#clo appetite

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

New Audio: clo Shares Vibey Neo-Soul Track "appetite"

New Audio: clo Shares Vibey Neo-Soul Track "appetite" @heygroover @romainpalmieri @DorianPerron

clo is an emerging, 20-something, San Francisco-born, Brussels-raised, neo-soul/R&B and jazz singer/songwriter, who’s currently splitting her time between New York and Paris, where she’s simultaneously pursuing studies in Neuroscience while modeling, and starting a professional music career.  The emerging Belgian-born artist can trace the origins of her music career to when she started receiving…

[theloveoffootball10]

sᴛɪᴄᴋᴡɪᴛᴜ- ᴛ ᴡ ᴇ ɴ ᴛ ʏ ᴛ ᴡ ᴏ

m a s t e r l i s t

ᴛ ᴡ ᴇ ɴ ᴛ ʏ ᴛ ᴡ ᴏ

"I don't want to go to work today" I say with a pout resting my head on Lando's chest.

"Don't go. Stay here with me"

"I wish I could but we have the big bosses in at work today for a meeting. I might come home on my dinner and work from home this afternoon so I can pretend to work but stare at your pretty face the whole time" I say knowing Lando loves it when I stroke his ego "your tan is ridiculously good it disgusts me"

"Sorry to be blessed with a pretty face and skin that tans incredibly well" Lando says with a laugh "I think you should work from home after your meeting then we can go out for dinner"

"I have an appointment after work but we can go out for food after" kissing Lando I drag myself from my bed to the shower. Lando has no reason to get up at the minute but I could get used to this feeling on a morning. It feels so normal to wake up next to him and continue with my usual routine.

I walk out of the bathroom dressed for work and don't see Lando in bed, I make my way downstairs where I find him in the kitchen making coffee. My mums car isn't in the drive yet so I know we're still alone.

"Hope you don't mind me helping myself but I thought after last night we could both do with a coffee and some food" Lando says placing a steaming hot coffee in front of me with a bowl of coco pops "we worked up quite the appetite"

"Thanks babe. I think last night was my favourite time we've had sex you know" I say sitting down at the island watching Lando make himself food.

"Why last night? I mean I know we've had incredible sex every time but why was last night different?"

"I don't know I think because we were in my bed and not a hotel it felt like what we have is even more real. Like a hotel room doesn't feel like home and it kind of made me realise being at home with you, we can make this work" I say with a shrug.

"I'm not going anywhere baby" Lando says walking around the island to wrap his arms around me from behind "I'm in this with you and I'm 100% committed to making this work. I think you're an amazing woman Lucía and I don't want to lose you"

"You're not going to lose me Lando" leaning my head back on Lando's shoulder I feel him kissing along my neck "don't you dare get me worked up now when I have to leave"

"I can't help that you're attracted to me and get turned on when I touch you" Lando says with a chuckle "I'll let you off but later tonight I promise I'm going to fuck you in your pool"

"That sounds like an excellent idea to me. What are you going to do until then?" I can't get into a conversation about sex or I'll never leave for work.

"I might do a work out in the gym as long as you're okay with me using it and then I might go for a run"

"You're more than welcome to use the gym. It was added in as encouragement for me and mum but I couldn't tell you when it was last used" noticing the time I quickly drink my coffee and finish the cereal Lando put in front of me. "I really need to go but I'll see you at dinner"

"Enjoy work baby" quickly kissing Lando I grab my keys and rush out of the door. The last place I want to be when Lando is here is at work but I need to push through a few hours until I can see him again.

"You look like you're in a better mood this morning" Joanne, one of my colleagues says as I sit at my desk getting sorted for the day.

"Lando turned up last night. We've talked and everything is sorted. We're back to normal" I can't keep the smile off my face when it comes to talking about Lando. I'm completely smitten.

"I'm pleased to hear that. It's really shown the last few days but then I think that just shows how much you like him" I like to get life advice from Joanne, as a lady in her mid fifties I feel like she's rarely ever wrong and she has a lot of life experience I can learn from.

The morning drags on and it feels like I've been at work forever. The minutes feel like they're going backwards every time I look at the clock. Sitting in the meeting I barely know what is going on, my mind is elsewhere. I just want to be at home with Lando making the most of being able to spend time with him. If I had known he was going to turn up I could've booked a few days off work but now it's too short notice. Hearing the top bosses close the meeting I shoot up out of my seat closing my laptop ready to bolt. Rushing back to my desk I pick everything up that I need as I bid a quick goodbye to everyone in the office and drive home.

"Lando? I'm home!" Wandering through the house I finally find Lando in the gym working out topless. I stop in my tracks biting my lip at the sight of the sweat running down his chest. I can't take my eyes off the view in front of me.

"Enjoying the view?" Lando asks with a cheeky grin on his face. He knows I've been watching him.

"I am actually, is that okay with you?" I say with a shrug.

"More than okay, it just means I have to flex for you" I watch as Lando walks towards me and as he gets closer, I pull him into me by the waistband of his joggers "how was work?"

"Meh it was work. I don't particularly want to work now but I have to. I keep thinking about your promise from this morning" biting my lip I look up at Lando fluttering my eyelashes. I'm not about to let him forget.

"You have to work but I stand by what I said. I'm going to fuck you later tonight" as Lando walks around me I feel a crack across my bum "back to work baby"

"You're a dick!" I groan in frustration as I drag myself to my office. The amount I want that man scares me. I have never had someone treat me the way Lando does.

Once I finish work I close my laptop with no intention of opening it until 9am tomorrow morning, I have an appointment for a lip filler top up then I plan to take Lando to my favourite Indian restaurant. I know the day is going to come when I don't have Lando with me every day but I don't dare ask him what day that will be.

"Lando are you ready to leave? I need you to come with me for this appointment then I'm taking you for tea" I ask walking into the kitchen where I find my mum and Lando sitting talking. It amazes me how much they get on, I always knew they would but it's like they have known each other forever.

"Yeah I'm ready. Are you coming Steph?" Lando asks turning to my mum, he doesn't have to ask her but I like that he does.

"I'm at work again tonight, you two go and enjoy" my mum says waving us out of the house.

"Lucía can you please let me drive?" Lando asks looking over the car at me.

"Be my guest" I say handing the keys to Lando and walking around to the passenger side "is my driving that bad?" I ask with a laugh.

"No but I'm that bad of a passenger. It makes me nervous having someone drive me around" Lando says as I give him directions to where I need to be. As we're driving along I connect my phone to the car shuffling my music when we both start belting out the lyrics to 'All too well' at the top of our voices "where are we actually going here?"

"I'm going for my lip filler top up and you're coming with me" I say with a shrug.

"Why do you get lip filler?" Lando asks confused looking at me as he parks my car "you don't need it"

"I get it because I want it but you're saying I don't need it because I've had filler the whole time I've known you. Come on you can come in but Jen will kill me and you if I'm late" I say climbing out of the car "Hi Jen!"

"Well look at the boyfriend glow on you! It certainly looks good on you! Is this the man in question?" Jen asks looking Lando up and down. She's around my mums age and she became my go to for beauty treatments from the moment I met her.

"Yeah this is Lando, Lando this is Jen. She's responsible for making me look as good as I do"

"You don't need treatments for that" Lando says as he sits in the spare chair and my heart melts.

"Let's just call them enhancements. The mix of your mum and dad means you're stunning anyway but we use that to your advantage" as Jen carries out my treatment I notice Lando watching from the corner of my eye. He looks equally fascinated as he does disgusted, if I didn't have a needle in my lip I'd laugh "You know the aftercare rules and you might have a boyfriend but remember no kissing!" Jen says looking at me seriously before turning to Lando "I mean it, I don't want to see her with uneven lips next time she comes in"

"Are you serious? Like really serious?" The look on Lando's face is hilarious. He looks devastated.

"I'm completely serious Mr I drive fast cars. No kissing until this time tomorrow" I've known Jen for a few years now and I know she's not to be messed with "this is what happens when you turn up unannounced"

"I was being a good boyfriend" Lando says with a shrug.

"You were and I don't think I've ever known anyone do something like this for Lucía but next time plan your surprises around her treatments pretty boy" Jen says with a laugh as Lando and I get ready to leave.

"I have no words for what I have just witnessed. I know she used numbing cream but that was the strangest thing I think I've ever watched" I can tell by the tone of Lando's voice that he's so baffled by the last 30 minutes "however all I can think of is how good they'll look wrapped around my cock"

"Lando! You do realise they're swollen and won't stay this big right?" I can't help but laugh with Lando, he's a typical man sometimes.

"You already look amazing with your lips wrapped around my cock so with the enhancement I can only imagine, well I can find out in 24 hours time" as Lando starts driving I can't help but laugh. Everything with him is so natural, I feel like there was never a time I didn't have him in my life. As we're shown to a table in my favourite Indian restaurant that is close to home I turn when I hear my name being shouted behind me.

"Lucía!"

"Hi Noah!" Picking Noah up I give him the biggest cuddle. He might be Liv's brother but I'd consider him my brother as well "I've missed you"

"I missed you. Mummy said I couldn't come and see you"

"You can always come and see me Noah" turning to Lando I introduce him to Noah "this is Noah, Liv's little brother"

"Hi Noah. I'm Lando"

"You're Lando Norris. You're my favourite driver"

"Really? How old are you?" Lando asks with a genuine smile on his face. I've seen him with kids around the paddock but when it's a kid I know my heart explodes.

"I'm five!" Noah says holding 5 fingers up.

"Being five is the best!"

"Lucía I'm so sorry I told him not to come over here" Stacey says running over in a panic.

"Don't worry I've always got time for Noah. He was just telling me that Lando is his favourite driver" I say with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought Fernando was your favourite?" Stacey asks Noah, as long as we can all remember he's said my dad is his favourite.

"I like Nando mummy but Lando is my favourite"

"Okay you can tell Nando next time you see him. Say bye to Lucía and Lando we have to get back to our table" saying our goodbyes to Stacey I turn back to Lando.

"You're amazing with kids, I've noticed before around the paddock but seeing you with Noah who means the world to me kind of shows me how special you are" something about Lando and his personality makes me have no filter. I can't help but tell him everything that is on my mind.

"Kids are cute but if I'm his favourite driver I'm not going to be that person who ruins everything for him" Lando says as he takes his phone from his pocket when it starts ringing, I catch a glimpse of the screen and see Alesha's name. What the actual fuck. Lando cancels the call and places his phone screen down on the table when it starts ringing again almost instantly.

"Why is she ringing you?" I ask not able to hold back to the anger in my voice.

"I don't know. She has no reason to be ringing me now" now? She has no reason to be ringing him now? Call me crazy but I personally don't think Alesha has a reason to be phoning Lando at all never mind now.

"I think you should take me home right now before I cause a scene because I'm so fucking annoyed right now" I'm furious. Why does Alesha even have Lando's number and why does he have her number saved? Leaving money on the table for the drinks we've had I grab my bag leaving the restaurant. All of a sudden I have no appetite. Leaning against my car I wait for Lando to unlock it before I get in not saying a word to him.

• • •

Lando on Max’s stream tonight has got my brain running wild with the idea of a Lando X Max’s sister story. Let me know your thoughts!

This was supposed to be posted last night but me and my friend took celebrating Lando’s win too far 🙃

[cascadedkiwi]

Period Comfort (Markus) [Comfortember 2023]

Characters: Markus, Female OC Video Game: Detroit: Become Human Genre: Comfort Summary: Markus is so sweet to cater to her during "Shark Week." Word Count: 1,050

A/N: Mention of Comfortember Prompts: 6. Notes 11. Comfort Show/Movie 24. Soup 27. Blankets (Maybe I'm overthinking this…)

DAY 1

Freisha grunts as she adjusts into another sprawled position on the bed, curled around a bunched up fluffy blanket she had stolen from the closet. She pushes her face into it as her favourite android enters the room, not wanting to see that knowing but charming smile. “Don’t say it, Markus.”

She can hear the grin in his voice. “What do you mean?”

She huffs, pulling the blanket over her head.

“I brought you soup and painkillers.” The same painkillers he had suggested she take the night before. And probably left on the table this morning before he left, if she had bothered to look. “Not hungry.” “Freisha…” She hates when he uses that tone. It was the way he talked to Carl when the old man was being stubborn for the heck of it. Made her feel like she was half her age, younger even. Curse these stupid hormones making her interpret stuff all sensitively. He continued in a softer tone. “You haven’t eaten since this morning. I met your breakfast still in the microwave.”

“Didn’t wanna get up.”

“Well, that won’t help you feel any better.” She sighed, pouting. “I knooooow…” She groaned. “My ovaries and my head are mad at me for it.”

She feels the edge of the bed lower with his weight. “Would it help if I fed you?”

She covers more of herself with the blanket. “That’s embarrassing!”

“Will you eat if I leave you alone?”

“Probably not…” She frowns and curls in on herself, hissing and whining as a particularly harsh pain takes over her stomach. 

Markus rubs her back tenderly, frowning slightly. He could tell this month’s period was a rather bad one. It had been late as well, according to his internal tracker. She was fussier for it.

After a while, he feels her relax just slightly and stills his hand. “I have a proposal.”

She peeks at him over the blanket, eyebrows furrowing at his word choice. 

“I’ll stay with you while you eat here in bed. I’ll sit behind you and you can lean against me while we watch ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’.”

The blanket lowers further. Brown eyes study his heterochromatic ones suspiciously. “That’s very specific.”

His expression doesn’t change. “I’ll even hold the heating pad on your stomach for you.”

She blinks at him. Squints. He tilts his head minutely. “You’ve been studying me."

He laughs at her accusatory tone. “Is that a bad thing? Do you disagree with any part of my proposition?”

“None of it.” She deadpans, even as her body protests the thought of actually sitting up. 

Markus smiles as he helps her execute.

DAY 4

Freisha is wrapped in the same blanket, dragging it all over the house. Markus stops her repeatedly, offering her her water bottle with the straw up. When she protests non-verbally, he simply asks, “Is it helping?” to which she would begrudgingly sucks up a single mouthful before scuttling away again, leaving him with a bottle in his hand and a smile on his face. She could be really childish on her period sometimes.

She’s less verbal with only a slightly better appetite, and he takes care not to push her. Soup tastes better the more it sits, anyway.

After hiding away for two hours, she shyly shuffles up to him, producing a bottle of thirium from the folds of the blanket. He thanks her politely, taking a sip before placing a hand on her forehead, mouth twitching when she leans into the touch. He goes from concerned to understanding in a blink, wrapping her in a hug.

“Piano,” she mumbles into his chest. “Please?”

