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miss-kittys-magical-library · 3 years ago

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Leon & cuddles 🥰

A Spoonful of Sugar

(A Leon x Honey One Shot)

Word Count: 1500

Warnings: None. Not a one.

A/N: Leon decides to have a conversation with his little girl before she's born. And then five years after. @crabstick requested fluffy Kostas cuddling.

Not long after Leon turned 26, Honey started to show. It was the tiniest bump on the tiniest woman he ever loved. Her stomach, he thought, looked like she had swallowed a small melon. Which Leon thought was funny because every book he secretly perused in the library said the baby was a turnip.

Honey started to wear skirts and dresses more often. Clothes she sewed from scraps or outright stole from Jonny. Occasionally Leon's shirts would end up on her, a belt below her breasts to make it suitable. Anything to hide the coming changes.

They decided her pregnancy was nobody’s business which made their living arrangements harder. Honey and Jonny fought over the bed. Leon was torn between them. He gave up begging Honey to tell just him, just his best friend. But she would hold her stomach and her ground until her fiancé relented.

But then, in the middle of the night, Honey would cry. She would beg Leon’s forgiveness about the secrecy. That she didn't mean to be such a bitch. How she worried she wasn't attached enough to their daughter.

Leon held Honey in his arms and kissed away the tears. “Gracie, it's your body. You aren't a bitch. You’re just scared about being a mum. Your family isn't here to help is all.” He rubbed his nose along the top of her head. “You're really certain the turnip’s a girl?” His family was mostly men. Honey’s family was mostly men. How could they be so lucky?!

Honey would twist herself up in Leon's hair. Her fingers untangled a curl and watched it spring back in place. It crept past his shoulders. There were times she couldn't tell his from hers when they laid together, it was so long now. His mustache and goatee were slowly starting to follow.

“Our daughter from the future told me!” Her sudden laughter rang through Leon’s entire body. “And you! But not you?” Honey’s arm tightened around his waist.

“From the future? Blimey, why would I still look like this if I was from twenty years in the future?! Reckon I'll still be fit at fifty? If that girl was this baby, maybe he was our son?”

Leon started off teasing, but now he grew serious. His green eyes stared at the window while his eyebrows scrunched in thought. There it was, Honey grinned. His mouth slacked open. She kissed it deeply, her tongue a distraction.

Leon pretended to whine her name inside of her lips. Then in one dizzying motion, he laid Honey on her back. She shrieked in delight as he propped up on his arms. His hair hung down in waves on either side of her face before he leaned down to kiss her again.

Honey locked her knees around Leon's hips. She responded to his mouth and tongue when they blazed a path from her breasts to her bellybutton. He held her back in an arched position that made her believe he was going to keep heading south inside of her legs.

When he got to Honey’s stomach, Leon stopped. He brushed just the tip of his nose along the swell in her skin and muscles and womb. He kissed the bump tenderly before pressing the side of his face to it.

“Hello, poppet.” Leon’s greeting was soft and melodic. “I know Mummy talks and sings to you. She is simply mad for you already. Honestly, I am too. I might have to tell her that bit more often.

Honey took a ragged breath. Silent tears spilled down her cheeks. Her fingers combed through Leon’s mane while he kept on holding her and talking. His beard and warm breath sent goose pimples along her skin.

“Mummy says you're going to be a little girl. Are you then? You’ll be the first on both sides. All of your mummy’s side is boys, and I'm the only one on my side. Oh you'll have loads of cousins because I have loads of them, but I'm an only child. Wasn't always like that. My brother died when I was 16. So whether your mama likes it or not, you'll have to accept Uncle Jonny. And Mama will give in to telling him about you. Right?”

Honey snorted and rolled her eyes. She hated when Leon was right. But she also hated only finding out right now Toula and Nick had another son. Still that was her fiancé’s business, and she knew he would've eventually told her when he was ready.

“I think one day you'll have a brother of your own. But you'll be bigger than him and will have to take care of him. Kostas men don't do well without a woman to kick us in the arse,” Leon laughed. He kissed Honey's stomach again.

“Don't tell your mum, but I hope you are like her. Her long hippie hair, and those soft curved hips she's always planting her fists on. Her lovely, big dark eyes and cheek. Bloody hell I hope you have her cheek. I quite resemble a drunk giraffe, so it's best if you look like her.”

“Leon,” Honey tried to interject.

“I mean that! How lucky could I get to have two of you?” Leon squeezed Honey tightly in his arms. He spoke to her as much as her stomach while they both clung to each other. “And I can't bloody wait to find out what she's called.”

Honey had a name in mind, but didn't want to jinx it. “How about Sugar for now?” The moniker came out tentatively. Like she was trying it on for the first time.

He buried his face completely in Honey's body now. There was a humming that his fiancée immediately recognized and whinged playfully, “LEON NOOOO! Don't! I'll sing it for days!”

“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!! The medicine go doooownnn!! The medicine go down! Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down! In a most delightful way!” He belted at the top of his lungs with an exaggerated Cockney accent while he sang.

“STOP!!” Honey begged, but Leon only held her like a vice.

“NO!! You're stuck with it as long as we have a little one!”

He reached up and placated his partner with a kiss before lying back down on the pillows beside her. His arms around Honey's shoulder and across her chest. She settled down into his chest before falling asleep immediately. Leon hummed himself to bed not much after.

---

“PAAAPPPAAA!! SING!”

“Seeelinnnaaa it's 4 in the morning. You'll wake the dead with that whinging!! And Sunny!! Enough!”

“Yía yía says Sunny will gobble up flies in his sleep,” the little girl pointed at her brother. His mouth opened wide while he slept nearly upside down in his own bed.

“Oh yeah? Don't you reckon Ben will snatch them first?” The massive raven raised its head from under a wing to gaze at Leon and the little girl. “Πήγαινε πίσω για ύπνο (Go back to sleep).”

To Leon's shock, it obeyed. He turned back to his daughter who stared up at him with her large dark eyes. Honey's eyes. How he loved to look into them. She got to her knees and held his face in her hands, a deadly serious look on her own.

“I need you. To sing me. To sleep, Papa.”

“Am I being threatened by a five year old?!”

Selina batted her eyelashes; Leon snorted. Of course he gave in to her. As long as his little girl breathed, he would do anything for her. Even if that was to sing to her at 4am.

So her daddy scooped her up in his arms. He cuddled her. One large hand cradled her head so she could hear his heart beating for her. Like it did for Honey. Like it did for Nicklaus. And maybe a part of Leon was ashamed, but maybe not, because it drummed loudest for Selina.

“A robin feathering his nest has very little time to rest while gathering her bits of twine and twig,” he sang at about a quarter of the original tempo. The lovely song became a lullaby over the years.

The little girl joined in between yawns, “A spoonful of meee helps the med-cine go down.. Papa?” she asked. “What's that mean?”

“That yucky stuff is better with sugar.”

And that was true Leon thought as he fell asleep sitting up with Selina in his arms. Nicklaus made his world brighter. Honey held him together. But Leon's life was sweeter with Sugar.

Tag: @neuroticpuppy @bisexualnathanyoung @elliethesuperfruitlover @magic-multicolored-miracle @nightmonsters @super-unpredictable98 @vonkimmeren @messengeronthemoon @frogs--are--bitches @070188 @the-freckled-luba @forenschik @firstpersonnarrator @duck-noises @a-ghoulish-tale

#robert sheehan #robert sheehan character fic #leon x honey #selina #robert sheehan fluff #100+ followers event

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alatismeni-theitsa · 4 years ago

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I just find RS’s insistence to remove all incest from Greek myth such a weird hill to die on. How can you clutch your pearls over that then make Hades, who did not have this in myth, own eternal slaves and brag about it? Or remove incest just so he is in power, but Persephone’s family is ripped apart? Why must Hades’ family stay in tact but hers can’t? Persephone in myth has far stronger ties to family than Hades does, who at best only interacts with Zeus and Hermes, meanwhile Persephone has strong ties to her mother, grandmother, great grandmother, her sisters, brothers, and countless friends. Why is she the isolated one out of the two? Is it because if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t have to rely on him and likely not want to be around LO Hades/have protection from him? Because if so that speaks more to how bad of an option Hades is over her family/friends being the bad ones. She should love him despite better options, not being the only option.

It’s also strange since RS says she likes Egyptian mythology, which literally has incest baked into every facet for real life purposes. How can she accept that but not a far lesser extreme in Greek myth? For all the “problematic” elements in the pantheon, at least the Greeks did condemn incest in mortals. Did she just skip over Oedipus in her claimed hours of research? I just don’t get it. None of the choices behind this make sense.

You raise good points.

And also, it’s not exactly “incest” because they are GODS, and the phenomenon of gods having children with each other exists in many many cultures around the world. The siblings Toula and Takis from the village having a child is not the same as Zeus and Hera having a child.

