#breaks my heart but YEEEES

[lottieurl]

btw i love when the yellowjackets characters lash out and are mean and awful and say the wrong things because they're hurt and traumatized YEEEES no therapy speak those people are real and fucked up and never got help and in one timeline they're teenagers

[vonlipvig]

RIP vina toras you would have loved 'love story' by taylor swift

[hells-wasabii]

Hi could you pretty please do velvette x reader who is Carmilla youngest daughter and how her family reacts (plus zestial pls I ship him and Carmilla so I feel like he's a step dad)❤️

A/N: I blacked out and wrote this.... but yeeees LISTEN!! I love Velvette so much, its not even funny and i had a lot of fun with this prompt! I didn't realize how much i wrote for it until it was too late, and by that point, i really couldn't stop. but I hope you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it! ps i honestly ship them too

Part 1 | Part 2

Character: Velvette

Type: Headcanons + Drabble (Velvette x reader who's Carmilla's youngest daughter, General with a bit of Angst and Fluff sprinkled in)

For Velvette, she actually entered into the relationship not really knowing who your parents were. You never brought it up and she never really asked. It didn't really matter to her, since, ya know, you're the one she's dating, not your mum and dad, or step-dad from what you've mentioned.

Honestly, she should've seen the similarities. They were there for sure, but let's face it, there are so many demons in hell that it was probably just a coincidence, right?

Carmilla also knew you were seeing someone as well, though she really figured that you would bring this special demon around when you were ready.

Oh, they were both wrong. So very wrong.

They found out simultaneously, of course, as cliche as it was. You were on an evening out with Velvette with no clear destination in mind, just simply enjoying the evening and each other's company when the next thing you knew you were face to face with your mother.

It... didn't go too well.

What had once been a peaceful evening nearly dissolved into a turf war all in an instant. If you hadn't been able to separate the two with a promise to talk to both separately later there was no doubt that everything in a three-block radius would be collateral.

Zestial and your sisters would find out soon thereafter, Carmilla of course telling them when they see her come home looking quite distraught.

As stated before, to Velvette, it really didn't matter. though it did sweeten the deal. It would give her plenty more opportunities for her to provoke the arms dealer, something that she already took a great deal of pleasure in.

Zestial would be skeptical of the relationship at the start but eventually comes to accept it fully. His patience won out this time. He's seen more than enough relationships like this go up in flames and he'd never want that for you. He considered you a daughter after all.

As for your sisters, both of them were simply happy that you were happy. They were more worried about how y'alls mom would react. And you can't tell me that they didn't already know, either.

Carmilla on the other hand... To her, family is everything. I mean, she killed an angel for you and your sisters. She'd do anything for her kids, and that includes keeping someone like that upstart from breaking your heart. She wholeheartedly believed that Velvette was only dating you to get one over on her. It really comes as no surprise when she goes all the way to Vee Tower to confront the youngest overlord herself.

"You need to stay away from my daughter."

The fashionista bit out a curse as a needle pricked her finger. Velvette doesn't usually startle easily, but shit, between her being completely focused on finishing and the fact that her workshop had previously been silent save for any sounds that she had been making herself, she thought that even the most stone-cold bitch would've jumped.

What good was the security for if those nitwits couldn't keep unauthorized demons out of her workshop? The influencer swore that if any blood got on the material for this dress she'd personally kill the guards and whoever-

Oh.

Of all the people she expected to see, Carmilla Carmine, the uptight weapons dealer, and apparent mum of her girlfriend, was not one of them. Or actually, scratch that. She was completely expecting this to happen sooner or later.

"Well, it sucks to suck then, wrinkles, I'm not going nowhere." The fashionista bit back, a smirk settling on her lips that quickly fell when the older woman tried to push her point.

"I know what you're trying to do and it-"

"Obviously you don't." All mischief gone from her tone, Velvette set her work to the side, careful not to crumple the fabric. She rose to her feet and began to cross the room to Carmilla, who in turn stood taller, determined not to let this miscreant make a mockery of her, her family, and most importantly her youngest daughter. "I hate to break it to you, but the only way I'll break it off is if SHE wants to."

Velvette paused, her eyes boring into Carmilla's with a conviction and passion that the arms dealer hadn't felt from the influencer before. When the younger woman spoke again, her voice was softer than before, laced with a sincerity that would leave the mother speechless.

"I love her."

Its this singular interaction that leads to a truce between the two (technically five if you include Zestial and the Vee's) Overlords. They would come to some sort of mutual understanding that if both of them were to be in your life, they'd have to play nice. At least in front of you. At Overlord meetings, well, that's a whole different story.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

hello hello (●’◡’●)ﾉ if i may, could i request a scenario with vash and reader in an established relationship? vash has saved a town and it's one of the few times where he's celebrated, everyone making merry at a bar. him and reader are getting to be sufficiently drunk and the reader has the sudden urge to spoil vash, resulting in them plopping themself onto his lap, cooing, petting his hair, tickling his chin and telling eeeeveryone what a big, strong man vash is. basically they're being gross and flirty and drunk together and it's silly 😔

i hope you're having a wonderful day!! 🩷🎀

"Everyone, I wanna propose a toast: To Vash the Stampede! For saving this town! And for saving my heart from loneliness! Here's to love and peace!"

"TO LOVE AND PEACE!"

"CHEERS TO VASH!"

"Thanks, Vash!!!"

"WOOOHOO!!"

"God bless the merry couple!"

As cheers rang around all throughout the bar, you stepped off the table and slumped back in your seat, a grin spreading from ear-to-ear. You took a lot of pride in having enough confidence to make that toast...and that you've achieved your goal of making your boyfriend blush redder than his coat.

Indeed, there were rare times where you and Vash could let your guards down when he's a wanted man. But after the heroic deeds he performed earlier in town, the people called for a celebration at the bar, not caring about the 60 billion dollar bounty on his head for once.

There were no lives lost, no major injuries, and the destruction was limited to a few shattered windows--thanks to the bandits and their shitty aiming skills.

After they got hauled off to jail, everyone at that point knew who Vash was, and invited you two and the rest of the group for some rounds.

While you were initially wary that it was some setup that would end in Vash running for his life and guns blazing, it thankfully became very much the opposite:

You and your friends having a grand old time, eating food and sharing drinks. By the time you made the toast, your boyfriend already had a buzz, indicated by the tie wrapped around his head and him retelling the story of today's events to you---even though you were there the entire time, witnessing them firsthand.

"That was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me," Vash feigned a tiny sniffle, his arm pulling you closer to his side. "A toast..for me....V-Vash the Stampede..." His lips began trembling a bit, and you glanced at him, worried.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing..everything's great! How did I get so lucky??" Tears were quick to fall from his eyes, which he tried rubbing away before chugging more of his drink, looking to you with a sniffle. "You're so good to me, [y/n]..almost too good..you care so much and...you're the reason I believe in love and peace!"

"Awh, you're such a sap." You chuckled, forgetting that his emotions were dialed up to 11 at this point (then again, they were almost all the time). Reaching a hand up, you tousled with his spiky hair a bit. "You deserve this. We both needed this break."

"I know...can we toast just to us, mayfly?"

Without waiting for your response, he clinked his glass to yours. And you simply smiled back and took a big swig of your drink, feeling the alcohol burning your throat.

But you didn't care.

It was only a matter of time before it kicked into your system.

............

"Vaaaaaash!!"

"Yeeees?"

"Did I ever tell you..wha...what a good, strong, and handsome man you are?" You tilted your head, looking up into the puppy-dog eyes of your boyfriend, who was now just as wasted as you were at this moment.

It was fine, though. The twin suns will rise again tomorrow and it'll be just another day in Gunsmoke, on the run in the hot desert.

You could afford to let loose for one night.

"Yah really think so?"

"Oh, I know so...and I'm gonna tell everyone here allllllll about it. But first.." You moved out of your seat, and at first Vash assumed that you were trying to climb onto the table again to do another toast-

Until you instead climbed into his lap.

He froze up, a small squeak of surprise leaving his lips. Even now, he wasn't used to this kind of closeness..although he welcomed it nonetheless as you wrapped your arms around the tall man, noticing how red his face was turning.

"You're so cute when you make those noises. I wonder what other sounds I could extract outta you, hmm~?" As your index finger lightly tickled the area under his chin, he couldn't help but giggle, hugging you tightly to ensure you stayed on his lap.

He wouldn't mind being like this forever.

"C'monnnn, you're such a tease."

"And you're such a sweetheart. Always protecting me, preaching about love and peace...and not takin' shit from anybody. God, you're so hot for that. We need more men like you in the world."

"But you already got a man like me, mayfly..." He pouted.

"I know. Aren't I blessed? You damn angel." Laughing softly, your hand rose up to his cheek, and he seemed to know exactly what you wanted, as he crashed his lips into yours mere milliseconds later.

It was a sloppy kiss: long, messy and uncoordinated, hands becoming entangled in each other's hair....but that was quite alright.

He needed this. You needed this.

You couldn't help grinning as you overheard hollers and whistles from the other spectators, while your friends at the nearby table looked amused, grossed-out, and even a bit..embarrassed for you two. Yet they knew better than to interrupt.

Wolfwood, however, could only imagine the aftermath once the alcohol finally ran its course...

........

"M-My stomach still hurts--BLEAUUGH-!!"

"It's okay. Let it all out..I'm right here." Rubbing Vash's back up and down, you sheepishly looked to Wolfwood as your boyfriend was currently emptying the contents of his stomach into the bucket you've given him. "How has he not built up a tolerance to booze yet?"

"Beats me..but the misses didn't want him throwing up in the car. So let 'im stay there as long as he needs to." The priest brought a cigarette to his lips, a bit amused by the sight. "We'll be waitin' when you're both ready." He turned on his heel and headed back to where Meryl was filling the van's tank.

You sighed, only to hear Vash sigh even deeper as he finished puking his guts out. He looked up at you, wiping the saliva from his chin with a tired smile. "S-Sorry about this. Guess I had more than I could handle...again."

"That's okay." You took the bucket, pushing it somewhere out of both your sights. "I know you'd do the same for me."

"True, but with bedrest and medication...i-if we could find and afford it, obviously." His gaze flickered to the still-lively bar, frowning a bit. "Part of me's gonna miss this town..I doubt the next one will be just as inviting. But I gotta have some hope, right? There's a lot more good people out there, I know it."

"It's a big planet, so we'll see." You shrugged, grasping his hand and making his attention snap back to you. "I'll be sure to tell them how strong and handsome my darling Vash is, too~" With a wink, you had the man swooning again, as he shifted closer to you.

"You sure you're not drunk?" His eyes squinted with suspicion.

"Drunk or not, everything I say about you is true. And one day, I want you to believe those things about yourself."

"[Y/n]..."

"If anyone dares talk about your bounty, I'll tell them to shove it."

"I-I'd rather have you not-"

"Nobody--and I mean nobody--can put a price on your head. Not even 60 billion double dollars. Because you're worth everything to me."

"...a-are you flirting or trying to make me cry again?" Tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. "Because it's working.."

You huffed lightly, smiling as you patted his cheek. "As long as those are happy tears, angel. You ready to go? You won't get carsick?"

"I won't!" Vash jumped to his feet the same time you stood up, still holding your hand as you led him to the van, following you like the loyal dog he was.

You're grateful the toast at the bar put him in good spirits...and that he was still blushing over your drunken kisses and words of affirmation.

Even though his own gut had to suffer the consequences for a little while, it was all worth it.

[frenchkisstheabyss]

♡ 𝟙𝟠𝟙𝟚 𝕆𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 ♡

♡ Mature Content. Minors DNI. Warnings below the break ♡

Pairing: boyfriend!seonghwa x chubby!fem!reader

Summary: You wake up to your loving boyfriend nervously making you breakfast, unaware that he plans to propose. That is, if he can work up the courage to.

