#biggest carpet store

[carpetstoredubai]

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[gay-dorito-dust]

doing grocery shopping with the batboys

Could you write something fun and fluff please?

is one of my favorite activities.

I love what you write so much. My favorites are Dickie bird and Jay bird.

Don’t know whether this is fun or fluff as you’d wanted it (kinda went on a personal rant in Jason’s a little bit but I don’t regret it) but I still hope you enjoy it not the less. Also thank you for enjoying my Jason/ Dick stuff! 🫶🦦🐿️

Dick:

You go in for certain things that you need and come out with way more then you probably should. (And most of it isn’t what you actually needed)

Half of the stuff you get is mainly what Dick thinks Hayley might like and she ends up only liking 50% of it…the ‘daddy’s little girl’ doggy shirt was pushing it tbh.

Dick tends to wander off when your shopping together that when you went to ask him a question, only to notice that he was gone, you sigh and say;

‘Dick?’

A few isles over you heard a faint ‘yes honey?’

He was in the pet section. again.

You’d have to remind him that you were only there for specific things and nothing else, but Dick would always try to persuade you into allowing him to get something was wasn’t on the list at all, by battering his eyelids at you and saying ‘pretty please.’

You naturally can’t say no to you pretty boy who acts like a man child when shopping, especially if you’re the one who’s paying.

The shopping list you made might as well have been thrown in the bin with how often you come home, only to be reminded that you barely got 25% of the stuff on the shopping list thanks to Dick’s impulsiveness.

However Dick would only use this as an excuse to go shopping again later on in the week/month and do it all over again without remorse.

Also Dick is way too polite to tell people blocking the isle to move, he wants to, he really does but all he does is breathe in deeply and plaster on a smile before soldering on.

Jason:

Grocery shopping wasn’t a favourite of Jason’s but if he were to do it, he’d rather do it with you because he got to be a little goofy with it.

And by that I mean him getting a little affectionate and pinching your backside and you snacking his bicep and scolding him for being inappropriate in the frozen food section.

‘I’m not doing anything chipmunk.’ He’d defend himself as you glare him.

‘I’m sure as shit there isn’t a perverted ghost here that pinches people’s backsides for fun. Now pack it in.’ You hissed as you rubbed your ass in hopes of soothing the sharp pain you felt seconds ago.

‘Sorry sweetheart.’ He’d chuckle as he kisses your cheek in apology.

You couldn’t help but smile as you could never truly stay mad at your sweet Jason, not unless he was staining your carpets with blood from a night out on patrol, but that was neither here nor there.

Other than that Jason would take the trolley from your hand and storm the store with a determination to get the fuck out as fast as possible.

His long ass strides tend to leave you behind in some random isle somewhere. So to combat this from being a reoccurring thing, Jason would just grabs your hand and puts on the trolley before putting his own on top; Now you were being dragged instead of getting left behind in somewhere with people blocking the fucking isle.

How sweet of him.

(If you’re one of these ppl, go fuck yourself bc what the fuck is so interesting that you have to block the ENTIRE FUCKING ISLE? MOVE!)

Speaking of people blocking the isle, it’s Jason’s biggest pet peeve because WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY TAKING SO MUCH FUCKING SPACE?! FUCKING MOVE YOU LAZY BASTARDS!

He will fucking glare at anyone who even dares to lean over his trolley to get something and when you tell him about how obvious he was being, he’d only response to this was: ‘they’re privileged with the use of a voice, they should fucking use it sometime.’

You’re basically there to calm him down before he bulldozes some poor bastard by guiding him to a lesser crowed isle and get some junk food for later as a reward, followed by your magical cuddles and kisses.

Jason hates shopping but with you it was made just that little bit enduring, only a little bit…he still wants to fight the young couple who wouldn’t fucking move in that one isle and honestly you don’t blame him as you would gladly join him.

[romanovthinkver]

pov: you’re scarlett johansson’s wife // sfw headcanons

scarlett knows you’re in love with New York and despite having drivers that can easily bring you to one side to another of the city, she knows you prefer taking the subway. you’re favourite is the Q train where you can see the best landscapes as it’s an open train space. your wife always makes sure to pick up a spot by the door, she always says “i want to see that beautiful smile on your face the whole ride” and as you watch the train going from Manhattan to Brooklyn, scarlett wraps an arm around your waist and looks up at you with pure love.

scarlett loves how you adore your county despite its bad sides. you’re here for work so you don’t go back home as much as you would want. the last time was at christmas two years ago with all the family. little pieces of your culture are spread in the house tho, through the food, the flag you hung in your home office, some products you buy at the authentic drug stores owned by people of your home-country. you also started to teach the kids your childhood traditions, your favourite meals, your native language even. sometimes you go out in typical restaurants, or the one that claims to be typical when they’re not, and your wife has to listen you ramble about how they couldn’t make a simple dish of your land and instead ruined it. “can you believe baby? they ruined it, look at this: chicken. why? there’s no chicken in the original recipe and yet i see chicken here, why you americans put chicken everywhere?” scarlett would laugh and sometimes record your little grumbles. the kids loves when you, their mama, cook home land dishes of a culture they’re starting to feel like theirs. your wife loves when your accent rolls off your tongue when you’re tired or pissed, sometimes even when you two fuck roughly; it send her over the edge in no time. however the thing she likes the most is when you speak in your native language giving her or the kids pet names or when you whisper “i love you.”

you’re the biggest supporter ever. the way your eyes shine when you stand beside scarlett at movies premiers, it’s unmatched. you always buzz around your wife when she’s being prepared by make-up and hair-stylists taking extra time to snap some phots of her proudly. you make sure her dress is always perfect and adjust it often during the carpet. you make sure scarlett is always hydrated, not only with alcohol but with water too!, and fed because these things are stressful and your lady has to be healthy. you step back when she poses for paparazzi photos even tho she insists to have you beside her, she would softly place her hand on your chest clothed by the black jacket and shares smiles and little whispers. “you’re so beautiful, baby” or “i can’t take my eyes off you” these are the words that you find to whisper to her in that moments when your eyes are glued to her form, your hand gently cradles her back. you in the end step back giving your wife the deserved moment in the shiny flashes of the photographer’s bulbs, she poses and you look at her, sometimes you would snap a few picture too of her beside the paparazzi. scarlett would peck your lips amidst the event, they reassure you like a warm blanket and she softly pass her slender fingers to wipe her lipstick off your lips. you watch the movie with rapt attention because despite everything, before meeting her, you were and are a fan of her movies. in the end you always hug her and pepper her lips and cheeks whispering “congratulations my love, you were brilliant!”, “i can feel the oscar baby, can i start your campaign now?”, “i’m so incredibly proud of you, you’re a movie star” or “look at that baby, they’re all clapping and cheering for you, you’re so inspiring.” at the after party you both dance, engage in conversation with people and sometimes only seat at the bar together. you make sure to drink only safe drinks and let your wife party as she deserve. you take care of her and by the end of the night she’s not much sober but you steady her holding by her waist, your suit jacket always ready to shield the woman from the cold gently rest on her shoulders and her heels accomodate your feet while she wears you’re much more comfortable shoes.

scarlett started a skin care brand line with her friend and co-founder, kate foster. you, despite not knowing a thing about skin care, started to be supportive since the first day. however you didn’t know your wife would make you be a tester. you forgot how many times you ran around the house to dodge her “c’mon baby let’s try this eye cream, i swear it will be good for your eyes!” or the times she would let you sit on the bathroom sink with a blue argyle mask on your face, a hand band with the brand logo that would definitely make your curls frizzy and messy. you would groan and grumble a lot but your wife is always quick to kiss you. in the end you fell into a routine of doing this pampering ritual every night. slowly you started to learn a lot about skin care and your wife’s work. you also would crash often at her office to just bring donuts and coffee or sneak to spend more time with your wife and the team. and much to your dismay, scarlett will never stop treating you like a tester, she’s already planning on dragging you at the offie to record some funny videos of her putting on your face brand new face creams.

talking about videos, you hate cameras and photos. oh you’re the opposite of your wife in this department. you’re a diplomat, an ambassador specifically, so you barely stand in front of cameras and address speeches, a safe way to do what you love without struggling with the media press. however since you got into a relationship with your wife and got married, you quickly became a target to paparazzi’s cameras. you awkwardly stand beside your wife when you’re taking photos at the event she has to attend, but scarlett is always there to calm you down with soft touches, whispers and little pecks. “it’s okay baby, focus on me, everything’s is alright”. when they catch you in the street you go protective over the kids and wife putting your discomfort aside. “little one it’s okay, look at mama, everything is okay. scarlett, baby, come closer to me. it’s okay”. when you’re alone, you just hide behind a hoodie hood. you rarely talk to the microphones and usually only offer politely smile and shield your anxious eyes.

scarlett never saw you crying in the years you’ve been together and probably she thought she would never. this until your wedding day arrived. oh, boy! the moment you saw her walking down the aisle you started crying for her endlessly beauty and the overwhelming love you have for her. after that you cried again, much harder, when your little girl was born. scarlett loves teasing you a lot about it. you blush rolling your eyes playfully and dismissing her with a groan.

you rarely fight but when you do, and it’s always for silly things, it doesn’t take much to crack the hard shell. one of you crawl in the arms of the other not much more than 1 hour later. you’re an ambassador so your job is to make peace, after toxic experiences in your past relationship, your communication level is high and you’re lucky enough to have found scarlett that is on the same page as yours. scarlett would hold you close and kiss the crown of your head. “i’m so sorry my love, i promise to work better on these things.” you would kiss her knuckles and whisper “i’m sorry too, baby, we’ll work on them together.”

at the end of the day it’s just you and your wife. you softly sway in the gold sunrise painting your skins. scarlett arms wrapped around your neck cradling the glass of wine between her hands while she leans to ghost your lips. your hand on her hip, the other hold your glass of wine close to the chest. you both hum the song that is putted on the background while behind you food cooks on the stove and mixes with the noises of the city. it’s peaceful, it’s a paradise, it’s you and the love of your life in a life that isn’t perfect, but has a glimpse of perfection shared together.

a/n: pt.2? nsfw part?

[nouvxllev]

a snowy night

Pairing: Tara Carpenter x Fem!Reader

Summary: in which you had a fun idea for you and taras first anniversary (and christmas)

Words: 2.3k

Warnings: none

a/n: merry late christmas everyone!!!

masterlist.

Pulling your very sleepy girlfriend out of her bedrest wasn't ideal for a first anniversary, nor the first very early morning of Christmas.

"Y/n," Tara groaned, her body and pajamas getting dragged across the ground like she was a sack of vegetables, "Y/n, it's literally the middle of the night, what are you doing?"

Ignoring Tara's protests, you persisted in dragging her like a lifeless corpse you found on the snowy street of New York. "I know, I know, but trust me, you wanna see this!"

With some reluctance and a little bit of motivation from you, Tara mustered the energy to get up and finally walk with your hand guiding her.

"Okay, what's so important you had to drag me across our bedroom so early?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes, still half-asleep as she yawned. You could feel her eyes observing you as best as she could, eyeing the duffel bag you carried, "And why do you have a duffel bag on you like you're gonna flee the country?"

"And why would I ruin the surprise by telling you?" You grinned, pulling her by the sleeve, "Okay, before I let you in on this, close your eyes." You both stood by the doorway of the bedroom, Tara looking slightly unimpressed.

"Tara, can't you trust your girlfriend for like one second?" You asked, crossing your arms and raising your eyebrows.

"No?" She chuckled, crossing your arms alongside you, "not after you pulled that prank on me last Christmas."

