#but I think we're both more comfortable indoors

[iamnotawomanimagod]

me to Adaine the cat: I would die for you. I would kill for you. I would burn down nations. do you understand???

husband: she does not.

[wileys-russo]

Emily Fox, “So… Do you actually like me—” “We have been together for seven years. We’re getting married next year. What the hell do you think?”, while house hunting

house hunting II e.fox

"-and this is the last one for today?" your fiance asked as the real estate agent arrived, parking behind the two of you in the driveway and hurrying out of the car with arms laden full of papers.

"yes the last one for today. but if you're not feeling it we can organize some more for mid next week!" the woman assured, fumbling around to find the keys as you slipped your hand into emilys and squeezed gently.

"i know its been a long day, but this could be the one." you reminded softly as the brunette nodded tiredly, having trained this morning for several hours and then been dragged to six different properties you knew her patience was wearing thin.

"i know, and i know we both want to find the right house so if this isn't the one, thats okay too." your fiance nodded her agreement as you leaned in to sweetly peck her lips as the real estate agent finally unlocked the front door.

"i love you." "i love you more."

you'd both recently gotten engaged which was long overdue, and though you'd lived together for several years now you'd mutually decided that before you started to make wedding plans and a budget, your next step was to buy your first home together.

"-and then this is the master. i just need to make a couple of calls but i'll be right downstairs if you have any questions!" the woman smiled kindly, having given you both the grand tour and stepping away to provide some privacy for the pair of you to talk.

"do you like it?" "what do you think?"

you both shared a look and laughed at your in sync thinking, and you couldn't help the surge of butterflies which fluttered around your chest at the look of the grin on your fiances face.

"i really like it." "it has almost everything we said we were looking for."

again you both laughed speaking in unison, the footballer playfully rolling her eyes as your hand came to cover her mouth with a tut and a shake of your head as she pushed you off.

"close to good schools, not too far from the training centre, big backyard, five rooms, multiple bathrooms, garage which would fit both of our cars-" emily started to list as you nodded.

"-lots of natural light, glass sliding back doors that lead out onto the deck, fireplace, stairs aren't too steep, huge kitchen with an island bench top, great potential for entertaining indoors and outdoors, in-ground pool."

your hands interlocked again as you wandered from room to room upstairs, eventually ending right back up in the master and separating to have a closer look.

"hers and hers closet." you ticked off with your finger making emily chuckle as she followed you inside, the two of you mentally filling the shelves and racks with clothes as a comfortable silence fell between you.

"good size bathroom cabinets." emily made a ticking motion in the air now as you both moved to the ensuit bathroom next, you now laughing before she kissed your cheek and wandered over to inspect the shower.

"but it is just out of our budget." you sighed, your fiance humming and turning around to face you. "but really, we did lowball our budget to be prepared for the wedding." the girl reminded as you nodded, eyes roaming the room.

"and we did agree not to set a date yet because we could wait an extra year if we wanted to." you added on as now emily sighed, your body relaxing as your fiance pressed herself against you, arms circling your waist as her chin found home on your shoulders.

"you did make me wait seven years for a proposal baby, whats another two finally engaged?" you teased, her nose tucking into your neck as her lips softly kissed your shoulder blade.

"girlfriend, fiance, wife, none of those titles make me love you any more or any less. we're building a life together babe, we've been building a life together. this is our decision, nobody else's." the defender murmured, hand coming to rest on your cheek, turning your head slightly so her mouth could meet yours properly.

"i get the top shelf of the cabinets and the left side of the closet, obviously." you pulled away with a nod to the cabinet hearing a scoff behind you.

"and what makes you so sure of that baby?" your fiance questioned, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at you through the mirror in front of you.

"well i just claimed it." you shrugged with a grin, squealing as the brunette pinched your hip and you pushed her off of you. "and if i dispute your claim?" emily challenged crossing her arms as you let out a long and troubled sigh.

"so, do you actually like me or-" you started sadly as your fiance scoffed loudly cutting you off. "do i like you? we've been together for seven years. we're getting married! what the hell do you think?" her eyes rolled making your lips curl up into a smile.

"i think the top shelf and the left side of the closet should be mine, since you like me so much." you nodded matter of factly. "well then i get the left side of the bed, we are not having more than two decorative pillows and-" the girl paused as you raised an eyebrow awaiting her to finish her demands.

"and...?" "and...we buy this house." emilys face softened as her hands found yours, fingers interlinking and tugging you closer as your features lit up with surprise.

"really?" "really."

[ickie]

♡ ... THE SECRET OF US \ CHAPTER ONE ...

pairing ... lando norris x leclerc!reader summary ... fate & it's tendency to stick you & lando together warnings ... alcohol consumption, kissing notes ... it's a little early but i don't think anyone will complain ! more to be explained in the next chapter hehe... feedback is always appreciated & fill out this form to be added to my taglist ! much love <3 ... masterlist ... last chapter ... next chapter ...

your breath hung in the crisp winter air as you exhaled deeply, feeling the cold settle into your bones, taking solace as snow began to fall from the grey sky. abruptly, a hand gripped your arm, pulling you to the side, while another figure brushed past, nearly knocking you off balance.

"what the hell," the words slipped out before you could stop them, your gaze narrowing at the figure who had almost collided with you, then shifting to acknowledge the person who had pulled you out of harm's way.

"sorry!" a british voice called out, but your expression hardened into a scowl.

"are you okay?" your brother's voice cut through the chaos, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. clearly, charles found the near-miss amusing.

"i'm fine," you grumbled, pulling away and shooting a hateful look at lando once more, deciding it was time to head indoors. charles followed, and once inside the foyer, you both went your separate ways.

climbing the stairs, a wave of relief washed over you. you were on a well-deserved vacation with friends and family — and a few acquaintances, though that was beside the point. your room was cozy, reminiscent of something you might have seen on pinterest. after changing into more comfortable clothes and settling onto your bed, you lost track of time scrolling through social media, only realizing it was dinner time when you nearly missed the reminder.

as you hurried to freshen up, the anticipation of a relaxing evening with loved ones filled you with warmth, dispelling the lingering tension from the chaotic moment earlier. a knock at your door interrupted your thoughts, prompting you to peek your head from the en-suite.

"sorry about earlier," a familiar voice said as they entered your room.

"it's alright, truly... i shouldn't have been so distracted," you replied, fiddling with the clasp of a bracelet.

"do you have any idea where we're eating?" you asked, irritation evident in your voice as you struggled with the bracelet. lando approached, taking your wrist gently.

"i think charles made some reservations somewhere," he said softly, clasping the bracelet and lifting your hand to place a kiss on your palm, then winking at you.

you rolled your eyes, feigning a look of disgust before crossing your arms over your chest. without another word to lando, you left the comfort of your room to join the rest of the group. in the living room, charles, pierre, george, and alex stood with their respective partners.

"are we ready?" the question prompted everyone to move, clearly eager to eat dinner and kick off the vacation.

dinner was delightful, conversation flowed, wine flowed even more, and most importantly, you were comfortably full — a bit tipsy, but content. on the drive back with charles and alexandria, you rested your head against the window, watching the snowy landscape that would be your home for the next two weeks. arriving back at the chalet, all you really wanted was to sleep. your belly was satisfied, the wine had begun to take its effect, and your bed called your name, coaxing you to rest.

however, life had other plans, as usual. pierre had mentioned starting the vacation with a bang, which led everyone to scour the chalet for any available alcohol. charles even checked if alcohol could be ordered via doordash, to no avail. somehow, you and lando were volunteered to go to the store and procure what could’ve easily been enough to stock a bar. requests ranged from wine and various liquors to seltzers and mixers, your notes app filled with hastily written explanations of everyone's preferences.

"i'm sending requests for money from all of you," you joked, scowling playfully before breaking into a smile as you grabbed what you hoped was your jacket from the hook. lando followed as you both stepped out into the chilly night air, leaving the warmth of the chalet behind.

settling into the passenger seat of the car, you quickly plugged in your phone. "dibs on the aux," you declared, as directions to the nearest liquor store appeared on the screen.

lando rolled his eyes playfully before he began to drive. "did you notice we’re the only two single people on this trip?" he asked abruptly, causing you to nearly choke on your spit as you tried to stifle a laugh.

"i think you being single here is better than bringing, what's-her-name? she was quite the character," you chuckled, recalling the last time you had seen lando, a brief encounter in the paddock. his girlfriend, or whatever she was, hadn't seemed pleased when you greeted him in passing. carlos had filled you and charles in on all the details after lando confided in him.

lando groaned. "don’t remind me of her. i don’t even know what i saw in her..." he grimaced, his hand dragging down his face.

turning in your seat, you faced lando more directly, an eyebrow raised at his confession. "want to hear something?" you asked, knowing this confession might bring more embarrassment than it was worth.

“back in… early 2021, charles and arthur were both convinced i had the biggest crush on you," you admitted, your cheeks burning as lando burst into a surprised laugh.

"is that why you were banned from the paddock?" he teased, causing you to shake your head.