As you pointed out, ancient Greeks (and most cultures around the world) were against incest. But their pantheons still reproduced this way. It’s just how it works. It’s ✨ context ✨ ! That’s why we study cultures and we just don't assume stuff about them based on our own background.

If RS knew that Persephone was Hades' “niece” and felt that was incest, then WHY does she ship them? Or did she just invent a story in her head, where Persephone was made out of clay and "felt” this was a good option? xD

Also, the comic is particularly “cold” when it comes to issues such as nepotism, labor exploitation, and age difference, telling its audience through the narrative “well, these things happen in this universe and in reality, suck it up and grow up”. But somehow, the family ties of the gods (which are written down in real, historical texts) are too much for people to bear.

Like, does she think that people don’t know about H and P being “uncle and niece” by human standards?? Or they won’t find out? And, if her audience frets about the family relation of H and P they shouldn't be reading Greek mythology stories to begin with. Either you get into a mythology and you understand it and read stories in context, or you only accept watered-down and westernized versions of it. I bet RS’ stans think themselves as very inclusive and progressive but they’d rather do the latter.

#anti lo #answered

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karla-the-elemental-dreamer · 3 years ago

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Response to Question 2

Q2: Pick a Disney World (canon to KH) and write your interaction as if you were subbing in for Sora.

Writing Method: For this question, I am free in my interaction with characters. The Kingdom Hearts universe already knows me; and I am Riku’s dreamer under my lore. (In question 3′s response, they will not know me, and Riku isn’t necessarily my dream guide (does not follow my directed lore)).

Also note: For RPs, my response would obviously be one-sided and I wouldn’t be playing someone else’s character, but because this isn’t a roleplay and just a story; I have to be all characters here. Thanks for understanding.

Answer: --------------------------------------------------------------------

Sora was still trapped in Quadratum, Riku was in Quadratum trying to save Sora, and Kairi was undergoing her keyblade training with Aqua.

Just a short while before Riku left for Quadratum, he was talking to me in a side room of the Mysterious Tower, to make sure I would be okay without him for a bit. As he was asking me if I would be, I said I’d miss him, but then I also twitched my nose at him. “What’s that about?”, he asked, slightly chuckling. “I know what you’re going to do to Kairi. I can smell it”. “What do you mean?”. I answered, “You’re going to make her redundant”. Riku stuttered and stopped me, “It’s not like that”. “Okay maybe I shouldn’t have sounded so harsh; I mean you’re going to tell her she can’t come with you because she’s not strong enough”. Riku blushed and then sighed. “You do know that Quadratum is a dangerous place and I’d be heartbroken if any of my friends or my dreamer didn’t make it back alive”. I bowed my head and nodded. “I guess you have a point. I don’t have to come with you, but I don’t want to be made redundant either”. “What do you have in mind?”, he wondered. “If there is anything I would be able to do back here to ensure that you are always moving forward”. “Well... You are good at connecting with people like Sora is. Tell you what. If any of our Disney friends call for help from other worlds, you can go and help them. But you have to take Donald and Goofy with you”. As much as I was friendly with Donald and Goofy, I wanted to put my own unique spin on situations, but I realised that Riku wanted them with me to protect me. And so I ended up making a compromise. “Would it be okay if I brought the teddies along instead? Just so I’d be able to do things my way”. Riku stopped to think for a bit, his finger on his chin, looking down as he pondered. “I guess that’ll be alright, but don’t you go it alone. I’m going to go to the Fairy Godmother now”. Riku hugged me as he then walked out and shut the door of the room behind him, leaving me sitting on the bed.

About two weeks later, Master Yen Sid had called me up to his chamber as one of the Disney Worlds needed help. “Oh dear, what happened to that place?”. Master Yen Sid responded, “Ursula came back, and she wants to poison all the sea creatures, turning them into heartless. Only Ariel’s grotto is safe as her Father used magic on that place, but then his trident was taken by the already existing heartless, so the rest of Atlantica is under Ursula’s spell, and King Triton was expelled to the human islands, locked away in a cave”.

“Well thankfully I materialised a keyblade about 2 months ago; only using it when I really need to. So I guess this is one time I’ll need to go over there and take out the heartless?”. Master Yen Sid sighed, but quickly composed himself as a wise ancient sorcerer would. “I really wish you would train and become a wielder, but I suppose you have impressed Riku in the past with your unique approach to things, some the guardians never thought possible. However, upon leaving for his journey to rescue Sora, Riku said that you must be guarded”. “I honestly think he’s more anxious because he’s obviously got the fear of Quadratum in his mind; but if I’m treating him as a father figure, then I don’t want to disown him. Thanks to a compromise, he did say I could take my own guards”. Master Yen Sid smiled, “Very good. Go and get those two bears of yours and make it to Atlantica and back safely”.

-- Time Skip --

Upon talking to the two bears for a bit to brief them on the task Selvian and Sierra panicked. “We can’t swim!” yelled Selvian. “Oh, the water’s going to go up my dress”, cried Sierra. Out of frustration, I had face-palmed onto the study desk in the room. “What’s wrong Mistress?”. “Donald and Goofy have the right magic, but they could cramp my style, whereas I’d much rather go with you guys, but you’d just go all sopping soggy and drown”. “I mean you could take us to Master Yen Sid and ask him what to do with us”, suggested Selvian.

-- Time Skip --

Master Yen Sid: “Ah yes, special magic is needed if you are to survive in that place. Go and see Merlin and perhaps he could instil some magic into you, effective for when you enter that realm”.

-- Time Skip --

Merlin: “Oh dash it all! Nothing’s going right today. You and your infernal data program that solved nothing. Confound it all, Cid, that computer might be new, but I can break it again”. Yuffie: “Someone’s knocking”. Merlin yelling from frustration: “Oh just come in already!”.

The door swung wide open as I wondered in with the teddies, my eyes wide, looking like a stunned fish from Merlin’s yelling. “Oh it’s you”, said Merlin in a tone of relief and somewhat excitement. “Did something happen?”, I asked him. “I have just been sitting here, countless hours doing nothing, while the slow loading times of Cid’s nonsense program consumes my system and my patience”. Cid: “Hey it’s not my fault this thing’s not workin’ the way it should.

As Merlin went over to blast some more words at Cid, Aerith approached us and asked what it was that we were in need of. Karla (me): “You see, there’s something going on in one of the Disney worlds that we need to attend to; the underwater world of Atlantica. However, the teddies aren’t built for any magic changes, so if they enter the world unprepared, they could be at risk from dying, or at least suffocating very badly”. Aerith: “I see. While once Merlin’s finished with Cid, I’m sure he could help you guys come up with a way to all make it to that place”. -- Time Skip -- Merlin: “Now let’s see. If you two could come over to the crystal ball with me, I think we need to have a look at your past life and perhaps we can gauge something from that. Sierra: “Past... Life...?”. Merlin: “Yes, if I am not mistaken, you two were humans in your past life”. Sierra: “I didn’t even know we had a past life”. Merlin: “Well of course no one would know, or you wouldn’t live your current life very diligently”. Selvian: “I don’t want to know what I was like in my past life”. Merlin: “Oh it’s not a matter of actions. It’s more a matter of looks so I have some sort of reference with how to make the mermaid magic. Teddy bears can’t have mermaid features in-built into them, but humans can”.

Selvian: “What is he asking us, Mistress?”. Karla (me): “I think you need to be turned into humans when you go into Atlantica”. Both bears screamed, and all of a sudden, went running frantically across the house.

-- Time Skip [Play KH minigame of having to catch the bears and bring them back to Merlin] -- Both bears could no longer afford to scream and were panting from exhaustion, though their hearts still beating fast with crippling anxiety. “Mistress? Are you sure about this? You will never be seen the same way in Riku’s eyes again”. I answered Selvian, “Well nothing’s happening to me now is it?”. He replied, “No, but because of us”. “I doubt Riku would drop me because you just need to act the same way and things will be fine. I do remember him saying that a good friend would see you for who you are, no matter what face you wear”. Merlin: “Exactly, nothing to be afraid about at all. Your young lass knows it all. Now give me a moment as I look into your past existence... Hmm... Let me see here... We have Rajeet Singh, Raj for short, and Toula Koziakis”. Karla (me): “Wait; so I’ll have to call them Raj and Toula?! What is this!?”, as I threw my hands up in the air. Merlin: “Their human names are a necessity in order to keep the integrity of the World Order”.

