#chocolate covered raisin day

[murderousink23]

03/24/2024 is Palm Sunday 🌴🌎, Purim 🇮🇱, National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day 🇺🇸, National Cocktail Day 🍸🍹🇺🇸, Right to Truth Day 🇺🇳, World Tuberculosis Day 🫁🇺🇳

[seekerstone]

abt to try coffee for the first time i’ll keep you all posted. so far my thoughts r this bitch smells like there’s coffee in there

[justiisms]

"Uncle Phanty, I made you some yummy sweets! Try them, try them!!" *kaito is as excited as ever as he plops a small bowl right onto phanty's lap, it being completely filled with small, misshapen chocolate! however, if phanty were to eat one of them, he'll find that it only partially tastes like chocolate, the inside of it actually tasting like... raisin?!*

"Happy National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day! Hahaha~!!"

"Ohhh?? Now that's what I love to hear! Thank you, Kaito: of course I'll try 'em! You made these for me, after all~!" He snickers, as Phanty eagerly examines what's inside the bowl with the biggest smile on his face~ He of course doesn't mind that it's not perfectly shaped, as he instantly grabs a piece of chocolate and says: "And you made chocolates, I see! Man, you're the bleghing best~ I already know these are gonna be super good!!" Before plopping it in his mouth!!! But the moment he actually bites into it....he pauses. "....?" It wasn't as chocolatey as it seemed... But not only that, he tasted.... raisins!!! "?!"

Even he can't hide the baffled look on his face, especially when Kaito announces to him what today actually is!!! "Mmm?!?" After finishing his chocolate raisin piece, he is now squinting at Kaito as he jabs a finger into his side!!! "Yeah, yeah, yeah; "Happy " Chocolate Raisin whatever day to you, too...... Kaito!!! Can't believe.... you'd do this.... bamboozling.... your own, sweet, innocent, and pure-hearted uncle.... Now only cos of today and that you made it for me, I'll eat it all; but mark my words, Mr. Momota..... Uncle Phanty will get his vengeanceeee........"

Said "vengeance" being him yanking Kaito down, so he can give him super wild hair ruffles!!! "Taaake this, and that!!! Heh heh heeeh!!!"

[duey65]

National Cheesesteak Day - March 24

Who doesn’t love a good cheesesteak sandwich? It’s cheesy, it’s meaty, and it can also be a bit smoky if you want! Did you also know that today is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day? Mmmm I love chocolate covered raisins! But wait – today is ALSO National Cocktail Day! This sounds like a fantastic dinner! Cheesesteak to start with a nice cocktail, and chocolate covered raisins for dessert.

[cosyvelvetorchid]

Ummm..how about something fluffy with the word socks. ❤️

Thanks for the cute prompt 🩶

**********

Tommy, unsurprisingly, wasn’t exactly the most cooperative patient. He hated having to rely on others to take care of him. Especially Evan. Their relationship was still fairly new—3 months—and he didn’t fair for him to have to play nursemaid to Tommy.

But then Tommy fell out of—well, blown out of by an exploding stove —a 1st floor window and sustained a nasty concussion and a body full of bruises. The doctors had insisted on keeping him in hospital (jail) for 2 or 3 days. He’d managed to barter for time off his sentence if he promised to take at least 2 weeks off work and they agreed to keep him in for only one night.

After Evan had been convinced that Tommy wasn’t actually going to die—at least not tonight—and he could go home, he reluctantly—after begrudgingly peeling himself from Tommys body—left.

Tommy settled into his bed and after not finding anything interesting to watch on the TV hanging from corner, he ended up mindlessly watching a shopping channel. Just as he was beginning to believe that actually he did need a set of 15 cooking pans despite barely being able to make anything more complicated than a chilli, the door to his hospital room opened.

“Evan.” He whined. “I told you to go home.”

“I know, I know, and I will. I just wanted to go by your place first and pick you up a few things.” He said lifting the backpack from his shoulder and placing it on the bed

“You didn’t need to do that, babe.”

“I know. But I know how much you hate being in hospital so I thought I’d bring you some home comforts.” He unzipped the bag and began pulling things out before Tommy had the chance to argue.

“I got the basics—toothbrush, deodorant, fresh underwear, and a change of clothes for when they discharge you tomorrow. I gotcha a hoodie in case you get cold-“ Tommy couldn’t fail to notice it was one of Evan’s ones—the light blue one he’d worn when Maddie and Howie got married. He chose to not mention it—he knew he’d fall asleep in his hospital bed with his face snuggled into it. “The book you’re in the middle of reading and ooh-“ He looked around to make sure nobody nurses were around “-I’ve hidden a bag of those chocolate covered raisins you like at the bottom of the bag.”

Tommy was a little annoyed that Evan had gone out of his way to do this, but he couldn’t deny the adoring look on Evan’s face when he was trying to take care of him. Tommy could argue the point and tell it wasn’t necessary, but Evan seemed so genuinely happy to share this small act of kindness, he couldn’t take that away from him.

“Thank you, babe. I appreciate it.” He reached into the bag to snag the raisins and instead handled something soft. He pulled out a pair of thick black fluffy socks.

“Oh.” Evan said nervously. “I forgot I’d put them in there.”

“Socks?”

“Th-they’re my, uh.. magic socks.” He replied; a flush of embarrassment flushed across his cheeks. Tommy raised an eyebrow.

“Magic socks?”

“Y-yeah. Well, I mean.. that’s what Maddie used to call them when I-i was a kid. Whenever I was sick or hurt—which, you know, was a lot—she’d always patch me up and-and if I was upset she’d give me a pair of her fluffy socks to wear; said they were magic socks designed to make me feel better. Obviously, she was just trying to make me feel better and it was just the placebo effect, but whenever I wore them I did feel a little better. So I brought you mine to-“

“..to make me feel better.” Tommy finished. Tommy felt the fondness for his boyfriend thick in his throat. Nobody had ever cared enough about him to do something so little, yet so full of care. He’d never met anybody who so consistently showed him such affection. His insides—doing as they had continually done over the last 3 months—turned to goo at Evan’s loving gesture.

“I love you, Evan.”

They hadn’t said it yet. Tommy was sure he’d felt it within the first month but didn’t want to pressure Evan while he was the one setting the pace. But he couldn’t hold it in any longer. He needed Evan to know how much this gesture meant to him.

“It’s okay if you don’t-“

Evan stepped closer to the hospital bed and took Tommy’s face gently in his hands and kissed him. Just a few chaste kisses, but Tommy felt every tiniest bit of affection Evan had for him.

“I love you too..” he smiled softly, running a delicate hand through Tommys hair.

“Yeah?” He couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah.” Evan nodded delivering another kiss.

“Good.” Tommy decided. “Will you do one thing for me?”

“Anything, Tommy.” He smiled.

“Go home!”

[jilixthinker]

pillow puppy

=͟͟͞♡ seungmin × fem!reader

=͟͟͞♡ domestic and kinky christmas

word count: 3.1 K

content warning: smut, explicit sexual content, established relationship, sub!seungmin, dom!fem reader, puppy kink, pet play, puppy play, pet names, dumbification, nipple play, unprotected sex (piv), they are in love your honour

a/c: i confessed to my irl friends that i feel things for soft puppy seungmin with braces and i've been told i am insane, so i'm posting this here because i know someone will understand my madness my reasons. enjoy ♡

=͟͟͞♡ please, consider reblogging if you like my works!

"Noona, I am so tired".

Seungmin is splayed on the sofa, his head pressed on his favorite puppy pillow, the one that you gave him last Christmas with soft velvet ears on it. The same pillow he pretended to be upset about because "I am not your dog under any circumstance noona", but that quickly became his support item, bringing it with him any time he had to sleep away from home. His long legs, wrapped in his comfiest sweats, are crossed under you, a fluffy duvet covering them and offering you a soft support for your head.

"Minnie, we did literally nothing all afternoon" you sigh, twisting you head a bit to catch a glimpse of him. His fingers are slowly working on your scalp, braiding lazily your hair and combing it behind your ears. He is been doing that for a few minutes now and you are starting to feel a little bit sleepy.

"I know, but we've been working like crazy lately. Just two days off are not enough to restore our energy".

Seungmin is right. You both work in the complaint deparment of a big toy store and, being now Christmas just around the corner, you have been literally living inside your own offices. Even if you technically work in the same building, you have separated work places and this results in you seeing each other just at home, late at night.

This is your first day off after two long weeks, and you decided to spend it together in the way you most enjoy, staying home and watching your favorite tv show while napping on your big couch. You baked cookies after lunch, and the smell of raisins and cinnamon is still lingering in the air. You are currently on your sixth episode of your show, two mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the tv table in front of you, still too hot for you to drink them.

"I know baby. It's been really stressful. I've been missing you a lot".

Seungmin shifts a little on the couch to sit properly, gently making you lean with your back against his chest. His arms link around your tummy in a soft hug while he rests his head on top of yours, quiet puffs of air moving your hair.

"We have two days for ourselves now. I missed you like crazy too. I hate doing stuff by myself, you know. And also eating at my desk alone. I just want to share my food with you all the time".

You coo sweetly, making him scrunch his nose.

"Minnie you know I hate that seaweed stew you make from the bottom of my heart", you tease him, snuggling more on his chest and letting your head fall against his shoulder.

"Okay, is this the reward for my love? You know I cringe so bad when I say sweet stuff like this and you still make fun of me. You are mean, noona".

He laughs and dips the tip of his nose in your hair, breathing the perfume of your shampoo mixed with the cookies scent.

It's always been like this with the two of you. you've been together for years now, but the scenario never changed. Seungmin pretends to hate romance and sweet talk, but he is always the first one initiating it, exactly like he also pretends to hate when you make fun of him, but he ends up squirming and laughing and kissing you softly as a response to your teasing.

"Oh no, my poor precious baby, don't pout. You know I love my puppy's homecooked meals".

You giggle, amused by the direction your talk is taking and you scooch with your hips until you are lying completely on your boyfriend's chest, warmth spreading heavenly on your body.

Seungmin stays quiet and squeezes you in his arms a little bit more, brushing your cheek with his forehead, without answering to your joke.

"Min?" you ask, moving yourself slightly to turn your head and look at him.

When he raises his gaze to look at you, you find him blushing furiously, cheeks as red as mature apples and shy eyes, and the realization hits you. Oh, okay, this is what we are playing.

To be completely honest, this is not the first time you joke around calling Seungmin your puppy just to see him all squirmy and flustered, far from it. But it usually ends with him blabbering nothings in a frown and you peppering kisses on his face until he smiles wide, all teeth and braces. But it's been a couple of stressful weeks, as you said. And since you had no time to spend with each other except for the hours you were sleeping together at night, you didn't consider that your boyfriend, even as serious and uptight as he might seem, could be a little pent up.

Usually the dynamics between the two of you are solidly established, and Seungmin has never been embarassed to show you his submissive side, even at the beginning of your relationship. Overtime, both of you simply fell in the roles you were more comfortable with, and you really love his sweet tendency of being pliant and malleable under you. But, even if you experimented a lot in bed, talking openly about your own preferences and possible kinks that you might have, you have never addressed pet play per se, having never crossed your mind Seungmin would ever consider it.