He is more than happy to oblige, leading her to the grand piano and sitting with space for her. He plays softly, careful of her current sensitivities, smiling as she sways side to side in her blanket burrito and hums along. 

She hunkers down a bit and he watches her closely, slowing but not stopping his fingers on the keys. He does stop when he feels her hand pat his thigh near his waist, leaning away to watch her wiggle a finger into his pocket. “You’ll want something to swallow that with.” She nods without looking up at him.

He stands, taking the pill packet out of his pocket and handing it to her. She takes between her folded lips and blinks at him. He watches her for a moment before lifting the blanket burrito in his arms bridal style and taking her to the kitchen where she points at the plate of oatmeal cookies on the counter.

“As opposed to solid food?” he asks.

Her voice is a mumble. “Solid enough for two Midol.”

“With water,” he concedes, further sated by the fact that he’d made the cookies himself so they were healthier than average.

Seated at the kitchen table she holds her water bottle with both hands, studying it as she drinks down more than half.

Markus is pleasantly surprised.

“Nap,” she says, shuffling off to the bedroom.

DAY 7

Freisha silently hands Markus a folded paper.

He tilts his head curiously. It’s a plain white sheet of printer paper, with ‘To: Markus’ written in pencil on the front. Upon opening it, there’s a burst of colorful marker swirls outlining large letters in negative space spelling out 'THANK YOU.'

He smiles. “What’s this for?”

Freisha rocks on her feet, looking anywhere but at him. “For catering to me this week. I know I was acting like a kid and blamed it on the pain but thanks for putting up with me anyway. I really appreciate it. You really didn’t have to, especially with your schedule.”

Markus smiles, stepping forward and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I truly do enjoy taking care of you, Freisha. It’s no trouble at all. I actually consider it a break from my schedule to cater to you when you’re needing the extra attention.”

Her face heats up and she squeaks, drawing a laugh from him. “Is it finished now?” he asks.

She nods. “Yep. Back to sensible and capable Friehsa until next month. Although I hope it’s an easier one…”

He rests a hand on her head, gently tapping his fingers over her forehead the way she likes for her headaches. “See you then.”

[librophile]

Carlyle and other private equity firms, like Apollo, Bain Capital, and KKR, even started their own loan divisions to meet demand, creating and managing CLOs of their own rather than rely on banks like Credit Suisse. The appetite for CLOs was large in part because the debt packages had performed so well during the crisis of 2008, retaining their value as other credit products cratered.

[thomasbartley]

From Hops to Hammers -The Master of Diverse Crafts

Meet Thomas Bartley Chicago, a man of many talents whose interests span far and wide. From the intricate science and art of brewing beer at home, a passion cultivated over 40 years, to the precision and beauty of carpentry, his skills are as varied as they are impressive. His love for boating hints at a connection with the sea that he humorously suggests is from a past life. Recently, he has turned his attention to the world of gardening, immersing himself in the cultivation of vegetables, a pursuit that combines knowledge of timing, pruning, pest control, and the right use of fertilizers. His journey is a testament to the endless possibilities of lifelong learning and the joy of mastering diverse crafts.

Thomas Bartley chicago

Life's Tapestry of Interests

To understand the journey of this remarkable individual, it's important to appreciate the rich tapestry of interests that shaped their life. From an early age, they exhibited a voracious appetite for learning, driven by curiosity about the world around them. This curiosity led them down a path that embraced a multitude of pursuits, each one building upon the knowledge and skills acquired from the last.

Bartley's diverse interests found their roots in his early life in Chicago. As a young man, Bartley was fascinated by woodworking, often finding himself engrossed in crafting small pieces of furniture. The intricacies of the craft, the scent of the wood, the satisfaction of creating something tangible from raw materials, all contributed to his love for carpentry. He also found himself drawn to water bodies, spending countless hours boating and developing a deep-seated love for the sea. His broad palette of hobbies showcases the depth and breadth of his interests, and this variety has been a constant in Thomas Bartley Chicago's life, a reflection of his curiosity and passion for learning new skills.

While beer brewing was their primary focus, their inquisitive nature led them to explore adjacent crafts. The next adventure in this diverse journey involved a turn toward woodworking. They began by crafting custom beer taps and intricate bar furniture. The same precision and attention to detail that made their beers stand out were now being channeled into creating one-of-a-kind wooden pieces. Their creations soon gained recognition for their artistry, and commissions started pouring in.

Artistry Meets Engineering

The journey from hops to hammers wasn't simply a shift from one craft to another; it was an evolution that combined artistry with engineering. Brewing had taught them the science of fermentation and flavor profiles, woodworking had honed their precision, and blacksmithing had given them an appreciation for the physical properties of materials. As they dabbled in each craft, they continued to accumulate knowledge and skills that could be applied in unison, creating a unique synergy that set them apart.

In their workshop, these skills seamlessly blended. A custom wooden beer tap was now adorned with hand-forged metal elements, creating a truly distinctive piece of functional art. Their craftsmanship wasn't limited to brewing equipment, as they began to collaborate with local businesses to design and craft ornate metal signage and fixtures. The confluence of their abilities allowed them to create products that transcended traditional categorization, making their work truly exceptional.

Embracing Challenges

This innate desire for continual growth led Thomas Bartley Chicago to his latest endeavor - vegetable gardening. What began as a challenge quickly turned into an adventure, as Bartley delved into the intricacies of planting seasons, fertilizing methods, and pest control techniques. This newfound passion for gardening has added a new aspect to his ever-evolving skillset, further solidifying Bartley's status as a truly versatile individual. Not only has this endeavor enriched his personal life, but it has also brought him closer to nature and further deepened his connection to the earth, a connection that resonates with his love for boating and the sea.

Their journey was not without its difficulties. Adapting to new fields required countless hours of practice, learning from failures, and enduring the frustrations that accompany any endeavor. However, they were undeterred by setbacks. Instead, they saw each challenge as an opportunity for growth, a chance to expand their horizons and add another layer to their ever-evolving expertise.

A Legacy of Creativity

As time passed, the master of diverse crafts left an indelible mark on their community. Their brewery became a hub for local artists, a place where creativity flowed as freely as the craft beer. Collaborations between painters, sculptors, and artisans of all kinds flourished within these walls, and the brewery's aesthetic was a testament to their diverse interests. The furniture, decor, and even the tap handles bore the unmistakable stamp of their craftsmanship, each piece infused with a sense of artistry that set their establishment apart.

As a man of many talents, Thomas Bartley Chicago's love for lifelong learning never ceases to inspire. Whether it's the sea's calming influence that leads him to boat for hours on end or the allure of mastering the art of vegetable gardening, his pursuits are a testament to versatility and passion. His crafts do not merely serve as pastimes but as an extension of his persona, each one woven into his life's fabric, enriching not just his life but also the Chicago community he's a part of. His journey continues to remind us that it's never too late to embrace new experiences, to learn, and to grow.

In conclusion, Thomas Bartley Chicago embodies the spirit of diverse craftsmanship. His journey, spanning from homebrewing to woodworking, from sailing to gardening, showcases a unique blend of art, science, and an unwavering dedication to lifelong learning. These varied pursuits, each a manifestation of Bartley's passion, curiosity, and love for learning, serve as an inspiring reminder that life's richness lies in its diversity. His story underscores the endless possibilities that arise from embracing a wide array of skills and interests, challenging the conventional confines of specialization. It is a testament to the fact that a life well-lived is one rich in experiences, learning, and the relentless pursuit of one's passions. Thomas Bartley's story is an ode to versatility, diversity, and a ceaseless love for learning, truly making him a master of diverse crafts.

[ailtrahq]

Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel in the SEC v. Ripple Labs case, has characterized the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) latest submission as a "contradictory shift" and contends that it holds little sway. Following the recent filing by the U.S. SEC to reinforce its interlocutory Appeal, Stuart Alderoty, Chief Legal Officer at Ripple, commented on X, referring to the submission as another instance of a "hypocritical pivot." Alderoty highlighted what he sees as Chairman Gary Gensler's inconsistency, manipulative actions and appetite for expanded regulation.He pointed out that Gensler had requested an urgent Appeal while simultaneously asserting that crypto regulations and rules were clear and must be adhered to by the industry. “Another SEC filing, another hypocritical pivot… After years of its chairman saying the ‘rules are clear and must be obeyed,’ the SEC now cries that an Appeal is urgently needed to resolve these knotty legal problems.”Attorney James K. Filan took a dig at the SEC, ridiculing their newfound concern for preserving judicial resources. He pointed out the SEC's previous attempt to pause all proceedings in the case.The SEC’s argument that Judge Torres should stay the proceedings because the SEC is all of a sudden concerned about conserving judicial resources is laughable.— James K. Filan (@FilanLaw) September 8, 2023 Renowned pro-XRP attorney John E. Deaton remarked that those not well-versed in the U.S. SEC v. Ripple Labs case might find Ripple CLO Alderoty's response to the SEC to be harsh. However, for those familiar with the case, Alderoty's characterization of the SEC as "hypocritical" is simply a reflection of the federal judge presiding over the matter.In the Grayscale lawsuit, federal judges have criticized the US SEC's assertions as "arbitrary and capricious." Meanwhile, in the Ripple XRP case, Judge Netburn employed the term "hypocrisy" to characterize the SEC's contradictory stances. Additionally, Ripple's Executive Chairman, Chris Larsen, anticipates that the SEC's approach of enforcing regulations through legal actions may come to a conclusion in the near future.

[symbioteburnout]

@fatefulend​ intro starter

One thing about crime fighting, it works up an appetite, especially when you gotta feed yourself and the alien klyntar currently rooming in your blood stream. 

But first, mask comes off, can’t have anyone seeing Silence wandering into the nearest Coffee-Bean. At least no one was in this alley and it was the perfect spot to change into some regular clo--

“Crap.”

She’s already half shifted out of costume, wearing a ratty t-shirt and ripped jeans, pale face and purple hair in full view of the woman standing near the end of the alleyway. She wasn’t there before, was she? Maybe she hadn’t noticed?

[halforc-mercenary]

𝔐𝔢𝔡𝔦𝔢𝔳𝔞𝔩 𝔐𝔢𝔡𝔦𝔠𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔓𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔰: From A To Y

Aloe: Greek physician Dioscorides recommended aloe externally for wounds, hemorrhoids, ulcers and hair loss. Pliny prescribed it internally as a laxative.  Angelica (Wild Celery): Angelica leaf necklaces were worn as protection against illness and witchcraft. Angelica was reputed to be the only herb witches never used and its presence in a woman's garden or cupboard was successfully used as a defense against charges of witchcraft. Gilbert Anglicus' Compendium of Medicine gives the following prescription for using angelica as a cough remedy: And if the cough is of sticky thick phlegm, give him a syrup made with horehound, the root of fennel, radish, wild celery and anise. Anise: Hippocrates recommended anise to help clear mucus from the respiratory system. It was also recommended by other renowned physicians as a breath freshener, digestive aid, a cure for "hicket" (hiccups), headache, asthma, insomnia, nausea, lice and infant colic. Anise was so popular in medieval England as a spice, medicine and perfume that in 1305 Edward I placed a special tax on it to raise money to repair London Bridge.  Apple: Hildegard of Bingen prescribed raw apples as a tonic for healthy people and cooked apples as the first treatment for any sickness.  Balm (Melissa): Lemon balm and bee balm were prescribed for nervousness and anxiety in the form of Melissa water or Eau de Melisse. Recommended for treatment of insomnia, arthritis, headache, toothache, sores, digestive problems and cramps, balm was considered to be something of a cure-all. Greek physicians recommended applying balm leaves to wounds and added the herb to wine to treat a variety of illnesses. Pliny prescribed it to stop bleeding.  Basil: The ancient physicians disagreed on the merits of basil. Dioscorides and Galen warned that taking basil internally would cause insanity and the spontaneous generation of internal worms. Pliny used it to treat stomach ailments. Hildegard of Bingen used basil in a concoction that included powder from a vulture's beak to treat tumors.  Blackberry: Blackberry was also known as "goutberry" as its most popular use was as a treatment for gout. Leaves and bark were chewed for bleeding gums, leaves were applied to the skin to sooth burns and scalds. Blackberry syrup was recommended for treatment of dysentery.  Buckthorn: Buckthorn became popular around the 13th century and was primarily used to purge the body of "foul humors". Buckthorn bark seeped in water produced a powerful laxative. It was also recommended for jaundice, hemorrhoids, gout and arthritis.  Burdock: In the 14th century burdock leaves were used to treat leprosy. Hildegard of Bingen used it to treat cancerous tumors. Burdock root was also prescribed for fever, ringworm and skin infections.  Caraway: Caraway seeds were recommended for the treatment of indigestion, gas and infant colic. Gilbertus Anglicus prescribed the following decoction for a syrup to treat ailments of the lungs:  Take barley water which has been strained, raisins, violets, jujube, seed of melon and gourd, wheat starch, licorice, black plums, fennel root, parsley, wild celery, anise, caraway, and make thereof a syrup. That is to say, seep all these in water until the virtue of them be in the water. Then strain it and add sugar or honey. And then set it over the fire to steep softly. Then take the white of four eggs and beat them well and add them. And always skim it until it is clear. Then take it down and strain it clean so that no dregs remain therein. Put it in a closed vessel. Chamomile: Used to treat headaches, kidney, liver and bladder problems and as an aid for digestive upsets.  Cinnamon: Hildegard of Bingen recommended cinnamon to treat colds, flu, cancer and "inner decay and slime." Coltsfoot Used for treating coughs, wheezing, shortness of breath, fever and inflammation. 

Comfrey: Boiling comfrey root in water produced a thick paste in which cloth was soaked and then wrapped around broken bones. Internally, comfrey was used for treating respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. Dandelion: Dandelion was prescribed to treat colds, boils, ulcers, dental problems, itching, jaundice and gallstones.  Dill: Digestive aid and gas remedy. Also a cure for hiccups. From Gilbertus Anglicus' Compendium of Medicine this treatment for squinacy (quinsy):  But if a postem be of phlegm, after his blood-letting and his purging, make him a gargle of sap from a hazelnut tree, dill, poppy, either the water that bark from a nut or mulberry tree has been seeped in, or the juice of bittersweet, with dried honeysuckle leaves and aloe.