-- Time Skip (and note: Selvian -> Raj, Sierra -> Toula) --

Karla (me): “Ariel, hi; I hope you’re okay despite all the stuff that’s going on in Atlantica”. Ariel: “Oh, who are you?”. Karla: “I am a visitor from Kingdom Hearts, and I’ve been sent here with a couple of friends because we heard your world was in danger from Ursula and her desire for many heartless inhabitants”. Ariel: “Is Sora here too?”. Karla: “Unfortunately Sora couldn’t make it. You see, he’s trapped in a realm of his own. Somebody else is keeping him prisoner, and so there are friends that are saving him. I am the dreamer of his best friend Riku, and I have been sent, along with my friends Raj and Toula, to help you guys out. Raj and Toula are out fighting the heartless, but they managed to get me into this grotto with some of the magic a wizard Merlin gave them”. Ariel: “What’s your name?”. Karla (me): “Karla”. Ariel: “Oh, well in that case Karla, come to the top and I can tell you everything”. Karla: “But I thought your were living a life with Eric”. Ariel: “As much as I love my Eric, I remember all the times I broke my daddy’s heart, and I realised I missed him, so I came back to stay with him for a while. Only that’s when Ursula came back, and she said that all the inhabitants of the sea were ungrateful, and that she would make all of them obey her and grant false wishes to the humans on the coast”. Karla: “I see, wishes with conditions”.

Karla: “Excuse me for a second”. I swam to the furthest wall and as I placed an ear against it, the sound was amplified, I could hear Raj singing, followed by Ursula. I said to myself, “Raj can sing!?... I mean... He could? In his past life?”. Ariel swam down to join me. “What’s that?”. Karla: “Nothing super important. I just never knew my friend could sing”. Ariel: “Oh, I was certainly impressed when I heard Eric for the first time”. Karla: “Raj isn’t my lover; just one of my friends along with Toula”. Ariel: “Oh well he’s still someone you care about, isn’t he? You remind me a lot of Sora”. Karla: “As much I don’t like bragging, I will say that I have the heart of Sora, but the wit of Riku, so I am half-way between them”. ------------------------------------------------------------- END OF RESPONSE (otherwise this would go on for way too damn long lol. I have a habit of writing long stories. This was initially going to be shorter, but I had so much fun while writing it, hence why I added a lot before the actual Disney interaction scene. The story would have also been a monster without all the time-skips).

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go-events · 5 years ago

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GO Rom Com Spotlight: @raiining

The wonderful @raiining has claimed My Big Fat Greek Wedding to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.

For reference, here’s some information about the source material!

Synopsis of My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Everyone in the Portokalos family worries about Toula (Nia Vardalos). Still unmarried at 30 years old, she works at Dancing Zorba's, the Greek restaurant owned by her parents, Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan). After taking a job at her aunt's travel agency, she falls in love with Ian Miller (John Corbett), a teacher who is tall, handsome and definitely not Greek. Toula isn't sure which will be more upsetting to her father, that Ian is a foreigner or that he's a vegetarian.

We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @raiining (also here on Ao3) a little better!

* * *

goromcom: You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that I was delighted to see that yours reports that you "post about #omg and #lol." Which is a mood for 2020.

raiining: Bahahaha, I forgot that about tumblr. #omg and #lol seems accurate.

goromcom: You chose to adapt My Big Fat Greek Wedding as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?

raiining: Yes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an absolute favourite and, coincidentally?--one of the view movies on the list you circulated that I recognized/have actually seen. I have got to sit down and actually watch When Harry Met Sally one day because I have never seen it and I feel this is likely a terrible thing. But yes, MBFGW is an awesome movie and a favourite. I have a big family but not nearly as big as in the movie, so I can relate without it being all too painful. I also like how the suspense of the movie isn't so much "getting them together" as it is "making this work."

... so of course I want to use it to talk about Aziraphale and Crowley and their relationships with Heaven and Hell, and also Heaven and Hell's relationships with each other, and, also, I'm going to make my fic hinge on the fact that when this all starts Crowley and Aziraphale aren't actually in a romantic relationship and so "getting them together" is going to be a big part of the plot. Because why not.

goromcom: What's your favorite moment of your chosen rom com, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?

raiining: My favourite moment is the one I'm pretty sure I'm going to use in my summary, which is having Gabriel say "Well, he might as well meet the whole family."

goromcom: Hoo boy, Crowley, brace yourself!

Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?

raiining: As I alluded to above, I'm going to be making some changes. I love AUs (and am currently writing two of them because I am terrible) but I really love the idea of NOT making this an AU and instead playing cut-and-paste. I'm going to use the idea that Heaven and Hell view the fact that Aziraphale and Crowley have lived together for a "year and a day" as the fact that they are already, in celestial minds, married. Gabriel has the (in his opinion) brilliant idea to use this as a way to make Aziraphale's situation seem officially sanctioned and not heretical and/or something that leads to other angels asking questions. So Heaven decides that they need to get married, and Crowley needs to be Officially introduced to Heaven, and then of course Beezlebub is not an idiot and isn't going to let Heaven steal all the good bits of this PR disaster, so... *rubs hands together* .. so I'm having fun, is basically what I'm saying. ;)

goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?

raiining: I'm going to have Heaven play the part of the Portokalo's and Hell the Millar's, even though, going by personality, it should be the opposite way around. I'm definitely going to have fun with that, too.

goromcom: I love a good switcheroo!

I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.

raiining: Hiding half the kid's Christmas presents and bringing them out in July to shouts of, "Wow! New presents!" is awesome.

goromcom: Christmas in July is awesome!

There you have it! GO adaptation of My Big Fat Greek Wedding coming to an Ao3 near you soon!

#goromcom #good omens #goromcom spotlight #raiining #my big fat greek wedding

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mjrwritesalot · 5 years ago

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The Con that Started it All

365 Days of Jensen - Day 1 Jensen X Reader (eventual) Words 2134 A/N: reviving my 365 days of Jensen series - and reediting it since tumblr was a jerk..

++++

“How the hell do you manage to keep up, especially being pregnant?”

You let out a laugh and shake your head. “I guess I’m just used to it. I’ve got three more at home, and they’re all mobile and busy.” You finally had some time off, and after spending the first day of Vegas Con alone, you decided to join up with your friends and their activities. Allison and Kori had been more than happy to include you in on their activities for the day, and between the few panels you wanted to see on the first day, you had been quite busy. “I want to know how you were able to sing that song at Karaoke last night.” You look to Allison who had stopped to take a drink of water. She looks to her girlfriend and smiles. “You’re used to it?” “Yes, and when I can drink, you should see me belt those songs. Inhibitions are out the window.” You laugh. “Oh, I’m getting hungry. We should stop in here. I heard they’re really good.” You point to Hash House, and give them a nod. “Yes! We must feed the pregnant lady!” Kori laughs, pointing to the sky as if making a declaration. “Maybe you should call Toula and David, wake them up and have them join us. (Y/N) would love to meet them.” You shrug your shoulders. “Well, Toula sounds Greek and Greek people are really cool people, so I’m down with meeting some more new friends.”

“So, we’ve been talking. Since you’re pregnant, we can’t really tell what type of fan you are?” David asks after you had finished lunch. You were all digesting and just sitting around. You give him a surprised chuckle, which made his wife Toula elbow him hard in the ribs. “What do you mean?” “Don’t scare off new friends David, why do you ask every supernatural fan how big of a fan they are? They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t big fans.” “But then there’s big fans, who like go to every convention and event and thing they do, or there’s the first timer. And I can’t pinpoint who you are.” You smile at David and shrug your shoulders. “WAIT!” Kori squeals. “It’s your first con? How did I not know this?” “Guilty as charged. I got on the website and picked the closest one to where my sister lives. And it happened to be Supernatural or Stranger Things, and I never got into that show. I’ll stay with my sister before I fly out to Austin. This seemed smartest.” “You’re a con virgin. This is so awesome.” Toula laughs, giving Allison a high five. “I’m betting that you’ve lost your con virginity then, by the way you’re acting?” you ask. “Uh huh. Went to Vegas last year. This’ll be my second.” Allison said. “It’s Kori’s first, and we met Toula last year.” “And it’s my third. David’s second. I dragged him along last year and he seems to like it. Maybe borderline obsessed.” Toula looks to her husband and gives him a face. David rolls his eyes and leans forward, making it a point to only include you in his next question. “Since you just picked the closest one, are you even a Supernatural fan? Like are you current to what’s aired?” he asks. “Yeah. I’m current. Dean died and went to hell, right?” you laugh at his perplexed look. “I’m kidding. I’ve got a thirteen year old. She’s obsessed with Supernatural. We had to get cable so she can watch it that night.” “I still don’t believe it and I’ve known you for over a decade. You look good for having a thirteen year old. And really young.” Allison smiles. “Like what can I do to have good genes when I’ve got a thirteen year old?” “How old do y’all think I am? I could be ancient.” “Mid twenties.” Toula nods with everyone. “Close enough. Thirty one. Had my oldest at eighteen.”

After two days of non stop fun, after Saturday night and the concert, you were tired and ready for a few minutes alone to your thoughts.