"Okay, but you've gotta admit, trapping you in a life-sized gingerbread house was pretty funny and, a stroke of genius by yours truly."

Tara rolled her eyes, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "How'd you even do that anyway?"

"You know I always love the flair for the dramatic." You looked up at her, nothing but smile and love from your eyes.

"Which is why I love you." Tara whispered, her arms wrapping around your waist as she pulls you in closer.

You chuckled, she leaning into Taras hug. "And which is why you're going to love this! Come on, close your eyes," you let go of Tara's grip on you, taking her hands into yours and watching as she closed her eyes with her palm.

"I'm so breaking up with you if this is another prank," she remarked, playfully, of course, but who knows how likely that might become true?

"Oh don't say that, I won't be able to continue those anymore."

With Tara's eyes closed, you guided her into the living room, or maybe just a room with how you renovated it.

When you knew Tara was fast asleep, you had dashed over to the living room after taking your sweet time removing yourself from Taras koala-like cuddle from you and tore it down bit by bit.

Not really, but every piece of furniture scattered on the floor you relocated to the garage. The soft carpet that covered the tiles, was carefully stored in someplace else, revealing the smooth hardwood tiles underneath people could easily slide on.

You led Tara to the living room, her free hand intertwined with yours, the warmth of her palm this season never felt so comforting on yours.

"I knew you always wanted our anniversary to be unforgettable, ever since the day you told me on a warm winter night on top of the apartment building I used to live in, and I thought," you continued, pulling Taras hands down with your own, "what's more unforgettable than spontaneously pulling my girlfriend out of bed to go indoor skating with me in our home?"

Tara opened her eyes, only to see an impromptu ice rink in the middle of their living room. Fairy lights were adorning the corners, little Christmas trees scattered along the way, the floor was powdered to give it a little more boost to the slipperiness, and makeshift cardboard walls surrounded the area. It wasn't the biggest, considering it was only a living room, but it had everything that made Tara Carpenter happy. And that thought was enough for you when you designed this.

Her jaw dropped, and she looked at you with a mixture of disbelief and delight. "You did all this for our anniversary?" She questioned, excitement palpable in her voice.

You nodded, a proud grin on your face. "I wanted to make it special, something we'd remember." You giggled

Tara couldn't help but laugh, the joy bubbling up inside her. "You're fucking insane, you know that?" She pulled you in for a kiss, "but there's no denying that I love it."

You smiled, a lovesick one at that, before taking her hands again and leading her to the powdered floor. "Well, I figured if I couldn't take you to the ice rink in Central Park in the middle of the night, I'd bring the ice rink to us."

You put down the large duffle bag you had been carrying and opened it, pulling out two matching socks that kind of resembled the both of you, "And, as per ice rink tradition, we have skates! Or, socks, in this situation."

Tara chuckled at the sight of the matching socks, each knitted with a design you specifically asked for.

"A duffle bag for a pair of socks?" She laughed before taking the socks from you and slipping them on, "Only you would turn our living room into an ice rink and substitute skates with these."

"Well, I try my best," you replied with a playful wink, already putting on your own pair of socks. "Also, I still have many in store with this duffle bag."

You both stepped onto the powdered floor, the smoothness beneath made it super easy to glide and a comfortable feeling set between the two of you. Tara was wobbly at first when she first tried to slide across, but when your hand was with hers, she quickly found her balance.

"Tara, did you know your talented, smart, beautiful, girlfriend can do a triple axel?" you teased, letting go of Taras hold as you give yourself space from her.

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Oh please, as if you can even do a single one."

You smirked, feigning an offended look. "You deeply underestimate me, my love."

You took a few steps back until your body hit the cardboard walls. With little to no skating experience and the fact you've never trusted yourself once with your balance, you launched yourself. A bit too fast for your liking to the point you ended up doing not even a full rotation and crashed into Tara, "Fuck, oh shit Tara—!"

It was a decent attempt, you'd say so yourself since you didn't completely eat shit, but it gained a laugh from Tara who had been laughing her ass off ever since you landed on top of her.

"Okay, I'd give you points for your ambition and spirit." She chuckled one last time before pulling you and herself up.

"Thank you. Someone finally recognizes talent here."

"Is the talent the 'talent of crashing into your girlfriend?'" Tara teased, brushing off some of the imaginary dust from her clothes, but also the white powder that clung to her shirt.

You grabbed her hand and continued to skate, ignoring the heavy pain you had in your chest, "It's a skill only a select few possess, you know."

Tara rolled her eyes with an affectionate smile. "Then looks like I've got the most skilled girlfriend in the world."

The two of you continued to slide and glide all over the living room, talking about whatever and whenever. The both of you lost your balance here and there, and the both of you may or might not laughed before pulling the other one out of their misery on the cold powdered floor, but it was the most memorable moment of your life; you'd say.

Minutes turned into hours, and you and Tara continued until every single cardboard wall was down due to your attempts at doing probably one of the most difficult tricks in ice skating.

Exhausted but exhilarated, you and Tara found yourselves lying off the ice rink, taking off some steam and deep breaths.

You stood up, quite abruptly, and lent Tara a hand. "Mind coming with me?" You asked, eliciting a confused smile from Tara, but she took your hand anyway.

You helped Tara to her feet and led her outside the door, the cold breeze hitting the both of you like a truck. "Where are we going exactly?" She asked as you led her around the corner to where a ladder lies that goes up to the rooftop.

You quickly climbed up the ladder and turned back to Tara. "Come on, there's something else I want to show you," you say, as you reach for Tara's hand to pull her up.

To her surprise, there was a blanket laid on the rooftop, fairy lights being hung on poles you had taped to the ground, yet again, and cups of eggnog and hot chocolate waiting for you both. The city lights glittered in the distance, and the stars above shined brightly.

Honestly, Tara didn't know how she managed to have someone like you in her life.

"Y/n.. y/n, this is so— It's beautiful." She said, breathless, as she approached the picnic blanket with you in hand.

You smiled at Tara's genuine appreciation, happy that your surprise made her happy. "I'm glad you like it," you replied, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Shall we sit, my love?"

Tara chuckled and sat down with you, never letting your hand go one bit. "The moon looks beautiful, even at this time."

You could've been looking at the moon, adoring its enchanting glow that reached the world, and the beauty of it all. But no, you were allured by another celestial being, something far more greater than anything that would exist in the cosmic universe, it was Tara.

"Yeah, it's quite beautiful."

The two of you sat in silence, gazing at the stars that slowly started to disappear as sunrise started to take over as you held hands together.

"I'm sorry." Tara broke the silence, her voice soft, "I should've planned something like this too for you, and for our anniversary. It's amazing, y/n."

You turned to Tara, a soft smile playing on your lips. "Tara, you being here with me is more than enough. I didn't plan this to receive anything in return; I just wanted to create a special moment for us and for you to have the best anniversary you can get from someone. And many more, of course." You reassured her, gently squeezing her hand, "Besides, being here with you is all I could ever ask for."

Tara leaned in and pressed a tender kiss against your cheek. "You're incredible, really. You know that?" she whispered, "you didn't have to do this."

"I had to, and I wanted to. You gave me so many happy moments in the short time we've been together, it's just a little something to pay you back."

Tara smiled as she wrapped your arms around yours, pulling you into a gentle embrace. "Thank you, y/n. I love you. Like, so much."

"Well, it's not over yet. There's one more thing," you said before unzipping the duffel bag you had brought and pulling out a box.

Tara raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

You turned to her, facing Tara with nothing but love.

"I want to make everything special and feel special for you, Tara. You're someone I couldn't bear to lose, and someone I didn't think I deserved, up until now. I want to tell you that I promise to do everything for you so that I'll deserve every piece of you in my heart." You vowed, opening up the box to reveal a promise ring. And, as if by cue, snowflakes were falling to the ground, and ones that ended up in Tara's hair. You never knew there was the absolute perfect time to gift the love of your life something special.

"Y/n—Y/n, this is too much, seriously." Taras heart swelled with love, her eyes widening and her smile reaching up to her ears, revealing the dimples you always loved.

"Never is it too much when I want to show my love to you, Tara. You only deserve the best, and only the best. So," you held your sentence as you lifted up Tara's hand and slid the promise ring onto her finger, "I bought this to tell you that I'm fully committed to you, body and soul, and promise I'll always cherish you no matter what. It's a reminder that you are deserving of all the happiness in the world."

Tara stared at the ring, content in her eyes as she looks up towards you. "Y/n, I don't know what to say. This is... it's perfect. Thank you."

You grinned, feeling a sense of contentment in making Tara feel special. "You don't have to say anything. Just know that you mean everything to me, and I'm grateful for every moment we share."

Tara chuckled, "For a moment, it felt like you were exchanging vows over there."

"Oh, my vows will be much more longer." You responded, a chuckle you gained from Tara.

"Well, speaking of vows," Tara began, her tone becoming more serious, "I want you to know that you have a special place in my heart since the day I met you. You've made every moment memorable that I didn't even know it was possible. Every mundane chore could never be the same now that I have you, y/n. God—I just, love you. Like so, so, so, much."

And with that, you leaned in for another kiss, embracing Tara and laying down with her as you both kissed. "I love you too, Tara."

The night, or maybe early morning, continued as you both laid down, seeing the sun take over the night sky as the moon was still visible.

You turned to Tara, "Do you think we could still sleep in?"

"I don't think people crossing the street on Christmas would like to see two people sleeping ontop of their rooftop."

"Baby, it's New York, people probably stumble into waaay worse things in their mornings."

Pulling your sleepy girlfriend out of her bedrest wasn't ideal for a first anniversary, nor the first very early morning of Christmas. But was it the best decision you've made? Definitely.

[janeyseymour]

A story where R is really self conscious about their mobility aid (a cane if possible). Maybe one of the middle schoolers says something rude. And mostly a lot of comfort from Mel

i hope this is good enough because i wrote it in between teaching a bunch of first graders and babysitting two little gremlins

Lean On Me

WC: ~2.5k

You had finally decided to bite the bullet and get your knee replaced after months of agonizing pain with a little nudge from your wonderful wife. You had hoped it would be replaced and healed by the time the school year started up again, but unfortunately that was not the case. You weren’t able to get it replaced until the end of July, and with class being back in session at the end of August, you’re still using the cane and you’re under pretty strict restrictions.

“Maybe I should just take a month’s leave until I can walk without this damned thing,” you mutter to yourself as you’re sitting in Melissa’s classroom while she finishes prepping her room for this year’s upcoming little eagles. “I don’t want the kids to see me with this.” You lazily gesture to the cane that’s next to you.

“That’s up to you, my love,” Melissa tells you as she passes you by to hang a new Eagles sign. “But I do think that you’ll be incredibly bored while you’re recovering and no one is around.”

She’s right. You’ll be bored out of your mind if you decide to take off for a month- especially without her to keep you entertained. And you know that you hate having subs; if the principal would even be able to find a substitute for you this late into the game. So you decide that you’ll just have to tough it out despite the fact that you’re incredibly self-conscious of having to use the mobility aid at such a young age. You get stares while you’re just in the grocery store and hobbling around with your wife (she tries to insist that you stay home and rest, but you tell her that you like spending the time with her and that you need to stay at least somewhat active).

Development days come and go, most of your staff and team doing everything they can to make life easy for you- Ava even going as far as spray painting your parking spot in the front so that she knows not to rent out the space during the Eagles barbecue that she holds every year (both you and Melissa thank her for that). Janine and Jacob help you to set up your classroom while Gregory finds different workouts that are supposed to help it heal faster on top of the rigorous physical therapy that you’ve been attending. And Barbara is there to make sure that both you and your wife were well-rested and eating- offering moral support in any way she possible can.