Elecampane: Prescribed to treat coughs, bronchitis, asthma and indigestion.  Fennel: The ancient physicians prescribed fennel to treat infant colic, as an appetite suppressant and recommended the seeds to nursing mothers to boost milk production. Pliny believed that fennel was a cure for eye problems, including blindness. Hildegard of Bingen recommended fennel for treating colds, heart ailments and to aid in good digestion and body odor. Folk healers mixed fennel with strong laxatives such as buckthorn to counteract intestinal cramps.  Fenugreek: Fenugreek seeds mixed with water was used as a salve to soothe inflamed or irritated tissue. Internally, it was used to treat fever and digestion and respiratory ailments. Gilbertus Anglicus considered a plaster using fenugreek (femigreke) in combination with a gargle made of other ingredients to be somewhat of a cure-all:  Good for every postem both within a man's body and without: Take the root of hollyhock and lily roots and seep them in water. Then crush them with fresh grease and butter and add meal of flax seed (linseed) and fenugreek and snails and crush them together. And give him a gargle of vinegar that barley has lain in and water that pomegranate or sumac or roses or oak galls or lentils have soaked in. Garlic: Greek and Roman physicians recommended garlic for infections, wounds, cancer, leprosy, heart problems, colds, and epilepsy among many other ailments. In the middle ages the upper class shunned the use of garlic, but the peasantry viewed it as a preventative medicine and cure-all.  Horehound: First used in ancient Rome as an ingredient in poison antidotes lead medieval Europeans to believe horehound provided protection from witches' spells. Hildegard of Bingen considered it one of the best herbs for colds. Galen was the first to recommend horehound for coughs and respiratory problems.  Hyssop: Prescribed for use in a tea for coughs, wheezing and shortness of breath and in plasters and salves for chest decongestion. Hildegard of Bingen recommended a meal of chicken stewed in hyssop and wine as a treatment for depression.  Licorice: Hippocrates recommended licorice for cough, asthma and other respiratory diseases. Hildegard of Bingen prescribed it for stomach problems. 

Mint: Spearmint was the original medicinal mint and was used to aid in digestion and the treatment of gout. In Gilbertus Anglicus' Compendium of Medicine the following treatment is recommended for "stinking of the mouth":If there be no rotten flesh, let the mouth be washed with wine that birch or mint has been soaked in. And let the gums be well rubbed with a rough linen cloth until they bleed. And let him eat marjoram, mint and parsley til they be well chewed. And let him rub well his teeth with the herbs he chewed and also his gums. Motherwort: Used to treat heart palpitations and depression; later to stimulate contractions during childbirth.  Myrrh: Myrrh was valued primarily as an oral treatment for bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and sore throat. It was also used as an expectorant for colds and congestion. Oregano: Used as a digestive aid, arthritis treatment, expectorant for cough, colds and chest congestion.  Parsley: Galen prescribed parsley for epilepsy and as a diuretic to treat water retention. Hildegard of Bingen recommended parsley compresses for arthritis and parsley boiled in wine for chest and heart pain. Pennyroyal (Fleabane) Pliny first discovered that when rubbed on the skin or strewn, pennyroyal repelled fleas. He also recommended it as a cough remedy and digestive aid. Taken with honey, pennyroyal was said to cleanse the lungs and clear the chest of "all gross and thick humors".  Roses: Hippocrates recommended rose flowers mixed with oil for diseases of the uterus. Hildegard of Bingen prescribed rose hip tea as the initial treatment for many complaints including headache, dizziness and cramps. For difficulty in swallowing, Gilbertus Anglicus recommended a syrup called "honey roset" which consisted of a pound of minced roses soaked in a pound of honey over a fire. 

Rosemary: In 1235 Queen Elizabeth of Hungary became paralyzed. According to legend, a hermit soaked a pound of rosemary in a gallon of wine for several days then rubbed it on her limbs, curing her. Rosemary/wine combinations became known as Queen of Hungary's Water and were used externally to treat skin problems, gout, dandruff, and prevention of baldness. Saffron Rare in Europe until after the Crusades, by the 14th century saffron was recommended to treat jaundice, insomnia and cancer.  Sage: Sage was considered to be something of a cure-all. Pliny prescribed it for snakebite, epilepsy, intestinal worms and chest ailments. Dioscorides recommended using sage leaves as bandages for wounds. Gilbertus Anglicus recommends the following for aching eyes:  And if it (the ache of the eyes) comes of phlegm purge it as I told in the headache and in other sicknesses of the head. And if it be of melancholy, purge it. And afterward let him be stood over a stew five or seven times, that is made of wormwood, betony, fennel, sage, flowers of thyme, chamomile flowers, melilot flowers, hock, and wild celery. All these must be soaked in wine and water together, half wine and the other half water. And let him hold his eyes and his head over the stew. And afterward take a linen cloth or cotton and wet in the water. And anoint there with his eyes.  St. John's Wort Early: physicians prescribed St. John's Wort taken internally with wine as a cure for poisonous snakebite and externally as a treatment for burns. Christians believed that St. John's wort repelled evil spirits and burned it in bonfires on St. John's Eve to purify the air, drive away evil spirits and ensure healthy crops.  Thyme: Thyme was used as a cough remedy, digestive aid and treatment for intestinal worms. Hildegard of Bingen favored it for skin problems. Thyme was also recommended to those who suffered from depression; they were advised to sleep on thyme-stuffed pillows. Gilbertus Anglicus recommended the following involved treatment for a soft spleen: For softness of the spleen, if it be of cold humors give him oximel (medicine made of two parts vinegar and one of honey) to defy the humors.  Afterward give him iera pigra Galieni (a decoction made of valerian, cinnamon, saffron, camel hay, hazelwort, bark of cassia and balsa, violets, wormwood, roses, gourds and aloes among other spices) to purge the humors.  After the third day treat with a bath of hot herbs such as oregano, mint, horehound, thyme, rosemary and such others. And the next day let him bleed under the ankle in the underside of the left foot. And make him hot plasters of rue, celandine, and nettles to consume the humors and lay to the spleen. Valerian: Ancient physicians recommended valerian as a diuretic, antidote to poisons, for pain relief and as a decongestant. Hildegard of Bingen prescribed it as a tranquilizer and sleeping aid.  Vervain: In the middle ages healing herbs were called simples. Vervain was prescribed so often and for so many different ailments that it became known as "simpler's joy." It was recommended for fever, tumors, blood infections, toothache, and acne among many other ailments.

 Yarrow: Used to treat inflammations, to stop bleeding, as a digestive aid, for pain relief and as a mild sedative.

[daysswithyou]

Fallen Chapter 17: Broken hearts

previous / next

Characters: DAY6 Young K x OC (Rachel)

Genre: angst, fake dating, high school romance, fluff, romance

------

Brian nearly gets tackled to the ground the moment he shows himself, Wonpil and Jae slamming into him with full force as they cuff him around his neck. He pushes the jesters off him good-naturedly, before shoving them in the direction of the chalet. He wonders if they're tipsy, and the empty beer cans littering the area confirms his suspicions. He shakes his head at their antics, wondering how the duo have so little restrain when it comes to drinking. Sungjin and Dowoon are the only sober ones on the team, the former grilling meat and the latter silently sipping on his soda in the background.

"You're finally here, took you long enough."

Sungjin takes a playful jab at Brian's tardiness, eyes darting between the sizzling meat and Brian's face, a smirk hanging on his lips.

"Sorry, the wedding ended late."

"Still, shouldn't you make up for being late? I had to suffer more because of your absence. Birthday boy wouldn't leave me alone, clinging onto me and whining about why you weren't here yet."

His captain shivers in exaggeration, before proceeding to jerk his head in the direction of Wonpil, whom is now engaged in a high note battle with Jae, their dolphin-like screams making Brian wince. Turning back to Sungjin, he says,

"I'll gladly make up for it. What do you need me to do?"

"We're running out of ice to chill the drinks, and ice cream too. Take Dowoon with you, those two are too out of it to be of much use now."

Sungjin and Brian both snigger under their breaths as they continue to eye the comedic duo. The raven-haired male claps Sungjin on the shoulder, wishing him a silent good luck in being able to watch over Jae and Wonpil while the two of them were away.

Walking up to Dowoon, he puts his arm over the broad shoulders of the younger, steering him in the direction of the convenience store.

"Come on, let's go get Wonpil's favourite ice cream."

Dowoon follows without much resistance, the light bounce in his step an indication that he, too, was glad to get away from the rowdy scene for a short while.

---

“We got everything?”

Dowoon takes a peek into the bag as he does a visual check of the items bought, nodding his head as he raises it up from its craned position over the bag. He meets Brian’s eye for a short while – until something else coming up from behind Brian’s back catches his attention.

Or rather, someone coming up from behind Brian’s back catches his attention.

Brian notices how the smile is wiped from the younger’s face, and the feeling of someone watching him prickles the back of his neck.

“Dowoon, what’s wrong?”

Dowoon’s voice comes out soft, barely above a whisper.

“Hyung…”

He lifts a shaky finger to point at something behind Brian but the star player does not have to turn his head to figure out what caught Dowoon’s attention – for he hears the familiar click of heels against the tarmac floor; a memory buried deep within his mind resurfacing yet it’s an unpleasant one, his fist clenching as his lips curl at the memory. He feels the figure stand right behind him, and he turns around to face the person, knowing very well who to expect – but expectation doesn’t necessarily make one more prepared for how the outcome feels – and this one feels like a punch in the gut, a slap in the face.

Seeing Ayeon never gets easier – only harder – but this time, for different reasons.

Unlike before, his eyes that meet hers don’t hold any warmth, a greeting no longer hanging by his lips as he reaches for you. Instead, he stares her down with a steely cold gaze, his lips forming a sneer as his fists remain firmly clenched by his side. Ayeon remains unfazed by his hostile reaction towards her, keeping her poker face in place as she crosses her arms over her chest. She smiles a sickeningly sweet smile at Brian, and he has to look away for a moment before he gets too disgusted and loses his appetite for the birthday party later. She feigns innocence, and lets a surprised gasp fall from her lips as she pretends to finally notice his presence.

“Oh Brian? What a lovely surprise! What brings you to this chalet? I was just having a small weekend getaway here and – ”

Brian rolls his eyes at her nonsensical rambling, and decides to put an end to it.

“Cut the bullshit Ayeon. You’re not here on accident; you never liked such places. What did you say about them last time…”

Brian pretends to be deep in thought, letting his head hang low as he lets out a scoff.

“Right, I remember now. You said that such places were filthy, meant for the good-for-nothings that could not afford better. So, how about you stop pretending to be nice and tell me what you want, so that we can settle it and have nothing to do with one another again. Ever.”

He punctuates his points with venom, head snapping up to give her a murderous glare to get his point across. But Ayeon merely laughs at him; finding him amusing when he’s angry. Now that her ploy has been exposed, no need to keep up the façade.

“Ah Brian, as expected, you haven’t lost your sharp mind yet. You’re right – I’m not here on accident. I just wanted to confirm something with you, since I have no other way to reach the other party except through you. Evening…Luna… was it? Rachel’s café. We’re pretty interested in the area; we’ve got a contract all prepared. I was hoping that you would be able to kindly put me in touch with her.”

Upon the mention of Rachel, Brian nearly lunges at Ayeon, but is promptly stopped by Dowoon’s firm grip on his shoulder and his deep voice of warning; having forgotten about Dowoon the moment he started arguing with Ayeon.

“Hyung!”

Brian comes back to his senses immediately, taking a step back obediently when Dowoon pulls him away. Brian’s eyes dart between Dowoon behind him and Ayeon right in front, weighing the gravity of her words uttered before.

Her parents are real estate developers. They have the power to take away Rachel’s parents life works the moment she convinces them to take interest in the area. No… this won’t do… I need to convince Ayeon to leave Rachel alone.

Ayeon watches Brian’s internal battle with perverse glee, the corner of her blood red lips tugging up ever so slightly as she drums her perfectly manicured nails against her arm, mocking Brian with impatient, incessant taps of her heels against the tarmac floor. Brain notices this all – she’s a predator waiting for her prey, him, to take the bait.

He knows he shouldn’t, it’ll be like throwing himself into a blazing fire to be burned alive, but he has no choice – if he wants to protect the one, he loves.

Turning behind to face Dowoon, he tries not to let his fear show as he swallows slowly, steadying his voice with great effort as he utters his next words.

“Dowoon, could you take the things and go back first? Tell Sungjin that I’m a little…caught up. If he asks, tell him I’ll be back soon.”

He gives Dowoon a pointed look at his last words, making it very clear that he does not want Sungjin knowing. Sungjin might come running for him, and things might blow out of proportion; no one could ever predict. The less people know, the better.

Dowoon shakes his head slowly as he gulps nervously, not entirely convinced by Brian’s conviction. Dowoon stays unmoving from his spot, not wanting to leave Brian alone with Ayeon, most especially not with the sinister look on her face now. Brian senses Dowoon’s apprehension, and merely gives the younger a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder – or so he thinks. In reality, Brian’s grip is too tight, his blunt nails are digging into Dowoon’s muscles, the skin potentially bruising later. With one last push, he pushes Dowoon towards the chalet, nodding his head as Dowoon takes a shaky step away from the pair.

Ayeon wouldn’t try anything when I’m still here and we will both never figure out her true intentions. But. I can come back for hyung later. I just have to pretend to walk away and then figure out where they’re headed for later.

Keeping his head down, Dowoon pretends to walk away in defeat, turning away from the pair fully. When he’s certain they can no longer see him, Dowoon quickly hides behind a pillar, eyeing the pair carefully.

---

Seeing that Dowoon is gone, Brian turns back to face Ayeon, his murderous glare back on again. He cuts to the chase immediately, launching his accusations with no mercy.

“What do you with her Ayeon?”

“Rachel? Oh I want nothing to do with her Brian. But…”

“But?”

Brian snaps, clenching his jaw in annoyance at the way that Ayeon is taking her time to toy with him.

“But I want you Brian.”

She takes a step closer, sliding her fingers across the lapel of his navy blue jacket as he slowly takes her time saying her next words.

“Just…you…and me… having some fun together.”

Brian stays in his spot unmoving, eyes fixed faraway on a spot above her head. He refuses to look at her; the sight is revolting. Seeing that her tactics are not working against the uncooperative Brian, Ayeon decides to tease him more, now tilting her face upwards so that her lips rest just millimetres away from his.

So close, that if either of them moved, they would collide.

“Of course you can say no, but…”

She grips his jacket tightly, tugging it harshly to prove her point.

But Rachel will pay the price for your disobedience.

Brian shifts his eyes downwards, eyeing Ayeon through his slit eyes.

“What do you want?”

“Follow me.”

Ayeon finally lets go, not even bothering to smooth out the wrinkles in his jacket before marching in the direction of where she came from. Brian follows, and Dowoon trails behind the duo.

---

You groan when the shrill tunes of your ringtone pierces through the silent night, and you turn to your side as your blankets tangle around your legs – which nutjob was calling you at such an ungodly hour? What could not possibly wait till daylight?

