#charles sprigs

[runaway-royals]

"I love you too, My Lady." The prince replied, giving her one last kiss before heading off to bed and being woken up a few hours later.

"Wait, did you actually make this Hunter? I really don't need to get food poisoning at my own wedding."

Alexander joked as his eldest brother threw his outfit at him.

"Haha, very fun, now get to your butt outta bed!"

Alex chuckled quickly, eating the food while his little brothers did his hair, then pulled him up to get dressed.

"I still can't believe you're actually getting married today!" Charlie exclaimed, putting on his own armor.

"I know, not mention Nana's going to be our sister soon!"

Tobias added, finishing the final details in the older prince's hair.

"Looking good, Big Brother!" The young man grinned before handing him a mirror to see the finished look.

"Wow, guys, this is incredible! You boys are getting really good it that, maybe even better than Mother."

Alexander said, hugging his baby brothers.

"Don't let Mom hear you saying that. You better hurry, Blue, you don't wanna be late."

Hunter mused, ushering the young royal out the door.

Kori hurried down the hall to check on the bride and groom after getting her family settled in their seats.

She just rounded the corner passing Takumi and his crew.

"Morning, guys!" She called out without stopping.

Finally, she made it to Nana's chambers with a large of flower leis in hand.

"Oh, Nana, you look beautiful!" The maid smiled, setting the floral accessories on the bed.

"These are from us. We finished making them this morning!"

She added, handing the princess the more elaborate one.

"And these are for Kenji, Anna, and Raiden."

Alexander made his way to the great hall before being stopped by the Mason boys.

"Hey Blue!" Lucas called out, causing the groom to turn around.

"Hi guys!" The prince smiled as they presented with a gift.

"This is from Kori and us, for good luck." Devon as Alexander placed the garment around his neck.

"It's lovely, thank you!" He replied before being called down to the altar for the ceremony to begin.

Nana smiled with Alexander, eyes filled with happy tears as well, as he pulled her closer to him, sealing their vows with a kiss. And once he finally pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, the princess gently rubbed his nose with hers. "I love you, my Prince." She whispered softly against his lips. Then, his words made her laugh. "That's true, my love! Although I'm not sure I'll be able to get much sleep... I'm just too excited for tomorrow!" She admitted, visibly happy as she watched Alexander carefully removing the wedding cord from their hands, keeping the knot intact. After that, the princess let her betrothed escort her back to her chambers, and the couple exchanged the last goodnight of their unmarried life.

The following day, Nana woke up with the garish light of day directly hitting her eyes, as one of the handmaids pulled the curtains completely open, forcing her to cover her face with her hands. "Rise and shine, Your Highness! Today is your big day!" The older woman announced, her tone denoting both excitement and pride. Groaning a little, the princess sat up. "Good morning, Yoko!" Nana greeted, still trying to wake up, as another handmaid placed a tray with breakfast on her bed. "Eat your breakfast, Princess! The royal hairdresser will be here in a moment to help you get ready! There's still much to do!" Another handmaid advised, just as her siblings stormed into the room. "Good morning, dear sister!" Anna grinned, while Kenji sat on the bed and stole a pastry from the tray. "Y-You shouldn't be here, Your Highness... we need to help your sister get ready..." One of the women advised, to which Kenji just groaned and wrapped his arms around Nana. "Nonsense! Let me have breakfast with my sister one last time!" The prince retorted, making Nana laugh. No matter how many years passed, he would always be her baby brother, and she knew she'd miss him terribly, as well as Anna.

After having their breakfast and chatting happily about the upcoming party, the younger Serizawa siblings finally said goodbye to Nana and returned to their own chambers, in order to get ready as well, while the handmaids prepared a warm, relaxing bubble bath for the soon-to-be-married princess. Then, as expected, the royal hairdresser arrived, followed by the seamstress and a few assistants, carrying Nana's beautiful wedding attire. At her request, while her garments were still made in the traditional Japanese fashion, her hair was to be styled according to Nordic tradition — she had her hairdresser memorize the exquisite way Alexander had braided her hair, and even acquire the small pieces of gold the nordics adorned their braids with. She meant this a surprise to her Viking prince, which she hoped he would like.

After a while, Nana stared into the mirror and smiled. She really looked like a bride, and a very happy one, for that matter! "You look beautiful, Princess!" The eldest handmaid, who'd practically raised Nana since she was a baby, exclaimed, visibly moved, to which Nana chuckled happily. Then, another handmaid left the room, in order to inform the Emperor that the bride was ready, and the ceremony could finally begin.

[laz-kay]

“Do you think we’re best friends in every universe?”

“Obviously, dumbass”

[cucumbermoon]

Two of my long-term obsessions have just collided in an odd way.

I was watching "Wooster With a Wife" for the first time in about a decade and when I got to this scene, I gasped.

Because that little painting behind Jeeves looks like nothing much, but it used to be famous. It's called "Between Two Fires," and it was painted by the American master, Francis Davis Millet, in 1892.

It depicts a 17th-Century man sitting between two standing women, beneath a sprig of mistletoe. The piece itself was extremely popular in its time. It was often hung in houses, it was printed onto cigarette cases and biscuit tins. That's probably how it came to be hanging there on the wall of a pub. Somebody hung it there in 1900 and never took it down.

The thing that is particularly interesting to me, personally, about this painting is the artist who painted it. Frank Millet, born in Massachusetts in 1843, was once one of the most famous American artists in the world. He did murals in great cities across Europe and America, painted a portrait of his friend Mark Twain, was a personal friend of President William Howard Taft and John Singer Sargent. He was married and had children, but he was also known for having rather public relationships with other men, most notably the writer Charles Warren Stoddard. Their love letters are still in existence and some have been published in a biography of Stoddard.