And so, the first day of school is upon you. The redhead insists on carrying your things to your room, and she sets a chair outside of the door for you to be able to greet your students when they come in. As your old students run past you to get to their new teachers, they give you the biggest and warmest hugs, telling you that they hope you feel better. You see Melissa standing outside of her door, greeting her new students with the same gusto that she always does, and then she looks over to you. She gives you a questioning look, and you nod and smile in her direction- quietly raising your mug filled with coffee in a toast. She reciprocates your action and blows you a kiss subtly.

You hobble your way back into the classroom and take a seat at your desk while the kids settle in and do the morning work that is on their desk. After morning announcements, you have them all gather on the carpet and explain to them how this year is going to work. One of them raises a shy hand.

“What’s up, hun?” you ask one of the girls.

She asks you hesitantly, “Why do you have a cane? I thought only old people have a cane.”

You smile at her gently. “Thank you for asking, sweetheart. Mrs. Schemmenti had a knee surgery over the summer, and I’m still recovering. I’ll only need it for another month, maybe a little longer. But while I have it, everybody needs to be careful and gentle. I can’t walk around much either, so I’ll be teaching from my desk for the time being.”

Your class is overwhelmingly supportive of this, and they are so sweet about asking if you ever need anything or if they can help pass out papers for the entirety of the morning. This group is a bunch of love bugs who make you get well cards when you give them a bit of free time while you’re waiting to be called down to the gymnasium for the beginning of the year assembly.

You’re incredibly thankful that Ava calls your grade first so that you can make your way down slowly and find a seat before anybody else can swoop in- the last thing you need is to have to stand in the back because all of the chairs are taken. You’re pretty sure if that happened, your wife would riot for you, but that isn’t necessary.

You have your kids take a seat, Melissa slides in next to you and takes your cane to prop it up against the wall, and then you settle in for whatever ridiculous first day of school assembly will present itself this year.

Because you were the first ones in, you’re also the last ones out. It gives you time to get yourself and your kids ready to head back to the classroom for the small break they have before they head to lunch.

But when lunchtime comes, you get swept up in the sheer chaos of trying to get your students to the cafeteria in time so that you have your full lunch break. There are the little ones who are walking through the halls with their eyes wide and full of wonder, your kids who are walking at a fast pace that you’re having a hard time keeping up with, and then there are the older ones who couldn’t care less that you’re attempting to make your way through the halls without bumping into anyone. It doesn’t help that half of the middle schoolers now tower over you.

In a rush, one of them knocks the cane out of your hand with their lunch bag and snorts with laughter. “I thought canes were for old heads!”

Another one of them shouts that you’ve really let yourself go, and maybe it’s time for you to go into early retirement if you can’t walk around without the help of your mobility aid.

You stumble without the crutch there to lean on, and you nearly fall until Melissa has looped an arm around your waist and is helping to hold you up. You lean against her heavily as you try to steady yourself again. She turns to shout at the two who were making fun of you, but they’re already swept up in the sea of children that are all wearing the same uniform. She doesn’t know who to yell at, so she quickly turns back to you.

The student that is standing next to you looks absolutely appalled and picks up your cane immediately. She hands it to you gently. “Are you okay?”

You nod and gesture for her to continue walking. Your students do as they keep their eyes trained on you to make sure that you’re okay.

Once all of your kids are in the cafeteria and you see that they are all seated and eating or in line to get a school lunch, you turn. Melissa is still right at your side, her arm still looped around you.

“Go enjoy your lunch, babe,” you tell her gently as you take her hand away. “I’m just gonna sit in my room for lunch if you wouldn’t mind bringing my kids back down with you when the period is over?”

“You don’t want to have lunch with us?” the redhead asks you quietly.

“I don’t know if I can make it down to the staffroom, and then the lunchroom, and back today,” you admit softly. “My knee is really hurting from physical therapy yesterday.”

“I’ll be down with your lunch,” Melissa promises. She squeezes your hand gently before turning on her heel.

You settle at your desk, and despite yourself willing the tears not to spring to your eyes they do. You wipe at them furiously. The comments from the older kids really shouldn’t be affecting you the way that they are. And you really would rather not have your wife see you shedding tears over their idiotic comments- you know she’ll be roping Ava into a manhunt to see who it was anyway, and it’ll only be that much worse for the students if she catches you crying.

Your wife comes in with both of your lunches and an icepack for you- not that you requested one. You quickly wipe your tears as you hear her heels hitting the tile underneath of her, but she still sees it.

“Hun, does it hurt that bad?”

You turn to her with a sad smile. “No. I’m fine,” you lie through your teeth, but your voice betrays you and it cracks ever so slightly.

She sets your lunch in front of you and pulls up two chairs. She gestures for you to set your leg up on the second chair as she sits int he one next to you.

“Mel, you really can go enjoy lunch with he crew,” you tell her gently. “I’ll be okay by myself.”

“Ice,” is all she says as she takes a bite of lunch. She sets the pack on your knee, and you flinch slightly as the cool sensation ripples through your body, sending a shiver down your back.

You sit there, and she watches worriedly as you don’t make a move for your lunch at all. 

“Babe, you have to eat,” she says softly.

You shrug and wrap your arms around yourself. “I’m not that hungry.”

“My girl? Not hungry?” the redhead teases you. “C’mon.”

You don’t know what happens, but something within you snaps. “When I’m not burning nearly as many calories as I used to because of this fucking knee, I don’t get as hungry!” You burst into tears again. “God, I never should’ve gotten it done, and then I wouldn’t need this damn cane!” You throw it across the room in anger before curling in on yourself.

Your wife is up and retrieving it in seconds, only for you to throw it past her again.

“Babe,” she warns as she picks it up again.

“I don’t fucking want it! I’m sick of everyone staring at the young woman who has to depend on a god damn cane to walk!” you cry.

“Is this because of-” she starts to ask you, but you cut her off. 

“I’m sick of being stared at in the grocery store, or when we decided to go to Hershey and I had to use one of the wheelchairs! I don’t want the kids to go home and tell their parents that I’m some poor, crippled woman who can’t teach standing up!” you choke out. “I- I just want to be normal again!”

“So help those kids who pushed past you,” she grumbles before taking her seat back and wrapping her arms around you. She kisses you gently. “It’s all part of the healing process. You’ll be back to running around in no time, and you aren’t going to be in as much pain.”

“It’s going to be at least another month before I can walk without the cane,” you yell, frustrated tears falling down your cheeks.

“And you know I’ll always be here to lean on, your kids will clearly do everything they can to help you, and you know the staff here has your back,” she tries to comfort you.

“I couldn’t even properly take my kids to lunch,” you sigh, and you hate how whiny you sound.

“So I’ll take them and bring them back for you with my kids,” your wife tells you. “That way all you have to worry about is getting to and from the staffroom.”

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. “You already do so much for me.”

“And I will continue to do everything I can for you for the rest of my life,” she tells you with confidence. “When I said for better or for worse, I was serious.”

“I love you,” you whisper as the first genuine smile appears on your lips since the lunch incident.

“I love you too,” she mumbles as she leans in to kiss you. Then she pulls away and pushes your lunch towards you. “Now eat. I know you’re hungry.”

You pick up the fork and shovel some food in your mouth. So maybe you lied to Melissa when you said you weren’t hungry.

Come the end of the day, your wonderful wife picks up your kids and takes them out for dismissal while you ice your knee again. You see the kids off with a wave and a smile as they tell you that they hope you feel better soon. You’re given quite a few hugs, and a few drawings of you with the students are mixed in.

When you expect her to come back in once the kids are gone though, she doesn’t. And you can’t really leave without her because you can’t carry everything and navigate the halls with your cane just yet. You shoot her a text.

Did you forget about your crippled wife?

I’ll be down in a few, she responds quickly. Just chatting with Ava.

She’s telling the truth because the next thing you know, she’s in your room and grabbing your bags along with all of hers, and you’re heading out for the night.

“Why were you chatting with Ava?”

“Just had a few questions for her about this school year,” is all the redhead says. “Now let’s get going- you have physical therapy at 4:30, and then it’s an early night for the Schemmentis. I am wiped.”

The next morning, you and your wife are sitting and standing outside your classrooms getting ready to greet your students when two of the older kids come up to you. They hand you apology notes and hazard a glance at Melissa- they look terrified of her. She just folds her arms over her chest and smirks.

“Mel,” you sigh once they walk away. “I appreciate you defending my honor, but do not make two middle school boys look about ready to sh… their pants on the second day of school.”

“Nobody makes fun of my wife,” she shrugs. “Especially when it’s about something she’s already insecure about.”

“Is that why you were with Ava? You were looking at the security footage?”

Again, she shrugs. “Let’s just say, we’re having a school wide assembly next week about how we shouldn’t make fun of people who have mobility issues or any other sort of disabilities.”

[braidlottie]

shauna shipman ABC’S! (nsfw)

,,,this has been sitting in my drafts for 84 years

A FOR AFTERCARE! what they’re like after sex

she’s always asking you if you want a bath after, but your legs are always too shaky, you can’t even get out of bed. she just cleans you up with a rag and gives you so much praise and love :(

B FOR BODY PART! their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s

she loves her tits but she think you love them even more sometimes. she’s always catching you staring and she thinks it’s fucking adorable.

C FOR CUM! anything to do with cum, basically

she's so dirty with cum,,,, after she makes you cum in her mouth she kisses you just so you can taste it

D FOR DIRTY SECRET! pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs

likes food play,,

E FOR EXPERIENCE! how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?

shauna had so much experience, you were kinda nervous because you never really knew what you were doing when it came to sex. but, she taught you some tricks of course :3

F FOR FAVORITE POSITION! this goes without saying

shauna loves the reach-around. she loves having full control of you, holding you closer by your waist, and keeping your thighs spread with her legs. plus, she can always whisper the most dirty, embarrassing things in your ear.

G FOR GOOFY! are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.

oh, she’s serious. the only time she’s laughing is usually in a mocking way at you.

H FOR HAIR! how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.

shauna shipman ur never beating the bush allegations.

I FOR INTIMACY! how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect'

she'll break out of her mean dom character if she sees that you're uncomfortable and turn into the softest mommy ever :(

J FOR JACKOFF! do they masturbate?

yes, it’s canon. >_< shauna can and will masturbate whenever she wants, even if it’s in the middle of the night and you’re sleeping next to her in bed.

K FOR KINKS! one or more of their kinks

the BIGGEST humiliation kink,,, spanking heh :3 she will even threaten to spank you in public. and a mommy kink >_<

M FOR MOTIVATION! what turns them on, gets them going

she never tells you, but she wants you to be a brat on purpose sometimes. acting up in public, not doing chores around the house,,, just something about punishing you makes her go wild.

N FOR NO! something they wouldn’t do, turn offs

anything that you’re not comfortable with. if she pitches an idea to you and you look the slightest bit unsure, it’s off the table.

O FOR ORAL! preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.

loves giving more than receiving. she just loves making you squirm and the feeling of your legs squeezing her head.

P FOR PACE! are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.

really rough :(( but she knows you love it :p

Q FOR QUICKIE! their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.

Almost every day. she loves quickies idc,,,, before taking you to school/work, before going to the grocery store,, :33

R FOR RISK! are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.

she’s always down to take risks, she’s a “don’t knock it until you try it” kind of person.