Genre: slice of life/fluffy smut

Word Count: 1.4kish

Warnings: oral sex (f receiving), a delicious breakfast you never get to consume

A/N: This is my first fic after taking a break from writing for a while so my blog's a bit empty but I hope ya'll enjoy this. Any feedback is mucho appreciated. A special thanks to my bestie @anyamaris for giving me the courage to post again ♡

Rubbing your eyes you drag yourself into the kitchen with all the grace of a newborn dear. Soft classical music fills your cozy one-bedroom apartment, rising all at once only to come crashing back down. You’re greeted with the intoxicating smell of milk and honey, the source of which is only revealed to you when your vision clears up. “I made pain perdu!” Hwa smiles, maneuvering around you with the hot pan carrying a thick, golden brown slice of brioche bread. “So…French toast?” He rounds the kitchen table, scooping the piece of French toast onto a plate already home to three other perfectly cooked pieces. “It sounds fancier in French, my love” he says, darting past you again, only this time he stops to kiss you on the cheek. His soft, pink lips chase off the early morning cold. 

It’s only now that you notice what he’s done to the kitchen table. Bowls of fruit as fresh as the day they were picked. Orchids and dahlias bloom in ornate vases. Every breakfast side your heart could desire. “Hwa, what is all of this?” you gasp, only having a second to take it all in before he’s guiding you by your wrists to the oak chair he’s pulled out for you. He stops dead in his tracks, it’s like someone hit the pause button. “I…uh…eat. You should eat.” Hwa sits you down, scrambling to hand you a knife and fork. He trembles so faintly that you might not even notice if you weren’t always so in tune with each other’s bodies. 

“Seonghwa…” you say softly, your fork poking at the French toast but your gaze locked on your busy body of a boyfriend. Much too wrapped up in his own head, he goes on rummaging through the fridge for a bottle of wine. He swings open one of the cabinets, searching for the perfect glass. Nothing else will do. “Park Seonghwa!” you shout, careful not to sound angry. As sweet as his efforts are, you can tell that something’s bothering him. Hwa’s shoulders drop, his slick dark hair falling against his freshly shaved chin. You scurry up behind him. The feeling of your arms around his waist, your fluffy cheek pressed against his back, quiets his worries at once. He places a hand on top of yours, drawing in a deep breath. 

“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me” you whisper, your voice saturated in worry. As he exhales he places the bottle of wine on the counter, turning around to catch the concern on your beautiful face. “I’ve never regretted anything I’ve done during this relationship…” he starts and your heart sinks to your stomach. That’s what this is all about. He’s breaking up with you. You knew it was too good to be true. Two years of some storybook romance shattered. He did this, all of this, to cushion the blow of… “And I never want to so… y/n will you marry me?” You snap out of your daze to find him down on one knee, holding up a black rose cut diamond ring. He forces a pained smile, bracing for the possibility that you may not feel the same way. An insane thought if there ever was one. 

You clutch your hands to your chest, your heart returning to its home with the force of a rocket launching into space. “Yeeeee” you squeak, unable to make out much else. “Yeeee?” “Ssss…” “Yee…sss?” “Yes! Yes! 100% fucking yes!” Tears are streaming down your cheeks before you can stop them. You imagine what a wreck you must look to him, crying in the middle of your kitchen in an old t-shirt and some beat up sweatpants. But nothing could be further from the truth. Slipping the ring onto your finger, he takes you into his arms, nearly sweeping you off of the floor. He tilts his head back ever so slightly, doing his best not to shed some tears of his own. Hwa kisses you and it is, without question, unmatched by any kiss you’ve shared before this day. His scent is more fragrant than any flower on that table. His lips sweeter than the bottle of red wine sweating on the kitchen counter. 

Your shirt lifts, granting him access to the softness of your love handles. The sensation of his hands outlining your body, the electrifying friction of skin against skin, awakens any fiber of your being that could’ve possibly remained drowsy all of this time. “I love you” he gasps against your mouth, lips skimming down your chin to press against your neck. Chills trickle down your spine as he nibbles at the sensitive spot he knows always gets to you. “I love you too” you manage before he lifts you onto the kitchen counter, his hands kneading the pillowy tissue of your breasts. “Hwa, wait. Wait. Hold on.” 

“Hmm?” is all he says, brushing his thumb across your nipple as it perks up beneath his touch. You giggle at the spark it sends through your system, “Aren’t you gonna eat your pain perdu?” “It’s just French toast. Nothing special,” he shrugs, bringing a hand down to slip into your panties, the moisture of your warmth welcoming the intrusion, “But you on the other hand…” Hwa takes his time dipping his fingers into you one after the other, curling them each in their own unique way to coax every darling whimper you have to offer from your throat. It’s this unpredictability that has your body too overstimulated to do anything more than fall back and surrender. 

His fingers abandon you momentarily, a tortuous betrayal forgivable only because of the speed in which he strips your bottom half bare. Your sweatpants and panties falling to the floor tangled within each other. In seconds his hands are behind your knees, firmly pressing them towards your chest. Hwa can’t resist taking mental pictures of you spread out like this, wet and aching. Begging him to taste you for the first time as his on a level he’d spent countless nights praying you’d let him reach. He buries his face between your legs, his long, curved tongue lapping at your clit. You twist in his grip, hips raising purely out of greed. Instead of pushing you back down, he pulls you closer, locking your legs around his neck and plunging his tongue into the very depths of your center. 

“Seonghwa…” you whine, the bottom of your shirt twisted in your fist while your other hand grips the edge of the marble countertop. Hwa’s tongue plays you like one of the exquisite instruments of the orchestra concealing your moans from the neighbors on either side of your apartment. It teases the sweet spot deep within you, flexing along your walls when they clench around him. He slips it between the slickness of your folds, slurping down every bit of you he can catch. What he can’t coats his chin, drops splashing along your inner thigh. Your muscles start to spasm. First, it’s only the ones in your stomach but, as the pleasure deepens, you can feel every singular muscle in your body tighten like the rope of a spinning wheel. It’s so much, too much, and you can’t imagine ever asking him to stop. 

You pinch your bottom lip between your teeth, the lingering scent of milk and honey flooding your lungs once more before the universe itself unravels around you. The orgasm pulses through your veins, dulling all other senses not stemming from Hwa devouring you. You come to be far louder than the music, only driving him to go faster…deeper. “Scream for me. Cry for me” his body language whispers and, oh, how you scream. The very decadence of the sound is enough to arouse him to the point of utter madness. “You…you have to stop...I can’t” you stutter, dangling at the apex of euphoria with no end in sight. If you’re spun any tighter you’re positive you’ll break. He goes completely deaf to you again, this time because he’s much too consumed by you. 

Using what minimal strength you have you slide yourself back on the counter, separating the two of you and leaving your walls contracting as if he never stopped. Hwa straightens out, licking you from his lips, “I’m sorry. You’re just…” “Bedroom” you say, planting your feet on the chilled kitchen floor and wobbling back towards the bedroom. “And bring the syrup!” Hwa crooks his neck, unsure of what to make of the odd request. “For what, exactly?” “You gotta come find out!” That’s all that needs saying for him to grab the bottle of syrup from the table and rush to catch up to you, his stunning, slightly uncoordinated, incredibly tasty girlfri...fiance.

[saintobio]

Now that I wished you all the best with my previous ask... Saint you're absolutely breaking my heart with sy!! The last sneak peak gave me a heart attack, and I can't wait for sy10 to see what gojo and akemi are up to. In sn, after mc told him he's in love with the idea of her,gojo said that he couldn't have a family/get married with anyone else that wasn't mc. Just break my heart to think he may have his new family/marriage with akemi😭😭

Mc is breaking down, but I hope this can bring them closer. if mc could just be honest with both herself and gojo. I know mc is gonna be on a life death situation because of all the pain that she's going through... even in the last chapter, there were a few descriptions about it, and it's gonna get worse (over you added to sy playlist)🫠

Loved your playlist for sy!!

you know, sy!gojoyn are heavy on miscommunication and misunderstandings and i’m afraid it’s just gonna continue moving forward 😭 it hurts me to write too bc i’m always like “damn just be honest to yourselves” but this fic would probably be done in 2 chapters if they were just that hahah

also YEEEES, omg i’m surprised you noticed? i had listened to Over You recently and thought it reminded me so much of gojo’s feelings for yn and vice versa :’) had to add it to the playlist asap

[rom-e-o]

✨As Good As Gold✨ (Modern AU) (Ebenezer/Constance)

Here is part one ... because this alone was 23 pages. ^^;

I, um, get a little invested when writing these two. Just a smidge. Oops, haha.

Also, this store features Ebenezar Charles Scrooge ("Wolf") and Bess Scrooge (kudos to @quill-pen) and is a follow-up to her AMAZING fic, "All The Little Breaks" that she blessed me with after an ask. Since then, the inspiration has been churning! She also helped write and check the Wolf/Bess sections as well. (Seriously, they are such a delightful couple, every moment with these two is so enjoyable!)

Enjoy!

STORY IS 18+ for some explicit content. Minors DNI.

“You have everything you need, yes? I tried to make sure her bag was completely stocked.”

“Yes, yes, I do. And you most certainly did. I think this diaper bag weighs more than five babies altogether.”

“W-Well I wanted to make sure you had everything while we were away, just in case! I know you have a spare key to the apart—um, flat, but you’re already doing Ebenezer and I an amazing favor by watching her. I don’t want to cause any trouble or extra trips.”

“Connie, I think you packed well enough for Starla to stay with Wolf and I for months. Seriously, girl, you packed her a snowsuit … it’s July – almost August. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

The tone of Bess’ jest was playful, but it sparked mild alarm in her friend.

“Of course not! I promise, we’ll be back—”

“I’m joking,” she said. “I know you two will be back, punctual as ever.”

A familiar bark thundered in the background, causing Bess to laugh. “Yes, yes, we haven’t forgotten. Starry’s gonna need a good bodyguard, Prudence. You’re up for it, right?”

The mastiff’s loud bark echoed proudly from the phone’s speaker. She swore the timbre of her call rattled the phone’s delicate inner workings.

As Elizabeth “Bess” Sullivan playfully ruffled Prudence’s ears and beamed at her friend from the other side of their video call, a red head of hair slowly peeked in from the bottom left corner of the frame. Mere moments later, a string of burbles accompanied the surprise guest, and their bright blue eyes slowly entered the camera’s view.

When those icy-blue eyes landed on the likeness of their mother on the other side of the screen, the baby let out a peal of laughter. Her tiny fingers sought the screen, seeking the familiar warmth and vetiver scent of her mother. “Ba … ba!”

Constance’s eyes welled up briefly as she saw her baby reaching for her on the other side of the video call. Pressing her fingers to her lips, she blew her beloved little girl a kiss. “Hello, Starry! Oh, there she is, my beautiful girl!”

Starla burbled a reply that was absent of tangible words, but the emotion was conveyed superbly through her gummy smile and chubby, flailing arms.

“Yeeees, that’s your mama,” Bess said, laughing at Starla’s enthusiasm as she dropped a loving kiss on top of her head. “She’s going on a trip with your papa. For their wedding anniversary – before you were ever born, cutie pie! But don’t worry. They’ll both be back in a week, okay?”

Starla paused to stare at the screen, then scrunched her legs up for a round of excited kickies. “Eeehee! Wa-ba!”

Ebenezer Scrooge glanced over from the driver’s seat of his McLaren, smiling softly at his beloved baby’s coos and clucks. Seeing his interest, Constance pivoted the phone in his direction, allowing him to see their child. The man smiled as he saw his beloved, redheaded daughter examining the phone screen as if she was peering through a portal to another world.

When she spotted her father, she squealed with laughter again. “A-ba!”

The man’s heart softened at the display, almost to the point where it ached. If he looked too long, he feared it may cave a hole in his chest until he ultimately resigned himself to turning the car around and driving en route back to London. He missed his sweet daughter already but was eternally thankful for his brother and sister-in-law’s generosity in watching her. He and Constance desperately needed a holiday away together, he knew. Not only to reconnect after Starla’s birth, but to reconnect as husband and wife again.

In the meantime, he knew his daughter would receive the utmost care under the watchful (and extremely detail-oriented) eyes of his twin brother and sister-in-law. It helped soothe the burn of being away and refocus his mind on reconnecting with his wife, which he more than wanted and needed. They’d both been operating at a deficit of affection for many a fortnight, and it had worn them to threads. In fact, he’d begun to crave her, and her, and her happiness, more than air in recent months.

Spurred by sentimentality, his hand lofted from the gear shift for a moment to take Constance’s free hand and kiss it, his lips pressing firmly against her knuckles. The metal of her wedding band was cold against his lips.