Francis Davis Millet:

These days, the most famous thing about him is that he died on the Titanic, and as such he is the only confirmed queer victim of the Titanic sinking (obviously there must have been many others, but he's the only one with existing documentation that proves it). He happened to be traveling with a close friend whom he lived with, one Major Archibald Butt, who is often theorized to have been his partner at the time. We don't know much about their lives together, but we do know (from a letter Butt once wrote to his sister-in-law) that Millet wall-papered the inside of their house while Butt was away on a business trip. The wallpaper he chose was roses – so many roses, Butt said that he felt he was suffocating beneath a giant pile of them. It's rare to get any insight at all into the lives of men who may have been partners at that time, and I always rather loved this particular little story.

Major Archibald Butt:

Both men died in the sinking and they share a joint memorial fountain in Washington, DC. It's just behind the White House and was erected by their friends, who remembered them as being devoted to each other. Here's a little bit of information about the fountain from the National Park Service:

[landoom]

F1 FANFICS REC LIST - Landoscar AU's

(this list doesn't contain Highschool/Uni AU's as there will be another list dedicated to those)

Capturing Your Heart With A Loud Click. (12088 words) by cxrnlia Rating: Mature Summary: Oscar is the guy at the park who takes walks to calm down, Lando is the guy who takes pictures at the park, but can't help but take pictures of Oscar instead.

oOoOoOo

what’s up, danger? (can’t stop me now) (12648 words) by startosphere Rating: General Audiences Summary: “What type of race?” He lets his phone down on his thigh, focusing fully on the conversation and suddenly more interested. “The type that you can’t do, y’know?” George says with a suspicious grin. Lando tilts his head because what in the world are they even talking about? ”We’re talking about street races, Lando,” Charles takes pity on him and starts a little explanation, “There are laws against it so you better shut up about this, I mean it, could get Oscar in real trouble.” Lando can’t help but let out a huff. Perhaps he slept on the couch and this is all some type of strange nightmare, it doesn’t seem right when his brain starts collecting and comprehending what they just told him, for some reason, he can’t believe that.   Or, Oscar is a street racing driver, and Lando needs to see before believing.

oOoOoOo

You Bring Me Closer to God (9808 words) by wanderingblindly Rating: Mature Summary:

They’re still close enough to whisper, Lando’s hand holding him in place as he grins wildly. “You like it rough, Osc?”

He doesn’t even care if it’s just a bit, just Lando’s stage persona washing over him like it does all his fans. Looking up at Lando, looking at the lipstick he smeared across his cupid’s bow and chin – it’s like he’s seen god. Felt it on his lips, tasted it on his tongue. Oscar grabs him by the nape of the neck without a second thought, pulling them together just as viciously as the first time.

Or: In which Lando is a very slutty front-man for a small band seeking their big break, Oscar is an enamored bartender, and Jenson's bar brings them together.

oOoOoOo

come feel this magic (i've been feeling since i met you) (10670 words) by lemonadedino Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Lando is a faerie and doesn't know it Oscar is unequivocally in love with him and figures it out along the way

oOoOoOo

mistletoe wishes (5519 words) by 14CookiesGone Rating: General Audiences Summary: Oscar glances up and he sees the offender. The small sprig of green and white that Lando has been trying to avoid all evening, that they’re now standing directly underneath. They have two options. They can laugh it off and ignore it, despite the fact they’ve been playing at being doting boyfriends all evening. Or - OR Lando asks Oscar to be his fake date to his office Christmas party. It turns out to be a little more than fake.

oOoOoOo

the pacemaker blues (2233 words) by Anonymous Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Carefully, slowly, Oscar moved to the other end of the couch, trying not to show the tension he felt. “So you got yourself cursed?” Lando yelped and dropped his phone. It laid on the floor, suddenly dead. “Shit.”

oOoOoOo

you wear it well (2080 words) by Anonymous Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “I need to borrow one of your hoodies,” Lando says, as he makes his way into Oscar’s apartment and flops down on the couch, kicking off his shoes in the process. Oscar squints suspiciously in his direciton. “Why?” Lando sits up so his head pokes over the back of the couch. “Because I need George and Alex to think I have a boyfriend."

oOoOoOo

invocations one fall away from the concrete (10561 words) by debrief Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “Okay,” Lando says. “What’s your power?” “Telekinesis,” Oscar replies a little too easily, like he’s trying not to make a big deal out of it. In fact, he’s already looking back down at his form. Lando doesn’t miss the way he seems completely stumped by the ‘Birth date’ square though. Telekinetics are far and few between. You’re probably more likely to be struck by lightning twice than to meet a telekinetic. They’re so highly sought after in the hero industry that any telekinetic baby would automatically have a net worth of at least three hundred billion US dollars the second it was born. Moreover Oscar's an Oxy. It’s like, the jackpot of jackpots. This guy’s simply unreal on paper. Lando scrunches up his face, rolls his eyes and says, “alright.” He shrugs. “Nothing to write home about, then.”

oOoOoOo

carried away (22168 words) by venerat Rating: Explicit Summary: "Oscar," Lando said. "Don't hate me, alright, but I've—”

oOoOoOo

only found (6872 words) by debrief Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “Hey, well. No strings attached, right?” Oscar says, strategically. Lando smiles and says, “hell yeah. And now that that’s established, what’s your stance on aliens? Also, do you still want your cake?” -- cinderella soulmates au where whatever you lose, your soulmate finds. except: oscar has a soulmate and lando is a No-Match, a person who doesn't have a soulmate.

oOoOoOo

soft vanilla foreplay (7035 words) by Anonymous Rating: Mature Summary: “Oh shit, you’re,” Lando gasps, smiles. “You’re a. You’re Robin Hood. You’re a kitty Robin Hood.” Oscar stops grinding. “Can we have this talk tomorrow?” Lando laughs and comes down to place a kiss on Oscar’s lips. “Yeah. Oh yeah. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be great. I’m sooooo busy right now. Hmm.”