And now, ta-dah, just a couple of dry weeks for the two of you and, out of the blue, what you did a billion times before without any problem, suddenly becomes concrete. Seungmin is currently still red and flushed and he is pressing your body against his, helped by the position you are on and the fact that you are squished firmly agains the sofa with your warm duvet covering you.

"Minnie, baby" you starts hesitantly, twisting you head a little more and readjusting yourself to face him completely, "are you okay? Did I bother you?" you ask him slowly.

If you have to do this you have to be completely, one hundred percent sure, that you are seeing things right and he is fully on board with this. But Seungmin is gripping at your hips like his life depends on it and his breathe is now beginning to be slightly herratic while he looks at you with the glassiest eyes.

"Noona..." he hiccups, frowning a bit and hiding his face on the crook of your neck. His hands are steady and firm on the fabric of your hoodie and he pulls it a little, hugging you completely.

"Baby boy", you whisper, disentagling your arms from his tight embrace to bring them on his shoulders, slowly starting to massage the upper part of his back. "Minnie" you kiss his temple and run the fingers on the feverish skin above the hem of his shirt. "Puppy", you try again, lowering your head and nibbling the lobe of his ear, sucking it into your mouth.

He moans loudly, falling completely on your body and starting to tremble against your chest. You hum pleasantly, tracing the shell of his ear with your tongue before pulling with your fingers a few locks of his hair, distancing his face from yours. Seungmin is completely wrecked already, tears forming at the corner of his eyes and lips parted, the metal of his braces tickling the soft skin of his mouth. He is truly a vision like this, all flushed and just yours, ready to take everything that you are gonna give him and to be pleasured the way he knows you will do.

You look at him fondly, slowly caressing his face with your thumbs and dragging them to his cupid bow, pinching it and then smearing the little bit of saliva collected there.

"My angel... I've been neglecting you for so long, isn't it true? What a bad owner I am, having such a nice puppy at home and leaving him alone for the longest time".

Seungmin keens at the words, closing his eyes and pushing his hips against yours, fully sitting on your lap now.

"But now I have you all for me, mh? Now I have all the time of the world to play with my sweet puppy. I am gonna give him all the things that he wants, I will make up for the time I lost".

You take your boyfriend's chin on the palm of your hand and you close the distance between the two of you, your lips brushing lightly on his. You can hear Seungmin panting, struggling to breathe properly and you could swear you can feel the beats of his heart loudly pumping blood inside his chest.

"And now? Are you gonna greet me for coming back home to play with you, mh?"

Seungmin, completely uncapable of talking, nods quickly, swallowing the pool of saliva on his mouth and he waits for your soothing voice to tell him what to do now.

"Good puppy, my good boy. I was sure. You will listen me very well, right? You will do everything I ask you".

Seungmin moans deeply. You can feel his cock throbbing under the fabric of his sweats, painfully constricted and pressed against your clothed cunt. Your tone is sickenly sweet and it makes his head light, his body feeling sticky and warm with arousal. He finds the power to nod one more time, thrusting his hips just a little, as if he was trying to contain himself.

"That's what I was thinking. I will do all the work for you, okay? You just have to obey. Don't even have to think anymore. Just empty that cute puppy head of yours and listen to me".

Seungmin doesn't even have to agree to this, his brain so floaty already that he feels almost like passing out from the embarassment and the hot feeling spreading all over his aching body. He mewls cutely when you take his face between your hands and he looks at you as if you were the only thing anchoring him to the real world.

"Open your mouth for me, puppy".

As soon as he hears you speaking, his body immediately reacts at your commands. He parts his swollen lips and his tongue automatically lolls out. You smile, humming your approval, and you bring your thumb inside his mouth, caressing his muscle until he is cutely gagging around your digit.

"Oh no, puppy, your tongue is so wet... you are drooling all over yourself. What can we do?"

Seungmin hiccups and trembles above you, losing all the control over his lower limbs. He feels like exploding and, without even wanting, he messily grinds his hips, humping once your leg. You are quick to tsk and shake your head, gripping his hips and keeping them still, pushing your covered core up against his hardened cock instead. He is so hard that you can distinctly feel his engorged head even under the layer of his pants, all puffy and swollen and wet, a small patch decorating the front.

"Oh-please... ah-p-please".

You keep maneuvering him like a doll, until you are satisfied with the position, with him straddling one of your leg, the tip of his spongy cock all pressed against your warm cunt. Then you look at him with fake disappointment.

"My sweet angel... I thought puppies didn't speak, or do they? I think I'll have to keep your pretty mouth occupied with something else then".

You make yourself enough space to take off your hoodie and shirt together, throwing them somewhere on the floor near the couch. Seungmin's eyes lay on your breasts, covered by a filmsy old bra that you usually wear just at home, making your nipples perk out of the fabric.

"You wanna suck on them, right Minnie? Puppy's gonna keep drooling if he doesn't put his mouth at use".

You unclip your bra with one hand, and one of your tits pops out, escaping from the constraint of the cotton. Seungmin whines patetically and he circles his hips on your thigh, precum leaking out from his pants and staining your sweats as well.

When you pull off completely the indument, your hand finds Seungmin's hair, pulling him towards your breasts and letting him face them, but still keeping him from touching them.

With a long sigh you let his hair go and Seungmin looks up to you, begging you with his watery eyes to let him do something.

"Go ahead, pup, lick", you concede eventually.

Seungmin wastes no time and he frantically attaches his mouth at one of your hardened nubs, cupping the breast with both of his hands and suffocating himself on it. He starts to quickly suck on your nipple as he was trying to drink from it, moaning and drooling while the room is filled with squelching and wet sounds from all the spit he is producing.

"Mh... my sweet boy, my good boy. Sucking on me like the pup he is. Go on, baby, make a mess, I want you to soak me with your spit. Making me so wet you cannot even tell the difference between my tits and my pussy".

Seungmin cries on your breast, the sound muffled by your skin, and he keep sucking your nipple messily, hands firm and hard on your tit, massaging it and stopping just to take fat licks on the skin below, drool all over your stomach and tummy, wetting the elastic of your pants.

You feel your pussy pulsating and throbbing on your panties, slick gushing rentlessly out of it and probably covering the fabric of the sofa as well. Seungmin's cock is rock hard over you, the fat tip already pocking out of his underwear band because of his movements.

You bring your hand to the hem of his pants and you lower them even more, Seungmin's cock finally springing free from the cotton. As soon as he feels the air hitting his aching muscle, Seungmin keens and bite softly at your nipple.

"Puppy, ah- you are making a mess for real... look at you, you don't even know how to move. Too dumb and sweet to do anything".

Your words make him squirm on your chest and he starts to wetly hump your abdomen, thick cock sliding on the skin of your tummy, completely drenched from all his saliva.

"Pup, you have to stop or you're gonna cum on my chest... I can feel you dripping already".

You take your hand to his cock and you fist him steadily, slick gushing out of his slit so much that it looks like he cummed already, covering your fingers with precum and making the most obscene sound.

Seungmin's legs shake violently and he lets out the more devastated sound you ever heard coming out of his mouth, tears finally spilling from his eyes and mouth hanging open.

"AH- ah mh pleas-ah please oh god oh GOD please please p-please ah mh".

At this point every second spent in torturing him is torturing you as well, so you start to jerk him off quickly, his tip bumping on your belly button at every stroke and his whines becoming sobs when you use your other hand to cup his balls and massage them.

"Pup, you have so much cum to give me, I feel it, you are so tight. I want you to pump me full until I am dripping. Can you do it? I am so wet, puppy, you can just slide in".

You stop touching him to get rid of the rest of your clothes and Seungmin almost screams at the lack of pressure on him.

"Don't cry baby, I want you too. I want you so much, look".

You schimmy your panties and you let them fall on the floor, opening your legs in front of him and bringing two of your fingers to your entrance, spreading your lips to make him see the quantity of slick gushing out of your hole, thighs trembling a bit for the position.

"See, pup? See how wet you made me? Wanna feel how wet I am inside too? Come here, puppy. Take your fat dumb cock and fuck me open. My puppy didn't fuck me for the longest time and now I am so tight, so wet for him. Two pumps and I will be full".

Seungmin moans loudly at your words and, sniffling from pleasure, he takes his cock on his hand and brushes the head against your folds, juices covering his shaft immediately while he pushes it inside. Your pussy ingulfs the tip and he falls on you, shaking and crying.

You moan at the pleasant stretch, bringing your hands to the small of his back and pushing him against you, letting his throbbing cock all inside of you in just one thrust.

"AH, I am - mh - I-I'm not - ah - Minnie's not - ah".

Seungmin sighs on your neck, hips beginning to pound without a rythm, and you know what he is trying to say.

"I'm not gonna last either pup, you made me so close, I am going to cum already".

You grip his hips and try to keep them steady to regulate his pushes, but he is so lost in pleasure that he continues to slam himelf into you messily, pounding hard and burying himself into your tight heath.

It takes just one more minute for him to start to lose it completely. Your pussy and thighs completely wet by now and his cock bumping on your cervix at every thrust.

When he pulls out almost completely and his soggy tip squelches your clit, you come with a loud moan, your cunt all drooly and pink and leaking all of your release, squeezing his cock just right. Seungmin keeps your legs wide open and he slams into you two more times before pulling out and cumming all over your pussy with a whiny sob, painting you white with his cum and soaking you even more.

He collapses on you without even breathing, your warm and sticky bodies glued together in a tight embrace. You spend a few minutes hugged like this, not worrying about how gross you are right now, but just catching breath and kissing lazily on your lips.

"I love you" you whisper softly, pushing his sweaty hair away from his forehead.

"I love you too noona. So much" he murmurs "but..."

"But what?" you look at him, frowning.

"... but that puppy pillow is now ruined forever for me" he sighs in shame.

©️ jilixthinker, 2023. please do not copy, translate, or republish my works anywhere.

[carionto]

Down the hatch!

Reginald was staring at the ingredients before him, all technically under the "edible by Humans" category, and grimaced. One of the Coalition aliens asked what was wrong.

"I got this running bet with Julie from accounting, whoever can make a snack with legal ingredients to make the other puke gets half of the others' vacation days. We're on round four and she almost got me last time. Now it's my turn and she hasn't even flinched from any of my previous attempts. I swear that woman has a stomach of steel. Um, not literally, a figure of speech."

The Alien nodded and noted it down on a lengthy list. Glancing at the ingredients closer, they asked Reginald what they have used in the previous "snacks".

"Uhh, let's see. The first was cookies made with Yarvonian Toadstool flour, Hla'Enkri Lizafalo Eggs, something I can't pronounce but look like pink-yellow raisins, water from, actually, Your planet of Vriel, and coated in Cortix hatching ooze."

To the Vrielian, all of that sounded like quite a splendid combination. They asked to see what else Reginald had used in detail.

"Sure, but I really went all out every time. I just don't get it. I even overcooked the second batch of fried Jalbronian Ticks, and practically served raw slop last time. I don't know what to do!"

Just as they suspected. Reginald had not used a single ingredient from Human cuisine.

"Why would I do that? We're both Humans."

Yes, and Humans are pretty much the only ones who maintain foods that are actively hostile to their own bodies, or provide such a minuscule amount of nutrients or vitamins to be effectively worthless.