Once you were done at the convention, you would fly out of Vegas, and start your new life with your kids, in a new city and a new state. Everyone told you that Austin Texas was the perfect place for the art scene, and your small business would flourish. Then you found out you were pregnant and it changed everything quickly. Your parents took your girls and drove your moving van to Texas while you had one last weekend to yourself. Your ex didn’t want to be a father any more, and wanted to head off on his own adventure with his newest model. Granted you were only thirty one, and you’ weren’t old by standards – it hurt that he replaced you and his daughters for someone else. After a long talk with Harper your oldest, and then Sage and Piper your baby – you finally felt ready to get back to the group and have fun.

“You look like you could use some company. You okay?” You look up to watch Jensen Ackles – the Jensen Ackles – placing a can of sprite in front of you. “Yeah. Not sure actually.” You sigh, putting down your phone. “I can leave.” You wait a few seconds, weighing the options in front of you. Being alone to sit in your thoughts, or spend a few minutes – even if it’s a few – with Jensen Ackles. “No. No. I could actually use some company.” You lean back, showing off your four month bump a little better. “No husband with you?” he pulls out a chair and sit with you. “No husband.” You look up at him with a smile, but in a second he can tell how fake your smile is. “Uh oh. Someone in the dog house?” “No. I actually don’t have a husband. He didn’t think his daughters or I were good enough for him.” He let’s out a loud exhale. “Shit. I’m sorry I – ” “It’s okay. I’ve had about three months to get used to the idea of single parenting.” You rub your stomach a few times and accept the cup of sprite, taking a long sip. “How far along are you?” He leans back and takes a drag of his beer and puts the bottle down. “Four months.” “Damn, what an asshole.” You laugh and tap your cup to his glass. “Can’t say I disagree. But enough about me, what are you doing here of all places?” “It’s small, quiet. Good drinks. Pretty company.” You scoff, trying to wave him off. “No. I’m serious. You’re pretty. And the company I’d rather have.” “What, Jared not pretty enough?” you laugh. “Yeah, he’s okay. But again, you’re prettier.” “Well,” you motion to the empty booth and table you were at. “I am so busy. So, I don’t know how much attention I’ll pay to you.” “Okay, so you’re sarcastic and sassy. Tell me, are you team Dean or team Sam? Keep you busy dodging my question.” “How do you know that I’m here for the convention?” He laughs and looks down. “I would have not asked, but you’ve got a bracelet on for the panels today. I assumed.” “Well, you know what assume spells, right?” You lean forward as much as your stomach lets you and give him a big smile. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Seriously. Because if you’re a Sam girl, I won’t even waste my time.” “Oh no. Don’t go. I actually like you, despite your shorter stature.” You smile. “Short. Woman.” He shakes his head, but glances at you as you start to laugh. “Tell you what. You guess. I have a thirteen year old who’s obsessed with Supernatural and I let her name our new dogs. If you guess right, I’ll tell you what team I’m on.” “Only if I can see what kind of dogs they are to wager my guess.” He replies. “You just want my phone.” You counter. You don’t know where your confidence was coming. You usually had to be drunk to talk this boldly with a guy – especially Jensen. “Maybe I do. Maybe I want to give you my number.” He holds out his hand, almost expecting you to give him the phone. “Aren’t you married?” you ask. “No. I’m not. So you aren’t a rabid fan, because they obviously know I’m divorced.” “No offense Jansen,” you make it a point to mess up his name, and he smiles and shakes his head. “I’ve got three girls, one’s a teen and I’ve got one on the way. I have no time to Google you and find out all about your life. If I’m ever curious, I’ll have Harper do it.” “You have a teenager?” he asks skeptically. “How old are you?” “You know that’s like the worst thing you can ask a woman, right?” you take a sip of your drink and lean back. “Like, no one asks a girl their age. We give it to you if we’re feeling nice.” “Come on, I’m terrible at guessing.” “Fine, I’ll give you a clue. I was a senior in high school when I had my oldest.” “And she’s a teen?” he asks. You nod slowly. “Well, if she’s just in her first year of being a teen, she’d be thirteen. So I’m guessing you’re twenty–nine, thirty?” “Impressive. Low balling my age. I like.” You laugh. “You’re older?” you nod. “Thirty–one?” “Bingo. Good guessing, for being such a terrible guesser.” You tease. “Now, here’s the phone, those are my dogs on the background. Let’s see if you can guess these guys’ name.” “Well,” he pauses, and you can tell he’s typing something into your phone. You’re sure that he’s putting his number in. “I’d like to think that you’re a Dean girl, so I’m going to guess that one is at least Winchester. Baby?” “Nope. Well, one you got right, the other not so much.” “Well, the Pit Bull looks like a Winchester. Tough guy.” He laughs. “Although you are correct with the name, he’s an absolute pansy.” You reply. “Hmmmm, so I’m thinking that German shepherd is actually a girl, and your daughter named her Ellen. Or Jo.” “Nope. Not a girl. It’s a boy.” You correct. “I picked two boy dogs just because we have enough estrogen in our house.” “Okay. Okay. How about Dean?” he asks with a laugh. He takes a drink and leans back. “Not bad for being bad at guessing. The kids love calling out “Dean Winchester” and people see two dogs running towards us. Just as funny as my mom thought it’d be funny calling two of her horses Bradley and Cooper.” “You’re joking…” “I wish I were. There was a time when my family was normal. Then my daughter wanted to name the dogs, and it all went downhill from there.” He lets out a deep chuckle and sighs. “Care if I join you?” “Isn’t that what you’re already doing Jansen?” “No. I’m sitting off to the side. Can I join you in the booth?” “Ah,” you put your legs down, offering the space next to you. “I guess so.”

“Hey, we need to get you to bed. You have a panel tomorrow. Multiple panels.” You look down to your phone just in time to see it turn to 3:00 AM. “Wow, would you look at that. Time has sure passed quickly.” “Well, that’s what you get when you have good company. Thanks for keeping me company. I needed it.” “Just think, you fly out Monday. Maybe we’ll arrive the same time?” “Oh, so you’re leaving Vegas on Monday?” you ask skeptically. You still give him a smile, even though your voice gives off the tone that you don’t believe him. “Maybe. Maybe I’d be at the airport to give you a hug when you arrive. I don’t know. I like that you’re going to be in Austin.” “Austin’s a big city. I highly doubt we’ll see each other.” “You have my number,” he stands and helps you out of the booth. After throwing a large number of bills down on the table, he walks with you slowly out of the bar. “Okay, true. I’ve got your number, but you don’t want to get in the middle of my drama.” You point to your stomach and look down. “Don’t make that decision for me, please?” he stops you from walking and holds your hands in his. You let out a big sigh and smile, starting to pull away from him and head towards where your room was. “Okay, fine. Southwest, Monday night. 9:35. If you want to be there.” “See you tomorrow pretty girl,” he replies, finally letting you walk off.

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4llmywr1tings · 5 years ago

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The Con that Started it All

365 Days of Jensen - Day 1 Jensen X Reader (eventual) Words 2134 A/N: reviving my 365 days of Jensen series - and reediting it since tumblr was a jerk.. Tagging: @autoblocked

“How the hell do you manage to keep up, especially being pregnant?” You let out a laugh and shake your head. “I guess I’m just used to it. I’ve got three more at home, and they’re all mobile and busy.” You finally had some time off, and after spending the first day of Vegas Con alone, you decided to join up with your friends and their activities. Allison and Kori had been more than happy to include you in on their activities for the day, and between the few panels you wanted to see on the first day, you had been quite busy. “I want to know how you were able to sing that song at Karaoke last night.” You look to Allison who had stopped to take a drink of water. She looks to her girlfriend and smiles. “You’re used to it?” “Yes, and when I can drink, you should see me belt those songs. Inhibitions are out the window.” You laugh. “Oh, I’m getting hungry. We should stop in here. I heard they’re really good.” You point to Hash House, and give them a nod. “Yes! We must feed the pregnant lady!” Kori laughs, pointing to the sky as if making a declaration. “Maybe you should call Toula and David, wake them up and have them join us. (Y/N) would love to meet them.” You shrug your shoulders. “Well, Toula sounds Greek and Greek people are really cool people, so I’m down with meeting some more new friends.”

After two days of non stop fun, after Saturday night and the concert, you were tired and ready for a few minutes alone to your thoughts. Once you were done at the convention, you would fly out of Vegas, and start your new life with your kids, in a new city and a new state. Everyone told you that Austin Texas was the perfect place for the art scene, and your small business would flourish. Then you found out you were pregnant and it changed everything quickly. Your parents took your girls and drove your moving van to Texas while you had one last weekend to yourself. Your ex didn’t want to be a father any more, and wanted to head off on his own adventure with his newest model. Granted you were only thirty one, and you’ weren’t old by standards – it hurt that he replaced you and his daughters for someone else. After a long talk with Harper your oldest, and then Sage and Piper your baby – you finally felt ready to get back to the group and have fun.