@hc-dutch

(let me know if you want to be tagged in my upcoming reclists!)

[f1crecs]

Fic Rec List - Carlos/Charles (Jealousy)

if your fic is on this list and you don’t want it to be, please let me know and we will remove it immediately, no questions asked. we have contacted most of the authors on this list, but sometimes people fall through the gaps - just pop us a message🤍

have a pairing you want me to do next? please read the faqs and then head to the inbox.

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hello, anon. thank you for your ask. we hope you enjoy some delicious charlos jealousy! 🤍

tempest by stivesofmarch (ryeflower) | M | 2.4k

Charles has some feelings about Carlos' relationship with Lando. I really loved this one! I love this characterisation of Charles - it really highlights his stubborn and passionate nature! I love this author's writing style, it flows beautifully.

'There is a hard bit of muscle at Carlos’ shoulder that Charles particularly likes. Just that one little coveted spot, right above the blade, to the left of the shoulder bone. And beneath the sheath of his sweat-slicked suit, Charles knows that it is that exact spot which has been branded by one of his little hickeys.'

hall of mirrors by @lafaerie | M | 14.5k

This is a two-parter, one side each of Charles POV and Carlos POV, a character and psychological study of what it means to be in love with someone you are in competition with, and yet also have to work closely with. I liked the push and pull of their own emotions, and the push and pull between Charles and Carlos here is delicious, as is the surreality of the religious and dream imagery. There is a recurrent theme of Charles being above the clouds, inspired by the quote he made about "not thinking" in the car.

'Charles is dreaming.He’s not flying, he’s firmly grounded here. He squints his eyes, trying to block out the glare of the sun. It’s unbearably hot and there’s sand blowing everywhere. It’s almost reminiscent of being back in the Qatari desert. But that race is over, Charles tries to remind himself. They’re not due back until next December. When it will hopefully be cooler. Charles holds his arms out in front of him and realizes that he’s wearing his race suit. No wonder he’s so hot. It’s stifling. He’s about to undo the snap of his collar at his neck when he notices someone else in the dream. It’s Carlos walking across the desert landscape towards him. He has one arm behind his back, his other arm swinging at his side. Carlos is wearing his race suit, just like Charles. Two splashes of red paint standing out against the horizon. Two Roman Cardinals, meeting in the courtyard outside of St. Peter’s, whispering to each other before mass. But they are not at St. Peter’s. They’re not in Italy. They’re in Charles’ dream. They are in the desert. Carlos comes to a stop right in front of him, still with one arm behind his back. He’s holding the knife, Charles thinks. He takes a deep breath in, trying to brace himself. In the next minute, Carlos will surely have the cutting edge of the knife pressed right up against his throat. Carlos swings his arm around to reveal something. Charles blinks. It’s not the knife at all. Carlos is holding a bouquet of wildflowers. It’s a sweeping bouquet of wild lavender mixed with green sprigs of thyme and rosemary, the smell of it heady and aromatic. He’s offering the bouquet to Charles. “But, Carlos,” Charles sputters, “these flowers do not grow in the desert.” Carlos looks around in the dream as though it’s only just dawning on him that they’re in the desert. Like he thought they were in Italy. He thought they were in the courtyard at St. Peter’s. “I brought the flowers for you,” is all Carlos says. Charles accepts the bouquet with both hands, being careful not to crush any of the flowers. When Charles looks up again, Carlos is gone. Charles stands there — alone in the desert — holding a bouquet of wildflowers.

nsfw: Internal Mechanics by venerat | E | 15.4k

A misunderstanding at their shared gym has Carlos spiralling. I love everything this author writes, and this is no exception! Carlos is so gone for Charles in this story, and it is so much fun to read. One thing I particularly liked about this one was the dialogue - it was perfect: funny, hot, emotional. Amazing!!

'Now it is not so much butterflies when he sees Charles; nothing so sudden or churning. Now it’s just warmth. A tingle on the back of his neck. An urge to touch, jittering his hands. An inability to keep from smiling, whenever he’s with Charles.'

nsfw: Thin White Lines by bloodmoonforme | E | 23k

This fic plays on the idea of devotion and to whom devotion falls. The dynamic here feels well-constructed and present while retaining the AU.

'As suddenly as he came close, he's pulling away, watching Charles' alarmed eyes carefully. His are brown, Charles distantly registers. The corner of his mouth quirks upwards in a smirk. "I'll see you around, Mr. Duchamps". And just like that he's suddenly gone, blending into the crowd. Charles' brain has turned to static. "Charles? Charles! What the hell was that?", he hears Pierre exclaim. A sudden cold chill washes through Charles as he recovers from the shock. When he buries his hand in his pocket, he finds it empty.'

nsfw: All The King's Horses by @7msc | E | 38.5k

Carlos knows he doesn't have the killer instinct Charles has, and struggles to reconcile that aspect of his innate nature with his career goals. This is a deep, thoughtful, insightful character study, examining the mental and emotional realities of this elite sport and the sacrifices it demands - whether they be corporeal or intangible, such as innate aspects of one's own self. It asks the question - is carving these softer parts of ourselves away truly worth it, or even possible?