"Huh... now that you mention it, the rules didn't say anything about that.

Goddammit! I could've had this in the bag from the start! Give me a sec."

He proceeded to rapidly create a concoction with milk chocolate, vinegar, oats, oysters, peppermint, liver paste, and butter. After a brief period in the oven, and covering it in onion juice, it was done.

"Thanks for the help. Those vacation days are mine! Muhahahahaa!"

As Reginald ran off, the Vrielian wondered why he didn't taste test it first, and if he actually ever did any of his other "creations". The curios ways a mind can be so focused as to miss what seems most obvious.

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

We need to talk about the most important thing yet, what their favorite Junk food? And I mean the family...

For this ask, we gotta head back into the modern Jake Sully wheelchair au.

Jake and Neytiri are health freaks.

I've said before, they like to do all sorts of things. Before they had children they were spontaneous backpackers and thrill seekers, attempting to do the most all the time. It was like all about proving to everyone (and also Jake) that he could still do anything anyone else could, but also about Neytiri getting out and seeing the world instead of being stuck at home.

That being said, Jake can really fuck up a bag of cape cod potato chips. Not as unhealthy as other junk food, and so classic American.

Neytiri is one of those bastards that gets raisins as a treat for the movies. Nature's candy and all that. She has a weakness for chocolate though, specifically those lindor ones with the soft insides. She'll only ever have like one or two, and one time Jake bought her chocolate covered raisins and almonds and it was over. If those are in the house she will sniff them out like a bloodhound.

Neteyam likes takis, because he is cultured and has taste.

Kiri is also a chocolate covered almonds person, but she also really likes hot cheetos.

Lo'ak threw up in the car once after eating a fuck ton of hot cheetos, and now he can't even look at them without getting nauseous. It's half the reason Kiri likes hot cheetos. In retaliation, he likes those absolutely disgusting beef jerky sticks, because Kiri is a vegetarian and the smell makes her loose her hot cheeto appetite.

Spider is regular and doesn't base his favorites around the hatred of his siblings. He just also likes takis, but has to compete with Neteyam subtly by only eating the blue heat ones. Neteyam is weak for liking the regular ones better.

Tuk likes almost all junk food, but she is particularly fond of marshmallows burnt to an almost inedible crisp. Lo'ak makes them best.

Mo'at and Sylwanin think Neytiri is not fully appreciating the fun that is junk food. This is a battle Sylwanin fights daily, as Tsu'tey is also a raisin man. He and Neytiri could hold seminars on the destructive junk food industry. That being said, he prefers a dried mango strip to raisins any day. Dried apricots? He goes crazy. His guilty pleasure is definitely the occasional sugary cocktail though. Jake, Tsu'tey, and Eytukan could DEMOLISH some boxed wine, they could get absolutely smashed on only Sex on the Beaches. Margaritas, Dirty Shirleys, Sangria, any super colorful ladies drink: that is their shit. If it has little squares of fruit and a tiny umbrella in it, the night is going sideways.

Mo'at is partial to those little chocolate nut clusters, you know the ones. Those really delicious ones. She also is one of those grandmas with bowls full of candy all over the house, and is constantly popping tictacs.

Sylwanin (who prefers a strong whiskey, or maybe a shot of fireball, to a sugary cocktail) enjoys sour patch kids. She is more of a sour person than a sweet one. Jake has said this before, and she tipped him from his chair into the pool. Neytiri didn't speak to her for the rest of the day because he could've not been ready and been hurt, but Jake laughed so hard pool water came out his nose.

Eytukan likes those little chocolate peppermint candies, the Andes ones. He has the best taste of all, I'm telling you.

[missbubblesoda]

early in the morning, especially when it rains, and a little before noon. (10)

erwin x fem!reader

chapters: (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (11) | (12) | (13) | (14) | (15) | (16) | (17) | (18) | (19) | (20) | (21) | (22) | (23) | (24) | (25) | (26) | (27) | (28) | (29) | (30)

summary: I basically took Isayama’s work, forced it into a romance story, and made Erwin the love interest. Commander meets cadet and they fall in love (not instantly though)

notes: very berry canonverse (but some events were modified to fit my narrative), wasn’t intended to be this long, but it all is in the details right?

content warnings: smut where it fits (or where I make it fit. Also, reader is NOT underage, so likewise, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, please.) slow burn (I really mean it. I’m not olympic diving into any form of smut for the first chapters.) no angst. I dislike angst. I would never. I could never. (Although angst can be somewhat subjective so take it with a grain of salt?)

wc: 2.3k

The holidays had always been your favorite time of the year. You never waited for the first snowfall in order to start daydreaming about generously spiced cookies and thick, melted chocolate. When it came to fantasizing about buttery batters rich in raisins, and biscuits dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon, you were always months ahead everyone you knew.

But the holidays weren’t just about desserts. You also craved the savory dishes your mother laid out on the dinner table, and the equally warm conversations that always came along with them. You craved the familiar sight of your parents sitting by the fire, your father, indulging in his favorite book, and your mother, in a steaming cup of chocolate. You always kept them company, from your favorite spot by the window, where the sight was just as comforting and homey. You enjoyed looking at the white, thick blanket that covered the narrow streets, and the yellow lights that glowed through the neighboring windows. You liked to think that inside those houses people were also enjoying good food and a good laugh in good company.

Everything about the winter holidays was warm and homemade, and that’s exactly why you had never spent a single one away from home. Even during the three years you lived at the training camp, you always made sure to be back home with your family by the time the holidays rolled around. And this year would be no different.

And so, for weeks now, you had been counting the days, as it was tradition. Only that this year, it had felt more like a back-to-school countdown than anything else. ‘Anxiety’ and ‘reluctance’ had replaced ‘anticipation’, in both the sentences you wrote in your journal every night, as well as in your mind. However, you weren’t surprised. Not when the obvious reason was on the other side of the door you were about to knock on.

You lifted a hand and gave the hardwood a couple of tentative taps. He told you there was no need to announce yourself before coming in, but it was already way past working hours, and you weren’t sure he would still be awake.

When you heard his familiar voice, your heart lightened a little. Leaving without seeing him, at least one more time, would be as ridiculous as going to the doctor and leaving before receiving treatment.

You pushed the door open and, as soon as he saw you, he rose from the couch he had been lounging on. If the swiftness of his movement and the tentative smile now present on his lips were anything to go by, he was just as surprised to see you as you were to find him wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a white shirt, partially unbuttoned.

Your nails dug deep into your own skin, all while wishing it was his instead. His bolo tie was discarded on a nearby table, and so were the straps of his gear. The flames dancing in the fireplace behind him, and the steam coming from the mug placed beside the chess board, made it feel as if you were stepping into something intimate and personal. What you had before you, was a sight deserving of a dozen diary entries, and you knew you would write them once you were back home. For now, and for the sake of your own sanity you decided to focus your attention strictly on his eyes instead.

“Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt you, commander, but I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning and…” Your nails buried deeper into your flesh, as if testing to see if you had the courage to say it. “I wanted to see you before that.”

You stared directly into his eyes. There was a certain boldness that only became available to you once darkness descended, a certain notion that whatever impulsive actions were committed under the moon didn’t really matter, because their consequences would reset come morning anyway. That’s why ghosts waited for the sun to leave in order to haunt forests, and so did the howling of wolves. And maybe that was also the reason why your honesty didn’t exactly bother you. Your feet had brought you there to see him. There were no papers he needed to sign, no questions you needed to ask, no tea or cookies you wanted to bring him. No tricks or excuses up your sleeve. He was the only purpose of your visit.

“I’ll confess your absence has me worried already.” He started making his way to you as a playful smile graced his lips. “I don’t know what I’ll do without those butter biscuits and hot tea in the afternoon, but,” you couldn’t help but notice that the innocent crinkle in his eyes didn’t match the picture his exposed collarbones and prominent Adam’s apple were painting, “I’ll try to survive without you.”

Me too. “I’m pretty sure you’ll be just fine without me, commander.” Now that he was close enough, you noticed he smelled like all your favorite spices, and the tinge of cherry on his lips told you it was probably mulled wine in his mug.

“That’s debatable.” His voice sounded several octaves lower than usual, and you didn’t need to time travel to know that you would be missing it for the upcoming weeks. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Go ahead.” You replied, happy to cling on to anything that would help you put off your departure.

“That night, at your doorstep. What was it that you wanted to tell me?”

His eyes were so different in moments like these, when it was just the two of you. It was as if the 13th commander of the Survey Corps was gone, and the only one left in his place was Erwin Smith, the blond man who loved chess, boring history books, and sweet afternoon treats. The owner of those distinctive eyebrows and those sapphire eyes that, right now, were drilling into you, all your emotional walls and reservations, with such piercing vulnerability. If it were anyone else you would drop your gaze, but with him, you were drawn closer instead.

“So much.” You took a deep breath, the type that usually precedes a long speech or a lengthy confession. “For one, I don’t understand why everyone here likes ale so much, and I have no idea how ODM gear works either.” As the words left your mouth, your feet diligently worked on closing the distance between your bodies. “I think I cheated on a test once, and performed so poorly on my physical examinations I almost failed all of them.” His lips twitched slightly, as if wanting to form a smile but stopping halfway in fear of interrupting the flow of your ideas. “I cry at least once a month, especially when I’m bored.” And in that moment, boredom seemed such a foreign and absurd concept, because how was it possible for anyone to be bored when the world had such wonderful views to offer, like his shirt and the way it clung to his body, for example. The fabric was close enough to show the shape of his chest, and unbuttoned enough to unveil skin generously sprinkled with light brown hair. “I’m completely clueless when it comes to chess and I hate to think that I will never be able to impress you in a game.” In such intimate space, the air was even more infused with his cologne, making it all the more difficult to breathe. “I spend too much time in my head, overthinking everything. But oddly enough, the only thing I can never think too much about is you. It is never enough.” Your fingers found his hand at the same moment his eyes found your lips. “Commander, nobody thinks about you as much as I do.” You interlaced your fingers with his. “Not while doing the things I do.”

For a while, the snapping of firewood was the only thing breaking the silence of the night, as he stared into your eyes, and his hand held yours firmly. But then his lips parted slightly.

“Well, for one, you don’t need chess to impress me.” With his other hand, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear before cupping your cheek. “I can’t guarantee I can make boredom disappear, but I’d be delighted to give it a try whenever you need me to.” His thumb stroked your skin lovingly, and his gaze, his touch, as well as his words, all felt like the warmest of cardigans. “There are many young men here thinking about my assistant the way I do. I’ve seen how their eyes follow her, how they linger on her. And I know that look all too well myself.” You could almost feel the rising and falling of his chest against you, and you wondered where had all the oxygen in the room gone. “But I must admit it satisfies me to know they don’t get to have her as close as I do everyday, and especially not as close as I do right now.” His thumb caressed your bottom lip softly, the same kind of gentle squeeze farmers give peaches when trying to tell if they are ripe enough. “Sweet, we like ale because it’s sweet, and also quite nutritious. And on that note, I would explain more about that, as well as how the ODM gear works, but that would take too long, and I really want to kiss you right now.”