The woman bloomed under his affection, and she turned to grace him with an affectionate smile that he hadn’t seen grace her features in months.

Gods above, how he’d missed seeing her happy and hearing her laughter, he thought. Had it not been for the fact that the country roads were as windy and uneven as they were, he would have retained his grip on her hands a few precious seconds longer. Simply feeling the familiar way her hand molded to his – their palms flattened together and fingers entwined – made his breath stall in his lungs. Alas, as they neared another turn, he reluctantly relinquished her hand to shift down a gear to more appropriately take the next turn on the unpaved road.

“We’ll be back soon, my little love,” he told Starla, his voice a touch cloudy. “Bess, if anything happens—”

“I’ll call Magda first. If it’s a real emergency, then we’ll call both of you.”

“But—”

“But we’ll still take tons of pictures to share with you both once you return.”

Both parents begrudgingly acquiesced to that. While they trusted Bess and Wolf with their daughter’s life, they couldn’t help but worry a bit. It was in their nature as a pair of perfectly matched worrywarts.

Their little girl had come off a nasty bit of colic and a fever, so naturally, they wanted to make sure she stayed in sterling condition. Their fears were further assuaged by the fact that Bess was a seasoned labor and delivery nurse, but small flecks of worry persisted for the sole reason that she was their baby, and it would be impossible for them to not worry at all.

“Have fun!” Bess said, bouncing the giddy baby on her knee. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you two! And Con, flat shoes. Do not break an ankle out there.”

The call ended after one more round of thank-yous and goodbyes to their daughter and Bess. Once the screen went dark, Constance leaned back in her seat with a deep breath and put her phone to her heart. “Oh, I miss Starry already.”

“It’s our first time away since her being born,” he agreed softly. The epiphany occurred to him as the words left his lips.

“It feels so strange for her to not be in the backseat, giggling away.”

On cue, he glanced in the rearview mirror, only to see that Starry and her car seat were both absent.

“I know …” Ebenezer said, his hands turning the steering wheel so the car made a slight right into another road, “But she’s in amazing hands, my dearest. Bess and my brother would do anything for her. That includes spoiling her.”

Constance laughed. “I don’t mind that.”

She sighed in resignation, slipping her phone back into the side pocket of her Telfar shoulder bag. “Speaking of Wolf and Bess, I have a calendar reminder set to send a very large bouquet, dark chocolates, and some Gurkha cigars to their flat for their trouble once we return.”

Ebenezer gave her a sideways smirk. “One step ahead, as always.”

“Well, don’t say that just yet,” she muttered, “That’s the last, and only reminder, I set. Everything else can wait until we are back. I am agenda-less from here on out.”

One of his bushy brows quirked upward. “Truly?”

“Well, our official calendars are clear,” she reminded him slyly, “As you well know, sir. I manage your calendar.”

“A task you are all too talented at,” he quipped. Sometimes, he swore his wife had the ability to bend space and time with how she could arrange meetings, deadlines and video calls in such a way that they slotted together like natural puzzle pieces. She could cram thirteen hours of work in an eight-hour day; a feat which wasn’t always a virtue.

“We are appointment-free and out of office for the entire week,” she continued. “I made sure to set up the automatic email replies and changed our phones’ answering machines on our last day clocking out.”

“Very good,” he said. “Though it’ll be a struggle, I’m sure, to not check your laptop. I know how you feel about emails and seeing that number in your inbox tick up.” He hated it too, so he had no room to talk.

“I left it behind.”

He paused before turning to her, eyes blown slightly wide in stupefaction. “You … I beg your pardon?”

“I left my laptop back at the flat,” she repeated, slowly glancing over to check his reaction. His reaction seemed to spur some hesitancy. “I figured … that would be best. I want to focus on us, not work of any kind.”

It was a confession that, without context, might have seemed mundane or a futile attempt to fish for shallow admiration. Yet, in that moment, Ebenezer felt a surge of admiration shoot through him.

Last month, the two had gotten into a heated disagreement – the climax of many weeks of Constance overworking herself to exhaustion and leaving Ebenezer single-handedly to care for Starla – and he’d yelled at her and tried to throw the damn laptop away. For weeks after the stressful birth of their daughter, the device had served as her excuse to hunker down in her dark office and prattle away on her keyboard into the wee hours of the night, often missing meals and quality time with family. The tedium had lured her into a sinkhole with no bottom, pulling her deeper down by the day. She’d avoided coming home on time many nights and often left before sunrise the following day. It had seemed as if she couldn’t stand to be near him … as if she was ashamed to be with him.

After a while, he’d started to mirror her actions.

Bess had later determined the root cause of the behavior to be a severe case of “baby blues” and intrusive thoughts combined with Constance’s borderline compulsive desire to be perfect and independent.

Looking back, it had seemed so obvious she needed therapy and help.

Yet, in the moment, he’d been frustrated, terrified, and felt … neglected. Like she was falling out of love with him and giving up on their daughter. There was also the fact that Starla’s birth had almost killed Constance as well, and the dread he’d felt that day watching her face go white in his arms had gnawed at his nerves to the point of fraying. Sometimes, when he slept, the ghoulish vision haunted the corners of his nightmares.

He’d felt so powerless to help her, and he’d detested the feeling. The thoughts had spurred him to mania. One fateful day, he’d tried to throw the device in the trash, and they’d scuffled. In a cloud of panic, she’d shoved him hard into the bookshelf, burying him in a small pile of books and knickknacks as a result (thankfully, the quartz paperweight had missed his head).

When he’d opened his eyes, she was gone – have sprinted out into the rainy streets without her keys or cell phone.

Never before had he felt such fear. For a horrifying moment, he entertained the notion that her shrieked sentiment of “leave me alone!” would be the last words he’d ever hear from her.

The incident ended with them reuniting at his brother’s flat. He’d been worried so sick for her safety and had apologized over and over for scaring her. She’d done the same, begging his forgiveness and apologizing for starting the miscommunication. She’d said she had wronged him and their daughter too many times over. She’d sworn, with a firm hand over his heart, that she would do better.

And, weeks after that fateful day, she had kept her promise.

In addition to seeing a marriage counselor together, she had begun therapy (a long overdue need for after her marriage to her abusive ex-spouse, Orin) and was taking longer breaks from work. She maintained a strict cut-off point for all after-hours emails and inquiries, and maintained a strict 9-to-5 schedule, plus multiple breaks.

After a nearly four-week period of watching his beloved wife spiral into the same workaholic tendencies that had almost completely ruined his life beyond salvation, Constance was coming back into herself.

She’d started smiling again. Laughing again. Making lunches for their friend group again. She was always home in time for dinner, and had also started cooking dinner again some nights, making it a responsibility the couple loved to share. The woman was even taking days off in the middle of the week to be with her daughter, even if it met dealing with an irritated client days later.

Now, they were taking an extended holiday together to a remote cabin, and she had left the laptop back at the flat.

She’d left work, literally and figuratively, behind.

“That is … wonderful,” he said. It took him a bumbling second to find the words, though they did little to convey the extent of the joy he felt. Mirth sprang forth in the form of a disbelieving chuckle. “I-I … am proud of you, my dear. That’s a triumph.”

Feeling the genuine love behind his words, Constance allowed herself the indulgence of savoring his praise. In a perfect world, they would have never squabbled so horribly, she supposed. Yet, for all the ugliness that it had brought to the surface, it had also brought them closer in some ways.

Those other ways, there was still much work to do. But … in every adult relationship, wasn’t there always, to some extent?

“Thank you,” she admitted softly, almost serenely.

“You are most welcome. The pleasure is all mine.”

His voice held warmth that she had missed. Even sitting comfortably, it made her weak to her core to hear him sound so pleased, so strong, and yet so fragile all in one breath.

She was tempted to lean over and kiss him, but with how rugged the roads were, it was best not to risk any distraction. Besides, the sun was already high in the sky, and they were due to arrive at their rented cabin in half an hour. With the way they’d planned their route, they would arrive just in time to get settled before enjoying supper. Constance had plans for that.

Once the car was parked and they were settled, then they could officially begin their vacation. She was over forty years old, she reasoned. She could be patient a little longer, despite her urges to get a little rambunctious to make up for lost time.

After all, the last thing they needed was more unsteady ground.

Of all the destinations the couple had stayed in during their first year of marriage, this one had to be the most stupendous, Constance thought.

The pictures she had viewed of the listing online did not do the quaint cottage justice. The cottage was crafted from logs of fragrant cedar in rustic red tones that matched the other conifers that sprouted proudly from the soil in the forest nearby. The cabin stood one and a half stories tall, and bore its weight triumphantly on a flat expanse of land at the crossroads of a dirt paths. On one side of the abode was a field of billowing, golden wheat that seemed to stretch to the tree line miles away. On the other side of the house was the showstopper – a fenced, sprawling field of blooming sunflowers, all turned toward the blazing summer sun in worship.

There was a place to park the car next to what appeared to be the mostly bygone remains of a horse’s hitching post. Once Ebenezer shimmied the vehicle in the alcove and turned off the engine, he stepped out and rounded to the other side to open the passenger door for his wife. He offered her a hand, and she gratefully accepted it.

As she stepped out and up, she beamed at the sight. “Heavens, this is even more lovely than I thought.”

She inhaled deeply, struck by how honey-sweet the air was in her lungs.

“It’s quite beautiful out here,” Ebenezer said, equally fascinated as he took a moment to appreciate the surroundings, before then looking back to admire his wife. Somehow, in the countryside air and sunshine, she seemed to glow even more than she did in the city.

“Look – the sunflower field is enormous,” she said, drifting closer to the edge of the fence for a better look. “It’s like a cornfield with how dense it is! I didn’t know sunflowers could bloom like this in England.”

“I must confess, I’m shocked as well. One or two sunflowers is one thing, but this is … quite extraordinary.”

“Well, the countryside gets the point of incredible views this time around! Not that I don’t love the city – it’s my home, but I think the sunflowers will be kinder to wake up to than London traffic.”

“Ha! Some die-hard Londoners would still fight you on that.”

One word of her sentiment snared his attention: countryside. Not another person, or building, for miles. If he squinted down the road, he could see the start of a tiny, historic town on the horizon, the little brick buildings looking like flecks of pepper against the hills. Well, at least there was some civilization within eyesight. For two city folks like them, that was reassuring. The two were looking to get away from the world for a moment, not go completely off the grid. Neither of them were equipped for that, or had the desire to be survivalists.

Just to be safe, he checked his phone. Perfect reception and Wi-Fi. That was good.

As he set about unloading the luggage, Constance approached the front door to get them inside.

“Let’s see, the check-in instructions from the owner said to look for a ‘key in a snail,’” she recited out oud. “No code or box. Hmm.”

She swayed her head across the expanse of the spacious front porch, looking for anything that fit the description. Sure enough, perched in the corner of one of the front window’s large outer sills was a golden, ornamental snail sculpture that was about the size of a baseball. Gingerly, she reached out and curiously pulled up on the shell. It lifted with minimal force, and inside, a house key glittered against a felt inlay.

Not the best security system, she thought as she took the key and slipped it in the lock.

“There we go.”

There was only one key, it seemed. For safekeeping, she immediately pulled out her own personal keyring and looped it onto the bundle. It seemed the two would need to stay together for most of their holiday. She was quite alright with that.

Just as she finished the task, she noticed a familiar shadow and heard recognizable footsteps behind her. She turned to see her husband – her beloved Adonis, hoisting their bags onto the porch.

She lingered back a few paces to give him room to drop the bags and open the door for her, as he always was keen to do. As he did so, she bid him a ‘thank you’ before motioning to step inside.

“Hold one moment, darling.”

Just as she paused, she felt his strong arms loop across her shoulders and under her knees. He all but swept her off her feet, grinning all the way up as she let out a gasp of delighted surprise.

He carried her over the threshold of the cabin with two, long-legged strides. All the while, she clung to him and beamed a smile that could ravel the rays of the sun itself. Her feet kicked slightly, one of her nude heels practically falling away.

Once they were safely on the other side of the front door, effectively christening the temporary abode for their stay, he deposited her carefully back on Earth. The man didn’t relinquish his grip until her feet were firmly planted on the floor, and even then, their lips remained locked for an extra half-minute as she praised his strength with a deep kiss.