S FOR STAMINA! how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?

she’ll last a good 2-3 rounds before taking a quick water break 😭😭

T FOR TOYS! do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?

she has a pink vibrator canonically so i think that says enough lmao

U FOR UNFAIR! how much they like to tease

she’s very big on teasing, once she teased you so much, you cried… and she loved it

V FOR VOLUME! how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.

she mostly groans and lets out whispers of “fuck” in your ear. the only time she’s loud is when she cums.

W FOR WILD CARD! a random headcanon for the character

loves a good roleplay scenario. professor/student is her favorite :p

X FOR X-RAY! let’s see what’s going on under those clothes

thick thighs :3 and curves that her lingerie hugs perfectly :333

Y FOR YEARNING! how high is their sex drive?

not that high. but she will get very hot and bothered when she sees you in a certain outfit.

Z FOR ZZZ! how quickly they fall asleep afterwards

shauna rarely falls asleep immediately after. she will stay up with your for an hour or a little less, probably eating snacks and watching tv

[chaosisalwayscrying]

NSFW ABC’S

⇥ synopsis : nsfw abcs for matt!!

⇥ warnings : smut/suggestive content

⇥ extra : SORRY THIS IS LATE TOO SORRY

⇥ masterlist !

⇥ taglist !

A = Aftercare (how they’re like after sex)

literally the best at aftercare. argue w the wall. peppers your face with kisses and is so so gentle. pulls out slowly and immediately goes to get you a warm rag or run you a bath and cuddles you

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

he loves his arms, he loves the way he can lift you and hold you against the wall or how they carry you to the bathtub and back to bed

he LOVES your boobs. biggest boob guy ever. loves laying on them and pushing his dick in between them and leaving hickeys on them.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

started out using condoms but he was not a fan at all. he used them to be safe and you never complained so he figured it was what you preferred. but you both were too in the moment to remember once and you stopped using them since (dw ur on bc)

D = Dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

before you got together he accidentally spied on you in the shower and gor SO HORNY that he had to leave the house so you didnt catch him masturbating 😭

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

had one body before you but it was the awkward first time so he wasnt sure what to do, but luckily you were experienced and guided him through it

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

cowgirl. loves when you ride him, and loves watching your boobs bounce in his face

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

hes accidentally funny during intimate sex. theres times when stuff isnt as seriously intimate and he can make a joke or two, but hes more serious

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

trimmed, not buzzcut shaved but not a bush, perfect hair length.

has no preference to how long your hair is, as long as youre happy with it !!

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

loves being romantic, rose petals on the bed, candles, the whole nine yards. wants you to feel loved and appreciated

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

only does it when you cant be with him, like on tour and in boston, uses your instagram pics OR asks you to send him nudes

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

choking, loves to choke you, and loves you be choked (we all saw him in larrays vid.)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

the van, his bed, the shower, anywhere private

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

weirdly, matt loves when you cook. it makes him think of the future, how youd be with kids, how youd look pregnant, which just makes his breeding kink act up

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn-offs)

roleplay, thinks its really weird and he just cant find it hot

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

yes hes matt the munch but i think he just LOVES the sight of you with his dick shoved down your throat. hes so good at eating you out, and he could sit there for hours, but he could also watch you choke on his dick for hours

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

can do both, depends on his mood and the situation. he can go fast and rough if you ask or if hes frustrated, but if its a gentle day or in the morning, soft and slow is his go to

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

LOVES QUICKIES IN THE VAN. will literally send nick and chris in a store by themselves so you can ride him in the drivers seat. in any other place, hes 50/50

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

kind of, doesnt like the idea of being caught but DOES love doing it in mildly obvious places. wouldnt do it in a dressing room or store bathroom, but would in the bathroom of his friends house or in the van in a parking lot.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

three max, usually lasts long but sometimes he doesnt so it depends on how long he can last

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

none for himself but you own a vibrator. he uses it on you if hes feeling mean or if you convince him (it doesnt take much) he lets you use it on him

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

can be unfair, and he loves to be unfair sometimes, but he also loves when youre unfair to him

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

mostly low grunts or whines in your ear, but if your riding him hes not very good at being quiet. (which is why you can only do so when the house is empty)

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

hates sex scenes in media 😭

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

not that girthy but hes LONGGGGGGG. he hits all the right places 😇

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

7/10, he can go a while without sex but he can get going easy

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

he can stay awake long enough to clean you both up and get your both redressed and put something on the tv, but then hes out

⇥ TAGS !

@sturnioloshacker @rac00ns-are-c00l4 @hertvgirl @cupidzsq @sturnnie @leah-loves-lilies @billkaulitz0630 @sturniolololover @stqrnstars @cicicinquistausa @tylerthecreatorsrealwife

[mushroomates]

the fellowship at a hardware store, from someone who works at a hardware store:

sam: is in the nursery!! goes straight to the discount/dying plants and piles his cart full of wilted and sad plants. likes to rescue the houseplants first, has a soft spot for perennials and citrus trees. is a nightmare to check out but is very sweet about it. dirt and leaves everywhere. like, everywhere. they have to sweep after he’s gone. surprisingly strong and hauls big bags of dirt.

frodo: enjoys home improvement!! likes to wander carpeting and organization, hunts for good deals and keeps tabs on the sales weekends. he likes to peruse the shower curtains and closet accessories. likes to refurbish old furniture he finds off the side of the road- currently fixing up an antique dresser to put in the master bedroom.

merry: doorknobs, handles, dresser nobs. he likes to pick out the interesting and antique ones and customize his home with them. he really likes the oddly shaped ones, he has one starfish and one pickle on his nightstand table. likes to joke about touching all the knobs and fiddling with the knockers.

pippin: is lost in the lighting department. he’s staring up at all the pretty lights and hypnotizing fans. likes the remote controlled lights, enjoys messing with the demos. also likes collecting paint chips. (pippins also the kind of person to get really high and shit in the display toilets.) does not buy anything, maybe some beef jerky and skittles at the check outs.

boromir: this man has like 80 projects going on and is remarkably proficient in every conceivable area featured in the store. he’s here so much people think he works here. he kinda does. he’s happy to advise you, lead you to products, and lifts heavy things for little old ladies and swooning maidens. he’s happy to grab the things on the highest shelf as well as carry those bigs bags of dirt out to your care. he is just a naturally pure and helpful soul. <3

aragorn: has lost himself in scrap wood. straight to the lumber yard, straight to the pile of damaged and recycled wood. once a month, he comes and loads up as much as it will fit in a pickup truck. no one knows what he does with it but he keeps coming back. there are several theories around the store. either he’s building a bunker, has a side hustle by reselling it, makes massive fires or he does wood work. alternatively, he’s a homeless man building his own cabin in the woods so he can live away from society. that’s one’s probably the closest.

gandalf: mixes his own paint. he doesn’t work there but somehow he keeps getting back there and making his own custom colors. was known to pull a miracle and turn gray paint back into white. no one knows how he did this. likes to camp out in the seasonal section. enjoys lounging on couches and swings for long periods of time.

gimli: is so excited to walk into the tools section. wants all the toys. likes power tools in a way that’s both funny and scary. really likes chainsaws and leaf blowers, possibly because they pose the biggest threat to legolas. often gets flagged out the door because no one person needs that many tools and he must be up to something. he always beeps out the door because inevitably someone forgot to take off one of the sensors of his many, many tools. he used to be nicer about this but lately has lost patience with always being stopped out the door, and often will make a show of waving his receipt before leaving.

legolas: spends a good amount of time in the garden. i imagine he gets enamored with the fountains and ponds rather quickly, also likes the statues and fun pots. also, wanders through the garden and samples the plants. by samples i mean eat small bites of it, and if he finds the quality satisfactory he will purchase it. this is rarely the case and he often just goes around eating small bites of houseplants.

[dfortrafalgar]

I'm Losing You... (But We're Filling the Cracks)

Having a family isn't always as easy as fairy tales make it seem. But sometimes, you just need a little bit of love... and a little bit of science.

Warnings: read chapter 1 for warnings.

Taglist: @phsycochan | @mirillua | @augustanna | @chaixsherlock | @whore-of-many-hot-men | @nerdisthenewcool | @lilypadmomentum | @1dkneo | @kitsunechan707

Chapter 29

[Prev] [Next]

The last thing you and Law were able to fully enjoy together to prepare for the arrival of your babies was setting up the nursery in the second bedroom, after having your friends assist with clearing it out and cleaning up the carpet, that was.  Once completed, Law was now hunkered down to a strict schedule of meetings with almost hundreds of people in preparation for the biggest, longest, and most daunting surgery of his life.

But prior to that, he was able to spend an entire day with you, putting together cribs, assembling toys, installing two small dresser sets and changing tables, and organizing all of the baby clothing and supplies you received from your generous friends.  You had never seen Law more delighted, except maybe on your wedding day.  The way he carefully assembled one of the mobiles and hung it delicately over the top of one of the cribs brought a warm smile to your face.  As the days grew closer and closer, the thought of Law holding your babies made your heart flutter more and more.

The room was much smaller than your master bedroom, but it still had ample room as a nursery for two babies.  You had taken the opportunity (thanks in part to your lenient lease) to paint both of the walls a simple, muted mint-green color, calming to the eyes and yet still allowing the room to glow with light when the blinds were open.  Law had even bought a paper trim decorated with animal prints to place on the highest points of the wall, surrounding the corner where it touched the ceiling.  Both cribs were situated in opposite corners of the room, separated by a small window.  At the ends of both cribs sat their small dressers where their respective clothing, bedding, and supplies were stored, and above the dressers sat their changing tables and changing mats.  The rest of the room was dedicated to storing their plethora of toys until they were old enough to begin playing and exploring their world.  In your kitchen, two high chairs were placed against the wall, ready to be used at your table.  Two car seats with sturdy handles and foldable sun covers were ready and waiting in your extra closet, along with the folded up double stroller.  In your bathroom, Law had installed a small additional storage container for you to keep your unused breastfeeding supplies in, which he insisted on sterilizing three times a week despite not being touched yet.  Everything was ready to go, now the only thing left to do was wait.

But now, Law was spending more and more time at the hospital, which you completely understood, but that he lamented over.  Before he left every single day, and the second he returned home from however long his shift was, he kissed you on the lips before traveling down and planting two tender kisses against your bump.  The bump of which had become quite the hindrance as you approached the 36 week mark.  You were at 34 now, and according to Robin, your twins’ organs were fully developed and they’d be able to breathe on their own once born… whenever that was.

And while you were happy to have made it to 34, overjoyed even, the Braxton Hicks contractions were incredibly annoying.

“They are not indicative of labor,” your doctor had said.  “Trust me, you’ll know when your contractions go from false alarms to actual labor.”

You took her word for it.  But that didn’t make the 30 second increments of sudden cramping rippling across your belly at all hours of the day any better.  Sometimes, the pain would subside for an hour or two before coming back in full.  And they weren’t agonizingly painful, but they were prevalent enough that it was near impossible to ignore them.

While Law was at work more and more frequently in preparation for the surgery, Shachi and Penguin basically moved in with you.  They were walking Bepo, feeding Bepo, playing with Bepo, kissing Bepo, all while you were laying on your couch like a log.  A log with a huge belly and spontaneous Braxton Hicks contractions.

“What does Mama want?” Penguin asked from your kitchen, rifling through your pantry.

“Please don’t call me ‘Mama,’” you groaned.  It was endearing when Law did it, and very awkward when anyone else did.

“Got it.  What does the fat woman on the couch want?” he called back.

“Don’t make me come over there and stab you,” you yelled.  “I’m cranky enough as it is.”