You knew that sensation. You had felt it before. It used to happen quite often when you were a child, around this same time of the year. When you woke up, and ran downstairs to find all the presents you had been waiting a whole year for, all of them beautifully wrapped. Excitement filling you up completely and seeping through your lips as you smiled. As you smiled in anticipation of the wonderful time you had ahead.

“But, commander, I thought chess helped you stay away from impulsive decisions.” You used a playful tone to match the beaming grin you were now wearing, as you signaled to the chess board he had been giving all his attention to before you stepped into the room.

“This is anything but impulsive.” He assured you before finally closing the distance between your lips. And you were glad his arms were around you, holding you tightly, because there was no way your legs could, not anymore. Not when his lips were finally moving against yours.

It was mulled wine in his mug, for sure. He tasted like cinnamon and anise, like oranges and honey, spiced with a little bit of brandy. It felt like a summer, a wonderful one, spent under lemon trees; like a rogue spring night in late July. His kiss was smoky, mixing in with the smell of burnt wood and the sweetness of his cologne. His lips were soft, and so was his bristly chin, rubbing against your skin. And you decided this was your new favorite sensation.

His lips moved slowly and gently against yours. He kissed you like this was the only chance he had, like he would never get to do it again, almost as if you were a character in some dream he would soon wake up from. His lips and his hands confirmed in their soft, silent way that this hadn’t been impulsive at all.

His tongue, or rather the sudden appearance of it, elicited a moan, that made you feel as if you were whispering in a library. There were rooms nearby, and in the quiet of the night you knew any sound you made would be magnified, but you couldn’t help yourself, not when his tongue was drawing such delicious patterns inside your mouth. Oh his tongue, turns out it was just as skilled at kissing as it was at forming words.

You didn’t know how long you had been kissing him. It could be a minute or ten or even a century. You didn’t really care. And even though your lips were starting to feel sore, you had no intentions of stopping. Your palms were resting on the toned muscles of his chest, as the slow movements of his tongue patiently unraveled what little remained of your self-control. And whatever little remained was finally lost when his big, curious hands ventured a little beyond the small of your back, making you moan again. Loudly, this time. The same kind of sound you would make when biting into a juicy peach on a scorching summer day. And it all made you aware of the painful discomfort present between your legs. It was hurting like never before. It hurt from thinking about him, naked, hovering over you, strands of gold sticking to his forehead. And most importantly, it hurt from craving to be filled up by him.

And so, despite feeling like you could kiss him forever, you pulled away slowly. He was looking at you through heavy eyelids, his lips were red, a little swollen, and glistening with your saliva. You smiled at your work, the same type of smile artists give their sculptures once they’re finished. And you couldn’t help but think about how wrong you had been on that day in the forest: you didn’t want to fuck him, you wanted to make love with him.

“Commander, touch me.” Your words didn’t seem to register with him, because all he did was staring at your eyes. So you decided to guide his hand under your skirt, and between your legs, where you needed him the most. “I want you to touch me right here.”

“I’m not sure I should.” He said before pulling his hand away.

-

next chapter

taglist: @elnyrae @angelaevangelion @depitaangeline @ynackerman9499 @afatalheat @pumpkin-toffee @velouria17 @gassytritis

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Oh my god oh my god I need to know what Dick’s reaction is when he realizes Bruce and assistant! reader are together he’s such a precious child

"Bruce," Dick pouted, "You JUST went on a date."

"And?"

"Gotham needs us to-"

"Yes, Master Richard," Alfred intoned, handing Bruce his cufflinks, "But Miss Y/N would be very put out if he canceled on her again this week."

"So it's a work thing?" Dick said screwing up his face in distaste.

"No," Bruce chuckled, ruffling his hair, "It's a dinner thing. And maybe a museum thing, I haven't decided."

"Doesn't she get enough of listening to you talk all day?" Dick huffed. "I thought she already had a date tonight?"

"Dick-"

"No, no, Master Bruce," Alfred chuckled, "Give it a second."

And like clock work, Bruce can see the tumblers clicking into place and Dick grinned at him, "Are you gonna kiss her because-"

"Whether I kiss her or not," Bruce said, chucking him under the chin with a laugh, "is not anything you need to worry about."

"But if you don't kiss her hows she supposed to know you like her? Adam at school said you're supposed to-"

"Adam also told you ants taste like chocolate covered raisins," Bruce snorted, "So I highly doubt he's any sort of authority."

"Do I have to call her mom?" Dick mused. "And can she bake cookies?"

"No," Bruce said, "And I don't know. I've never asked her." He bent and kissed the top of Dick's head, "Be good. Don't stay up too late. It's a school night."

"I stay up late all the time!" Dick protested at Bruce's back as he strode out of the bedroom.

"Yeah," Bruce called over his shoulder, "And your teacher told me we have to replace your math book from you drooling on it."

[murderousink23]

03/24/2023 is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day 🍫🇺🇲, National Cocktail Day 🍹🇺🇲, Right to Truth Day 🇺🇳, World Tuberculosis Day 🇺🇳

[freddie-77-ao3]

For The Children That’ll Never Grow (Hope Should Have Left Humanity)

(clips)

In the Gardens of Bacchus, long after Reyna has left them, Octavian and Jason stay, drinking cold hot chocolate. Jason is putting on a show, making lightning mimic campers. At one point, he loses control, and a grapevine catches fire. They watch as it burns to ash. 

Octavian traces his spine with a finger, pulls in for a kiss, and whispers in his ear, you are capable of such beautiful destruction. 

From Octavian, it must be true. 

~~~~

On the way to Orthys, Octavian insists on sitting by his side. Jason leans into his touch. This may be the last time he sees his… his Octavian alive. 

Jason murmurs, “What if we fail?” against Octavian’s skin, barely audible in the frenzied sedan. But the way Octavian tenses means Jason knows that he’d heard it. 

Octavian swallows a lump in his throat. “It’ll end in fire. But, Jay, we won’t be the ones to burn.”

They’ll be dead. The Twelfth legion will be dead long before the mortal world begins burning. Jason’s throat bobs. “Yeah. I, uh, I love you, Tavi.”

“Love you too, Jay.” They sit in silence the rest of the drive.

They stay in silence after the drive too. When the fourteen year old is made Praetor, raised on the shield, still covered in the sticky ichor of the titans and the blood of the last Praetor. 

When Octavian has to guide him away from the bunks Jason has lived in since he was five. Has to wrangle him into the shower, carefully caressing scabs and still open cuts. 

Because these two boys are fourteen, and they love each other. These two boys are fourteen, and they have no idea what’s coming.

~~~

Sometimes, Jason likes it when he cries. The tears blur his sight, until he can pretend even airplanes are shooting stars across the night sky. 

When he wishes on them, it’s always for the same thing. For a family. For a sister (his sister, buried beneath tree branches, untouchable and locked away). A mother and a father too if he is lucky. 

~~~

Octavian lays down next to him on his bed in the Praetor’s room. He traces the nape of his neck. “You, Jason Grace, have been cursed with a great raisin d’etre. But it’s okay. You’ll live, you’ll survive.” Octavian doesn’t add that he only knows that Jason will survive longer than he will, and that Octavian will likely be dead before two years are out. Doesn’t add that from what Octavian has seen of Jason’s death, it is creeping closer, closer, close too. 

~~~

When Octavian gets cold, he gets cold. He gets cold deep in his bones, where it doesn’t leave for weeks. Jason found it funny, once, back when they were ten or so, because Octavian looked like a goddamned marshmallow, wrapped up in three pairs of pants, 2 shirts, a sweater, and a jacket. (And don’t even get him started on the socks). 

The point is, it was funny once, how much Octavian dreaded the cold. Once. Just not anymore. Because Octavian doesn’t care about the cold. Jason can see him shivering on his father’s altar at all hours of the day, but when Jason tries to persuade him to come down, he just… doesn’t. He says there’s no time.

Time for what? He had asked once, laughing. War’s over, Tavi. We have nothing but time. 

Octavian had scowled. Had told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. Then, he had pressed a knife into Jason’s hand, and told him to go stay in his room. 

