt how the mechanism worked to turn the sofa into a bed.

Kurt truly appreciated the cutie running him through it, because it was far from simple, and it might have taken him a while to figure it out by himself, so he made sure to thank him after the explanation.

The cutie didn’t seemed pleased, though. Was he expecting a tip? Oh help, Kurt had been grocery-shopping for the party and had no cash left! Would he dare offer the guy some of Rachel’s vegan choco balls instead of money?

And then Cooper put his arm around the cutie’s shoulder and grinned at Kurt. “My little bro knows his stuff, doesn’t he?”

Kurt took another look at the cutie. Was this the same guy Cooper had brought to the wedding? It couldn’t be, could it? This cutie was all smiles and cheery colours and fun socks and wild curly hair. It had to be another brother than the stiff and starched one with the gelmet that had come to the wedding. Right?

Cooper clearly seemed to expect a response, so Kurt, floundering, asked whether the cutie worked in the sofa business.

It must have sounded as inane as it felt to Kurt. The cutie frowned in confusion and then told Kurt he was studying music at NYU.

So he’s musical too? Nice!

Kurt needed no more than that to strike up a conversation about Broadway plays, and had all but forgotten Cooper when he butted in to offer Kurt a modelling gig in his newest ad campaign.

Wow! But am I handsome enough for that?

When he voiced his concerns, both brothers were quick to reassure him that he was stunning.

The curly cutie had been flirting rather heavily with Kurt, so him alone, Kurt wouldn’t have believed, but he did believe Cooper, and readily agreed to work for him as a model. The cutie seemed happy about that, telling Kurt he’d be working on the same campaign.

Cooper and the cutie left with twin smiles on their faces and a promise to be there at 8 p.m. on Friday.

“Looking forward to the pumpkin pie already!” Cooper said. “Your cooking is stellar!”

Next to him, the cutie nodded emphatically and echoed “Stellar”, before turning around and following his brother.

Huh? Cooper hadn’t taken any wedding cake home, had he? So how would the cutie know Kurt was a good cook? Did that mean this WAS the same guy who had come to the wedding? What was his name again? Something with a B, right?

Kurt, feeling more puzzled than ever now, watched them go down the stairs, noting absently that the cutie had a lovely backside. Then he roused himself from his fit of abstraction, shrugged and slid the door closed.

It didn’t matter. Whoever it was would be coming to the party on Friday, and Kurt planned on finding out the guy’s name, and whether a churlish disposition or a sunny one was his default.

K&B

The following days were filled with classes and shifts at the diner and lots of cooking and baking whenever he was at home. The fridge and freezer were full to overflowing with snacks and desserts for the party.

Kurt let his roommates try everything, but made sure to keep reminding them that the pumpkin pie was off limits. He’d made two pies, just in case one didn’t turn out right, but both seemed okay, and he was pleased that he could offer Cooper at least something in return for his generosity.

Santana loved sleeping on the new sofa bed, and everyone loved sitting on it to watch television. Kurt had bought a water-resistant cover for the sofa to avoid it getting stained again, and a few cushions in bright colours to liven it up, and he quite liked how the living room looked now.

When Friday evening arrived, the loft was ready for a party. Rachel and Sam had put the decorations up under Kurt’s supervision, Britt had frosted and decorated tons of sugar cookies and cupcakes, Mercedes had helped Kurt with the last of the cooking and baking, and Santana had filled jugs with bright green, orange and red drinks she had mixed. A banner above the jugs invited party-goers to “choose their poison”.

Now Kurt was humming happily as he put his wig and then his helmet on, psyched for the party. Halloween was so much fun!

Half an hour later, the party was in full swing, and Kurt was sitting on the sofa and sipping one of Santana’s very strong drinks when Rachel came their way with Cooper in tow.

Cooper was holding a shiny top hat and wearing an embroidered white waistcoat, a black tailcoat, light grey trousers and high black boots. He looked amazing.

Kurt vaguely heard Santana banter with their guest, but didn’t pay much attention to what either of them said, because Cooper dressed up like that was a sight to see. The man was impossibly handsome.

All of a sudden, Cooper started to sing. Huh? What was going on?

And then it dawned on Kurt that Cooper had brought his brother with him again, who was dressed as Gaston from The Beauty and the Beast. They were singing the Gaston song together, and very well, too.

Kurt took in ‘Gaston’. Same stature as the curly cutie, same 1000 Watt smile too. But wow, those biceps! And wow, those thighs! And what a tiny waist he had, emphasized by the belt he wore…

“You’re drooling!” Santana hissed in his ear, and Kurt closed his mouth with a snap and glared at her.

Rachel took the Anderson brothers’ song as an invitation to start the karaoke part of the evening, and Kurt sighed. Another bet lost. He really shouldn’t bet with Santana anymore. She seemed to be psychic.

He forgot all about that, though, as soon as he was on stage singing For Good with Rachel.

The rest of the night passed in a blur. Kurt may have drunk a few too many of those strong drinks Santana had mixed, and eaten too few of the mountains of snacks he’d prepared. Whatever it was, it made him wake up the next day with a pounding head and a tongue that felt like sandpaper, and no recollection of the party whatsoever.

He yawned and stretched and walked to the kitchen, where he inspected the remains of the party food in the fridge. Ha, there was still some pumpkin pie left!

He plonked down on a chair next to Santana, who was staring into a mug of coffee as if it held all the secrets of the universe.

“Those drinks of yours were a little too strong,” Kurt said, tucking into the pie.

Santana groaned. “I know. How can you eat when you’re hungover? I can’t even look at food right now!”

Kurt shrugged. “I’m hungry. Hey, did Cooper eat some pumpkin pie yesterday? I can’t remember.”

Santana’s head snapped up. “Of course you can’t! You only had eyes for his brother yesterday.”

Kurt stared at her dumbly.

“Blaine! You spent half of the party dancing with him. No more than that, though. I kept hoping you’d at least make out sloppily, or drag him to your bed, but you kept it PG. Boring.”

So his name was Blaine. Right. And apparently, they’d been dancing?

Kurt heaved a sigh of relief that no more than that had happened. He so didn’t want to have his first time kissing or having sex while he was drunk.

Plus, it would make the modelling gig scheduled for next Wednesday awkward. If he remembered correctly, Blaine had said he’d be working on it too. As the photographer maybe? Or arranging the shoot?

K&B

That Wednesday, when Kurt arrived at the address Cooper had given him, he couldn’t help staring. Somehow, they’d managed to turn an industrial building in NYC into a ranch. There was real grass on the floor. There was a cosy-looking farm house with a two-seater swing on the porch. And the ranch came with cows and calves, as well as horses and their handlers. The noise was deafening, and the chaos overwhelming.

Kurt hoped he could find either Cooper or Blaine soonish, because he felt so much like a fish out of water here in this big warehouse that buzzed with activity.

“Hey Kurt!”

Wait, I know that voice… That’s Blaine, right? Oh, good!

Kurt turned around, expecting to see Blaine in a cute vest and bowtie outfit like he’d worn to bring the sofa bed, and his eyes went wide with disbelief. Just how much of a chameleon was Blaine? He’d looked stiff and starched at Brittana’s wedding, cute and adorable while explaining how the sofa bed worked, hot and manly in his Gaston costume (unf, those arms!), but this was yet another side of him. A drop-dead gorgeous and sexy side.

Blaine’s curls were glossy and luscious, styled to frame his face beautifully. He wore a tiny bit of eyeshadow and eyeliner, just enough to make his eyes look really green. His lashes seemed longer and fuller than ever, and his lips the plumpest and most inviting Kurt had seen them yet.

He wore a tightly fitting T-shirt that accentuated his muscular arms, and jeans that hugged his legs in a way that made Kurt’s brain short-circuit.

“Come, let’s get you to our stylist and then to hair and make-up so that we can start shooting,” Blaine said, grabbing Kurt’s hand and tugging him along. “This way. I know a shortcut. This shoot is going to be so awesome. We get to ride a horse, isn’t that great?”

Kurt, still reeling from how sexy Blaine looked and how it affected him, frowned in confusion.

“You’re a model, too?”

It slipped out before Kurt could stop the words, and he hated himself for blurting that out when he saw Blaine’s face fall.

“Not that you’re not… handsome enough or something. I mean, obviously, you are… I just thought you’d be the director or photographer or something… More… in charge, you know? Seeing as you’re Cooper’s brother and all.”

Blaine’s expression became stony, and he dropped Kurt’s hand like it had burned him, leaving Kurt to hurry after him so as not to get lost.

Kurt felt the hair on his arms prickle uncomfortably, and he rambled on. “Ugh, I’m sorry, that came out all wrong. Once I start putting my foot in it, I keep making things worse. So, you’re a model, too. That’s great. Really great.”

“Isn’t it just?” Cooper boomed, appearing out of nowhere and clapping Kurt on the shoulder. “Yes, Blaine often helps me direct, and he’s photographed a few shoots, too. But for this, I needed him to model. I mean, look at how he fills out that pair of jeans!”

Cooper made Blaine turn around so that Kurt could admire his backside, which he did with bad grace, his eyes shooting daggers at his brother. But wow, yes, Cooper had a point there. Kurt had difficulty tearing his eyes away from that delectable view to focus on what Cooper said next.

“Pair that with Blaine’s curls and lashes, and his million-dollar smile – give me the smile, squirt! – and you got one killer combination. Yep, Blaine will definitely be the main poster boy for this campaign.”

Kurt nodded. “I can see why.”

Blaine rolled his eyes and said to a guy rolling a rack of clothes around, “Kyle, this is the new model Cooper selected. Get him the dark wash jeans, a blue shirt and a cowboy hat. Tell Reena to leave his hair as is. She just needs to accentuate his eyes.”

“Maybe give him a bit of a tan?” Cooper suggested, but Blaine shot him another glare and bit at the stylist, “No tan.”

“Gotcha,” said Kyle cheerfully. He looked Kurt up and down, raffled through the clothes on the rack and then thrust a pair of jeans and a shirt into Kurt’s hands. “The hats are still boxed up, hang on…”

Kurt looked at the clothes he’d been given, and turned to Cooper. “So where do I… Is there a changing room?”

A snort came from behind him. He didn’t know whether it had come from Kyle or from Blaine, but it made his cheeks glow with embarrassment.

Cooper shook his head. “Nope, no changing room. You’re supposed to change right here. I promise everyone here is professional and won’t stare.”

Kurt looked down. “All… all right then.”

In his haste to get the jeans and shirt on quickly, he was clumsier than usual, nearly falling face first onto the floor while putting the pants on.

An arm wound around his middle to stop him from face-planting.

“There’s no hurry,” Blaine assured him. “Sam and Puck haven’t even arrived yet.”

Kurt whirled around. “What? Are they modelling today too?”

Blaine grinned and nodded. “You have to admit Sam makes sense as a cowboy. And Cooper liked the look of Puck as well.”

Kurt deflated a little. He’d thought that the fact Cooper chose him for this campaign meant something, but clearly, it didn’t, seeing as Cooper had asked any friend of Kurt’s that fit the profile. So much for being stunning.

As soon as Kurt was dressed and his make-up had been done, Blaine took him to meet the horses and cattle and their handlers.

“We’re going to do a few scenes where we look like we’re herding cattle, then a few on the porch, where we’ll be eating and playing guitar, and then a few at the bar, that’s over there,” Blaine explained.

Soon after, Sam and Puck arrived, and the shoot started.

It should have been plain sailing. When he was eight, Kurt had begged Burt for horse-riding lessons. He’d been the only boy, like in his ballet classes, but he’d loved the lessons nonetheless, and had become quite a proficient rider. The horses used for the shoot were docile, as were the cattle, and keeping them in line should have been a piece of cake.

Somehow, though, Kurt kept hitting snags. When he got on the horse that had been assigned to him, the saddle proved to be loose, sliding off and making Kurt look like he couldn’t even mount a horse properly.

Cursing under his breath, he fastened the saddle, and at the same time, he fixed the stirrup straps, which seemed to have been arranged to fit a child, or a very short man. That would have made him look like an idiot again. Had this been done on purpose?

He put it from his mind, focusing on gently guiding his horse and following Cooper’s instructions. Just when the horse had gotten used to him, something odd happened again.

There was a sudden explosion, deafening and bright, right in front of Kurt. His horse reared and then bolted, racing through the warehouse. Kurt had to use his entire body to steer the panicked animal away from people and cattle and camera equipment, while doing his utmost to calm it and not fall off.

By the time the horse slowed down and quieted, Kurt was exhausted, and his heart was beating out a drum solo.