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salty-apples · 5 years ago

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My first memory of a wedding dress is a little vague but I can still remember the feelings of awe and wonder it inspired. It was my cousin’s wedding and I was her flower girl. I was decked in a frothy, flowery pink dress and my cousin who seemed to fill the room with her height (I was tiny then and everything looked huge from my perspective) was in the biggest ballgown I had ever seen. Struck by the beauty and sheer mass of the dress, I began to look forward to the day I too, would get my ballgown moment (opinions have since changed- I am no longer a ballgown aficionado).

Since then, I have been on a quest to find the most beautiful wedding dresses in the world- and from my rather hyperbolic title, you can tell that today’s post is going to be a doozy.

Hello and welcome to another post where I fangirl over a topic.

Today, I’m going to be pulling together all the wedding dresses I’ve ever loved, from cinema to real life, you name it! This particular post is in two parts and I’ll be discussing why I love the dresses and why I think they make the top ten all-time list.

First up, wedding dresses from film.

Carrie Bradshaw’s Vivienne Westwood dress from Sex and the City

The Sex and the City universe was a fashion trip. Although I never actually watched the series, I was glued to the products of Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe in the movies. The photoshoot for the magazine after her engagement was announced was amazing, giving us shot after shot of what happens when you get the all-star treatment. The dresses from the designers were works of art but none embodied the fashion forward spirit of our heroine than her Vivienne Westwood dress. To even begin to understand why the dress is so special, you’ve got to first look at its creator. Vivienne Westwood is known as the godmother of punk fashion, and to dip her nib in the wedding ink, you know that such a designer is going to do something extraordinary.

And extraordinary it was. Carrie’s dress is a ballgown, holding true to her princess-like status. But it is also sleek and modern, capturing the very essence of a woman who sees herself as the heart and soul of New York. It is beautiful and paired with the feather, it was stunning. This dress is an all-star entry, deserving of its own spot in an exhibition and I’m sure there a few people who would agree.

Mia Thermopolis-Renaldi’s dress in The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement

I don’t know how many people know this but I am not the biggest fan of lace, mostly because lace in all its forms disagrees with me.

However, I am willing to forget all that when I watch The Princess Diaries, especially the second movie. I love all the fashion moments, from Queen Clarisse’s dress to Mia’s 21st birthday party to their parade outfits. But the zenith of all moments was Mia, gliding down the aisle in the most regal wedding dress a fictional character has ever worn.

And you know what it had?

Lace, and a good amount of it.

Mia’s A-line beauty was built for a queen-in-waiting, the lace being a sign of that girlish, somewhat careless nature of hers and the smooth silk providing structure to the lace, strong support for a girl transitioning into a woman; a princess into a queen. For anyone who is looking for some sweet royal inspiration, look no further than Her Royal Majesty, Queen Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Queen of Genovia.

Lisa McDowell’s wedding dress in Coming to America

You know what’s wild about Coming to America?

It’s how they managed to pull off all that Euro-African headgear! It cracks me up every time.

Anyway, Coming to America doesn’t disappoint when it comes to delivering iconic lines and equally iconic fashion. I’m sure by now we’re familiar with the various interpretations of Imani’s court presentation dress during prom season but least talked about is the dress that ends it all- Lisa’s bubblegum pink delight of a wedding dress.

If you’ve read my colors post, my total abhorrence for the color pink is no surprise. That hatred melts away when I see Lisa’s dress. In form, it is the typical choice for an African bride- massive ballgown with a bustier and a towering tiara (the only thing it’s missing is the typical jacket- you know the one). But in color, it sets her apart. That’s not to say that there aren’t members of court who are donning the pink for the wedding. No, this is different. They are clad in soft gauzy pastels but she is the American woman who stole the heart of their prince and she is in a quintessentially American color. She is representing.

And in this thesis, I will discuss why everybody needs to vote Lisa McDowell for president…

Just kidding. Tl; dr: Lisa got the best dress a princess-to-be could ask for.

Toula Portcullis’ dress in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

For anyone who hasn’t heard of Toula Portcullis, she is the much-harangued heroine of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Honestly, her pains are many especially after she gets engaged and has to balance the cares of planning an intercultural wedding while still managing to stay sane. She’s stressed and if not for her fiancé, she would have lost it completely.

That aside, the reason her dress is here is not because it is a great beauty (it’s not quite to my liking, really) but for the sentiment attached to it. Toula, as the last female to wed in her family, is gifted with the poufiest dress in history, a dress steeped in a mix of love, culture and good wishes. It is her family’s wish that she lives and lives well and with the way they handle they dress, the ball of fabric passing from happy hand to happy hand before it gets to the bride, their coos and prayers are following her. Even though she declares, “I am a snow beast” as she sees herself in the mirror, she’s still as her family wanted her to be- the most beautiful bride they had ever seen. Later on- after some reverse tailoring by the new couple- excessively frilly, silly and poufy becomes pretty and sweet.

And that is the end of my story.

Tiana’s wedding dress from The Princess and the Frog

Tiana’s wedding dress is as a few of my friends from school used to say, special spesh. Besides being the first and only black princess in the Disney Princess franchise, she’s also the only one whose dress can boast of what it’s made of.

First, it is straight up juju- a feat I am yet to see any Nollywood movie accomplished. Tiana had the best dressmaker in the world and I know this because from what I know, any woman who is called ‘The Voodoo Queen of the Bayou’ has got to outrank another who goes by ‘Fairy Godmother’ (I’m sorry, Ms. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo but it’s a fact).

Second, her dress is 100% natural- everything swamp material. Tiana marries (pun intended) fashion, function and today’s buzzword, ‘sustainability’ in what is perhaps, the grandest statement a new princess can make. It is green, regal and eco-friendly and who better to wear a dress that striking than a woman who understands how to live a no-waste life.

And next, wedding dresses from real life!

Grace Kelly’s wedding dress

No list about the best weeding dresses is complete without mentioning Grace Kelly.

Before there was Meghan Markle, there was the original American superstar to marry into royalty and her dress… Constructed by her studio’s seamstress, Helen Rose, Grace Kelly’s dress was built in such a way that it did not overwhelm her in the way that many wedding dresses can. The lampshade silhouette of the dress, though uncommon now, is quite unique, especially with the way it stands- with unnoticed support structure, of course. The lace is delicate, sculpted into style that is both modern and old. It fits its wearer perfectly and makes her quite the standout bride. The dress is timeless, an opinion I’m sure most bridal enthusiasts would agree with.

Beyoncé’s vow renewal gown by Galia Lahav

There’s something about Galia Lahav creations that just transport the viewer or wearer into another world. Dresses from the brilliant folks who make them are elegant, stylish and beautiful, and this particular dress – worn by none other than Beyoncé – takes the cake.

I’ve always loved seeing Galia Lahav dresses and this particular dress has been my favorite for a long time. When I saw that Beyoncé had nabbed it for vow renewal, I was practically jumping for joy. It is an elegantly crafted piece, with a structured bodice, statement sleeves, sections of skirt that stylishly expose the thigh, and both delicate lace and rococo-style detailing juxtaposed beside each other. It’s beautiful dress for a beautiful lady who makes beautiful music.

Was that too many beautifuls?

Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress

Just like Toula Portcullis’ dress, Angelina Jolie’s dress was steeped in sentiment. A simple enough dress, pleated at the bodice and attached to an A-line skirt, the main draw of the skirt was what was it’s back. Made by Versace, it was as simple as it was sweet.

Giving her children license to express themselves, the back of the wedding dress was transformed into a canvas for them. Each of her children contributed drawings, doodles and sketches which were then transferred from paper to fabric and transformed into high art. It was, in short, a beautiful tribute from loving children to their loving mother. I bet Maleficent would have loved it.

Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen wedding dress

Whenever a royal wedding rolls around, regular folk and royal watchers get buzzing. All royal families are well, royal and there is none more royal than the most famous one of all: The British Royal Family. So, when a future queen gets her wedding day, the best designers are entrusted with the task of making the royal bride look the part.

To execute this task, the Duchess of Cambridge turned to the house of Alexander McQueen. Head of house, Sarah Burton delivered in a big way, turning the volume on the phrase, ‘English Rose’ all the way up. Incorporating motifs of the English Commonwealth into a traditional princess look, lace and silk and delicate detailing were the order of the day. Her Royal Highness’ wedding dress beat all on her wedding and it has continued to be one of the top contenders on the list of the most defining wedding dresses of the last twenty years.

And this absolutely fantastic creation!