When they finally broke apart, their attention turned to the entryway table, which was adorned with a handwritten card from the cabin’s owner, a box of frilly cakes, and the largest bouquet of pure white lilies Constance had ever seen.

“Ah, good,” Ebenezer remarked, “The flowers arrived. And they look perfect.”

“Did you plan this?”

“I cannot take credit for the card and cakes, I’m afraid. The flowers, however, are my doing. I know you love lilies, but we can’t have them in the flat.”

Lillies were one of Constance’s favorite blooms, and their beauty to her was only heightened by the fact that they were incredibly poisonous, from petal to pollen, for cats. Two feline companions called their flat home. Sunshine, a beloved feline that Constance, Bess, and their companions Gal and Addie ‘shared custody’ of; and Patience, their most recently adopted feline companion (and Prudence’s most beloved little sister).

A lifelong lover of cats, Constance would have been beside herself with grief to put the precious creatures in any sort of peril, let alone for a selfish reason.

With no felines in the cabin, they were free to enjoy the lilies for the entire week. He’d taken advantage of the scenario and ordered a triple-digit bundle that was hearty enough to survive their entire stay. When she was preoccupied with a phone call one morning, he’d even called ahead and specifically asked the owner of the cabin to pick them up and place them inside. Lo and behold, she’d gone far above and beyond his request and added her own gifts to the assortment.

“Oh, Ebenezer! You shouldn’t have!”

“Nonsense. You deserve the best, let alone fresh flowers you adore.”

Constance swayed forward to admire the bouquet, inhaling the sweet smell of the flower that often leant it glorious aroma to all her favorite perfumes, before reaching for the card.

Ebenezer and Constance,

A first wedding anniversary is a wonderful time – enjoy it smartly, along with the frilly cakes! The flavors are lemon curd, maple, and vanilla bean. The lemon is my favorite. The bakery in town is incredible, just make sure to get there early.

Have fun!

-Olivia S.

“She is wonderful,” Constance said, passing the note to Ebenezer for him to read as well. The couple would be sure to send her many referrals down the line.

Peering past the entryway, the cabin opened into a warmly lit foyer. The logs making up the indoor walls were cut to perfection and appeared freshly oiled. The sheen only made the red color, as sanguine as freshly turned autumn leaves, pop even more against the herringbone floors. The furniture itself was rustic in design, with an emphasis on large silhouettes and ample cushioning. The pillows and tufted blankets blazed with a myriad of rich patterns and jewel tones, all featuring unique smocking patterns that gave each piece its own equivalent of a human face. It kitchen, located right across from the front door, featured modern appliances spliced in with old-world accents made from polished sheet rock.

The coziness continued into the bedroom, which featured large windows, lace and velvet drapes, and a very large oak-framed bed with linen sheets. They’d most certainly make use of that.

In the meantime, they dropped their suitcases there and continued on for the moment.

One piece that attracted their attention immediately was a lacquered cabinet in the corner, located just on the other side of the living room’s main media console. The crown jewel of the cabinet was an antique Victrola phonograph that sat proudly at the top, its parts made of shining brass without so much as a speck of oxidized green. The morning glory horn at the top was painted a shade of deep, wine-drunk purple that shifted slightly into a petal pink toward the tips. The top and sides boasted a distinct, tiger maple veneer that was distinctly antique the carried the aroma of linseed oil.

While Constance busied herself putting away the sparse number of groceries she had brought in a cooler bag from home, Ebenezer curiously sauntered over to the device to inspect it. A simple flick of the fingers was all it took to open the cabinet and reveal a modest collection of records inside. He discreetly thumbed through the collection and was relieved to find that Olivia appeared to fancy classical music as much as they did, for it made up a solid majority of the collection. Perfect. Swiftly, he made his musical selection and slipped the record from its sleeve and onto the original, pine-green velvet pad.

Just as Constance finished sorting the produce and poultry in the fridge, the opening strings of “String Quartet in F Major, Op. 3 No. 5: II. Andante cantabile” by Hoffstetter met her ears. The notes danced through the air like aloft dandelion seeds, the melody spritely and energetic before taking a slower, romantic swing. Recognizing the melody, Constance was lured from her task and into the living room, her eyes brimming with both glee and curiosity.

There, Ebenezer poised himself proudly before dropping into a gentlemanly bow. He extended a hand in a silent request for a dance. In his loose linen shirt and crisp trousers, silver hair slightly tousled and lips drawn into a hopeful semi-smirk, he looked the part of a dashing man laying his heart bare for his lover.

Constance was quick to oblige, drifting into his arms like a swan taking its first strikes onto a crisp lake.

One larger hand fit perfectly into the hourglass-shaped notch in her waist, and they began a delicate waltz.

Even in an unfamiliar space, neither of them missed a single step, all while their eyes never strayed from the other’s.

Their trance lasted until the mechanical parts ground to a halt as the record ended.

 “You brought groceries?”

“Just a few! I didn’t know what would be available in town and how readily, so I brought just a few items. Besides, I have a special plan for dinner.”

“Really? Well, color me fascinated.”

That special plan was making her husband a dish that she’d had the recipe memorized since she was a teenager. The recipe essentially mirrored what many others called chicken with browned butter and fresh sage, but Constance had been introduced to the dish by her mother Theresea, who had shown her how to prepare the dish one day in their New York apartment.

Her mother had told her over a hot stovetop, “Darling, this is the meal I made for your father on the date right before he proposed to me. Make this dish for the man you want to be your future husband, and he’ll be putty in your hands! I’ve shared it with three associates, and they all experienced the same thing. Use your power wisely, dear. The path to any man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“Is it really that tasty, mama?”

“The taste is quite important, dear, but that’s not all. It’s a dish that proves that you have skills in the kitchen. That you’re an adult who can cook, not simply assemble ingredients. You can make something both hearty and savory, and without a ton of fancy ingredients. It’s a dish that shows you aren’t just a maiden looking to impress a beau … it shows you’re a woman worth pursuing as a wife.”

Constance had never had the opportunity to make the dish for her first (and ex-) husband, Orin. She’d graduated from university in Maryland, come home, and he’d proposed to her after a celebratory round of drinks. Any romance of their union had been officially ruined after their honeymoon, and from then on out, he always requested a specific menu for dinner. She was never permitted to choose. After a while, the desire to cook at all had extinguished itself, and food was replaced with warm whiskey and other substances to kill the pain.

With Ebenezer, however, she’d taken a chance and prepared the dish for him one night after they’d been living together for a few months. It wasn’t the first time she’d made dinner, but it was the first time she had prepared that dish specifically. She paired the dish with bakery sourdough, a kale and sunflower seed salad, and a 2011 Cabernet.

She had been paranoid at the time that her cooking skills were rusty, but that night, the very slender gentleman had cleaned his plate, crust of bread and all.

“I think that may be the best meal I’ve eaten in my entire life,” he’d told her. “Absolutely sensational, Dear. You outdid yourself.”

“Really?”

“Truly. I would eat more if I could, but I’m positively stuffed.”

Sure enough, just a few weeks later, that ring was on her finger, and they were planning their wedding together.

Was the recipe a family secret turned into a real love spell? Likely not, but she certainly couldn’t argue with the results.

“Would you like some help?” he asked, rolling up the cuffs of his linen shirt.

Constance made sure to get an eyeful of his sculpted forearms before moving her eyes north to his visage. “Well, I was going to say that you should get comfortable and enjoy some brandy after the long drive, but … if you really don’t mind, I’d love that.”

“Really?”

“I always enjoy cooking with you.”

That decided it, as far as he was concerned. He all but skipped into the kitchen, eager for nothing more than to spend time with her.

They worked side-by-side in the kitchen for the next half hour, preparing the poultry and browning the butter in tandem. All the while, Ebenezer asked questions about the recipe, inquiring about amounts and the specific brands of some ingredients (like the butter).

As they worked, they sipped a freshly uncorked Malbec, a shared favorite of theirs.

“So, your mother taught you this recipe, did she?” Ebenezer asked while chopping the fresh garlic. Julienne first, then brunoise.

“Yes. When I was just a teenager. I learned it quickly, as it’s pretty simple. Sometimes the best recipes are.”

“You should still write it down,” he suggested with a smile, giving her a longing gaze. “Pass it down to the next generation. Starla might make it one day as one of her favorite recipes.”

“Mmhmm. Perhaps one day, if she’d like.” Thankfully, they still had quite a bit of time before then.

The cryptic response earned a slight brow waggle of amusement but was quickly forgotten as she directed him to add the garlic to the butter pan.

He scanned the other ingredients scattered on the counter and noted a bottle of cheap, brown-bottle sherry. They used it often in recipes back home, so she’d brought an extra for their trip. “Shall we add a splash?”

“Mm … there’s no other alcohol in the dish, so it shouldn’t conflict with anything. Let’s try it.”

Another ten minutes later, and the meals were plated. They moved from the kitchen to the cabin’s quaint dining room table to eat. It was a small, circular table, which forced them closer than usual. Neither complained in the slightest.

“Heavens, I should have brought tapered candles,” he teased, “That’s all we’re missing for a classic romantic table setting.”

Constance gave him a good-natured chuckle as she refilled his glass of wine. “Let’s not get too crazy on our first night of vacation.”

They shared a laugh, clinked their glasses, and began to eat.

Immediately after the first bite, her eyes lit up. “Wow. Ebenezer, that splash of sherry was a wonderful idea!”

He gave her leg a playfully jostle with his foot. “Told you so.”

 As the tranquil night’s sapphire shadow stretched across London and the speckling of cities surrounding it, Bess found herself stirring.

As she rose from her bed, she furrowed her brow in confusion. Normally, she was awoken by noise, a dream or – something. At least her phone alarm. In this case, the woman had to take a beat to let reality coalesce around her before she realized what had awakened her.

She moved her hand to the other side of the bed, seeking the familiar warmth of her fiancé, who always rested right beside her, and usually had at least one arm around her. As she suspected, his spot was vacant. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, it only took one survey of their bedroom before her eyes landed upon the familiar outline of her soon-to-be husband.

Ebenezar “Wolf” Scrooge was crouched over the bassinet in their room, grinning from ear to ear as he chattered nonsense at Starla. Even from the bed, she could hear her little giggles and coos in response to his playful chatter.

Bess sat up fully, bringing her knees up slowly before crossing her arms. “I didn't hear her cry.”

“She didn't,” Wolf whispered, “I got up to use the loo and just peeked in at her when I came back and she was awake, cooing and smiling up at me. I think the toilet flush might have roused her; we might want to consider using the guest bathroom through the nights she's here.”

“Good idea.”

For the next few moments, Bess was a captive audience as she observed Wolf gently poke at Starry's tummy. The act earned even more of those adorable giggles.

Then, just when she thought she couldn’t smile wider, one of the babe’s chubby hands lofted to grab his nose and squeeze it. Bess laughed, then quickly smothered the sound with the back of her hand.

Letting out a light squeak in surprise, he then chuckled. “My! S-Strong grip already, haha.”

Starry roared with laughter at his reaction, bicycling her onesie-covered feet in the air.

“Oh, now she's very much awake. My, oh, my … well, what should we do about that? We can’t have you awake for too long – you’ll be cranky later. Here, up you go.”

He gingerly reached into the bassinet and picked her up. Scrunching her legs, she immediately calmed down as Ebenezar allowed her to rest upon the warm expanse of his chest. By the time her coos quieted, his arms had already wound around her protectively.

“Well, how about we take a few laps around the flat?” he asked her in an amusingly conversationalist tone. “That always calms my mind. Does that sound alright, little one?"

“…Weh. A-ba!”

“Hah. Very good. Clever girl.”

As he cradled her, he hummed a soft melody, the tones reverberating from deep in his chest. The act almost immediately made the little redhead’s eyes heavy, but she stayed awake, occasionally squirming against her comfy confinement.

Moving slowly, he walked her down to the flat’s main living area. “Now, my dear, for an exclusive tour of the chateau. To your left, you will see the electric fireplace – we’d love to use it with you, but you need to be in a playpen for that. You’re just a little too curious with those hands of yours.”