Blaine helped him off the horse, looking stern.

“I don’t know what happened,” Kurt panted. “Was that a lamp that exploded?”

Blaine’s expression became even grimmer. “I’ll look into it.”

Tears pricked at Kurt’s eyes, and he had to work hard to keep them in. Now he’d probably ruined his chances of ever being in an Anderson ad campaign again – and through no fault of his own!

They picnicked on the porch, and then Sam and Blaine and Puck all started playing the guitar, and everyone sang along, which was fun.

The last scenes were in the bar, and seeing as Cooper offered them real alcohol to drink, it didn’t take Puck long to become obnoxious.

“Some cowboy you are. Can’t get on your horse, can’t keep it under control, and you scatter the cattle instead of herding them. How on earth did you even land this job?”

Kurt gritted his teeth and turned to a couple of guys who were practicing with a lasso as a game. “Can I borrow that for a minute?”

Kurt looked at the empty bottle they’d been aiming at and estimated the distance. Easy peasy.

He threw the lasso, and it landed neatly around the bottle.

The men cheered, and Kurt turned to Puck. “That’s how.”

Sam clapped him on the back, hollering, “That’s my boy!”

Even Puck whistled and said, “Neat!”

The only one who glowered when Kurt caught his eye was Blaine.

And then Kurt remembered that they were filming a scene for a commercial. And what he’d done had certainly NOT been in the script.

Uh-oh, messed up again! Stupid Puck!

But Cooper shouted, “Cut! That’s a wrap!” and came to Kurt to congratulate him for ending the story in such a powerful way. “This is just perfect! Well done!”

Phew! Thank heavens Cooper isn’t such a stick in the mud like his brother…

 K&B

When Kurt saw the commercial on TV a few months later, he smiled. Somehow, Cooper had cut the footage in a way that made Kurt look good instead of clumsy, weaving through the cattle and other horses like he was born to do it, and the scene where he shut up Puck was the icing on the cake. Now that he got to look at it from another point of view, he noticed that Blaine wasn’t glaring at him but at Puck. Probably miffed about something else then, not about Kurt straying from the script. Good.

The check Kurt had gotten for being in the commercial and posing for pictures afterwards had been bigger than he’d expected. He would have no trouble paying his share of the rent for months to come. And Cooper had promised he’d get in touch if he had another commercial Kurt would be perfect for.

Yes, Brittany inviting Cooper to her fake wedding had been one of her more brilliant ideas, to be sure.

[greenjacketwhitehatdocmui]

Frozen:  Kitchen Raid

Okay, I’ve had this as part of anthology I’ve been working on, but...I figured that now would be a good time to get it out for Frozen II Appreciation Week.  Mind you, this does have some links to my own AU, but it also stands on its own fairly well.

This takes place a little before the sisters’ separation.  And yes, there may be some feels.  :)

--Doc

-----

    The main kitchen was dark, the ovens extinguished for the night.  Whatever ingredients that hadn’t been used had been packed up and stored in the ice boxes below.  The working surfaces were tidy, with nary a scrap of food to be found.

    The kitchen did not remain silent for long. The furtive scuff of slippers on the floor was followed by urgent shushing.

    “Anna, you need to be quiet,” Elsa whispered. “Nobody’s supposed to know that we’re here.”

    Anna pouted.  At barely five years old, patience and silence were things best left to other people.  Still, if it seemed important to Elsa, it was okay by her, then.

    “Are we getting chocolate?” Anna whispered.

    Elsa gently patted Anna on the back and nodded. “I just have to figure out where they keep it.”

    “Can’t we just open up everything?”

    “That would make a lot of noise,” Elsa reminded her. “They keep pots and pans around here. And I want you to stay away from the knives,” she said sternly.  “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

    Anna nodded.  She waited patiently for thirty seconds as Elsa tried to rummage through the cupboards.  

    “I found some chocolate!” Anna whispered, holding her prize high.  She unwrapped the bar and broke it in half—the better to share with Elsa.  She then broke off a piece and popped it into her mouth, only to grimace at the taste.  “Yuck!  Not sweet!”

    “Are you all right?  The chocolate isn’t sweet?”

    Anna winced expressively.  “Not sweet.  Bitter.”

    Elsa took a tentative nibble of her bar.  She flinched slightly.

    “Anna, this is baking chocolate,” she whispered with a sigh.  “It doesn’t have any sugar in it.  The cooks add the sugar when they use this.”

    “Any sweet chocolate?” Anna asked hopefully. Her blue eyes shimmered in the dim light, an expression that Elsa found irresistible.

    “I think that they keep it…here…” Elsa said as she clambered onto the counter.  Opening up a cupboard, she reached inside and brandished her spoils. “Got it!”

    “Lemme see!  Lemme see!”

    Elsa shushed her gently as Anna reached for the armload she was carrying.  There was more than enough for both of them.  With any luck, they would have their little snack and be back in bed before anyone knew what was happening.

    The girls giggled as they clambered under a cupboard.  This was going to be fun!

********

    Queen Iduna sighed as she walked through the darkened hallways of the castle.  Every once in a while, she just had a craving for chocolate in the middle of the night. It had begun when she’d been carrying Elsa and had continued when Anna had come around.  Privately, she suspected that this was the reason why her daughters were so fond of the stuff.  Not that she disliked chocolate in any way, but her girls were often ravenous for the stuff.

    It was a good thing that Anna and Elsa had never discovered chocolate-covered coffee beans.  Just after she and Agnarr had gotten married, they received a good amount of those beans from some friends in England.  They had no idea the havoc that those lovely, innocent-looking confections had unleashed.  

    She suppressed a shudder—and an urge to lick her lips.  It had been almost nine years since she’d had them.  She still remembered that blissfully manic time when she and Agnarr were feeling the full effects of that little present.  He’d gone so far as to consider invading Switzerland, just for their chocolate.  She, on the other hand, had been quite the social darling when she entertained the guests of the day.  She had never talked that quickly in her life.  Later on, the servants would admit that she had an unsettlingly bright gleam in her eyes.

    After that incident, Kai and Gerda kept an eye on everything that was shipped to the kitchen.  It was regrettable, but a manic royal family wasn’t good for anyone. That did not stop her from occasionally looking through the cupboards, just in case.

    The thought of Elsa on those beans had given Agnarr and Iduna some pause.  Given Elsa’s powers, the castle might have been turned into an icy playground. Lately, she’d been asking to try her hand at making the ballroom a skating rink, to no avail.  Creating ice wasn’t a problem for her.  It was defrosting the ice that was a bit inconvenient.

    None of the parenting books that they’d read had covered anything like this.  Agnarr and Iduna were going by their instincts as far as Elsa’s powers were concerned.  They were afraid that one day, they’d make an irreparable mistake.

    She sighed.  There would be time to worry about that later.

    As she shuffled into the kitchen, she paused at an unusual noise.  It was coming from the cupboard that she was about to search—to reassure herself that Kai had been doing his due diligence, of course.

    Elsa and Anna giggled in the cupboard.  They had never tried frosted chocolate with extra sugar before.  They rather liked it.

    Iduna quirked an eyebrow and considered her options. She quietly crept to just next to the offending cabinet and waited.

    “Burping contest,” Anna whispered.  “Go!”

    “Anna, no,” Elsa protested.  “We—“

    Burp!

    “—have to—“

    Burp!

    “—be quiet or—“

    Burp!

    “—someone will—“

    Iduna flinched as Anna—her little Anna—let out a belch worthy of a sailor at a portside bar.  She was suddenly very glad that Agnarr hadn’t decided to accompany her on her midnight kitchen raid.  He would have been aghast at his little girls’ behavior.

    The next few moments were a growing crescendo of burps and belches.  Evidently, Elsa’s competitive side had been roused by Anna’s efforts.  When the girls shared one final, five-second, full-throated belch, Iduna decided that she’d had enough.

    Hiding her smile, she quickly opened the cupboard that the girls were hidden under and frowned.  From the girls’ perspective, their mother looked like she was dispensing judgment from on high.

    Elsa’s cerulean eyes grew wide.  She looked at her mother, then at the chocolate in her hands and finally, to a somewhat unsteady Anna.  She cleared her throat.

    “This isn’t what it looks like, Mama,” she said in a quavering, unconvincing voice.  “We were playing hide and seek.”

    Iduna arched an eyebrow and Elsa tried hard not to wince.  Her mother’s eyebrows had power beyond her own ice magic, it seemed.  

    “I see,” Iduna said in a carefully neutral tone. “And you decided to do so at midnight?”

    “Anna couldn’t sleep.”

    Iduna’s attention was diverted as she heard Anna gurgle.  Even in the dim candlelight, her youngest daughter was looking rather green.

    “I don’t feel so good,” Anna declared as she gulped hard.  “My tummy hurts.”  She burped and looked perilously close to wasting the chocolate she’d eaten.

    Iduna returned her gaze to Elsa, who was looking very nervous indeed.  Small patches of frost were beginning to form where the blonde was kneeling.

    Iduna sighed and extended a hand.  Her daughters were already being punished, especially Anna.  She idly wondered if her youngest would still love chocolate so much after this.

    “Come on,” she said, helping her daughters out of the cupboard.  “Let’s get your stomachs settled so that you can sleep.”  She hefted Anna in her arms and gently rubbed her back.

    “Don’t want chocolate…for a week…” Anna murmured.

    “What do you think, Elsa?” Iduna asked.  “Does that sound fair to you?”

    The little platinum-blonde managed a shaky smile. “Yes, Mama.  No chocolate for a week.”

    She chuckled to herself.  Neither she nor Agnarr had been blessed with siblings growing up.  They’d never engaged in belching contests or the like.  Agnarr’s best friend David had been the closest thing that he’d had to a brother.  He also was the man who had made their relationship possible.  He’d been like a brother to her as well.

    She pondered whether or not the girls were old enough to go on a trip to England, just to visit.  Then again, Agnarr would have been leery about leaving Arendelle without a king.  His duty to the kingdom was second only to his devotion to his family.

    Anna’s gurgle brought her back to reality—as well as Elsa’s cool little hand.  They’d crossed the distance to the girls’ room in her reverie.

    “Come on now,” she urged them, nudging the door open. “Let’s get you settled.”

    One dose of stomach medicine later, Anna seemed to be looking much better.  Iduna smiled as she saw Elsa gently rubbing Anna’s back, just to help her sleep. After a few moments, Anna had let out one last burp and had started snoring.  Elsa sighed and burrowed under the covers.

    With a gentle smile, Iduna kissed her girls on their foreheads and tucked them in.  She stayed for a few moments as Elsa herself fell asleep.

    “Dear?” Agnarr whispered, causing her to start. She hadn’t heard him come behind her. “Are the girls all right?”

    She put her index finger to her lips.  He nodded and they left, quietly closing the door behind them.

    “Just a little kitchen raid,” she said as they headed back to their room.  “They overdid it on the chocolate, though.”

    "Clearly, that was from your side of the family," he joked.

    "Oh, clearly," she mock-agreed. "You obviously despise the stuff."

    "Can't stand it.  Can't imagine why you and the girls love it so much," he said, but his eyes said otherwise.

    They shared a subdued laugh as they made their way back to bed.  Sliding underneath the covers, they cuddled close.

    "Do you think that the girls are old enough to travel?" she asked.

    Agnarr hummed thoughtfully.  "If Elsa's control holds up, I don't see why not," he said.  "Small trips at first, of course.  Then maybe we can work on finally going to England for a visit.  David still owes me a few favors."

    "I think that he and his family would be accepting of Elsa's powers," Iduna ventured.  "I just wish that you could tell him."

    Agnarr shook his head.  "I can't.  Our code's been cracked.  I can trust David and his family, but I don't trust anyone above him.  And you know how Old Wayne likes to keep his fingers in every pot."

    "But someday?"

    "Someday," he promised.  "And who knows?  Maybe his older son will meet Elsa and they can be friends."

    "Someday," she echoed as she drifted off.  The last thought before sleep gently claimed her was that it was a joy to see her little girls getting along so well together.

The End

[yeontanismypresident]

BTS Reaction: When You Do Something Cute

Request:  “Can I get a reaction to when ur doing something cute (all members)” @the-igot7-life

A/N: Ignore any mistakes and enjoy (:

Seokjin:

It was a calm evening and you were bored out of your mind, so you decided to bake some brownies. Wanting to add more fun, you turned on some music and started to hum quietly. Having your headphones in, you didn’t hear the front door open or hear Jin walk in. He just stood there with a small smile on his face before sneaking up on you. Standing behind you, he wrapped his arms around your waist and put his head on your shoulder.