This dress looks like Christmas morning, with a side of ‘It’s my birthday!’ You can be sure that though my preferences aren’t with ball gowns, this is one dress I would not hesitate to put on if it were given to me!

And that folks, is the end of today’s post. I know everybody’s got their favorites and I can’t wait to hear yours.

This post marks the end of the ‘clearing out my drafts’ spree and I, for one, am glad that now, I can really begin to work on new stuff. A few pieces are currently cooking in my head and who knows, maybe a certain suspended series might get some new life! It’s the season of second chances and I am just brimming with joy as Christmas Day approaches.

Until next time, ciao!

Top 10 wedding dresses of all time My first memory of a wedding dress is a little vague but I can still remember the feelings of awe and wonder it inspired.

#art #cinema #December #design #Fashion #film #History #Life #literature #Past events #Princess #Royalty #Wedding #White

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lethehappinessin · 3 years ago

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I love a girl that never turns when I call her name, cause so many have hers

And I love the way she tells innocent lies and the way I always believe her cause I am gullible, she makes fun of me calling me adorable I laugh with a smitten smile that she loves so much, I learned to love it too

And I still have this memory implanted in my brain, in elementary school I was looking at my hand searching for lines and I saw a N, I thought it was the first letter of a name maybe the name of the love of my life, I wrote it down and I got happy, was it Nicolas from my class? I wondered. Years letter I found this girl that her name starts from N, I always thought of it as a sign, I never told anyone (or maybe I did), just a silly thing that made me calm down when I was anxious

And I always was fond of the way she got excited to tell me for the hundredth time that she loved the butter biscuits her grandma toula bought her, just for her

It takes so much to write the things I love about her, I always talk about the way she makes me feel. Talking about her makes my fingers tingly and it breaks my heart, it always did, thinking of how this girl has touched and loved every part of me, feels heavy letting them be loved by someone else

I don't think people understand this and no matter how many times I hear that life moves on and that I'll find another love, just a part of me knows that N is family, ohana means family, I know that being loved and to love so deeply and fiercely and whole is not something that many people get to know and yes life moves on and yes I am capable of feeling content and happy, but just don't touch it, some things are sacred, this love is holy to me

And so, I love the way she runs down the stairs to open the door, in her robe that is full of her scent, the one that her mother always tells her to wear cause she always has a runny nose. This robe reeks of garlic and mold cause she always puts her clothes damply in her closet

And oh God do I love the way she smells, maybe it's because I love her, but nothing in this world has made me calm down more, be more present

And her weird dances and the way she moves her hand, I wonder if my friend notices if we act similarly now that we are apart, if there are any parallelism, is it funny to notice this things or just sad?

Frankly I love the little things, I never can see the bigger picture of people, I think that it would be easier if I did

But then I wouldn't get all sentimental about the memory of us eating in your kitchen, waiting for you to finish your food as you talk non stop

I can't talk about it, I can't even properly write them down, they are mine, find other things to love about her if u want, those are mine and many, many, many more

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anneofbluetardis · 6 years ago

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4 10 and 16 for the Hufflepuff asks! :D

Thank you for asking! I love these questions and I spent too long thinking about the answers! 4. Do you have any nicknames? Sister-Kelly-Mega-Mom. Or just mega or mom. 10. Top 3 OTPs?Anne and GilbertRogue and GambitToula Portokalos and Ian Miller16. What’s the most thoughtful present you’ve ever received?When I was little I was obsessed with the movie Yours, Mine, and Ours (the one with Lucille Ball), our copy was on vhs that had been recorded from tv complete with commercials. I watched it so much the vhs stopped working. Years later, my brother gave me a DVD of the movie for Christmas. I kinda still can’t get over it because I never even thought to ask for it.

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vacationsoup · 4 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/the-beacon-is-calling-you-in-new-smyrna-beach-florida/

The Beacon is Calling You in New Smyrna Beach Florida

Stroll up Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach Florida, and you will find the Beacon is calling you. It is hard to walk by this gem of a restaurant in the mornings and smell the breakfasts being served up.

There is a reason for the full parking lot in front of the Beacon each morning. The patio will also be full of diners enjoying big breakfasts with reasonable prices.

Iconic Fixture on Flagler Avenue 1 Block from Beach

The Beacon is a favorite neighborhood hangout. John and Toula Kotsonis visited here on vacation about 40 years ago, and loved this little beach side town so much, they relocated from their homeland in Greece and established the Beacon. The Kotsonis family still owns and operates the restaurant. Chef and food blogger MacKenzie Smith writes about the Beacon, which is one of her favorite restaurants: "Pancakes: Even if you're not a pancake person, order these. They're made with sweet cream and taste like delicious vanilla cake. The Number Ten: Jeremy's been ordering this hungry man special since he was a little kid. Eggs, bacon, AND pancakes for under $5. Spinach and Feta Omelet: Since a Greek family owns this spot, it's safe to say that anything with feta on the menu is extra delicious. It's my staple that I can't ever stray from. It comes with two sides of your choice. I recommend getting home fries and toasted pita with a side of their house-made tzatziki. Secret Beacon Hot Sauce: I would smother this sweet, spicy, and irresistible chunky hot sauce on my entire life if I could. They don't advertise it anywhere, but if you ask nicely one of the waitresses will bring you an unassuming re-purposed ketchup bottle that is filled to the brim with the good stuff." She even begs the question: " Is a trip to NSB really a trip to NSB if you didn't start your day at the Beacon? I don't know, but I wouldn't risk it."

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The Beacon serves up big breakfasts, burgers , gyros, and sandwiches, big salads, home made soups, Greek specialties, seafood and even liver and onions. (Sorry, I love good liver and onions) Check out their menu here. WARNING: This link to the Beacon will make you HUNGRY.

Casual, Friendly Atmosphere

Hey, they are 1 block from the beach. You can eat on the patio or indoors. or order take out. Staff is friendly. Feels like a family restaurant, which it is of course.

Saturday night is Greek night

Every Saturday Night from 4pm-8pm! Enjoy homemade Greek specials prepared by the owners themselves!. Favorites such as Pastitsio, Roasted Lamb, Saganaki, Village Greek Salads and so much more!

Friday night live music

Every Friday night starting at 5pm! Enjoy the sounds of local musical artists while you unwind and get your weekend started on their outside patio. Here is the link to the Beacon's Facebook page to check out special events.

All important Happy Hours

Wine and beer are discounted on Tuesday-Thursdays from 3-6pm and on Fridays from 5pm til close. Enjoy local craft beers like NSB Shark Attack IPA and Ormond Beach Brewing Ponce Inlet Blond Ale.

Sunday Mimosas

Sunday afternoons enjoy Mimosa & Appetizer Specials and live music on the patio from 12pm-2pm.

Hook and Cook

If you have caught local fish, bring your catch to the Beacon, and they will cook it for you. Fried, grilled or blackened!

A Visit to New Smyrna Beach must include the Beacon!

The Beacon is located about 3 blocks from our condo. I walk past it every morning to snag a local newspaper at 7 Eleven. It's hard to walk past the wonderful smells coming from the patio. It is so convenient to stroll over for lunch or dinner if we don't feel like cooking. Bring your appetite because the portions are large. The Beacon is calling you in New Smyrna Beach! The Beacon Restaurant 416 Flagler Ave, New Smyrna Beach FL 32169 386 - 428 - 8332 Sunday - Monday: 6am - 3pm Tuesday - Saturday: 6am - 8pm Saturday Greek Night: 4pm - 8pm

#beach #Florida #foodie #Holiday In NewSmyrnaBeach #NewSmyrnaBeach #Vacation In New Smyrna Beach #VacationSoup

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bewitchingallure · 7 years ago

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Father’s Hands

J.M. Clark

Hydrangeas full in bloom, the softest purple invited us to pull up closer in the driveway. So many of them, lightly drooping in bunches, blocked the bottom of the window into the warm sunroom. My eyes traveled from the flowers and up the window only to see hand blown glass spheres of all different sizes and colors hanging from fishing line behind the glass. I wondered how they stayed so still, where Liam and Felicity got them. In that moment, I loved them so much I despised my mother’s decorative taste at home more every time I came here.

I continued to sit shotgun. Father already turned the car off, but I couldn’t go. As excited as I was, the chilled air was drifting away and the stale warm air returned to comfort me. I was stuck in the moment, a little nervous. Then I saw Ellie, Ray Bans pulling her hair back, as she shuffled to the trunk with a cumbersome laundry basket of clothes.

Ellie had always been my best friend. In one aspect we were two of a kind, in the other I looked like the Virgin Mary beside her. Ellie was an only child, I was the middle mostly fallen through the cracks. Her back was always covered in labels, mine in her hand-me-downs. I was her last season shadow but I didn’t mind. She made me feel like I belonged. Ellie showed me the ropes, let me in on a sliver of the childhood I never got. She was my sparkle. What I learned growing up beside her, collecting her left over sparkle, was that no matter how much time we spent together, no matter how much she shared, she was never threatened because she knew she was always going to be better than me. Her charity didn’t threaten anything. Sometimes I wondered though, if we hadn’t been cousins would we be this inseparable? When you’re short on friends though, and don’t know the secret to making more you don’t overthink those things. You just accept them.

She was a stretch of black pavement away, thirty minutes if you’re speeding, but it felt so much further. We had separate lives. Oxford Heights and Guilderland possessed vastly different atmospheres, there was an elitism I only heard about cross-town. Father said we moved out of there when I was young so he didn’t raise brats. Ellie and I briefly recollected our teenage angst every encounter we shared. Other than that we only reminisced on the memories we created, including the week’s worth we were about to remember for the rest of our lives. I had never gone on holiday without my family before. I didn’t have a single ounce of fear, just pure foolish excitement.

“Y’all coming or what? All of my stuff is already packed in the car,” Ellie threw her fists on her hips and waited to see us moving in response.

Her enthusiasm pulled me out of the haze and lit a fire under my ass. I scuttled with arms open wide to all of my possessions, so I could pile them into the Camry trunk. Little did I know, laundry baskets fit better than duffle bags, and I studied that trunk like a game of Tetris. As usual, Father was over thinking, over packing, over analyzing. Hydrogen peroxide, old baseball caps, and fishing line were necessities that we couldn’t leave behind in his mind. I don’t try to understand, but merely nod and smile. He’s Toula’s father from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Broke a leg? Terminally ill? Family drama? Hydrogen peroxide will fix it.

At this point he was over talking to Liam and Felicity. Part of me always knew Father didn’t care for them much, he always thought they let Ellie get away with murder. He backed off for a week because he knew he’d never be able to take me on a vacation like this though. I appreciated it more than I led on.

Ellie and I were already strapped up in the back seat reading our Seventeen magazines. Now, Liam and Felicity were my mother’s cousins so Ellie was really only my second, but we were always excited to go somewhere new, having strangers assume we’re sisters. That’s what I liked about tagging along with them. I was an honorary daughter and sister. Our final goodbyes before our very underestimated trip, Father kissed my forehead through the low peeking window in between us. My hair anticipating blonde sunshine, my skin excited for a sheer layer of freckles, my legs thirsty for a tan - we were ready to go. The engine was running with that air conditioning blowing to the point where its uncomfortable frost clothed our knees alone. Sitting Indian-style I laid a pillow across my lap, half for comfort but mainly due to scarce room anywhere else. Whipping the car out of the driveway into the center of the cul-de-sac, Ellie and I could tell we weren’t the only ones excited to be smothered by the journeys of Delaware. I didn’t think twice about the feverish waves Father gave me through the tinted chamber of the Camry, but in hindsight I wish I could’ve held on to that hand forever.

His hands weren’t soft, but that’s what I loved about them. They were huge, perfect tickling war hands, ideal hair braiding hands. They had nails that grew precisely even, they were dry and dingy and cracked and they always smelled of nicotine. I never imagined them to be desirable hands but in between tears they were the only hands I wanted to hold. I took him for granted, I just didn’t know it yet. Daddy’s girl.

After seven hours, two movies, and countless sing-alongs to the best of The Doors we had finally arrived. Liam and Felicity were the parents every kid wanted: very hip, a little negligent, and a bit stuck in the ‘70s for comic relief. Bethany Beach, Delaware was our haven for the next week. We had nowhere else to go and that was exactly what the four of us wanted.

Settling in was one of my favorite parts. Walking into a gorgeous condo waiting for my touch of character, your shaving cream, brushes and make up bags to line the counter in the bathroom. Ridding the drawers of the old wood stench, like a weathered paperback book, I laid down a bathroom towel from home along the bottom and filled my folded shirts and shorts side by side. Sneakers for tennis and sandals for the beach lined accordingly beside the dresser and window. Now here was the debate - which gets the bed adjacent to the window? Ellie had her own bedroom and a separate playroom at home, so this week I just wanted a bed next to the window. Luckily she was too fatigued to state her case, and it was an easy defeat.

With things set to a tee, we headed off down the stairs and out to venture. It was like one of those villages you put atop your mantle at Christmas. Illuminated at night, the boardwalk was home to hundreds of shuffling feet in and out of restaurants and ice cream shops. Overwhelmed with its beauty, Ellie and I waited for the cameras to stop rolling and reality to set back in. As excited as we were, our bodies spoke louder crying for sleep, but our minds weren’t yet ready, time was flying too fast.

Felicity was always an early bird, said Ellie was wasting the day waking up at such late hours. Eight was her idea of a snooze, and off she was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs holding a beach bag, and chairs while simultaneously struggling to put sunscreen on her back.

“You girls know you can sleep back at home! Lets go before the beach fills up! Ellie, your father has the snacks in his bag.”

“I’m not doing this shit every morning,” Ellie said, rolling her eyes over to me.

I would’ve agreed except I never really found justice in anything Ellie complained about. I shrugged. We were family, but I got the sense I was going to see her only-child flaws rise up this week. Soon enough our long blonde hair with waves to match the water, cotton cover-ups and J. Crew flip flops struggled behind. The Delaware sun shone upon us the entire mile we walked. I looked like a fool, switching my bag from shoulder to shoulder just to evenly strain them both. Shoulders back, leggy and standing tall, Ellie paraded ahead gracefully, as per usual.

We arrived at the private beach the first day, which was underwhelming to our judgmental side. We were satisfied tourists just people watching on the public beach from then on. Ellie and I loved nothing more than to people watch. Maybe we were too critical or too serious. When being politically correct was demanded more often at our heightening ages, it was nice to quietly analyze and giggle at strangers from a distance, to blame it on our naïve youth.

The days started to mesh together. Our mornings spent on bicycles through the villages, peak of the heat spent drinking Diet Coke in reclining sun chairs reading tabloids, nights experimenting with the local fare and live music. I always thought if someone took snap shots of our days they would be Polaroid, sporting a sunny faded tint over them. They were colliding in my mind, which night I had the catch of the day to which morning I ate two oranges at the beach while staring, trying to figure out how that fellow fit in his wet suit. Elastic never ceases to amaze me. Things were beginning to change though. It became apparent that Thursday afternoon that those coy stares weren’t only addictive, they were dangerous.

Allotted enough money for lunch and frozen yogurt, we made the getaway to Five Guys on the boardwalk. Ellie and I had an acquired style that followed us wherever we went. Not because we were flawless, but because we were merely insecure. The thing about thirteen and a half is you cover up all the things you aren’t with material things you wish you were. It was working so-so. We grabbed two chairs at the counter looking out the window, so we could eat and people watch as per usual. Ellie and I ate our junior burgers side by side. That Thursday though was not like that Tuesday or even that Wednesday. They sat there innocently enough, on the bench outside directly across from us, taunting our teenage minds.

They were Ben and Jordan. They had vile intentions masked behind deceptive smiles. Fitting to our youthful immaturity, we scarfed down our meals quickly and while seeming cavalier, we sat on the other side of the bench from them. Obvious enough what we were doing, the boys spoke first.

My eyes were the only things that weren’t paralyzed. They darted over Ben like a pinball machine. He was certainly no chore to look at. He had that shorter sandy blonde hair that styled itself with salt water, and his skin. His skin looked soft and was tan but not tan enough where you questioned his ethnicity. I studied the freckles that sat on his shoulders, the ones his Celtics jersey didn’t hide. I wondered if he played basketball too, maybe he’d get a scholarship for college, maybe he was in college. I took turns looking at him because I didn’t want to stare, stole little glimpses of him, learning the curves of his face with every quick glance. Ben sure made Jordan look like charity. Jordan was a little sweaty, little doughy, and a little too talkative. You’d think he’d shutter looking at Ellie, but clearly his genetic setbacks didn’t stop him from trying to flirt. I felt those hazel eyes sweep over me whenever I was looking down, counting the nails in the boardwalk planks. I’d look up and see him looking at me. Ben looking at me. Ben’s eyes demanded mine back. As much as I loved the idea of him looking at me, wanting my attention, the reality was so much more nerve-wracking.

I let Ellie do the talking. If I spoke, I’d stumble over words like bad hopscotch and we’d never see them again. And when I say I let her do the talking, I mean she’s good with taking initiative. Her words make moves. A real go-getter. When I lump us together, it’s her abundance of confidence that averages out to mine being mediocre. I sat there, peering up occasionally, but mostly staring down picking at the hangnails decorating my nail beds. Inside our small talk we exchanged hometowns, ages, names, and Ellie’s number.

Mistake One.