'This time, Charles finally looked at Carlos. The lights hit his face from below, making him look almost eerie. His eyes were too green, his nose was too pointy, and his mouth was too well-shaped. Charles looked like a character from a fairytale. He laughed with mirth. “Oh, I promise to give you a run for your money, then.” Carlos felt his own mouth curling into a smirk without his consent. “I will hold you to that.” That night, in bed and with the AC set to a nice 18ºC, Carlos thought that Charles had looked beautiful with the fire of battle in his eyes. A hunter disguised as prey.'

nsfw: Head over heels by @betzykielberg | ? | 44k

A lawyers AU wherein Charles has a very pragmatic view of sex and Carlos is a romantic and they meet in the courtroom. I love the way the author creates tension between the main characters, ranging from professional competiveness to sexual tension. The Carlos in this fic is a total dreamboat with a soft squishy heart and Charles has trust issues and has never been in love, and the emotional rollercoaster of them getting together is lovely. As far as the theme goes there is a fair bit of traditional jealousy in this but for me the most delicious jealousy is that of Charles wanting Carlos to have sex with him and being denied, imagining who else could be warming his bed.

'“To me, sex without love is”, he hesitates for a second as if trying to find the right words, “it’s like watching a movie without the sound, you can still see the images moving and you get the gist of what’s going on, but you’re just missing this major component to complete it”, he uses his hands to signal something big and Charles is hit with a wave of curiosity. What was it like to sleep with someone he was truly in love with? More importantly, what was it like to sleep with a Carlos Sainz that was truly in love with you?'

this list was compiled by @ocontraire, @frickinsweet, @lydia-petze & @boxboxbrioche 🤍

[toastyteakettle]

Eden Rock

They are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden Rock: My father, twenty-five, in the same suit Of Genuine Irish Tweed, his terrier Jack Still two years old and trembling at his feet

My mother, twenty-three, in a sprigged dress Drawn at the waist, ribbon in her straw hat, Has spread the stiff white cloth over the grass. Her hair, the colour of wheat, takes on the light.

She pours tea from a Thermos, the milk straight From an old H.P. sauce-bottle, a screw Of paper for a cork; slowly sets out The same three plates, the tin cups painted blue.

The sky whitens as if lit by three suns My mother shades her eyes and looks my way Over the drifted stream. My father spins A stone along the water. Leisurely They beckon to me from the other bank. I hear them call, 'See where the stream path is! Crossing is not as hard as you might think.

I had not thought it would be like this.

— Charles Causley.

[obscurehistoricalinterests]

The Republic is worth a sauce gribiche

by Aurélien Soucheyre

„21 January is the day of the tete de veau dish, to celebrate the day in 1793 when the monarchy of divine right lost its own head. But where does this tradition come from and what's the recipe?

It's been going on for over two hundred years: every 21 January, thousands of gourmets enjoy a tete de veau at republican banquets. The date is no coincidence: it's the anniversary of the beheading of Louis XVI in 1793, the ultimate symbol of the fall of the Old Regime. The tradition comes from the pamphleteer Romeau, who in 1794 invited people to eat a pig's head on 21 January, a biscuit in the shape of the Bastille on 14 July and a 'fat chicken of India' on 10 August, the date of the collapse of royalty in 1792. Only the 21 January head has survived. It went from being a pig, referring to a king caricatured as a piglet in 1791, to a calf in 1848, when the Second Republic was established. The Third, Fourth and Fifth Republics then refrained from changing the animal. As for the sauce, it has evolved over the years, and it is the gribiche that has held the rope for decades, composed, for the purists, of eggs, mustard, oil, parsley, tarragon, chervil, and above all the indispensable capers and gherkins, which represent neither the body nor the breasts of the deceased king.

It's just that the practice has nothing to do with an anthropophagic delirium. It is not the individual Louis XVI who is being eaten, who had already lost his crown and had once again become "citizen Louis Capet". It is the monarchy of divine right that is being swallowed, the political regime itself, digested by the republican stomach. And if that sounds far-fetched, it's because the original idea came from England, as recounted by Gustave Flaubert in E'Education Sentimentale. On 30 January 1649, the British were the first to decapitate their monarch, by attacking Charles 1st. They were also the first to eat calves' heads on that date, in response to the royalists' commemorations. And even though the English throne has since been reoccupied, without absolute powers, the French replay the match every 21 January, with the royalists in the Basilica of Saint-Denis cowering on one side and the republicans laughing on the other.

Cold or hot

So there are confreries of calf's head eaters all over France on D-Day, a combination of English humour and French terror, all under the revolutionary flag. A great fan of tete de veau and "roborative cuisine", according to legend, former French President Jacques Chirac has never said whether he discovered this speciality at a banquet under the tricolour cockade, somewhere between Paris and Corrèze. But he did help to popularise the dish. It can be eaten cold, with little touches to the eyelids, nostrils, tongue and brains, for those who like to chew, or hot like a pot-au-feau. A matter of taste. Because the French Revolution is neither cold nor hot: it's lukewarm, because it's still waiting to be over.“

Tete de veau with gribiche sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 boneless veal head and 1 tongue

- 80g flour - 1 clove of garlic - 4 carrots

- 2 sprigs celery - 3 large onions spiked with cloves

- 1 bouquet garni - salt and pepper

Preparation:

The day before, soak the head and tongue in salted water and change the water several times. The next day, blanch the veal head, previously cut in half. Bring the veal halves and tongue to the boil, starting with cold water. Decant, peel the tongue and cut in half lengthways. Place each tongue half in each veal half, then roll into rotis before tying.