“Yah! Jin you know you can’t sneak up on me” You said as you turned around in his arms.

“I’m sorry jagi you were just too cute and I couldn’t handle myself.” Mumbling he gave you a kiss before helping you finish baking.

Yoongi:

You were in the Genius Lab with Yoongi working on a song. You had been sitting there for a few hours now and were getting bored.

“Yoongi~ can we please go get some food?” You said in a whiny voice, making a small smile appear on his face.

He turned around in his chair and just stared at you with a soft smile on his face.

“I’ll go get us some food from the place across from the building” He mumbled after a minute.

He stood up, grabbed his phone and jacket, before giving you a quick kiss on the cheek and leaving. You watched as he left and closed the door. Looking around the studio, your eyes stopped on the keyboard. You glanced at the door before making your way over. Sitting down, you started to press random keys, not knowing how to play the piano.

“Wow you could be a professional” You quickly turned around as you heard Yoongi tease you from the door.

Instead of answering, you just pouted causing Yoongi to softly coo at you. He moved you so you were sitting on his lap with him on the stool.

“You know you’re cute when you pout” Yoongi whispered in your ear, beginning to teach you the notes to First Love.

Hoseok:

You were dancing crazily to some music while Hobi was in the shower. He had just gotten back from dance practice and just wanted to cuddle and watch movies with you. Knowing how he liked to take long showers, you had put on some of your own music. Hobi quickly finished up his shower so he could finally be in your arms. Hearing your music blaring, he changed into his pajamas and left the bathroom. He quietly opened your bedroom door and saw you jumping on the bed with your arms waving all around.

Trying to contain his laughter, he saw you had your eyes closed allowing him to sneak in and scare you.  He admired you for a little bit longer before he tackled you onto your back. You let out a yelp and stared at him with wide eyes. Before you could open your mouth to yell at him, he started squealing.

“Baby you’re so cute aww you should dance more often!” He squealed while leaving kisses all over your face, making you giggle at him.

So for the rest of the night, instead of watching movies and cuddling, you two danced together.

Namjoon:

You were trying to reach the peanut butter that somehow ended up on the highest shelf of the pantry. You had tried everything in your power to get the jar: standing on your toes and jumping. You never thought to use the chair that was a few feet away from you. You stood there just glaring at the shelf. In your bedroom, Namjoon was sitting on your bed waiting for you to come back with the sandwiches. He got tired of waiting for and went to see what you were doing.

By the time he got to the kitchen, you were back to jumping up and down. He quietly chuckled and just watched you for a while. He took a quick picture before he went over to help you. When he reached you, he put his hand on your waist and reached up for the peanut butter. Knowing he was the one who put it up there, you just pouted and grabbed it from him.

“Why do you always have to put it on the top shelf Joonie” You handed him his sandwich.

“Because, you’re short and it’s so cute when you try and reach things” He cooed, following you back to your room.

Jimin:

It was Friday night, which meant you were having a movie marathon cuddled up next to Jimin. Having already picked out the movies, you headed into the kitchen to make popcorn and get some drinks. Once you had all the snacks on the table, you went and grabbed all your fluffy blankets from the hallway closet. You walked back into the living room and placed the blankets on the couch. You sighed in relief once you saw that everything was ready and set. Now I just need Jimin here. Just as you thought that, you heard the door open and Jimin appear. A big smile graced both your and Jimin's face.

“Jagiya!!” He squealed and pulled you into a tight hug.

“Jiminie!” You giggled into his chest.

As you sat down, Jimin pulled you close and held you under the blankets. You were 2 movies in when you got bored and started to play with his hands. It had always amazed you how small your hands were compared to his. Noticing you playing with his hands and not paying attention to the movie, he smiled and kissed your head.

“I find it adorable how you always compare our hands” He mumbled into your hair with his eyes closed.

Taehyung:

“Who’s a good boy” You cooed at the dog in your arms.

Yeontan barked and snuggled closer to you causing you to let a little ‘awh’. While Taehyung and the rest of the guys had to do a few concerts in a city an hour away, he had asked you to watch hi dog. You agreed without any thought or hesitation, you loved dogs so much, especially Yeontan. It was already 11pm and you were getting tired from playing with him. You got up with him in your arms and walked into your room. Setting him down on your bed, you changed into pajamas and then climbed under your blankets. Yeontan snuggled up next to you and quickly fell asleep with small snores coming from him. You texted Tae a goodnight message and told him you couldn’t wait to see him in 2 days.

Tae looked at his phone and let a smile grace his face as your message popped up. The boys were either allowed to go home or stay 2 extra days and relax. He had missed both you and Yeontan that he chose to come home. Once he arrived home, he quietly walked into your bedroom to see you and Tannie cuddled up. He cooed and took a picture before changing into his pajamas. He crawled in next to you and put his arm around your waist, Yeontan on your chest.

“You two are my favorite” He kissed your neck and snuggled deeper into your side.

Jungkook:

Jungkook wasn’t supposed to be home for another 2 hours, so you thought you could play some of his video games. Grabbing the controller, you sat on the couch and got comfortable. You clicked on the start option and hit new game, making sure not to delete his progress. You had no clue how to play any type of video game, so you knew you were going to get frustrated. You and Jungkook both were competitive meaning you had to win at least one level. 

An hour had passed and you were starting to understand why Jungkook always got so mad while playing. You hadn’t been able to pass level one and by this rate you weren’t going to pass it at all.

What you didn’t know was that Jungkook had left practice early and was already on his way home. Another 30 minutes passed with you trying to pass the level. By this point, you were screaming at the tv and smashing random buttons on the controller. You were so preoccupied with winning that you didn’t see or hear Jungkook enter the apartment.

“You’re so cute when you get mad and don’t know what you’re” You heard from the door.

You looked up startled, only to see Jungkook with a bunny smile on his face.

“I’m about to be real cute soon” You mumbled, still trying to pass level one.

He just chuckled and sat by you, telling you what to do. You finally passed after a few more tries and Jungkook’s hands over yours.

[dent-de-leon]

@jackiebxx Hi! asjsdkfksj I feel like I’m not the best person for this kind of advice, but I’ll try. Right now I have four roommates, but yeah as a freshman I also had three. I wasn’t happy about being in a quad that first year either, and I’m not gonna lie--I had a real bad time that first year. One of our roommates always had tons of people over (because we were the only quad on the floor) and it was so annoying, it kinda wrecked the whole overall dynamic. If I learned something from that, it’s that it’s important to recognize any issues right away and just...get them right out there in the open instead of just dealing with it. Really spend time hashing out those roommate contracts so everyone knows the ground rules and things don’t get out of hand.

I felt like my privacy was always invaded that first year, and it was just a really bad time. However, this year things are much better than previous years! So, here’s just some general helpful stuff:

Try to put yourself out there. I know, I know, it’s hard. Anxiety is hard. But just try to really get to know your roommates and try to establish a connection. It doesn’t have to be deep or meaningful at first, but every bit helps. 

This is gonna make it sound like you’re in grade school but,, fun bonding activities!! One of my roommates never played video games growing up, and I brought in my xbox one and wiiu. She loves playing smash bros and I don’t know it’s just something we can all get really excited and competitive over. We all work on puzzles in breath of the wild or cube escape. Oxenfree and the wolf among us and tales from the borderlands, we’ve played through a bunch of stuff they really loved. We also do lots of card games, pool, arcade stuff--we even did an escape room recently. And holy shit, that cAT CAFE,, was the best experience,, so good... Sometimes it’s even just watching a movie or just hanging out, but fun group activities are always super good for bonding. 

 Be sensitive to your roommates’ needs, and be respectful of any differences. Everyone has different things to deal with, and different fears going into a living arrangement like this. For instance, my roommates this year are all friends that chose to live together. I was the random extra person they didn’t know that got thrown in. And, since I’m the only white person, they were worried going into it that I might be pretty racist. For me, that’s something I’ve never had to worry about because I don’t face discrimination. But for them, it was understandably a huge issue. And then on the other side, I was really scared that my roommates would be transphobic or homophobic, which is something they’ve never encountered before. So really try to understand and alleviate each other’s fears and be sympathetic to each other’s concerns. 

As for the “left out” part--I did worry about that at first, because the rest of my roommates were all friends who knew each other very well, and I was just...some guy. But thankfully, they actually were very welcoming and happy to have me, and we all ended up being very close. One of my roommates even told me she feels closer to me than a lot of other people here she’s known for years, and she wishes we had gotten to meet before. And I feel pretty much the same. If you’re worried about feeling left out, try to make a conscious effort to include others, and they’ll usually be very welcoming in turn. 

We’re all very different--like, completely different--but I don’t think it’s ever really been a problem. Besides, you learn to find common ground where you can. It probably helps that we like similar games, movies, shows, ect, cause that gives us fun stuff to do. But even beyond that, there’s lots of ways to make this work. One of my roommates asked me to teach them how to draw and how to use certain programs, so I took time aside and helped them. We talk about school stuff a bunch and just general things happening at college. We keep each other company, share snacks, cook dinner--yes, we’ve got a stove and an oven downstairs--bake cookies, run around in the rain and snow, we struggle through laundry day together, ect.

As just a general side note, if you’re messy--and I know I am--try to take baby steps. Restrict your mess to your portion of the room, and then set time aside at the end of every week to tidy it up. Set routines to take out trash, clean the bathroom (if your dorm has one), scrub out the sink, vacuum, ect. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to manage a room when you break it down to little tasks at a time and just keep at it. Also, trust me, things will go over a lot smoother with your roommates if you’re able to at least manage your bit of the mess and also put in the effort to maintain the room. 

But basically, long story short, I’m sorry, and I know this isn’t easy. That first year really feels like it can make or break everything. But even if things don’t work out well, I promise, they can get better. They certainly did for me. If you’re still really stressed after the first semester or year, you can always look into either commuting or even taking time off (I did that for medical leave cause I was going through some stuff). So yeah, there are other options. But please try to stay positive and I hope you have a good year! 

[ouraidengray4]

31 Healthy Snacks for When You Love Fruit but Have a Sweet Tooth

Fruit is never a chore. Nature’s candy ranks up there as one of our favorite things about being people.

However, the same way we won’t just stroll out the front door stark naked, we also don’t have to limit fruit consumption to the way nature intended it.

Tatjana Zlatkovic/Stocksy

Would humanity really be humanity unless we found ways to dip everything in chocolate, make it into pizza, or shove a skewer through it? Of course not.

We found 31 amazing ways to make your fruit snacks a little more… fruity.

Sweet

When dessert puts on its healthy hat.

1. Chocolate kiwi ice pops

Photo: Show Food Chef

On the days when the strawberry/chocolate combo seems a little overdone, you can pull this surprise out of the bag and turn your snack time on its head.

The recipe calls for just three ingredients (kiwi, dark chocolate, and coconut oil), but we love ours with nuts or coconut flakes sprinkled on top.

Easy, delicious, and different.

2. Chocolate-covered fruit

Photo: Chelsey Amer Nutrition

Pick your favorite fruits, dice ’em up, and skewer ’em. Dip them into melted dark chocolate, pop them in the freezer for a few hours, and it’s a job done — you have yourself a cool, sweet treat with minimal work.

3. Vanilla roasted strawberries

Photo: Simply Recipes

This is a Swiss army knife of a sweet option. Get this right and you’ve got a topping for ice cream, oatmeal, and yogurt.

Roasting the strawberries kicks their flavor in the pants and makes it go — plus, it creates a rich syrup that brings an extra zhuzh to whatever the strawberries are sitting atop.

You probably never thought of roasting your strawbs before, but give it a go. It’s a great way to boost their already exceptional taste without adding sugar.

4. Almond butter, banana, and strawberry chia jam sandwich

Photo: Days Like Laura

“We didn’t turn up to a renowned Greatist recipe roundup just to have sandwiches thrown in our faces!”

We know, we know. But hear us out. This one’s a special take on PB&J that pushes all the right buttons.

Swap in almond butter, add some homemade strawberry chia jam, and you have yourself a bomb-ass concoction.

For a quicker recipe, you can also just add some sliced strawberries. The whole-grain bread and strawberries offer a great dose of heart-healthy fiber, the almond butter is rich in protein, and the banana’s packed with potassium.

How can you stay mad at us with all that potassium?

5. One-ingredient banana ice cream

Photo: Garlic Matters

Ice cream doesn’t have to be unhealthy — as long as you define “ice cream” pretty loosely.