The four of us went about the condo getting ready for the evening. Ellie’s dad, Liam, made a tradition of burning his dress shirts with an iron, and then his wife would have to salvage it with her secret cornstarch trick. Felicity took forever and a half to get herself ready for anything of importance because she usually meanders around the house with a glass of wine, getting drunk in the process, saying, “it helps me relax!” With Ellie’s wise expertise, I had eyeliner on for the first time. Not having been introduced to contacts, my glasses were the humbling touch to my outfit of jean shorts, a white tank top, and a burgundy cardigan. Father just had to pick out the frames with butterflies with on the arms. Maybe that was his small effort to repel his daughter’s maturity. In the midst of organizing my ensemble I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye of thumbs - moving quicker than ever. Jerking my head back, I saw Ellie texting Ben.

Yea for sure, we’re free after dinner. You?

Us too, we’ll be around the boardwalk. Meet at the beach by Sal’s shirt shop? 10?

Word. Your cousin coming?

Yea! She’s staying the whole week.

Mistake Two.

The center of the boardwalk was our meeting place. Liam and Felicity split to listen to some local talent. They were the type that considered live music a hobby. It was a stiff departure seeing as they were never physically affectionate to Ellie. More of a verbal “love you” rather than a hug and peck seemed to suffice. They headed west as we headed south down to the shore. My heart raced a little, that anxiousness rising up from my stomach, now sitting with its legs wrapped around my heart. This didn’t quite faze me, as almost everything incited that reaction. I simply thought we were walking along the water, forgetting about her racing thumbs from earlier. The straps of my sandals hooked on my finger we walked side by side down to the beach. The sand was cold but not that cold-it-feels-wet feeling, just cold. Gazing ahead to the barely visible horizon, I was startled to see those familiar smiles appear in front of us.

Wearing the same outfits as before showed that they weren’t trying too hard, but why were they there? Ellie quickly engaged in conversation like old pals, as I stood there puzzled. In another dimension I thought off, and thought, and wondered, and it clicked. It was planned and it wasn’t right.

The Virgin Mary was isolated from the bliss and ignorance.

We sat in a square behind the fences and grass that grew through the sand. Claiming to have taken part in the conversation, I was actually just an onlooker to the game. It was a game of risk. I just pictured us passing around a revolver, and the bullet was waiting for me. Who had done what, when, and how many times? All of the words quickly stirred together and topics changed too quickly for me to figure out the ones prior. How were there seeds and stems in buds if they hadn’t bloomed yet? My neighbor’s dog was named Molson, but I wasn’t aware you could drink him, and apparently I don’t need my softball uniform to get to third base. I couldn’t tell if Ellie was a prime liar or if she had been keeping a few untidy details from me.

Ellie was effortlessly popular, confident, and magnetic – her common knowledge was my astonishing discovery. I latched onto her like it was my saving grace from everything I was. She was less than a year older but worlds ahead. Ellie stood apart from everyone. She was the first to have a real bra, a real manicure, real experience. Boys loved that. We put her on a pedestal and they all climbed up to meet her. She spoke ambiguously enough so other girls could never steal her secrets. She never got lonely at the top. Her words spread like butter. So if she were lying, I’d never know. But she had the prerequisites, she had no reason to lie.

Then they look at me. They ask what I’ve done. I’ve done nothing. I kept my questions to a minimum to avoid the embarrassment. I responded with,

“Not much, woke up early had a parfait for breakfast, went to the beach with Ellie earlier.”

They laughed, and I think the boys had mistaken my sheer inability to adapt or socialize with quick wit, but I felt this pressure shining down on me in the pitch of night. I was embarrassing not myself, but Ellie. This nervousness had initiated that unholy muscle to press against my pea-sized bladder. The gates opened and the horses were off! I had to go like Seabiscuit and there was no stopping me.

Mistake Three.

Quickly hustling back to my designated spot in the sand you could say conversation was already winding to a finish. It was an hour young of midnight which was plenty for the youthful. We walked up back up to the boardwalk together and said our goodbyes. Timid, I simply nodded and smiled. It was a classic, my safety. Parting ways, Ellie and I met Liam and Felicity back at some restaurant down the boardwalk. We were exchanging nights, Ellie was pouring out lies, all believable - but still lies. While she was digging a hole of mistrust, I looked down on my phone.

It was a light that read an unknown number. That unknown number wanted to tell me that I looked so pretty. As flattering as it was, he was still a stranger. I responded.

Mistake Four.

Ya know, there’s just something about you. You’re pure. And your eyes, I love them.

Oh thank you, they’re real.

Thank goodness, fake eyes creep me out. They always look so empty.

The witty banter continued a while longer, and it made me wonder again how old Ben was. I wasn’t about to ask, as if I had a problem with it. Just made me wonder, why me? He must be five years my senior, an illegal difference regardless of chemistry. Pure?

My thumbs racing as fast as Ellie’s earlier that evening, I was blinded by the empty compliments and conniving plans being mapped out. I was never the hero, but always the sidekick. I was never the fries, but always the ketchup. Know what I mean? I had to seize a rare opportunity. Maybe what I reveled in most was making Ellie my ketchup for once. All of the sudden I was the one who was preparing a lie! The Virgin Mary doesn’t lie, but starting with Ben, there were going to be dozens of necessary lies to follow. Words flew from condo to condo, phone to phone, until the early hours of the morning. That led to a break in the cycle.

Friday August 1:

We woke up late. We didn’t ride bicycles. However, we did sit on the beach. The tabloids were in the bags, I had a better story instead. They wanted to meet up that night at the same spot. It was our last full day in Bethany and it was crucial. Our hearts raced with anticipation and wonder and excitement.

We told Ellie’s parents we were going to go to the local movie theatre down the boardwalk, a stretch from Liam and Felicity who were supposed to meet old friends for drinks. I wasn’t sure how they knew people there, apparently they were friends of Felicity’s from college. Odd, but figuring that out wasn’t on my list of priorities at that moment. It was to successfully spew lies out of a thirteen-year-old girl’s mouth. They were successfully spewed lies. Take my word for it.

Two tickets, fifteen dollars, and minutes later, we walked out of the theatre. Had to keep a paper trail in case there were questions later on. We met by the bathrooms, the four of us. Our conversation the night before hadn’t settled the awkward small talk, but only heightened it. We walked down to the beach, walked along the water. Jordan was quite fond of Ellie from the looks of it. Jordan was ketchup. I had Ben chasing after me. I didn’t know that it was a game, a literal chase with a literal prize. A revolver. Looking down listening to Ben talk, I watched my toes sink into the wet sand. I should’ve looked up sooner, but I didn’t. I looked up to see nothing.

Where was Ellie? Where was I?

Neon shirts can’t save you now

The blanket of night wraps around any light

The excitement of the beach, she understands the danger now

With his hand over her mouth, she put up a silent fight

She squirms, he scolds

As she tries to escape, the tighter his hold

The sand’s comfort disappears

Pushing her against it unleashes her fears

Excruciating, one word to describe the pain

Tears pouring so hard she’s about to faint

Dripping down in hope his hand will slip off her mouth

But he persists to invade south

He finished, stood up, told her she was easy

Left there, stripped naked of her dignity

Barely capable of clothing herself

She trembles, she shakes, her body aches

Happiness for the rest of the trip she fakes

Location couldn’t change what happened, and the only thing at home I missed were Father’s hands. Seeing his crooked smile as I pulled up in the driveway widen, I was hesitant to get out of the car, as if he could see the shame splashed across my face. He ran towards me, and those hands picked me up in the air faster than I could say hello. He spun me around, set me down, put my face in his hands and examined me. I could tell he missed me just by the reek of nicotine on his hands - quite the chain smoker when he’s anxious. He said freckles looked perfect on me, and how more grown up I looked after just a week. I just stood there with my face against his warm hands, and let myself cry. I let his palms fill with my wet apologies. My tears were no longer water, but thoughts and regrets. That was my home, the only man I could trust, the only hands that could ever hold me again.

How long does it take to deface someone? Seconds, minutes, hours? Something about being violated takes time away from you. It takes feelings, words, smiles away from you. It smothers you in silence, in shame, in questions you’d never dare try answering. Something about being raped ruins you. Something about logic feels like a mirage, a distant daydream. I still keep that denim skirt in the back of my closet, the one he broke the zipper on in his heat of the moment, the one he just pushed up instead, the one that used to be my favorite. I come across it every time I clean out my closet but never get rid of it. I’m not sure what good it does me, hanging on to my stolen virginity. Maybe that skirt is the only thing I do have control over. Whenever I pick it up, I always make sure to place my thumb over the edge, where that spot of dried blood lay. It looks brown kind of like chocolate now, all these years later, but it feels fresh. I rub my thumb across the stiff blood knowing Father’s hydrogen peroxide would probably get it out. I never get it out.

#short story #me too #times up #writers on tumblr #freelance #short stories

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