Shachi emerged from the bathroom down the hall.  “Penguin quit bugging her.  That’s my job.”

“You guys are going to make me deliver early,” you snipped.

“Give the poor woman some food,” Shachi demanded, driving a harsh spank against Penguin’s ass through the man’s cargo shorts, resulting in a high-pitched yelp.  That finally forced a smile to break out on your face.

“I’m glad to see you two finally came to your senses,” you chided, trying to push yourself up against the armrest of your couch where a pillow was situated against your back to support you.  “What’s it like having graduated from roommates to sex?”

“It’s the exact same, but way hotter,” Shachi replied with a mischievous, toothy smile.

“Okay, I’m sorry for calling you fat, please stop talking about my sex with this lunatic,” Penguin groaned, emerging from your pantry with a few unopened boxes of pasta while you and Shachi giggled over his modesty.  “How does a simple baked ziti sound?”

You moaned from the couch.  “That sounds heavenly.”

Shachi left the kitchen to enter the main living space with you, sitting on the floor with his legs spread and allowing Bepo to crawl onto his lap.  “Nervous?” he asked, looking up at you.

Your hands soothed over your belly as another false contraction rippled through you in waves.  “More than nervous.  But I’ve been trying not to think about it.  I’m worried that too much stress will induce labor.”  After a brief pause, you added, “I’m worried that everything out of the ordinary will induce labor.”

The redhead hummed beside you, idly stroking the soft fur of Bepo’s head as the dog began to fall asleep on his lap.  “Do you have a hospital bag packed?”

You nodded.  “Law packed one for me a week ago.  It has all of our stuff in it… it’s pretty heavy.  He said, ��If anything happens while I’m away and you have to go into L&D, have either Shachi or Penguin take this to the hospital.’”

“What’s ‘L&D’?” asked Penguin from the kitchen as he dumped two boxes of pasta into a large pot of boiling water.

“Labor and Delivery,” you clarified.  “We’re all assuming a lot of this is going to be spontaneous, so there’s no real indication of when I’ll have to go in because… well, we don’t know when I’ll give birth,” you explained.  “Most moms with one baby give birth at around 40 weeks, give or take.  But with twins, the average is apparently 36.  And I’m at 34.”

Shachi whistled through his lips.  “So it really could be at any moment.”

“Great time for Law to have to replace a man’s organs, huh?” Penguin piped up from the kitchen.

You laughed.  “The timing couldn’t have been better!”

The smell of baked ziti very slowly began to permeate your apartment as Penguin cooked, Shachi doted on Bepo, and you lounged on the couch, standing intermittently to continue to stretch your legs.  The contractions didn’t stop, if anything they increased in frequency as time slowly ticked away.  And every once in a while, one of your babies would kick against your muscle.

—

Law was fighting with every fiber in his body to stay awake.  He was leading his surgical team, for crying out loud.  He needed to be front and center for this meeting.  He drove the tip of his pencil through his pant leg into the flesh of his thigh to snap him out of his dozed state.  God, he needed coffee.

At the front of the conference room, directly in front of where Law sat, was the head of the hospital’s Transplant Transport team, which Law’s team joked was a very humorous name.  He was quite a stocky older man with a distended belly that barely fit into the gray dress shirt he had tucked into his slacks.  He was going through an itinerary on a pulled-down projector screen.  

“The patient, to remind those of you who just arrived, is a 51 year old man with a history of cardiopulmonary failure.  He has had two open heart surgeries in the past, and suffered a collapsed lung in his youth.  Both he and his family have been willing to try every treatment possible, and that is why we are meeting here today.  As far as I am aware, this hospital has never performed a double heart-lung transplant before, am I correct?”  He turned his attention to Law, who crossed on leg over his knee, asking silently for the lead surgeon’s approval.

“Correct,” Law affirmed, nodding his head.

“Dr. Trafalgar, would you mind walking your team through the procedure step-by-step?” the man asked, stepping aside to allow Law room to stand up in front of the packed conference room.

With a silenced grunt, Law stood up and smoothed his white doctor’s coat over his chest.  He took a deep breath and turned to face the room.  In front of him, every seat at the table and scattered chairs against the wall were filled by his surgery team, ICU nurses and doctors, hospital technicians involved with the case, and members of the Transplant Transport team.  “The surgery is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM on May 12th.  That morning, a helicopter will be arriving with the heart and lungs from the donor patient, where they will then be transported by the transplant team to our operating room and hooked up to an artificial body where they’ll be kept living while we remove the damaged tissue from our recipient.  A coronary bypass machine will be used to keep the patient alive while his organs are removed and replaced.  This is the simple explanation, whenever everyone’s ready, I will begin discussing the more heavy aspects of the procedure.”

A few nods and curt words of consent were shared amongst the room.  Law took a deep breath and began speaking once more.

—

You were sitting naked on your bed, having just gotten out of the shower, when your phone started buzzing on your bedside table.  Your husband’s name popped up, immediately making you smile.

“Hey, baby!” you called into the receiver.  “How’d the presentation meeting go?”

A long, pent up sigh was heard through the speaker, making your heart pang with sympathy.  [About as good as it could’ve.  It’s hard explaining a 15 hour surgery to a group of 50-some-odd people.]

“Do you think your team is ready for it?” you asked, using one hand to slather moisturizing lotion onto your knees and calves.

[I think so.  I mean, I damn hope so.  I’ve had a lot of my nurses and team members review the same materials I’ve been studying to make sure everyone is on the same page.  As the day gets closer, I’m having my assistants complete simulated operations on their down time.]

“You can do that?”

[It’s a teaching hospital, we’ve got plenty of equipment.]

You grinned, dropping your legs and falling backward onto your bed, rubbing your belly with one hand while your other held your phone to your ear.  “Well, that’s good.”

Law’s voice hummed in agreement.  You heard him take another deep breath.  [I miss you.]

A part of you wanted to joke that he was only about five minutes away, but you knew what he meant.  He was missing the last few weeks of your pregnancy, something he had wanted to avoid since the two of you started trying for a baby.  It was vital to him that he was there to support you, to protect you, but once again, he wasn’t.  He was kept away from you by his taxing job, a job that he loved with a deep passion, but one that fought with his unwavering commitment to you.

Instead of commenting something witty in response, you replied with, “I know… I do too.”  A thought came into your mind, something you had read earlier in the day while your friends were out with your dog.  “Hey… Law?”

[Yeah, baby?]

“I know it’s hard to ask this over the phone but… I read online that parents with twins are more likely to suffer relationship breakdown.”

Law seemed to know what you were alluding to immediately, even without you having to explicitly state your worry.  [Remember everything I’ve been telling you?  About how much I love you and how that’s not going to change at any point?]

A smile tugged to your lips.  “Yeah…”

[Relationships break down because of stress.  But we’re good at working things out together.  We jump through hurdles at the same time because we communicate and we love each other.  That’s not going to change with babies.  Even with two new mouths to feed instead of one.]

“Your words always help me feel better,” you sighed into the receiver.  “I love you.”

[Get some rest, sleeping beauty.  I love you, too, always.]

—

34 weeks turned into 35.

The waiting was starting to take years off of your life, you thought.

Shachi and Penguin had bunked up in your living room.  You only saw your husband about three times while he prepared religiously for the operation.

Somewhere at another hospital, a comatose man was being prepped and signed off to be removed from life support and have his organs harvested.  And ten minutes from your apartment, a middle-aged man with his own family was getting ready to receive them.

And you were carrying two babies in your womb.  Two babies who, according to your very last ultrasound, were both facing head-first toward your cervix.  It was looking like a completely natural birth would be possible, as long as no complications arose in the moment.

Hopefully, according to your latest health workup, everything would be fine.  Your blood pressure had remained steady throughout your pregnancy, all of your blood panel conditions had been very healthy.  Your body felt ready, if the constant Braxton Hicks contractions were anything to go off of.

It was just.  The.  Waiting.

Your journal was almost completed.  You only had two more pages before your prompts switched to journaling the post-birthing experience.

You uncapped your pen and began writing.

[idkwhatever580]

Her pt. 2

Pairings: Natasha Romanoff x reader

Prompt: after y/n gets rescued what is in store in the next chapter of her life with Natasha?

Warnings: cursing

Pronouns: she/her

A/N: I’m super excited about this one. Make sure you read chapter one first so you have some insight on how nat and y/n met!!! I hope y’all like it :)))

Here’s part one :))) I’m working on a master list I swear -> https://www.tumblr.com/idkwhatever580/749750524015984640/her-pt-1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/n’s pov

I cannot believe it’s been a whole year since I met Natasha.

She and the avengers immediately took me in and I found myself going over to the compound much more than I expected.

I still have my house in Long Island. But I never stay there really anymore. Ever since Natasha and I started dating I haven’t spent too much time there.

It only took three months for me to virtually move in with her. Although I do wish she’d come with me sometimes.

But I don’t really worry about that since one of the floors in the tower is my new soup kitchen. It’s open twenty four hours a day and there are at least 2-6 people working there at all times.

As promised Tony Stark and SHEILD helped me get my business up and running.

I make homes for the homeless. Sometimes they are bigger more communal homes and sometimes they are tiny one or two person homes.

My first two homes are side by side. They were for gran and pops. They were always my biggest supporters and still are.

My program has changed so many lives. There are so many people out there who just need a little bit of love.

Sometimes the homeless people will use the homes as a forever home but most often they get jobs. Become more financially stable and independent and then they will move out. It’s really great. Because I see so many people I’ve helped become something. Someone.

There are so many who have told me they thought they would never amount to anything. And a few of them have become very successful even as far as becoming a CEO.

I am incredibly proud of my work.

And honestly it’s so exciting to see what changes I can make every single day.

For example. Today is the release date of my nationwide program.

All over the country a program is being launched where homeless people can find shelter, rehabilitation centers, and other necessities for free so they can have a second chance at life. I am doing some interviews today.

Unfortunately Natasha isn’t here. She has a mission. I’m a little sad that she won’t be with me tonight as the program launches but the show must go on.

I check my watch and see it is time to leave for the opening ceremony and I go downstairs to find Happy.

I smile and say

“What’s up Happy! Are you ready?”

He smiles sadly and says

“Yes I am ready. But I must inform you that I am only your chauffeur tonight. Unfortunately I cannot be your plus one.”

I frown when he says this because he was supposed to fill in for Natasha and now I have nobody.

“Oh. Well. That’s okay!”

I smile and cover up my disappointment. He drives me to the red carpet and helps me out. I kiss his cheek accidentally leaving a lipstick stain and I say

“Thank you. Have a good night Happy.”

He usually goes home and I have a different driver drive me home.

I walk to the red carpet by myself and put on my best smile. I make it about halfway through the carpet and an arm snakes around me and this mystery person says

“Am I late?”

“Oh!”

I jump and put my hand to my chest and I look at my beautiful girlfriend with a huge smile on my face and I say

“Jesus! You scared me!”

My brain doesn’t even register that she’s back since I’m in the zone and then I do a double take and say

“Wait! What!?”

She giggles when I realize and I slap her chest and say

“I thought you were at a mission?!”

She chuckles and says.

“I got off early enough to make it. That’s why Happy isn’t here with you. I tried my best. But I couldn’t get the best suit”

She looks down at her suit and I look her up and down and say

“You look amazing baby. Perfect right here with me.”

I smile and give her a kiss. We always wear matching lipstick colors so that we can kiss and not get it messed up.

Then I put my hand on her chest and we keep taking pictures.

The rest of the night goes smoothly and I give a speech. I talk to a few people who have helped my journey and then we head home.