Kang Younghyun calling

You swipe the green button without hesitation, ready to give Brian an earful if he roused you from your precious sleep for a prank.

“He – ”

“Rachel? Can I see you for a moment?”

You were about to chide Brian for rudely interrupting you, but the urgency in his voice made you hold your tongue. You bring the phone away from your ears to check the time – 03:12 – and you groan once more, your pillow muffling the sound.

“Younghyun, can’t this wait till tomorrow? It’s very, very late now; we can meet tomorrow if you want to alright?”

You were about to end the call but his next words have you jolting awake in your bed as you throw your blanket off you.

“Rachel… please… don’t go. I have to see you now… please. There is something I must tell you, so please let me see you. Please, please, please don’t leave me alone…”

He sounds so desperate, like a vulnerable, broken, little boy. It was a startling difference from the confident, strong and cheeky Kang Younghyun that you’ve become so accustomed to – and the difference scared you. What happened during the past few hours? Did someone hurt him? Did something catastrophic happen? – because it sure sounded like it did from his shaky, small voice that had just begged you over the phone. That was not the Kang Younghyun that you knew – someone must have broken him. You were worried – afraid even – but if Younghyun was terrified now, you have to be the strong one here. You needed to protect him now – like how he did for you before.

Steeling your nerves, you asked in a calm voice,

“Younghyun, where are you now? I’ll come find you ok, tell me – ”

“I’m outside your house. By the door.”

“Ok, don’t move. I’ll come down now, stay with me on the phone.”

Jumping over your bed, you flung your bedroom door open as you dashed down the stairs, reaching the front door in 3 big jumps. You fumble with the lock in the dark for some time, cursing your shaky hands as your phone was perched precariously between your shoulder and ears.

You throw the heavy door open, ready to launch yourself at Younghyun – but the sight in front of you made you halt in your steps, your questions dying in your throat.

He was an absolute wreck. His previously styled hair was now unkempt, the slightly longer strands obscuring his eyes. His crisp suit was now wrinkled and crumpled, darker patches of sweat staining the navy blue almost black. However, the drastic change in his appearance wasn’t the most jarring difference – but rather – his eyes. It was his eyes.

His twinkling eyes always curved into beautiful crescents were now bloodshot; and even under the slight haze of sleep, you can see the web of red veins from his eyes blown wide, the dark orbs now looking like a bottomless, black pit. In it, you see fear and hysteria, and you shiver even though it was a hot, balmy night.

This isn’t the Kang Younghyun I know. What have they done to him?

You feel your heart physically aches as your chest caves in, taking shallow breaths as you feel the first tears stinging your eyes.

Younghyun – too – is no exception.

The moment he gets to lay his eyes on you, tears well up in his eyes and he lunges forward to engulf you in a bone-crushing hug before you get to see the first tears fall, your phone clattering to the ground from the force slamming into you.

He has one arm wrapped around your shoulders and the other crossed across your upper back, his hand resting against your ribcage. But this hug is unlike the others – it isn’t comforting, neither does it convey warm emotions. Instead, it is one that is physically painful to receive, and speaks of depths of sorrow. His chest is pressing into yours so tightly that it crushes your chest, making it hard to breathe. The gentle hands that used to caress your skin were now gripping onto your shoulder and ribcage tightly, his nails digging into the thin skin. Despite the physical torment, you can’t find the heart to push him off or scold him – you can sense that he really needs it, and you let him does what might make him feel better as you blink back your tears. But the moment you feel his warm tears slide down your neck, your tears well up again and this time round, a few droplets slip down your cheeks. Burrowing his face into your hair and neck, Brian holds you as he cries, apologies spewing from his lips furiously.

“I’m sorry Rachel… I’m really sorry, I’m very sorry. I am so, so, so, so sorry…”

He keeps repeating the same words over and over again, and you raise your hands to run them soothingly across the vast expanse of his back, hoping to calm him down.

“What are you sorry for? Please talk to me Younghyun… it hurts me to see you cry.”

Younghyun bites back another sob as he hears your kind words, but fresh tears fall from his eyes, staining your neck and back as they slip further down. He can’t think of anything else to say to you except to apologise – and that’s all he keeps doing.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Knowing that your words bring him sorrow instead of comfort, you opt to keep your mouth shut as you continue to rub his back, alternating between strokes and circles.

When your neck no longer feels wet and he stops shaking, you know he’s exhausted himself from all the crying. His body feels heavier against you now, you supporting most of his weight. You move to bring him into the house, but his voice stops you.

“Rachel.”

“Hmmm?”

“Whatever happens, please know that I did it for you. I love you.”

Your hands still in their ministrations, too shocked by what you just heard. Only one response comes to mind, and you say it for him – knowing that it will comfort him, as much as it will comfort you to finally get it off your chest.

“I love you too.”

[ladywinchester1967]

Bittersweet Symphony:

Chapter 2

Pairing: Dean x Kaylee (OFC)

Warnings: ALLLLLLLL OF THE FLUFF, I apologize to you and your teeth in advance for this one, SMUT, mentions of morning sickness, Dean and Sam being sweeties. Singing and flashback are in italics. Beta’d by the always lovely and amazing @clo-heda if there are still mistakes, they’re mine. Pics are not. 

A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter in Bittersweet Symphony!!!

Chapter 1 HERE

Kaylee laid in bed staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep after throwing up again. It was late, Sam and Dean had long gone to bed and the bunker was quiet. She sighed and placed a hand over her still flat stomach. She felt a warmth in her chest, knowing there was someone there, someone she felt she could talk to without having to explain herself.

“What do you think?” she asked, speaking to the baby “You're here for a reason, so what do you say you and I figure that out together huh?” No one answered, but in her heart of hearts, she knew what her choice was. “Okay,” she said out loud “we'll do that then. You and me against the world.”

The next morning, Kaylee told the boys her decision.

“I'm keeping the baby.” she told them.

They both smiled and then Sam spoke up

“We talked about it,” he said “and we both agreed that if that's what you wanted to do, we'd love to have you stay.”

“Here?” she asked “With a baby?”

Dean nodded

“With all the other hunters gone, Cas and Jack only pop in every once in a while, it'd be nice to have the company.” he said. Dean was lying through his teeth, the fact that she could leave made him sick to his stomach.

“Guys, I don't know.” Kaylee said “Babies make noise at weird hours, they poop and ya know, grow up. Are you really sure you guys want that? Here?”

Dean looked at Sam and then nodded

“Hey, it's not like the kid would know anything different.” Dean said “And so what? Babies make noise, that's what they do.”

“But what about hunting?” Kaylee asked

“If anything,” Sam said “this is the safest place for you and the baby. This place is like Fort Knox against the supernatural.”

This was too much, Kaylee thought, too much generosity, too much change and way too much heartache for one person to handle.

“Let me think about it.” she told them “I don't want to cramp ya'lls style or whatever.”

Dean laughed at this

“Yeah, because this guy,” he pointed at Sam “has so much style.”

The next day, Kaylee woke up sick, and again, Dean found her in the bathroom retching up nothing. It went on like this for weeks, no matter what they tried, Kaylee would be sick all morning, the symptoms finally subsiding long enough for her to eat something, even then her appetite wasn’t what it used to be.

“I'm saying, I want to eat you guys out of house and home, but I just can't.” She said, exhausted and cranky from nearly no sleep. After two straight weeks of being sick and useless, she realized that maybe the guys had a point. Kaylee had decided to take them up on their offer to stay in the bunker.

“Have we tried peppermints yet?” Sam asked as he tapped on his laptop “this says it'll soothe your stomach.”

“I think that's the only thing we haven't tried.” Dean said as he thought.

“We need groceries anyway,” Sam said with a shrug “I'll run to the store, you,” he said and looked at Kaylee “get some rest.”

“You two damn near have me bed ridden.” Kaylee said impatiently

“You're growing another person in your body,” Dean said “you're doing all the heavy lifting.”

Once Sam had left, Dean walked with Kaylee back to her room as her phone rang, it was the doctor confirming her first appointment.

“Yep, gotta go to that too.” Kaylee said with a yawn as Dean tucked her into bed. “I swear, I've been on hunts where I was less exhausted.”

“Again, you're growing a human, you're gonna be tired.” Dean reminded her as he sat beside her. He chewed on his lip as Kaylee got comfortable. When she caught sight of his expression she asked

“What's eating you?”

“Has Devin?” He asked and Kaylee shook her head “At all?” Dean asked and she shook her head again.

“He didn't want to be a part of this anyway,” Kaylee reminded him “since he kicked me out, I haven't heard a peep from him and I'm not reaching out.” Tears welled in her eyes as she laid her head back against the pillows. “Sorry, I'm crying at the drop of a hat right now.” she sniffled as Dean handed her a box of tissues.

“You're fine, cry if you want to.” Dean said with a gentle smile.

“Can I have a hug?” she asked and he nodded. He pulled her into his arms and ran a hand up and down her back trying to soothe her. She cried bitterly into his chest and clutched him tightly. Once she had calmed down, she looked up at Dean and said “Thanks again, sorry for using your shirt as a tissue.”

“That's what washing machines are for.” Dean said with a shrug and she let out a laugh, which in turn, made him smile. “There we go, there's a smile. When is your appointment?” he asked

“Day after tomorrow.” she told him as she laid her head on his chest.

“You want some company?” he asked “Because I'll go with you if you want.”

Kaylee thought about it and shook her head

“No, I think I can handle it.” she told him

“I know you can handle it,” Dean told her “I'd be more for moral support.”

Kaylee thought for a few long moments and then looked at him, nodding.

“I could really use the moral support,” she said “but I don't know.”

“Well, talk to me,” he said “what's on your mind?”

“I just don't wanna over step my boundaries,” she told him “it's bad enough that you guys are just letting me stay here and I don't wanna put you out or make you feel obligated to me when you aren't.”

He chuckled a little and said

“I'm just asking to go to a doctor's appointment with you to hold you hand,” he said “I'm not asking you to marry me.”  She laughed as she wiped away her tears and he went on “I'm not doing it because I feel an obligation to you, you're my friend and I know you're upset. I'm just trying to help.”

Kaylee wiped away her tears and nodded

“Okay, thank you.” she told him.

Without realizing it, Dean had taken change of caring for Kaylee. She’d come to rely on him after he had volunteered to go to her first doctor’s appointment. As her belly expanded, it became harder and harder on him to leave her behind while he and Sam hunted. He would be in knots the entire trip, anxious to wrap up and get back to her.

“Are you sure you’re not in love with her?” Sam asked.

“Shut up Sam.” Dean snapped one evening.

In his heart, he knew he was in love with Kaylee but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever say it out loud.

One night, Dean had gotten up, unable to sleep, when he heard shuffling around in the kitchen and what sounded like someone softly singing. As quiet as a mouse, he crept toward the kitchen and looked around the corner to see Kaylee at the stove with her arm across her belly and she was singing.

“And that was the day that I promised I’d never sing of love if it does not exist, but darlin you are the only exception.” She sang and smiled down at her belly.

Dean felt his heart swell and a fond smile cross his face, he didn’t know she could sing and she was really good. He waited until she was swaying, in her own world before he cleared his throat and walked in.

“Hey,” she greeted him “what’re you doing up in the middle of the night?”

“I should be asking you the same thing,” he said and nodded at the tea kettle that was currently whistling on the stove.

“She likes chamomile tea,” Kaylee said “it’s the only way I can get her to quit kicking the shit out of me so I can go to sleep.”

“Here, I’ll fix it, you sit down.” He told her as he made his way over to her. She inhaled sharply and said

“Jesus, that was a hard one.” Dean chuckled and she said “yeah, you laugh now, but you get kicked in the bladder and see how you like it.”

“I’ll pass.” He said as she eased herself on to the bar stool. Dean poured her tea and added a little honey just the way she liked and then sat down with her. “I didn’t know you could sing.” He said after a long stretch of silence.

“She likes it.” Kaylee said with a fond smile as she drank her tea “I’m guessing you heard me huh?”

“A little,” He said “I heard someone in the kitchen and investigated, I wasn’t expecting a concert.”

Kaylee laughed and the baby kicked harder.

“Boy, she’s active tonight,” Kaylee said “I swear she goes bananas if she hears you or Sam.”

Dean grinned, he was torn between amusement and wonder, the baby recognized his and his brother's voices, that had to be some kind of sign.

“She’s like our little buddy you know?” He asked “It’s gonna be weird when she’s actually here and not in your belly any more.”

Kaylee nodded

“Yeah, tell me about it.” She said, her free hand on her belly “It’s weird to think about ya know?” Dean nodded and watched as her tummy twitched and he grinned again.

“She’s going to town.” He said and nodded to her belly.

“Yep,” She said and grabbed his hand “feel that?”

He held his hand still and then felt a push on his palm. His heart seemed to squeeze and flutter all at the same time, she was saying hello and he loved it.

“Remember the first time you felt her kick?” Kaylee reminded him and he nodded. Of course he remembered, the memory was burned into his brain in the best way possible.

“Yeah, like butterfly wings.” He said, his smile deepening.

“Dean?” She asked and looked up at him. He looked back at her as her eyes bore into his. Without hesitation, they both leaned in, their lips finally meeting. Dean’s heart beat painfully in his chest as she opened her mouth and kissed him again, her fingers threading through his hair. It felt like his birthday, Christmas and the 4th of July all at once in his stomach, blood rushed in his ears as they kissed again, his hand moving from her belly to the back of her head. When they pulled back, their chests were heaving.

“I’m sorry, I just-“ she started and he shook his head.

“No don’t,” he said “I’ve been wanting that for a long time.”

“Since when?” She asked him

“Pretty much since the night we met,” he said with a small smile “I just thought you were too good for me and I didn’t want to lose my best friend.”

She kissed him again, her free hand on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. The baby’s kicking had subsided as they kissed over and over, years of feelings finally bubbling over. They pulled back and he asked

“My room?” And she nodded.

She quickly finished her tea and he took her by the hand to his bedroom where he closed the door behind them. They climbed into bed and she snuggled close to him, propping pillows under her belly so that she could lay on her side.

“Sorry about all the extra padding.” She told him and he laughed as he rolled to his side.

“You’re fine,” He said and kissed her forehead “I just want you to be comfortable.”

“I am,” She told him as he tucked her hair behind her ear “I really am.”

They threaded their fingers together and kissed. He mouth moved gently over hers, he relished in the sensations; his mouth on hers, her body against his, her scent wrapped around him as he squeezed her fingers tightly. She melted into him, drawing herself as close to him as she could, her hand flat on his shoulder blade.