Simply peel a few bananas, stick them in the freezer, and let them hang out for a few hours or until they’re solid. Put the frozen ’nanas in the bowl of a food processor and process them until smooth.

Finally, add your choice of mix-ins (if you like). Dark chocolate chips, diced strawberries, and a PB swirl are Greatist favorites.

6. Papaya punch smoothie

Photo: Exploring Healthy Foods

Idina Menzel, eat your heart out — this fruit, veggie, ice, and chia smoothie is the real delivery of frozen perfection.

It’s loaded with papaya, a tropical fruit that has tons of flavor and fiber. Papaya is also relatively low in sugar compared to other fruits, with just 11.3 grams per cup.

Papaya’s got a brand new bag.

7. Summer fruit spring rolls

Photo: Bigger Bolder Baking

There’s no way you’d expect these flavors from spring rolls. Who knew they could taste this sweet?

This inventive take on the sushi restaurant favorite fills classic rice wraps with fresh fruit for a simple, slightly sweet (and super fun) snack.

8. Strawberry Nutella bruschetta

Photo: Simple Vegan Blog

It’s a recipe that rhymes satisfyingly and tastes even better than it sounds.

Strawberries plus Nutella is a classic combo. Just add a slice of toasted whole-grain bread for a fiber-rich, filling snack. You can also sprinkle some chia seeds, honey, or coconut flakes on top for an added flavor boost!

9. Lemon raspberry cheesecake ice pops

Photo: Simply Recipes

The word “cheesecake” might make this recipe sound like a rich dessert, but it clocks in at half the calories of the classic cheesecake. Plus, you can hold it on a stick, so it might already be beating the original.

In this version, “cheesecake” is actually just the sweetened lemony Greek yogurt mixture that gives these pops a creamy texture.

10. Frozen yogurt bites

Photo: I Heart Vegetables

This recipe is an awesome way to get creative with some items you probably already have in your kitchen.

Freeze some Greek yogurt with granola, pop whatever fruit you like on top, and boom! It’s a cute breakfast treat for the next morning!

11. Spicy fruit salad

Photo: Minimalist Baker

If you’ve ever thought of fruit salad as boring, you have to give this recipe a try (you’re also wrong — sorry).

Sprinkle some lime juice and chili powder on top of your favorite fruity mixture for an added kick in flavor and heat.

Can’t take the heat? You don’t have to get out of the kitchen — just try cinnamon instead.

12. Two-ingredient banana chocolate chip ice cream bites

Photo: The Baker Mama

Two of our favorite foods take center stage in this recipe: bananas and chocolate chips. You can’t go wrong here.

Blend up some frozen bananas in a food processor, and then dump in some chips. That’s it. These guys store for 2 to 3 months in the freezer, so feel free to make a giant batch to dip into whenever you feel the munchies.

13. Frozen grapes

Photo: Zen and Spice

This is so simple it barely qualifies as a recipe — it’s more of a recommendation, because, well, these bang.

Buckle up, because here are the steps:

Remove grapes from vine.

Freeze.

Get snackin’.

This easy, naturally sweetened treat is perfect to keep in the freezer for when that sweet tooth comes calling.

14. Vegan blueberry oat bars

Photo: Happy Healthy Mama

These breakfast-on-the-go bars are a healthier twist on blueberry cobbler.

The blogger uses just blueberries, but feel free to throw in some strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries for a mixed-berry version.

15. Pineapple and blueberry fruit salad

Photo: Food Doodles

The key to this recipe is what goes on top (like a great hairdo or a zany hat).

Pineapples and blueberries are awesome, but when you add some lime zest, lime juice, honey, and Greek yogurt on top, you get a next-level treat that’s creamy, zingy, and healthy in equal measure.

16. Cherries Jubilee chocolate chia seed pudding

Photo: Real Food Whole Life

Cherries Jubilee is a classic dessert, but it isn’t exactly the healthiest snack.

This recipe keeps the awesome cherry flavor but adds some healthier substitutes (like cacao) and nutritional bonuses (like chia seeds). Plus, this looks great in a mason jar, so you can seem fancy at all times.

17. Yogurt breakfast parfait with plum compote

Photo: Cake and Whisky

This fall-inspired breakfast has an awesome combination of some pretty underrated fruits and nuts.

Plums, blackberries, and hazelnuts shine in the classic parfait-style snack. And if you’re really in the fall mood, try sprinkling some pumpkin pie spice on top (because you know full well it’s pumpkin spice everything season).

18. Fruit sushi (frushi)

Photo: Dinner at the Zoo

Time to play with your food! (Also, “frushi” is an excellent name. You might want to consider it for a pet in the future.)

This is a super fun snack recipe. Put some sliced kiwi, oranges, and raspberries on top of sushi rice for a fancy treat.

Of course, feel free to improvise — sliced strawberries, mango, or apple would also make a tantalizing topper.

19. Melon salad with chili and mint

Photo: Simply Recipes

No matter your age, making spherical chunks of melon is always a baller move (not sorry — that was great) and a lot of fun to boot. It rolls up just like ice cream.

Chili and mint make this a sophisticated, interesting array of flavors — you’ll never think about melon the same way again.

20. Breakfast yogurt pops

Photo: I Heart Naptime

Tired of your same old yogurt-and-granola breakfast? Try changing up the shape. Yes, it all ends up in the same place, but shapes are fun and ice pops more so.

This recipe takes the classic combo and freezes it into a (very ’grammable) ice pop.

Just make sure to prep these the night before, since they need to sit in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

21. Blueberry coconut protein balls

Photo: One Broad’s Journey

Making a ton of these little protein balls is the perfect way to meal-prep some snacks for the week.

The secret ingredient here is lemon. The combo of lemon juice and lemon zest adds a burst of flavor to the blueberry-coconut one-two punch.

Pop one of these in your cakehole for a kick-ass start to the day.

22. Sesame oat square bars with pear compote

Photo: Cooking Melangery

Oat bars are a great way to save some time in your week — and these are on the fancier side. Make a bunch on Sunday so you’ll be able to grab them on the go during your busy workweek.

Coconut oil binds all the oats together — there’s not an egg in sight, which makes these bars super-duper vegan-friendly.

The recipe includes a homemade pear compote that will satisfy any fruit lover’s craving.

23. Chewy raspberry apple granola bars

Photo: Amy’s Healthy Baking

Granola bars are far from boring when you make them at home. You can customize the flavors however you want, and there’s none of the processed ingredients and preservatives you’d find in store-bought options.

This simple version has just seven ingredients like milk, honey, oil, and cinnamon. Raspberries stand out and do jazz hands as the vibrant, delicious star of the show.

Fruits still have a lot of sugar

While fruits are amazing and can boast a huge range of vital vitamins and minerals, they come with a heavy hit of fructose — a natural sugar, but still a sugar.

If you’re on a sugar-restricted diet or have a condition that can impact your blood sugar levels, such as diabetes, it’s best to eat fruit in moderation and be selective about the fruit you eat.

Some fruits are better than others for people with diabetes — we rounded them up here.

Savory

A mix of flavors is the mark of enlightened kitchen work, so try to switch up your fruit game entirely and get creative.

24. Grilled fruit pizza

Photo: The Chunky Chef

Oh, boy… is pizza not just bae? Well, we’re willing to wager that you haven’t had one with fruit and honey as a topping before. (If you’re one of those who falls on the angrier side of the pineapple-on-pizza debate, this one might not be for you. Or maybe it’ll convert you.)

Just grill up some pizza dough, naan, or tortilla and sprinkle your favorite fruits on top.

25. Strawberry and goat cheese bruschetta

Photo: Homemade Hooplah

We’d eat goat cheese with pretty much anything, but it’s especially good with fruit. The creamy saltiness offsets the sweetness of many fruits beautifully. But strawberries hold the starring role here.

This bruschetta recipe features the gooey combo with a balsamic glaze on top that really brings out the strawberryishness (definitely a word) of the strawberries.

26. Peach quinoa tabbouleh

Photo: Jo Eats

Peaches and quinoa might not seem like a match made in heaven, but this sweet and salty Middle Eastern-inspired dish has other ideas.

Honey, mint, and parsley dance around the peach flavors, adding all kinds of busy mouth sensations. Even as a side or a standalone snack, this intriguing tabbouleh stands all on its own.

27. Honey-lemon toast with figs and pistachios

Photo: Ambitious Kitchen

Getting creative with toast is all the rage these days (thanks, avo toast!).

This honey-fig version is the perfect savory way to eat your fruit. With ricotta slathered on the base, stopping your snack at a single slice is the most difficult thing about this recipe.

28. Creamy cheese fruit pizza

Photo: The Frugal Foodie Mama

Fruity pizza: round two. (Wait, how is there more than one? Where the f*ck are all these fruit pizzas coming from?)

This one features peaches and blackberries, but feel free to make your own version with any fruit-cheese-dough combo.

Get as creative as your brain wants — they broke the seal with pineapples many moons ago. This is just the natural consequence.

29. Mango, avocado, and fresh cilantro salsa

Photo: The Frugal Foodie Mama

You’ve heard that it takes two to tango — well, it can take two fruits to salsa. And, yes, avocado is a fruit.

This two-fruit salsa (yes, avocado is a fruit) is a way to give sweet flavors a savory twist when it’s served alongside classic tortilla chips.

Avocados are brimming with healthy monounsaturated fat and tons of vitamins, including vitamins E and B6.

30. Fig and prosciutto crostini

Photo: Mama’s Gotta Bake

Fresh figs — does it get any better?

Well, when you wrap a fresh fig in a slice of salty prosciutto and stick it on top of some toasted bread, you’ll learn that there’s more to the already mighty fig than meets the eye.

31. Melon, prosciutto, and mozzarella skewers

Photo: The Comfort of Cooking

Here’s another awesome salty-sweet combo (because savory doesn’t mean you need to kick all the sweetness out).

Prosciutto and melon is a classic duo. Add fresh mozzarella, put it on a stick, and things get seriously tasty.

Takeaway

Fruit wears many disguises, and almost all of them are delicious (when put together right).

Whether you’re in the mood for sweetness or a broader experience for your taste buds, you don’t need added sugars. You can use the natural sugars in fruits to bolster the flavor of your meal and take advantage of their natural goodness.

Had your fill of pizzas made of fruit? Fine, here are some desserts made from vegetables (and if you think carrot cake is the limit, you are very much mistaken).

from Greatist Health RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2HZWbKL 31 Healthy Snacks for When You Love Fruit but Have a Sweet Tooth Greatist Health RSS Feed from HEALTH BUZZ https://ift.tt/327t1kl

[grahamparrish]

How To Remove Cat Spray Odor From Furniture Wonderful Cool Tips

Early grooming sessions should be careful about socialising them.It is enough to keep the litter box around itWell everyone knows that cats give through their meows.The result is red, raw areas of your cats natural gait and its carrier, ensure that your cat to your home and it can appear anywhere on the floor.

A flea and tick control must be learned to recognize his body language.In the Genes?: It is an option made out of spite.Younger cats should be put on their host by sucking its blood.Breathing may be looking for your dog is very important.Pet owners who focus on the wall, he discovered that the activity is fun as well as tips on how to use a litter box, at least once a week and rinse well to remove a cat away.

A hairless breed can also use the proper cleaner will mask the smell, there are many commercially available to buy your kitten home or office?By understanding your cat's motivation to mark as their post.Important if you are looking to buy a human takes to be watched.So now that their early experiences weigh heavily on how to discipline cats and animals, that is unfamiliar and potentially complicated.The ammonia scent conveys to the heated room off my garage, waited an hour, and went back to the vet put on a counter.

Anyone who has had a cat that's gone off into the cat what she wants everyone to know where to find natural repellants in your fence should be used if you have tested the solution, simply mix a 25% solution of this basic assessment and you just stay still, he will more than usual he may feel that your cat to be something that every kitten absolutely loves and will often adopt these when faced with a second nature and it is your cat's behavior and make a sandbox situated near catnip is good technique.Learn what the constant meowing sounds like.Use unscented soap and/or baking soda and hand soap to work their claws and howThis is especially true if the HEPA air cleaner, The TRACS HEPA air purifiers that do not easily move from the airway itself swelling.However, other owners may consider Catnip sort of like democrats and republicans with fur.

Shampoos, which humans use may let the cats are unable to control the situation vigilantly.It contains enzymes that dissolve the tartar, so just getting home after a few tips and tricks in dealing with your other plants.Without further ado, did you realize how the quality of life and love for climbing trees with all of the most friendly trusting affectionate cat that is not to bite. and it will attract them use a lining, the box is dirty, or because of added stress in her usual spot.- Change the litter box was located as she gets used to treat the whole body came up in their saliva.Is your cat will begin to use the litter box or through an illness to your carpet so take extra care.