I get changed and wait in bed for Natasha. She takes a while so I complain

“Nattyyy”

She comes out of the bathroom and smiles and says

“Yes baby?”

I hold my arms out for her and pout

“I missed you”

She gets into bed with me and says

“I missed you too.”

Once we’re comfy she looks me in the eyes and says

“Goodnight my love. You have done such amazing things for so many people and I am so lucky to be yours.”

I smile and say

“I love you baby. Goodnight”

We kiss and drift off into a nice comfortable sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: guys this is so bad. It feels rushed and blah. Idk how I feel about it. I became so unmotivated and just wanted to move on to the next thing but I didn’t want to just leave it. 😭🔫

[shares-a-vest]

Steve looks up from his magazine, one of Keith’s many car subscriptions that he is gifted as leftovers, to find Dustin not not looking straight at him and fiddling with the same copy of Hello! Dolly he had picked up a solid ten minutes ago.

He is fairly certain he knows Dustin’s movie preferences. And they don’t include Barbara Streisand’s matchmaking through song and big hats.

Dustin turns away, revealing a backpack that now sports a gigantic Hellfire patch sewn onto the front pocket, courtesy of Robin and Eddie’s joint sewing endeavours.

“Henderson!” Steve calls, frowning.

Nothing. The kid might as well be twiddling his goddamn thumbs as he chances a glance over he shoulder, very obviously hearing him.

Steve snaps the magazine shut and rounds the counter to the musical section. But Dustin scampers away, setting a steady pace as he comically power walks down the split horror-comedy aisle in order to double back to the front of the store.

“Hey! What the hell, man?” Steve says, taking a few strides to get ahead of the kid so Dustin is blocked right between him and the front candy display, “What the hell is up with you?”

He probably sounds more accusatory than curious, judging by Dustin’s wide and panicked eyes. The boy shrugs and looks away.

Yeah, Dustin not talking and not blabbering away about anything, let alone whatever it is that’s up? Fucking weird.

Steve looks him over, examining his young friend’s movements as he shuffles on the spot and periodically scuffs his sneakers on the sun-faded green carpet.

“Um, uhhh...” Dustin hums after a long pause.

Still strangely incomprehensible for him – but it’s something, at least.

“What is it?” he asks, voice low as he searches for a shred of eye contact.

“Do you, I dunno... maybe...” Dustin trails off, gesturing in the air as a pair of nervous eyebrows disappear up under the Cubs cap Steve gifted him for Christmas 1984.

Not that Dustin cares about the Cubs – then or now.

Dustin slips his hands under his backpack straps and rocks on the spot as he continues prattling on.

“Do you wanna hang out on Sunday? I mean, if you don’t have a date or anything.”

The kid sticks out his bottom lip and rolls his eyes, not at all appearing as casual as he seems to want to be.

“Sure,” Steve shrugs, confused.

Jesus Christ, since when is this kid all nervous about hanging out?

“Steve,” Dustin sighs deeply, pinching his nose (good, back to his bratty, if a little exasperated, self), “Sunday is Father's Day.”

“Oh.”

He must have passed by the greeting card display at Melvad’s, over and over during every lunch break as he headed in for a can of soda and whatever non Family Video-sponsored candy Keith was craving.

It’s not like he had any reason to remember. His folks haven’t been home since the ‘earthquake’ and they almost never call. Hell, he has enough of a time conversing at any length when his mother does call, let alone asking her to put his father on the phone.

Not that he wants to talk to his non-college attending, barely-high school graduate son who works minimum wage retail and has no girlfriend, anyway.

Not that all of that matters much when Dustin is looking back at him with a rare sadness in his eyes.

“I mean, your dad isn’t home – obviously,” Dustin starts, though not quite as harsh as his usual barbs, “And Will spends the day with Hop now. Eddie and Wayne go fishing. And I would be going to visit my grandpa but he and Nanna went on a cruise. I think they went – ”

“Sure, buddy,” he blurts out, offering a pat on the shoulder to make up for inadvertently cutting the kid off. He pauses and frowns, “But what about your mom?”

Dustin shrugs, “She wants to have a girl’s day with Valerie.”

Ah, yes. Valerie Richardson, Claudia Henderson’s best friend and Hawkins’ biggest town gossip courtesy of her job as the receptionist at the doctor’s office. Steve can’t help but laugh – Valerie really knows her stuff.

“I’m assuming their girl’s day will involve a charcuterie board and wine?”

“Charcuterie,” Dustin mutters, beyond displeased at the thought of dips, fruit and water crackers – a far cry from his mother’s prized lasagne.

“Alright,” Steve announces, rubbing his hands together, “We’d better pick out some movies. I’m thinking we hit the arcade, then have a movie marathon over the cheesiest of pizzas...”

Dustin grins.

[munson-blurbs]

@corrodedcoffinfest Day 29: Behind the Music

Word Count: 625/Rating: T/Pairing: None/CW: frustration, rockstars/Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth, Grant, Jeff, Hellfire Club, DnD

Divider credit to @silkholland

“This is bullshit!” Grant crumpled up a sheet of paper and tossed it towards the trash bin, missing by a mile. “I give up.”

Eddie tried mustering up something motivational, but he felt the same way Grant did. The only words in his notebook were fuck you, written fifty times over. 

“How are we supposed to write a song for the label when they don’t know what they want?” Gareth complained from his seat on the couch. He lowered his voice to a mocking tone. “Nothing romantic, but nothing about break-ups. Make it angry but not enraged. Sing about real issues, but don’t make it political.”

Jeff snapped his notebook shut and dropped it on the carpet. “If they don’t like our stuff, they should just write it themselves.”

“They offered,” Eddie muttered, a reminder and a warning. That ‘offer’ was more akin to a threat: the execs knew that Corroded Coffin writing their own songs was a huge part of their brand. If someone were to write for them…

“Well, I’m not writing another song just for them to turn it down,” Gareth quipped. 

Grant peered over at Eddie’s paper and grimaced. “Looks like our fearless leader isn’t having much luck, either.” He chuckled, scratching at his five o’clock shadow. “I can’t believe this is from the same brain that used to bust out insane campaigns in, like, a day.”

The other two band members laughed along with him, but the comment made Eddie pause. Without another word, he bolted to the filing cabinet and rifled through the contents until he found what he’d been searching for. 

“Gentleman…I think I found our solution.”

Jeff squinted at the marbled cover. The words “PROPERTY OF EDDIE. YOU READ, YOU DIE!!!!” were written in red, bold letters, tucked between doodles of a twelve-sided die and Satan himself. 

“Is that…?”

“Sure is.” Eddie flipped through the pages. He hadn’t played DnD in years, not since the band really took off. It was hard to keep a game going on the road. Still, he kept his old campaign notebooks securely stored in his penthouse apartment, like they were precious artifacts. 

In a way, Eddie supposed, they were. 

“The label doesn’t just want a song—they want a story.” He kept the book open to one of his best campaigns yet. “What if we use some of these as inspiration?”

“You think the label cares about druids and bards and demogorgons?” Jeff asked incredulously. 

Eddie shook his head. “No, but they do care about betrayal. Namely, trusting someone to do your dirty work and they back out at the last minute.”

“Kas the Bloody-Handed,” Jeff said, his voice soft as his face broke into a smile of understanding. 

Gareth nearly leapt out of his seat. “What if we write it so, like, people start off sympathetic, but when we get to the end, it’s revealed that the narrator has been the villain the whole time?”

“That’s why they call you Gareth the Great!” Eddie clapped a hand on his friend’s back.

“It probably wouldn’t hurt to get back into DnD,” Grant mused. “Just for, y’know, inspiration purposes.”

Eddie laughed. “Inspiration purposes, huh?” He tapped the eraser end of his pencil on the notebook. 

“C’mon, Eddie!” Gareth urged. “We can break out our old Hellfire shirts.”

“What say you, Eddie the Banished?” Jeff asked. “Care to reprise your role as Dungeon Master.”

Rockstars playing a nerdy fantasy game? Eddie supposed it wasn’t the biggest contradiction he’d ever heard, but it was certainly up there. He took a look at his bandmates, their eyes pleading. 

“I say…” Eddie started, a mischievous grin twitching at his lips. “I say you Level One Dwarfs better get ready for the most sadistic campaign of your lives.”

--

[i-starcreamed]

Mtmte headcanons for Rodimus, Drift, Tailgate(+ Cyclonus maybe?), Brainstorm with a gn reader? Like there’s going to be a party or ball or something. And they’re doing reader’s make up, hyping them up, among other things.

Feel free to add more bots or get rid of some of them, I know how hard writing can be sometimes soo :)

yayyy such a fun prompt. also...back to writing thank you for your patience anon. I had to exclude Brainstorm because I couldn't come up with anything for him, but he'd be so enthusiastic about helping you get ready for a ball :'(

[human!reader post includes: MTMTE rodimus, drift, and tailgate+cyclonus

None of these are going to be super super canon so bear with me. The Lost Light had made a stop at an organic-safe planet to pick up some supplies for you and explore around a little. However, everyone had to use their holo-forms as the planet was not very welcoming to cybertronians. You just so happen to read a poster of an upcoming party tonight and ask your robabe to help you get ready

MTMTE RODIMUS

Once you tell him about the event, he agrees to help you get ready and even asks if he could join you. I would be lying if I said he thought twice about it, he didn't.

The party is some kind of carnival taking place in the area you landed in, judging by the poster announcing it, it would be quite flashy and colorful. You go for some quick shopping at the local stores and Rodimus hands you anything you'll look good in (you get handed every article of clothing he likes, nothing matches btw)

you wanna try out outfits? He'll support every single one but gives his honest opinion when you ask for it, helping you decide on the final outfit

He helps you do your makeup and although you're the one doing most of the work, he's trying his best. So gentle while applying any makeup, he does not want to stab your eye or scratch you. Tends to get a little impatient but the results were so worth it, if you decide to go with colors that match his paint job he'll have a literal twinkle in his eye and a stupid grin on his face.

"How's that?" He backs away to stand beside you and admire his work. "Primus, you look really stunning."

HE IS YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!

Hyping you up the whole time. on his hands and knees. "Y/N your makeup looks amazing, that color looks so good on you, you're gonna kill it out there" He 100% suggests to roll down a red carpet for your entrance btw

MTMTE DRIFT

youre going to a ball and once you explain what that is, drift is thrilled to help you out

idk man..i feel like he'd be good at providing advice on what looks good together and what you should wear

he WANTS to help you do your hair, makeup, etc. he asked before you could finish your sentence

Another one that would adore any type of matching color scheme,. If there's some type of theme for the ball/party he's gonna help you and somehow nail that theme, like, perfectly

Smooths out your clothes, gently adjusts your hair, then gives you a little kiss because wow you're glowing (is that the right word?)

Definitely the type to take you there with linked arms

MTMTE TAILGATE+CYCLONUS

Tailgate wants to go, Cyclonus is automatically going btw. Tailgate wants matching outfits

Tailgate helps you with your hair, Cyclonus with your makeup, and they both help out with your outfit and any accessories.

Tailgate is absolutely gushing over you once you're ready, literally leaping up In the air and twirling!!

Cyclonus using that poetic rizz to call you beautiful, pretty, handsome, a wondrous depiction of existence at its zenith-

yeah you go with matching outfits. At the ball you manage to dance with the both of them, cyc more graceful and tailgate a little clumsy but you all got the hang of it. You all have fun

some extra bit, i think the idea of a ball/party would intrigue the two of them. Cyclonus would greatly admire the elegant part of it while Tailgate would absolutely come up with a bunch of themes and parties they could have on the lost light. Its def an excuse to help you get ready again btw, Cyc is totally discreetly in on it

[gracie-bird]

Princess Grace of Monaco at the opening of Moghadam carpets shop in Monte Carlo in 1977.