To cook the head. In a large pot, pour the flour delayed in a glass of white vinegar and add 10 litres of cold water. Add all the ingredients (herbs and chopped vegetables) and mix. Bring the bouillon to the boil before adding the two halves of the steak. Leave to simmer for two hours.

Check that it is cooked through, remove the two halves and leave to cool. Remove the string and roll into a ballottine, then wrap tightly in cling film to cut into equal slices.

Serve hot (or cold, according to taste), accompanied by potatoes cooked separately in salted water and a gribiche sauce.

For the sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 or 3 eggs - 1 tbsp wine vinegar (optional)

- 1 tsp mustard - 25cl peanut or rapeseed oil

- salt and pepper - 30 g chopped gherkins

- 30g chopped capers - 1 tbsp parsley

- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon - 1 tbsp chopped chervil

Preparation:

Boil the eggs until they are hard-boiled. Crush the yolks, add the mustard and mix the mayonnaise with the oil. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix in the gherkins, capers, herbs and finely chopped egg whites.

[ao3feed-narlie]

The Christmas Cottage

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/PWNYF8J by TheIrishGirl Charlie is off to the snowy and picturesque Cotswolds for Christmas with Tao, Elle, and Isaac. Their other friends, Tara and Darcy, will join them, bringing along two people the others haven't met yet, Imogen and Nick. The new friends get to know each other in the stunning countryside cottage under the twinkling Christmas lights and sprigs of mistletoe. Charlie harbours a serious crush on the hot, auburn-haired Rugby player, but he’s unsure if his feelings are reciprocated. Could he get his man by Christmas? Nick has the hots for the curly-haired beaut he'll be sharing a cottage with for two weeks, but he can't understand why Charlie keeps pulling away! Will he get his man? A Christmas tale set in the idyllic English countryside sprinkled with love, friendship and fun. Words: 1629, Chapters: 1/14, Language: English Fandoms: Heartstopper (TV), Heartstopper (Webcomic) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper), Isaac Henderson (Heartstopper), Imogen Heaney, Elle Argent, Tao Xu, Tara Jones, Darcy Olsson, Victoria "Tori" Spring Relationships: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson/Charles "Charlie" Spring, Elle Argent/Tao Xu, Tara Jones/Darcy Olsson Additional Tags: Smitten Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Bisexual Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Smitten Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper), Flirting, Friendship, Fluff, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Alternative Universe - Christmas, Possible smut, Rating May Change, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, They may want to get freaky for christmas, Happy Ending, charlie is clueless, Imogen is a menace, nick is cheeky, POV Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, POV Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper) read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/PWNYF8J

[shinyasahalo]

Top 100 AO3 TV/Streaming Ships (Sept. 11, 2024)

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(F/M) Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler (Doctor Who) 12,538 fics

(F/M) Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan (Once Upon a Time) 12,348 fics

(M/M) Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf) 12,080 fics

(M/M) Will Byers/Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) 11,861 fics

(M/M) Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington (Stranger Things) 11,496 fics

(M/M) James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson (Falcon and Winter Soldier) 11,085 fics

(M/R) Dean Winchester/You (Supernatural) 10,773 fics

(F/M) Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones) 10,252 fics

(F/M) Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr Gold (Once Upon a Time) 10,252 fics

(F/M) Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper (Sherlock) 9,702 fics

(M/M) James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Star Trek) 9,189 fics

(M/M) Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg (The Sentinel) 9,123 fics

(F/M) Allison Argent/Scott McCall (Teen Wolf) 8,782 fics

(M/M) Patrick Brewer/David Rose (Schitt's Creek) 8,720 fics

(F/F) Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) 8,712 fics

(F/M) Jon Snow/Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones) 8,287 fics

(M/M) Clark Kent/Lex Luther (Smallville) 8,229 fics

(F/M) Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons (Agents of SHIELD) 8,116 fics

(F/M) Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer) 8,035 fics

(F&M) Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington (Stranger Things) 7,934 fics

(M/M) Carlos Reyes/TK Strand (9-1-1 Lonestar) 7,809 fics

(F/M Katara/Zuko (Avatar Last Airbender) 7,754 fics

(F/M) Olivia Benson/Elliot Stabler (Law & Order SVU) 7,409 fics

(M/M) Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin/Lan Huan | Lan Xichen (Untamed) 7,343 fics

(F/M) Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen (The Rookie) 7,213 fics

(M&M) Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) 7,166 fics

(F/M) Sokka/Zuko (Avatar Last Airbender) 7,137 fics

(M/M) Brian Kinney/Justin Taylor (Queer as Folk) 7,092 fics

(F/M) Spike/Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) 6,847 fics

(M/M) Nicholas "Nick" Nelson/Charles "Charlie" Sprig (Heartstopper) 6,786 fics

(F/F) Wednesday Addams/Enid Sinclair (Wednesday) 6,749 fics

(F/M) Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill (Stargate SG-1) 6,718 fics

(F/M) Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester (Supernatural) 6,559 fics

(F/F) Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer (Supergirl) 6,537 fics

(M/M) Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill (Stargate SG-1) 6,532 fics

(M/M) Liam Dunbar/Theo Racken (Teen Wolf) 6,465 fics

(M/M) Ayanya/Zheng Yunling (Super-Vocal) 6,455 fics

(F/M) Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones (Riverdale) 6,434 fics

(M/M) Julian Bashir/Elim Garak (Star Trek Deep Space Nine) 6,433 fics

(M/M) Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden (Emmerdale) 6,419 fics

(F/M) Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek Voyager) 6,415 fics

(F/M) Mary Morstan/John Watson (Sherlock) 6,278 fics

(F/M) Gendry/Arya Stark (Game of Thrones) 6,185 fics

(F/F) Waverley Earp/Nicole Haught (Wynonna Earp) 6,167 fics

(F/M) Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) 6,160 fics

(M/M) Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu (Word of Honor) 6,108 fics

(F/M) The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov (Shadow and Bone) 6,082 fics

(M/M) Benton Fraser/Roy Kowalski (due South) 5,911 fics

(F/M) Daemon Targaryen/Rhaenyra Targaryen (House of the Dragon) 5,882 fics

(F/M) Wanda Maximoff/Vision (WandaVision) 5,861 fics

(M/M) Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma (Gotham) 5,862 fics

(M&M) Will Graham & Hannibal Lector (Hannibal) 5,841 fics

(F/M) Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington (Bridgerton) 5,814 fics

(F/M) Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones) 5,804 fics

(M/M) Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan (Guardian) 5,709 fics

(M/R) Sam Winchester/You (Supernatural) 5,631 fics

(M/M) Castiel/Sam Winchester (Supernatural) 5,586 fics

(M/M) Evan Bech Naesheim/Isak Valterson (SKAM-Norway) 5,422 fics

(F/M) Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa (Shadow and Bone) 5,394 fics

(M/M) Loki/Mobius M. Mobius (Loki) 5,321 fics

(M/M) Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling (The Sandman) 5,309 fics

(F/M) Dean Winchester/Original Female Character (Supernatural) 5,289 fics

(F/M) Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne (Gotham) 5,230 fics

(F/M) Barry Allen/Iris West (The Flash) 5,175 fics

(F/M) Vernon Boyd/Erica Reyes (Teen Wolf) 5,127 fics

(M/M) Michael Guerin/Alex Manes (Roswell New Mexico) 5,070 fics

(M/R) Eddie Munson/You (Stranger Things) 5,050 fics

[artemlegere]

Reading on a Sunny Afternoon

Artist: Charles Edward Perugini (British, 1839–1918)

A young woman is seated next to a flowered border reading from a book. She is wearing a white silken dress, with gauzy, classically-draped loose sleeves and blue trim. She has placed a sprig of blossom in her dress and smells its scent as she reads.

[ao3feed-jeevesandwooster]

Christmas Offerings

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/qFjDONb " by sandwichsapphic I watched with both pain and amusement as Mr Wooster spotted the sprig, and leaned down to peck Mabel on the cheek. “This stuff is perilous, Mabel,” Mr Wooster laughed. “You know how many times I’ve ended up engaged at Christmas because of rotten red berries like these?” - Bertie and Jeeves spend half a dozen or so years trying to organise Christmas Day together. Eventually, they will succeed. Words: 8083, Chapters: 5/5, Language: English Fandoms: Jeeves & Wooster, Jeeves - P. G. Wodehouse Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Reginald Jeeves, Bertram "Bertie" Wooster, Mabel Biffen, Charles Edward "Biffy" Biffen, Dahlia Travers, Agatha Gregson Relationships: Reginald Jeeves/Bertram "Bertie" Wooster, Charles Edward "Biffy" Biffen/Mabel Biffen Additional Tags: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Getting Together, only light emotional angst, because its jeeves, interrupted at christmas time, Mistletoe!, Kiss under mistletoe " read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/52604875

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

🔁 (for an updated version 😅🥺)

Under the cut bc it is absurdly long, also let's please ignore the fact that I'm supposed to be studying for a midterm rn!

(I'm sure I'm still missing a million and I left out the ones we've talked about for ages, but also for the ocs that already had sections, I italicized the new ones so they wouldn't get lost 🥺 but also there's so many ocs and crossovers that if I missed any, lmk!)

(RWRB is a completely new section, other new ocs include Juni, Rose, Andrew, Vance, and Hana, plus the descendants section has been added to so extensively that it feels like it's basically new?)

DC

Cassandra

Angelina Winters

Dani Merlyn

Diana Queen

Kelsey Doyle

Mercy Bowen

Mia Queen

Fraya

Annika Webster

Imogen Allen

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Parker Allen & Noah Altman

Gillien

Ophelia Wayne

Isolde Kean

Lorena Falcone

Gwen

Annika Webster

Dani Merlyn

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Lillian & Max

Annika Webster

Dani Merlyn

Imogen Allen

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Nia West

Parker Allen & Noah Altman

Descendants

Andrew

Addie

Anissa Radcliffe (& all of her siblings there are 10 of them)

Roisin Sprigging

Winona Sykes

Aria

Chiara Potts

Chryseis

Finley Rider

Harmony Of Atlantis

Kate Turner

Keto Jones

Lani Of Atlantis

Mae

Fortune

Beatrice

Eliane

Evander Grimhilde

Finley Rider

Gloria Gothel

Hannah Westergaard

Harley Hook

Princess Isabelle

Raina Gold

Rosabelle Legume

Juni

Chessy

Chiara Potts

Elise Charming

Robin & Rylan Fitzherbert

Taryn Porter

Violet Kingsleigh

Winnie Pan

Mystery OC 

Blossom

Finley Rider

Isadora Darling

Nerissa

Violet Kingsleigh

Winnie Pan

Rose

Addie

Beatrice

Blossom

Isabelle

Gilmore Girls

Addie

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brady Mariano

Brielle & Austin

Elle Hearst

Emmeline Forbes

Freya Morgan

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Sienna Elliot

Callum

Kirsty & the dance squad

Willow & the squad

Sam Gleason

Holland Bass

Sage Hall

Daisy

Allie St James

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Ashley Nardini

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford & Charles Gilmore

Brady Mariano

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Charlotte Howard-Danes

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Eliya Rygalski

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Holland Bass

Ilsa Gilmore-Danes

Jane Forester

Jocelyn Gilmore

Kaylee Hayden

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore (ft the Willow Squad)