"yes," you groaned, letting your eyes roll. “i had to convince him i had a crush on danny ric, of all people! i think my options truly, were either him, or alonso… but let’s be honest… who didn’t have a crush on alonso..?” you questioned, a grin on you features.

lando parked the car shortly after, the drive having been brief. "let’s continue this conversation after we've had some alcohol," he joked, stepping out and crossing the car to open your door.

the liquor store was unremarkable, but as you checked out, you couldn't help feeling slightly anxious about what the cashier thought — not that it really mattered, but it did to you.

returning to the chalet, you were greeted with cheers as you entered, everyone eager to get the vacation started, as pierre had said. one celebratory shot of tequila turned into two, then three, and suddenly you found yourself sipping on a rum and coke that was more rum than coke. amidst the chaos, someone had started a fire in the backyard, declaring, "if we don’t use the firepit tonight, are we ever really going to use it?" it might have been george or alex; you weren't entirely sure, as they were inseparable, indulging in each other’s less-than-brilliant ideas.

now, you were wrapped in a blanket outside. with no snowfall, your jacket, sweatpants, and shoes provided enough warmth as you sat by the roaring fire. your drink had been forgotten indoors, a smile gracing your face as you looked around at this group of people who, at this moment, were your entire world.

there was a comfortable silence among the group, everyone clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol they’d been consuming. people began to slowly trickle back inside, claiming they needed to get their beauty sleep. you weren’t too sure who was the first to start the slow exodus, but eventually it was just you, charles, and lando outside. the two men had begun to discuss the previous f1 season, but you were more than zoned out, idly scrolling through your social media feeds since you didn’t necessarily feel like going inside at that moment.

“i love the two of you, truly, but can we talk about anything other than your jobs? you’re on vacation,” you deadpanned, raising an eyebrow as they quickly shut up. the silence that followed made you huff in annoyance.

“the last time you did this to me, charles, it ended in me not talking to you for three days. pick your battles.” you reminded him, hoping to jog his memory of when you were twelve and he had irritated you to the point of a silent treatment that lasted days. maman had eventually insisted you make up, teaching you a lesson about holding grudges.

“wait, you what?” lando laughed, looking between you and your brother.

“she ignored me for no reason! apparently, i was annoying her, so she decided to ignore me. she can deal with arthur, but not me. it was hurtful,” charles lamented, causing you to roll your eyes.

“going to ignore you again,” you grumbled, tightening the blanket over your shoulders. it was starting to get cold.

as he stood up, charles threw a pillow in your direction, nearly hitting you in the head. you stayed silent, shooting daggers at him as he retreated inside, claiming he was half asleep and wasn’t responsible for his actions.

lando stood up after him, reaching a hand out for you to grab onto as you stood. “it’s too cold. i think i’m frozen to the seat.” you looked up at him, a pout taking over your features.

laughing, the brit sat down next to you and wormed his way into your blanket. “let me warm you up. i don’t think sleeping out here would be a good idea.” there was a slight slur to his words, causing you to wonder if you sounded the same.

with lando this close, you unashamedly stared at him. you noted his long eyelashes, pretty eyes, smile lines, and the mole that dotted one of his cheeks. his cheeks were a rosy color, probably from the cold, but that didn’t stop you from reaching up and tousling his hair, messing up the curls that had stayed put for most of the day.

“can i help you?” he laughed, his smile forming a heart shape as his teeth showed.

“no,” you hummed, offering him a smile. “you’re just… pretty.”

your eyes met his, taking in their light color and how they seemed to shift from brown to a dazzling green. his eyes flicked down to your lips before he looked you in the eye again. one of his hands came up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

next thing you knew, you felt the warmth of his lips on yours. warmth filled your body, your belly alive with butterflies as you kissed. you could vaguely taste the remnants of the alcohol he had consumed earlier, and it was delectable. all you could do was want more, but that wasn’t feasible – this was one of your brother’s friends and, well, one of his colleagues. the thought snapped you out of it, abruptly pulling away from lando.

clearing your throat, you looked at him, biting down on your lower lip. “i’m so sorry, i—” he started before you stopped him, shaking your head.

“good night, lando,” was all you could say as you stood up, quickly making your way inside and beelining it for your room.

this couldn’t be happening, not again.

[vinceaddams]

Top 5 historic clothing items we should bring back into style (stockings on men, big cuffs on coats etc.)

Well I am very biased, because my everyday clothes are mostly 18th century menswear inspired, but for a list as short as 5 it's good to narrow it down!

1. 18th century shirts. Big puffy soft linen shirts. Best shirts. Comfiest shirts. Though tragically, since they get softer with more washing, they're at their absolute most comfortable right before they wear out.

(This one's from the post where I copied the tiddy-out violinist painting.) Besides being the nicest softest comfiest, they're also the most economical, being made entirely from rectangles. And they're versatile, they look good with lots of different garments! Someday I will do a very detailed youtube tutorial for my machine sewn shirt method. I've done so many now that I think I've finally got it down.

2. Adjustable waistbands. Why did this ever stop being a thing? 18th century breeches have lacing at the back, then in the 19th century trousers have a buckle tab. Now they do not, even though we're all still humans with bodies that change. (These are my orange silk breeches)

Do you know how many hours of my life I've spent taking in or letting out the waist seams of modern trousers? I don't know either, but I've been an alterations tailor since 2019, so it's got to be a fair amount.

All that waist altering wouldn't be necessary if they still made them adjustable! Waistlines fluctuate, so too should waistbands!!

3. Shoulder capes attached to coats. This was a thing in the late 18th century, and in the 19th, and I think into the early 20th too. It adds extra protection from the rain and snow, and it looks cool.

(c. 1812, The Met.)

(c. 1840-60, MFA Boston. The cape on this one is detachable)

You can make them long or short, and stack them up like pancakes or just have one. I've got 2 small ones on my corduroy coat, and one on my dark blue wool. Both cut from almost the same 1790's-ish pattern.

I also want to give a shoutout to fitted sleeves! I love me some two piece sleeves with a distinct elbow! And the coat pockets were bigger back then.

4. Indoor caps. I don't care what era or how fancy you go with it, I just want people to wear caps indoors when it's cold! This one's super simple, it's just a tube of linen tied with a ribbon.

(Detail from Le Marchand d’Orviétan ou l’opérateur Barri by Etienne Jeaurat, 1743.)

If it's cold in your apartment you need slippers for the feets and a cap for the head. Speaking of which.

5. Medieval hoods. This one is wayyy outside my usual era, but the wintery below-freezing weather has just started here and the knit hat I've been wearing isn't quite long enough to cover my ears. I want to make a simple hat with ear flaps, but I also wouldn't be opposed to trying to work something vaguely similar to this into my wardrobe. It looks so warm!

(Image source. Also she has a printable pattern available!) I actually made one of these once, an entire decade ago. But it was scratchy blanket wool and I've since given it away.

That's some of the main things I think we should bring back! There are lots of other things too, like men's nightgowns, and waistcoats with little scenes embroidered on them, but for this list I tried to be mostly practical.

[detydia]

Imagine Dean Winchester x You

You and Dean spend a night in a motel.

A relentless downpour outside forced you and Dean to seek refuge in a modest motel. The rain drummed on the roof, creating a soothing backdrop as you settled into the room.

Dean tossed his wet jacket aside and turned to you, while you were trying to shake off the chill from the rain. "You okay, Y/N?"

You nodded, shivering slightly. "Just a bit cold."

Dean quickly fetched a couple of towels and draped one around your shoulders, rubbing your arms to generate warmth. "We'll get you warmed up in no time."

You smiled, appreciating his concern. "Thanks, Dean."

He grabbed another towel and began drying his own hair, water droplets flying in every direction. "Guess we're in for a cozy night indoors."

With a playful smile, you picked up a towel and lightly flicked some water droplets back at him. "Cozy, indeed."

Laughter filled the room, temporarily banishing the gloomy weather outside. As you dried off and changed into dry clothes, you felt a sense of comfort in being safe from the storm, wrapped in Dean's company.

Dean dug through the bag, pulling out a couple of instant noodles and a can of soup. "Dinner's served," he announced, grinning.

You chuckled, joining him at the small table. "Gourmet feast."

You shared a simple meal, the chatter and shared laughter bringing warmth to the room. Dean sipped his beer, and you opted for a cup of tea, the warmth seeping into your bones.

As the night progressed, the rain outside continued its relentless symphony. "You get some rest," Dean suggested. "I'll keep watch for anything creepy."

You shook your head, patting the space beside you on the bed. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. Come on, it's cold, and I want you close."

Dean grinned and crawled into bed beside you, both of you huddling together for warmth. He wrapped his arms around you, and found a comfortable position, the rain lulling you into a sense of calm.

"It's kinda romantic, don't you think?" Dean mused, looking out at the rain-soaked window.

You smiled, nuzzling closer to him. "In a damp, creepy motel kind of way, yeah."

You both laughed, the sound mingling with the rain. The patter of droplets against the windowpane became a soothing lullaby, and gradually, you felt the weight of exhaustion from the long day on the road.

Dean whispered softly, "You know, it's nights like these that make the whole hunter's life a bit more bearable."

You sighed contentedly, feeling safe and loved. "Yeah, it does."

[mimisempai]

Your wings are precious to me

Summary

After caring for Crowley's wings and witnessing the way he delighted in them, Aziraphale can't help but feel a certain longing.

But will he dare open up to the demon?

Notes

This time it's the demon's turn to look after his angel's wings...

On Ao3

Rating G -  1684 words

"I've just never felt so cared for. It's a little overwhelming."

Aziraphale didn't know why he was thinking back to what Crowley had said to him after he had groomed the demon's wings. 

He had really enjoyed taking care of Crowley in that way, and had been as surprised as the demon at how well he had said he felt. It had been an incredible moment for both of them, and the angel often thought back on it, a little unsettled by the longing it stirred in him.

Did it mean he wanted Crowley to care for his wings in the same way?