Exemplifying his point, Starla reached up and tried to grab his nose again. Veering his head away in the nick of time, he smirked and wagged a finger at her. “Now, now. Fool me once, and only once, little one.”

She giggled again, as if she understood she’d been caught red-handed and reveled in the mischief of it.

The next stop was the veranda for some fresh night air and to show her all her auntie's outdoor plants and garden boxes.

“Look at these pretty-pretties, Little Star,” he said, pointing at the vibrant clusters of petals amidst a sea of evergreen. “These are called ‘marigolds’. These ones are very special, because they bloomed the very day you were born. And Auntie Bess has kept them healthy and strong since then. Aren’t they lovely?”

“…Beh?”

“Haha, yes.”

He patted her back and brought her back inside before the chill proved to be too much for her. She squirmed slightly, burrowing herself against his chest, seeking warmth. The sensation nearly stole the breath from his lungs, and he fought the urge to grip her form even more protectively.

Bess traipsed behind them softly, deciding to grab a midnight snack while everyone was already awake. After all, with a baby in the flat, their already normal schedules would surely become vastly out of whack in the coming days. It would be prudent to adapt, and steal moments of sleep and substance whenever possible.

As she walked to the fridge and reached inside for a carton of blueberries, she watched them the whole while. With each observed interaction, her heart just turned to utter goo. She always knew her Wolf would make the most adorable father.

If only she could give him one of his own, she thought with a familiar ache of melancholy. She wished with her whole heart for it to be possible, but some things simply weren’t meant to be. That didn’t mean it didn’t well up tears in her eyes on those particularly hard days.

But she knew he'd be an amazing dad to any child that came into their life, however they decided to go about it.

In the meantime, they would have plenty of company and precious moments to fill their cups with in the interim.

As Wolf drifted into the kitchen, the couple shared a soft forehead bump.

“Did my garden meet her standards?” Bess asked, keeping her voice low.

“Nothing short of stellar.”

When they parted, they glanced down in tandem to see that Starla had finally fallen asleep. With the grace of the lupine creature he was nicknamed after, Ebenezar made his way up the stairs to deposit her back in the safety of their quiet bedroom. After closing the door (leaving it open a crack), he made his way back downstairs with a yawn.

Bess awaited him, having already prepared him a serving of blueberries. She also pulled some strawberries from the fridge, which he was never one to say no to.

“It’ll be dawn soon,” Bess said as she slid him a plate with a soft smile.

“I woke you up. I apologize.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said softly, reaching over to lay a hand on his arm, “Besides, seeing you like that with her … that was worth waking up for.”

Tenderness touched the corners of his eyes, relaxing the muscles of his face ever-so-slightly. His larger hand moved to cover hers, giving it a slight squeeze.

“It … does make me think, I confess,” he admitted.

“It makes me think, too,” she admitted softly.

A beat passed before Ebenezar seemed to sense the remorse in her voice and moved around the kitchen island to pull her into an embrace. His hands rubbed up and down her spine as her head found its favorite spot right over his thumping heart. As her hand laid over the plane of his robed chest, she could still feel the heat there from where Starla’s weight had rested mere minutes earlier.

“We’ll have a family someday,” he promised his fiancée. “I know it.”

She nodded, believing him, and believing it in herself too. He always inspired the best of her good faith, not just in others, but in herself.

“Yes,” she replied shakily. “Yes. We will.”

Somehow, some way.

With sunrise mere blinks away, Ebenezar offered to fill the kettle to start some tea. Since they were snacking, they might as well start their day, he reasoned. They both had the day off, which made the decision even easier.

As he prepared the tea, she moved their morsels to the living room area. Bess then drifted to the window shades to raise them in anticipation of the sunrise.

“You think those lovebirds are up yet?” Wolf asked as he set the kettle to boil. “Their internal clocks are sharp as tacks, and if Starry rouses as easily at home as she does here, I’m tempted to take bets on if they’ll sleep in at all.”

“I hope so,” Bess said, yawning into an open palm. “Connie especially. Those weeks when she was going into work early … she was setting alarms as early as three in the morning.”

“Gods above – whatever for?”

“Compulsion, guilt … many reasons. Anyway, they seem to be doing better since the incident, and according to Adonis, she’s started sleeping again.”

And cuddling, she thought secretly, remembering when Connie had called her in excited tears after her and Adonis had woken up entangled in each other’s arms for the first time in months.

“Thank goodness,” he said. “Especially as a new mother, she needs sleep. Connie is just as bad as you at putting other matters at hand before herself, after all.”

“I’ll let that comment slide since it’s still early, sir, and we both need caffeine.”

He chuckled from afar.

“Well, if anyone can get her into bed, I venture it’s safe to say that your brother can.”

Wolf made a noise of vague disgust as the electric kettle beeped, and he went about measuring the tea leaves for two mugs.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she teased, sitting up to look at him from the other side of a tufted armchair. “And even if I did, am I wrong?”

“Ugh.”

“Darling, they have a baby,” she laughed, “Certainly you know.”

“Know WHAT, exactly?” he challenged, his accent flaring up with the question. “That adorable little gummy-mouthed angel was delivered first-class by the stork. Or she sprouted up in a cabbage-patch. Or perhaps Constance has perfected the art of mitosis. Whatever way that little sun drop came into being, she certainly didn't come from MY brother. My brother is as endowed and capable of relations as a Ken doll. Clinging to that fact is the only way I can sleep at night, I’ll have you know.”

“That's a little dramatic, don't you think?”

“Be sent an accidental sext by one of YOUR family members and see what insanity YOU come up with to cope with the trauma, Elizabeth.”

Bess let out a musical laugh, and the sound was beautiful enough that any unpleasant imagery lingering in his mind was immediately sanctified by the heavenly ring of her voice. Unfortunately, she was quick to clap a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of mirth. He stiffened as well, realizing why she’d suddenly gone stone silent.

Glancing up the flat’s stairs, she paused as her midnight eyes rested on the overlook window that showed their bedroom, a nightlight for the little girl casting ghostly silhouettes against the glass.

His eyes followed hers, his body not moving an inch. He was frozen mid-step, a steaming mug in each hand, eyes wide and lips rolled between his teeth.

When no giggles or cries wafted from the open door, they both relaxed in tandem. Heaving matching sighs, he crossed the threshold of the room to deliver a mug of tea into her hands.

“Thank you,” she mouthed out.

“You’re very welcome.”

Bess scooted over in the spacious armchair, patting the space beside her. Rolling his eyes (the loveseat would be more practical) he was powerless to resist her. He slowly settled down beside her. The tight confines meant that she had to scoot into his lap for them to both be seated together.

Predictably so, neither disagreed.  

Perhaps it wasn’t the best place in the flat to sit side-by-side, but it was a damn fine place for a pair of engaged lovers to snuggle up.

It also happened to be the best place in the flat to watch the impending sunrise.

While one couple was slowly waking up from their restful slumber, another couple had avoided sleeping altogether.

As it turned out, the lovebirds had not gotten a wink of sleep that night.

With a straw-soft gasp, Constance ground her hips down, stuttering frantically on her descent. She moved briskly, chasing a final, blinding surge of pleasure as her and her husband’s hips swayed with piston-like precision toward their goal. She sat atop him, straddling his hips, hair thrown back over her shoulders while her hands sought the wide expanse of his chest for balance.

They’d gone to bed rather late after dinner, after spending many more hours dancing in the living room and sharing glasses of wine. By the time they finished their last dance, their lips had come together in a series of increasingly frantic kisses. He all but walked her backwards into the bedroom, unzipping her dress and kicking off his slippers with ease.

He’d then lifted her up, thrown her on the massive oak-frame bed, and made passionate love to her there for hours. The foreplay alone stretched into the night, with them worshipping each other’s bodies with grasping hands and cradling thighs. Lips explored, tasted and savored velvety areas that the other would never dream of letting another human being see, let alone touch.

When their bodies did finally come together, hips bucking in tandem and throats raw from screaming each other’s names, the beginning rays of dawn had begun to peek over the horizon.

With one last sob of pleasure, Constance sank down hard and threw her head back, her body spasming around the contour of him. Drawn and sweat-slicked, she rode the waves of release with frantic gasps, all while her husband’s massive hands clamped onto her hips and helped amplify the force of her sways.

“That’s right, give it all to me,” he coaxed, his voice hoarse but firm. “All of it. All of it, darling.”

With one last exclamation of his name in the otherwise soundless bedroom, she let out a whimper of relief.

Slowly, her arms began to bow from strain. Ebenezer released her hips and went to hold her elbows, his strong hands fitting around the joints easily. Taking all the strain off her exhausted body, he supported her on a slow descent.

“There you go. Slowly. I have you…”

He rolled to his side and guided her onto the mattress, where he took the initiative of shimmying his hips away from hers. With a nod of permission, he pulled out as gingerly as possible, as they were both quite over-sensitive.

While Constance laid on the bed and caught her breath, he discreetly removed the condom, tied it off, and tucked it into the wastebasket that they’d pulled near the bed hours before. It wasn’t the first condom they’d used that night-turned-morning.

When he turned back to her, the visual of her nude body reclined against the bed – her ample bosom heaving and red hair draped over the pillow in tousled ringlets – captivated him to stillness. One of her hands had lofted to her chest, laying over her heart, as if she was trying to caress it into calmness.

He gazed upon her like she was a painting to be admired. The spell was only broken when her cornflower blue eyes opened to meet his. Still breathless, she smiled and reached out to him. To touch him. To hold him.

He was quick to twine their fingers, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss there.

Gods, when was the last time they’d made such passionate love, he wondered. It had to have been before Starla was born. And for hours – literally until dawn? That, he knew, they’d never done before.

He was sure his muscles would be screaming at him in the coming days (and rallying himself would take a moment – he wasn’t a teenager anymore), but sod it all, it was beyond worth it.

He kissed up the length of her arm, relishing in the laughter he earned as his other arm swept her close, gathering her just so her back was pressed to his furred chest. She was putty in his embrace and moaned in soft delight as his arms crossed around her with possessive adoration. Even after being joined for hours, he still wanted to cradle her close, sweat and musk be damned.

When his lips finally reached the destination of her cheek, he spent an extra moment lingering there.

He laughed, and with his lips still pressed to her skin, the feeling sending a tingle through her. The effect lured a smile to her lips, and she languidly stretched her arms out in front of her as he continued to dot kisses along the back of her sun-kissed shoulder blades.

“Gods above, you are fantastic,” he whispered with the reverence of a man reciting a mantra by heart.

With one last squeeze, he released her so they could lay side by side more comfortably. Most importantly, they could also gaze in each other’s eyes, which was a post-coital ritual he insisted upon. In his mind, to drift into the haze of slumber without glimpsing the eyes of the woman who had brought him to ruin was borderline heretical.

However, once he opened his arms, he was alarmed to see her rise from the blankets. For a panicked moment, he was thrown back into the memories of the days when she would shun his touch and rise from bed immediately to leave him, turning his back on him to succumb to the tedium of work.

Without realizing it, his hand had nearly shot out to snatch her back.

Yet, this time, she did not leave the bed.

In her naked glory, she instead rose and turned to the massive window that backed the impressive bed. She drew the curtains, and he squinted against the light.

She then undid the latches, snapping them open with ease, and hoisted the pane high over them. Fresh air swelled into the bedroom like a crescendo of music. After all, their activities had made the bedroom quite stuffy, and while the lingering perfume of sex was intoxicating, it was far from refreshing.

The second the glass lifted, a wave of sunflower-scented air rolled in. The crispness immediately brightened his senses.

“There we go,” she said before slowly drifting back down to him.

That was when she noticed his hand, still partially extended to her.

Noting his reach, sadness touched her eyes for a moment before she took his larger hand between hers. Breath fluttered in his lungs as she closed her fingers around hers, she pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

The declaration was punctuated with a resolute stare, her perfectly plucked brows slanting inward as she studied his face … studying to see if he believed her.

He answered her inquiry by luring her back onto her back, where he covered her smaller frame with his wider one.

Before he could stop himself, he spoke the words, “Kiss me again, please.”

He felt foolish for a moment, asking for a kiss of all things after their prolonged coupling. Yet, Constance answered without a smidge of hesitation. Her hand snaked upward, fingertips skimming the shape of his jaw and feathering through his sideburns. Cupping the back of his head, she tangled her fingers in his silver locks and nudged him down. He descended upon her as she rose to meet up, their mouths meeting again. Chastely. Sweetly.

Lovingly.

 After a shared shower, Ebenezer donned a new linen shirt and pair of trousers in the thinnest material he had. It was to be a slightly warmer day than before, and unlike the day prior, he had a small itinerary for the morning.

“My dear, I’m going into town to fetch breakfast from that little bakery Olivia mentioned,” he said from his station in from of their bedroom’s large vanity. “It should be about a thirty-minute walk. I could drive, but it’s not that far.”

While he spoke, he snapped his antique, silver Piaget on his wrist. He slid the watch face into a proper position, he checked his freshly dried hair in the mirror before angling his eyes toward the reflection of the open ensuite bathroom door behind him.

Moments later, Constance padded out, donned in a terrycloth robe and her hair freshly curled and make-up applied to perfection. Her eyes and lips were more naturally adorned than usual, allowing him to appreciate the natural shape and color of her features.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful,” she enthused.

“You’re more than welcome to join me.”

“I might … um, how are your legs?”

He laughed. “Sore, but not terrible. A stretch and some exercise will do them good. How about you? You were the one doing the more, erm, physical work last night.”

It was true. Her legs felt a little wobbly, and she was definitely tender in other areas, but not to the point of no return.

“Would you mind waiting for me?” she inquired. “I promise I’ll dress quickly – Olivia said to arrive early, after all.”

“Well, of course! I’d love your company. We can drive if—”

“No, no, a walk sounds lovely!” she said.

“…You’re sure?” he asked.

There was layered reasoning to his question that extended far beyond their intimacy the night prior. Thanks to her ex-husband, Constance had a previously snapped femur in each leg that each had required many years of potent (and highly addictive) pain medicine to manage, on top of other substances she’d already been using at the time. It wasn’t until recently that her legs had healed to the point where she no longer required daily pills or physical therapy.

Nonetheless, her legs were weaker, tired easily … and she was also an incredible klutz. It was as adorable as it was concerning, and as much as he enjoyed catching her, he still worried for her.

He was a man in love, and as such, he worried and toiled over her, especially considering their recent incident.

“Darling, the figures can wait.”

“No, they can’t. The client turned them earlier today. It’s the last of the month – if they don’t go in this report before the end of business hours today, they’ll be added to next month’s expenditures. It’ll throw everything off!”

He’d always worry about her. Her determination to survive was also a compulsion to action. When the jaws of a bear trap snapped shut, Constance would tear herself free, no matter the pain and blood. That was the problem.

“We can afford to eat more than a fair share of checks. Please. We can figure it out and re-balance tomorrow.”

“I’m so close, Ebenezer. I can do it.”

“I know you can, Constance. That’s not the issue. It’s just—”

“I promise I’ll be only a moment,” she said. “Wait for me?”

“I just need to input a few more lines, Ebenezer. Please, go on without me. I’ll be just along in just a minute.”

No sooner had the man agreed and sat down in the living room armchair that she reappeared again, fully dressed in a silky maroon midi-dress, synched at the waist. A pair of espresso-colored wedge sandals (not stilettos, bless her) completed the ensemble. She wore her hair in a simple chignon, her second favorite way to wear her hair.

He checked the time with his watch, brows arcing into twin horseshoes. “That was fast.”

She had certainly kept her promise, he noted with great pleasure.

After a quick detour to the kitchen island to grab her shoulder bag, the two set off.

(Part 2 coming soon - thank you for reading!)

"No fog, no mist. Clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold—cold, piping for the blood to dance to—golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells—oh glorious, glorious!" ~ A Christmas Carol

[riddle-me-ri]

Congrats on 200 followers! Your writing is literally so FANTASTIC and AMAZING!!!

How would they react to a S/O who likes to constantly shower them with love; Kisses, hugs, compliments, playing with their hair, etc :]

(For BTAS Riddler, Penguin, and Scarecrow)

A/N: AHHHHH yeeee my top 3 babies let’s goooo thank you, thank you, thank youuuu!!! And you know what, because this request hit one of my sweet spots. I'm gonna add BTAS Jervis in the mix! Have the dork squad plus a pengy! Let's gooooo

BTAS Riddler, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and Penguin Reacting To A Strongly Affectionate Reader:

BTAS Riddler: 

Edward is absolutely here for all your affection. It takes him a minute to get over the initial shock and collect his thoughts on how to reciprocate your romantic gestures. Now though, he returns every kiss, compliment, and hug with just as much fervor as you do. 

You two almost make a game out of it. Who can get the most kisses in? Who has the strongest hug? Or even more difficult who can refrain from giving affection? (Spoiler Alert: you guys both loose, even it’s even really losing lol)

Whenever he’s frustrated or feeling low, he can always count on you to perk him up. He adores it when you run your fingers through his hair and rest your head on his back. Ed smiles when he feels the soft pressure of your lips kissing his back. 

Edward has always seen himself as the smartest man alive, but with you and your boundless supply of loving affection…he can also consider himself the luckiest man alive.

BTAS Scarecrow: 

Jonathan Crane is the Master of Fear. The Lord of Despair! He, he shouldn’t be enjoying in hugs, sweet talk, kisses…wait no no, that…don’t stop though…he can do both. 

Jonny is reluctant at first. Not anything against you, of course, the man just genuinely isn’t used to it. It’s a very strange sensation indeed. His blood is pumping, his breaths are shortened…yet he’s not afraid? His adrenaline is going haywire yet…oh..oh no. Good luck, breaking it to him that it is indeed love and that it’s safe. 

However, once Jonathan comes to terms with your over-affectionate nature…he’s absolutely stingy with it. Holding you tighter and longer when you wrap your arms around him. He begins feeling comfortable enough to initiate romantic gestures of his own; like kissing your head, wrapping an arm around you, and calling you sweet nicknames. 

Jonathan Crane is still the Master of Fear…Lord of Despair…but he’s also just a lonely man whose finally not so lonely anymore. 

BTAS Mad Hatter: 

Jervis Tetch is absolutely here for all of it. Unlike the others on this list, he needs only a few seconds and he’s instantly returning the affection. Once you start, he cannot get enough so I hope you have enough to last you both…well forever. 

No worries, though…Jervis is far beyond making this a one way thing. He returns your gestures tenfold. Kissing your head, your hand. Holding your hand or have an arm around you. 

Please hug and kiss this man atleast twice daily, in the morning and night if you don’t he’ll think you’re upset at him. Jervis lives for your kisses, hugs, and giving him sweet compliments they literally keep him going and make him feel invincible. He loves lounging in your lap while you play with his hair or how you sweetly call out his name to get his attention. 

There’s no secret, it doesn’t take one to fumble down a rabbit hole to know…that if there is such thing as a Wonderland it has to have you in it. 

BTAS Penguin:

Well, it only makes sense after finally making him believe your feelings for him are true…that as a reward you’d smother him in all the love and adoration you’ve kinda sorta been holding back. 

Don’t be surprised if Ozzie goes into a small shock as you pepper his face with kisses. It may take sometime to snap him out of it, but when he does his face is burning red. You still have your work cut out for you, but you’re determined to show him all the love he’s been missing out on. 

Oswald slowly but surely grows to loving your overzealous affections. His heart swells whenever you kiss the tip of his nose, or you embrace him, immediately warming his vengeful and hurt heart. He loves when you take off his hat and kiss the tip of his head that’s bald. Showing that you really and truly love every bit of him. He returns the gestures via linking his arm with yours, opening the door for you, and kissing the back of your hand like the royalty you are. 

Oswald was uncertain about your relationship at first, but now there’s no more doubts in his mind about you at all. He’s going to absolutely revel in everything and anything you have to give him in terms of your love and devotion to him. Because you finally made him believe he is worthy of it.

[caffernnn]

Free! Anniversary Fic Recs 🦋🐋🐬🦈🐧 Can you share your fav fics from each year (2013-2023) Free! has been around?

This is a very fun ask!! Lemme root through my bookmarks and see what I can find 😅

2013 - A lot of the stories I have saved from this time are shorter lil one-shots like “Never Leave” by Shimegami (classic mh hug-it-out interlude fic) and “The Sound of Settling” by teke (feelings realization stuff), but one other one I liked was “The Ocean You Gave My Heart” by miaoujones. Smut warning for that one (if that’s not your thing), but something about desert-bound Makoto learning to swim and indulge in water with Haru, thinking upon meeting him that he’s a wonder whether he’s really a mermaid or not, that’s neat!!

2014 - starting to realize the ones I kept any note of from the early years are some of the popular mh fics probably already recommended 10 times over, but there’s a reason why people sing their praises. If you haven’t checked out fics from tide tothemoon like 2/13189000 (mhtokyo my beloved), their writing is *chef’s kiss* delightful. Another AU I haven’t been able to bring myself to revisit was orihime’s reincarnation stories from “I cannot be without you, matter of fact.” There are two different stories, one where Makoto remembers their past lives and a follow up where Haru remembers, and oh that made me ache dude.

2015 - Speaking of suffering, have y’all checked out Heart’s Departure yet? I think we’ve referenced and talked about that story enough for it to speak for itself 🥴 heartbreaking circumstances but still cosmic and so so beautiful. Then, once you’re done crying about that story, hop over to “Shake the Heavens” by Ad_Astra to break down over (what I described in my ao3 bookmark) Makoto and Haru’s “inherently cataclysmic devotion.” I guess 2015 was the year of shoving the boys into tragic AUs and seeing how much they were willing to give up to get back to each other. A whole vibe

2016 - let’s goooo gamers, more AUs!! “I’d Create Oceans For You” by trashness is a fun fantasy adventure that has both tender moments and interesting action (and some banger art from donguris omggg). If you want something more future-fish-flavored that shows that happily-ever-after doesn’t save you from your grief, “Sublimation” by RedScribbler was great. You can find more of my thoughts on that one if you scroll back a bit in my “fic recs” tag — one of y’all sent it in and yeeees it was so up my alley!

2017 - Alright fellas, there are so many to choose from, because now we’re getting into the macbetha years! Who would I be if I didn’t mention “Eyes Wide Open All The Time” tbh?? It’s a long one with its own hard-hitting involved lore and world-building, but Beth builds this unique story in a way that pulls from the characters we know and love so effectively. I’ve sung the praises for this story multiple times (and could so do it again bro don’t tempt me) but I’ll end off with saying that if you’re fascinated in watching deeply-wounded people who’ve been put through hell learn how to make a life in the aftermath, there’s something special for you here. Aaaand, if you want something about 1/10 the length and not as heavy, “159 (Architect/Interior Designer AU)” by intoxicatedcinnamon has some fun moments 😌 that’s another one where you can find more of my thoughts somewhere in the fic recs tag (love when y’all send me stories 💚💙)

2018 - “Coral and Bone” by Macbetha my beloved!!!! Wanna play mermaids and fight the gods? Maybe try to find that summer magic that makes you want to keep going and accidentally fall in love on the way? I am puuushing you toward this story bestie. Everyone’s here and everyone’s having fun! OH ALSO I’m throwing in “Night Changes” by SEMellark because I love stories where Makoto and Haru actually figure out how to talk to each other. (Side note — a lot of these are probably gonna be things I’ve rec’d in the past, so feel free to scroll my tag for more details and consider this list an extra endorsement 😅)

2019 - (drops basket full of love for mutuals) OOPS OOPS OOPS!!! Don’t mind me, just popping in with some “Let’s Get Married” by sagesprouts and “Anthropocene” by testosterogna, nothing to see here but some classic natsunao shenanigans and one of the sickest elemental bender AUs out there 😌✨ I also have some fics from Svana saved from this year, but I’ll be mentioning her again later so hold on okay!!

2020 - alright, now the list is getting longer with everyone jumping back in during the early pandemic days 🏃🏻‍♀️SO FIRST OFF “green eyes, you’re the one I wanted to find” by infinite_always is an absolute FLUFF FEST of a soulmate AU! Unbearably tender moments but who doesn’t love that every so often? OH AND we have another one of my all-time ultimate fic recs here!! “Reaching” by CupNoodles55 has shaped and reshaped how I look back at Eternal Summer in the way I’d want any great canon-compliant fic to. Big love for interlude scenes and extra bits that help recontextualize or deepen what a moment could’ve meant in the show. Gonna end off 2020 with “The Sea Aflame” by Dizzydodo because even though this urban fantasy story is unfinished, I was super drawn in by the prospects of dragon!Makoto and whatever god stuff was going on with Sousuke. An interesting universe I love thinking about again from time to time.

2021 - Starting off strong with “love on the water, love underwater (and so on)” by rudimentaryflair because we love introspection here!!! Lovely writing style with lines that make me want to scale the walls. This take on Makoto is so so special. Also gonna rec “To Clear Away Today” by suhmayzooka (omg hiiii) if you want to be thrown into another hard-hitting intricate AU with loads of potential. Love exploring what we’ve got to see of the world so far 💞 and OOOH IT’S TIME!! “Extraordinary” by Svana_Vrika is basically canon to me at this point. Svana has a lot of sweet shorter stories with Makoto and Haru (look here, look here), but this one is everythinggg my guy. Similar appeal to “Reaching” mentioned earlier: a story of interludes that bring the story we already know to life in a delightful new way. Required reading for mhtokyo fans forreal. ONE LAST ONE OKAY!! “Teacher” by VeloxVoid is a great future fic with teacher!Makoto and artist!Haru (and I’m not biased just bc it was a gift exchange for me with details fit to my specific tastes wdym🧍🏻). Domestic blisssss

2022 - Ooh we’ve almost caught up y’all ☺️ gonna start with “All This and Heaven Too” by SocksAreArgyle because sometimes the bestie crafts a smorgasbord of smut with a delicious throughline of character/relationship development baked in. If you want your choice of spicy makoharus or some character exploration, you’re SET with this one. Next is “I Let My Heart Go” by martincrieff because sometimes the bestie looks at poor pining Makoto and goes “you know what would be messed up?” AND I JUST !!! So full of love and now full of flower petals. Hanahaki!Makoto my dearest boy!! Aaaand ending off the year with some tender mh (to Ikuya’s detriment) in “The Night Train” by Lizzyboo. They’re so softtt with each other and UGH this story is so nice. Love watching people take the crumbs from FS/FS2 and make a meal 💜

2023 - The year is young! And old! So here’s some more, with who knows how many bangers yet to come 🎉 First going to throw in the Makoharu Week 2023 collection for your perusal because I saw some fantastic stories emerge from that event. If you have twitter, I’d recommend also seeing some of the threadfics posted over there from the event as well 💚💙 and I thiiink I’m gonna close off for now with “just like it was always meant to be” by tonfea because they’ve been putting out banger stories that deserve all the love. Haru introspection is one of those things that isn’t always done very well (which is especially hard to reckon with in older fics) but tonfea’s stories all have an intimate understanding about Haru’s mind and journey that just makes sense.

Alright hello we made it to the end!!! Might’ve thrown in more than expected but I hope makoharu enjoyers find something on this list that fits their fancy 🥲 (and if anyone wants to rec something or ramble about a story here that they loved I’m all ears)

[otomiyaa]

Omg yes, Kuroo’s wiggling fingers caught me so off guard. And Tsukki looked so disconcerted in that moment before going back to being the chill guy. You can’t tell me Kuroo hasn’t tickled Tsukki to pieces. Also also also! The end when Nekoma was walking off the court and Kai and Kuroo were literally carrying Yaku. You can’t tell me they haven’t done that before. And don’t (or do) imagine them doing that with Yaku and wiggling fingers in his sides and Yaku just kicking because he literally can’t touch the ground or get away. And Lev doing push-ups mid-game during the break and Yaku sitting on him lmaooo. This movie was so good but it has also given me so many thoughts.

~Anemo Anon

Yes yes yeeees! I loved it so much, there were so many lovely moments and omg even my KenHina heart was revived again during this movie hehehe, they were just so cuuute

Kenma in general I mean, omfg duuude, I love that a lot was from his POV.

[i-dont-know-how-this-site-works]

Tipping Point thoughts and commentary!

This episode gave me emotional whiplash, I was smiling, I was laughing, I was crying and concerned.

-HOWZER!!! It's been 84 years, buddy!

-Echo!!! It's been 84 years, my love!

-Damn, you can really see how superior clones are to normal recruits. A tiny bunch of them managed to infiltrate a ship full of regular troopers and didn't even break a sweat.

-Echo, Tech rubbed off on you too much. When the empire is showing up, you don't dilly dally with the data terminal, you dally your ass out of there.

-Crosshair! It's been like, 2 weeks.

-That music was eerie as hell

-You are a smart cookie, Cross.

-He's been a real asshole, but please, don't hurt him!

-"You know how they operate", bitch, the last time Cross saw them they were dead set on being soldiers, now they are chilling on a Mediterranean island and eating sushi, he doesn't know anything

-Why did they have to include that meaty sound when they stabbed Cross with the needle

-Coruscant! It's been 84 years, you beautiful, filthy thing!

-Ryo Chuchi! It's been 84 years, my queen!

-"I know someone who can crack it" Yeeees, the reunion!!!

-Why would you lay your weapon by the prisoner's hand. Why. God, you stormtroopers are so useless.

-Lay your ass down Cross, a shitface-drunk British tourist would outperform you

-Cross, no. Just no. Listen to her! You are walking straight into walls, how are you going to get out of there

-He is warning them, my heart T_T he wasn't trying to escape at all

-What it feels like to walk be a group of smokers

-Wrecker fishing! Forget what happened, I am happy now

-"Is that all you are? A soldier?" yeeess, Shep, you tell him!

-Ohh, Tech, my poor boy. Do you need a barf bag?

-"The collision alarms haven't gone off once" Omega, you pure, innocent thing

-Tech has really been stroking his ego lately, I love a confident king

-Tech screaming in terror

-I don't think the ship was designed to bear this much g-force

-Aww, she is so happy to hear him <3 I can't deal with it

-Echo definitely told Omega to race him just so he can mess with Tech

-dazed Tech stumbling off the ship

-Awww, she launched herself at Echo!!! She loves him so much <3

-Shit, we are back at Tantiss. Happy times with episode 14 are over

-"Hunter, look at them playing together! Your kid must be so happy here!"

"Yeah, Wrecker is really enjoying the island."

-Echo wants them to engage more, while Hunter is just concerned about his squadmates. The way Hunter asked what will be Echo's final line. He is worried about Echo, and rightfully so.

-Tech's face when he told them Cross was on the transport :(

-Hunter doesn't trust him. Not entirely unwarranted, considering what happened the last time they were all together, but knowing what's happening to Cross, that hurts.

-"How do we find out" Hunter looking at the pic of Dr.Hemlock with that look in his eyes...you are not suggesting actually going there, are you?

-"She means nothing to you." Knowing he saved her life last season and sent out a transmission to get them to hide Omega, I think he does care in some way.

Hooo boy, what a great episode! I just want all of them back together and feeling fine, is that too much to ask, Filoni and co??

[kanene-yaaay]

Okay, I came up with this idea while healthily procrastinating. So, the Omori Crew. They're playing Hide and Seek right? But it's their own special brand of Hide and Seek where the seekers will find and tickle someone until they publicly admit (through varying degrees of laughter) they're the seeker. While the former seeker cheers at a job well done before running away while the new giggly seeker recovers and plans their next move.

Now, what none of them (well except maybe Mari and Kel) will admit is that each of them have their own personal target when they're a seeker. Aubrey goes for Mari, Mari hones in on Hero, Hero is pretty much the only one who can catch Kel, Kel then murders poor Baby Basil with tickles, Basil tries to regain his lost tickle honor by attacking Sunny, and Sunny... well he's the outlier in that he doesn't have a specific target. The little goober just loves hearing his friends laugh that he just goes after whoever he finds first. Which works out to varying degrees of success.

Mari and Hero often abuse their big sibling perks and break the rule by attacking Sunny back, specifically Sunny since they know they'd get away with it. The boy is too forgiving, even with this severe case of unfairness and injustice.

Then there's Aubrey, who Sunny knows it's a 'Tickle at your own risk' scenario because that girl is a flailer, a total wiggle worm that Aubrey. She tries to reign it in for the sanctity of the sport but can't help those nerves. But Sunny thinks it's worth the risk because he loves her joyful laughter (but don't tell anyone he thinks that, or it'll be the silent treatment until the end of time).

Kel is also high on the 'TAYOR' scale for the fact that the boy cannot help himself. He was raised in the art of the Tickle Fight and he will fight or flight his way to victory! Until he trips on a tree root and lays their motionless for Sunny to jump him. Klutz. Well at least Sunny finds his screeching laughter hilarious enough to try for it.

Anyway Basil, yeah he's easy prey. I don't make the rules the boy is too ticklish for his own good. Doesn't help that he doesn't know how to protect himself. Which hey, Basil laughter is good for the mind, body, and soul so it works out for Sunny and those within a 5 mile radius to hear his squeaky cackles.

And that's all for today folks on the Tickle Fight Programming Network or TFPN for short. See you next time for the next in depth tickle analysis of these little goobers.

I am just SCREAMING SO MUCH and SO LOUD AT THIS!!!! YES YES YEEEES YOU ARE 100% RIGHT IN EVERY SINGLE!! DETAIL!!!!

I love the fact that everyone has their specific target and that the rest of them just knows it because holy GOSH! Can you imagine the anticipation!? Like, I am here imagining Hero hiding very well and trying to keep himself quiet until he listens to the melodious, loud and full of squeaks laughter that clearly comes from Mari and a shiver run across his spine because he KNOWS that he will be the next one, so he just stays there, a wobbly smile threatening to take over his face as Mari admits that she is the next seeker and Aubrey triumphly shouts and runs to hide and then the left over giggles disappear and everything goes silent again and he just stays there ~ waiting from his moment ~ wondering if it would be safer to already run away or try to be the quietest that he can ~

Also!!!! The fact that Sunny doesn't focus on just one friend because he loves to hear everyone's laughter STAAAAP 😭😭😭💛😭💛😭💛😭💛 MY HEART IS MELTING HEREEE. HE ABSOLUTELY WOULD!!!!

The mental image of Kel just NYOOOOM then tripping and falling into a loud laughter while Sunny is there, proud of himself for making a friend happy is just too precious I am going to lay on the floor rn and cry tears of pure joy excuse me

Aubrey!!! Trying to !!!! Not wiggle too much to not hurt anyone!!! SO SWEET SO AMAIZNG SHEEEEE WOUUULD

Also!!!! BASIL'S PART YESH YESH YOU ARE VERY RIGHT HE IS JUST SO SILLY AND TICKLISH SORREY BEAN YOU'RE TOO CUTE TO RESIST 😭😭

[bluiex]

Yall got Dilf Scar rotating so hard in my head that I've come up with an idea. What if April is Scar's daughter not Grian's? He's either broke up with, carried, or widowed Grian is a teacher still, he was going to have April in his class next year. From what he heard from her teachers she was a delight and he was looking forward to it. But then budget cuts happened and he was let go leaving him in a worst predicament Meanwhile Scar is doing very well for himself, Convex is taking off. He and Cub are doing well but that means more work for him, some traveling, and even when he's working at home. He doesn't always have time to break to make sure April is taken care of. So whats a good dad to do? He looks for a sitter that can stay with them. His house is more than big enough after all, and when Grian comes knocking. He's heard great things about him from other teachers, who were talking about how April would love him. Since the school year was ending and they were talking about her next teachers. So Scar's ecstatic to have him on, he can help her with activities during summer to ready her for the next year. Plus he finds out Grian has cats and absolutely is happy to have them too, he know Jellie will love some friends Grian comes over to start talks and getting to know what will happen and whats expected of him. And he's very VERY surprised when he see's Scar, not only is Scar handsome he's jacked. And he's somehow expected to work knowing that this man will sometimes be in the house too April takes to Grain instantly. But she's also Scar's kid, while Scar might not notice Grian's attraction. April sure does and will use it against Grian, since she's decided her dad needs someone and Grian is very nice She absolutely does that thing where kids are like. Do you LIKE my dad? And when Grian answers that yes he's a friend. She will go no, do you like LIKE my dad, which flusters Grian. He adores April but sometimes he wishes she were more like her dad and didn't notice Its not long before Grian moves into his room and starts his routine of helping with April day and night, so Scar can focus on his work. Not that he ever ignores April any chance he gets he's there to spend time with her and chat up Grian When the end of the school year happens, Scar takes April out for ice cream to celebrate getting through that year. Grian expects that he's going to be left at home to clean up and start supper. Nope, Scar won't take no for an answer and has Grian come with them. Scar's excuse is that Grian needs to get out of the house more, other than going shopping. Or picking up and dropping off April, when Grian goes to argue By that time Grian and Scar had been getting close, they just need to finally cross that line. April has tried many times to get them to just date already, she wants two dads afterall! Scar feels like he made the right choice when he see's how Grian cares for April. His heart just melts as they interact, it helps when Grian will look up from what they are doing and smile at him Or when Grian appears at his office with food and something to drink. Since Scar had forgotten to get up and get food again. While it wasn't agreed upon, Grian had taken to taking care of him too. Which never fails to make Scar's heart flutter. Not only does he take such good care of his beloved daughter, but he's even taking care of him. He's so smitten with this man -@spacecatdet

AWW YEEEES swap their rolls qoq April is Scar's daughter.. I love it. Grian can also double as a tutor for April :D

This is perfect Space- I need a fic for this now

[lostfracturess]

"For a split second I stared, stunned. This woman is completely insane. And I can't wait to marry her."