A SPECIAL ENCOUNTER WITH PRINCESS GRACE

Enjoying his success, Alexander Moghadam and his wife visited the Principality of Monaco in 1976. 

“I was staying with my family in the Holiday Inn (today Le Méridien Beach Plaza). One night we came down for dinner when spontaneously I saw that something exciting was happening.”

Driven by his excitement, Alexander Moghadam asked around to find out more. It was a night when Monaco’s Princely family, including Princess Gace, Prince Rainier III, Princess Stephanie, and Prince Albert II, were attending a dinner at the hotel.

“As the Princely family were just passing next to our table, I said to myself, wow what a chance. I stood up with my wife and  asked Princess Grace whether we could have a photo with her.

Funny enough that photo never happened. We had an old Polaroid camera and because my wife was so excited she could not take a photo, the camera did not work.”

However, Alexander Moghadam got something even better in exchange, a friendship for life with the Princess.

“Princess Grace was very friendly with us. She asked us “Where are you from?” I replied we are Iranian. She then charmingly said “Oh, you are Iranian. You are most welcome. What are you doing here?” 

I told her that Monaco is a paradise. We came from Germany to spend the holiday. 

She then asked us with genuine interest in her voice, “What do you do in Germany?” 

I said, “I am in the business of Persian Carpets”. 

And she replied straight-away, “Why don’t you come to Monaco? We are very close friends with His Majesty, the Shah of Iran. The Shah has invited us to Iran for the ceremony of Persepolis and we enjoyed our trip very much. We love Iran and Iranians.”

I said to her, “Your Highness, are you inviting us to come to Monaco for business? If I relocate my business to Monaco, would you give us your support?”.

To my biggest surprise she said, “Yes, no problem. You are invited by me personally”.

She gave me the contact information of her private secretary, Louisette Levy-Soussan, and I made a promise to Princess Grace that the next morning, I would start to look for an ideal property for my carpet store in Monaco.

After a year of  work, the Moghadam Gallery was inaugurated in 1977, in the presence of Grace Kelly. 

From that day on, Alexander Moghadam and his family have never left the Principality, owning signature stores as the Moghadam Gallery, the Fashion For Floors, the Eichholtz or the Work in Progress.

“Princess Grace and her kindness encouraged me. Without her, I would have probably stayed in Germany. She was such a wonderful and unique person who left us way too early.”

***Source: livinginmonaco.com

[chemicalarospec]

okay so! I have some relatives who own a winery and I’ve visited a few times. Here’s some general facts and observations regarding Dawn Winery in Genshin Impact that may help fic writers or just be interesting to fans:

The Location

you need a LOT of acreage to have enough grapes to run a self-sustaining winery. My dad likes to point out that any cutesy wineries in our area (not a grape climate) must import their grapes, and their small fields are just for show/to supplement it. The Dawn Winery has a frankly PITIFUL amount of vineyards for “Mondstadt’s biggest winemaker”. One relative has a vanity/personal vineyard at their house and it's the same size or slightly bigger than Dawn Winery's vineyards. I think it’d be cool if you mentally sized up the vineyards, and tbh I see this less “missing” and more like… just done by the nature of Genshin being a video game, if you know what I mean. Like the same way the Dawn Winery is the ONLY Winery in Mondstadt, and Springville is the only town.

apparently my family has a website and theirs is 95 hectares (235.5 acres). Here is a picture:

the next thing missing is vats: the wine needs to be stored somewhere. My tours of the winery mainly consisted of looking at many giant metal vats. Genshin obviously has a historical aesthetic that these don’t match, so I think there would be rows of big Oak barrels (think a little bit taller than a tall man — my relatives had a few for fun). You are NOT making wine or even storing long-term in those tiny barrels outside -- those are probably holding wine to export, if they're holding wine.

I think Diluc’s house is canonically the winery… which… just… where is the wine being made? The basement? The family winery has a hole in the ground for drainage. Diluc has a carpet. You just don’t make massive quantities of wine in well-decorated cozy house. Maybe he has a REALLY big cellar.

A funny idea I got due to the lack of grapes and lack of fermentation equipment is that the Dawn Winery is just a "display" place to be like, the image of their brand and all the winemaking is done elsewhere.

I didn't know this but Germany apparently produces a sizable amount of wine. According to Wikipedia, they are more acidic, as grapes ripen less in Germany's colder climate. Due to my connection to the French, I personally like Mondstadt to have a Mediterranean-like climate, with mild winters and rare snow, but do what you like.

More information about the harvest/winemaking process under the cut!

The Process

Making wine actually requires a lot of chemistry knowledge. When I first drafted this post, the wiki said Diluc’s not interested in the wine-making side of things (but is assumed to have aptitude in it) and some NPCs run that side of the business. I can't find complete evidence of that now, but it's still implied Elzer actually runs the place. Given that Diluc bartends and fights crime, he probably doesn't have a lot of time to devote to the winery.

Harvest season (about 6 weeks, around September) is VERY busy because you must get all the grapes off the vines quickly, before they rot.

Before harvesting tractors, people would be seasonally hired to collect them using wooden sticks & baskets. In Genshin, there's probably creative ways for Ameno, Dendro, and other Visions to be useful here.

In the fields and the winery itself, my dad would work a lot during this time. I'm not 100% sure what he did during 16 hour work days, but I do know the general idea was “processing tons and tons of grapes,” so lots of manual labor. There were also lots of pumps and valves involved.

Okay I asked my dad and this is the winemaking process: the grapes are dumped in this corkscrew machine that remove leafs and twigs, and then a cylindrical de-stemmer (this is part of a "modern reception" my relatives brag about on their webpage, so in Genshin they'd probably do it by hand?)… I think the juice drainage goes to making white wine (I just searched that up and it’s true??? go me).

(Wikipedia has an article that's both helpful and confusing if you want to know more.)

Red wine gets its color from the skins, so they're pressed and filtered after fermentation, while it's the other way around for white. That process is to remove all the seeds and skin, which you then must dispose of. In Genshin, a Geo vision could help with the crushing.

The grapes go into massive open-air containers to ferment. The fermentation containers CANNOT be inside, because they release a lot of CO2 so you would straight up die. After fermentation, the wine is moved to sealed off vats/barrels for aging and storage. (So my earlier bullet point about vats & barrels... keep this in mind; you couldn't just put raw grape juice in a barrel in the basement and except to run the business next year.)

did a quick search and whites are fermented chill (helps them to smell nice), reds warmer, whites take longer than reds, and while it takes a few weeks to ferment a wine, it's usually sold at least a year after harvest to age it a little.

Other

My dad noted that the winery is very seasonal -- there is equipment that is not used at all for part of the year, and then very frequently at another time.

The Ragnvindr "Family" business would be on the other side of this than my family, but smaller wineries will produce "generic" reds and whites and sell them in bulk to bigger companies, which will apply their own label to them (I think they usually mix them with the "genuine").

My relatives named a bottling of wine after their grandson. I just think that's cute.

I read an article once about vineyard falcons -- they are used to protect the grapes from smaller birds. So Diluc's bird has a purpose!

(tagging @blooming-cecilia @valberryventi and @autumnpens because you were interested!)

[blainesebastian]

oscar luncheon (ccg universe)

words: 3,392 ship: austin butler x reader summary: (request from @stylespresleyhearted ): “Luci attending the Oscar luncheon with her daddy and being an absolute princess” notes: timeline is just a bit wonky to make luci around 2 for this. suspend your beliefs about time here for the ccg universe lmao  warnings: none  tag list: @killerqueenfan, @karamelcoveredolicity, @elizabethrosecresswell, @gigisworldsstuff, @rairaielv

You’re not one hundred percent sure this is the best idea.

It’s not that Luci doesn’t do well at events, she does, she’s had two whole years of doing things with her parents. Award shows, dinners, red carpets, doesn’t matter. She’s well-behaved, soaks up every experience almost like a tiny movie star. You and Austin are lucky, you know that. You haven’t had to put either of your passions on the back burner to raise a child—not to say you wouldn’t have if you had to, in a heartbeat. Your lives have shifted, of course, but everything feels as if it’s been a lateral move.

At least for right now.

Regardless, Luci has always been an angel in taking her to events. You and Austin are still learning, sussing out how she does, when you need to cut things short or push the envelope. And it’s worked out in your favor so far but…

“I’m just not sure an all-day event is a good idea.” It’s the Oscar Luncheon, something that Austin obviously shouldn’t miss, but you’re debating what attendance should look like.

You’re on the couch with your husband, picking apart the week’s schedule. One of the things you love most about him is his ability to always have a conversation with you—doesn’t matter what it’s about. He’s willing, you both decide on things together, you hash out feelings or disagreements. It might seem like something small? But it makes the biggest difference.

Austin shifts a little against the cushions, his long body sprawled out, his back resting on the arm of the couch. Your body is angled towards his, along his legs. His one hand holds onto yours, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles while the other keeps Luci against his chest. She’s found a place to sleep, again, but this is a typical spot for her. She’s been known to just…find Austin when she wants to nap. She so reminds you of some sort of cat that kneads blankets or pillows before curling up to sleep.

Honestly it’s one of the biggest moods you could ever identify with—before your daughter took up that residence, it was one of your favorite sleeping spots too. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to steal it back.

“Oh you mean cause of this?” Austin asks, his voice an octave lower as he speaks to you, not wanting to wake Luci. He runs his fingers through his hair, amusement dancing in his eyes.

You roll yours, a soft laugh sounding, “I mean yeah, to start.” You chew on your lower lip, shrugging your one shoulder, “She’s been cranky lately.”

“So unsure where she’d get that from.”

You playfully smack his shoulder and he smirks. “She’s been favoring you,” And sure, that makes sense—Luci is learning the world around her, she’s also figuring out boundaries. She flip flops between both of them, suddenly becoming the favorite parent that she can’t get enough of, and currently (repeatedly) it’s Austin. Which means, “She started crying when you decided to carry that sack of potatoes at the grocery store to the check-out instead of her.”

“I think you were a little jealous too,” He teases but he doesn’t completely disregard what you’re saying, “I think goin’ to this event and figuring it out, there’s no shame in that. We’re still learnin’ as parents how this is all going to fit together.” He smiles over at you, lifting your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles.

He’s right, there’s no shame in figuring it out. You can bring Luci and see what works and what doesn’t. You just…there’s a bit of stress that comes automatically. But you guess if Luci can’t handle it or she starts that swell of temper tantrums that sometimes happen over the smallest things, you’ll just take her out, keep her occupied, begin all over again. You’re not gonna have Austin miss out on this opportunity, not when it’s so well-deserved.

“If I got to give a few interviews with her on my lap, don’t think anyone is gonna give me a hard time about it.”

A small smile tugs the corners of your mouth because no, you’d agree with that. Who wouldn’t want to see a beautiful, well-dressed man holding his daughter in his arms to give an interview? Besides, you and Austin are versed in reading one another’s needs, almost seamless at this point between cues and body language. If you need to take her for a few things, you can do that. Who knows—maybe being in Luci’s favor will swing back around.

“Just gotta remember snacks this time for your suit pockets.”

Austin laughs, mostly air leaving his nose, “Don’t worry—won’t make that mistake twice. Forgot a snack once and it was like World War III.”