Just the thought of Crowley's hands on his wings filled him with a kind of dizziness.

But he preferred to bury it deep inside himself, because he would never dare ask the demon to do that for him.

Or at least he tried to bury it.

The problem was, the more he tried to forget, the more he thought about it. 

He was leaning against the headboard, reading as Crowley lay with his head on his thigh.

"Angel? What is on your mind?"

Aziraphale lowered his head to the demon and replied, "Nothing's on my mind, I'm reading."

Crowley chuckled softly and replied, "Except it's been five minutes since you turned a page."

Aziraphale didn't answer and blushed slightly.

The demon straightened up and sat beside him, saying, "I know you, you probably have something on your mind, but you're afraid to tell me about it for whatever reason. So if it's something I can help you with, tell me."

Crowley simply took his hand and waited in silence until Aziraphale felt ready to speak.

After several minutes of hesitation, the angel spoke up, "Crowley, you know, the other night when you let me take care of your wings, you seemed to really enjoy it, can you... can you tell me more?"

Crowley, still holding the angel's hand in his, replied softly, "You know, our wings are just a part of us, like an arm or a leg, so when I run my finger down my arm now, it doesn't really give me any special sensation, but when you do, it changes everything. It's nice to be touched gently by the person you love. Well, for the wings it was the same, but more intense. Do you understand?"

Aziraphale nodded and Crowley watched him for a moment before asking, "Have you never tended to your wings before?"

Aziraphale shook his head, "Not really, nothing more than that. It's not something they teach you in heaven or even encourage you to do."

The demon chuckled and said in a slightly bitter tone, "Of course, Heaven would not encourage anything that might bring pleasure or comfort," then he turned his full attention to the angel and asked gently, "And is this something you would like to do or for...  me to do for you?"

The angel started to shake his head, but Crowley stopped him and said, "Angel...what do you really want?"

Aziraphale lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze, and said in a very low voice, "I wish you would do it.

Crowley leaned forward, kissed his temple, and said softly, "You've done well."

Aziraphale lifted his head and said almost shyly, "Could we do it here?"

Crowley looked around and replied, "If you agree that we magically expand the area of the room for a time, then yes."

Aziraphale nodded again, still avoiding the demon's gaze.

The demon saw his embarrassment and said gently, "Hey, Angel, it's okay. You trust me, right?"

Aziraphale turned his head sharply toward him and replied directly, "Of course!"

Crowley smiled at his reaction and said, "Good, now let me make some room."

The demon moved his hand slightly and the walls of the room moved aside, as did the furniture, leaving enough space around the bed.

Then he asked, showing the angel's pajama top, "Do you want to keep this? Since we're indoors, we have more comfort, so you can either stay dressed like this or take some or all of it off if you wish."

Aziraphale began to unbutton the top of his pajama and took it off.

He asked, "Like this, is that okay?" 

He was wearing an undershirt and flannel pajama pants.

Crowley replied, "Whatever makes you comfortable. Your call."

Aziraphale nodded and replied a little more firmly, "So that's it."

"Now, Angel, one more thing, what position? Sitting or lying down?"

Aziraphale took a few seconds to think before deciding.

He said quietly, "Lying." Then, without waiting for Crowley's reaction, he lay flat on his stomach with his head resting on his crossed arms.

Crowley leaned over and kissed his cheek before saying softly, "You can spread your wings now."

Aziraphale unfolded his wings and spread them.

Crowley gasped and said, "They're so beautiful, Angel..." then added, "But..."

"But what?" asked Aziraphale, worried.

Crowley ran a finger over one of the feathers without touching it and replied, "How neglected they are, Angel."

The angel said sheepishly, "Sorry."

He felt Crowley's hand ruffle his hair as he replied, "Don't be. I'm here now and I'll take care of it."

Aziraphale said contritely, "Sorry to make you work."

Crowley chuckled lightly, "It is no chore, quite the contrary. In fact, I'm honored that you allow me to do it, even better that it's something you want." 

Then he leaned over and said softly, "Don't be startled, I'm going to straddle you, okay?"

Aziraphale just nodded, feeling Crowley's body weight on him until he was astride his lower back.

Crowley said quietly, "I'll start. You're the one in control of Angel, so if you feel uncomfortable at any point, say stop and I'll stop, okay?"

Aziraphale nodded.

"No, Angel, you have to say the words."

Aziraphale laughed slightly at the demon repeating his own words and replied, "I got it."

"Okay, let's go."

From the moment he felt Crowley's fingers on the feathers of his wings, he understood what the demon had told him about the feeling of intense well-being.

Because intense it was.

And despite what Crowley had told him, he hadn't expected such intensity. It was overwhelming.

He felt Crowley untying a knot of tangled feathers in the center of his left wing, and when he'd finished, he smoothed out one of the feathers. The sensation was so strong that Aziraphale couldn't hold back a small whimper. In response, Crowley immediately withdrew his hands, but Aziraphale whimpered again at the loss of contact and said shyly, "Continue, please."

Crowley hummed and Aziraphale again felt his fingers delicately touch his feathers. Then he continued, picking up every speck of dust, every misplaced feather, commenting from time to time on the deplorable state of certain feathers, always attentive to the angel's reaction.

Eventually he reached the base of the wings, a place that Aziraphale recalled had been very sensitive to Crowley.

And yet, he hadn't expected the shock he would receive the moment the demon buried his fingers in the fluffy feathers there.

The emotion was such that he suddenly felt the tears well up and flow, and he couldn't hold them back.

It didn't take Crowley long to notice and he leaned towards the Angel, a little panicked, "Angel, it was too much, wasn't it? I'm sorry, I didn't see..."

But Aziraphale shook his head and interrupted him, "No, no, yes, it was too much, but in a good way. I mean, it's so good that it makes me cry, if that makes sense. You can go on. In fact, you must continue. Please."

Crowley sighed in relief and moved his hands, continuing his gentle treatments for a few more minutes.

When he was finished, he murmured softly, "I'm done, Angel," and moved away from the angel to sit beside him.

Aziraphale slowly retracted his wings and turned around. Once seated against the headboard, he murmured, "Thank you, my dear." 

Crowley leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to his lips before wiping away the last of the angel's tears with his thumbs.

Aziraphale opened his arms and Crowley snuggled in immediately.

The angel, his voice a little hoarse with emotion, said, "You were right, this is incredibly intense. In a good way, of course."

Crowley hummed, then said gently, "Angel, take better care of your wings, please. You know, they're precious."

"I know, I..."

"No, I mean they're precious to me."

Crowley lifted his head and added, "It was one of those wings that sheltered me from the rain."

"It'd be funny if we both got it wrong, eh?"

Crawley turned to the angel and continued, "If I did the good thing and you did the bad one."

He chuckled, and at first the angel joined in, before denying, "No. It wouldn't be funny at all."

Crawley shrugged, "Well..."

The clouds gathered above them and suddenly a few drops began to fall, but Crawley felt nothing because the angel beside him sheltered him with his wing.

Despite their differences, he hadn't hesitated for a second.

Crawley moved a little closer and couldn't help but smile.

"In that moment, Angel, I felt protected in a way I haven't felt since... well, as long as I can remember. That's why these wings are so precious to me."

He buried his face in the angel's neck, and the angel wrapped his arms around him, pressing him against his chest.

After a few moments, Crowley felt a slight movement and heard the sound of wings fluttering.

He opened his eyes and turned his head. He couldn't stop himself from gasping as he was surrounded by white feathers that formed a protective cocoon around him.

The angel had spread his wings and then folded them over their entwined bodies.

Aziraphale whispered into his hair, "I promise I'll take good care of them. Because I want my wings to be your safe place forever."

Crowley snuggled a little closer to the angel, feeling as safe as he ever had.

Safe under his angel's wings.

And then he realized that was what they were to each other.

A safe place.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love series : here (After season 2)

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here (Before season 2)

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 23 (The Heat of Summer)

A sweltering heatwave hit Brindleton Bay in Heather’s third trimester, and to escape the haze inland she spent her days off indoors or on the coast. Uninvited, Everett visited again with his dog, JJ. (And then this Watcher had had enough!) Heather guiltily enjoyed his company at the seashore knowing Spencer and Greyson were back in Oasis Springs without him.

"I didn't know you picked up the guitar," said Heather, as he strummed a few bars in the sunshine.

Everett grinned. "It helps get Greyson to sleep, and the parishioners like it."

"Won't Greyson and Spencer be missing you? Why did you come back here?"

He matched her guilt through his pale green eyes. "I wanted to make sure you were okay out here by yourself."

"Did you come back because Malcolm and I aren't together anymore?"

He waffled. "Maybe. But it might be worse than that. I think I resent Spencer because she can't have more kids. I know it's not her fault, and I feel horrible, but I can't stop thinking about wanting more."

"I've felt a lot of ways about you in my life, Everett, but the one thing I never wanted to be was a replacement for Spencer. I don't need that. We don't need that. For the foreseeable future, at least, the only man I want to make significant time for is my son."

With a nod, Everett put down his guitar. "We're friends. Just friends."

The words brought Heather unexpected comfort, like a cool blanket in the sweltering heat. So this is what it felt like not to wish for a future with Everett Pancakes. "I'm glad we can finally say it."

For the rest of Everett's stay, Heather explored new corners of her adopted hometown with her oldest friend in the world. His visit felt a bit like a fever dream, disconnected from the reality of who they really were.

But maybe that was just the heat.