“Dean,” she breathed as his lips worked their way down her chin and jawline “mh Dean.”

He silently cheered as his cock began to swell, her moaning his name was his new addiction. He kissed behind her ear and down the column of her neck as she started to squirm. She reached down and pulled her t-shirt up and off, he followed suit, discard his shirt on the floor with hers. He pulled back and grinned down at her.

“You’re so beautiful.” He told her as he got on his hands and knees over her, careful not to squish her or the baby. She slid her hands around his waist and smiled as they kissed. Kissing him was intoxicating, he was by far the best kisser, they way he used his lips and his tongue to dissolve her into a writhing mess wasn’t something she’d experienced before.

“Dean, god I want you.” She told him, electricity pulsing through her skin and going straight to her core. He pulled back and nodded

“I want you too, but,” he paused looking for the right words then finally said “I’ve never fucked a pregnant chick before. That I’m aware of.”

They both laughed, taking a few minutes to regain their composure before she said

“Well, I’ve never been fucked while pregnant so this is gonna take a second.”

He nodded and asked

“You want to try riding me?”

“I’ll crush you if I try to ride you,” she pointed out “try getting behind me.”

“Okay,” He said “and for the record you would not crush me.”

“You wanna try?” She asked and he nodded.

“What’s the worst that happens?” He asked as he untied his pajama pants “We switch positions?”

“Or I squish you to death while fucking you.” She said as she shimmied out of her yoga pants and panties.

“If that’s how I go,” he said as he took off his pants and underwear “then that’s how I go.”

She rolled her eyes as the pile of clothes on the floor became larger. He climbed over top of her and unhooked her bra, throwing it to the floor as his lips gently caressed her skin. His hands traced over every curve as he pulled her up and into his lap. Once she was settled on her knees above him, she reached between them and flicked the head of his cock through her soaking folds.

“Holy shit,” he said “you’re wet from just me kissing you?”

“You’re the best kisser I’ve ever had.” She told him as she lowered herself on top of him. They both moaned as he pushed into her tight channel. Once she was fully seated on him, they both began to move, their hips meeting thrust for thrust. Dean’s hands rolled up and down her back as they kissed, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Kaylee wasn’t sure if it was because they had finally given into years of sexual tension, the fact that her senses were heightened or that everything on her body was more sensitive than it had been, but having sex with him felt different. Like she finally found a long lost object.

“Dean,” she moaned “oh god, Dean.” She moved her hips faster as he filled her.

“Fuck,” Dean cried “just like that, god that feels good.”

The pressure inside her seemed to flow through every cell in her body, the overwhelming pleasure of him being so close and being inside of her felt better than she ever imagined it could be. Dean placed a hand on the small of her back while the other snaked into her hair. With her silken locks in his fingers, he kissed her hard and then pulled back, their foreheads gently touching. Her eyes fluttered open, met his and she gave him a sweet smile.

“I love you.” She told him

“I love you too.” He answered and they tenderly kissed.

“Get behind me,” she told him “please.”

He pulled back and nodded as she pulled off of him and got on all fours, piling pillows under her belly so that she would be more comfortable. He took his time pushing inside her, she moaned deeply as he did this. She could seemingly feel everything all at once; her feelings for him, the intense pleasure coursing through her body, it was all so much but it all felt so right. Dean gripped her hips tightly, trying desperately to hold out.

“Oh my god, Dean!” She cried as she reached her peak “Wanna come, please!”

He slammed hard into her, the sharp snap of his skin hitting hers filling the room.

“Come,” He told her “oh fuck, come for me.”

She moaned and her release filled her with warm pleasure as she let go. He held tightly to her hips as he let go inside her, filling her to the brim with his hot seed.

The next night, Dean woke up to hear soft singing again.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey.” She softly sang. Dean lay still and just listened, a slow smile crossing his face.

“You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” She finished the song and let out a heavy sigh.

“Can’t sleep?” He asked sleepily

“No,” she said “can’t get comfortable. Go back to sleep, I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You’re fine.” He said as he rolled to his side and wrapped his arms around her as she laid on her back and snuggled up next to him. He laid a hand across her belly and felt it twitch under his touch. Dean kissed her temple as the baby gave his hand a hearty kick.

“Now I see why you can’t sleep.” He said and rubbed his hand over her belly.

“Yeah, she’s active again tonight.” Kaylee said, sounding exhausted.

Dean pulled Kaylee closer and then said

“Here, I’ll try.” And cleared his throat “you are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” He sang softly “you make me happy when skies are grey.” He paused and then asked “how does the rest of it go?”

Kaylee laughed and finished the song for him, much to both of their amazement, the baby settled down enough to where Kaylee could go to sleep.

“You know what I was thinking this morning?” Kaylee asked as she stirred her coffee.

“How gorgeous you look?” Dean asked with a sappy smile on his face. Kaylee’s cheeks went red and she smiled. “I’m right aren’t I?” He asked and she shook her head.

“No!” She exclaimed “but thank you.”

“So what were you thinking then?” Dean asked.

“You know how sometimes the only way we can get her to settle down is to sing to her?” Kaylee asked and rubbed her belly.

“Yeah?” Dean asked

“What if we sing to her at night?” Kaylee suggested “Then maybe I can get some sleep.”

“We can try it,” Dean said “and see what happens.”

That night, Dean finished tuning an old guitar he’d found in the bunker while Kaylee settled on the couch in Dean’s man cave.

“I’m warning you,” Dean said “I can’t sing to save my life.”

Kaylee laughed and said

“You’re not playing at Madison Square Garden, you’re just participating in an experiment with your pregnant girlfriend and her illegitimate child.”

“Now there’s something I bet you never thought you’d say.” Dean said and then he looked down at the guitar. “What should I play?” He asked

“Something you know,” she told him “I was doing some reading and babies just like hearing the sounds of our voices, so whatever you play, she’ll probably like.”

“What's she doing now?” Dean asked.

Kaylee ran her hands over her belly and said

“I think she's waking up, she's moving around some.”

Dean cleared his throat and felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he began to play.

“Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City? I'm a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty, yes you do. Times Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true.” Dean sang.

Kaylee looked at him wide eyed as he continued to play, his singing voice gave the it a blues and rock like twist to an otherwise pop song. Her mind going back to the conversation she'd been having with the boys after they'd found out the baby would be a girl.

“Say what you will, but she picked her name.” Kaylee said

“Which is?” Sam asked

“Delilah Anne.” Kaylee said

“Delilah?” Sam asked

“I played Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T’s and she went bonkers, so I just knew.” Kaylee said with a shrug.

“You remembered?” Kaylee asked and Dean nodded as he continued to sing

“Hey there Delilah, don't you worry about the distance, I'm right here if you get lonely. Give this song another listen, close your eyes. Listen to my voice it's my disguise, I'm by your side.”

Kaylee snapped her hand over her mouth and her eyes filled with tears as he played and finished the rest of the song. By the end, she was bawling and he set the guitar aside to hold her.

“You just,” I can't believe-wait, when did you learn to play that?” Kaylee asked as she mopped up her face.

“I looked up the chords and learned,” he said “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Oh, you surprised me all right.” she said and kissed him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hope you guys liked that!! Your kind feedback is always appreciated and loved more than you know. All tag lists and boxes are open so if you wanna get on any list or just chat; feel free to send me a message or ask!!

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[theresnoturningback]

Gone Fishin’ [PART TWO]

A/N:

I am deeply sorry this took so long and if there’s a mispelled word or any grammar error, I’m sorry for that too :/ I want to thank you for all the beautiful comments and tags, I read all of them and I love you guys. Writing is actually a big deal for me, especially now. It’s almost therapeutical.

So, having that in mind, keep your comments coming, any kind of feedback is very much appreciated. PS: This is pretty much what happens when you highkey ship Louisentine/Clouis but absolutely adore Aasim and lowkey want to write for him 24/7.

Word Count: 2427

Part II

Clementine opened her eyes slowly, her face was warm in a very uncomfortable way. Could it be a fever? She rolled to her left side and squinted at the sunshine.

Although the window was mostly boarded, one or two rays would be  sneaky enough to shine right on her face.

She groaned. Why must the sun shine so bright at this time of the day?

A sudden realization ended up waking her up completely. The sun was almost on its highest point, meaning she was awfully late for breakfast.

She panicked and jolted up, grabbed her hat from the desk and ran towards the benches as fast as she could.

    Of course, breakfast time had ended hours ago, everyone was doing their respective jobs. Disappointed, Clementine turned around with the intention of heading back to the dorm, only to find Brody in front of her.

‘Morning, Clem’ She said with surprise in her voice ‘I was actually looking for you. AJ told me you weren’t feeling well, and that’s why you skipped breakfast’

‘I...yeah’ Clementine scratched her head apologetically ‘I wasn’t feeling very well this morning, I even thought I could have a fever…’ She made a mental note to thank AJ for covering her.

‘Do you?’

‘No, no...I’m okay. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be up’

‘Listen, Clem’ Brody sighed ‘I understand you might still have pain from the car crash. I didn’t even think you would make it, to be honest. You are one tough girl, you pulled through, I’ll give you that’

‘...but?’

‘But, if you’re really in optimal conditions to fight or hunt, you must start helping us out...retribute, you know? We all care for each other here’ Brody changed her light tone for a more stern one ‘We may still be kids, but this is not a game we are playing, understood?’

Clementine wanted to spit out some snarky comeback, but she understood where all of Brody’s concern was coming from. She would be just as worried if she had such a responsibility on her shoulders. She chose not to cause a commotion.

‘It won’t happen again, I promise’ She answered, obediently.

‘Good’ Brody exhaled deeply, as if she was holding her breath the entire time ‘Since you missed your lookout shift, we had to rearrange everything. You have the morning free. Ruby is filling in for you, and today everyone is cleaning up, resetting traps and killing stray walkers in the school surroundings. It’s a group effort, and a hard work, but they’ll be done before the sun sets’

‘Shouldn’t I go and help, too?’ Clementine asked, Brody shook her head

‘They got it covered. You should take the day, actually, to recover from whatever is hurting right now. I can feel you’re a little distraught’  Clementine was surprised, she was hoping it didn’t show. She wasn’t generally that transparent

‘Thanks, Brody’ She smiled ‘ I’ll be OK for my duties tomorrow’

‘Which reminds me’ Brody said before Clementine turned around to leave ‘Tomorrow morning you’re fishing with me, if the traps are all reset. Be punctual and be prepared’

Clementine nodded understandingly.

‘I’ll be there’ She said before heading back to the dorm. Her routine demanded her to go check on AJ  as soon as she was up, but this time she let him had his fun watching from the tower with Tenn, providing backup for the group that was already working.

Liked or not, she had other things occupying her head at the moment. Minutes passed slower than usual, she used most of her free time pacing around the school, looking at the floor,  preoccupied she might have upset Louis by not showing on time.

‘Well, you’ve screwed up big time, Clementine’ She muttered to herself, as she used to do when she knew she was alone.

She looked up and realized she had somehow wandered into one special room. She looked at the piano, and could feel it stare back at her. She sighed and walked in timidly.

The decaying wooden flooring squeaked with each of Clementine’s approaching steps. She walked around taking in the soothing sun rays that shone gently down at her, very different from the ones that woke her up before. Soon, every heavy thought in her head vanished, and she felt calm, like she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

Maybe that was the reason Louis liked that place so much. Maybe that was why he was so laid back and would come up as care-free to everyone else. Of course, she was just assuming, but considered it would be a nice conversation topic for later, if she ever had a second chance.

She glanced at the piano again, reminiscing  the first time she listened to its off-tune keys being played, and how happy and relieved she felt when she saw  AJ alive and well.

And, of course, there was the moment she and Louis exchanged words for the first time.

She kept walking, silently noticing all the old bookshelves surrounding her. She perused some of them for a while, until a stack of books piled up under a desk caught her attention. She sat under the desk and took the book on top. They all looked oddly familiar. She read for a couple of minutes and soon realized those were Aasim’s chronicles.The first book she opened looked like a very personal journal. She then took out the book that was sitting at the bottom of the pile.

There was no title, no name. The first paragraph of the whole book was written  in a rather agitated penmanship.

Clementine was surprised that he’d keep track of the main events since the outbreak.

‘Rosie? Is it you?...Who’s there? Come out!’ Aasim’s voice called her out from the door.

Clementine quickly put every book back where it was and came out of the desk with her hands up

‘It’s just me’

‘What are you doing?’ He questioned her with a serious tone ‘Get out of there’

‘I didn’t mean to intrude, Aasim, I’m sorry’ She walked away from the desk and closer to him. He was clearly upset, but decided not to talk, so she continued ‘I think it’s admirable...what you’re doing’

‘Admirable?’ the boy’s looked at her in disbelief.

‘To keep track of what happens everyday so consistently, how much you have, how much you lose, what you see everyday out there while hunting...I don’t think anyone could just do that. You’re very talented’

As she explained herself, Aasim’s expression softened. He wasn’t used to people complimenting his writing. He actually wasn’t used to people reading his writing in the first place.

‘Well, someone’s oughta do it’ He answered with a faint smile to thank her for her kind words ‘Just...don’t tell anybody where I keep them. I’m not used to people sneaking in to read what I write’

‘I promise, I won’t tell’ She smiled back.

‘Thanks’

‘Can I come some other time and read?’

Aasim thought about it for a moment before answering

‘Sure, what the hell…’ Clementine’s smile widened ‘Anyway, food should be ready by now. I was sent to tell everyone who didn’t know yet’

‘What about the group outside?’ Her words escaped her mouth with a certain urgency. She cleared her voice ‘ I mean...are we not going to wait for them?’

Aasim chuckled, amused.

‘I was out with them, Clem. We’re all here’ He said ‘You, Tenn and AJ are the only ones missing,  I believe’

‘Oh’ Her face went red with evident embarrassment ‘Then I’ll go get them’

‘No need, Willy and Mitch went for them. They should be already waiting for us’

They walked towards the benches in silence for the most part of the way and joined their friends, sitting together in a corner of one of the tables.

Clementine silently scouted the place with her eyes, trying to look casual as she finally found Louis at the end of the opposite side of the table, next to Marlon, his face was fixed on his plate, but he wouldn’t eat a bite. She understood immediately what the reason of his unusual behavior was and suddenly lost all appetite as well.

‘So, Clem…’ Aasim nodged her teasingly ‘Are you going to tell me why I found you all alone in there?’ Clementine glared at him, but he continued ‘Where you expecting someone else to walk in?’

‘You tell anyone about it, I’ll make sure everyone knows about a certain someone you like to write about often’

Aasim’s face went pale, realizing now how much she had actually read.

‘Nevermind. I call a truce’ He muttered, actually frightened.

Clementine resumed her train of thoughts. There was no need for her to be worried anymore. Louis was there. She glanced at him once more and their eyes met for half a second, as quickly as her anxious thoughts disappeared, a terrible guilt overcame her. She wanted to leave the table at that very moment, but she refrained. Instead, she shut her eyes closed and tried to listen to her own advice. The same she’d always give AJ when he was feeling like his fears were overtaking his mind.

‘Fuck Off…’ She muttered, without opening her eyes

‘I just called a truce!’ Aasim raised an eyebrow

‘Not you…’

‘So...the rabbit?’ He looked at her meal ‘If it’s not well cooked, you should tell Omar-’

‘No, Aasim’ Clementine sighed ‘I was talking to myself’

‘I know we’ve known you guys for just a couple of weeks, but I can feel this is not your usual behavior. Is everything alright?’

Aasim was sincerely worried about her. She decided that if he was opening up to her, she’d might as well do the same.

‘To be honest, I haven’t been feeling like myself lately…’

‘Maybe you should go to bed early’

‘Yeah, maybe’ Clementine nodded ‘Thanks, Aasim...good night’

‘Night’ He smiled at her and continued eating.

She stood up, looked at her bowl, still full of rabbit stew and decided to give it to AJ. Right after, she headed back to the dorm.

When she got there, she lay down on her bed, closed her eyes and started listing ideas to solve this mess

She took the letter Louis wrote for her out of her pocket, after fiddling her fingers against it for a  while, she finally figured it out.

She took a piece of paper and a pencil from the kids’ artwork on the desk and began writing.

The result was an almost indecipherable message with scratched out words in between and confusion all over.

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was still eating, she sneaked out and placed her letter on the piano, hoping Louis would find it before his morning practice.

The next morning, Louis did wake up with the intention of tickling the ivories for some minutes before breakfast, but Brody and Marlon walked up to him to change his plans right as he was heading out.

‘Hey Lou, a moment, please?’ Marlon started.

‘It depends on how long that moment really is. My day is packed, you see…If you wanted to make an appointment, you should have talked to my secretary, by the way, have you seen Aasim? I haven’t seen him since last night’

‘It won’t take long, come’ Brody walked towards the office, followed by the boys.

Once inside, Brody closed the door. Aasim was sitting on the sofa, reading a book.

‘Aasim! I see you got detention too’ Louis greeted him with a grin. The boy nodded back and returned the smile.

‘We already talked with him, but we wanted to know if you were up to the task’ Marlon began, only to be interrupted by a loud sigh from his best friend.

‘Task, Marlon?...Really?’

‘Turns out this could actually motivate you to do something around here besides sulking at the piano all day long’ Assim joked.

‘It’s called looking for inspiration, you wouldn’t understand it’

‘Yeah, I think you might be looking for inspiration in all the wrong places’

‘It’s not like I have a lot of places to actually look for it now, do I?’

‘I’m just saying’ Aasim shrugged

‘The thing is’ Brody interrupted the boys’ banter, setting a more serious atmosphere ‘We’re hunting and fishing today. I was going fishing, but I’m currently...unfit for it. I woke up in a lot of pain and I can’t even think about eating breakfast without wanting to puke. It’s probably because I’ve been more stressed out lately, you guys don’t need to worry about it, but I really really need one of you, either of you, to fill in for me. It would be just for today. I know neither of you have fished in a while…’

‘Then, let him do it’ Louis interrupted, sitting next to Aasim ‘He’s way better than me, anyways’

‘I’m flattered, Louis, I really am, but I already refused. I like hunting, not spearfishing. We all know you were very good at it until you joined the hunting party. That’s why I recommended you’

‘Come on, dude…’ Louis pleaded, looking at Marlon, who in time, looked at Brody sigh tiredly, almost painfully.

‘If it is really such an inconvenience for you to help Clem provide food for all of us, then I’ll have to ask Violet or Mitch, I know they’d help out without thinking it twice’

‘Hold up!’  Louis sat up with a sudden interest ‘Let me think about it’ Aasim rolled his eyes, clearly amused.

‘So? We need an answer, man…’ Marlon finally spoke.

‘Ya’ll know I’m just joking , right? I’ve never denied myself the opportunity to help you guys. Of course I’ll do it’

‘Good’ Brody smiled ‘I’m going to inform Clem about these changes. You can go now’

The boys left the office and headed for the benches

‘You know your piano is not this way, right?’ Aasim pointed out.

‘Oh, I don’t feel like playing right now. I’m actually feeling very inspired as we speak’ Louis gushed, displaying a wide, toothy smile. [PART 1] - [PART 2] - [PART 3]

[argylemikewheeler]

ok so i saw your prompt where ted walks in on byler kissing, i would love that prompt but with hopper and instead of being homophobic garbage like ted he’s super supportive and overall a great dad

Did some real-show research so as far as I’m concerned, this can be taken with as much seriousness as y’all want. I loved this so much.

Mike came over to Will’s house for dinner every other week. It was their excuse to see each other more often during the school week, but it was also nice for Mike to get out of the house. With Nancy going to college within the next year, Mike’s dinner table became a tense argumentative battlefield. He liked sitting at the table with Jonathan, Will, and Mrs. Byers. They always had a funny story to tell or something positive to share. That was probably because they had company, but the illusion was nice. Jonathan and Mrs. Byers also didn’t seem to notice Will and Mike holding hands under the table.

A week before the Snow Ball and Mike was coming over for a regular Byers family dinner. He knocked on the front door and was startled as Chief Hopper stood in the doorway, out of uniform and in a half-buttoned flannel shirt with a Henley collared shirt underneath. Mike nervously tugged at the sleeves of his creased button-up dress shirt retired from church to be used for the dinners.

“Hey, kid.” He said, stepping away from the door. “Will’s in his room. Knock.”

“Uh, thanks.” Mike muttered, ducking his head as he walked in. Hopper had never come to a dinner before. Mike didn’t know how to joke around with the Chief. Mike didn’t even know if he was allowed to talk to him– like, was he allowed to acknowledge him? Or was that weird. Mike had no idea. He couldn’t imagine Will’s life, seeing the Chief over nearly every day. “Will? Can I come in?”

“Yeah! Just getting ready.” Will answered. “You can come in.” Mike pushed Will’s door in and saw him standing in front of his mirror, twisting his collar and trying to get it to lay flat. Mike grinned at him in the mirror, letting the door close over behind him but not entirely– because that would just be too suspicious.

Mike walked over to Will slowly, his feet swinging out before landing in front of him. He looked at Will’s closet and the clothes hanging from the door. On two hangers hung a dark sweater vest and a yellow dress shirt. On the shoulder of the shirt was a black tie, it was loosely tied for a neck far larger than Will’s. Someone had been helping him plan the outfit.

“Is that your outfit for the dance?” Mike asked, reaching to graze his fingers over the starched shirt.

“Yeah.” Will said, turning to him. “Is it okay?”

“Yeah. I like it.” Mike nodded, turning to meet Will’s nervous expression with a grin. “I’m wearing mostly blue… Yellow matches blue.” He held the sleeve up and squinted to see Will in focus with the shirt. “And it’s a nice color for you.”

“But isn’t El wearing blue?” Will said, biting his lip.

“Yeah, but that’s because she wants to.” Mike explained, dropping the shirt sleeve to pull on Will’s instead. “She knows you’re my real date. She’s just excited to go to the dance; I’ve been explaining everything all week!”

“Really?”

“She’s at my house right now. Nancy is helping her pick out her makeup.” Mike nodded, tugging on Will’s shirt gently before slipping his hands into Will’s. “Which explains why the Chief is here…”

“Are you scared of my mom’s boyfriend?” Will laughed, cocking his head.

“He has a gun.”

“Not on him, Mike. He’s actually really nice.” Will said, swinging their hands back and forth. “He showed me how to tie a tie.” He pointed back to his clothes hanging on the closet door. He mulled his choices over again, lips rolling back against his teeth. “Are you sure I don’t look like a bumble bee or something?”

“What? No.” Mike gasped, laughing. “Will, you’re going to look fine.”

“Are you sure? Yellow isn’t a weird color to wear?” Will began to fret and twist his expression. “I’m going to look like a bumble bee.”

“Then I’ll be sure to bring flowers.” Mike said, squeezing Will’s hand. “Or if anything, I’ll wear one. Then you’ll have to stick to my side.” Will ducked his head to giggle, his face flushing red. The world around Will blurred and everything turned to white noise, Mike’s own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He stared at Will, his lips moving and saying something to combat Mike’s teasing compliment, but it was lost on Mike. “What?”

“You don’t wear flowers to the Snow Ball. It’s winter.” Will said. He was speaking as if that was why Mike couldn’t do it, not because Will didn’t like it.

“I’d do it for you.” Mike shrugged. It was a simple answer. “I don’t care.”

“Oh.” Will let out a shaky breath, blush still growing and hands fidgeting with Mike’s fingers. He pulled on them, inching his grip higher up on Mike’s hands and slowly pulling Mike closer. He didn’t seem to notice until their noses were nearly touching. “Oh.” He said again, trying to look up at Mike’s eyes. “We wouldn’t be able to do this at the dance.”

“Not likely.” Mike agreed. He wanted to add a chuckle, but the reality was a lot more like the dead silence than the forced laugh. Someone called out to them from the kitchen, but they both remained connected in the lost moment they’d never get to have. “But, that’s okay though… We’ll still have a good time.” Will nodded at Mike and lifted himself onto his toes. He evened their eyesight for only one reason– and Mike closed his eyes to lean in and meet Will halfway.

“Boys! Dinner.” The male voice was shouting directly into Will’s room. Mike’s eyes shot open and Will dropped back down to his flat feet with a heavy thud. Their lips had only brushed, their hands still clasped together. Mike threw them down and pretended to be looking at his sleeves. “What are we doing in here?”

“Nuh-nothing.” Will sputtered, turning away from Mike and facing the mirror again.

“Your mother called you three times. Let’s eat.” Hopper said, slapping the door frame and walking back down the hallway to the kitchen.

“Did he see us?” Mike asked in a hushed voice although he was a sliver away from screaming. “Did he see us?”

“I don’t know!” Will cried, his voice far louder. “I don’t know!” Will was already close to tears, his hands going up to his hair. He grabbed Mike’s hands and began shaking them as he began to shake himself.

“Boys!” Hopper called again. “Now!”

“Coming!” Will cried, his voice cracking. “I don’t want to die.” He whispered.

“It’ll be fine. Come on, let’s go.” Mike assured Will, taking a slow even breath. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Jonathan usually does all the talking.”

“He’s out tonight… That’s why Hop is here.” Will muttered, his heels skidding across the carpet as Mike pushed him forward.

“Oh, shit.” Mike grumbled, still pushing Will out to the hallway. Once they could be seen, they separated; Will walking ahead of Mike and greeting the table with a overzealous smile. Mike was hoping his smile was more believable.

Without Jonathan for dinner, Hopper’s usual seat at the head of the table was moved to be on the side, next to Joyce and across from Will and Mike. As Mike pulled his chair out, he could feel his appetite pooling in the bottom of his shoes. Mike sat and folded his hands in his lap and made sure his arms could be seen being as far away from Will as possible. He didn’t even try to reach for food at the same time as Will.

“What were you boys up to? I thought you two had gone deaf.” Will’s mother laughed, placing a bowl down in front of the two of them. Neither wanted to move.

“Just… uh… ya know…” Will was drowning. He had no lie prepared and nothing convincing pouring out of his mouth. “Nothing.” Hopper looked at them with lifted eyebrows and an unconvinced smirk. Mike grabbed the bowl to give himself something else to look at.

“You aren’t going to tell your mother?” Hopper said, sounding genuinely surprised. Mike knew better to trust such rhetorical questions; his mom did it when she was going to investigate Nancy about Steve.

“Tell me what?” She asked, looking at the two of them. “What happened?”

“Your son was too busy being cute with the Wheeler boy.” He said, looking at Will’s mother with lifted eyebrows and a knowing look. “Can’t remember the last time I stopped kissing to get to dinner on time.” Hopper leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

Will’s mother looked at the two of them with a neutral expression, the corner of her lips lifting. “I don’t care what you’re doing, just come to dinner on time, okay?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Yes, Mrs. Byers.”

“Good.” She smiled and reached over to touch Will’s arm, shaking it softly. Her smile scrunched up her face in a way that made Mike think she wasn’t surprised and giggling, but more so enjoying being right about things she knew all along.

“Now wait a second,” Hopper said. He took a slow sip of water, his stern voice hanging in the air. “I thought you were taking Jane.”

“And I thought you didn’t have a date, Will.” His mom added, nodding at Hopper.

“Yeah.” Mike said. “We can’t go together.”

“Not in this fucking town.”

“Hop.” Mrs. Byers hissed, slapping his arm.

“I’m just saying, they’re being smart.” Hopper continued, placing his fork down and grabbing his napkin. He folded it in his hands carefully, mulling his next sentence over. “What are you wearing?” He pointed a corner of the napkin at Mike.

“I don’t know. I have this gray sweater, a blue shirt that my mom bought–”

“Blue?” Hopper repeated. “Joyce, do you have the box of clothes I brought for Jonathan?”

“It’s in his room where you left it. We haven’t had a chance to go through it and see what fits.” She pointed down the hall and Hopper immediately followed her direction. “Hop? What are you doing?”

“Give me a second.” He swung around the door frame into Jonathan’s room. They could hear the sound of cardboard flaps opening and clothes found their way into the hallway as Hopper muttered and searched. “Got it!” He returned, walking back to his seat and holding a tie out to Mike. “This color blue?”

“Yeah, that’s pretty close.” He nodded. “But I can’t wear a blue tie with a blue shirt.” Hopper moved his hand over to Will.

“He can match you.” He nodded at Will, urging him to take it. “I’ll show you how to tie it again. You have to match your date, kid.”

“T-Thanks.” Will reached and took the tie into his hands, his fingers spreading over the light blue fabric and tracing the pink and yellow single stripe. “It really matches?”

“Yeah, that’s definitely it.” Mike reached over to hold it too. “I even have a little yellow on my sweater I think too. It’s perfect.”

“No one will notice, but you’ll know.” Hopper said, picking his fork back up. “And that’s all that matters.”

Will turned to Mike, grinning and gripping the tie tightly, not caring that he caught one of Mike’s fingers in the process. The tie would bring them together in the mass of students that were unknowingly keeping them apart. Mike would be able to spot Will’s yellow shirt and matching blue across the gym and know that he was wearing it to be his date. Mike would be able to pull on his sweater and look down at the thin yellow stripes curling around his waist and twisting his stomach as he thought about the daffodil shirt floating through the crowd and trying to encourage Mike to get on the dance floor. They’d be matching dates and no one would know. No one would know and no one would bother them. Mike could dance beside his date, hands brushing in the shuffle and know that they belonged together on that dance floor and in the world.

ao3

[thelost0nes]

You look almost sad at the thought of me leaving tonight. It isn't that I doubt you care about me or anything, but we get so antagonistic sometimes its easy to overlook it.

I'm sure that's what he was wanting, Because the bastard probably had plans to comfort you or something. But honestly, I'm not going anywhere for a while. I need to come up with a plan on how to deal with it and figure out exactly who the problems are. Otherwise I'm gonna catch an unnecessary amount of charges.

I doubt Kisaki would be able to find enough fall guys for me to just fuck off and gun them all down. My fingers card through my hair, mussing it up with a soft sigh. My appetite is pretty much ruined.

Maybe I can do a car wreck? House fire? Man, that's gonna be exhausting. Your stare has went from concerned to deadpan and I chuckle.

Yeah, yeah, I know, Clo. You don't like hearing about the murder. Point being, I'm gonna hang around for a while. I'm sure you'll be ready for me to go when the time finally comes, though. You roll your eyes as I chuckle,  taking a few more bites of my cold noodles.

- Hanma

You’re going to put me in an early grave, you know? Constantly worryin’ me.

I’m not hungry anymore, so I push away my plate.

I’m really glad you’ll be sticking around for awhile though. Even if you do get on my nerves. Good choice on coming up with a plan too ‘cause I’m not comin’ to visit your ass in jail.

We both know that it’d take a lot more than a case for me to drop you, but for the sake of my dignity, neither of us comment on it. I call the waiter for a to-go box because although I’m not hungry, I will be later. I wonder if Kisaki will send you away earlier regardless, or if he’s generosity will reach a little further. You’ve always followed him around even when his demands were reckless.

Either way, this is not over. Just because you took me out for noodles doesn’t mean you’re off the hook, mister. Because I’m still a little upset with you. I say, trying to be intimidating. Don’t make me regret letting you back in the house.

[wineanddinosaur]

How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations?

The world of wine allocations — in which select quantities of limited-availability wines are offered only to particular restaurant and retail clients by local distributors — is often a competitive one. Interested buyers, particularly new ones, may not necessarily get allocations of coveted wines, and quantities offered to all accounts are not necessarily equal.

As it did with many other aspects of the beverage industry, Covid-19 threw a wrench into the allocation system when on-premise establishments shuttered and were therefore unable to take allocations of some limited-availability wines. Simultaneously, more retailers were offered increased quantities or new access to these same wines. In a system where historical sales can dictate future access to limited-availability bottles, could Covid-19 have a lasting effect on wine allocations?

Getting New Access to Limited Wines

The wine allocation process varies by state, with some states regulating the system more than others. In New York, where wine allocations are highly regulated, limited-availability wines must be declared to the State Liquor Authority with an approved allocation method, the most popular of which is based on historical sales. While state law dictates that no more than 70 percent of a wine’s quantity may be sold through a single sales channel — on-premise or off-premise — there is always talk of “restaurant-only” wines within the industry, and many see the on-premise sector as the primary market for allocated wines.

Thus, the overnight closure of on-premise establishments evaporated the demand for some of these restaurant-focused wines, requiring wholesalers to change directions. “We pivoted our business strategy to the off-premise,” says Matthew Green, the national sales director for Europvin, which allocates wines from Vega Sicilia and Clos Mogador. “What that has meant is wines that were originally more directed towards the on-premise became available for retail.”

Rather than opening up allocated wines for sale to any retailer, many distributors chose to strengthen existing client relationships by offering them larger quantities. “It’s less that I have access to new items, but that there are more to go around,” says JT Robertson, the general manager for Le Du’s Wines in New York. “With the restaurants closed, allocations which would have previously been split or even predominantly flowed to on-premise have been available retail.”

Other retailers have moved up the waiting list for highly allocated bottles. Walker Strangis, the owner of Walker Wine Company in Los Angeles, primarily built his old and rare wine retail business by sourcing wines from private collections or importing through European brokers. When tariffs on key sellers like Burgundy and Bordeaux landed last fall, Strangis increasingly turned to purchasing through domestic importers, yet found himself on waiting lists for wines from sought-after producers like Dauvissat and Raveneau.

“A lot of those things are now opening up,” he says. “It’s not in huge quantities, but the importers have been saying, ‘This producer was not available to you six months ago, but they are now.’”

Even as wholesalers have begun to adapt to the changing beverage-sales landscape, retailers continue to see increased offers of allocated wines. “We’re still getting offered things we never would have been offered before,” says Talitha Whidbee, the owner of Vine Wine in Brooklyn, noting that these aren’t necessarily expensive wines — just ones that would normally be offered to restaurants.

However, the uptick in retail business hasn’t necessarily compensated for the loss of on-premise sales for allocated wines. Green notes that many retailers were reluctant to take on higher-end wines in March and April, given uncertainty over consumer purchasing behavior. “There wasn’t this insatiable appetite,” he says. “There’s still trepidation at the retail level that things may not turn over as quickly.”

Larger retailers often had more capacity to take on additional quantities, and ones with established client bases saw the value in purchasing additional amounts of limited wines. “I felt a little guilty, like I was taking advantage of others’ misfortune,” says Robertson, “but our clients are generally the same who patronize wine-focused restaurants, so we had an opportunity to provide them with exciting wine as they quarantined.”

But importers aren’t necessarily re-allocating all of these limited-availability wines to the retail channel, knowing that restaurant reopening plans are changing day by day.

“We’re not throwing the allocation system out the window,” says Michael Gitter, the vice president of marketing for Vintus, which includes Ornellaia, Bollinger, and E. Guigal in its portfolio. “It’s important to look at how we can respectfully, constantly, and fairly execute those allocations over the year.” Vintus has extended its allocation pickup window, created both spring and fall pickup options, and held back some of the allocations destined for restaurants to allow them to purchase in the future.

Even though this requires the company to sit on expensive inventory for longer, it’s worthwhile to maintain client relationships. “We don’t have an urgency to sell the wines or to move cases,” says Gitter. “For us to be able to hold back 200 cases of something that was intended for restaurant partners, that’s a really small price to pay in order to serve them when they reopen.”

Wholesalers also understand that redirecting allocated wines entirely to the retail channel could also throw off consumer expectations in the future. “Our long-term strategy is to make sure we’re not going to pivot so radically that we flood a hungry marketplace with wines that will always be allocated,” says Green. “It will make more people upset in the long term, even if it makes them happy in the short term.”

Europvin is still taking its full allocations from the wineries themselves — a decision that could pay off in the future. “We are part of the lifeline for these family-owned businesses,” adds Green. “I would like to hope that we would get larger allocations in the future because we’ve demonstrated a partnership.”

Managing Future Demand

Because the allocation process is often based on historical sales, buyers typically expect that once they land an allocation, they are guaranteed access to that wine in subsequent vintages. At the same time, if a client passes on their allocation, they lose their historic status and likely won’t receive an allocation in the future — which could be concerning for restaurants unable to take their allocations right now.

Luckily, most wholesalers understand that these are extreme circumstances. “I think [penalizing a restaurant for not taking its allocation] is a bad approach to take,” says Green. “We all have to be sensitive to the situation.”

This could be problematic as retailers look to have continued access to these wines. If the importer can’t get more wine to satisfy demand, that allocation could be spread too thin, resulting in accounts getting fewer bottles than expected. However, retailers are already prepared for the fact that these offers will likely be exceptions to the historical allocation system.

“I’ve already been told that [the distributors] will honor those past relationships,” says Strangis. “I recently snatched up some cases of white Burgundy that came with the caveat that this probably will not be available to me again.”

Retailers are warning consumers not to expect these wines to be widely available at retail in the future, either. “We are making sure to tell our clients that they should take advantage of this time to buy many of these wines retail,” says Robertson, “because it probably won’t be this way next year.”

“I don’t think that these are going to attach to us as allocations forever,” says Whidbee. “They would instead go back to whatever was previously allocated.” However, she does hope that more importers and distributors will see the value in giving more retailers access to allocated wines, rather than heralding them as “restaurant-only” bottles.

Some also wonder if wider retail availability of allocated wines could diminish the perceived value of these wines or consumer willingness to pay restaurant markups for them. “If wineries and importers are not careful, there could be downward price pressure based upon increased exposure off-premise,” Green says.

However, the scarcity of these truly allocated wines will likely preserve their value, price, and demand. Gitter references the Bollinger “Vieilles Vignes Françaises,” of which only 90 bottles are imported, as an example of this phenomenon. “There’s no world in which the allocation system for that wine breaks down because there’s no wine to meet that demand,” he says.

“If a great producer is only making 300 cases of a great wine,” adds Robertson, “then whether or not someone gets it at a restaurant or buys it from a boutique shop like Le Du’s, it doesn’t change how rare it is.”

This shift in sales structure might actually offer greater transparency into the world of allocated wines as a whole. “It shows the market what items are truly allocated items, versus ones that are actually widely available but sold through an allocation system,” says Gitter.

In the short term, at least, importers and distributors must approach future allocations with the expectation that even if restaurants and bars reopen soon, beverage purchasing budgets and priorities will likely shift.

“It will be interesting to see if and when restaurants return to full steam in terms of bringing in new vintages of rare and small-batch wines,” says Robertson. “If I had to guess, I would say retail will continue to have access to a greater degree of the allocations for the foreseeable future, as restaurants get back on their feet.”

The unpredictability of the future will make outlining fall allocations — which some wholesalers are attempting to do now — tricky to manage. While adaptability is key, different wholesalers are approaching the process in different ways.

As the Vintus team anticipates the arrival of the new vintage of Ornellaia “Masseto” in October, they will start by relying on historical sales. “Do you throw out the rulebook when the world has turned on its head?” asks Gitter. “So far, our idea is not to do that. Our attitude is to take the same approach, but be respectful and listen to how accounts need to approach their acceptance of allocations.”

The team at Vias Wine Imports, on the other hand, hasn’t had to make any decisions yet regarding allocated wines; because allocations for reds from producers like Produttori del Barbaresco, Baricci, and Salvioni are done in the fall, most allocations were already gone before the pandemic hit. Federico Zanella, the supplier relationship manager for Vias, anticipates the fall allocation process to be quite a bit different because many of its best restaurant clients will not be open.

“We are in a position in which allocations, as they looked last year, would not exist anymore,” says Zanella. “We will have to assess the situation and see who is still open. We will try to postpone the decision as long as we can.” If a restaurant cannot pick up its allocation this fall, however, that won’t affect its allocations in the future.

While the process of allocating wines — and the accounts they are allocated to — may look different for the months and years to come, most parties agree that they hope some return to normalcy lies ahead. “Despite the advantages we’ve experienced with allocations over the past three months,” says Robertson, “I would gladly welcome a return to the way things used to be if it meant seeing the world’s most vibrant wine market return to full force.”

The article How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/covid-19-impact-wine-allocations/

[delfinamaggiousa]

How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations?

The world of wine allocations — in which select quantities of limited-availability wines are offered only to particular restaurant and retail clients by local distributors — is often a competitive one. Interested buyers, particularly new ones, may not necessarily get allocations of coveted wines, and quantities offered to all accounts are not necessarily equal.

As it did with many other aspects of the beverage industry, Covid-19 threw a wrench into the allocation system when on-premise establishments shuttered and were therefore unable to take allocations of some limited-availability wines. Simultaneously, more retailers were offered increased quantities or new access to these same wines. In a system where historical sales can dictate future access to limited-availability bottles, could Covid-19 have a lasting effect on wine allocations?

Getting New Access to Limited Wines

The wine allocation process varies by state, with some states regulating the system more than others. In New York, where wine allocations are highly regulated, limited-availability wines must be declared to the State Liquor Authority with an approved allocation method, the most popular of which is based on historical sales. While state law dictates that no more than 70 percent of a wine’s quantity may be sold through a single sales channel — on-premise or off-premise — there is always talk of “restaurant-only” wines within the industry, and many see the on-premise sector as the primary market for allocated wines.

Thus, the overnight closure of on-premise establishments evaporated the demand for some of these restaurant-focused wines, requiring wholesalers to change directions. “We pivoted our business strategy to the off-premise,” says Matthew Green, the national sales director for Europvin, which allocates wines from Vega Sicilia and Clos Mogador. “What that has meant is wines that were originally more directed towards the on-premise became available for retail.”

Rather than opening up allocated wines for sale to any retailer, many distributors chose to strengthen existing client relationships by offering them larger quantities. “It’s less that I have access to new items, but that there are more to go around,” says JT Robertson, the general manager for Le Du’s Wines in New York. “With the restaurants closed, allocations which would have previously been split or even predominantly flowed to on-premise have been available retail.”

Other retailers have moved up the waiting list for highly allocated bottles. Walker Strangis, the owner of Walker Wine Company in Los Angeles, primarily built his old and rare wine retail business by sourcing wines from private collections or importing through European brokers. When tariffs on key sellers like Burgundy and Bordeaux landed last fall, Strangis increasingly turned to purchasing through domestic importers, yet found himself on waiting lists for wines from sought-after producers like Dauvissat and Raveneau.

“A lot of those things are now opening up,” he says. “It’s not in huge quantities, but the importers have been saying, ‘This producer was not available to you six months ago, but they are now.’”

Even as wholesalers have begun to adapt to the changing beverage-sales landscape, retailers continue to see increased offers of allocated wines. “We’re still getting offered things we never would have been offered before,” says Talitha Whidbee, the owner of Vine Wine in Brooklyn, noting that these aren’t necessarily expensive wines — just ones that would normally be offered to restaurants.

However, the uptick in retail business hasn’t necessarily compensated for the loss of on-premise sales for allocated wines. Green notes that many retailers were reluctant to take on higher-end wines in March and April, given uncertainty over consumer purchasing behavior. “There wasn’t this insatiable appetite,” he says. “There’s still trepidation at the retail level that things may not turn over as quickly.”

Larger retailers often had more capacity to take on additional quantities, and ones with established client bases saw the value in purchasing additional amounts of limited wines. “I felt a little guilty, like I was taking advantage of others’ misfortune,” says Robertson, “but our clients are generally the same who patronize wine-focused restaurants, so we had an opportunity to provide them with exciting wine as they quarantined.”

But importers aren’t necessarily re-allocating all of these limited-availability wines to the retail channel, knowing that restaurant reopening plans are changing day by day.

“We’re not throwing the allocation system out the window,” says Michael Gitter, the vice president of marketing for Vintus, which includes Ornellaia, Bollinger, and E. Guigal in its portfolio. “It’s important to look at how we can respectfully, constantly, and fairly execute those allocations over the year.” Vintus has extended its allocation pickup window, created both spring and fall pickup options, and held back some of the allocations destined for restaurants to allow them to purchase in the future.

Even though this requires the company to sit on expensive inventory for longer, it’s worthwhile to maintain client relationships. “We don’t have an urgency to sell the wines or to move cases,” says Gitter. “For us to be able to hold back 200 cases of something that was intended for restaurant partners, that’s a really small price to pay in order to serve them when they reopen.”

Wholesalers also understand that redirecting allocated wines entirely to the retail channel could also throw off consumer expectations in the future. “Our long-term strategy is to make sure we’re not going to pivot so radically that we flood a hungry marketplace with wines that will always be allocated,” says Green. “It will make more people upset in the long term, even if it makes them happy in the short term.”

Europvin is still taking its full allocations from the wineries themselves — a decision that could pay off in the future. “We are part of the lifeline for these family-owned businesses,” adds Green. “I would like to hope that we would get larger allocations in the future because we’ve demonstrated a partnership.”

Managing Future Demand

Because the allocation process is often based on historical sales, buyers typically expect that once they land an allocation, they are guaranteed access to that wine in subsequent vintages. At the same time, if a client passes on their allocation, they lose their historic status and likely won’t receive an allocation in the future — which could be concerning for restaurants unable to take their allocations right now.

Luckily, most wholesalers understand that these are extreme circumstances. “I think [penalizing a restaurant for not taking its allocation] is a bad approach to take,” says Green. “We all have to be sensitive to the situation.”

This could be problematic as retailers look to have continued access to these wines. If the importer can’t get more wine to satisfy demand, that allocation could be spread too thin, resulting in accounts getting fewer bottles than expected. However, retailers are already prepared for the fact that these offers will likely be exceptions to the historical allocation system.

“I’ve already been told that [the distributors] will honor those past relationships,” says Strangis. “I recently snatched up some cases of white Burgundy that came with the caveat that this probably will not be available to me again.”

Retailers are warning consumers not to expect these wines to be widely available at retail in the future, either. “We are making sure to tell our clients that they should take advantage of this time to buy many of these wines retail,” says Robertson, “because it probably won’t be this way next year.”

“I don’t think that these are going to attach to us as allocations forever,” says Whidbee. “They would instead go back to whatever was previously allocated.” However, she does hope that more importers and distributors will see the value in giving more retailers access to allocated wines, rather than heralding them as “restaurant-only” bottles.

Some also wonder if wider retail availability of allocated wines could diminish the perceived value of these wines or consumer willingness to pay restaurant markups for them. “If wineries and importers are not careful, there could be downward price pressure based upon increased exposure off-premise,” Green says.

However, the scarcity of these truly allocated wines will likely preserve their value, price, and demand. Gitter references the Bollinger “Vieilles Vignes Françaises,” of which only 90 bottles are imported, as an example of this phenomenon. “There’s no world in which the allocation system for that wine breaks down because there’s no wine to meet that demand,” he says.

“If a great producer is only making 300 cases of a great wine,” adds Robertson, “then whether or not someone gets it at a restaurant or buys it from a boutique shop like Le Du’s, it doesn’t change how rare it is.”

This shift in sales structure might actually offer greater transparency into the world of allocated wines as a whole. “It shows the market what items are truly allocated items, versus ones that are actually widely available but sold through an allocation system,” says Gitter.

In the short term, at least, importers and distributors must approach future allocations with the expectation that even if restaurants and bars reopen soon, beverage purchasing budgets and priorities will likely shift.

“It will be interesting to see if and when restaurants return to full steam in terms of bringing in new vintages of rare and small-batch wines,” says Robertson. “If I had to guess, I would say retail will continue to have access to a greater degree of the allocations for the foreseeable future, as restaurants get back on their feet.”

The unpredictability of the future will make outlining fall allocations — which some wholesalers are attempting to do now — tricky to manage. While adaptability is key, different wholesalers are approaching the process in different ways.

As the Vintus team anticipates the arrival of the new vintage of Ornellaia “Masseto” in October, they will start by relying on historical sales. “Do you throw out the rulebook when the world has turned on its head?” asks Gitter. “So far, our idea is not to do that. Our attitude is to take the same approach, but be respectful and listen to how accounts need to approach their acceptance of allocations.”

The team at Vias Wine Imports, on the other hand, hasn’t had to make any decisions yet regarding allocated wines; because allocations for reds from producers like Produttori del Barbaresco, Baricci, and Salvioni are done in the fall, most allocations were already gone before the pandemic hit. Federico Zanella, the supplier relationship manager for Vias, anticipates the fall allocation process to be quite a bit different because many of its best restaurant clients will not be open.

“We are in a position in which allocations, as they looked last year, would not exist anymore,” says Zanella. “We will have to assess the situation and see who is still open. We will try to postpone the decision as long as we can.” If a restaurant cannot pick up its allocation this fall, however, that won’t affect its allocations in the future.

While the process of allocating wines — and the accounts they are allocated to — may look different for the months and years to come, most parties agree that they hope some return to normalcy lies ahead. “Despite the advantages we’ve experienced with allocations over the past three months,” says Robertson, “I would gladly welcome a return to the way things used to be if it meant seeing the world’s most vibrant wine market return to full force.”

The article How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/covid-19-impact-wine-allocations/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/07/14/how-has-covid-19-impacted-the-competitive-world-of-wine-allocations/

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How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations?

The world of wine allocations — in which select quantities of limited-availability wines are offered only to particular restaurant and retail clients by local distributors — is often a competitive one. Interested buyers, particularly new ones, may not necessarily get allocations of coveted wines, and quantities offered to all accounts are not necessarily equal.

As it did with many other aspects of the beverage industry, Covid-19 threw a wrench into the allocation system when on-premise establishments shuttered and were therefore unable to take allocations of some limited-availability wines. Simultaneously, more retailers were offered increased quantities or new access to these same wines. In a system where historical sales can dictate future access to limited-availability bottles, could Covid-19 have a lasting effect on wine allocations?

Getting New Access to Limited Wines

The wine allocation process varies by state, with some states regulating the system more than others. In New York, where wine allocations are highly regulated, limited-availability wines must be declared to the State Liquor Authority with an approved allocation method, the most popular of which is based on historical sales. While state law dictates that no more than 70 percent of a wine’s quantity may be sold through a single sales channel — on-premise or off-premise — there is always talk of “restaurant-only” wines within the industry, and many see the on-premise sector as the primary market for allocated wines.

Thus, the overnight closure of on-premise establishments evaporated the demand for some of these restaurant-focused wines, requiring wholesalers to change directions. “We pivoted our business strategy to the off-premise,” says Matthew Green, the national sales director for Europvin, which allocates wines from Vega Sicilia and Clos Mogador. “What that has meant is wines that were originally more directed towards the on-premise became available for retail.”

Rather than opening up allocated wines for sale to any retailer, many distributors chose to strengthen existing client relationships by offering them larger quantities. “It’s less that I have access to new items, but that there are more to go around,” says JT Robertson, the general manager for Le Du’s Wines in New York. “With the restaurants closed, allocations which would have previously been split or even predominantly flowed to on-premise have been available retail.”

Other retailers have moved up the waiting list for highly allocated bottles. Walker Strangis, the owner of Walker Wine Company in Los Angeles, primarily built his old and rare wine retail business by sourcing wines from private collections or importing through European brokers. When tariffs on key sellers like Burgundy and Bordeaux landed last fall, Strangis increasingly turned to purchasing through domestic importers, yet found himself on waiting lists for wines from sought-after producers like Dauvissat and Raveneau.

“A lot of those things are now opening up,” he says. “It’s not in huge quantities, but the importers have been saying, ‘This producer was not available to you six months ago, but they are now.’”

Even as wholesalers have begun to adapt to the changing beverage-sales landscape, retailers continue to see increased offers of allocated wines. “We’re still getting offered things we never would have been offered before,” says Talitha Whidbee, the owner of Vine Wine in Brooklyn, noting that these aren’t necessarily expensive wines — just ones that would normally be offered to restaurants.

However, the uptick in retail business hasn’t necessarily compensated for the loss of on-premise sales for allocated wines. Green notes that many retailers were reluctant to take on higher-end wines in March and April, given uncertainty over consumer purchasing behavior. “There wasn’t this insatiable appetite,” he says. “There’s still trepidation at the retail level that things may not turn over as quickly.”

Larger retailers often had more capacity to take on additional quantities, and ones with established client bases saw the value in purchasing additional amounts of limited wines. “I felt a little guilty, like I was taking advantage of others’ misfortune,” says Robertson, “but our clients are generally the same who patronize wine-focused restaurants, so we had an opportunity to provide them with exciting wine as they quarantined.”

But importers aren’t necessarily re-allocating all of these limited-availability wines to the retail channel, knowing that restaurant reopening plans are changing day by day.

“We’re not throwing the allocation system out the window,” says Michael Gitter, the vice president of marketing for Vintus, which includes Ornellaia, Bollinger, and E. Guigal in its portfolio. “It’s important to look at how we can respectfully, constantly, and fairly execute those allocations over the year.” Vintus has extended its allocation pickup window, created both spring and fall pickup options, and held back some of the allocations destined for restaurants to allow them to purchase in the future.

Even though this requires the company to sit on expensive inventory for longer, it’s worthwhile to maintain client relationships. “We don’t have an urgency to sell the wines or to move cases,” says Gitter. “For us to be able to hold back 200 cases of something that was intended for restaurant partners, that’s a really small price to pay in order to serve them when they reopen.”

Wholesalers also understand that redirecting allocated wines entirely to the retail channel could also throw off consumer expectations in the future. “Our long-term strategy is to make sure we’re not going to pivot so radically that we flood a hungry marketplace with wines that will always be allocated,” says Green. “It will make more people upset in the long term, even if it makes them happy in the short term.”

Europvin is still taking its full allocations from the wineries themselves — a decision that could pay off in the future. “We are part of the lifeline for these family-owned businesses,” adds Green. “I would like to hope that we would get larger allocations in the future because we’ve demonstrated a partnership.”

Managing Future Demand

Because the allocation process is often based on historical sales, buyers typically expect that once they land an allocation, they are guaranteed access to that wine in subsequent vintages. At the same time, if a client passes on their allocation, they lose their historic status and likely won’t receive an allocation in the future — which could be concerning for restaurants unable to take their allocations right now.

Luckily, most wholesalers understand that these are extreme circumstances. “I think [penalizing a restaurant for not taking its allocation] is a bad approach to take,” says Green. “We all have to be sensitive to the situation.”

This could be problematic as retailers look to have continued access to these wines. If the importer can’t get more wine to satisfy demand, that allocation could be spread too thin, resulting in accounts getting fewer bottles than expected. However, retailers are already prepared for the fact that these offers will likely be exceptions to the historical allocation system.

“I’ve already been told that [the distributors] will honor those past relationships,” says Strangis. “I recently snatched up some cases of white Burgundy that came with the caveat that this probably will not be available to me again.”

Retailers are warning consumers not to expect these wines to be widely available at retail in the future, either. “We are making sure to tell our clients that they should take advantage of this time to buy many of these wines retail,” says Robertson, “because it probably won’t be this way next year.”

“I don’t think that these are going to attach to us as allocations forever,” says Whidbee. “They would instead go back to whatever was previously allocated.” However, she does hope that more importers and distributors will see the value in giving more retailers access to allocated wines, rather than heralding them as “restaurant-only” bottles.

Some also wonder if wider retail availability of allocated wines could diminish the perceived value of these wines or consumer willingness to pay restaurant markups for them. “If wineries and importers are not careful, there could be downward price pressure based upon increased exposure off-premise,” Green says.

However, the scarcity of these truly allocated wines will likely preserve their value, price, and demand. Gitter references the Bollinger “Vieilles Vignes Françaises,” of which only 90 bottles are imported, as an example of this phenomenon. “There’s no world in which the allocation system for that wine breaks down because there’s no wine to meet that demand,” he says.

“If a great producer is only making 300 cases of a great wine,” adds Robertson, “then whether or not someone gets it at a restaurant or buys it from a boutique shop like Le Du’s, it doesn’t change how rare it is.”

This shift in sales structure might actually offer greater transparency into the world of allocated wines as a whole. “It shows the market what items are truly allocated items, versus ones that are actually widely available but sold through an allocation system,” says Gitter.

In the short term, at least, importers and distributors must approach future allocations with the expectation that even if restaurants and bars reopen soon, beverage purchasing budgets and priorities will likely shift.

“It will be interesting to see if and when restaurants return to full steam in terms of bringing in new vintages of rare and small-batch wines,” says Robertson. “If I had to guess, I would say retail will continue to have access to a greater degree of the allocations for the foreseeable future, as restaurants get back on their feet.”

The unpredictability of the future will make outlining fall allocations — which some wholesalers are attempting to do now — tricky to manage. While adaptability is key, different wholesalers are approaching the process in different ways.

As the Vintus team anticipates the arrival of the new vintage of Ornellaia “Masseto” in October, they will start by relying on historical sales. “Do you throw out the rulebook when the world has turned on its head?” asks Gitter. “So far, our idea is not to do that. Our attitude is to take the same approach, but be respectful and listen to how accounts need to approach their acceptance of allocations.”

The team at Vias Wine Imports, on the other hand, hasn’t had to make any decisions yet regarding allocated wines; because allocations for reds from producers like Produttori del Barbaresco, Baricci, and Salvioni are done in the fall, most allocations were already gone before the pandemic hit. Federico Zanella, the supplier relationship manager for Vias, anticipates the fall allocation process to be quite a bit different because many of its best restaurant clients will not be open.

“We are in a position in which allocations, as they looked last year, would not exist anymore,” says Zanella. “We will have to assess the situation and see who is still open. We will try to postpone the decision as long as we can.” If a restaurant cannot pick up its allocation this fall, however, that won’t affect its allocations in the future.

While the process of allocating wines — and the accounts they are allocated to — may look different for the months and years to come, most parties agree that they hope some return to normalcy lies ahead. “Despite the advantages we’ve experienced with allocations over the past three months,” says Robertson, “I would gladly welcome a return to the way things used to be if it meant seeing the world’s most vibrant wine market return to full force.”

The article How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Competitive World of Wine Allocations? appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/covid-19-impact-wine-allocations/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/623631825611489280