Lorrie Gilmore-Danes

Marley Tinsdale

Preston Gilmore

Sam Gleason

Evie

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Sienna Elliot

Grace

Adalia Kim

Allie St James

Brady Mariano

Catie Gleason

Eleanor Doose

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Holland Bass

Ilsa Gilmore Danes

Jacqueline Grant

Jane Forester

Lucas Gilmore & Natalie Lister (ft the entire Willow Squad)

Paige Huntzberger

Sage Hall

Sam Gleason

Vicki St James

The Band

Hana

Allie St James

Bex Harding

Cecilia Ackerman

Eleanor Doose

Evan Mariano

Jane Forester

Vicki St James

Imogen

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brady Mariano

Emmeline Forbes

Jacqueline Grant

Kaylee Hayden

Lydia

Lexi Danes

Jocelyn Gilmore

Preston Gilmore

Mercy

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford & Charles Gilmore

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Elle Hearst

Lili Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Sophie Dugray

Millie

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller & Brooks Livingston

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Sienna Elliot

Regina

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Elle Hearst

Jocelyn Gilmore

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore

Nellie McCrae

Preston Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Richie

Allie St James

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Bex Harding

Blythe Langford (& Charles Gilmore & Kaito Lauder but also Blythe x Richie)

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Carlie Hayden

Catie Gleason

Chelsea Gellrr

Cosette Gerard

Dani Gilmore Danes

Eleanor Doose

Elle Hearst

Eliya Rygalski

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Harry Bechtel

Holland Bass

Hyacinth Nelson (???)

Ilsa Gilmore-Danes

Jacqueline Grant

Jane Forester

Jocelyn Gilmore

Kaylee Hayden

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore

Lorrie Gilmore-Danes

Marley Tinsdale

McKenna Hayden

Natalie Lister (ft the whole willow gang)

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Preston Gilmore & Lexi Danes

Sage Hall

Sam Gleason

Sara Topaz (??)

Sienna Elliot

Vicki St James

Viviana Lozano

The Band

Vance

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Chelsea Geller

Emmeline Forbes

Lili Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Glee:

Andrew

Abbie Hudson

Betty Fabray

Bobby Seurat

Cece & Colton Cartwright

Charlie Sylvester

Dolly Corcoran

Hillary Holliday

Jo Berry

Josie St James

Joy Schuester

Roxie Flores

May Taylor & June Harris

Savannah Evans

Valeria Ramirez

Aro

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Brax

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Elliot

Betty Fabray

Dolly Corcoran

Jaci Jones

Johanna Berry

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Faith

Betty Fabray

Christina Hummel

Faye Anderson

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

May Taylor & June Harris

Mona

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Savannah Evans

Harry Potter

Castor

Ara Black

Adhara Black

Carina Goldberg

Danica Lestrange

Lyarra Vance

Venus Malfoy

Violetta Greengrass

Seraphini

Adhara Black

Ara Black

Carina Goldberg

Venus Malfoy

Violetta Greengrass

Misc

Ariana Pendragon

Elsine Pendragon

Allyria Pendragon

Lynette Starfall

Princess Aelia

Beatrix Shellstrop

Bridget Atkins

Tatum Shellstrop

Amber Cain

Beth Jasper

Deborah Winchester

Elle Winchester

Esther Colt

Genesis

Isla George

Jude Winchester

Nevaeh Murphy

Phoebe Winchester

Trix Stilinski

Bridget Bridgerton

Augusta Beauchamp

Dorothea Bridgerton

Eliza Huntington

Emmeline Bridgerton

Georgina Pemberton

Harriet Warwick

Clara Gale

Andrea Hagreeves

Andromeda Hargreeves

Audrey Hargreeves

Cleo Sullivan

Dahlia Mort

Gemma Hargreeves

Helena Hargreeves

June McLaughlin

Lorelai Hargreeves

Max Carmichael

Sierra Nearing

Sunny Talbot

Tiffany Katz

Tori Hargreeves

Virginia West

Wilhelmina Hargreeves

Genesis Jones

Calleigh Sheridan

Odelia Kowroski

Josie Spencer

Calleigh Sheridan

Odelia Kowroski

PJO

Cordelia

Blake Castellan ( & Jasper Gabriel )

Cressida Brantley

Crystal Solace

Elaine & Felicity Castellan

Liz Castellan

Melody Weiss

Penelope Grace

Stella Beauregard

Victoria Blofis

Viola Di Angelo

Kendra

Carissa Grace

Cassandra Aelius

Melody Weiss

Penelope Grace

RWRB

Anneliese

Cate

Eileen

Margaret

Betsy

Abi

London

Lucy

Madi

Nina

Isabel

Madi

Whoverse

The Healer

Abbey Baker

Carys Harkness-Jones

Cassiopeia Harkness

Celeste Nichols

Ceridwen Lewis

Estella Tyler

Mina Ambrosia / The Scribe

Rose Harkness

Rusalia / The Oracle

Theia Wolfe

Matilda Fairbanks

Abbey Baker

Carys Harkness-Jones

Cassiopeia Harkness

Celeste Nichols

Ceridwen Lewis

Estella Tyler

Mina Ambrosia / The Scribe

Rose Harkness

Rusalia / The Oracle

Theia Wolfe

[justforbooks]

Is this the best April Fool's ever?

The news report was produced as an April Fools' Day joke in 1957, and presented a family in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland gathering a bumper spaghetti harvest after a mild winter and "virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil". Footage of a traditional "Harvest Festival" was aired along with a discussion of the breeding necessary to develop a strain to produce the perfect spaghetti noodle length. Some scenes were filmed at the (now closed) Pasta Foods factory on London Road, St Albans, in Hertfordshire, and at a hotel in Castagnola, Switzerland.

Panorama cameraman Charles de Jaeger dreamed up the story after remembering how teachers at his school in Austria teased his classmates for being so stupid that if they were told that spaghetti grew on trees, they would believe it. The editor of Panorama, Michael Peacock, told the BBC in 2014 how he gave de Jaeger a budget of £100 and sent him off. The report was made more believable through its voice-over by respected broadcaster Richard Dimbleby. Peacock said Dimbleby knew they were using his authority to make the joke work, and that Dimbleby loved the idea and went at it eagerly.

At the time, 7 million of the 15.8 million homes (about 44%) in Britain had television receivers. Pasta was not an everyday food in 1950s Britain, and it was known mainly from tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce and considered by many to be an exotic delicacy. An estimated eight million people watched the programme on 1 April 1957, and hundreds phoned in the following day to question the authenticity of the story or ask for more information about spaghetti cultivation and how they could grow their own spaghetti trees; the BBC told them to "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best".

The origins of April Fools Day are not clear but it is known that the tradition of practical joking and mischief-making dates back to Ancient Roman times.

It would appear that the festival is closely related to the coming of Spring.

Ancient Romans and Celts celebrated a festival of practical joking at about the time of the Vernal Equinox, as do millions of India's Hindus.

The French also mark 1 April but instead of April Fools they call it Poisson d'Avril (April Fish).

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[candm-brittany-2023]

Monday 1st May

Happy Mayday.

It’s a bank holiday here in France too, it’s Maguet or Labour Day.

Long associated with spring, renewal and luck, lily of the valley is given as a gift in France on 1 May, a public holiday known as La Fête du Muguet. It’s thought that the tradition of offering le muguet to family and friends can be traced back to 1561 when King Charles IX of France received a sprig of the plant’s sweetly scented, bell-shaped white flowers. Told that it would bring him luck and prosperity for the year ahead, he decided to share the good fortune by offering lily of the valley to every lady in his court, and continued to do so each year.

Lily of the valley also played a prominent role at the bals du muguet, an annual ball that was traditionally hosted throughout Europe. On this rare occasion when young people would be allowed to meet without their parents present – indeed it was the only ball of the year where parents were banned from attending – girls would wear white dresses and boys would wear a sprig of muguet as a buttonhole. A sweet Moselle wine known as the ‘boisson de mai’ (May drink) would be served for their enjoyment, and it was said that taking a sip on 1 May would guarantee happiness for the rest of the year

[chiguire]

Eden Rock

By Charles Causley

They are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden Rock: My father, twenty-five, in the same suit Of Genuine Irish Tweed, his terrier Jack Still two years old and trembling at his feet.

My mother, twenty-three, in a sprigged dress Drawn at the waist, ribbon in her straw hat, Has spread the stiff white cloth over the grass. Her hair, the colour of wheat, takes on the light.

She pours tea from a Thermos, the milk straight From an old H.P. Sauce bottle, a screw Of paper for a cork; slowly sets out The same three plates, the tin cups painted blue.

The sky whitens as if lit by three suns. My mother shades her eyes and looks my way Over the drifted stream. My father spins A stone along the water. Leisurely,

They beckon to me from the other bank. I hear them call, “See where the stream-path is! Crossing is not as hard as you might think."

I had not thought that it would be like this.

[dolphelecat]

Meanwhile the fog and darkness thickened so, that people ran about with flaring links, proffering their services to go before horses in carriages, and conduct them on their way. The ancient tower of a church, whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge out of a Gothic window in the wall, became invisible, and struck the hours and quarters in the clouds, with tremulous vibrations afterwards, as if its teeth were chattering in its frozen head up there. The cold became intense. In the main street, at the corner of the court, some labourers were repairing the gas-pipes, and had lighted a great fire in a brazier, round which a party of ragged men and boys were gathered: warming their hands and winking their eyes before the blaze in rapture. The water-plug being left in solitude, its overflowings suddenly congealed, and turned to misanthropic ice. The brightness of the shops, where holly sprigs and berries crackled in the lamp heat of the windows, made pale faces ruddy as they passed. Poulterers' and grocers' trades became a splendid joke: a glorious pageant, with which it was next to impossible to believe that such dull principles as bargain and sale had anything to do. The Lord Mayor, in the stronghold of the mighty Mansion House, gave orders to his fifty cooks and butlers to keep Christmas as a Lord Mayor's household should; and even the little tailor, whom he had fined five shillings on the previous Monday for being drunk and blood-thirsty in the streets, stirred up to-morrow's pudding in his garret, while his lean wife and the baby sallied out to buy the beef.

I forgot how good of a writer Charles Dickens is. This really brings you INTO the scene!