"What am I going to say to Spencer when I get back?" he wondered as they watched the sunset over the beach at Cavalier Cove. They leaned with their backs against the tortoise sand sculpture they'd built, and Everett dragged his fingers through the sand.

"I don't know what you should say," Heather said. "You know the Watcher's Holy Book better than me, but I think They would hope you cherished the gifts you've been given."

"Is that your plan for single motherhood?"

She shrugged. "I guess so, yeah."

"You're more ready than me and Spencer before we had Greyson."

"Even though my son's crib is in the living room?"

When Everett returned to Oasis Springs, he found Spencer trying to soothe their fussy son to sleep in his crib. "Hey, I'm home," he announced, but she turned to look at him with an icy stare. He anxiously moved to sit on the bed.

"I feel for Heather's predicament, but you need to tell me right now if your visits are anything more than platonic."

Everett recalled his earlier conversation with Heather. "Whatever feelings we once had aren't there now," he said honestly. "But Heather and I did talk about...about us."

"You and me? You could tell her something about your relationship with me that I don't even know?" Spencer felt her heartrate quicken.

Everett frowned. "I think you do know...I want more kids. I know you think Greyson is more than enough. I love you so much, but I'm scared, Spence. I'm afraid Greyson will never be enough for me, and I know you can't fix it."

Spencer broke down. "I know what I said about Greyson, and I stand by it. He's amazing - why wouldn't he be enough?"

"It's not that!"

She cut him off. "I don't think we should make any decisions about anything right now, but I've done some research on surrogacy and adoption, and I'm open to the possibility of talking about our options."

They both needed time to really think about the idea, but Everett appreciated that his wife was hoping to meet him in somewhere in the middle. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

[step-on-me-khun]

Hello, I saw your requests open!

Can I please request Inui and his fem s/o starting to be intimate for the first time? Inui completely speechless & shocked by getting the best bj of his freaking life. Like, his soul left his body in bliss and he fell deeper in love after that cause, Wow.

I'm not a minor (23 yrs old) and ridiculously enamoured with your writing.

Thank you so much!

hello, and thanks for the request! tokrev requests are uncommon but I do love getting surprised by one. and thank you for the nice compliment 😭

warning(s): lime, no minors please words: 2051 taglist: empty - ask to me added ❤

It was easy to get lost and smitten whenever Inui smiled at you. His soft face and expression made you love him more and more, and there was no one as caring and as protective as Inui. There were times when you felt truly blessed.

When Inui held you, it was always soft and gentle, like you were something he prized more than anything. His kisses were like a warm summer breeze that made you feel giddy thinking about them. There was never a day he didn't tell you he loved you.

He may seem stoic and uninterested at times, but you knew that he wouldn't shy away from being affectionate in private. Sure, there were makeout sessions, but they would end before it got too heated, but you had hinted that you wanted more from him.

There was no need to rush into your relationship, and patience was something Inui had plenty of - scaring you away wasn't an option. When you were out in public, Inui didn't mind you clinging to his arm as long as you were happy and comfortable.

Inui wanted to walk you home, but you were keen on staying by his side. You didn't want to let go or go home.

"We're closer to yours," you comment quietly. "Can't I stay at yours? Just for tonight,"

"What's brought this on?" Inui asks.

"I just figured that staying over at your place would help me get used to, you know, staying over,"

"I get that, but isn't it too soon?"

"Seishu," you whisper, "we've been a thing for nearly half a year. I know you're looking out for me and being patient with me, but if we stay like this, we'll end up getting nowhere at all,"

He smiles softly, "I don't see any problem with you staying over,"

You felt excitement and nervousness all over staying together for one night. It didn't mind you where you slept. You wanted to see what Inui looked like first thing in the morning.

The freezing weather made your legs burn. Every step made you more tired. Oh, how badly you wanted to be warm.

You had been together since Inui left work when the sight of you made his day a little better. He didn't mind doing what you wanted, but you never wanted to do anything out of either of your comfort zones.

Both of you came to a halt as you reached his home, as Inui fumbled for his keys, his cold fingers struggling to grasp the metal.

Inui quickly opened the door, allowing you access indoors before him. You release his hand as you walk inside, rubbing your arms for warmth.

You silently stood there, remembering the room before you and how used you had become to it. After all, it was like a second home to you.

It wasn't late, but you would feel much better in your warm, comfortable bed. Just the thought of heading back outside made you shiver.

"I don't want you to sleep on the couch," Inui starts, "so you can take my bed,"

"You're not sleeping on the couch, not with how cold it is,"

"(Y/N)," Inui complains.

"Can we act like this is a normal relationship for now and forget to take our time? It's just for now," you innocently suggest.

"I just want to keep you safe, you know?"

"And I'm seriously grateful for that, Seishu," you cup his face and kiss his forehead, earning you a soft smile and sigh, like he knew how precious you were to him.

Inui wraps his arms around your waist, lifting you from the ground. You were almost at eye level.

While he held you, you wanted to wrap your legs around Inui to keep him close to you, but you didn't want to seem desperate.

You got fed up with waiting and with being patient. Although you did appreciate and love all the times Inui told you he loved you and all the soft kisses and hugs, you did wonder what his reaction would be to you initiating something beyond soft touches and kisses.

As your feet slowly reach the floor, your arms wrap tightly around his neck, fingers loosely playing with his hair.

"Is something wrong?" Inu asks, taking notice of your silence.

"I don't know how long I can wait for you," you whisper.

"I only want you to be safe and happy,"

"And that's fine," you loosen your arms a little and press your foreheads together, your eyes looking into his. "But at least let me show you how much you mean to me?"

"How do you plan on doing that?"

A soft, playful expression lit up your face. You bit your lower lip, pushing Inui roughly into the wall.

"We don't have to go all the way yet," you explain.

Inui's hand softly brushes the side of your face. "I'll let you take control then,"

Your hand reaches behind Inui, caressing his nape and bringing his head down, your noses bumping into each other.

"I love you so much," you admit, your hands moving the bottom of his shirt, lifting it enough for Inui to take it off. His blond hair becomes slightly messy as he lifts it over his head. As the shirt falls to the floor, you pull Inui into a kiss. If you were cold before, you weren't now.

"I love you, too," Inui says as you're lips separate briefly. The both of you were flustered, leaving a pink tint on your faces.

You knew what you wanted to do to Inui, and as your hands glide down his chest to the top of his pants, your lips connect again.

The kiss felt desperate but not enough to scare either of you away. If anything, you both needed each other. As both your tongues collided, fingers fiddled with the button of his pants before unzipping them.

You were a little nervous, and it seemed like Inui could tell. Inui's lips leave yours and instead find the sweet spot on your neck and pepper it with kisses.

"We can stop," he speaks softly.

"I don't think so," you say, kissing him roughly, then your lips move lower, kissing his cheek before smiling. "I love you too much to stop,"

Your eyes were glued to his as you moved to kiss his jaw and continued to move down - from his neck to his Adam's apple, grazing your teeth against it before moving to his collarbone.

Even if the room was quiet, Inui's heavy breathing broke it. They became heavier the lower you went. Kisses move from his chest to his stomach, Inu's hands resting flat on the wall.

As you reach the hems of his pants, Inui tilts his head, a little lost and overwhelmed.

You pepper his lower stomach with more kisses as you pull down his jeans and boxers. As you free his erection, the cold air hits him, Inui tenses up a little, and quiet groans escape his mouth.

How could Inui look so adorable right now? It was like he was silently begging you to do more. But you could tell he was hesitant to do anything to you. This man was just too sweet to you.

You rest your hands on his upper thigh, Inui's chin in the palm of his hand as he watches you inch closer and closer to his dick. The way he looked at you, he was needy. If you stopped now, his heart would stop.

As your eyes focus on his, you rest a hand on the base of his length, your tongue licking the head.

Inui forces his free hand shut as he watches you, letting the tension he had before go. It felt like total bliss to him. How could someone this beautiful be doing this to him?

You leave a trail of kisses down his dick, and as soon as you reach the base, you lick all the up to the tip.

Again, sweet groans escape Inui's lips, he bits down on the lower one, but it doesn't do much to suppress the sounds.

Your hand strokes his length a few times as your eyes remain glued to his.

If you were somewhat cold before, you weren't anymore.

The sight in front of him was almost too much to bear. Seeing you like this almost made his heart melt.

You steady your breath as you take him in your mouth, the warm and wet feeling of you making him hiss and shift. Moving slowly, you bob your head, closing your eyes as you concentrate.

It felt weird for you, but you could tell that Inui was feeling good. It was something you would get used to doing, anything to make him feel loved.

After a few more bobs of your head, you release his length, stroking it a few more times, gaining your breath, a few strings of saliva connecting your mouth and his tip. That sight alone almost made Inui groan louder. You smile sweetly as your eyes meet his again.

As you move away your hand, your courage rises, and you take the opportunity to bob a little faster on him.

Inui wasn't all that vocal, but his noises were enough.

You focus on pleasing him and controlling your breathing through your nose while opting to keep your eyes on his. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but it was what you wanted. And to see him fall apart so easily by you made you a little confident.

In your mind, you thought about all the other things you could do to him, all similar to what you were doing, that could make him react like this. It was possible that maybe later on, Inui would treat you the same way.

You free his dick again, taking a few seconds to breathe before taking him back into your mouth, sucking and licking in the tip while your hands stroke him off. Soon, you notice just how quick his breathing is. It seemed like he was getting close.

As you take him into your mouth again, you place your hands back on his thighs, nearly deepthroating as you bob on his dick.