Why? Tavi, we’re fine. War’s over, we survived. It isn’t over, he had responded, not yet.

~~~

"I need to sleep." Reyna admits, because she's always been able to advocate for herself. It's also her saying that she's overwhelmed, not that Octavian would judge her for simply saying it. "But call if you need me."

He won’t. Jason Grace is missing– possibly dead. But Octavian can’t tell Reyna this. Can’t tell anyone. Because that makes it all real, and if it’s real, Octavian can’t stand himself. So it isn’t real. Simple as that. 

[lonelycowgirls]

Scared

Hey guys! Here we are again ✨

So, this is a long, angsty piece of work that I've been drafting for quite a while. I'm not sure where my inspiration came from, but I do like to write and explore deeper aspects of relationships and life. I really hope this doesn't rub anyone up the wrong way. These things happen every day and I for one feel very lucky to live in a country that operates on a pro-choice basis, for the most part. Whatever keeps a person alive and healthy is what I think is the priority. I won't get into the politics of it all, I'm purely reflecting life and its complex feelings and emotions through art.

Nevertheless, this is a part of Stella and Harry's story - it's entirely fictional and has nothing to do with the real people. I hope you all take it that way.

I also hope you enjoy reading it.

Nel x

WARNINGS | Unwanted Pregnancy | Adult Language | Minors DNI | Lots of Angst

Word count: 6.6k

2014

“Ah sweet, Emma put out the chocolate-covered raisins I asked her for,” Harry waltzed in from his rehearsal into the canteen area set up for the band and crew. He was beaming at the buffet table spread out before them, a child-like energy still so prevalent even at the age of 20. Stella had been staring into the bowl of potato salad for God knows how long by that point. “Y’alright, babe?” He nudged her side while popping a handful of the dried fruit sweets into his mouth.

“Yeah…” Stella glanced up at him before turning away and walking over to grab a banana from the fruit bowl. She tugged at the tip of the banana, but it wouldn’t budge. Tugging harder and scoffing with frustration before slamming the banana back onto the buffet table.

She screwed her eyes shut and ran a hand over her forehead, sighing heavily. When she opened them again she saw a peeled yellow fruit under her nose. She looked up at Harry and took the banana, she swallowed through her dry throat over the nausea crawling up from her nervy tummy. He winked and popped another raisin in his mouth over a smirk.

“I’m pregnant, Harry.”

He was almost sure his heart stopped for a few moments. The smirk fell the quickest it had ever fallen - she’d likely remember his facial response forever.

“What?” He whispered. His eyes were wide in shock, his blood ran cold with a shiver up his spine. She nodded, the tears welling in her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since she’d found out. She couldn’t believe she’d become that girl. That girl in his life. The girl to ruin his life. “You,” He shakily attempted to draw in breaths to steady his racing heart. “No, no, y-you can’t be pregnant, you’re-”

“I’m on the pill.” She spoke over him, stepping back and running a sweaty palm through her hair. “I know, trust me I know, I’ve been questioning everything for days. Apparently it’s not 100 per cent effective.”

“We- you can’t be pregnant… I’m about to go on the biggest tour of my life.” He stepped back, stumbling on his feet slightly. He brought a hand up to his forehead and she watched his fingers shake.

“I know that-” she murmured quietly, but he cut her off again. He was panicking, now.

“We can’t have a baby- fuck.” He cursed, running both hands through his fast-growing curls and tugging at the back of his head. “We’re always so careful, right?” His voice was muffled through the sleeves of his top as his face was buried in his arms.

“I mean, yeah… I guess we needed to be more careful.” She sniffled, still not looking at him. She’d expected him to feel and react this way, but it still made the whole situation that much more emotional and scary. He snapped to look at her when he heard her small sob of sorrow.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Stell. You should’ve told me as soon as you found out.” He leaned back against the buffet table, reeving up the cream tablecloth. Emma always complained about the stains that the boys would leave on it but still refused to get any other colour.

“I knew you’d react like this, H… I was scared.” She was folded in on herself now, protecting herself from the rejection she swore was coming.

“I know… I’m sorry, I’m just shocked. I never wanted to do this to you.” Stella looked at him with that. Their eyes locked, his shiny green with her deep brown.

“You haven’t done anything bad, Harry. In theory. There are things we can do… things we have to do.” They stayed silent for a moment as Harry racked his brain through the options he knew about from sex education lessons at school.

“Won’t that hurt though?” His eyebrows were tied in the middle, concern flooding his pale face. His shoulders were sunk, he looked like a helpless little boy. Nowhere near ready to be a father. She took a careful step towards him, unable to stop herself - he needed comforting.

“I’m sure it won’t hurt nearly as much as giving birth, H.”  She laughed slightly, pushing a curl over his ear.

“I’m so sorry, Stell.” A large hand came to rest on her hip, a thumb stroking back and forth.

“You don’t have to be sorry.  It takes two to tango… and I was a very willing dance partner.” She winked, trying to lighten the mood. She brought her fingers to his chest, two of them tracing the cross that rested on it.

“Are you sure you���re okay with… with what you have to go through.” He spoke barely above a whisper, looking down to try and find the appropriate words but coming up empty.

“I’m a big girl, Harry.” She was telling herself as much as him.

“Yeah, I know…” He smiled slightly, somewhat proud of how mature she was and just as thankful for it, too. “Just know, one day… the time will be right. We’ll have beautiful babies, as many as you wanna push out.”

“Yeah?” She cocked her head as he smirked and another hand moved to curve around her hip. “We’ll see about that, Mr Cheaper by the Dozen.” She chuckled as he finally scooped her up into his arms, the feeling giving her an immense amount of comfort. He breathed her in, his face nuzzled in her neck as she ran her hands up and down his back. “I love you so much, I think we’re gonna be okay.” She whispered into his shoulder. Pulling away slightly to look down in her eyes, Harry kept his arms around her and smiled softly.

“I can’t believe there’s a baby in there…” He smirked, eyes getting a bit glossy. Goosebumps instantly sparked all over her body, she flinched in his arms almost as if his words had physically struck her. Regardless of how softly and sincerely he’d said them. She moved to gently push him off but he held tighter.

“No, H… it’s not a baby. Not yet.” She shook her head, blinking the tears away. She was exhausted, having been up for nearly 24 hours by that point, worrying about this exact situation. She pushed harder and stepped out of his arms, but he let his palm graze her belly as she moved away. She began slowly pacing, hands raising to rub at her eyes.

“What do you mean?” He asked, confused by her sudden return to her stressful demeanour. He frowned, still leaning back against the buffet table.

“You can’t make this what it isn’t. You’ll… you’re making it harder.” Her breath was speeding up, a shaking hand being brought up to her chest as she fought the panic and nausea. He kept his hands by his sides now, fidgeting and anxiously picking at the skin around his thumbs with his forefingers.

“I don’t understand, babe.” He stated firmly, not knowing whether she needed his comfort or her space, but desperate to figure it out. Her pacing stalled in the middle of the room. A clear divide was now put between them.

“Harry, I have to go to the doctor’s and take a pill to get rid of this… whatever you can call this thing inside me. I can’t do that with the thought that it’s anything more than a speck in my womb. Alright? So, just don’t make this what it isn’t because I… I can’t.” She brought her hands to her face again, her breath catching in her throat as the anxiety continued to heighten and spill over. Harry stayed frozen, not knowing what to do, or how to help her. This was something he’d never been prepared for, he’d never learned about abortions in school or even discussed them with his mum or sister. His dad adopted the phrase, ‘Don’t be a fool, wrap your tool’ pretty much as soon as Harry turned 16. As far as he was concerned, Stella was still carrying his baby, no matter at what stage, which was making him feel unexpected things. He knew that right now wasn’t the time and it would be irresponsible of them, but he thought that if he romanticised it a little bit, she’d still feel loved and accepted by him. Boy, was he wrong.

“We need to tell someone-” Harry offered, his eyes following her pacing feet. She came to a halt again at his words.

“No. No, we can’t tell anyone.” She motioned with her hands, emphasising how serious she was.

“Have you even told your mum?” Harry reasoned, brow furrowed. Stella told her mum everything. He was sure her mother knew more about their relationship than he probably did.

“No, she’d kill me if she found out.”

“Well, maybe you can tell Dolly?” Harry grasped at straws, he thought she might need another woman’s opinion. He’d definitely be telling Gemma at some point, he knew she’d have comforting words. Most probably after thumping him on the back of the head for being so stupid as to get his 19-year-old girlfriend up the duff in the first place.

“I don’t know, Harry. I think it’s best nobody knows, I don’t want this following me.” The pacing returned.

“Well, I’ve gotta tell my mum,” Harry said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why?!” The pacing stopped again, she looked at him like he’d suddenly grown a second head on his shoulder.

“Because she’s my mum, Stell. She knows more than me about this stuff. She’ll know what to say.” Stella didn’t doubt that, but she couldn’t bare Anne knowing that they’d been irresponsible enough to have to get an abortion. If she was scared of what her mum would think, she couldn’t summon the thought of Anne knowing.

“And you don’t think she’s gonna be disappointed?” Harry was quiet at that, folding his arms and dropping his gaze to the floor again. “You don’t think she’ll judge us? Judge me?” Stella stepped forward on each question, a fire behind her eyes now. She almost looked wild, her eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep and her body almost vibrating with emotion.

“You know she’s not like that. She’ll understand. Yeah, she might be a bit shocked and sad that you’re getting rid of it but-”

“Oh, I’m getting rid of it? It’s just me, yeah? It’s all me, I’m dealing with your baby but it’s none of your business.” Stella was beyond help now, spitting venom in the quiet room. He’d not seen her act this way before.

“No… no, you know that’s not what I mean,” Harry said quietly, sounding fed up now as he dragged a hand across his face in exasperation. She stared at him with wide eyes, daring him to look at her. “I don’t know how to talk to you right now.” He grumbled, holding his hands up in surrender, before swiftly moving towards the door.

“Oh, fuckin’ hell, fine, do that! Lucky you can just walk away from this while I’m left to sort it out!” Her screeching words were punctuated by him slamming the door. “Prick.”

“Hiya, baby girl! How are you guys? How’s the tour rehearsals? Tell me everything!” Dolly’s beaming face on the other end of the FaceTime was almost making Stella feel better. Almost.

“It’s… it’s good, yeah. Can get a bit boring sometimes, but it’s nice to be able to go to bed with Harry every night.” She tried to sound happy and upbeat, hoping that her big sister wouldn’t see through her.

“Oh, girl I bet it is.” Dolly’s perfectly plucked eyebrows danced with a suggestive smirk, making Stella scoff.

“Not just for that reason, Doll. We go to the hotel pools or gyms together, then we go to dinner or we get a takeaway, the takeaways are a bit shit here though, I said to H I’d kill for a-”

“Okay, what’s going on, Stell?” Dolly asked suddenly. “You’re all flappy and flustered. Your eyes are bloodshot to fuck. Tell me what’s going on.” Stella sighed, dropping her head down onto her arm, willing the tears to stay in her damn eyeballs. She was sick of crying at that point. Deep down she knew that her sister would pick up on the signs straight away, she’d subconsciously called her for this exact reason. She just thought she’d have a little more time to get her courage up.

“You’re gonna be so upset with me.” Stella sobbed, fully crying now that she actually had to say the words. Dolly’s face was full of worry, whatever this news was, she was scared to know now.

“I won’t be upset, Stell. We can get through anything, but you’ve got to tell me.” Stella tried to take deep breaths, just so she could allow the words to leave her lips. “Stella, please, just tell me.”

“I’m… fucking pregnant, Dolly.” Dolly’s face fell into shock, her hand flying up to her mouth.

“Oh my God,” her eyes instantly filled with tears. “Stell…” She awkwardly laughed in disbelief, unexpected emotions bubbling up.

“I know.” Stella shook her head, eyes shut, tears still flowing.

“Fuck, okay. It’s fine. It’s gonna be fine.” Dolly dabbed her eyes with her fingers, trying not to smudge her winged eyeliner. “You obviously can’t tell Mum.”

“This is what I said to Harry! It would go down like a fart in a lift.” Dolly laughed and Stella joined in, it felt like the first time she’d laughed for a week straight. It felt good to make light, somewhat, of a very stressful situation. “I’ve got an appointment to get an abortion on Friday morning.”

“Ah Stell, you’re gonna… deal with it?” It was telling how nobody seemed to be able to say the actual word - it was one of the reasons Stella knew she’d be judged.

“I can’t have a baby right now, Dolly. Harry’s 20 years old. He’s having the time of his bloody life.” Stella blew out a soggy breath through her pouting lips, sniffing over the tail end of her tears.