MARRY HER????? I KNOW HE HAS MENTIONED IT BEFORE TOO BUT IT MAKES ME SO GIDDY I DIE!!!!!

he is a green flag with issues whom i want to sell my soul for, just manifest him somebody, please!!! i wanna do cult shit for him, i really do ://

imma prepare myself for the angst and heartbreak, because i love when you break our hearts with words and stories *cough* concern and control *cough* i loved it so much geez, satoru was possessive but ill have him any day ❤️❤️

he just wants her TO LOOK AT HIM, same i want HIM to look at him!!

but yes omg, satoru gojo can take drugs of my skin whenever and wherever he wants haha.

YES YES HE CAN SNORT COCAINE OFF MY ANYWHERE AND I WILL LET HIM!!!

thank you so much for writing this!!!

yeeees! i tought that i should somehow bring that marry aspect into this chapter again and thought it would be fitting there! 🥲🫶

still have a few hurtful moments in mind for the story, but it will have not a sad ending as concern and control, i can't bring myself to hurt him AGAIN like this omg. he deserves at least a happy ending, but before that there will be a little bit of ✨HEARTBREAK✨

YES YES HE CAN SNORT COCAINE OFF MY ANYWHERE AND I WILL LET HIM!!!

i'll make no comment to that, might spoil something 🌚🌚

[quarktrinity]

quark watches star trek season 2 episode 2

planet named after one of the gemini twins

this girls gotta nap

scotty likes her!!!

this shows still weird about women sometimes :/

this planet is super ordinary, they say. it absolutely isnt

Giant Cloud Hand

escape the Giant Cloud Hand

ooooh it grabbed ya

um. thats a face

giant greek/roman hologram dude

dudes talking like hes god

name drops dudes from the iliad

ooooooh hes gonna crush ya

space greek dude says come over to my house but dont bring spock he looks boring

oh hes a whore

he calls himself apollo. sure dude

hes suuuuuuch a whore

"you will worship me" ummmmm

whoop they rented a crane

oh hes big now

hes not even hot ._.

k bye

kirk theorizes that this guy is Really Apollo, i think he means that he did the stuff to inspire the god the greeks worshiped as apollo

apollo stop flirting with that girl youre gonna get her killed

apollo do not compare the girl youre flirting with to your sister- oh who am i kidding, knowing that pantheon he doesnt give a shit

i should add a square to the bingo card called "religion is fake"

kirk does the history channel thing of saying "these ancient people were visited by aliens"

seems like hes right. thanks apollo for the horny exposition

ugh no dont make out with him

chekov is autistic

apollo has an extra organ in his chest. nice

why does apollo keep using lightning thats not his thing

apollo says get choked idiot

chekov gives apollo a Look, apollo gives him a Look, looks down at his crotch, then vanishes. alright

kirk is so slutty when hes tired. the way hes leaning is like ooh look at my waist and hips

uhura is an electrical engineer

spock and uhura should make out

pretty confused on kirks theological situation

apollo is very upset at not being paid attention to

point and laugh

why does this girl even like him

apollos horniness is exploitable

chekov is 22??????

apollo just wants human pets

"i love him" no you dont

science girl subverts hallmark movie protagonist tropes by choosing work over men

yeeees destroy him break his heart leave him sobbing on the ground

SHE COMPARED HIM TO BACTERIA

oh hes angy

"nooooo not my architectural source of poweeeerrrr"

scotty to the rescue

get zapped idiot

we never even learned how he did all that

apollo says i wouldve been such a great sugar daddy

"look at my Hurt Man Feelings"

ok rip i guess

bye loser

[leafith]

Please Read!!

Hi! I'm Leaf, finally without Judith yeeee!! I just wanted to warn those who are not reading my Sky Fanfiction for reasons such as laziness (I understand haha, It's Very Normal) or because they can't find it or even because they didn't even know it exists that, every time I finish specific parts, I will make a small summary especially for you. Here is the link to the story first!: https://quotev.com/story/15725069

Here is the first list of the Fanfiction: Fly Until You See The Light 🕯️!

First summary:

1. The Isle of Dawn;

2. The Daylight Prairie;

3. The Hidden Forest.

Now, let's get started:

“There was a village back then, in the huge world of Sky. Or rather, it still exists; it is also very inhabited and welcoming, if I can afford to express my opinion.

That village, in the past, seemed like a paradise. It was a wonderful place, the only way to go through all seven realms one after another. It was the beginning of an adventure, of a journey which demonstrated the value of the locals. 

At the age of thirteen, boys and girls from all over the world took courage, reached there and then went towards the first stage, called Isle of Dawn.

Certainly, there were those who preferred not to. The faint of heart, perhaps; or the more introverted; or even those who didn't feel like escaping from the nest. It was and is normal, there is nothing to hate in it. Am I not right? Mhmhh!”.

These are the first words that Sentinekka writes in a diary accidentally found in the cellar of her house. Her mother said these things when she was little.

Sentinekka is an ordinary twelve-year-old who lives in her village, also called the "beginning place". She has always been a curious child about what awaits her outside her house.

The little girl doesn't have time to introduce herself before her best friend joins her: a fifteen-year-old girl named Symphony who never leaves their village because of her protective parents.

The next day is the chosen one... Sentinekka turns thirteen and, that same evening, after waiting for Symhony, who managed to convince her parents to let her go, the two leave for the first realm: the Isle of Dawn.

Isan, as well as Sentinekka's cousin, is a warrior from the Valley of Triumph. She was with her little cousin all day and, without confessing it to anyone, she is one of the reasons why the parents of Symhony have surrendered. Isabel and Isan convinced them.

The Isle of Dawn

The two best friends have finally arrived at the first realm, the beginning of every journey ever undertaken. They walk in the Isle cave, they hear that unknown voice that calls us all and that tells us about the past.

Once they have crossed the cave, the two don't know how to get down... And while they are talking about it, a boy of about their age makes his way between them, throws himself from the cave and goes away. He then realizes that the two need help, and gives them a hand.

The boy is called Ojtaro, he is fourteen years old and is an expert about their world.

The three explore the Isle together, relive the memory of the first Spirit, the Candlemaker, and head towards the temple of the first Elder.

The meeting with the Elder proceeds well, even thought the boy refuses to meet him. And here the three head towards the Prairie.

The Daylight Prairie

Unfortunately, Ojtaro and Symphony don't seem to get along with each other as well as Sentinekka can. In fact, the two decide to separate: Ojtaro will accompany Sentinekka on her journey, while Symphony will take another path.

The kids, during their trip to the Daylight Prairie, make a short break. Symphony goes exploring around, while Ojtaro and Sentinekka rest on the grass.

And there, the boy confesses something to her... Unfortunately, an event in his family will begin soon. He will try to take her to the end of the Forest, and she will have to continue the adventure alone. The girl seems sad at first, but instantly cheers up. It's not his fault, though. The two, second after second, get along better and better.

Symphony returns to them, tells them about a boy she met: a sixteen-year-old named Youssef who is waiting for them in the cave at the butterfly field, and the three set off.

So, a new person has joined the group. Obviously, Ojtaro wants to avoid talking to him, he only gets along with Sen'. Personal things, we suppose?,

They reach the bells of the Prairie, but the sunset that came too soon prevents them from continuing. So, they stop to sleep on a small island.

During the night, Ojtaro relives an old experience in the form of a nightmare. He would like not to remember that, but now...

While Symphony and Youssef are not with them, but are walking in the Bird Nest, Sentinekka hears sobbing. Kinda expected, after all. Ojtaro seemed too dark to be someone who doesn't have trauma or anything like that.

She consoles him, she knows that risking drowning like he did isn't nice. And, thankfully, he feels better.

«Think of that little girl who survived because you were there...».

The group reaches the Elder's temple. Yet, Youssef and Symphony begin to become suspicious of Ojtaro. He knows the names of the Elders.

After a brief meeting with the friendly Ayin (Ojtaro claims that the name given comes from his village of birth) the group splits up.

Sentinekka says goodbye to Symphony, they know they will see each other again. On her fourteenth birthday.

The Hidden Forest

Sentinekka and Ojtaro, left alone, do not immediately go towards the real Forest, but are called by some kids. A girl named Mudil broke her cloak, and Ojtaro knows how to repair it. With needle and thread, he gets to work while Sen 'gives him a hand with pleasure.

They then reach the three gates of the Forest, pass through them calmly and slowly (since they take a long time to open), and relive the memories of some spirits.

Sentinekka learns the usefulness of dark flowers and the warmth they produce.

After the first day spent there, they rest in a gazebo. Ojtaro and Sentinekka, to give warmth to the realm, play a song that they both know. She doesn't know how she knows her words, she's never heard them. He knows the notes by heart.

(leaving the song here? Sure)

However, something happens.

Oj' suddenly sees darkness. Seeing her from Sentinekka's POV, her friend faints on her while she looks at him. He had suddenly stopped, and she had to do something. She wanted to take his umbrella to protect him from the rain, but that thing was unexpected!

There are more clues to his identity: listen up, readers.

He, in the darkness, sees Teth, the Elder of the Forest. How come?

He is one of them. He'll be an Elder like them in two years. Ojtaro is the chosen one who kills the King who created the darkness and who will take his place, bringing light back to the kingdom... And blah blah blah. That's what he would say.

She doesn't like Sentinekka, she wants him to leave her like he did with many other children, but he rebels. He is tired of the obligations of his so-called “mother”.

He wakes up, knows that Teth is angry with him and that she will try to hurt his friend.

Sentinekka is soaked: she got all wet just to get help for him who had fainted so badly -

He hugs her, gives her his brown fringed cloak, and they continue on their journey.

In short, therefore, with an excuse of a game of hide and seek, Oj' makes Sentinekka flee as far as possible to speak privately with the Elder. The divinity and the demigod manage to reach an agreement, but Sentinekka in the meantime has relived a new memory: that of the cave of the crying spirit.

In short, she is traumatized, but manages to recover thanks to her traveling companion, who consoles her like a brother. The two children finally reach the temple, Sentinekka talks to Teth who, reluctant and cold towards her (as she has always been towards all children), gives her a kind of pendant.

It represents a diamond, like the one the Elder held for all the time.

Ojtaro, hearing the story of the meeting, seems surprised, but not worried. And the two leave the temple.

At the end, they meet a new friend: a thirteen-year-old boy named Orlando who was left alone by a Veteran. Oj' can't stand the Moths sometimes, they get fooled most of the time by the older ones.

Orlando, Sentinekka and Ojtaro then go to the Valley of Triumph, where Ojtaro tells them the story of Priestess Samekh, an ancient ruler of the Valley of Hope, who was killed by the mad King of Eden, and of the children of the Priestess who took her name and who divided it, creating new identities (Sah and Mekh), and how they changed the name of the realm to the Valley of Triumph.

And here ends the first summary. Please don't kill me, I know it's a lot to say, but the original story is so much more! Read it, pleease!