Inui's groaning became a little louder, and his eyes lidded as he stared down at you, loving every second. It wasn't just Inui who enjoyed what you were doing to him. The whole time you stared up at him, you attempted to do that as innocently as possible. It might've been your first time going down on someone, but the expressions Seishu made, just made you adore him more.

"Please, don't stop," Inui cries, "I'm so close, angel. You're doing so well,"

Praise made you weak, and the way it rolled off his tongue made it all the hotter.

The hands on his thighs stopped him from trying to thrust into your mouth, and that was something he didn't want to do.

"Y/N," Inui whines, moving his hand beside him to your face, caressing it as softly as he reaches his climax.

As his seed spills into your mouth, you slowly release his dick, keeping eye contact with him. And as you move back, you notice Inui shaking a little. Maybe he was cold, or was it something else?

"Did I do something wrong?" You ask, cupping the hand still on your face, the other clenched slightly on your leg.

While you regain your breath, Inui calms down, moving his hand from your face. "No," Inui starts as you stand up, "if anything, that was almost too much,"

"Oh, okay," you respond, trying to look him in the eye and failing.

"If you're like that every time you go down on me, you might kill me," Inui exaggerates.

"Don't be silly," your hand finds his nape and tilts his head down, "seeing you react like that was like a little reward,"

As you stood there, you remembered how cold it was.

"I still don't mind sleeping on your-"

"I'm not letting you sleep there, not while it's this cold," Inui interrupts, sorting out his clothes. "We can keep each other warm,"

Inui smiles as he leads you to his room. You knew nothing else was to happen, but that didn't matter. The thing that mattered was getting warm.

please don't steal or translate

[bapydemonprincess]

also also also i think bard and lau are both "i fucking hate errands" types but. even though it ultimately means they both end up running more errands, they always keep each other company for whatever they need to do.

like, they're very independent outside of the house but whatever concerns their home life just has to be a shared problem and they care about every aspect of each other's comfort. they're people who have very little in common most of the time, so i think making the effort to stick together for the little things of everyday life would be important in their relationship.

that means that if one of them needs something at home, then they're both on it. buddy system always.

and maybe being together does not make errands any less bothersome. maybe they just both suffer through it all together. but they don't need the motivation of it being "profitable" in order to have each other's back when they can. they're just building trust and reliance on each other.

kfnejzkfnezk i just love the idea of bardlau being a "we're making it work" couple it takes up a lot of brain space ok

CRYING THIS IS SO GOOD AND SO ACCURATE ABOUT THEM, AND THEIR PERSONALITIES IT HURTS GRHDJFKGLHj

Like it also makes SENSE LOOKING AT HOW THEY ARE BEFORE THEY WERE TOGETHER, LAU ALWAYS WITH RAN MAO DOING STUFF OR STAYING INDOORS AT HIS JOB, BARDROY ALWAYS STICKING LOYALLY TO THE MANOR AFTER HE'S FINALLY ADAPTED, AND ALSO DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO THIS FAMILY

so the bottom line is...

tHEY LITERALLY NEED EACH OTHER EVEN IF THEY ARE GROWN ASS MIDDLE AGES MEN HJFKGLHUGHTJDTK

and yes team work in relationships in general is so cute gg to them for making it work 💪👬

[password-door-lock]

Saeran takes care in arranging the cheese plate, although he knows he doesn't have much reason to be so meticulous. The two of you are probably going to devour it over the course of the next few minutes— after all, both of your circadian rhythms are severely skewed after last night (or this morning, to be more precise). The RFA party ran late, and then, despite the hour, the other members wanted to spend a bit of quality time together as a group. After that, of course, the pair of you had to make the trek from the party hall in the city to your marital home in the countryside. Saeran drove, and though he assured you that he wouldn't mind it if you fell asleep, you insisted on staying awake with him, playing silly driving games until the two of you were safely in the house. After getting into your respective pajamas and brushing your respective teeth, you and Saeran fell asleep sometime around three in the morning. 

The two of you only woke up about an hour ago, ravenous, as anyone would expect, and now, here you are, combining forces to throw together a low-effort lunch. “Honey, if I sliced up an apple, would you eat it?” You ask. You threw on one of Saeran’s sweaters after getting out of bed, but otherwise, you’re still in your pajamas. This makes you look even cuter than you normally would, leaning on the counter and staring contemplatively at a basket of apples. 

Saeran regards you fondly. “I think most people just eat apples whole, don’t they, my love?” He can’t help but tease you a little. After all, you’re just so adorable.

“I don't think most people put whole apples on their charcuterie trays,” you grumble, though your eyes shine despite your apparent annoyance. Saeran can tell that you’re just making a production of it, trying to entertain him— and, to your credit, it’s working.  “What about tomatoes?”

“Anything is fine,” Saeran assures you, carefully slicing the mild brie that he picked up a few days ago in anticipation of this exact event. After the last RFA party, he learned that neither one of you is really up for cooking a proper meal the next day.  “It's like we're having a picnic,” he muses. Granted, it’s the middle of winter, so it won’t be possible to have your lunch outside, but this is the same kind of food that Ray would have prepared if he’d ever been able to set up that picnic he promised you back at Magenta. 

You grin. “In our pajamas?” 

“Hm.” Saeran looks down at his oversized T-shirt and plaid pajama pants. Although he can’t say that this was a factor of his original picnic fantasy, now that he’s actually living it, he is largely  unconcerned with what the two of you are wearing. He's happy to be comfortable, after all, and he's even happier to see you equally comfortable. “I guess so.”

“That's a great idea,” you decide, placing a pair of whole apples on the plate with the cherry tomatoes and blueberries, despite your earlier reservations. “I'll go get a blanket. We can eat on the floor.” Now Saeran understands— the ambiance of your indoor picnic is more important to you than the aesthetic quality of the charcuterie board. Truth be told, he can’t help but agree, especially considering how excited you sound.

Saeran returns your grin. There's never a dull moment with you, that's for sure. “I've never had an indoor picnic before.” It's not something that he ever would have thought of before he met you. Honestly, he spent so long daydreaming about that specific picnic in the garden that now, he cannot divorce the idea of a picnic from the image that he created in his mind. He’s glad that you can see the situation from a different angle. 

“There's a first time for everything,” you call from the living room, where you are setting up a picnic blanket on top of the rug. “Maybe somebody’ll write a book about us or something.” 

“Maybe you're right, my love,” Saeran calls back, carefully arranging the cheese on the plate. “We’re innovators, aren’t we?” As he does every time he takes a moment to reflect, Saeran finds that he feels thankful to be by your side.

[shy-urban-hobbit]

The first thing that Aiden was aware of was that he was no longer lying on the hard ground (although the matress he was currently on wasn't much of an upgrade). The second thing was that he was alone if the lack of any additional heartbeats was an indication. He took a moment to catalogue the various aches and pains whilst wishing painful and embarassing venereal diseases on any and all Mages.

It wasn't bad enough that they'd walked straight into a trap (although to be fair this one was using children as bait, what else could they do?). Oh no, he'd decided to do the whole 'one of you drink from the mystery chalice and I'll let the other one go' thing, not even trying to disguise its contents. Aiden hadn't thought twice about knocking it back before the Mage had even finished monologuing, shooting a smirk at Lambert before collapsing to the ground in pain as his guts tried to claw their way out of his body.

Speaking of, the door opening accompanied by Lambert's unique scent informed him that his fellow Witcher had returned. Aiden started counting down from five in his head, knowing that his heart rate would give away the fact that he was awake, even if he wanted to avoid opening his eyes for a little longer. He got to three before he felt a fist clench in the front of his shirt, pulling him upwards and into a solid chest.

"You fucking twat!"

Aiden winced, "Indoor voice please, Love." He said hoarsly, burying his nose in Lambert's collar bone, "Loud noise bad right now."

Lambert adjusted his hold so he was now cradling Aiden against his chest, "You stupid fucking Cat." He whispered, "What were you thinking?"

"That I'd rather chug poison than carry on listening to that arsehole."

"I'm serious, Aiden." Lambert tightened his hold, "I had to watch you basically commit suicide and fucking smile about it?!" His voice was getting louder again, but he was too angry to care, "You absolute prick! I had to watch you writhing on the floor in agony whilst I tried to force an antidote into you which I wasn't even sure would work, and then I had to practically sprint back to the inn with you, praying the entire fucking time that I wouldn't have to listen to your heart stop. I was...you..."

Aiden felt guilt start to gnaw at him. Lambert didn't need to say any more for Aiden to know he'd scared him, and scared him badly.

"I'm sorry Lam." He reached up to run fingers through his Wolf's hair, purring low in his chest in an attempt to both comfort and self soothe. Lambert allowed the gesture withought complaint.

"I know this doesn't make it right but, for what it's worth, I was never going to die."

Lambert snorted, "Don't talk shit. We could both smell what was in it. That stuff's fatal when combined with mutagens."

"When combined with wolf mutagens."

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"The initial reaction is the same but, for Cat Witchers," Aiden shrugged, "After that wears off. For us, it just feels like a really bad White Gull hangover. On that note."

Aiden pulled back and proceeded to puke on the floor, luckily avoiding Lambert's boot.

"You deserve that." Lambert said dryly, wiping Aiden's mouth with his sleeve.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"For not telling me that sooner, scaring me half to death or puking on the floor of the room we're sharing?"

"All three. I swear I would've told you about the poison thing if I'd had the chance. Only there wasn't a lot of time between downing it and, you know..."