“What about you?” Dolly asked, the conversation pausing for a moment. “I’m hearing a lot about Harry and not a lot about Stella.” Dolly rest her head on a fist as she looked in the camera lens.

“I… I can’t have a baby.” Stella’s hand absentmindedly landed on her lower belly, running her palm along the material of her t-shirt. “I’m not ready… there’re things I want to do. Things I want to accomplish. I especially can’t have Harry Styles’s baby. Can you imagine? I don’t want to be just his baby mama.” Stella anxiously cringed inwardly at the potential headlines. “The girl chasing for child support… the girl waiting at home looking after the kids while he’s off seeing the world… the girl left behind…” she whispered, trailing off with her eyes focused on the lamp on the bedside table.

“I get that. You’re gonna be more than that, of course, you are.” Dolly smiled over fresh tears welling up for her baby sister. When Harry first became famous, everyone was so excited, Dolly remembered it like it was yesterday. She’d watched Stella enjoy it, for a while. Recently she’d watched her struggle with it, watched her fade into the background. She’d never been truly accepted into his new lifestyle. By the people who were begging to be around him, or by his fans - everyone knew why, including Stella. But Dolly also knew she was in love with Harry, had been for years, and she wanted her sister to be happy. So she vowed she’d always be there to pick up the pieces when it all started to fall apart. “I wish I could come and be with you but I’m knee-deep at fashion week.”

“No, I know, of course, I understand. I’ll be fine.” Stella spoke sadly, as much as she secretly hoped someone in her family would be able to come and support her, she’d never want any of them to drop everything, for this of all things.

“Is Harry going with you?” Dolly questioned, casually.

“He can’t, he’s got rehearsals,” Stella mumbled, picking at a nail.

“Oh, for God’s sake, surely they’d understand-”

“Well no, because we can’t tell anyone.”

“Can’t you just say you’ve got an important doctor's appointment?”

“Isn’t it a bit obvious if we say we both need to go?”

“Well, maybe… but it’s not fair for you to have to deal with it all on your own. It’s scary.” Stella’s belly flipped again at the thought of the abortion, but she knew she could do it. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but she would be fine. She had to be.

“It is a little. But it’s supposed to be not too bad, I Googled it and apparently, the worst of the pain is over in a few hours, so I’ll be back at the hotel and in bed for the bad bits.”

“Okay,” Dolly didn’t sound as convinced. “What’s he thinking anyway, is he freaking out?”

“He’s… I haven’t seen him since he walked out on me yesterday.”

“What?!” Dolly sat up straight in her chair at this revelation. Her eyes bulged behind her glasses. “He walked out on you? Surely fucking not.”

“We had an argument and he walked out. Slammed the door and everything. I do kind of get it to be fair, I’ve basically given him the worst news imaginable.” Stella looked up at the lamp on the bedside table again. “I almost didn’t tell him because I thought he’d dump me.”

“Aw Stell, I don’t think he’s like that is he? He’d be an idiot to throw away three years together and he’d be a dick for doing it over a pregnancy scare, especially.” Dolly’s face was as serious as her tone. “I know I’d never forgive him.”

“Well, it’s not looking good now anyway. He’s off sulking somewhere.” Stella rolled her eyes. “I’ve gotta go, I’m knackered and just wanna sleep. I’ll text you.”

“Okay, sis. Look after yourself. Speak soon, keep me in the loop. I love you!”

“Love you, too,” Stella replied, sighing as she flopped back against the plush hotel pillows and dropped her phone onto the bedside table. She was too angry to text Harry first or to ask anyone where he was either. None of the boys knew what was going on so they hadn’t bothered her, which she took as a win. She glanced around the room, Harry’s suitcase lay open in front of the dressing table, the contents spilling out in a mess onto the floor, as usual. Was he still wearing the same pants from yesterday? How had he brushed his teeth? She wondered to herself but then reasoned that he could literally just ask Carrie, the tour manager, to get him anything he needed. He didn’t need her. He didn’t need anyone, really.

A heavy knock on the door shook Stella out of her thoughts with a firm jolt to her body. She sighed, tossing the duvet from her body and dragging her feet towards the direction of the sound. Forgoing the peephole, she cracked the door open, peering through. There Harry stood, in the same clothes he’d been in since the day before. In his arms was a huge brown paper bag, emblazoned with the familiar golden yellow arches they’d become way too accustomed to since landing in the US. Glancing down further, her eyes caught on the fluffy pink slippers that adorned his feet. She smirked at them before quickly covering by folding her lips into her mouth and narrowing her eyes at his face.

“You think a Maccy’s is gonna fix this?”

“We’re not broken, baby.” He said with his own smirk and a shake of his head. His eyes widened, “Sorry, poor choice of words.”

Stella rolled her eyes and opened the door fully, stepping to the side so he could waltz into their hotel room. Just watching him cross the threshold had her body sagging with contentedness. She’d been tensely on edge for far longer than what would be considered a healthy amount for a 19-year-old. But for a 19-year-old pregnant girlfriend of a boyband member? That scale may be marked differently.

“Where’d you get the slippers?” She said to the back of his head.

“Got fed up of my boots, so Lou let me borrow these of hers,” Harry mumbled, dropping the paper bag onto the dressing table before collapsing back on the bed with a huff and a deep sigh. She looked at him, sprawled out on the white duvet, his lanky legs hanging off the edge, arms splayed out either side of him, eyes shut, lips parted. Stella thought back to her conversation with Dolly and felt anger flow through her veins again. Moving to the sofa against the wall of their suite, she picked up a throw pillow before launching it at Harry’s head. He huffed in surprise, not able to get a word in before she did.

“You don’t get to come back in here like nothing’s changed, Harry.” She said, getting upset all over again. Harry clutched the pillow to his stomach, coming up to a sitting position. “You left me yesterday not knowing if you’d ever come back.”

“Obviously I was gonna come back, I just needed space, Stell.”

“Yeah? Well, I needed you.” Harry was silent, his mouth hung open, catching flies. “Why do I have to be the strong one? When you didn’t come to bed, I didn’t know whether it was over or not yesterday… thought I might even have Carrie coming up here telling me to pack my stuff because we were done.”

“Stella, I’d never do that to you. I… I can’t believe you’d even think I would end things like that.” He frowned hard, hand coming up to his chest. “Do you really think that’s who I am?”

“I don’t know, Harry. This is the point!” She threw her arms in the air. “You left me in the unknown.” They came back down to slap her hotel robe-covered sides. “That’s what fucking hurts.” She pointed to her heart as her voice faltered.

“Stella, you were laying into me, I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t know what else to say!” Harry’s chest was heaving slightly, panic and anger mixing and rising. “Everything I say to you lately is wrong.”

“Don’t make me out to be some sort of psycho, Harry. I’m going through a lot right now.”

“Ugh, God there you go again!” He tossed the cushion back onto the sofa it came from, getting up to move away from her, arms flying in exasperation. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself before turning back with his hands on his hips. “I’m not trying to make you out as anything, I’m literally just trying to talk to you… I don’t know what to do to help you.”

“No, you don’t.” Stella laughed humourlessly, she looked down at her fidgeting feet. Her arms came to surround her tired torso. “I’ve had enough… let’s just get ready for bed.” Harry ran a hand over his face and moved towards his open suitcase, starting to unbutton his jeans. Stella wandered over to the ensuite to brush her teeth, speaking before she closed the door, “I think you should get the sofa bed out.”

Stella had been tossing and turning for over an hour, occasionally shifting up to glance at Harry on the sofa bed. He was on his side, a long leg thrown over the top of the spare blanket they’d found in the wardrobe. He always slept like a brick, no matter where he was forced to lay his head.

Dropping her head back onto the pillow, she wondered if they’d make it through this one. She didn’t want to lose what they had but she was too proud to accept the way he’d behaved about this whole situation. They were only young but their lives together would bring so much more turbulence and she didn’t want to have to be the one to guide him through it all the time, while he pranced about with everyone thinking he was perfection personified.

She knew what people said about him, how they talked about him, the words they used. They idolised him. They couldn’t understand why he’d chosen her. Of all the options he had. She’d mostly gotten over the insecurity of their younger years together, but every so often, it would start to swim around her head again and make her doubt herself again. And doubt them as a partnership.

She wanted to respond to people who pointed out her seemingly endless list of flaws and say, ‘Hey, he’s got plenty, too.’ Not that they’d believe her. He was still a man at the end of the day. And men did stupid shit. Like, walk out on their pregnant girlfriends for a day and a half, while they’re away from home and she’s about to get an abortion.

“Hey,” Stella jolted awake, she must have dozed off in her thoughts. Harry’s voice was soft and gentle, his light strokes on her back were even more so. She made no move to turn over, just nudged her head slightly to signal she was listening. “I can’t completely get out of rehearsals… but I’ll make sure I’m here when you get back. Okay? I’ll make sure of it, I’ll make some sort of excuse and I’ll be here.”

Harry watched her breathing, biting his bottom lip when she still didn’t move. “This is all my fault…” His voice wobbled over the words, making Stella’s heart sink. She finally rolled over to see him leaning over the bed on his arms, fists digging into the mattress. Leaning up on her elbow, she brought a hand to his cheek, she stroked with her thumb and shook her head.

“It’s not all your fault, Harry. It’s not.” Her hand slid down to his neck and to his bare shoulder, giving him a subtle pull to signal his welcome into the bed beside her. He quickly obliged before she could change her mind, pulling the duvet up to his chin, almost swallowing her head up completely in the heavy covering. “We’ve both just… made mistakes. It’ll all be over soon.” Her voice held a melancholy that encapsulated their complicated scenario completely. The sadness of the loss, the anguish of the toll it was taking on their relationship, the relief that there was a safe solution available to them.

“I should be comforting you, I don’t know why I couldn’t do that. I think, I just…” Harry’s eyes were cast down in thought. He really didn’t know why he reacted the way he did. He surely wasn’t proud of it, but he had to do it. Something inside him told him to run away for a bit until he could think straight.

“We’re scared, H. We’re just kids still, this is heavy… we’re working it all out.” She fiddled with the lining of the pillowcase that was under his head. 

“I don’t wanna lose you.” His voice was so quiet, dripping with sincerity. His hand itched to touch her, to grab her and pull her close, just to emphasise how much he meant it. But he didn’t want to overstep his welcome. “I hate when you’re angry with me.”

“Stop making me angry then.” Stella teased, her eyes flicking up for a second with a smirk before looking at her fiddling fingers again. Harry chuckled lightly.

“I’ll try.” Stella bit her lip, looking at his dark silhouette again, with hooded eyes begging her for sleep. She leaned forward to press a tiny peck to his lips, his arm secured her to him to place a successful three more to hers. She then turned in his hold for a few minutes, him hugging her so tight, their bodies slotting together naturally. She rested there for a few minutes, before nudging herself free to shift across the bed and snuggle down into her own side. Harry’s heart ached as he stared at the back of her head, so close but still so far. But he knew he needed to put his own feelings second, at least for now. He needed to take her lead on this one and respect her boundaries. Besides, she’d never steered him wrong thus far.

Stepping out of the back emergency exit of the family planning clinic, Paul, one of the band’s bodyguards and one of Harry’s closest friends and confidants, guided her to the haven of the tinted windowed vehicle waiting for her in the car park. The whole thing had felt like a Mission Impossible movie, except Stella was more of an Austin Powers than an Ethan Hunt. She had her most oversized cardigan on, along with Harry’s biggest, darkest sunglasses and one of Niall’s caps, hood up. She’d signed into the clinic with a pre-arranged dummy name that was called out into the waiting room. Luckily, there were only three other people waiting to be seen and they all looked too caught up in their own lives to care about her presence. Which made a really nice change. She’d almost forgotten the concept of people not giving a shit about her or what she was wearing or how she acted.

She was sure she wouldn’t be able to describe the way her body felt if she tried. The phrase ‘emotionally drained’ could never be more appropriately used. Harry had kept her up half the night with his tossing and turning and the other half she’d kept herself up with her own tossing and turning. Which was out of character for him, but he was so worried that she would be papped - or worse still, spotted by fans - that he was moving like a man possessed.