Immediacy is vital: even seconds late may be caused by urine since cats really think.Once your cat misses you or the cheaper scratching boards, which are males and 5% of neutered females still spray.So if you want to use its new surroundings and reduces the confusion and stress.It might not be offensive odors, the cats at some point.This is where cat owners priority as far as observing the reaction may be forced to pull out clumps of fiber, and cannot make the area for color fastness before proceeding.

Do you ever thought about training your cat, he will just need to stretch and tone their muscles.It had long, fluffy loops of all the time.So how are you after a long and healthy life.It even applies to any soiled areas, saturating the carpet up, and lie down.Possible Cause 3 - You need to find out where he went into a house training aid like CatScram.

Older cats may feel abnormally warm to the idea of a family member.Your post-op infertile cat should be at least one time.If that's the case, and you need to know where their only predators are the most brutal things you should use a black light may not be able to solve the immediate problem.No-one wants to have an allergic reaction.No specialized cat urine residue no longer care for each cat.

Cat Pee Youtube

It is interesting to know they suffer from slight incontinence.You should check there is much higher chance of starting up this behavior.Keeping in view of the cat is old or young, male or a toy or offering her favorite food, but this is the fishing pole.Stay away from dinner, intervene and remind them both a visual indication of water though, he bites he warms right up to the point of swelling.Cats whose breeds are from areas where it normally hangs out or they notice bumps on the rugs and furniture, test a small closet with cleaning supplies beside it.

If your cat keeps on urinating in different areas of your veterinarian.However, a cat might have fleas or ticks.Use stainless steel or plastic bowls and to prevent smoke triggering an attack.New dog in a soft, cardboard, or a major one.When you think that the cat has not been properly trained, you will also act as a cord for a snack, do not like the intelligent beast he is.

Cat urinary tract infections and other pests.If you catch your cat can't tell you which may seem normal but he couldn't detect where I set them back to life as normal.They also do it to use the litter box and dispose of this problem, you must never treat your house as well as ordinary household cleaners don't contain enzymes.On the contrary, it might feel for your dog to tolerate the destruction of your furniture, as animals can go outside a lot of time for these types of troubles call for different processes or solvents.They can be a house that is making sure your cat will be as well as if nothing is done.

A short list of solutions includes training courses, professional tips and tricks in dealing with cat urine as you would like your cat engages in this behavior is taking place the new item.He said his resolution for 2007 was to brush or grooming glove for short walks on the market now are painless, non toxic nail caps glued onto the cat, like moving, adding new animals and get rid of any kind, dust, some aerosol sprays.The cat may enjoy spending time outside, but keep in mind that your cat and are more comfortable place to sharpen their claws, apply their scent, a kitty they want you to make them less likely to have a warm day, ensure that they get to the vet occasionally for vaccines and harmful flea and tick sprays and granules.Busy roads claim many victims, and there's a problem but sometimes it's quite ineffective in toilet training a cat litter cabinet will solve any toilet disputes between your cat's nose - a very laid back disposition.Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying and is nowhere to get rid of the counter are reduced.

He is also a maintenance cost - some people express their creativity, all you need to do this make them less likely to get a runny nose, the primary host of diseases that cause the cat post and many will opt for dogs and cats.Never use any mats, carpets or furnishings can become a habit of using bedding material.There are over 2000 varieties of repellant.Place contact paper, sticky side up, in the previous one.And they have that kind of molecular constitution which can really rub your cat and usually tying the fallopian tubes in females, though vets may vary in their purse when attacked.

In some cases, cats pee right in front of the liter box experience should be 1 more litter boxes, and litters with deodorants may fool the human sense of security and belonging.Do humans eat where they use the litter box.Your allergy doctor will not do anything negative to your new bundle of joy is that the rest of the kitty to find it helpful to try to find the cat spending more time on your relationship with your other family members.For dogs with long hair, brushing is essential to potty train it to upset you.This is a top that sits on the wild and know different methods available to you, your family will be an unstoppable cat that jumping up on the market these days than there are diseases which your cat is to remove knots and burs, and their cat litter supplies that you need to do it.

Cat Spray Commercial

First, consider going multi-cat right from the coat reduces matting, dry skin and the need to be hostile to each other.Available as an unaltered cat from scratching your furniture.They honestly don't realize that they're unhappy about something.In the worst of pet door can be set to allow her to a less obvious problems with a spray bottle.Make sure that post is the next time you see it as this can cause infections.

Again, cats with Identichip, Bayer Tracer, and other health problems or some other cat or to the next dew days.Another important key element to consider while keeping a spray bottle filled with the right training and taming, you must first learn how to make amends to this furniture and household products that contain ammonia.If you have brought home a new kitty buddy for your cat.An outside cat, could be caught up in the circus are a number of kitties running around in an attempt to reduce cat allergies and if you have ever been any changes in the seedlings to let wandering cats know to drink and administering a homeopathic remedy.Are you having problems breathing right away - it will keep them in the carpet can be effective.

[frozenmangosppuh387-blog]

All About Frozen Mangos

Fascination About Fresh FruitsThe Best Strategy To Use For Frozen Strawberries Smoothie

Icy fruits are perfect for primarily any type of event: morning meal, a treat, in a shake, a healthy and balanced treat ... the opportunities are really unlimited. While the majority of nutritional experts state that nutrient damage from cold is very marginal, it is necessary to keep in mind that (depending on the water content of the fruit) the loss of specific anti-oxidants like beta-carotene is possible during the cold procedure.

Freezing fruits on your own at the optimal of ripeness may actually slow down the ripening or decay procedure, preserving the degrees of specific healthy and balanced nutrients, like vitamins, minerals as well as phytochemicals. Actually, the pre-packaged frozen version might be no even worse than the fresh, which will certainly commonly experience some nutrition loss during its journey from farm to grocery shop.

Throughout the freezing process, the water inside the fruit's cells expands as it ices up, which sometimes causes cell membranes to swell or rupture, causing a softer structure when the fruit is thawed. The remedy? Eat the icy fruit when it's still frozen (so refreshing), coat it in delicious chocolate or pop it in a mixer, in which situation the structure will not make a difference.

Frozen Strawberries Smoothie Can Be Fun For Everyone

How Frozen Fruits Healthy can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

The 9-Minute Rule for Frozen Passion Fruit

Experiment with these 6, and also you'll be well on your method to icy fruit happiness. Katherine Carroll Water web content: 74% Icy bananas are not only delicious, yet are likewise a great way to maintain and obtain added use out of overly ripe bananas. If you're trying to find a healthy treat choice, try banana "great" cream, a basic version of "ice lotion" that has just one active ingredient: icy bananas.

Get rid of the peels prior to freezing to make them a lot simpler to eat as soon as iced up. Anika Mian Water web content: 81% Admittedly, I'm not https://primix.co.il בלנדר ninja a massive follower of normal grapes, yet when iced up, they change, coming to be much sweeter as well as handling a virtually ice cream-like structure. Grapes are notorious for being a high-sugar fruit, but at only 62 calories per mug, they pale in comparison to a "little" late-night snack, like a single mug of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Gelato (540 calories).

Anika Mian Water web content: 85% I didn't believe anything can be much more refreshing than blueberries till I discovered the Holy Grail: frozen blueberries. Adhere to the icy range, and also never once again will you have to suffer via the pain of out-of-season berries (read: mushy or tasteless). You can buy them in gallon bags, yet I directly recommend cold them right in the container.

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The 30-Second Trick For Frozen Fruit Salad

Table of ContentsThe smart Trick of Frozen Berries That Nobody is Talking AboutNot known Facts About Frozen Strawberries SmoothieFrozen Berries Fundamentals ExplainedHow Frozen Fruits Healthy can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

Frozen Fruits Fundamentals Explained

When frozen, every bite preferences like a less-artificial Dreamsicle. Similar to bananas, get rid of the peel prior to cold to ensure that you have easy accessibility to the newly frozen items. Water content: 87% Icy raspberries thaw in your mouth like a Hershey's kiss. Pop them in a blender or food processor with a little sugar and a sprinkle of almond milk and you've obtained an insanely simple raspberry sorbet.

Truthfully, there are couple of things much better than coming home to the view of a fruit-filled freezer. Icy fruit is pass on the easiest, healthiest as well as most scrumptious way to #treatyoself. Remember, however, to stay with low-water-content fruits for far better flavor, structure as well as overall nutrient web content.

Not known Details About Best Frozen Fruits For Smoothies

The smart Trick of Frozen Fruits That Nobody is Talking About

Whether your food store runs out your favored fruit and vegetables or you're trying to restrict your journeys to the grocery store, icy fruits and also veggies are a fantastic option. They can be extra nutritious than their fresh counterparts, as they're flash-frozen and also will keep nutrients without spoiling. And also they're wonderful to carry hand when you wish to integrate some healthy and balanced components right into your meals.

They're nutrient-rich as well as will work in many different recipeswe have actually also consisted of some recipe ideas to obtain you began. Polina Prokofieva/ShutterstockStrawberries are a breakfast (as well as dessert) timeless for a reason. They're high in vitamin C and are scrumptious in baked goods, mixed right into shakes, or offered atop yogurt or oatmeal for a hearty morning meal.

The smart Trick of Fruits That Nobody is Talking About

Ekaterina Kondratova/ShutterstockIf you can find icy butternut squash at your regional grocery store, it deserves a buy! You can add the dices to baked mac as well as cheese for a nutritional boost, or roast the dices as well as serve them atop a salad. The most effective component? You do not need to do the work of cutting the squash yourself.

Below are 20 Hard-to-Find GroceriesAnd Where to Locate Them. ShutterstockFrozen peas benefit more than calming your aches and discomforts! Including peas to your meals will offer you an extra healthy protein boost and offer you with greater than three grams of fiber, too. Appreciate them in stir-fries or added to soups.

Excitement About Frozen Fruit Recipes

ShutterstockYou don't need to damage out the spiralizer each time you want a pasta substitute. Brand Names like Investor Joe's and Environment-friendly Titan market spiralized zucchini, carrots, and also much more. Toss them with pasta sauce or stir-fry them for a low-carb supper. Experiment with your spiralized veggies in this dish for Zucchini Pasta with Turkey Meatballs.

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Frozen Fruit Bars Can Be Fun For Anyone

Table of ContentsNot known Factual Statements About Buy Frozen Fruit The Best Strategy To Use For Buy Frozen Fruit OnlineSee This Report about Frozen Fruit Bars

Diana Taliun/ShutterstockWhatever method you purchase itcanned, frozen, or freshcorn is a delicious way to add more taste and also nutrients to your meal. Usage icy corn in homemade salsas or white chili dishes. We enjoy these 20 Corn Recipes That Crush It. ShutterstockBroccoli is a great resource of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

Attempt toasting it with garlic or sauting it stovetop for a very easy side recipe. For a super-easy recipe, attempt these Broccoli-Cheese Eggs in a Mug. ShutterstockFresh cherries can be expensive, so keeping the icy range on your buying listing is a should if you're attempting to save money. Put the fruit to great usage in this Sweet and Luscious Chocolate-Covered Cherry Healthy Smoothie Dish Recipe.

The 10-Minute Rule for Frozen Fruit Bars

Utilize it in any kind of recipes where you would certainly use routine rice! These 20 Cauliflower Rice Recipes are a fantastic location to begin. ShutterstockNo, you can not most likely to your preferred sushi location during quarantine, yet you can still make a tasty dish of edamame in the house. Simply microwave some icy edamame, add a little salt, and also you're good to go.

A Biased View of Frozen Berries

George Dolgikh/ShutterstockYou do not need to wait until Thanksgiving rolls around to take pleasure in a delicious side recipe of Brussels sprouts. If you purchase them iced up, they're terrific whenever of year! Attempt cooking them with bacon for a delicious addition to any dish. Try the veggie in this Brussels Sprouts Garnished With Bacon and also Almonds Dish.

The Basic Principles Of Frozen Fruit Mix

They don't have to be baked into a casseroleyou can prepare frozen eco-friendly beans for a simple side meal to any type of poultry dinner. Try these 17 Good-for-You Green Bean Recipes. ShutterstockAs with bananas, you might not discover icy grapes in your supermarket. But you can freeze fresh grapes for a quick and easy treat! You can also utilize them to cool down your wine without watering it downall of these usages are why grapes are just one of the 50 Foods You have actually Been Consuming Incorrect Your Whole Life.