Lambert couldn't smell any trace of a lie through the guilt and misery.

"As soon as you're well you're giving me a fucking crash course in Cat mutagens." He said, moving to lie on the bed and pulling Aiden on top of him., "You're also cleaning that by the way." He gestured with his head to the puddle of vomit.

"Be nice to me, I'm sick!"

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Candy Coated [Chapter Six] In Motion [Buddha]

A/n: without further ado, another beautiful art piece by Somanoko from AO3.

Tag list: @useless-potatho , @tojibreedingme, @quinloki, @yingxian, @2lottie2, @lunas-nova , @anduinandwrathionlover, @tiredfairy, @the-queen-of-sorrows , @alientee, @lawlietliet, @hanaibea, @69your-best-night-mare69

Warning(s): Buddha without a shirt, plot, raw emotions, confusion, female reader.

Even in the God Realm boredom is inevitable. 

You turn onto your side for the third time, closing your eyes, but sleep doesn't come. It's easy to imagine why; you are wide awake, having slept the majority of the day to quell your boredom. And now that you are awake, there isn't an excuse to remain in bed anymore. 

Stretching your aching body, you toss your legs over the side of the bed and stand. You aren't sure what to do with your time, but anything is better than this. 

Once you're dressed in one of your new outfits, you leave the room and head to the main hall to see what Buddha is up to, but unfortunately, he isn't there. Neither is Jataka for that matter, which doesn't surprise you; he likes to explore given the chance. You sigh in frustration, opting whether or not to return to your room, but you suddenly remember the cord around your ankles. 

Following it, you are led to the village outside the temple. Near the bank of the nearby stream, you find Buddha resting on his side facing the water, but upon your approach, he peers over his shoulder and smiles.

"So you're awake now."

"I've been awake," you state, sitting beside him. "It's a shame that it's such a pretty day and yet I feel so bored."

Buddha snorts. 

"I can tell."

Can he? It's good to know that the tether works both ways, but it doesn't seem to affect him as much as you. It's strange, but not unexplainable considering who Buddha is. His peaceful nature overpowers yours, and though it's not a bad feeling - quite the opposite - you find it overwhelming in the sense that you feel insignificant.

Would he assure you that you aren't if you were to tell him? 

"Is that why you're out here?" You ask, curious. Your previous thought goes out the window. 

"It's a pretty day, as you said," Buddha answers. "Is there something you want to do? You can explore as you wish." 

You hum. Honestly, you aren't sure. Buddha had given you free rein of the realm, but you always felt more comfortable by his side. 

"Can we do something together?"

Buddha sits up and grins. 

"What did you have in mind?"

Your face heats up in embarrassment. Even though this realm is associated with him, he doesn't seem to mind giving you the choice. It's considerate of him. You glance around the village attempting to come up with an idea, but you aren't sure. It really is a gorgeous day; too gorgeous to waste indoors.

"How do you feel about going for a swim?" You ask. 

"The water in the stream is as cold as ice," Buddha points out. 

He's right. You hum in thought, remembering your trip to the ghostland. 

"What about the Human Realm beach, since we're linked? I mean… If you want to. I can always think of something else for us to do."

Buddha stands, then offers his hand to you. 

"If you want to go, then I'll take you."

You grab his hand and smile, thankful. 

It takes less time for you to prepare than Buddha, considering you don't have the swimwear to change into. You opt for your modern outfit since you don't mind getting it wet, then you wait for him in the main hall.

When he arrives you are in shock, not by the amount of snacks in his hands, but by the way he's dressed, wearing a pair of modern swim trunks you didn't know he owned and nothing else.

I've always known that he was stacked but this is unexpected. Why must he be this hot?

You aren't sure whether you want to scold Yue-Lao or thank him for putting you in this fated lovers trope, straight out of a manga. Even in a tank top, his curves aren't visibly this delicious, you know, you've looked. 

But honestly, you expected as much, considering you had your legs around his waist the time he carried you while in the ghostland. You just never thought you'd see the Buddha without a shirt. 

"Are you OK?" Buddha asks in concern. 

"I think so," you admit. 

You are aware that your face is red, you can feel it burning in embarrassment. Respectfully, you avert your eyes. The image of him is already burned in your mind though; it's too late to erase it, but you don't want to come off as a creep for taking pleasure in the eye candy flaunting itself in front of you.

"I'm ready when you are," you state. 

Buddha hums. 

"Can you put your hand on me? We have to be touching to do this and mine are full."

Is he serious? No one asked him to bring so many snacks. You take a deep breath and reach up, touching his hand. 

The scrolls suddenly appear, consuming you both, then a moment later, you are beneath a wooden pier on the beach. The sea breeze tosses your hair, cooling your heated face as it whooshes beneath the dock. All the embarrassing thoughts from before vanish, replaced with a feeling of happiness as you retract your hand and step out in the sun. 

The heat beats down on you, but luckily it isn't too unbearable. You notice there are hundreds of people up and down the beach, but most are to themselves. You don't imagine anyone will accidentally walk through you today, a shiver runs down your spine at the thought. 

You locate a clear spot a bit away from the living and stand near the water's edge, relishing in the cool but soothing feel of the water as it rolls onto the shore. The wet and sticky sand beneath your feet sinks between your toes making you smile with glee. 

"Come in with me, Shaka!" You shout, motioning him over. 

The God grins. After setting down his snacks, he stands with you on the shore, walking into the waves once you are ready. 

You pout the moment you return to the temple, feeling exhausted. 

"Those waves were vicious."

Every time a powerful wave rolled in, it knocked you off your feet and pulled you back to the shore. They were strong and unforgiving, forcing you to cling to Buddha, though he didn't seem to mind. 

A sudden memory makes you snort in laughter.

"But not as vicious as that seagull who kept coming back for your popcorn."

Buddha had given it a little, but it kept coming back, more persistent than ever. It was cute to witness, hearing the God talk about moderation to the little bird who didn't want to listen. You almost believe he would have shared the entire bag with him if it was healthy for it. 

"He wanted to eat so I fed him," Buddha mentions. He reaches up and removes the crown-shaped band from his hair, allowing the wet strands to fall down his back. 

You stare in awe. He looks gorgeous with his hair down. An urge to run your fingers through it consumes you. 

"Do you mind if I play with your hair?"

Buddha grins. 

"Let's change first, then I'm yours."

Your face heats up. Ignoring the innocent comment, you nod in agreement, then rush back to your room to change out of your sandy wet clothes. You need a warm bath or shower, but the chance to run your fingers through Buddha's hair is too good to give up. 

Once you return, the God in question is seated on his round chaise. He motions for you to join him and with some hesitation, due to a sudden overwhelming sense of shyness, you crawl on, sitting behind him. You try to settle your mind, but the way you are sitting puts you so close to him, enough to smell the salty scent of the ocean in his hair mixed with something deliciously sweet. 

"You smell nice," you admit. 

"You'd be surprised at how often people say that," Buddha retorts.

A grin spreads across your face and with a newfound calmness, you slide your fingers through his damp hair, gathering enough in your hands to braid. 

"I like your hair down," you confess. "It suits you. Though to be honest, it looks good pulled up too."

"You think so?" Buddha asks with a hum. 

You agree with a quiet mm-hmm. 

"I can feel how conflicted you are, how annoyed. I haven't felt these types of afflictions since I became enlightened," Buddha states suddenly. 

You widen your eyes. 

"I'm sorry. I recently became aware that our tethers work both ways when it comes to emotions. I always sense such happiness and peace from you, I can't imagine how terrible you must feel having to experience mine." 

"It's not terrible," Buddha admits. "I've learned to control disturbing emotions, so it doesn't bother me nor does it have the power to distract me. Though that doesn't mean I can't see that it bothers you."

For a moment you are uncertain of what to say. But you reckon coming clean will ease your mind a bit. 

"I'm worried that I'm losing what makes me who I am. I like sharing your emotions. You have no idea how warm you make me feel, but I want to find those emotions myself. I don't want to feel like they're being forced on me."

"So you weren't happy today?" Buddha asks. 

You raise a brow. Of course, you were. 

"I didn't imprint my emotion on you. That was all you. I could see the enjoyment in your eyes to know that what you felt was your own. And what I felt was genuine."

You understand what he means. You aren't losing who you are, you are merely sharing a part of yourself with Buddha and vice versa. The emotion is there, however, it's being overwhelmed by his own because he isn't controlled by certain emotions as you are. 

"This soulmate business is much deeper than I thought," you utter. "We're so unharmonized."

Buddha snorts.

"The old man is as vague as ever."

No kidding. Yue-Lao could at least give you an instruction manual.

"I don't quite understand why we're soulmates, but I like being here," you admit. 

The entire transaction from life to death had gone much smoother than expected with Buddha's help, along with Jataka of course. 

"Perhaps you might even join me in enlightenment one day." 

Perhaps. It's a nice thought. 

"Am I interrupting something?" Asks an unfamiliar voice. 

You jerk in fright, peering over Buddha's shoulder to see someone at the entrance to the main hall, a man with short blond hair wearing hakama pants. 

"Kin-chan! You came by," Buddha states. He hums and tilts his head. "But you didn't bring any of your candy."

"Maybe next time," the man promises. 

You feel as if he didn't come by to bring Buddha candy, whoever he is. 

"Um… Should I–"

"Come and meet my soulmate," Buddha interrupts. 

Your face turns red. What is he doing? 

"I remember you tellin' me you had one,'' the man states as he walks closer. "My name is Sakata Kintoki, one of the Einherjar."

"So, it's official," Buddha mentions with a hum.

Einherjar?

You lift Buddha's arm, sliding beneath it so that you can greet Kintoki. He smiles upon hearing your name. But his smile soon fades as he glances at the God again. 

"It's not completely official yet, but I came by to let you know I'm on the roster."

You have no idea what he's talking about. 

"As I thought. That's a good move on Bu-chan's part," Buddha retorts. "It all comes down to whether she can sway the other Gods now." 

Kintoki agrees with a nod. 

"If she does, then there's no doubt you'll be on the roster too, for the Gods."

"You think so?" Buddha asks with a snort. "That does seem like something the old man would do."

This isn't a conversation you feel as though you should listen to. It doesn't make sense; it almost sounds like they are talking about participating in a tournament of some kind. But what sort of tournament? 

"It should be interesting," Buddha added. 

Kintoki agrees and then says his goodbyes, leaving you with more questions with answers.

"Shaka?"

"You will see soon enough."

Something tells you this has to do with the upcoming meeting. You have a bad feeling about it. Something strange is going on in the background. 

A warm hand on your head does little to soothe you, but you appreciate the gesture. 

"It'll be fine," Buddha mentions. 

You have your doubts. 

[mara-and-its-the-same]

CONGRATS DELLA<333333

There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort 🌷- pick a character or a few and come up with a prompt and I’ll write a fluff blurb <3

steve harrington (what did you expect honestly) + the prompt/hc/idk of eating at some tiny diner at 2am because why not?? (i hope that's ok)

once again, congrats<3

Thank you my love 🥰🥰🥰

(trying 2nd person 😬, we'll see how it goes) (not proofread)

☆☆☆

"No, stop thinking! No thoughts, just answer!"

"Steve, this is a big question, it's the middle of the night, we're running out of gas, we could get kidnapped for all we know, it's a big question."

"Honey," the endeared irritation apparent in his tone, even though he was keeping his eyes on the road and you couldn't see his face. "Diner or truckstop? Exit's comin' up."

"Uhh..."

"Pick now, pick now, pick now," he urged you on as he started to veer off towards the exit.

"Diner!"

"Perfect! And it's right here." The neon sign lit up the spaces between the trees and the snowglow through the winter air made it seem like the forest lining the road was glowing.

He pulled in and found the closest spot to the entrance, just to make you more comfortable. "You got your jacket?" he asked you.

"I threw it in the trunk."

"Just keep mine then." It was laying over your lap for half the ride anyway, a perfect blanket.

"You can't not wear a jacket, you'll freeze."

"You can't wear a frozen jacket."

"Then we'll share."

"Wha-" But you were already waving him out of the car.

"Put it on."

"Baby, no"

"Put it on and come here. Come on, come on. We don't have all day, I'm freezing already."

He finally, reluctantly, put it on and you pulled his arms tight around you with your back to his chest. "Right foot first. Whaa! No, your other right."

"It's icy, babe, be careful. And my right is your right."

"My right is your right when you haven't been driving for 4 hours. This foot, Vermont shuffle, come on."

It was the longest minute ever, the kind of freezing that makes your joints hurt just thinking about it seeping into your bones and making the three yards into the diner more like an exodus.

Both of you sighed the moment the warmth of indoor heating touched your skin. He spun you around and pushed your arms under his jacket, holding you close with the hot skin of his back against your cold palms.

The obvious display of affection didn't stop the clearly overtired hostess from offering a sweet smile.

"Hi, uh, two please?" Steve asked through chattering teeth.

"Right this way." She sat you both at a wraparound booth right under a vent and Steve wrapped his coat back around your shoulders as soon as you were settled.

"Thank you, and could we have 2 coffees please?"

She nodded and went off to grab the pot. "You should sleep the rest of the way, don't have another coffee." You said as you smushed closer to him, part for the warmth, mostly just because he's him.

"I know, they're both for you. But you know you can wake me up right? Even if it's just to tell me whatever random thought popped into your head? Or you can't figure out the radio, whatever you want."

"Yes, I know, but I also know that I want you to sleep. I don't want you all grumpy tomorrow."

"I won't be grumpy."

"You'd be so grumpy. You'd be hiding behind your sunglasses all day, and asking me when we can go home. Na-ah, don't even argue."

The waitress came back and Steve ordered for you since you couldn't speak through your mouth full of coffee.

***

"You're kidding." You slapped your palm against the table at Steve's gossip about the kids.

"I am not, I got this straight from Dustin. And he got it right from Max."

"Max didn't tell you?"

"No, why would she?"

"Because you're the biggest gossips I know! You two plus Eddie in one room and that's half of Hawkins' rumor mill,” you said.

"We are not."

"Absolutely you are, eat your breakfast-dinner, I need you sleeping."

"Why, you don't want my charming, irresistible company?"

"No, I do, you know I do, but we literally just had this conversation, and your snores make much better company than grumpy old man Steve."

He gasped and clutched his chest, he's been spending too much time with Eddie. "I am not an old man."

"Mhm, worse than Hopper sometime," you picked up his fork, "but if you sleep, there's no old man." He let you bring the fork to his mouth and spoke once he swallowed.

"That sounds way too ominous, like you're trying to poison me."

"What? How!?"

"'No old man' like I'm never gonna make it to old man."

"Hmm...Do you want to be old?"

"Like now? Or just eventually old?"

"Eventually."

"I mean, yeah? I get to be old with you right?"

"Yeah, why, is that a must?"

"Absolutely it is."

"You wanna be with me when you're old and bald?"

"No no, honey, Harrington's don't bald. Have you seen those pictures of my grandpa in the hallway? How many full heads of grey hair have you ever seen?"

"I can't say very many."

"Exactly, a Harrington specialty. And we'd have a cat, when we're old. "

“Nursing home roomies?”

He looked practically offended at the notion. “Nursing home?! Absolutely not, no way, we spent however long raising those kids, the least they could do is take care of us.”

“Hmm, so no nursing home, only kids—“ “and the cat.” “—and the cat. What if they’re mean to us? Elder abuse.”

“No no, our kids are too good for that. They wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Have you been planning this? Is this what you’re thinking about when Robin calls me because you’re staring off into space?”

“No way baby, this is straight off the cuff.”

“Flying off the handle.”

The hand back over the chest and a shoulder nudging yours. “Rude.”

“Drink your juice.”

Tags: @new-romqntics @sw34terw34ther @beezywriting @haydipoof @avipoof

[ofstaigweek]

Pst!

It's really happening!

Gooood day, staig enthusiasts! The time has finally come, and it's here! Staig week 2023! We're so glad that we were able to pull this off, with the three teasers presented we hoped it had made you look forward to this wonderful event.

SEPTEMBER 18 — SEPTEMBER 24

Now, let's get to it! But first, a set of guidelines for this week.

• PRIORITY RULE NO PLAGIARISM / AI ART / HATE SPEECH OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT. staig week is friendly not to just artists, but to everybody else.

• submission any form of submission is acceptable! art on paper/digital, literature, edits, etc! as long as it honors the priority rule. + late submissions are fine!

• tagging if to submit, use #staigweek2023 or tag us so the world may see your contribution!

• themes the first six days have two choices to choose from, and you are to pick one. or, if you're feeling motivational, choose both! why not?

• it's more than okay if you draw/write staig as their genderbent, headcanons, or post-covid versions throughout the week! whichever you're comfortable with.

• and finally, have fun!

.... And with confidence, here it is,

• SEPTEMBER 18TH, DAY 1: to when it all started

first confession - they say confessions make the best memory — or the worst.

rivalry - staig's infamous rivalry.

• SEPTEMBER 19TH, DAY 2: my impressions of you

fanfiction - is there a particular fanfiction of staig you always wanted to illustrate? a oneshot that captures their endearment perfectly that you just want to draw it?

theme song - a theme song should be interesting, no? ever found a song you've listened to one day, and thought, 'hey, i can imagine 10 different scenarios of staig with this song'. or maybe it's just them listening to your favorite artist? it depends on how you see it.

• SEPTEMBER 20TH, DAY 3: nostalgic memories

SOT - stick of truth; the warrior and the thief, marshwalker and feldspar. how do you imagine their story?

TFBW - the fractured but whole; yet again toolshed and super craig remain rivals, what is it with these two?

• SEPTEMBER 21ST, DAY 4: troublesome

detention - with their reputation, why wouldn't they be in detention? always getting into fights, disasters they've caused.. but for what purpose exactly?

bad habits - sneaking out at night to party or to their secret meeting place, drinking, smoking, skipping classes, the typical rebellious teenage stuff which could be romantic if you think hard enough.

• SEPTEMBER 22ND, DAY 5: so happy together

indoors - staig date! indoors bonding — video games, cooking, card games, or spending time with stripe? who knows.

outdoors - another staig date? ridiculous. but this time it could be different and unique, maybe? like an aquarium date, a stargazing date, or stick to the basics. maybe go into the alphabet of dates to see what would go well with them? you decide.

• SEPTEMBER 23RD, DAY 6: up to this special day

graduation - their graduation! could be their graduation picture together, or a sentimental moment they could share.

prom night - a final moment to perfectly end their senior year in a success or a disaster; depending on your mood.

• SEPTEMBER 24TH, DAY 7: happy staig 2023!

FREE DAY - have a particular AU or prompt you wanted to draw that wasn't included? then with the 7th day you are free to do so! tons of possibilities and nothing to stop you. happy staig week 2023! thank you so much for letting us host this year, and of course, thank you for participating!

[bunny-lovers]

Any unanswered questions from the ask meme? ^^

Hope you & your f/os have a great day & thank you for the ask! 😊 @mahitosoulmate @transgenderledyba

Gutrot Flower: What was your immediate first impression when you saw your F/O in their series?

When I first saw Mirko, I thought "Holy shit! What a badass!"

Mordite Root: Have you and your F/O ever had to fight for or alongside each other?

Nope!

Frostwort: What's your and your F/O's idea of a perfect date?

An indoor picnic.

Fungal Cluster: What does your F/O do to care for you when you're sick, and what do you do to care for them?

She takes my temperature, makes me soup & brings me a glass of water. She also tells me to rest. I do the same thing to Rumi.

Gamma Weed: Which one of you is the more impulsive one?

That would be Rumi!

Echinocactus: Which one of you is the more patient one?

That would be me!

Solar Vine: What's your morning routine with your F/O?

We both get out of bed & make our own breakfast. Rumi likes to eat avocado toast, eggs, & yogurt for breakfast while I eat 2 eggs over hard, 2 pancakes, & rye bread. Once we get done with that, we eat at the table & talk. Once we get done eating, we clean up & head to the bedroom. One of us makes the bed while the other heads to the bathroom. When one of us gets done making the bed, Rumi or I head to the bathroom to brush our teeth & get dressed. Once we get done in the bathroom, we hug, kiss & say have a good day at work before heading out.

Star Bramble: What do you consider your F/O's best quality, and what do they consider your best quality?

I consider Rumi's best quality is being strong. Rumi consider my best quality is being myself.

Albumen Pearl Orb: What is something you know about your F/O that nobody else does?

She cries during a sad scene from a movie.

NipNip: What do you and your F/O like to do to relax and unwind?

We like to take a walk together.

Gravitino Host: Does your F/O act different around you than they do around other people? Do you act differently around them?

Yes, she does. She a big softie when she's with me! As for me, yes, 'cause I'm very comfortable being around Rumi.

Venom Urchin: Who would you say is the more protective one, you or your F/O?

Rumi is the more protective one.

Impulse Beans: What are yours and your F/O's love languages?

Rumi & I's love language is physical touch.

Hexaberry: Do you have any inside jokes with your F/O?

No, we don't have any inside jokes.

Heptaploid Wheat: Do you like to cook with your F/O? What's your favorite thing to make with them?

Yes, I love cooking with Rumi. My favorite thing to make with her would be baked cod fish.

Sweetroot: What is the nicest thing your F/O has ever done for you?

The nicest thing Rumi has ever done for me was whenever is something that I can’t lift, Rumi would carry them for me.

Grahberry: If your F/O has any (onscreen or headcanon) family, what do they think of you? If not, what do their friends think of you?

Her family really likes me & they're happy for Rumi. Same with her friends.

Candle Kelp: What is your favorite scene of your F/O in their source?

Her first appearance in the anime, especially when she moves part of her hair back. I also like the scene after she kicked the door to find the real scientist. She found him & says "What's up, doc?!"

Fireberry: What does an average summer day look like for you and your F/O?

Go for a stroll, & getting ice cream.

Frozen Tuber: What does an average winter day look like for you and your F/O?

Staying indoors, having hot chocolate while watching a TV series.

Jade Peas: What is the approximate height difference between you and your F/O?

There is no height difference between Rumi & I 'cause we're the same height.

Cave Marrow: If you and your F/O could design and decorate your own home together, what would it look like?

We would have light colors!

Aloe Flesh: If you and your F/O had themed drinks at a pop-up cafe, what would theirs be and what would yours be?

We would both have summer drinks.

Pulpy Roots: What narrative tropes apply to your self ship?

Love at first sight!

[firstumcschenectady]

“Starting With Care” based on Genesis 2:1-3 and Matthew 6:26-34

We're going to start with the bad news: you can't control anything.

Or, at least you can't control anything important.

You can't control how long you'll live, what the quality of that living will be, what illnesses or injuries you will endure, how long your loved ones will live, if or when traumatic events will occur, nor how they'll be responded to.

I was recently a part of a conversation about suffering led by a medical professional who – rather appropriately I thought – was worried about the fact that patients sometimes assume their suffering is God's punishment. I agreed with him that this is just not TRUE, and it is awful to think that you are both in pain and that you deserve it. But, I am also aware that if pain and suffering aren't a punishment from God, another option is that life is a crapshoot and there isn't any meaning to be found in it – and for a whole lot of people that's MORE uncomfortable than thinking God wills it. Because if God's punishing them, or teaching them a lesson, then the suffering AT LEAST means something and maybe even has redemptive value. But if it was just a random thing, and it could have happened to anyone and just happened to happen to them – well, for a lot of people that's WORSE.

Because then it is entirely out of their control. If God is punishing them, then IF ONLY they'd acted differently, then they could have prevented this from happening.

Right? It is an awful theology, but the human desire to pretend we have control is really quite powerful.

And, let's be honest, we can't control things but we can …. impact probabilities, right? Cancer is MORE likely if you smoke, if you don't exercise, if you don't eat well. Even better, you aren't likely to get hurt falling off a rock wall if you don't attempt to climb a rock wall. Right?

That said, once I broke a toe because a container of chili fell out of my freezer and landed on it. No rockwalls involved. Another time I sprained an ankle horribly – at the ski mountain – on the INDOOR stairs when I was grabbing lunch. Probabilities aren't guarantees.

I find some comfort in the Matthew passage that tells us that worrying and trying to control the uncontrollable is in human nature. This one isn't a modern day problem and we don't have to blame the 24 hour news cycle, smartphones, or social media. This is a human problem. We are aware enough of the uncertainties of life to worry about what may happen.

Jesus seems to recommend not worrying about the little things – about eating and drinking and finding clothes. Which, funnily enough, were exactly things that most of his audience was worried about most of the time because he was speaking to people who often didn't enough enough food, or drink, or a change of clothes.

In the face of their daily struggle for survival, Jesus says,

“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

And I get his point. Life is vivacious, nature takes care of itself, hoarding is unnecessary, and truly no one is as beautiful as a flower. But also, I don't get his point. Because it sounds a whole lot like saying, “Sure, there is a system of oppression out there that took away your family's land and livelihood, and now you are hoping every day to get hired back to work the land so that you can afford to eat tonight, and sure you are likely to die soon of malnutrition, but don't worry about it, God will take care of you.” And, while I TRULY believe that God does want to take care of everyone... well, deaths from malnutrition HAPPEN so it seems like that “promise” isn't one that often works out.

Compassionate people don't say to starving people, “don't worry about food.”

So, what the heck is Jesus doing?

I think I did a bad job in picking this passage, particularly that I didn't look at the verses PRECEEDING these ones. Namely, “No one can serve two masters for a slave will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” These lines are a big deal in the Bible. For a world in which people thought being wealthy was a sign of God's favor, it really turns the tables. This passage encourages the poor while challenging the wealthy. And it is placed before the bit about the lilies of the field.

And I wonder if Jesus is at this point talking to wealthy people. The ones who DO have enough to eat, but are worried about it anyway. The ones who do have clothes, but fret that they're not enough.

And I wonder, too, if Jesus is doing one of those really deep teaching things where he is saying to the poor - if you work together you'll have enough, but when you have enough don't worry about getting more like the rich people do. Trust in each other and God, don't horde.

Furthermore, I think maybe Jesus wants those who are oppressed to look up long enough to see they system that is oppressing them, and that it isn't God's will. God made a world of abundance, PEOPLE are keeping each other from accessing it. Part of the problem of trying to survive is that you can be so pre-occupied with it that you don't notice you shouldn't have to fight that hard.

God made enough. It was true then, and it is true now, just as it is true that people died of not having enough then and people die of not having enough now. God made enough, people have distribution problems. And I think it's OK to worry about the distribution problems.

I really appreciated this week's essay from We Cry Justice. I'd like to read a little more of it to you:

God creates human partnerships. In short, God created a system whereby all material and emotional life is tended to. So if we are to be fruitful and multiply – if we are to add to creation – the systems we create must extend the provision of care.

…

Within us lies the potential to create and re-create a system that revolves around and produces care, a system where needs are met. We will need each other to do so. We will need to be in partnership, working together to be fruitful and multiply.1

We can't CONTROL anything, although we can do a lot of damage trying. We can, however, be in partnership with each other and God and seek to “extend the provision of care.” We can choose to notice that care is inherent in creation, and that God's care hasn't changed. We can remind ourselves that there is ENOUGH, and that's good. We can remember the lilies of the field – when they're useful – that creation is beautiful and awe-inspiring.

(Image of mutual care: Ellis Nurses with supporters picketing for better care for their patients, and for each other. Photo by Sara Baron)

We can remember that things aren't now as they should be, but they CAN get better, that God is working with us to make them better, that we're working together, that many people are in this together. That we want a world where no one has to worry about what they will eat or drink or wear, because the resources of the world are abundant there is enough for everyone – and in the kindom of God the resources are shared with the abundance of God.

It is a dream worth holding onto, and remembering, and seeking. We can start with care. And every little bit helps. We can't control it, but we can shape it. Thanks be to God. Amen

1Solita Alexander Riley “In the Beginning, There Was Care” in We Cry Justice (Minneapolis, 2021), p. 145.

Rev. Sara E. Baron  First United Methodist Church of Schenectady  603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305  Pronouns: she/her/hers  http://fumcschenectady.org/  https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

May 26, 2024