Halfway through the struggle of the night, she’d decided it best to try and calm him by drawing patterns on his bare back. Running her nails up and down, side to side and in circular shapes, softly letting her fingertips glide on their journey. She did it often because she knew he loved it, that night she felt he needed it. It calmed her too, feeling his warm, smooth skin on hers. Once she began hearing his quick breaths slow to a relaxed pace and then finally to a soft snore, she stopped and turned over as slow as she could so as not to disturb him again, falling asleep at last, but for an hour at most. When she woke up with a jolt, his side was empty, sheets crumpled and unmade as usual.

As Paul began to drive she took a deep breath, took her cap and glasses off and willed herself to feel something. To feel something for what she’d just done, but she didn’t. She’d done her best to block out the intrusive thoughts of believing that she was a murderer, purely to stay sane through all of this. But now she felt like a cold heartless monster, almost like she’d gone the completely opposite way. No one would ever know what she’d done, but she always would. Dolly always would. Harry always would. Now, Paul always would. She trusted Harry as much as he trusted her; as much as to not force her into signing an NDA. So she knew he’d never tell a soul, should things not work out between them in the end. But they were forever changed from this moment, well, from the moment she’d watched the little red lines show up on that plastic stick.

Don’t feel guilty, don’t feel guilty, don’t feel guilty, don’t-

“Ya alright there, sugar?” She jumped slightly at Paul’s deep Irish voice piping up from the front. She met his eyes in the rearview mirror and noted the kindness in the blue, he wasn’t judging her, she could sense that. All he wanted was for her to be okay. She nodded wordlessly, pulling her cardigan sleeves over her fingers and leaning to look out of the window again.

Paul scanned her card for her and allowed her to step through the hotel room door, which she allowed after multiple attempts at telling him that she could do it herself fell on deaf ears. He carried her handbag, too.

Harry jumped up from where he’d been led back on the bed, an arm propping his head up and his phone in hand, mindlessly scrolling as he tried not to lose his mind overthinking that his girlfriend might die from a noninvasive, tried and tested medical procedure. He’d been on the phone to Gemma since he’d gotten back to the room after telling the boys and the crew that he had a migraine. He couldn’t stop himself, he wanted to know what he needed to do to help Stella when she returned from her treatment. He felt a bit guilty about going against her wishes of not telling anyone, but he was unaware that Stella had already told Dolly.

He stopped a few feet in front of her, fidgeting from one foot to the other, fiddling with the side hems on his jeans. She looked so small and defeated. She smiled at him softly, trying to show gratitude that he was there, just like he’d promised he would be. Paul nodded once at Harry before handing Stella her bag and squeezing her shoulder, throwing a final salute before letting the door shut with a soft click.

“Well, it’s done,” Stella said, dropping her bag onto the sofa and perching herself on the end of the bed to slide her trainers off. Harry stayed put, watching her.

“How do you feel? Does it hurt yet?” He kept his voice gentle like he was approaching a wounded deer.

“No, I feel fine at the moment, only happened about an hour ago though and the doc said I should expect some pain around the two to four-hour mark.” Once both shoes were off, she stayed still, only fiddling with the threads pulling from her cardigan.

“Okay.” They sat in silence for a minute or two, before Harry finally worked himself up to move to a crouch in front of where she sat. He cupped her slightly chubby cheek, her eyes stayed downcast, lashes fluttering. His thumb stroked under her puffy eye and she brought her hand up to wrap her fingers around his wrist. “I’m really proud of you, Stell. You’re so brave, much braver than me.” She still didn’t look at him, her bottom lip tucking inwards as she shook her head slightly.

“I feel nothing, Harry.” She voiced, barely above a crackled whisper. “Why don’t I feel anything?” He frowned, shaking his head.

“I don’t know, babe. You said the doctors mentioned it would take a few hours to-” 

“No, I mean I don’t feel anything.” Her words were juxtaposed with the lone tear that began to trail down her face.

“Oh. That’s alright, you’re not a bad person if that’s what you’re thinking… you did what was right for you… and for us.” He tried not to make it about him again, he knew she definitely didn’t need that. “Like you said, it wasn’t really a baby, it was just a pocket of cells in your uterus.”

Stella huffed out a laugh, “You been Googling?”

“Nah, Gem told me.” Harry laughed softly, eyes flashing with realisation when Stella flinched, eyes finally meeting his. “Shit.” Stella couldn’t even find the energy to argue, she just rolled her eyes and moved her head to the side to press a kiss to his palm and his wrist that she still had hold of on her face.

“Don’t worry about it, H. I suppose it was harsh of me to say you couldn’t tell your family.” She knew she hadn’t handled this very well. Inside, she was grateful that he’d talked it out with someone. “What else did she say?” He stood up straight, both his knees clicking on the way. She puffed out another laugh as he stretched out exaggeratedly like an old man. 

“She said,” He held out his hand to help her up. “That I should take care of you. That I should rub your belly, if you’d like that?” Stella nodded. He led her up the bed by the hand, flipping the duvet over. He slid her cardigan off her shoulders, before flicking his head up and running his hands up her arms as she lifted them over her head. He then pulled her t-shirt off, leaving her in just her soft lounging bra. “She said that I should get you your favourite food, which is gonna be hard to do since you like Cadburys chocolate and roast dinners and we’re in America.” He flicked her nose with his finger and she swatted at him. Stella giggled along anyway, brushing a hand through his curls as he bent to pull her leggings down her legs. Once both of her feet were free, he pressed kisses back over her tummy, the tops of her breasts and her neck, as he made his way back up to stand. He bent to wrap his arms around her waist and bury his face in her neck, hugging her close. She, in turn, wound her arms around his neck, scratching his nape and inhaling his scent. He pulled back and turned her so she could climb into the bed.

Once the covers were over her, he jogged in small steps back round the bed, getting his t-shirt and jeans off in quick succession, something she knew him to do regularly, but in different circumstances. He slid into the bed and faced her, breathing a sigh of relief when she shuffled closer to him and tangled her legs with his. “Then she said,” he murmured, low and slow, tucking hair behind Stella’s ear. “To tell you how much I love you and that I support you.” He brought her closer still, trailing his fingers up and down the curve of her waist. “I’m sorry I was a dick.” He whispered.

“She told you to say that, too?”

“Nah, that one was all me.”

“Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t know when I’ll be… okay, again.” She looked down again, not meeting his eyes. His brows pulled in.

“That’s alright, Stell.”

“I mean… in a lot of ways.” She whispered, wanting him to get the message without her having to say it out loud. “Specifically… in that way.” She looked in his eyes briefly to solidify her point.

“Stella, you’ve just had an abortion, I’m not a horny monster.” To be truthful, both of them were feeling a little bit of PTSD from the experience, they needed to live a bit more of a wholesome lifestyle for a while. “Don’t worry about all that. We’ll just worry about what’s up here for a while,” He tapped her temple with his finger. “Instead of what’s down there.” She smiled, so relieved that he was being so understanding and mature. “Plus, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Once you’re ready to go, it’s gonna go OFF.” She knew it was too good to be true. He was still a 20-year-old man, she supposed. It still didn’t fail to make her a little excited, deep inside.

“You’re so good.” She said, playing with the ends of his hair that just kept getting longer.

“You are.” He responded, rubbing his nose with hers.

“Yeah… we’re good.”

~

If you'd like to read other pieces from this universe click here.

[real-total-drama-takes]

Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: 1 loaf

This zucchini bread recipe yields 1 9×5-inch loaf. With brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little applesauce for added moisture, the quick bread is flavorful, moist, and a great way to use summer’s favorite vegetable!

Ingredients

1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)

1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce (or sour cream or Greek yogurt)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups (180g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)

optional: 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts, raisins, etc)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. See notes for muffins.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the zucchini. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently stir or whisk until *just* combined; do not overmix. Fold in any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Batter is slightly thick.

Spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes. (I like to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.) Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean with zero raw batter. Remove the bread from the oven and set on a wire rack. Cool in pan for 1 hour before removing from pan. You can slice the bread at this point, but it will still be warm in the center and may not slice neatly. For neat slices, continue cooling bread directly on a wire rack and then slice once cooled.

Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

[futurewriter2000]

Nothing but Stares and Glances - pt. 2 - final part

A/N: Just as promised. I had to write it in MS Word because I can constantly save it. My computer loves to die on me and I lose everything I write or do for school. Happened like twice in the past week. I kinda went a bit smutty here but I didn't go t far because I don't know... I usually do angst but hehe, I'm on my period so please understand.

XX

It was an odd night tonight. It wasn't because of the cold weather or the simplicty of the darkness that followed but because fort he first time in all your years of Hogwarts, you had a normal conversation with Fred Weasley, the boy who made your cheeks red just by glancing at you. You didn't even bother to think that you were talking to him as the two of you made your way to the kitchen, you just listened to him, replied with a smile, a laugh or a sentence. It felt as if there was nobody around, the two of you could be yourself without having any pressure or insecurity of your feelings being seen by anybody.

Because that was your fear, an odd one at that; that somebody would obviously see that you were so desperately in love with the famous red-head that roamed the halls of Hogwarts, making everybody turn their heads when he walked by. It wasn't anything but him being himself. His identity and character being the sole reason why he is liked by many. You haven't even noticed how fast your heart was beating beside him, nor the way you haven't felt a single breeze your way to the cousine. His presence was simply that much strong and intense.

One minute you're looking at him from a lower point of view, staring up at him with adoration, the next you are sitting beside him in the kitchen eating raisins covered in chocolate with him.

»It's not disgusting.« you laughed, arguing. »Raisins, yes, obviously disgusting. Chocolate raisins-.« you smiled as you took a bite of another and closed your eyes, humming to the sweetness of the taste. »Delicious.« you opened your eyes to see him grimace.

»That's unbelievable. It's like saying you hate tomatoes but like ketchup.« he looked at you.

»If you hate tomatoes, you torture them quite enough until they turn into ketchup. So you let them know you have won.« you laughed and he couldn't keep a straight face as you did.

»I hate how that makes sense.« he crossed his arms over his chest and turned away, grinning.

»C'mon.« you said, offering him the ba gof raisin. »Have a taste.«

He eyes the bag. »No.«

»Come on. It won't bite you.«

»It might as well.«

»Stop being a big baby and take it.«

»Joke's on you, because I am a big baby.« he scrunched his nose and you laughed, throwing  a raisin at him and he laughed as well, looking away, then looking back at you.

Then there it was. That look. The one he always gives you. The look you never know what it means, except that it lights your soul on fire and causes you an apetite loss. You stopped eating the grapes and put them away, just as your eyes from his. Your cheeks inflamed themselves with redness and you felt embarrassed by them.

»We should go.« you tried not to look at him because even if you only took a glance, you could feel him staring at you with those muddy brown eyes of his.

»I don't think we should.« he replied and you looked at him by now, longer and firmer. He gave you a small, adoring smile before continuing. »It's not every day I get a chance to speak with you.«

You furrowed your eyebrows because one part of your brain went one way and another part the opposite direction. »Well, you've got your people and I got mine. It's not like it's universally possible for those two people to mix.« you replied.

»What do you mean?« he laughed, confused as well.

You stared at him for a while, thinking he knows exactly what you mean but as more as you looked into those eyes, the more you understood that he didn't have a clue. So after a long pause, you replied. »You're Fred Weasley. Everybody in school knows who you are. You make a loud boom or a bang, heads turn, smiles drop, laughter echoes. Your friends are either Quidditch players or friends with the famous Harry Potter. You go on adventures that rumor around the school and I'm-.« you stopped and looked at him, finding his smile disappear and watching you intensely.