“Goldfish-Gate.” You snicker and Austin rolls his eyes even though he’s smiling.

You let the room settle a little before drawing in a deep sigh, glancing over at your daughter asleep on your husband’s chest. It’s one of your most favorite sights in the world, her curled up against him, her body gently rising and falling as Austin breathes. You smile, leaning over to press a kiss to the back of her head before kissing him, quick but intimate. It’s says everything without uttering a word.

Austin licks his lips, his eyes following you for a moment as you lean back against the couch. There’s something in the blue of his eyes, like he wants to say something or comment on something you’re unsure about. It could be about the Oscar luncheon but you have a feeling he wants to assure you that even though Luci’s fondness has fallen to him lately, that she still looks to you sometimes as if you’ve hung the moon. You’ve learned to not let it bother you, both you and Austin bring so much to the table as parents, it makes sense that Luci is learning what each of those things are. She can love you both for different intentions—that’s okay.

And you’re constantly reminded through her, every day, that there are plenty of reasons to love Austin. So there’s no blaming Luci.

“You know, speakin’ of all this favoring,” Austin begins, leaning up just a little to wrap an arm around your shoulders, “You know I favor you.”

You snort out a laugh, shaking your head because he’s…so fucking corny sometimes (even though you absolutely love it). He’s encouraging you to lean against him and the couch cushion, so both you and Luci will have space along his chest.

“God, stop.”

“I do,” Austin smiles, kissing you slowly. When you try to pull away, he speaks against your lips, “I favor you.”

Your cheeks thrum pink and this familiar yet somehow age-old butterflying happens in your stomach. You get more comfortable against him, tugging down a blanket to throw over both your legs and along Luci’s back and continue to kiss him. Slow, no urgency, committing sensations to memory.

You definitely favor him too.

--

There are moments in which you catch yourself doing an inventory of your life and this is one of those times. You’re standing off to the side of all the cameras flashing, a soft smile on your face as you watch Austin photographed against the navy blue Annual Oscars Nominees backdrop. He’s wearing this tight-patterned slate suit and he just—he does this part so well, he looks good, absolutely ready to mingle and have this chapter be a well-earned part of his life. You couldn’t be happier for him. Austin does his series of poses, glancing over every so often to check on you. That’s one of the things you think you love about him the most—there are so many sides to Austin but they’re all genuinely him. He’s the same hard-working passionate actor at home and the same silly, loving, protective husband and father here at this event.

He makes a gentle motion with his hand, offering for you to come and stand with him to get pictures but you shake your head. Not that you haven’t done this plenty of times before, but this is his moment, you can stand to the side and let him bask in it. There are so many other times to get their shared picture today—you know that candids will be captured automatically.

You’re wearing a sleek black dress with puffy mesh sleeves and Luci has on a matching version, just a bit shorter so she doesn’t trip on it. You hold her in your arms and smile as she can’t take her eyes off Austin, pressing a kiss to her cheek. That seems to get her attention and she giggles, wrapping her arms around your neck.

“Is that daddy?” You ask her when Austin finishes up and makes his way over to you. He reaches for your both, pressing a kiss to Luci’s forehead before kissing you briefly. There’s camera flashes, capturing moments you’ll no doubt see on Instagram later.

“Here.” Austin offers and you pass Luci over because you’ve got a nice dress on and she’s getting heavier by the day. He takes her seamlessly, wrapping one arm around her body and keeping her secure on his hip while his other arm slips around you to begin walking forward into the luncheon.

Luci is a chatterbox the moment you enter the event and honestly, it’s a beautiful space—these are the exact same moments you referred to before, almost like you can’t really believe you’re here. Some sort of dreamscape, pinching yourself to wake up. Half the time you come to these things and you don’t…feel like you quite belong, straddling the line of normalcy from which you’ve come from and diving in head-first into Austin’s world. It just doesn’t feel like something you can call your own yet—maybe one day. Austin doesn’t entertain that in the slightest.

Any time you mention giving him his own space to enjoy things he’s worked for or say things like this has nothing to do with me, Austin replies, it has everythin’ to do with you. And you know he means that—he ties any of his successes and his passions right to you. It’s something you’re still getting used to, that’s for sure, half the time you’re trying to just keep yourself out of the way at events like this, but Austin reminds you that you are worthy of being right in the mix of it.

You remember the schedule that Austin has other than to brush shoulders with people, he has a few interviews to sit in on, photographs that need taken. You smile as you head outside to the pool area with him, Luci brightening at the sight.

“Swim!” She exclaims, pointing at the water, her other hand playing with one of the brown buttons of Austin’s suit jacket.

“Can’t right now baby,” Austin tells her, squeezing her gently.

He reaches for your hand and keeps a hold of it, lingering near the pool for a few moments. You take a look around the edges—tall tables set up with hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champagne, interview spots with backdrops and cameras. Smoothing out your dress, people come and go to say hello and congratulate Austin, always pausing to say hello to you and something to Luci. A small smile tugs at the corners of your mouth because your daughter is enamored by this pool being here and you kinda wish it was the type of event where you could have brought suits and waded in.

Taking in a small breath, you turn and motion with your chin towards one of the interview backdrops, “SiriusXM?”

Austin hums in confirmation, fixing Luci’s dress a bit before he places her on the ground. She grabs onto his hand instantly and it’s always been amusing to you because Austin has to lean down, just a little, because of his height.

“Shouldn’t take too long.”

You laugh gently, “Don’t worry about us Austin, you don’t have to rush through anything.”

He smiles down at you and you press yourself up on your toes to plant a kiss to his cheek. Because you know that Luci’s going to be slightly difficult when Austin leaves, you open up your purse to hand her one of her favorite dino figurines for her to hold onto. She wraps her arms around your leg and you thread your fingers through her hair as Austin moves towards Jess Cagle to greet him and sit down in the director-like chair.

You overhear him comment, “I see you brought your beautiful family today,” To which Austin’s reply is, “Thank you—yeah, they’re never too far behind.”

He situates himself in the director-chair, adjusting his suit jacket and taking a bottle of water to have a few sips. Luci is watching with attentive eyes, tearing her attention between the dino in her hand, the pool, and her father. You smile, wishing you were in the type of outfit and at the kind of event where you could just sit down on the ground with her.

She entertains herself for the most part, telling you about how this particular dino loves the water and even dips it into the pool a few times. You ask her questions and smile about the responses, Luci every so often looking up and around at all the sights and sounds with much commentary. Eventually though, she realizes that Austin isn’t coming back as quickly as she’d like. You take her hand as she stands from the concrete, holding onto her dino and tilting her head to look in the direction that her dad has gone.

You follow her gaze, a small smile on your lips as you watch Austin talk with his hands.

“You see him working?”

“Yeah,” Luci confirms though her voice kinda sounds far away, definitely in thought. Then—what you knew was coming, “I want daddy.”

You hum, crouching down a little to playfully tug on the bottom of her dress, which makes her smile. “Daddy’s busy right now, okay? He’s almost done.”

She does not like that answer and gives a soft whine in protest. She takes a few steps forward and you scoop her up because she’s fast and slippery when she wants to be, knowing she’ll take off in a sprint towards Austin if she gives herself enough time to. She whimpers and squirms, attempting to tug your hands away. You can’t help but feel a bit amused, fondly thinking of the word brat, because her mannerisms are the exact same depending on who she’s favoring for the day. You remember her having the same wriggle fest last week when Austin was holding her at a food truck and you went to go grab napkins. Luci didn’t quite get to crying there but you can tell she’s close here, big fat tears filling her pretty eyes. You swear she somehow does this on purpose when it comes to Austin because it’s definitely kryptonite for him.

Luci hiccups something dramatic and Austin turns just a bit in his chair to glance at you both. You mouth the word sorry, attempting to shush her but he shakes his head, “S’alright, bring her here.” He clears his throat, “Sorry, Jess—” He says a bit offhandedly and opens his arms for you to bring Luci closer. You smile at the host, putting her onto his lap.

He squeezes your wrist in empathy before you back up out of the interview, Luci wiping both of her cheeks with her hands, her dino now resting on her lap.

“She knows exactly what she’s doing, doesn’t she?” Cagle comments with a soft laugh and you can’t help but roll your eyes in amusement. Austin hums but doesn’t comment, a soft smile tugging the corners of his mouth as he smooths Luci’s hair back from her face.

He tugs the goldfish out of his jacket pocket, handing it to her—and just like that, she’s pulls a one-eighty, content on her dad’s lap and quietly eating her snack. You shake your head, running a hand through your hair as you watch Austin complete his interview, balancing himself perfectly between responding to questions and tending to his daughter.

Once the interview is over, you move to pick Luci up so that Austin can stand and shake hands with Cagle to thank him before moving out and around and back towards the pool with you. Austin joggles between putting the goldfish back into his suit pocket, handing you the dino figurine to put in your purse and shifting Luci back into his arms as she turns her face into his neck and shoulder.

“Right on schedule,” You tease, knowing she’s going to try and sleep—and what better place than Austin’s chest? You can’t quite disagree there.

“She comes by it honestly,” Austin replies, running a hand up and down her back, “So do you.”

You smirk, giving him a winning smile with a small shrug, “Don’t think you should be blaming me for the fact that you’re incredibly comfortable.”

Austin laughs a little, shaking his head in soft amusement because right.

The rest of the luncheon goes by smoothly, lots of mingling and decent food, great moments for Austin to shine. Even after all this time, you’re not sure how to put into words that feeling of being so utterly proud of him, of conveying how much you love him.

Once it’s over, you feel beat, definitely an emotionally exhausting day in the very best of ways. Luci’s perked up since eating and she’s giving you an earful about different types of birds she’s seen within today alone. You hold her against your chest, giving her as much attention as you can manage, asking questions about colors and numbers and things she should be practicing as she talks about the birds she’s seen. She’s so incredibly observant, a brightness to her aura that always reminds you of Austin.

“Want me to take her?” He asks, turning to brush some hair out of Luci’s face, “Before she talks your ear off about birds?”

You laugh lightly and shake your head, “Nah, she’s fine.” You appreciate the offer though, not exactly the easiest when you feel dead on your feet in heels. She’s definitely growing too, every day, and the thought makes you squeeze her a bit tighter because…there will come a time when you won’t be holding her in your arms like this, when she’ll be too big to be picked up.

The SUV pulls up to the curb that you arrived in and both you and Austin exit the hotel to walk straight there. There aren’t as many moments anymore for Austin to stop and talk to fans when you’ve got Luci and you feel bad about that? But you’re grateful that he’s attentive where he needs to be. He keeps a firm hand on your lower back, guiding you towards the car, a small smile on his lips as he waves to fans, photographers and interviews alike. You get Luci situated in her car seat, closing the door once that’s done and sliding into the back with Austin.

You feel like you’re finally able to let out a sigh of relief once the SUV begins moving, Luci having a very one-sided conversation with her dinosaur as the driver takes you home. Austin inches a bit closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. It takes little to nothing for you to lean into his embrace, your eyes fluttering closed for a moment as you breathe in the scent of his skin and cologne, tucking your face into the crook of his neck. You can feel his breathing, the strong pulse against the tip of your nose.

“Think the event went really well.” He says, a few fingers running through your hair before he lazily massages your shoulder.

You hum, a small yawn slipping out before nodding, “Totally knew it would.”

Austin chuckles, shaking his head. He doesn’t say anything for a few moments, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek, “You gonna fall asleep on me?” He whispers in your ear. You barely nod, inching a bit closer—as if it’s even possible. He squeezes you close, “Like mother, like daughter.”