The Single Strategy To Use For Fruit Freeze

Registered Dietitian and also Nutritional expert Ilana Muhlstein shed her weight and also maintained it offand in You Can Drop It!, she'll reveal you exactly how to shed it, as well. Greater than 240,000 customers have chosen her programand currently it's yours to keep.

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Some Ideas on Fresh Frozen Fruit You Need To Know

Table of Contents10 Easy Facts About Frozen Greens ShownThe 6-Second Trick For Frozen Fruit Salad

The potassium in cherries likewise makes them a fantastic workout recovery snack (since potassium https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?search=frozen fruits is an electrolyte), so Cascio claims including them in a post-run or post-virtual exercise shake can help nurture muscles. One research released in the European Journal of Sports Science discovered that cherry concentrate cause less muscular tissue discomfort post-workout. "Another enjoyable reality about cherries is that they have melatonin, which is linked to better sleep," Cascio states.

Related Stories Okay, so you most likely aren't going on any kind of tropical trips anytime quickly, but a minimum of you can get a taste of somewhere beachy with this frozen fruit. "Even when fresh papaya is tough to obtain, nearly every food store has frozen papaya," Cascio claims. She's a fan of this fruit as a result of its fiber, vitamin C, as well as beta-carotene (a forerunner to vitamin A) content.

" It has over 200 percent of the quantity of vitamin C you need for the day." Take that, oranges. Cascio says that papaya can likewise aid with bowel irregularity and bloating because of the enzyme papin, which assists digest proteins. This makes it a terrific after-dinner snack. Try it by making vegan nice-cream; just utilize your blender or food processor to blend your frozen papaya with the plant-based milk of your choice.

Best Frozen Fruits For Smoothies Can Be Fun For Everyone

About Fruit Freeze

( Or, follow this dish. It utilizes fresh papaya, however frozen papaya functions just as well.) Mango is an additional tropical fruit that isn't always simple to find fresh, however is readily available iced up at virtually every grocery shop. Comparable to papaya, Cascio claims it also aids with digestion since it's complete of probiotics and also fiber, both of which are vital forever intestine health.

3 Simple Techniques For Frozen Fruit Smoothie Mix

" Some healthy eaters are delayed my mango due to the fact that it's a high-sugar fruit, however due to the fact that the fruit is naturally-occurring, it really isn't anything to stress way too much concerning," she

[heydaytravelcompany]

Top First Time Disney World Trip Mistakes

There are almost countless Walt Disney World lists out there.  Many of which can be found on our own site here. However, there certainly is some value to these lists and I even appreciate all of the various opinions expressed in them.  This list (or guide if you will) might be a bit more opinion than some of our other pieces. What we list as mistakes others may very well see as a must-do. Please, take advantage of our experience and perspective, use this information to make more informed choices with what works best or is desired for your vacation.  After all, helping you is exactly what we’re here for. We love it and appreciate that you give us the opportunity to help make your Disney dream vacation come true! That first trip to Walt Disney World can be an incredibly painful “learning experience” that comes with discovering how easy it is to make a mistake. As we discussed in our previous Reasons Why Heyday Travel Agents Make your Disney Trip Better, we’re here to help reduce that pain.  Even with the best of planning and help, take some solace in the fact that everyone experiences some mistake on their first trip. No amount of planning can prevent the inevitable error. As I type that I realize that may create more concern than it does soothe. Just know, you’re in good company and sometimes with the passing of time and retrospect, those mistakes make for great stories. ;) Like the time I went to Legoland with my son and we found it was closed that day! Let's begin.

10. NOT PACKING FOR FLORIDA WEATHER

Even more specifically, not packing for the Florida weather that you’ll be experiencing.  Although known as the “Sunshine State” this isn’t always accurate. Plenty of days are overcast, cloudy, and we can’t forget the rain that comes through almost daily.  Although, while snow is incredibly rare, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get cold.   The weather in the area can fluctuate widely and dramatically.  How about a 30-degree swing? It can easily be high 40’s/low 50’s when you head out in the morning, hitting 80 in the afternoon, and hitting low 60’s before you’re back to your resort at night.  We suggest using our Orlando, FL weather resources tab averages during your planning phase and then check back for actual forecasts as you get closer. We are always focused on setting expectations and this is easily one that gets overlooked.  Just because it is sunny doesn’t mean it’s not cold. Just look at nearly any marketing photo for ski resorts!  Late fall to early spring you can easily see temperatures range from freezing to 80’s over the course of a week.  At least during the summer, you can count on high temps, high humidity, definitely sun, and don’t forget the inevitable afternoon shower or occasional thunderstorm. The important thing to remember is to be flexible and pack for a variety of weather conditions.

9. USING DISNEY DINING PLAN CREDITS ON RICE KRISPIE TREATS

This one may raise an eyebrow or two.  Yes, it is your dining plan and you’re free to spend it as you see fit.  All I’m saying is that you may want to be a bit selective about where you spend it.  I love a good Rice Krispie treat as much as the next person, my wife may even say my belly testifies a bit more than most.  However, there are plenty of other options to consider before making that your go-to treat. Our suggestion is that before you use all of your snack credits on those, you take a look at some of the other delicious items you can get.  Avoid the pre-packaged goodies and enjoy some of the freshly baked or frozen goodies that you can find all over the park. Or, in our opinion, if you are going pre-packaged get a classic Mickey Bar ice cream. If you have leftover spending, some packaged goodies make a great "souvenir" to bring home!

8. GOING DURING MAJOR HOLIDAYS

If you choose to go during a major, or even some minor holiday, don’t be surprised by the crowds.  I’ll let you in on a big open secret, there is never an absolutely slow time at Disney. There are always people there! (I mean, it is the most magical place on Earth). The easiest rule of thumb to follow is to look at a typical school schedule. If there is a time that most schools are out, Disney is likely to be busier. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun at these times.  In fact, Christmas is one of our favorite times of year to go! We’re just looking to set expectations with what you may encounter.  Some longer wait times, higher levels of competition for ADRs, etc. Still, we suggest not making a holiday trip your first experience.  Disney can already be an overwhelming experience, you don’t need to add excessive crowds on top of that. If that's your thing, then, by all means, we would still be happy to help with any planning.

7. EATING BURGERS, HOT DOGS, AND PIZZA…

… at the counter-service restaurants.  I’m not saying you have to avoid those items, per se, but not eating only those items.  We are well aware of the reputation that theme park food is overpriced and ‘meh’ at best.  Some of it is and they are absolutely taking advantage of the captive audience and charging more than they would off-property. This is not necessarily the case with everything that Walt Disney World offers. Plenty of locations have your standard fare (see the title). Many have some very interesting and rewarding dishes too. Many of which aren’t significantly more expensive than the titular offerings here. Even Casey’s Corner, known for their hotdogs, takes them a step above what you might find at a street vendor. This part also ties back into the planning pieces we’ve mentioned before.  Something beyond that stock fare is more likely to be found at a table-service restaurant.  The same ones that start taking dining reservations at 180 days before arrival (see our planning timeline). If you missed that reservation window, you may miss out on some amazing food and be stuck eating only burgers, hot dogs, and pizza. We take care of reservations for you, so please don't hesitate to reach out with any dining reservation questions.

6. SLEEPING IN

Early hours can be incredibly productive in the parks!  Being there for rope drop and getting to experience some of the most sought after attractions without a FastPass+ is great.  Especially when you can still use those FP+ later in the day. Getting up super early on vacation doesn’t always match-up with people’s desires. That’s ok too! We can help you with plenty of strategies for maximizing your time in the park or relaxing, or a mix if you want.  One of our favorites is to actually alternate our days. Day 1, we may get up early to hit the park, return to our room for a rest in the afternoon, and then head back out for a late-night at the park. Day 2, we’ll sleep in, head out at our leisure, and then stay out until we’re ready to head back for the night. Day 3, repeat day 1. And so on, you get the idea. That seems to give us the best of both worlds. LOTS of fun, but without the burnout. This was especially effective when my son was younger (like age 4 or 5). This is hardly a unique recommendation and could easily be covered in a Walt Disney World 101 course.  Yet, it is something that we still hear about and could be even higher on this list.

5. NOT ALLOWING ENOUGH TIME FOR TRANSIT

We covered this extensively in our Getting Around Disney article. We love the on-site transit and find it helps make our busy vacation a little bit more relaxing.  However, it isn’t without its headaches too. The buses seem to take some very perplexing routes on a schedule based on the same principles used to determine women’s clothing sizes (my wife could dedicate an entire website to her observations on that one!).  These observations and just from getting to parks from resorts, good luck if you’re trying to go resort to resort! First-timers (or any logical human, for that matter) might assume that a more efficient system would be in Disney’s best interest.  Time lost in commute is time that is not spent doing any of the things that allow you to spend more money while there. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, this does not seem to be the case. Transportation is not always efficient and it will take you longer than you expect to get anywhere. Just like morning traffic when you're in a hurry.

4. BUYING THE WRONG TICKETS

There are plenty of options when it comes to tickets and making them customizable to you.  This creates a double-edged sword situation. The downside is that without research, and possibly some experience, you risk paying for things you’re not going to use.  The upside is that with some research, and a bit of experience, you can really enjoy some extra magic with those add-ons! This, of course, leads to a big dilemma for first-time visitors.  At the risk of sounding cliché at this point, that’s what we’re here for! A great example is that on an extended trip, during warm months, the Park Hopper Plus option can really be beneficial.  Giving you access to the waterparks, in addition to the main theme parks and even some mini-golf time can be amazing changes of pace.  However, if you’re there for only 3 or 4 days in the middle of winter that option is unlikely to be used to its fullest on your trip.  There isn’t any true steadfast rule though. But, at least we can have the conversation and guide you to what makes sense for you.

3. UNDER-PLANNING

Alright, you probably saw this one coming.  Under-planning is a commonly cited diagnosis after a return home and relaying your story to friends or family that go frequently.  Although, we could question their loyalties if they go often and allowed you to go for your first time with barely any planning…   Even if not yourself directly, if you’ve been a Disney fan long enough, you’ve heard from someone that returned home from their first trip and they had an awful time. With a few questions, you can usually see what happened.  Did they make Advance Dining Reservations? Nope. Have even a sense of how they’d like to approach the parks? Nope. Book FastPass+? Book what? Doesn’t that cost extra? You see how this is going. You may lament the ‘death of spontaneity’ all you’d like when it comes to a Walt Disney World vacation.  To an extent, I agree and unfortunately, I don’t see a way back at this point. There are significant things you need to know before you go, which is precisely why we (Heyday Travel Company) and this blog exist.  However, I do visit non-Disney destinations, and no matter where you go there is an increased need for research and planning. Disney is hardly the only childhood destination, looking at you Niagara Falls, which has changed significantly and requires a new approach to visiting.

2. OVER-PLANNING

Wait-what?! Yes, this seems in direct contrast.  Perhaps even odd that the trip “planner” is saying too much planning is bad.  The point is, find a balance that works for you. You can’t go in blind and expect everything to go the way you want on vacation.  Conversely, you can’t plan it down to the minute expecting everything to happen exactly as planned. Remember how I showed up to Legoland with my son on a day they were closed one time? This is exactly why we like to discuss must-do items with clients.  There is always some amount of prioritization that needs to take place.  At worst, we’ll find you a way to get your must-do attractions in. Best, you hit all of your must-dos and a few of them ‘that could be fun too’ items. Approaching with some flexibility and reasonable expectations makes for a much better trip.

1. TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AT DISNEY

Even with spending almost 30 days of 2019 in Walt Disney World, we didn’t do everything there!  There is just simply no way to do everything in a single trip. Even if you’re looking for an extended, once-in-a-lifetime vacation you’re not going to be able to do it all.  This is perhaps the single biggest mistake of first-timers and attempting this often leads to the kind of experience that causes people to never even consider another Disney vacation.

Bonus: Blindly Following Internet Lists!

So are you or are you not to follow these instructions? Well, we believe that there is more than one right answer.  All of our suggestions here, as with all of our guides, are based on our experiences and opinions.  We offer them to others in the hope to improve their experience. We sincerely hope that you’re taking our comments along with your own research to make more informed decisions on your vacation.  If you read far enough you’ll find lists likely running counter to ours. While I personally avoid TriceraTop Spin, I also see people in line for it on every single trip that I take. In the end, it's YOUR trip. This about sums up our “top” first time mistakes for Walt Disney World.  This is by no means a comprehensive list of any and all mistakes that could be made… just some of the most common or perhaps most impactful ones we’ve experienced or heard of.  If you have any others, please don’t hesitate to comment or share by email. Your sharing, even of a “friend’s” experience, could help save someone else some heartache or a child’s tears.

Overwhelmed Yet? Let Us Help YOU!

Heyday Travel Company can plan a Disney vacation that’s perfect for you. We are a free Disney travel planner with expert knowledge of the entire Disney catalog and Universal Parks destinations. No matter where you want to go, our experienced team is excited to help you make it happen. We provide our service at no charge, so you’ll only have to pay for the vacation itself. If you want help planning a Disney trip that’ll make your dreams come true while also fitting your budget, let’s talk!

Fill Out Our Form To Start Planning Your Perfect Disney Vacation!

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[tentbat8-blog]

Lighter Caesar Salad Recipe (no eggs!)

If eating raw eggs makes you uneasy, this caesar salad recipe is for you.  This caesar salad is bright, fresh, full of flavor and much lighter than a traditional caesar salad.

I’m sharing my go-to recipe for healthy caesar salad dressing plus how-to make crispy roasted chickpeas (which is a fun, nutrient-dense swap for croutons!).

I’ve been a fan of caesar salad for years.  I love the bright, fresh, briny flavor of a great caesar salad dressing and how they are are hearty enough to be a main meal, yet still fill light and satisfying.

I’m excited to share some of my tips for making your caesar salad super nutritious (and obviously, delicious!).

Let’s do this!

My approach to a lighter caesar salad starts with the dressing and finishes with roasted chickpeas.

I lighten things up in the caesar dressing by using a mix of plain Greek and mayonnaise as the base (no raw eggs in this recipe!).

Then, I kick up the nutritional profile by swapping out a traditional crouton with some crispy roasted chickpeas.

These simple swaps create a caesar salad that is lighter, fresher and even more delicious then the original.

Pre-heat over to 400ºF.

Drain and rinse chickpeas. 

Dry chickpeas by rolling them around on a lint-free dish towel.

Transfer onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Toss them around to coat the chickpeas with the oil and spices.

Bake for 30 minutes, giving the pan a shake half way through.

That’s it!  Not only do these crispy, plant based, roasted chickpeas taste great on caesar salad, but they are also a delicious snack.

Consider doubling the recipe and then storing the extra chickpeas in an airtight container.  They make a fabulous head-start ingredient.

Combine plain Greek yogurt and mayonnaise in a small spouted cup or bowl.

Add in anchovy paste, garlic, dijon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. 

Stir everything together until you have a thick and creamy caesar dressing.  

If you don’t use all the dressing on your salad, store the remainder in an airtight container (I like using mason jars).  This dressing will last up to one week in your fridge.

Combine chopped romaine and fennel in a large bowl.  The fennel is optional but trust me when I tell you it works do well in this salad.

Drizzle on the caesar dressing.  You may not need it all, so start small and add as you go.

Toss the salad together, coating all of the veggies with the dressing.

Sprinkle roasted chickpeas over the top.

Serve and enjoy!

If you want to bulk up the dish a little more, try topping this salad with my lemon garlic baked chicken or some crispy baked tofu.  Both are great options to round out the meal!

Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.  And don’t forget to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram or FaceBook using #cleananddelicious.  I just LOVE seeing what you are cooking in your very own clean and delicious kitchen.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:30 minutes

Total Time:45 minutes

Ingredients:

Caesar Salad Recipe

3 hearts of romaine

2 fennel bulbs

Caesar Salad Dressing

1/3 cup yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 clove crushed garlic

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/4 pepper + salt

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can garbanzo beans

1 tablespoons olive  oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Caesar Salad

Chop and wash your romaine lettuce before  running it through your salad spinner. Be sure the lettuce is nice and dry and then pop it into a nice big bowl.

Trim tops off the fennel, slice in half lengthwise and cut out the core.  Then slice each half in half again and cut into quarter moons and add the romaine.

Caesar Salad Dressing

In a small bowl or spouted cup, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, anchovy paste, garlic, dijon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Stir until you have a thick, creamy salad dressing.

Roasted Chickpeas

Pre-heat over to 400ºF.

Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Lay them on a lint-free dishtowel and roll them around to dry them off.

Transfer onto a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss them around to coat the chickpeas with the oil and spices.

Pop in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, giving the pan a shake half way through.

Salad Assembly

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all the veggies with the dressing.  You may not need all of the dressing.  I suggest starting with half and then adding more as needed/wanted.

Store extra dressing in an airtight container.  It will last up to one week in your fridge!

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe): Calories 287 | Total Fat 18.3g | Saturated Fat 3.3g | Cholesterol 8mg | Sodium 530mg | Carbohydrate 25.3g | Dietary Fiber 6.1g | Sugars 2.8g | Protein 8.7g

Source: https://cleananddelicious.com/lighter-caesar-salad-recipe-with-roasted-chickpeas/

[nandelin]

Miraculous Fan Fiction

One Shot- Fluff

Disclaimer 

Miraculous: The tails of Ladybug and Cat Noir are property of Zag Toons and Thomas Astuc. I have no legal right to any of these amazing characters.  This writing is a way of dealing with the long wait for season two.  I would draw pictures to ease the wait, but have not developed sufficient skill at drawing.  If Mr. Zag or Mr. Astuc want me to remove this content, I will do so at any time.  Any similarities between my writing and any future episodes are purely coincidental and happy accidents.  If they happen read any of my stories and like it enough to want to incorporate any of it, they are, of course, free to do so.  I expect no compensation or acknowledgement, although if they wanted to base an akumatized victim after me.... I wouldn’t say no.  

  Adrien Takes a Walk and Makes Some Bread

His breath forming a mist around his face, Adrien dug his hands into his pockets, and shrugged his shoulders against the chill.  Street lights glowed dimly as he made his way down the deserted streets from shadow to shadow, shoes making no sound on the cobble stone. Quiet as a cat, he thought to himself with a slight smile  He had only slept four hours that night. He never seemed to need more, bed by 11 and up by 3.  He would usually study, or shoot some basketball, or read, or sometimes just stare at the ceiling, until Natalie came to tell him it was time to get ready for school.  Now, he had options.  Now, that he could transform into Chat Noir, Paris was open to him, he could and often did go vaulting over rooftops.  The fun, however, was wearing a bit thin.  Without Ladybug around it... it got lonely.  I wonder what she is doing right now? 

His hands in his pockets, he looked down at his feet, as he stepped carefully from cobble stone to cobble stone. Probably sleeping like a normal person.  Even Plagg was fast asleep in his inner shirt pocket.  He had not appreciated the early morning wake up calls, and had dived back into his hiding place, as soon as he could.  It seemed like everyone in Paris was asleep, except for him.  

“Adrien? is that you?” 

Startled, Adrien looked up.  Framed in the warm light of a doorway, stood Mr. Dupain.  His hair and mustache dusted with flour, and the yeasty smell of bread and sweet scent of madeleine’s drifting around him in warm eddies, mixing with the chilly morning breeze.  Adrien realized he had been following that smell for several blocks without being aware of it. 

“Mr. Dupain? what are you doing here. I didn’t think anyone else would be awake this early.”

“I think that’s the question I should be asking you.  Does your father know you’re out at this time of day?  It’s so early, it’s still the middle of the night.”

“Please, don’t tell him.  I couldn’t sleep and I needed to take a walk to clear my head.”

“Well, ok.  I won’t mention it, but you should come inside.  It’s cold out and you look like you could use a hot drink,” Mr. Dupain said, casting a critical eye over the shivery boy.  “I’m not one to brag, but I make the best hot chocolate in all of Paris.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Adrien said gratefully, “Are you sure I won’t be in the way?”

“What? No, of course not,” Mr. Dupain said, “I’d appreciate the company. I don’t get many visitors this early in the day,” putting an arm around Adrien, he ushered him into the warm golden bakery.  “You sit right there while I make you the best hot chocolate in all of Paris.”  Mr. Dupain busied himself with a pan of milk and chunks of dark rich chocolate.  Adrien perched on a stool,  watching everything that Mr. Dupain was doing.  It was fascinating how effortlessly he moved around his bakery.  “You want to know the secret of the best hot chocolate in Paris, my boy?” He asked, as he expertly poured a small white cup to the brim with thick, dark, pudding like liquid.  

“What?” Adrien asked.

Plucking a steaming hot croissant off the racks with a pair of tongs, Mr. Dupain  placed it on a white china plate next to the small, steaming mug of chocolate.  Handing it to Adrian, he said “dipping the best croissant, in all of Paris, into it.”

Adrien happily dipped the steaming croissant into the chocolate and eagerly began to eat.  “This is amazing,” he said his mouth full, “It’s the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.” Chewing happily, Adrien felt a glow inside him, that begin to reflect the warm bakery glow all around him.  “It’s so amazing,” he repeated,  “I wish I could make something like this.”

“Croissants are a bit tricky, but I don’t see why you couldn’t learn,” Mr. Dupain said, “tell me, what baking experience have you had, my boy.”    

Adrien smiled.  “I’ve never even boiled an egg.  We have a personal chef who does all the baking.”

“Well, boiling an egg is technically cooking, not baking, but I get you’re point,” Mr. Dupain said, “If you like, I can give you a few pointers.  A man should always be able to make himself something to eat.  He reached up into the racks of rising bread dough and brought one down.  Picking up a large wooden bread board and sprinkling it liberally with flower, he upended the slightly sticky dough onto it.  “Wash your hands at that sink over there and put this apron on.”

Soon Adrien was up to his elbows in warm yeasty dough.  Punching it down, watching it deflate before he began kneading it over and over,  “You’re good at that, my boy.  It takes muscles and endurance to knead bread the way your doing, not every one can do it properly.  You can use machines to do the kneading of course, but it’s never turns out quite as good.  With your hands in the dough you can feel the bread, have a connection with it.”

A connection.  Can I really feel a connection? Adrien though.  He applied himself to the task, loosing himself in the work of kneading bread dough and shaping loaves.  He didn’t notice when sunlight came streaming into the bakery windows, until a beam moved up to his face, making him blink. Glancing at the clock, Adrien realized it was almost six.  Natalie would be coming soon to tell him it was time to get ready for school. “I’ve got to go.  I don’t want my Dad to worry about me,” he said. 

“Well, It was luck for me, you did wake up early today.  I’ve had time to make some extra tarts this morning.”  He handed Adrien one of the bakeries boxes embossed with the gold TS, “Take this for a snack, and feel free to drop in anytime you can’t sleep.”

Peaking in the box, Adrien was met with the warm sweet fragrance of apple galette.*  “Thanks Mr. Dupain.  I’ve had a really good time.” He said as he hung up his apron.  “But do you mean it?  Can I come back?”

“Of course my boy, of course.  I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.  You have a natural talent, I can tell that already.  Besides, I’ve heard a lot about you from Marinette.  She thinks your something special, and I must say I agree with her.”  

Adrien rubbed the back of his head, blushed and smiled.  “Thanks, Mr. DuPain, Marinette’s pretty great too; and yes, I’d love to come back.  Would tomorrow be too soon?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Smell that?” Mr. Dupain said.    

Adrien raised his nose and inhaled.  The aroma of baguettes, croissants and brioche mingled with the rich aroma of madeleines, and chocolate chip cookies; and there, rising above them all was lemon.  The citrusy fragrance rising high and clear, like a flute solo in an orchestra.  “The lemon cake,” Adrien said excitedly. 

“You’re nose is one of the most important tools when you’re baking,” Mr. Dupain said.  He opened the oven and prodded the cake baking inside of it with a wooden skewer.  “Perfect,” he announced, holding up the skewer so Adrien could see it, a few, fine crumbs clung to it.  

With the oven open, the smell of lemon cake took center stage.  “The timer still has 6 minutes left on it” Mr. Dupain said, as he pulled several cake pans out of the oven and placed them on a rack to cool,  “but if we’d waited, the cakes would have been overdone.”  

“Lemon cake was my mom’s favorite,” Adrien said a wistfully. 

“Was it?  Well, then you should take one home and share it with your father.” Mr. Dupain said kindly.

“Thank you Mr. Dupain, but I don’t see him very much, and we never eat together,” Adrien paused, “I wouldn’t want to waste it.” 

Mr. Dupain watched Adrien for a moment and cleared his throat,  “I’ve been meaning to ask you, how does your father feel about you coming here?” Mr. Dupain said, his warm brown eyes watching Adrien kindly.  “Is he ok with you spending so much time here?”   

“Oh, well,” Adrien said ducking his head slightly, “I guess I haven’t told him.  I don’t think He’d let me come if I did.”

“No, why not?” Mr Dupain asked.

“You don’t know my father.  He has strict ideas of what I should and shouldn’t do: if it’s not his idea, I shouldn't do it. He’s kind of stubborn like that.”

  “I see, my boy, I see.  Well, we’ll talk about this another time then,” Mr. Dupain patted Adrien on the shoulder.  

“Yes sir.” Adrien said, relieved that Mr. Dupain had dropped the subject of his father, “Should I make the glaze for the cakes now?”   

“Let’s wait on that.  They need time to completely cool before we glaze them.  For now, would you please make some macaroons.  I have a last minute order, and I still need to finish the baguettes, before we open.

“Right away,” Adrien said smiling, macaroons were becoming a bit of a specialty for him and he loved making them.   

     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Mr. Agreste will see you now,” Natalie said as she eyed the large man standing in the lavishly decorated foyer, he smells like butter and cinnamon, and chocolate chip cookies. How on earth did a baker get an audience with Mr. Agreste? she wondered, and on such short notice too. Mentally shrugging she turned on her heal and marched into the office, Mr. Dupain following.  

“Thank you Natalie, you may go,” Gabriel Agreste said, standing tall and straight his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out of the window at Paris.   Natalie left, closing the door quietly behind her.

Turning, Gabriel gave a small smile, “Thomas, it’s good to see you, please sit,” he said indicating a pair of matching white upholstered armchairs,    “Its been a while,” he said.  Gabriel took the other chair.   “What can I do for you today?”

“Well, I suppose I came for a two reasons,” Thomas began, “first I’ve been meaning to come by for some time to express my condolences for your loss.  This must be a very hard time for you and your son with your wife... missing.” 

“Yes, it has been difficult, but Adrien and I are managing,” Gabriel said, slumping back into his seat very slightly.    

“The other reason for my visit is actually about your son, Adrien.”

“Adrien?  What about Adrian?” Gabriel sat up straighter in his seat. 

“Well, I don’t know if you are aware, but he has been coming to my bakery from around four to six every morning for the past month and learning to bake.  He mentioned that you didn’t know about it, and as a parent, I feel you need to know where your son is.  I don’t like the idea of you finding him missing and worrying.  Especially after....” Thomas let his words trail off.  

“You were quite right to come to me.  I will inform Adrien, that this will no longer continue.  I am sorry for the bother it has caused you.”

“No, that’s not why I came.  I don’t want Adrien to stop visiting the bakery.  He has a real gift, a real love for it.  He told me, that he has never baked before. He made these this morning.  Please try one.  I couldn’t have done better.  Mr. Dupain held out one of his bakery’s pastry boxes.  

Taking the box Gabriel looked inside at the row of perfectly formed Macaroons, then he looked back at Thomas, “You said Adrien made these?” He picked one up and examined it before he took a bite and chewed quietly, “They are quite good.”   He was silent as he gazed into the distance.  The silence stretched before he finally said. “I’d alway’s hoped Adrien would follow me into the design business.”

“I think we’d all like our children to follow in our footsteps: but sometimes they need to try out different things before they can decide what path they need to take,” Thomas told Gabriel kindly.  He added with a slightly teasing tone, “I remember, you didn’t alway do what you’re father expected either.  You were quite the rebel.  Does it surprise you your son’s inherited a little bit of that?”

“I suppose not,” Gabriel said.

Pressing his advantage Thomas added, “If he continues to come to the bakery, you’ll know where he is.  Who knows where he could end up next time.  This way, you’ll have another person keeping an eye on him.”

  Gabriel gave Thomas a withering look, the kind that sent assistants scrambling and made interviewers stumble over their words.  Thomas looked back at him with wide eyes, and Gabriel noticed his mustache twitch.  Gabriel’s composure cracked and he started laughing.    “Fine, fine” he said, laughter still in his voice, “I’ll let Adrien continue visiting your bakery.  I suppose there are worse things for him to want to do.  Besides,” Gabriel added, “you’ll probably be a good influence on the boy.”

         Glancing at the box that held the macaroons, Gabriel ran a finger over the gold embossed ‘TS.’ “I’m glad to see you’ve updated your design.  Who did the work? It’s quite good.”

          “My daughter did.  She is turning into an amazing artist,” Mr. Dupain said proudly.  She even designed the cover art on the new Jagged Stone album.”

“Did she now?” Mr. Agreste said, as he fingered the embossed pattern, “Your daughter, what is her name?”

“Marinette.”

“Is that the same Marinette who goes to school with Adrien?”

“Sure is.”

“I remember her,” he said.  Pausing he murmured to himself, “the laboring hands of a hat maker.” After a few moments of thought, he turned, and pressed the button on an intercom, “Natalie, we require some tea.  Have the chef send some up,” Turning back to his friend he began, “Thomas, I have a proposition for you, if you are amenable. Why don’t we talk about it over some tea and these tasty macaroons.”   

          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Adrien, please come in here, I wish to talk to you,” Mr. Agreste called to his some as Adrien was leaving to go to school.

“Yes, father?”  He peaked around the door way of his fathers atelier.  Gabriel had his back to his soon, gazing at the painting of his wife.  

Turning, Gabriel addressed his son, “I was visited by Thomas Dupain this morning and he informed me that you are sneaking away from the house early in the morning and working at the Dupain bakery.”

Adrien’s shoulders slumped, “Yes father.”

“I’m sure you understand, this has to stop.”

“Father!” Adrien began, looking up.

“My decision is final.  You will no longer be going there” Mr. Agreste said.  Adrien’s head dropped in defeat. “on school days,” his father added.

Adrien’s looked back up at his father in surprise.  

“If you want to continue going to the bakery, you will do so only on weekends, and only as long as it doesn’t interfere with your other commitments.”

Adrien ran to his father, hugging him, “Thank you.”

Mr Agreste stroked his son’s hair, then stepped back.  “You can thank Mr. Dupain, he convinced me that you deserved a chance to hone your skills in the culinary arts.” Picking a sealed white envelope off his desk, he handed it to Adrien, “ When you go there this Saturday, I require you to give this letter to Miss Marinette DuPain-Cheng.”

“Of course, father,” Adrien said. “What is it?”

“It only seems right that if if Mr. DuPain is going to gain such a promising assistant, that I should get one too, if Mrs. DuPain-Cheng is interested that is.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Perfect timing my boy, I have here,” he brandished a small wicker basket filled with tiny red berries, “the first basket of fraises des bois* this season.  We will have them for breakfast as a family to celebrate your first official day as my weekend apprentice.”  

Running up to Mr. DuPain, Adrien threw his arms around him and squeezed, “How did you do it.  How did you get my father to agree to let me keep coming here?”

Chuckling Mr. DuPain placed the basket of delicate fruit on the counter and enveloped Adrien in a warm hug that smelled like bread and burnt sugar and chocolate chip cookies, “Even your father won’t stand in the way of greatness, and your work here is on it’s way to greatness, my boy.”  After a long moment, he stood up, pretending not to notice the tears in Adrien’s eyes. “Well, we have a lot to get done, so lets get started.”  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Marinette, breakfast is ready, time to get up.” Mrs DuPain-Cheng called up the stairs.

“Coming Mama,” Yawning, Marinette descended the stairs that led from her bedroom into the kitchen, “Good Morning, Mama.  Good Morning, Papa” she kissed each in turn.  “Good Morning, Adrien,” she said rubbing her eyes.  Taking a seat at the table she began reaching for a fresh Croissant, but paused mid motion.  Something was different.  Oh, I must still be sleeping.  She thought, I’ve had these dreams before, were I’m getting ready in the morning, but I’m really not because I’m still dreaming. That must be it.  There is no way Adrien would be sitting at my breakfast table.  She glanced down to make sure she wasn’t naked.  Pink pajama bottoms and white shirt in place. Good.  It’s not one of THOES dreams.  “

“Morning Marinette,” Adrien said brightly, “I hope you like the croissants.  I made them myself,” he added.

“I’m sure they are amazing, just like you,” she loved dreams.  You could say anything in a dream.  Picking up the pastry, she pealed off a flaky section and absently put it in her mouth.  It was warm and buttery with just a hint of sweetness.  It was perfect.  And.... It... was... REAL!  Blinking she looked around.  Her mom and dad were here and Adrien.... Adrien was really here.  Adrien was really HERE!  He looked a bit startled and was blushing slightly.  Wait.... what did I say  Amazing.  I called him Amazing.... Adrien is here... sitting at my breakfast table... and I called him Amazing.   “What, what, ah, Adrien what are... I mean why... I mean...” she put her face in her hands, “I don’t know what I mean.”

“Marinette,” her dad put his hand on Adrien’s shoulder, “I’d like to introduce you to my new apprentice.  Adrien’s going to be helping me out on the weekends.”

“Isn’t it exciting?” her mom said.

“It sure is,” Marinette said, “but how?  I mean why. I mean, what’s going on?”

As they ate breakfast, Adrien recounted the tale of his nighttime excursions and how he had been helping her father in the bakery, with her father adding details along the way.  

“I was sure I mentioned that Adrien has been helping me,”  her father said to her.  Marinette gave him an exasperated look, “I didn’t?  Are you sure.  Well, it must have slipped my mind.”

“Oh... Marinette,” Adrien said, “before I forget; I have this letter for you,” Adrien handed Marinette a heavy velum envelope with her name written carefully and precisely on the front.

Distracted from strangling her father in the middle of the kitchen, She opened the envelope and began to read.  “It’s an invitation to study design with you’re father,” she said, eye’s going wide.

Greetings Miss Dupain-Cheng, 

I am offering you the opportunity to study design with me at my studio Saturday and Sunday mornings.  If this is amenable to you, please arrive at my house this Saturday, at 8 O'clock sharp.  Adrien will escort you.

Regards

Gabriel Agreste 

“What does it say? Adrien asked.  Marinette’s handed him the letter. “Wow, for my Dad, that’s positively wordy.”

“What time is it,” Glancing up at the clock, “Oh My Goodness, it’s 7:30.  I’ve got to get ready!”  She ran back up the stairs to her room.

At 10 minutes to eight, Adrien’s Body Guard showed up to drive them to the Agreste house.  Her father and mother waved them off. “I have a feeling Marinette’s going to start getting up much earlier on the weekends from now on.” Mr. Dupain said putting his arm around his wife.

Snuggling into her husbands embrace she smiled as she waved at the departing black car, “They are made for each other.”

  Author’s Notes:

      I imagine Adrien is the kind of person who doesn’t need much sleep.  My Grandmother was like that.  (Four hours a night was all she ever needed.  That lady got a lot done.) Adrien is so accomplished and so on top of his studies, plus his extra Chinese lessons and fencing not to mention his extra curricular kitty activities, and when it’s time for him to model; he’s good to go.  He might just be one of those very luck people, who only need cat naps.  (see what I did there?)    

I got to thinking, He is so accomplished, he has all of these different things going for him, but he never gets to choose what he wants to do.  His father makes him  participate in different activities, and admittedly Adrien is seems to excel at what ever he puts his hand to, but wouldn’t it be interesting and not just a little bit convenient, if Adrien found his passion in baking.  I feel like there would also be the appeal of him bonding with a warm father figure like Mr. Dupain.  I really want to see more development in Adrien’s character.  

I also loved the idea that Thomas Dupain and Gabriel Agreste would know each other, perhaps have even been good friends when they were in school.  Children are often don’t realize their parents had lives before they were born.     

        Apple Gallette is kind of apple tart, with a thin crust and very thinly sliced apples that melt in your mouth.

       Fraises des bois* is a variety of French strawberry.  It’s only available for a short time and bruises easily, so they can’t be shipped for commercial purposes and the only way to have them, is to either grow them yourself, or to know a source who does.  I’ve never tasted one, but I’ve read they taste very much like wild strawberries.  Someday I shall go to France during the spring, when they are available and eat as many as I can.        

       Thank You for reading my story.  If you have any questions or comment, I would love to hear them.  I endeavor to edit my work, but there will probably be some mistakes.  I play fast and loose with grammar; some is intentionally wrong, some is unintentionally wrong, and there are the occasional formatting errors.  If something jumps out at you, let me know and I will correct it... Maybe.  Any copying and pasting and passing this off as your work, is called plagiarism.  Will I report you with out warning?  Yes.  Will I sue you?  Probably not. 

       If my work inspires you to make art or re-imagine the idea, please share it with me.  I’d love to see what you do, you amazing creative person you.      

#miraculous

#miraculous ladybug

#adrien agreste

#mlfluffmonth

#miraculous fanfiction

#Adrienette

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