»You're what?« he asked, almost angry but angry for what?

»I'm that girl that sits quiet in class and listens. The one with the notes and the homework everybody copies of. The reliable Ravenclaw with reliable, good influential friends. I don't go on adventures, I go to the library or for a walk around the lake. I like nature and get inspired by the rain. Nobody knows who I am. I don't make heads turn when I walk into a room. Nobody thinks of me when there is a party or anything fun really. I'm not Marlene.« you let the last one slip from your tongue, not knowing you said it out loud as if the word Marlene was a quality not a name.

He was watching you in silence for a while. It was as if he wanted to build the tension so loud it would break without saying any other word. By now you realised you were saying too much. He could tell all of this to his friends. To be frank with yourself, you don't even know who he is. He could have followed you here as a joke, as a dare, as anything but were you ever that relevant to be anything. You didn't know whether you should speak or run away, maybe even drop into the ground. The silence was so loud by now that you could hear him breathing and feel your heart beat slow but strong in your chest.

»I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said any of that.« you broke the silence first and it was as if you broke him out of a thought process, which you did.

»Do you really think like that?« he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. »Think like there are two sides of the world that cannot work together?«

»That's the law of the universe. There has to be good, for bad to exist and the other way around.« you tried to lighten the mood but it was as you pulled a trigger in him that made him unrecognisable to your eyes.

Did you break him?

»It's silly. C'mon, let's go.« you smiled and got off your chair. You wanted ot end this awkward interaction before it progressed but just as you stepped in front of his chair, he stood up in front of you, blocking your way out and placing his arm on the table. He leaned on it, towering above you and looking down on your sweet, innocent eyes.

You had no idea what was happening but it became hotter. You felt your mouth go dry as soon as you looked up at his eyes that seemed to observe you, serious and seducing. He licked his lips and as he took a step forward, you took a step back. As you did so, his hand placed itself on your lower back and pushed you back to him so your breasts were already touching his torso. You didn't know, you didn't think, all you knew was that your hand placed itself on his strong hip and your fingers cramped up into a tight grip of his shirt.

He had no perfume but he smelled good. He smelled like a man, the smell that would usually disgust you but at this point, his own natural smell made your hips press themselves onto his. It was such a natural movement, it made you feel that somebody else was controling your body… and it was. He was controling it- somehow, some way. Just as your hips touched his, he closed his eyes and let out a low hum. You could feel his arm strain itself. He grew stiff and he knew that at that moment, he couldn't control his body either. It was as if the two of you were playing with each other, unwillingly, unconsciously. You felt something hard against your thighs and by knowing what it was, you pushed him as close as possible and without a word, he took that as a sign to kiss you fiercely on the lips.

It was your first kiss and you had no idea how it went. You didn't expect his tongue to sli pinto your mouth but it did and somehow, you knew exactly what you needed to do. You kissed him back and as you did so, you felt the urge to bring him closer and closer to you. He did the same but as his height seemed to bother him, he lifted you and sat you on the table, grunting as the two of you pressed your hips together, to feel each other down where it was the hottest. For a moment, he pulled away and gasped but as soon as he did that, you took him pulled him back where you knew he belonged.

You have never done anything like this. You've never even held hands with a boy but as much as you thought about these intimate things in the past, there was only one thing in your mind. »I want you closer.« you seemed to whisper and with that he pulled away. He looked at you, gasping for air and smiling.

»Oh, God. You're so beautiful.« he said as he took a chance to look at you again, holding his hand on your cheek, then kissing it repeatedly. He kissed it, then kissed your neck and took a small bit, which made you release a sound you never knew you could. Everything moved so fast that the next thing you knew, your sweater was on the ground and his hands were on your bare breasts.

By now your mind was filled with thoughts again. Thoughts that faught another strong power in your body that you had no idea where it came from. You were just about to speak, when his lips pressed themselves on your breasts and you let a sound much louder than before. Euphoric feeling went over your body and you put your hand over your mouth. He looked up and grinned before moving lower.

Oh, now you knew what he was about to do and you didn't know what to do. You didn't know if you should- but everything seemed to be moving so fast and you were enjoying every minute of it. You couldn't decide whether to stop it or to just let it play out.

Before you could come to the decision, he stood back up and pushed you off the table. He was smiling as he kissed you on the lips again, making your thoughts scramble away from your head as if you had no memory of anything in your life anymore. He pressed his hand between your dressed thighs and touched you with his fingers down below. He pulled away. »I wanted you. I always wanted you.« he whispered and you looked up as he pulled his hand back up and under your underwear. They were cold, so darn cold but as soon as you felt them on your heated area, you lost your breath and gasped, leaning back.

»Shit- stop.« you said and he stopped.

»You want me to stop.«

»No- don't stop.« you threw your head forward and pushed his hand back to where it was. He smiled and kissed you and you kissed him back, spreading your legs a bit wider and pulling him close.

»No, I think you're right. I think we should stop.« he took a step back and ran his hand through his hair, meanwhile you were there, shocked, confused, naked. »Shit.« he murmered and you quickly took your sweater back nad threw it back on you, feeling heartbeats everywhere.

You opened your mouth to say something but before you could, he turned around and walked back to you.

»I'm sorry- you wanted me to finish and I just-.«

»What?« you asked confused. To be honest, you had no idea about any of the things that just happened, never-the-less, what he was about to finish or not.

»I like you. I do. I had fancied you for such a long time.« he started to ramble. It was as if he had a hig dose of drugs, he didn't know how to calm himself down. »You were just speaking some nonesense about how we wouldn't work and I got angry and suddenly you were close and I didn't want you to get away and then the next thing I knew I was kissing you and I should have just kissed you but I want you so badly, I had always wanted you so badly and I had you and I didn't know if you wanted to run away from me and if what if that was all you wanted but my mom raised me to be a gentleman and I want to be a gentleman but at the same time I want you and you are- wow- you're such an amazing kissed and the next thing I knew I was taking off your clothes and you don't deserve to be treated like that- for me to just rip off your clothes but when I did and saw- well, you and you being well- wow and God, you're so soft like silk and so gorgeous- I know! I KNOW! I should at least take you on a date first instead of-.«

»Fred…« you said but he kept on rambling. It was actually quite funny to see him so nervous fort he first time that he made you laugh.

»… and that two different worlds just got to me and I didn't know how else to approach you because I feel like you don't even notice me as-.«

»Fred.« you spoke gently again, taking a hold of his hand and making him shut up.

»You see. That. That makes me nervous as hell.« he said as he was staring at your hands.

You let out a laugh. »You really fancied me all this time?« you asked and it was his turn to turn red as well.

»I thought it was obvious.«

»I though I was the one that was obvious?«

»Obvious of what?« he furrowed his eyebrows.

»Of fancying you.«

He was quiet for a while. »You-.« he pointed at you. »You never- you always ignored me.«

»You always flirted with every female organism on this earth except me.« you argued back.

The two of you stood silent for a while, grasping the truth and processing it in your head. Then you both laughed and he pulled you in for a hug. You embraced him and felt as if you had known him your entire life. As if you had just met an old friend, an old lover that you had loved in all your past lives. Why it felt so natural, so warm and safe with him. All of that seemed to be answered for you in that one hug.

»I've always wanted you.« he whispered, kissing your head and causing you to smile.

»I've always wanted you too.«

[baravaggio]

sophia do u have any vegetarian/vegan holiday recipes 🤲🏼

I'm so glad you asked, of course I do!

Some of these things are from my cookbooks, so anything with a book emoji will be shown below the read more just to save space

Starting with desserts:

Vegan chocolate pie (Nora Cooks) - my favorite one to make for thanksgiving, my family (all meat eaters) loves it so much that I end up making two every year! It's really important to use the tofu that comes in aseptic packaging (the kind that's shelf stable) because the refrigerated kind WILL taste like tofu and you don't want that lol...works great in an Oreo crust or just as a mousse too!

Chocolate pecan pie (Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Cranberry Spice Oatmeal Cookies (Isa Chandra Moskowitz) - these have great flavor but I recommend subbing butter for coconut oil so they don't spread super thin

Vegan Coffee Cake (Vegan Richa) - great for breakfasts! You could easily make them into coffee cake muffins too

📚 Pastry Crust (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook) - great staple pie crust that gets its flakiness from a mix of olive and coconut oils! I use this for savory stuff like quiches and pot pies too. Highly recommend the cookbook, it covers everything from Valentine's Day to Passover to Halloween!

📚 Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It cookbook)

📚 Chai Spice Snickerdoodles (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It cookbook)

Savory Thanksgiving & Christmas things:

Easy Vegan Gravy (Nora Cooks) - really simple & much better than the store bought stuff

Easy Vegan Quiche (Jessica in the Kitchen) - more for lunch/brunch than anything, but I like to make a couple these around the holidays because they're so easy to customize & put together

Vegan Alfredo Sauce (Purely Kaylie) - you can put this on pasta of course but I like to use this to fold into mashed potatoes or make a gratin with during the holidays!

Green Bean Casserole (Isa Chandra Moskowitz) - made this one year at the request of a family member, it came out great!

📚 Maple-Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Radicchio and Pecans (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's I Can Cook Vegan cookbook)

Creamy Polenta and Mushroom Ragout (Good Food) - just comfort food tbh!

📚 Glazed Tofu Ham (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's The Superfuntimes Vegan Holiday Cookbook) - I swear by this and make several before thanksgiving because I inhale them - imo works better as a filling for sandwiches or on the side for breakfast, but could be used as a main dish as well!

📚 Winter Squash Cups with Wild Rice, Hazelnuts, and Cherries (Isa Chandra Moskowitz's The Superfuntimes Vegan Holiday Cookbook) - made this once and used cranberries instead of cherries!

Some Hanukkah stuff! which I highly recommend trying even if you don't celebrate Hanukkah, my family does a mixed holiday celebration so I keep these in my rotation for those occasions:

Latkes and Vegan Sour Cream (Isa Chandra Moskowitz) - can also dip in applesauce or top with caramelized onions if you prefer sweet!

📚 Raspberry Rugelach (Isa Chandra Moskowitz) - classic, chocolate, and raisin variations from her holiday cookbook

📚 Matzoh Ball Soup (Isa CHandra Moskowitz)

And I have to include a couple heavy hitters, these are for if you're serious about spending a lot of time in the kitchen and maybe want to show off a little lol - well worth the effort, but not for everyone!

Succulent Roast Turky (The Gentle Chef) - I haven't tried a seitan turkey that's come close to being as good as this one. Lots of time & ingredients, but well worth the effort

Anything from Miyoko's Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook - the best vegan cheese you will ever eat. Requires a couple weeks prep because you have to allow time to ferment the base liquid and culture the cheese - I'm starting mine today! I made a detailed post about my experience trying this out here, and there's images with instructions for making the rejuvelac, cashew base, and a Boursin-style cheese in it as well! Of course if you don't want to do all that you can buy the Miyoko's cheese that's sold in stores, those are great too 😅

Peter Reinhart's Bagels (Smitten Kitchen) - if you suffer from lack of good bagels in your area, this is one way to fix that! Bagels are essential to any holiday celebration in my family so I figured I'd include this lol

Here's the stuff from the cookbooks!

Pastry Crust:

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies:

Chai Spice Snickerdoodles:

Maple-Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Radicchio and Pecans:

Glazed Tofu Ham:

Winter Squash Cups With Wild Rice, Hazelnuts, and Cherries:

Vegan Sour Cream:

Rugelach (Classic, Chocolate, and Raisin variations highlighted):

Matzoh Ball Soup: