#don't wash let's in warm water and dish soap

[huewrite]

You Can't Eat At Everybody's House

Mostly because of sanitation and cross contamination issues. Why am I bringing this up? Because in the latest chapter Enoki is starting the Melomel making process. You have to have everything clean and sanitary. more than normal or you will get nasty things growing!

So, if you are inspired to make wine or something from my story for the love of whatever you trust in- KEEP IT CLEAN!

I mean it.

I swear I'm gonna come teleport over to some people's homes over this.

[kirislovelygf]

self-care night (sevika x fem! reader)

contents: after the battle and after losing jinx and isha, you take it upon yourself to take care of sevika, giving her a much needed quiet night. total fluff, you and sevika are married, post seaosn 2 finale, sevika is finally taken care of like she deserves <3

wrd count: 1.6k

a few mornings ago, sevika had her first day on the job as a councilwoman. 

caitlyn gave up her seat on the council to give sevika the opportunity to speak up for zaun. 

she came home that evening angry as anything. the other councilpeople acted like she didn't even exist. 

and when she was able to speak up, her requests went in one ear and out the other. 

when she received the opportunity to have a seat on the council, we were thrilled. but after that day, she's been trying hard not to blow up on everyone and confirm their suspicions of what would happen with a zaunite on the council. 

tonight, i made her a warm and filling meal and set up the bathroom with candles and pleasant soaps so she can take a relaxing bath. 

i was sitting on the couch reading a book when she came home. 

she closes the door and looks up at me. "hi." she mutters. 

"hey. another long day?" i ask her gently. 

"tch.. you tell me." she joked. she sat down at the kitchen table that was just beside the front door to yank her boots off her feet. 

i close my book and placed it aside before walking over to her. as she struggled to untie the laces of her boots, i cupped her face so she could look up at me. 

"sorry, honey." i muttered before i kissed her. "at least you get the weekend off." i said as i looked at her face. she smiled gently before i crouched to untie the laces of her boots. 

"hey, i was doing that." she chuckled as i threw them on the doormat. "i'm not helpless." 

"just let me take care of you." i smiled. i look at her once more. "why don't you wash up for dinner. i was able to make your favorite tonight." i said to her as i stepped away to check on the food on the stove. 

i hear her come up beside me and take a look at the food that's simmering. 

"damn.. all this for just us?" she said. 

"yeah. i know you skipped out on lunch, so you must be starving." i said as i stirred the meat on the saucepan. 

"how'd you know i skipped lunch?" she asks me. i looked up at her. "i always do. now, go. wash your hands." she laughs softly before washing her hands in the sink. 

i quickly plate everything for her and place ehr food at the table just as she sits down. once i set everything down, i went to plate my own food. 

i turned to go sit down and i saw she hadn't touched anything in front of her. didn’t even move to pick up her fork. "what are you waiting for? eat." i chuckled. 

"i'm waiting for you, dummy." she chuckled, picking up her fork. i smiled at her as i settled into my seat. 

dinner was quiet but nice. i left music playing on the radio as i watched her enjoy her meal like she hasn't had one in forever. 

"this is.. amazing, honey. shit, i was starving." she said after slamming her cup of water down. i chuckled lightly. 

"i can tell." she smiles softly at me. after she got some food in her system, she talked to me about her stressful day as she waited for me to finish my meal. 

"they don't know.. anything about what life is like down here. hell, half of them think we've grown up in sewer pipes." she said quickly. 

"they cannot be serious." i shook my head lightly. "you would think they're stupid at first glance." she jokes. 

"maybe once they have someone with common sense on the council, they'll make better decisions." 

"yeah.. it's gonna take a while though." she hums. i watch her soft expression that is rarely ever seen. i love my wife. 

after washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen, i went nad ran the bath for her while she was occupied in our room, cleaning her mechanical arm. 

once i lit the last candle and turned off the lights, i went to our room to see her at her desk tinkering with the screws and nooks and crannies of her arm. 

"hey, vika?" i said softly. 

"hm?" she looks up at me from her device. "i ran you a bath. come on." i muttered

she smirks over her shoulder. "oh yeah?" 

"don't be gross. it's not like that." i chuckled. 

"oh.. damn.." she grumbled. "come on." i laugh. she follows me to the bathroom and i stand, leaning on the doorway

"you can stay there for however long you want. just relax, alright?" 

"whoa.." she gasped lightly at the acne in the bathroom. 

she looks down at me. "i- you didn't have to do all this." she hummed. 

i shrugged. "you're right. but i wanted to." 

she smiles. she wraps her arm around me while i do the same with both of mine. 

"i don't deserve you. seriously." she hummed after planting a kiss on my head. 

"yeah, you do." i said softly. 

i sat in our room while sevika took her bath. as i was flipping through the pages of my book, i remembered i had gone out and bought a scrub. at a shop up on topside, so it's bound to be good. 

i found it and went to the bathroom to give it to her. i knocked before walking into the dimly lit bathroom. she was sitting in the bath with her hair guarding her eyes from being seen at the side. 

"i bought this scrub today and thought you might like it." i said softly. “you did? why?” 

i sat on my knees as i unscrewed the top of the bottle. “it reminded me of you. here, smell." i said to her. 

i held it up to her nose and she took a quick whiff before humming. "it's nice.. like pine." she said. 

she went to grab it but i pulled it away. "let me." i said. 

"come on, honey. i can clean myself just fine." she chuckled softly. "no one's saying you can't. i just wanna do it for you." 

i look at her eyes before moving her strands aside. "you can't get your back anyway." i said. 

she rolled her eyes. "alright.." she hummed. i got up to find a stool and sat on it as i took a seat beside the tub, sitting behind her. 

the smell of snowy pine trees quickly invaded our noses as i massaged the scrub into her scarred back. 

looking at her muscles and scars, i imagined what it must be like to be her. to experience her life. 

her mother died at birth, father died even later. no siblings to mourn with her.

a best friend turned boss. now dead also.  

two young girls that were like her daughters, dead too. 

i feel like if i followed that same fate, she would end up offing herself. 

so much loss in her life. and she still stood strong every day without fail. 

"why are you doing all this?" she spoke up quietly. 

"hm?" i said as i rinsed off the soap crystals. 

"the dinner... the bath, everything you did tonight." she said. 

"i'm your wife, vika. it's what i enjoy doing." i said softly. 

there was a beat of silence. 

"it feels strange being taken care of like this. " she admitted. 

i poured water over her back again, watching the tiny crystals fall into the water. 

“i know..” i said softly. 

she shifts in the water, bringing her knees up to her chest. 

"sevika, you've devoted your entire life to bringing justice to our people. i've watched you take care of others, put their lives over your own.." i said, glancing over at her scarred stub that used to carry her left arm. 

i gently massaged the scrub over it, letting the scent sink into her skin. 

"it's like that's all you know how to do." i hummed. 

"after a while, you forget how to do anything else." she said quietly. 

"that's why i want to take care of you. while you learn how to pick yourself up again." i said, pouring water over her shoulder.

i’ve reminded her of this since we first got married. while she tells me she believes me, sometimes it slips. 

“you know, people look at you and see a terrifying old woman who can kill them with just a look.. and you are.” i said, to which she laughed softly. 

“but when i look in your eyes. when you hug me in the night when we’re sleeping, all i see is a sweet girl who’s in need of love. and i want to give it to her.”

“so, while you're out there looking after the lanes… i’ll be here at the end of every day to take care of you.” i said. 

i rinse off the last of the soap from her shoulders and leaned back slightly. 

“okay?” 

she’s quiet for a second but turns her head slightly. “yeah.. okay.” she hums. 

i moved from my seat and sat next to her. i reached out to her chin and turned her head slightly to kiss her cheek. “i love you, you old softie.” i muttered. 

she looks at me with tears welling up in her eyes. 

“i love you. so much.” she said quietly. 

i held her face in my palm as i scanned her face before i kissed her lips. i pull away from her and smile softly. “you finish up here, alright?” 

i left her in the bathroom and waited for her in our bed. 

it was slightly cold, i just put on the freshly washed sheets, a new fuzzy blanket, and lit a candle that made the room smell like sugar cookies. 

she was dead asleep in seconds. 

a/n: i need to put sevika in my pocket, i love her and she deserves the world.

[luveline]

Lovely Jade maybe you could write something about Roan finding a kitten on the street and hiding it in her backpack

🧡.

thank you so much for your request! eddie and roan —roan's acting suspicious. you and eddie investigate. stepmom!reader, 1.5k.

Roan comes in through the front door with a sweet smile. Living in your cul-de-sac has meant you don't mind too much if she wants to go out to play alone, where before Eddie would insist on sitting on the porch of the trailer, worried someone would come barrelling down the road seventy miles an hour. 

"Hi, princess," you say, leaning down with your arms propped on the counter. You're putting the finishing touches on a drawing using the sunshine. Nothing special, just a sketch for fun. 

"Hey, mommy." 

You preen at the title. Being a stepmom is awesome, especially when she feels comfortable enough to call you mom. "Is it home time for Georgia?" 

"Yeah, she's gone home for dinner." 

"Are you hungry? Daddy's still at Uncle Gareth's, so I'm in charge of food."

You turn around when you get no answer, waving your pencil at an empty kitchen. "Roan?" 

"I'm coming back!" She shouts from the top of the stairs. 

You raise your eyebrows. "Okay!" you shout back. "I get to choose dinner, then? What's that, you want chicken pot pie?" You smile. Eddie loves chicken pot pie, especially when you make it. 

You put your sketchbook and pencil case on the kitchen table and spray down the countertops. The motions of cooking are well worn now; you know how to make every recipe for two and a half people. You wash your hands, grab the canned puff pastry, and get to work. 

Roan appears again as you're spreading a little bit of flour over the counter, running to the sink. She kicks her stepping stool to the counter and climbs up to wash her hands. She looks cagey.

"Anything I should know about?" you ask.

Roan squirts dish detergent into her palm, strawberry scented rivulets running between her little fingers before she's had time to rub it in. You set aside your rolling pin and pick up the soap to put a small dollop of it in her other hand.

"Say?" you ask, stroking her bedraggled hair away from her face. 

"Nothing for you to know about." 

You turn her head to yours, water spitting at your shirts as she washes her hands hurriedly. "Hey." You frown, gaze narrowing on a bloody scratch that's caught the bottom of her right cheek. "Aw, bubby, what happened?" 

"It doesn't hurt," Roan says flippantly. 

"You're gonna have to let me wipe it clean, still. Okay?" 

"Yeah, mommy. Whatever you want." 

You bite the inside of your bottom lip to tamp down an embarrassingly huge smile. "Okay. Good girl on the hand washing, you gonna help me make dinner, huh?" You kiss the top of her head. "I'm so lucky, my girl's so helpful." 

"Can I go get changed first?" she asks. 

"Yeah, bub. Want help?" 

"No!" she shouts hopping down off of stool. She'll probably have to wash her hands again when she returns, but you're too happy to care. She's gorgeous, she's a sweetheart, and she loves you like a mom. 

You turn back to the pastry and roll out the bottom of the pie. You'll refrigerate it while you make the chicken filling and the roux. Which one to make first? You might have done things in the wrong order. 

"Ro, are you almost done?" you shout, blinking back to attention. "Let me look at that scratch, babe!"

Arms around your waist. You thought you heard the door. 

"What scratch?" Eddie asks, dipping his face down to the juncture of your neck, where he plants a warm kiss. 

"On her cheek. I let her go out with Georgia, I hope that's okay. Only in our street." 

"That's okay," he assures you. He hugs you with kind arms, not squeezing like he tends to, completely and utterly loving. You can't hug him while your hands are covered in flour, leaning back instead to soak in all his affection. "What's the scratch from?" 

"Yet to be determined." 

Eddie hums and holds you. You cave in to dirtying him, painting his forearm with white fingerprints as you hug it to your ribs. You let your head flop back, tickled by his exhales where they kiss your neck. 

You and Eddie stand there in quiet bliss. Then, from upstairs, you hear a strange sound.

"Is Roan back in her cat phase?" 

Eddie tilts his head away from you. His hand retreats from your abdomen where it'd been resting, braced on your hips. "Ro…" He groans. "Not again." 

"Eddie?" 

He takes your hand. "She has a cat in her room." 

The meows become clearer the further Eddie leads you up the stairs. You wipe as much of the flour on your hands onto your pyjama pants as you can, but it's a mess. Eddie can't complain —how often does he get car grease on you? 

"Roan Ayla Munson," Eddie says through the closed door. "I better not find anything in there that I'm not supposed to."

You startle at the use of her middle name. You didn't even know Roan had a middle name until a couple of months ago; you always thought Eddie skipped giving her one. Apparently he thought Ayla was the same as Aella, an Amazonian fighter who wielded twin axes. Ayla, in contrast, means a few things. Bringer of light, in Finnish. Circle of light around the moon, in Turkish. Oak tree, in original Hebrew. You love all three definitions, but bringer of light feels most accurate. 

Bringer of cats might be more astute at the moment.

"I don't have anything, daddy!" 

Meow. 

"I think you're lying to me. Last chance, bubby." 

A vehement shushing noise, a meow, and a defeated sigh sound through the door. Weight hits the floor, footsteps creeping closer. You and Eddie wait in apparently very different moods for her to open the door. 

Roan holds a wriggling kitten in her small hands. She's wearing a nightgown over her sweatpants like she'd started changing and forgotten. Her arms are covered in red scratches. The kitten yowls when it sees you and Eddie, likely finding you both to be more intimidating than your poor girl.

"Oh, babe," you fret breathlessly, "Eddie, take the cat." 

"Dad–" Roan starts. 

"Look at your arms," he interrupts with a tandem worry, taking the kitten from her.

You pick Roan up with ease, careful not to touch her pale arms. She tries to explain herself as you carry her down the stairs, "I found her behind Old Man Michael's house, she looked so sad and you said we should be nice to everything we meet, even if we don't like the way they look," she says. 

"I meant about spiders and ants and stuff," Eddie says, holding the angry cat in front of his chest cautiously. "You know, we don't have to kill little creatures if we don't have to. I didn't mean you should kidnap kittens." 

"She looked hungry." 

You put Roan on the clean bit of counter between the stove and the sink and frown at her arms. "Sweetheart," you murmur sympathetically, "don't these hurt?" 

"Well, I…" 

You shoot Eddie a look. He stares the kitten in the eyes rather than meet your own, seemingly distracted. Fine, you'll try parent by yourself, even if you're no expert yet. 

"What?" you ask patiently. 

"I was hiding her in my backpack, but she didn't like it. She thinks it's too small." 

"I bet so." You're thinking, Eddie, what are we gonna do? And, Ouch, these are going to hurt. "Ro, is this how you got the scratch on your cheek? You're lucky he didn't scratch you in the eye." 

"I think he's a girl," Roan says. 

This is less important to you than the scratches, but you amend yourself anyways. "She could've blinded you." 

"I think you're in trouble, Ro. We already talked about this before, didn't we? No stray cats in the house," Eddie says.

"I already told you, dad! Rufus and Steve let themselves in, I didn't used to do that." 

You wash your hands swiftly and grab the first aid kit from under the sink, pulling out the blue disinfectant spray that Roan hates. She winces at the sight of it as you expected, pulling her arms against her tummy. 

"It won't hurt anymore than the scratches did when the kitten did them," you say gently.

Roan shakes her head. 

You put the disinfectant between her knees and lean in. "I'll make daddy make cookies, yeah? You be brave and let me clean your scratches and we'll have warm cookies and ice cream."

Eddie breaks out of his stare off, taken aback. "It's her own fault," he says, though he's smiling. 

"She was trying to do a good thing. And look at her little arms, Eds, hasn't she been punished enough?" you ask. 

The kitten kicks its legs weakly. "What the heck are we gonna do with her?" Eddie asks. 

"We could keep her," Roan says. 

"Don't push your luck, Roro." 

You lift the disinfectant spray. Roan seems apprehensive still, so you look her head on and wink. "I'll try my best," you whisper.

Roan holds out her arms with a grin.

[sgtcosmo]

under the weather - 141 headcanons

cw: none, just pure (established relationship) fluff <3 only pronoun used for reader is 'you'

a/n: i'm sick as shit rn and i've been laying in bed all day thinking about how the 141 would care for gn!reader while they're sick, so this is a lil bit self-indulgent hehe!! also, thank you for the love on my first drabble that i posted a couple days ago, it makes me so happy :') enjoy these!

gaz:

-he's an absolute sweetheart all the time already, but when you're sick? oh my god

-checking in on you every 10 minutes, even if it annoys you. he has to know that you're doing okay!!

-i hc him as being a great cook, so he definitely makes you some good ass homemade soups

-THIS ONE MADE MY HEART MELT WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT but he would absolutely read to you. it'd either be wherever he left off in the most recent book he's reading on his own, or he'd grab one of your favourites from the shelf and start from the beginning

-lets you use his lap as a pillow while he reads to you, holding the book with one hand and playing with your hair with the other

-rubs your back soothingly when you're having one of those god awful coughing fits

-when he goes to the store to get you medicine and such, he'll facetime you the whole time. he'll show you the medicine and snacks/drinks at the store and let you pick which ones you want (he also wants to make sure that you're alright while he's gone <3)

-gives you his warmest and nicest sweaters to wear, doesn't care if they get dirty

ghost:

-runs you a bath and lets you soak in the warm water while he washes your hair

-will absolutely make you a hot cup of tea with honey to soothe your sore throat

-canned soup kinda guy. he'd still try his best to make it as appetizing as possible though, adding in extra bits that he knows you like

-you're not lifting a finger once he finds out you're sick. your household chores? they're his now. those errands you were supposed to run today? oops, he's already got his shoes on and keys in hand

-will not let you out of his sight. always keeps a watchful eye on you, no matter what. he took over your duty of washing the dishes? he's bundling you up in 10 blankets on the couch in the living room so he can turn around every 30 seconds and silently check on you

-would probably set reminders on his phone so you take your medicine exactly when you're supposed to, even if it's 3 am. he's up and fetching everything you need before you can even complain about the reminder going off and waking you up

-picks you up and carries you around the house so you don't have to walk

soap:

-still cuddles and kisses you, despite your attempts to push him away to prevent him from also getting sick. he doesn't give a shit

-plays video games with you, or watches you play. i feel like he'd be a try-hard at games and wouldn't take losing lightly, but he'd let you win just because you're sick. if you call him out for it, then he'd probably just make some half-assed excuse and say he must be having an 'off day'

-i feel like he's a canned soup-er, like ghost. will make a bowl for himself as well though so he can eat it with you

-pillow fort? pillow fort. makes a huge one in the living room with a big nest of blankets in it for you both to cuddle in. he even makes a little window through the pillows so you can see the tv and watch your favourite movies

-will order your favourite take-out for you once you feel well enough to eat something other than soup

-would make you laugh so much that it sends you into coughing fits (laughter is the best medicine, after all ;))

price:

-much like ghost, he'd keep a very watchful eye on you and check in on you often

-definitely a homemade soup guy. if there's a specific canned soup that you want, he'll make it exactly how it is, but better

-cuddles with you under a pile of blankets as you watch shitty rom-coms together

-lets you lay on him while you sleep, even if it's for hours at a time. he'd keep his arms wrapped securely around you and kiss the top of your head occasionally

-is willing to do anything and everything you need in order to get you back to good health as quickly as possible. just say the word and he's got it

-would buy medicine in every flavour it comes in just so you can try them all and see what one tastes best so taking it isn't such a miserable experience (i feel like soap would probably do this too? but he'd treat it more as a fun taste test ranking kind of thing)

-will go on short walks outside with you in hopes that the fresh air will make you feel better. he's bundling you up like nobody's business if it's cold outside, though

[babydolls-writing-space]

Hello! I would like to request some CG!Husk and Baby!Reader. I was thinking maybe Husk helping reader to slip before bed time and just generally comforting and taking care of reader! /nf

Have a good day/night!

(Ofc! Thank you so much for the request) ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

⊹₊ ⋆ ʚ┊” hey there, little one”┊ ɞ ⊹₊ ⋆

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

You and husk have been in a relationship for a while now and honestly, it's been going good. Like really good. He listens to your problems and knows how to comfort you, he remembers the small little details about you such as things you like or why you love the smell of rain, and most important of all he is your caregiver. Not only is he your caregiver but he is also a good one at that. He is always supportive of your regression and tries to encourage you to regress more often. 

Lately, however, you two have been busy with the hotel. Husk has been behind the counter, and making sure that everything is in order, and you have been helping the guest and giving lessons on how to help get redeemed.  

This had taken a toll on your stress to where you were feeling so exhausted and just overwhelmed in general, and husk being the good boyfriend/caregiver that he was started to pick up on that and decided to help you out.  

Once the day had calmed down you and husk were in the kitchen finishing up the dishes. You were washing them, and he was drying them off and putting them away. Honestly, while doing this wasn't fun, it was nice to finally have a quiet moment with your partner.  

“Hey sweetheart” husk said in the same soft tone he always had this time of night. You looked over at him as you handed him the final glass “yea?”  

“Why don't we relax tonight, i know that you have been working hard and you deserve to have a break,” Husk said as he put the glass in a cabinet with the others. You gave him a soft smile as he looked at you “I believe having a little tiny time would be good, what do you think kiddo?”.  Once he said that a smile lit up on your face with a look of pure happiness in your eyes as you gave a small nod “yes please”  

Husk smiled as he walked over to you “ok baby lets go get you all tiny” he said as he gently picked you up as he walked and carried you to the bathroom. He started to draw you a bath after he had sat you down on the counter. He grabbed one of your favorite bubble soaps and started to put it in the bath as he also grabbed your little basket of bath toys and put it beside the tub.  

Husk smiled softly as you had a smile on your face and gently kicking your legs which was one of the signs that you were starting to regress. He walked over to you and helped you get your clothes off as he then carried you to the warm bath water and gently placed you in there “there you go sweetheart... Nice and warm” he said.  

He smiled softly as got the toys from the basket and gently put them in the tub for you, smiling softly as he saw you starting to play with them. As you played with the toys he grabbed the soaps and started to gently wash your hair, using his claws to gently massage your head in the process. 

Once he was done washing your hair he saw how relaxed you were and how your movements started to gently go slower. “Hey there little one... you doin alright?” he asked softly, but all he got in response was a soft babble. He realized you had slipped into your baby headspace and looked at you in awe “Well well well look at who we have here.. Is it.. Papas baby?” he cooed to you. You gave a soft laugh and babble in response as you nodded softly; Husk smiled as he finished giving you a bath and went and gently grabbed a towel and wrapped it around you as he then carried you to your room.  

Husk walked over to your closet and grabbed two outfits and walked over to you “Ok little one do you wanna wear your star onesie or your dino footie onesie” he said as he showed you the options. You thought about it for a minute as you pointed to the dino footie onesie, he smiled and nodded as he grabbed you a diaper and gently prepped it for you as he helped put it on as he also helped put you in the onesie.  

He smiled softly as he went and grabbed you paci and gently put it in your mouth. “There you go little one.. All ready for bed..do you want a bottle?” he asked softly as he gently held you in his arms. You cooed softly as he smiled and nodded “You got it sweetheart” he said as he went and started to make you a bottle; rocking you gently.  

Once the bottle was made he went and fed you the bottle as he gently rocked you while humming a soft song. When he saw your eyes close he put the bottle down and gently put your paci in your mouth as he put you in your crib. He turned the mobile on as he grabbed your blanky as he gently put it over you. “Good night little one.. Papa loves you..”

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

tags:

[dawnoftime22]

"be soft please, I love like the entire world is about to fall apart."

| W.M ( -> N.R )

Undeserving of a love like yours, Chapter 3

Chapter Warnings: tense/awkward conversations, slightly competitive r and wanda, but fluff in those parts, has it been proofread? I don't remember, but I'm hoping it is

Summary: Your mind starts to get louder with worries, and you can't tell if you're making it up. Wanda invites you along to some time together, hoping to relieve the odd built up energy between you.

Series Summary: When you're stuck in a complete hole of confusion and hurt with the one you thought you loved most, a certain redhead finds her way into your life.

Word Count: 3.7k

Category: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort...Angst if you squint?

A/N: really the first few chapters is just an excuse for me being able to write fluff for wanda for a bit (I'm kidding) but I'll be very busy in feb, so if I don't seem to be as active, that's why. but I'll try my best to keep posting the fics. okay love u all<3

| Started on 11/01/2024, 1:44 PM |

| Finished on 19/01/2024, 2:23 PM |

Masterlist | Series Masterlist | N.R Masterlist

<- Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ->

"but are your words true to your soul?"

|——————————— ᗢ ———————————|

-- - 5 days later...

You were sat at the reading space in your bedroom, holding a warm mug filled with tea. The window was open just slightly, letting air in. The sun was going down, and the sky was turning into a shade of blue, holding little of any orange.

You sigh and check your phone, the time showing 6:58 PM, but there were no new notifications.

You unlock your phone and go to your messages, looking at the texts you've sent Wanda. Not a single response yet. You brushed it off as her being busy, but now you were getting worried.

After a few seconds, the bubble of the dots come up. Although late, you now see a gray message than just your own blue one.

I stole one of your hoodies :)

it's one of your favorites, so I just thought

if you're searching for it, I have it

11:29 PM Today

do you want to bake some cookies

when you're free?

2:34 PM Today

Read Just Now

omw home now ❤️

6:59 PM Today

Read Just Now

Your eyebrows furrow as your eyes go over the words again, no other ones going along with it, and the dots had disappeared when the message sent. Had you annoyed her? You couldn't have. She was probably just driving and didn't have time to type more. Right?

You turn off your phone and look back at the window. The streetlights had turned on, illuminating the streets and trees nearby. Your eyes flicker down to your mug though, watching the drink make small riptides with the smallest movements you did.

You take another sip and finish off your tea, letting the warm liquid run down your throat before moving to stand up, the soft seat meeting your skin as you push off it.

The bedroom has a cozy atmosphere, the dim lights keeping the place dark, but still well lit. You don't stay for any longer though, with your path leading towards the kitchen.

You put your empty mug in the sink, but clean it with the dish soap and washing it off, to then putting it on the drying rack, having decided to keep the sink empty.

You rest your arms on the kitchen counter, a yawn escaping your mouth and your eyes water up, leading to the smallest tear leaving them. Your elbow replaces your sleeves on the counter instead, your hands moving to run themselves over your face and covering it. You move your fingers to wipe your stained cheeks.

After doing so, one palm of your hand held your jaw, the other one drifting down to rest on the counter once more. You stare at the dark kitchen wall, hoping time would pass by quicker.

A key was inserted in the front door. You heard it clearly echoing through the large room with the quiet silence. You turn to look, and it opens. A brunette walks through the entrance, but you don't move. You just watch.

She closes the door and turn the lock, then takes off her shoes and her jacket. She takes notice of your presence when she looks up, but not much of a smile went on her face. Bad day, perhaps.

"Hey. I came home on time." She says, her jacket hanging on her shoulder as she puts her hand in her pockets and walk closer to you.

"Hi." You say, your response short while you turned around completely and leaned back on the counter. She purses her lips and looks down, remembering she didn't get anything for you on the way, so all her hands were available to do was hide in her pockets, not knowing what to do with them.

You notice that, and you continue talking, not wanting an awkward silence to fall upon the two of you.

"I uh, didn't make anything for dinner. But we can order take-out or something if you'd like." You raise your eyebrows in question with your offer, and she looks back up at you.

"Oh, that's alright. I already ate on the way here," she says, with a gentle shake of her head. Your heart felt like it fell just a little, but something stopped it just inches before it hit the ground.

"Are you hungry though? We can order some either way," she asks, worrying your needs haven't been met yet while hers, has.

"No. No, it's fine, I had a sandwich earlier." You give her a small smile. Her attention drifts off to a blank space in the room, her head moving to nod, but her eyes not once going to yours, only focused on the wall behind you.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." She points to the bedroom with her thumb, her feet taking her away to clear herself from the living room.

You stand there for a second, shifting your body and contemplating a decision before pushing off the counter, the cold marble meeting the skin of your hands. You follow her once she's already in the bathroom, knowing the conversation was awkward enough.

You make your way across the room, going to the window to close it along with the blinds. Once that was done, you walk to the bed, the soft mattress dipping with your body as you sat on it.

The sounds of the shower could be heard even from outside the bathroom. You didn't mind it much and grabbed the tv remote, deciding to put something on.

You scroll through the lists of films and end up going with a rom-com Wanda loves. You got comfortable in bed, pulling up the blanket for warmth.

You didn't notice through the laughs in the show and talking, but the running water had stopped for a while, and the bathroom door opened with Wanda wearing her pajamas.

You look at her, and see her eyes focused on the tv screen, a smile raising on her lips before she saw you on the bed.

"You're playing my show," she said, as another funny scene plays and laughter erupts in the audience within the tv. You try your best not to smile too hard in making her face brighten up a bit.

"Yes, now get in bed and cuddle with me." You open up your arms, turning on your side and pouting. Wanda shakes her head with a smile and walks to the bed, sitting down next to you and shuffling closer until your bodies touch.

She pulls the covers up her body as you did earlier, and you help her, of course, not being a blanket hogger. You lean into her, your eyes focusing back on the tv screen.

She shifts until she's comfortable and then puts one of her arms around your back, the other one at your front, going around your waist. You look up, and she was focused on the show. Her heartbeat can be heard thumping against her chest with how close you were.

Your legs was tangled with hers, and she held you closely. Eventually, she looks down on you, her green eyes shining even within the dim lighting. She brushes her finger against your cheek, and you know you can't ever resist her.

Your gaze travels back up to her, and her eyes searched your eyes for something. What? You didn't know. But a certain sadness swirled in her pupils, you can see it.

"I'm sorry I've been so busy lately," she whispers, her hand dropping back down to rest on your waist. You snuggle closer to her, one side of your cheek against her shoulder.

"It's okay. I just wish work would take it easy on you." Your hand goes up, your fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her shirt. She keeps watch on you, her lips tucked in as she thinks of something in her mind.

"I have an idea." You pause your movement and curiously look at her, wondering what's to come. She takes a gentle breath before continuing.

"Do you wanna go to the beach tomorrow?" She offers you, and your eyes gleamed with happiness. Her lips raise up slightly face when she sees you brighten up.

"Yeah! I'd love to." You say, your voice filled with genuine excitement, having missed spending time with her. Her smile grows and she turns back to the tv.

The rest of the night, you spent in each other's embrace. You were the first to go to sleep peacefully, and Wanda had turned off the tv, following you along.

In the morning, both you and Wanda are sleeping soundly, the blanket and her arms still around you are keeping you warm.

The only movement was of the breathing of two bodies. That was, until you slowly stir, your mind awakening to the sun slowly brightening the skies. Your eyes slowly open, sleep invading your vision, blurring it.

You blink it away and move to rub your eye with a single finger just for a second before yawning, turning to the still sleeping brunette beside you.

It was the first time in a while she was there in bed with you while it was the morning, with her being so busy lately. You take the moment to indulge in being so close to her, in her arms, safe again.

Your fingers trace some meaningless patterns near her neckline, your head resting against her shoulder.

It didn't take long for her to soon wake up, just minutes later. You pause your movements, looking at how her eyelids slowly open, her eyes taking in the scene around her and registering that it was now morning.

She notices the touch of your finger on her skin along with your own pair of eyes, making her glance down.

"Morning, детка," she whispers, her morning voice only reaching your ears and not even the walls due to her saying it under her breath.

"Morning," you reply softly, continuing your hand's movement. Her lips raise up slightly and she closes her eyes, her arms releasing their hold on you to stretch for a moment before leaning her head closer to yours.

"You excited for today?" You ask, your eyes on hers. She goes to look at you for a second before replying.

"Of course I am." She said, her tongue going out slightly to rid of the dryness in her lips that her sleep caused.

"We're going to the beach. So, we can relax, splash water on each other, make sandcastles..." She trails off when she sees your eyes gleam at not just the first few words, but specifically her mentioning of building sandcastles.

"And I'm going to challenge you in a sandcastle contest." You say, and she tries her hardest not to break out into a big grin at how determined you were to do such a thing.

"Oh, really? Well I'm going to beat you in it!" she says, her voice slow and a quiet volume at first until her last few words, exclaiming as if she was trying to scare you, although with a soft voice.

"We'll see, we'll see." You say with your eyebrows raised, eager to win. At that, a laugh comes from her lips like a gentle melody.

The small laugh she did was short, but your heart still warmed just the same as the morning sunshine that peeked through the windows.

"Do you wanna go shower first, or should I?" You ask her, leaning back slightly to either get out of bed and go to the bathroom, or let her go.

"You can go shower first, sweetheart." She says with a soft smile. You nod, and her hands move to let you get out of bed.

You went to grab some clothes from the closet while Wanda unplugs her phone from the charger, checking the time. It was 8:24 AM. Certainly early, but not too early or late for the sun to be too sunny in the morning for your time at the beach.

You go into the bathroom and turn on the shower once you had your clothes off, making sure the temperature was just right. The shower gel was gentle on your skin, the aroma filling up the bathroom and making itself out to the bedroom, the familiar scent comforting the brunette outside the bathroom.

Soon enough you get done with showering and you step out with a towel. Wanda's eyes linger on you for a short while before returning to her phone. You blush as you made your way to your clothes on the bed.

She gets up and gets her own clothes and towel, to then shower herself. You put on your clothes when she closed the bathroom door. You plop on the bed, the soft mattress slightly going down with the change of weight.

You hear Wanda's phone make a notification sound, but you don't mind it much, and grab a hairbrush to fix up your hair a bit.

Wanda was quick with her shower, she came out and while you grabbed your phone and got ready with the other items, she wore her clothes, a loose thin jacket and a swimsuit underneath.

You turn to look at her softly, your eyes focused on hers. She was looking around the room, making sure you got everything.

"You ready to go?" You ask, and she hums her answer of a yes, grabbing her sunglasses on the bedside table and putting it on, now fully giving a beach look.

"Let's go, then." You walk out the bedroom with her behind you, going to the front door and opening it. The weather outside was perfect and clear.

Wanda locks the door with her house keys and goes to the car next to yours, which is of course, hers. You go to the passenger side, settling down into the seat as she turns on the engine.

She gets out the driveway and starts the journey to the beach, turning on the radio after a few minutes of quietness. Some Rihanna song is playing, setting a peaceful mood, but also making you want to move along to the beat.

The drive was short, seeing as your house wasn't too far away from the beach. The both of you were out the car when you had arrived, the crashes of the waves coming onto shore and visiting the sand could already be heard along with the strong wind.

You walk together to the beach, the sand hitting your sandals and feet as you go. Wanda's hands held beach towels so you could rest and lay down together.

When you find a perfect place where not many people were, that was when she set up the spot with the towels and sat down. You watch her, a smile growing on your face at the thought floating in your head.

"So...sandcastle competition time?" You ask her, and she shakes her head at your quick question, even right when she sat down. But a smile was present on her face.

"You're on!" She says, and goes to the side of the beach blanket, starting her little sandcastle, and you scramble to find your own place. She giggles, seeing you panic at her fast answer. You had sat right in front of her, working away with the sand.

After a few minutes, the two of you finish up, and both was perfect in every way. Although some parts were starting to fall apart. But it was still holding up good. Wanda looks at them, surprise over her face just as you were.

"Yours is...wow." She says, normally at first then to surprise with her eyebrows raised and a small laugh. Yours were big, but not all that much bigger than hers. You just had a tinge few little more details...and a small flag atop the castle. Where had you gotten it? She didn't know. You must've hidden it away in your pocket, she thought.

"If I'm going to be honest with you, yours look amazing. But mine is..." You stop when she cuts you off with a hum and a tilt of her head, her eyes narrowing their gaze on you as a warning.

"Hmm, well I think that we...have a tie!!" she gently pushes you on the beach blanket and tickles you, making shock fill your face, but laughs making sound from your chest.

"Wait, no!" You say between the giggling and laughing, her hands easily finding all the spots that you're ticklish at.

"Say it, or I won't stop!" She said, continuing on with no mercy. You were kicking your legs a little, but she was on your lap, so it did nothing.

"Okay! Okay, we have a tie!!" You surrender, the laughs getting tiring. She stops her attack on you, the both of you smiling brightly even though she had made you breathless.

She lays down beside you, catching her own breath even though she was the one who tickled you. But a giggle sounded out from her, having joy lingering from earlier.

A quietness went over the place other than the occasional seagulls in the sky and flapping their wings and on the sand, just near where the water kept coming in small waves.

Wanda moved closer to you, resting her head on your shoulder while you looked down on her. Your arms go to rest on the side of her waist, the warmth of your bodies keeping you in a decent temperature while the wind came and went by.

Your mind started to wander off, and your eyes travel way off over to the view of the ocean, the skies holding clouds melting within the blue. There was nothing in the distance but the ocean.

"Be honest," you start quietly, making Wanda curiously look up at you. Your hands had went to fiddle with hers, taking out one of her rings every now and then and playing with them, then putting it back into her fingers.

"...Are you starting to dislike me?" You mumble, trying to not make it too obvious that your thoughts were awfully loud. She notices you distracting yourself with her rings and fingers, making her look at you softly.

"What? No. I could never." Wanda's eyebrows furrow as her face fills with concern. She props herself up with her other hand that you weren't holding, looking into your eyes.

"What makes you say that?" She questions, as if oblivious to anything that's ever happened. You bit down on your lip and teared your eyes away from hers, looking at the sandcastles beside you.

"Okay. I know you've been busy, it's just...nevermind, it's stupid." Now her eyes sadden and she lets out a quiet sigh. She moves her hand to hold yours entirely, giving you an assuring squeeze.

"Hey...don't do that to yourself, малышка." She says softly, rubbing her thumb on the skin of your hand gently, hoping the motion will soothe you a little.

"I love you." She lets go of your hand and cups one side of your cheek, while going to place a soft kiss on the other side. She brushes her thumb on your lips now, making your teeth release it. It took everything in you to not break right then and there.

"I love you, too," you whisper, leaning into her touch. The sand moved with the wind just slightly, and even took a few layers off the sandcastles you had made.

"Don't ever blame yourself for anything between us." She shakes her head while saying it. Her voice was soft, and you look at her. You couldn't tell what the look in her eyes were, but you know you've seen it before.

You didn't give a reply. She didn't want one anyway. A silence washes over you like how the water washes the sand with it's gentle touch. She goes over her thoughts as she looked at your face.

"Do you wanna go to the water?" she asks, breaking the silence and looking at the ocean. Your eyes flicker to her before you look at the water, too.

"Yeah." You nod, and she smiles, pushing herself up to stand. You take her hand when she offered it, your legs moving to get you up.

Wanda takes off her thin jacket and kicks off her sandals, the sand meeting her feet as she walked closer to the water. You follow her, having gotten yours off too.

The water hits both of your feet, making a shiver run down your spine at the coldness of it. Wanda was already in to her waistline, but not going any farther than that. You continue on until you were close to her.

You feel the water with your skin and hands and the small waves that come and go, a feeling that had always calmed you. Your body starts getting used to the temperature, and it wasn't awfully freezing.

"How big of a splash can you make?" You ask casually, not really going in any direction with your small conversation, but she looks at you with her eyebrows raised.

"Is that a challenge?" She asks, watching you play around with the water and see the small waves that you make.

"Maybe." You tilt your head playfully, suggesting so, but only trying to feel the lovely beach air. The water keeps cascading against your bodies, while your hands go to rest on her shoulders, admiring her with the ocean in the background.

She smiles, and you could see the mischief in them. It made you curious, but then she splashed water lightly towards you, making you gasp. You splash back, initiating a battle of hitting water against each other, and each other's faces.

"Stop!" You shout, giggling along with her as you shielded yourself with your arms. She had done a big wave of a splash, making your hair soaked.

You wipe the rest of the water off your face, needing to breathe. You move your hand just slightly to do another small attack of water to her, but that was the end of it. You move away with a cheeky smile on your face and get out the water.

She laughed, knowing she won as you surrendered. The sun shone down on the both of you, although making you warm and the water glimmer with the light, the wind that breezed by made your bones tingle.

You walked back to the spot you picked out, sitting back down on it. She stays in the water for a while longer, taking in the refreshing feeling.

Soon after, she joins you, putting back on her thin jacket to defend herself against the wind. You welcome her into your arms, and she goes into your embrace just the same as the way the clouds enveloped the sun.

end of chapter 3. <3

Series Masterlist <- Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ->

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[slytherheign]

GOLD RUSH | daniel ricciardo

PART 2/4 OF BROKEN GLASS AND HONEY SERIES.

CAN ALSO BE READ AS A ONE-SHOT.

PAIRINGS: daniel ricciardo x fem!reader, ex!max verstappen x fem!reader

WORD COUNT: 4.9k

SUMMARY: you don't like a gold rush, but you're attracted to someone everyone admires. when he stares at you with eyes like sinking ships on waters so inviting, will you jump in or not?

WARNINGS: cursing/swearing, people not giving a single fuck about the 3-month rule, mention of a hand injury, and allusions to a past unhealthy relationship. as i said, this can be read as a one-shot but there are references in this about the previous part of the series. so… you might want to read that. let me know if i missed any warnings. [⚠︎︎RATING: 16+]

AUTHOR’S NOTE: inspired by taylor swift’s song with the same title. also, based on my research, driver rooms are either located in a team motorhome or a floor in the driver’s garage. i literally watched paddock tours, garage tours, driver’s room tours BUT i still cannot find where in the japanese gp are the driver rooms located. so in this fic the driver’s room is a part of the garage, i imagined it on the 2nd floor. if you are reading the series i suggest rereading the last part because i changed some important details there like the timeline and stuff. again, huge thanks to my bestie @writingstoraes for helping me with the social media parts included here.

DESTINATION: Angst Avenue | GO TO SERIES MASTERLIST or GO BACK TO THE STATION.

All you did was accept his follow request on Instagram.

Then happened the small talks, the exchanging of numbers, the constant messages, and the little secret meetups.

And now here you were, meeting with his family as he introduced you to them.

What Max couldn’t do in almost 2 years, Daniel did in 2 months.

You remembered the date you accepted his follow request, July 19th. Only a few days before he would drive for AlphaTauri after Nyck de Vries got sacked. He then spent most of his summer break getting to know you. And when he sustained a break to a metacarpal on his left hand during the free practice 2 session at the Dutch Grand Prix, you stayed with him and it brought you even closer.

Today was September 19th. Exactly 2 months after you accepted his follow request and 2 days after the race in Singapore ended—the race where he returned after his injury. You were having dinner with his family. His mother told you stories about Daniel’s childhood. He was embarrassed at some of them, but you assured him that you thought the stories were cute. You smiled all throughout the meal. This was a new experience for you, getting introduced to someone’s family and getting treated like you were already one of their own.

You were used to being hidden. Things never used to be like this. For the longest time, it was always secret glances, touching behind closed doors, and kissing behind closed curtains. It was never talking, laughing, and getting along with his family.

He joined you when you took the initiative to wash the dishes. His mother didn’t want you to, but you insisted because it was all you could do in return for their warm welcome. 

You worked as a team. You washed the plates with the dishwashing soap while Daniel rinsed them with water, silence never surrounding you for even a moment because he had so many stories to tell and you loved hearing every single one of them.

You weren’t even in a relationship yet. Sure, you went on a few dates, but there was still no label put on it. There were no kisses, no making out—just the occasional holding hands and Daniel never complained. He understood that you still weren’t prepared for another relationship and he was ready to wait.

“It’s late. We should probably rest,” he spoke up after you both washed your hands and dried them using a paper towel. You followed him into his childhood room.

“You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor,” he said.

“You don’t need to do that. This is your room.”

“No, please. I insist,” he smiled.

You took the bed, immediately smelling his scent on the sheets. From the paint to the posters and the pillows, everything about this room screamed Daniel Ricciardo and it gave you so much comfort.

But even with all the comfort his bed provided, you still couldn’t sleep. “Daniel?” you called his name.

“Hmm?” he replied, he couldn’t sleep as well.

“What were you thinking that day?” you asked quietly.

“What day?”

“When you requested to follow me on Instagram. You knew I was dating Max, right?”

“You already broke up that night.”

“Well, yeah. But you didn’t know that.”

“I actually did. Max told me when he was drunk and crying. I don’t think he remembers telling me, though.”

“Why did you want to follow me?”

“I was curious, I guess. I wanted to see who made Max cry. He’s one of my closest friends so I wanted to know who was this girl he was crying about. Your account was private but I was really curious about you, so I requested to follow you and…”

“And?” you urged him to continue.

“And I loved what I saw. You’re really beautiful.”

You blushed, covering your face with your hands even though he couldn’t see them anyway. You changed the topic. “You said Max was crying?” 

“Yeah. But then he also drunkenly told me the reason why. And for what it’s worth, I’m on your side. You did the right thing. You deserve someone better.”

No one spoke for a moment. Your mind suddenly lingered on Max. He would never cry in public, not even in front of a friend. You knew that if he was sober, he would’ve never cried in front of Daniel. Max always said that he was raised to not show any sign of weakness to anyone, and he thought that crying was one of them. You were the only exception. With you, he wasn’t afraid of crying. Hell, he had broken down in front of you countless times and you were always there for him. And he loved that you were always there for him.

You pushed any further thought of him away from your head. He wasn’t yours anymore. You shouldn’t think about him. He wasn’t the one lying on the floor next to the bed you laid on now, it was Daniel.

“Dan?” you softly called his name.

He smiled at the new nickname. “Yeah?”

“Can you sleep next to me?”

“Are you sure?” he asked. From the way his voice sounded, you knew he was smiling.

“Please?” you said, moving yourself to make a space for him on the bed.

He immediately stood up to lie beside you. None of you felt any awkwardness, it was almost like it was always meant to be like this—you and him, beside each other.

You stared at the ceiling, not really feeling any sleepiness. How could you? When there were about a thousand thoughts circling themselves in your head?

Thoughts about your future, about Daniel, and about Max. You were just thankful you were privileged to be born into a family that owns a successful company in Monaco. And although you stayed in Menton, you still worked for your family business. At least, if the public discovered your possible future relationship with Daniel, you knew they couldn’t call you a gold digger because you already have plenty of gold just by yourself. That was one less thing to worry about.

Daniel couldn’t sleep either, knowing that you were still awake. He looked at you, following your line of vision until he stared at the ceiling as well.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“A lot,” you chuckled.

“Do you want to talk about them?”

“No,” you shook your head. “At least not yet.”

“That’s okay. You wanna talk about something else?”

You thought for a moment before a sudden question entered your mind. “What’s your favorite memory that happened here in your room?”

“Well, I had my first make-out session here,” he laughed. 

You playfully hit his shoulder. “Really?” you laughed. “That’s your favorite memory?”

“Why? Are you jealous because it wasn’t you?” he teased.

“I-”

“Just kidding,” he laughed again. “My favorite memory in this room was when my dad and I sat on this bed and had a deep talk about life. I still l remember every piece of advice he told me that day and I try my best to follow them.”

“Care to tell me one advice?” you said. “Who knows, maybe it’ll help me out at some point.”

“There was one he told me that really stuck to me the most,” he responded.

“What is it about?”

“About love.”

You glanced at him before looking back up again at the ceiling. “Tell me.”

“Give love time to flourish, but never time what flourishes the love.”

You let the words sink in. You turned to your side so you could face him, urging him to elaborate. 

“You can fall in love with someone years after meeting them, at the same time, you can fall in love with someone after hours of meeting them. The length doesn’t matter if the trust is strong and the love is already stronger.

“You can get engaged after being with someone for 6 years, at the same time, you can get engaged after being with someone for 6 months. 

“Time matters, yes. But the length is subjective. Love is not supposed to be a competition where time is the sole judge. Sometimes, longer doesn’t mean healthier, and shorter doesn’t make it insincere or artificial.”

He turned to his side so he could face you as well. You didn’t know what to reply and he didn’t expect you to. You just stared at each other’s eyes.

You had never paid attention to his eyes more than what you were doing now. 

They were gleaming.

Twinkling.

Those eyes…

They were like sinking ships on waters so inviting.

You almost jumped in.

You cleared your throat, pulling away from his face that was just an inch away from yours. Funny, you didn’t even notice your faces were moving closer to each other.

“W-we should-uhh n-not,” you suggested.

“Y-yeah, we should not,” he agreed, smiling sheepishly.

The next race was not far ahead. You actually thought that after the race in Singapore, he would fly straight to Japan to get ready for the next grand prix. Instead, he took 3 days off just to set up a dinner with you and his family. 

You didn’t know why he did it, because if you were him, you wouldn’t want to stress yourself this much just for you to meet his family. You weren’t demanding anything right now. If Max made you wait for almost 2 years, you could wait a couple more months for Daniel. After all, waiting was your game—and an expert at that.

It wasn’t a coincidence that Daniel introduced you to his family exactly 2 months after your first interaction. He knew about the waiting game Max made you play for almost 2 years. The number ‘2’ always being the highlight. So, he did what Max couldn’t do in just 2 months. He wanted to prove something. And from the look on your face the moment his parents hugged you, he knew his little plan worked.

It also wasn’t a coincidence that out of all the advice his father gave him, what he told you was the one about love and time being subjective. It was his sly way of saying that it didn’t matter how long you two have known each other. He was basically saying that Max may have had you longer but you should pick him. He had feelings for you, he wanted you to see that, and hopefully, return them. 

Tomorrow, he needed to travel. Reality would return again, and the track needed him. As much as he wanted to spend more time with you, his car won’t drive itself. He had a thought.

“Do you want to go with me?” he asked suddenly. “To Suzuka.”

There was something in you that screamed to go back to your Menton apartment. Were you ready to go to a Grand Prix supporting a different driver than who you were used to supporting?

This was a second chance at everything, though. A chance to move on and a chance to have something new and someone new to look forward to.

“Okay,” you finally answered. “I’ll just have to do some work online for our family business. But as soon as I’m done, I’ll be in the stands cheering for you.”

He looked at you like you said some forbidden language. “The stands?” he asked you.

“Yeah, like with the other fans,” you shrugged.

“You know you’re not like the other fans, right? You can watch in the garage. If you’re not comfortable with other people seeing you, you can stay in my driver’s room and watch there. I’m sure there’s a monitor there.”

Again, this was a new experience for you. You didn’t know what to say.

“It would make me really happy knowing you’re in my room rather than in the stands. I could also show you the car and some stuff,” he continued.

Max never even invited you to walk the pitlane with him. And now here was Daniel, all ready and prepared to tour the entire paddock with you if you asked him to.

“That would be great,” you smiled.

“We better rest then, we have to travel tomorrow.”

JAPAN. SEPTEMBER 24, 2023. 

The race was happening today.

For the last few days since you got here, you chose to stay at a hotel near where the circuit was. Daniel was staying at the same hotel just 2 floors above yours. He invited you to stay in his room but you refused because it would raise a lot of suspicion. You were still figuring out what you had with Daniel and staying in the same room as him would paint a picture that you were already in a relationship. You knew just how F1 fans could become detectives if they wanted to. They already knew your name when Daniel decided to follow you on Instagram. A lot of them tried to follow you, but you chose not to accept their follow requests.

You stayed in your hotel room on Friday and Saturday, watching the practice sessions and the qualifying in your room. You didn’t really have a choice, you had online work to do. You watched while you worked. 

But not today.

Today, you were free. Today, you’d watch the Grand Prix in person.

Daniel visited you quite often in your room. He took advantage of you being in the same hotel as him. He always tried to convince you to get out, but you always said that you were busy finishing some work in advance so you could attend the Grand Prix with no worries about work. He stayed beside you while you worked until his duties called him and he needed to get to work as well.

But not today.

Today, he didn’t have to convince you anymore because you wouldn’t stay in your room. Today, you’d join him.

The plan was to walk behind him through the paddock with an AlphaTauri staff until you reached his garage where he would tour you and get you to meet the people working there. After that, he would lead you to his driver’s room where you would stay.

If it was entirely up to him, he wanted you to walk beside him instead of behind. But you refused again, because you knew walking beside him would launch something that you weren’t sure of yet.

You didn’t understand yourself. You broke up with Max because he kept you hidden. And now that you were with someone who wanted to show you off to the world, you’d rather stay hidden. You told yourself it was just because you and Daniel did not have a label in your relationship yet. You convinced him it was just because you were still figuring everything out.

And those reasons were reasonable and true. 

But you missed one little fact.

There was something about being hidden that excited you. 

Maybe being Max’s secret for a long time had convinced you that being hidden was an exciting thrill.

A knock on your door interrupted your thoughts. You finished fixing your hair immediately to open it. On the other side was a staff from AlphaTauri you had gotten close to for the past couple of days. You followed her downstairs where you met up with Daniel.

As soon as Daniel entered the paddock, all eyes were on him. The cameras turned and snapped pictures, your white cap barely hiding your face so you looked down and focused on the road most of the time. You should’ve brought sunglasses.

You heard people calling his name. Photographers, fans, people from the other teams—everyone. He displayed a huge smile on his face that everyone returned as soon as they got a sight of him. He waved at everyone, because let’s be honest, everyone knew him.

You saw everything as you walked behind him.

You saw how everyone admired him.

How everyone glorified everything he did. 

Not everyone knew him personally, but everyone felt close to him. That was how admirable Daniel Ricciardo was. He leaves a mark on everyone. A mark so indelible and so perfect that no one could ever forget. No one would dare to forget.

It started to make you insecure.

It ached to even think of how perfect he was, of how peaceful he was. Like sunshine, he was a need for everyone. He presented a light that everyone would kill for just to have a taste of.

It started to make you jealous.

It was like he floated as he walked because everyone cheered on him. Like a rush of gold, he was a desire—a temptation.

And you didn’t like a gold rush.

You didn’t like anticipating your face in a red flush.

You didn’t like that anyone would die to feel his touch.

Everybody wanted him.

Halfway through your destination, the AlphaTauri staff you were walking with behind Daniel suddenly realized she left something important in her room. She had to go back to the hotel, leaving you no choice but to stand and walk beside Daniel.

And he loved it. He glanced at you every now and then, smiling and checking if you were alright. He brought his camera with him, he took some pictures of the surroundings while he walked. You didn’t know that most of those pictures were you looking around the place. You’ve been to multiple F1 races in your life, but this was your first time in a Grand Prix in Japan.

You entered the pitlane with him. And once again, photographers snapped pictures of him. You slowed down a bit, letting Daniel be on the front again and the only focus of the cameras. He instantly noticed the lack of your presence beside him, looking at you and smiling, telling you it was alright and that you could walk beside him again. You eyed the cameras, observing that their focus was not on Daniel anymore as another driver was walking towards your way. So, you went back beside him, smiling softly at him. He placed a hand on your back guiding you through the large amount of people coming and leaving the pitlane.

For a slight moment, you wondered how someone so perfect would want to be with someone so imperfect. How could someone as desired as gold would want to love someone who was the complete opposite?

You were nearing his garage, but before you could reach it, a pair of familiar eyes caught yours. You swore you felt your heart jump and the world stop for a second but you shook it off.

As it turned out, the other driver that was walking towards your way was none other than Max Verstappen.

He froze for a second but he looked away from you. He continued walking, pretending that nothing ever happened but you noticed that his jaw was clenched when he walked past you.

When you reached Daniel’s garage, he introduced you to his race engineer and mechanics. You exchanged greetings. Yuki Tsunoda joined the conversation as well when he took notice of the new addition that Daniel brought. 

“So, what are you two?” Yuki asked. The other people in the garage were listening intently, curious as to what the answer was.

“Umm, we’re not really sure yet,” you answered honestly. “We’re still figuring it out.”

You looked at Daniel and he grinned, agreeing with your answer. Most of them shrugged at your response but they couldn’t hide the smirks they were showing when they each looked at Daniel.

Daniel led the way to his driver’s room, making sure you were settled in there before he eventually had to leave to do some things he needed to do.

You heard the sound of your phone notifying you that someone sent you a message. You checked it.

You rolled your eyes as you stared at your phone, slightly cursing at yourself because you swore not to reply to any of his texts anymore. His last texts were from the night he tried to convince you to stay with him—the last time you talked to him in person. You didn’t even notice yourself typing a reply until you already sent it.

You knew nothing would stop Max from doing what he wanted to do. What Max Verstappen wants, Max Verstappen gets.

You just placed your phone in your pocket and hoped that whatever kind of talk they would have would not affect the race later.

The race would start at 1:00 p.m., and even at 9:17 a.m., you could already feel how busy everyone was. Daniel entered the room, immediately sitting next to you on the couch and hugging you close. He rested his head on your lap and you played with his hair, twirling his already curly hair with your fingers. You stayed like that for a while, you were sure Daniel had already fallen asleep. You chuckled, pulling your phone from your pocket and snapping a cute picture of him.

You weren’t sure how many minutes had passed. You tried taking a nap but your excitement for today was too much for even a minute of sleep to consume you. So, you just stared at Daniel and resumed playing with his hair with one hand, while the other scrolled through Twitter on your phone.

And there it was. The speculations were already starting. You had no idea how they even knew it was you from just a side view of your body.

But for the first time, you didn’t care.

You scrolled even more, reading almost every comment about the picture of you and Daniel. 

Every comment and reply you saw was positive, not even one negative comment about him. People loved him and you understood them. What’s there not to love about him?

Even you were not an exception. You cared for him. You were attracted to someone everyone admired.

Everybody wondered what it would be like to love him.

And you wondered the same.

Daniel’s phone that was atop the coffee table made a noise, informing him that someone had texted. He was still lying on the couch with his head on your lap when he got woken up by the notification and took his phone from the table. He immediately sat up when he saw who it was.

You sneaked a glance and saw that it was Max.

They were texting back and forth and since Daniel’s phone was not on silent, you heard every tap he made on his keyboard. He was typing roughly, his phone shaking just by the force of his typing. His jaw was clenched and his eyebrows were knitted. 

He was angry. 

And you knew why. You wanted the couch you were sitting on right now to eat you alive. 

Minutes later, someone knocked on the door, saying something about a meeting he needed to present for. You knew he wasn’t talking to Max anymore because he had stopped typing. But still, he stared at the phone with so much hatred. 

You had never seen Daniel this angry before. You couldn’t help but ask Max what he said.

But of course, Max told you nothing.

Daniel stood up suddenly, his stance telling you he was still pissed off. But before he could fully leave the room, he looked at you as if he was asking for your permission if he could leave. You nodded in response, smiling to assure him that you were going to be fine.

You didn’t dare to know how their conversation went anymore.

“It’s lights out and away we go!” you heard Crofty announce. And as soon as he said it, 20 sensational drivers in their cars fought for positions.

You actually left Daniel's room before the race started, deciding to watch from the back of the main garage with the other AlphaTauri guests. You didn’t need to hide anyway because people already knew you. And besides, the cameras were focused on the race. 

53 laps later, Daniel finished P9 which was astonishing given that he was driving an AlphaTauri. Because let’s be honest, the team and their cars aren't exactly built to win a championship.

You knew he had media duties to do after the race so you didn’t expect him to go back immediately. You returned to his room, watching the post-race interviews while waiting for him. You immediately focused on the screen as soon as it was his turn.

“P9, huh? What an astonishing drive,” a Sky reporter praised him. 

“Well, yeah,” he chuckled. “Thank you. I had a lot more motivation today and I made sure to project it on track.”

You blushed. 

The reporter asked him questions about the pace, what he felt about the race and the usual stuff. All of them he answered with a smile on his face. Even in his sweaty conditions, he looked gorgeous. 

What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?

His hair was falling into place like dominoes.

And once again you questioned just how on earth this man was a real person.

Back in the hotel, with your phone in your pocket, you were helping Daniel pack his suitcases in his room after you already packed yours. 

He was taking a much-needed shower while you insisted on packing his belongings for him. God knew how tired he was after the race and you had a lot of free time on your hands. Even if he didn’t want you to do it for him, you still did it.

Daniel came out of the bathroom already dressed and immediately proceeded to help you pack. “Have you seen my headphones?” he asked.

“No, and I haven’t packed it yet,” you answered. “Where did you last remember using it?”

“I think it’s in your room.”

“Okay, I’ll check it,” you got ready to leave before he stopped you. 

“You want me to come with you?” he asked.

“No, but thanks,” you smiled. “Just continue packing so we’ll finish faster.”

Moments later, you discovered that his headphones were indeed in your room. You quickly retrieved it and made your way back to his.

As you were about to open Daniel’s door, the room beside him opened and someone entered the hallway. You made the mistake of looking at the person because it was Max. You made eye contact for the second time that day and he seemed stuck on the floor. 

He frowned, eyeing you and the room you were about to enter. You saw his confusion turn into realization when he remembered who the person staying in that room was. And then, he scoffed. He walked past you again, brushing his shoulder with yours as he went straight to the elevator.

You sighed, opening the door and seeing how Daniel already finished packing most of his belongings.

“I found it,” you said, handing him the headphones. He stood up from his position, getting the item from your hand before tossing it on the bed and caging you with his arms. 

“My God, what would I do without you?” he said, rocking you back and forth as he hugged you. 

You looked up to meet his eyes. “I don’t know, probably lose half of your things,” you laughed as he released you from his arms. “Now, where were we?” you asked, looking over all the suitcases on the floor. 

“I finished most of it, I’m sure it’ll take me only 5 minutes to finish the rest.”

“Okay, you do that. I’ll check the other bags if you’ve forgotten something again.”

Daniel did in fact finish the rest in only 5 minutes. He stood up, stretching his body after the crouching he had to do while he was packing. 

You couldn’t help but look at him. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and his back was facing you. You saw how the muscles on his arms and back flexed while he stretched.

Suddenly, everything was in slow motion.

You didn't like slow motion double vision in rose blush.

You didn’t like that falling felt like flying 'til the bone crush.

Everybody wanted him.

And you didn’t like that you didn’t wonder the same anymore.

Because unlike them, you didn’t need to wonder. You already loved him.

You didn’t like a gold rush.

But for him, you would.

You stood up, walking towards him until you were in front of him. He faced you, confused as to what you had to say.

But you didn’t say anything.

Instead, you placed your hands on his cheeks and you caressed them gently.

His eyes started doing the same thing they did back when you spent the night in his childhood room and your heart started beating faster than ever.

They were gleaming.

Twinkling.

Those eyes…

They were like sinking ships on waters so inviting.

So, you jumped in.

You pulled his face close to you, closing the distance with a passionate kiss. He was shocked at first, not because he didn’t want it but because he didn’t expect it. He was ready for you anytime, he was just waiting for the time you would tell him that you felt the same.

And instead of telling him, you showed him. 

With a kiss, you made him feel.

Daniel reciprocated the kiss and held you closer.

From that moment on, he won. 

Or at least he thought he did.

We all know Max Verstappen was a fierce competitor.

He kissed your forehead when he pulled away. Then, he placed a soft peck on both sides of your cheeks before pressing his hands softly on them. You looked at him lovingly.

Your phone in your pocket buzzed from someone messaging you but you were too busy admiring Daniel that you didn’t even pay attention to it.

Only time would tell how those two sets of three little words would affect you.

SLYTHERHEIGN TAGLIST: @writingstoraes @joshiiieeenesx

FORMULA ONE TAGLIST: @dreamingofautopia @lpab @matildrry

message me or comment down below if you want to be added to my taglist! specify if you want to be added to my main (slytherheign) taglist where i’ll tag you in everything i publish in the future or just the formula one taglist.

[weaselle]

I have a question about your low spoons cooking post, if you don’t mind. You say in your instructions to wash the pan while the food is cooling after being plated, but isn’t it incredibly bad to wash a hot pan straight off the stovetop? I’ve always been under the impression that I had to wait for pots and pans to cool down before cleaning them, but I could be incorrect.

hi! i love a good question!

so what you want to do is avoid shocking the pan with a sudden change from very hot to significantly less hot - it's the same thing if you put a glass from the freezer directly into boiling water it is likely to break.

what I do is turn the water on hot (i've been rinsing the cutting board and knife etc so i don't have to wait long for it to get all the way hot)

I put the pan under the water and let it fill with hot water. Then i just flip the water to cold and let it run into the pan full of hot water.

First the hot water actually cools the pan down a bit, in a safe way, because the water is hot but not as hot as the pan so it removes some of the heat from the metal

Next, the cold water mixes into the hot water and some spills over the edge as more cold water enters and this cools the hot water (and the metal of the pan) at a steady rate that is safe for the pan, and this usually takes between 10 and 20 seconds. If you have like fire-hose water pressure maybe don't go full blast. You don't need the metal cold, comfortably warm will do. Then wash it and rinse in any temperature water you like.

I'm sure there are plenty of folks who will have their own reasons they dislike this method, so while i'm stirring the pot i may as well tell you that when i wash dishes, i don't use a sponge or anything, i prefer to use my hands directly.

Fingers can safely go in people's mouths. If my fingers are clean enough to put in someone's mouth (ok calm down maybe it's my own mouth) they are clean enough to wash dishes.

I like being able to feel that a dish is clean under the rinsing water. Not only smooth of any little stuck on bits, but also shed of any soap film. A human fingertip is a tough tool, yet sensitive enough to identify chemical changes as small as swapping a nitrogen atom for a carbon atom.

A human fingernail is a tool that is hard enough to remove all but the toughest bits, and soft enough to be safe for non-stick (my technique for non-stick is to scrape with the back edge of my nail, like making a slow water flicking motion, which presents an edge with more give and less ability to damage the pan)

I do use a scouring pad and/or a brush for specific dish situations, but I hate the bacteria haven that is a sponge, and i hate the sponge smell you get on your hands (and therefore the dishes you eat food off of!) and i love to feel that each dish is free of soap, so. I mostly use my hands.

there you have it, the answer to your question, and also a bonus answer! to a question nobody asked nor wanted to know!

[path-of-grass-and-leaves]

Seasonal Celebrations: Preparing a Housel for The Dead

It's October, and for many this means the beginning of Death Work Season. I like to kick off this work with a celebration: A ritual feast for The Dead. This post is meant to serve as a glimpse into my personal path rather than a guide that needs to be meticulously followed. There are many different personal and cultural seasonal traditions which involve venerating the dead, so feel free to incorporate this into your spiritual practice in whichever way works best for you.

In my practice, any ritual feast made in honor of spirits is called a Housel. For me, the specifics of this ritual are subject to change based on context like the season, which spirits I am inviting to join, and why. In this case, my housel will involve inviting all of my Beloved Dead to join me at my round table where I will honor them with offerings, music, and prayer.

Date and Timing

You want to select a date and time that is significant to you and your personal tradition. For me, this ritual always takes place on October 31st, or Halloween, as this is the day that my family and I associate with spirits and the dead.

In terms of timing, I personally prefer to host my housel during the "in between" times, where the veil between the material and spirit is thought to be at its thinnest, so either dawn or dusk. Originally I had planned to celebrate at dusk since a sunset seems more representative of death than a sunrise. However, this is around the time that trick-or-treaters will be at my door, so I settled on dawn, where the rising sun will mark the waking (or "rising") of the dead.

Preparing The Space

To prepare my space for this feast, I always start with cleansing. Since I am inviting guests into my home I want it to be physically clean and feel airy and welcoming.

My go-to is an all-purpose botanical wash. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh or dried basil

1 cup fresh or dried rosemary

4 cups water

A dash of dish liquid

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil.

Add all herbs.

Boil for one minute and then reduce to low heat.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain water into a heat-proof container and discard plant matter.

Set water aside to cool. Pour dish soap into a mop bucket and add a bit of hot tap water.

After the herb water cools, add it to the mop bucket. Dilute with more water as needed.

This is one of those recipes where the herbs can be swapped out, as my choice is based on UPG and personal preference rather than tradition, so if the listed plants don't resonate with your practice, feel free to make substitutions (just remember to use plants safe for pets if you have them). Basil is my go-to cleansing herb because of its talent for pest-control. I always choose rosemary specifically for house cleansing because the scent reminds me of home. Additionally, since I grow these herbs during summer I usually have them in abundance by autumn.

While I try to wash all of the floors and surfaces in my home, sometimes I don't have the energy. In this case I'll focus on the kitchen, where I prepare the meal, the space where the housel will take place, and all of my altars. Afterwards I like to finish everything off with a smoke cleanse using dried garden sage or rosemary.

After cleansing, I like to set the mood with a nice simmer pot. I don't really acknowledge correspondences for this step. Instead, I select ingredients with sweet, warm, and welcoming scents.

Here's an example of one of my Halloween simmer pots:

Ingredients:

6 cups water

2 apples, sliced

1 vanilla bean

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 cinnamon stick

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil.

Add sliced apple, cinnamon, vanilla, and rosemary.

Reduce to a simmer.

Add water whenever liquid gets low.

I usually start this after cleansing and let it simmer until the end of the ritual. Remember to use pet-safe ingredients or remove all animals from the area if you have them.

Place Setting, Dishes, and Glassware

You'll need one place setting for yourself and each living guest. You can either add a setting for each individual spirit or have a communal "spirit chair" where there will be one seat and serving of food and drink placed out for all spirits.

If you have offering dishes that you regularly use for specific spirits, I highly suggest setting those along with individual place settings. You can also use any dishes you've inherited from passed loved ones, especially if you're honoring them at the housel. If not, choose your finest dishes, utensils, and glassware.

Choosing Refreshments and Offerings

When choosing offerings of food and drink, the options are limitless. You can serve a coursed feast with an appetizer, entree, and dessert, cook a dinner with sides, or make one communal dish along with a small serving of food favored by individual spirits.

If inviting animal spirits or late pets to the housel, make sure to offer fresh water and species appropriate food and treats.

Since I celebrate alone, I like to serve one communal dish and drink along with the favorites of specific spirits. I haven't made my menu yet, but for a beverage this year I'm serving mead. If you're inviting friends, you can host it as a potluck or cook together as a group.

Here are some food suggestions for Halloween ritual feasts:

Baked goods such as bread, cake, and pie

Any seasonal fruit or vegetable, like apple, winter squash, and pumpkin

Pomegranate seeds, juice, and cocktails/mocktails (associated with the dead)

Sweet offerings like honey and mead, which are favored by spirits in my experience

Warm, hearty offerings, since Halloween takes place near the start of the cold season: hot cider, mulled wine, spiced whiskey, pot roast, baked brie, soups and stews, ect.

Root vegetables (I associate these with the dead)

If you have a garden, anything made from your autumn harvest.

Planning Activities and Choosing The Vibe

Since I am a solitary practitioner, the only guests invited to my housel are me and my spirits. For me, the more serious aspects of Death Work don't start until November, so my housel will have a more laid-back, up-beat feel to it, with a nice meal, a curated playlist with songs about spirits and the dead, some light divination, and a small ritual.

For any group work, you might want to chat with everyone involved and plan how you'd like the day to go. Will there be rites and prayers? Divination sessions? Spellwork? Games?

Another thing to consider is the general atmosphere of the event. Will it be lighthearted or solemn? Some prefer to host a Dumb Supper where you cook and eat in complete silence. Others prefer to speak freely with their loved ones, telling anecdotes and recalling cherishes memories.

Just for fun, I've included instructions for the ritual that I plan on doing during my personal housel. Remember to practice fire safety. This is best done outdoors.

Materials:

One candle

A sheet of paper and writing utensil, one for each guest.

A fire-safe container, such as a large ashtray or cauldron.

Instructions:

Light the candle at the beginning of the feast.

Either during the meal or after, have all guests write notes or letters to their dead loved one(s). These letters should be personal and should not be shared with anyone else in the group.

Have each guest fold their letter.

One by one, have each guest burn their paper in the candle flame and place it in the fire-safe container.

Once the ashes are smoldered and completely cooled, take turns scattering them outside in the wind, ideally at the nearest crossroads.

If you plan on celebrating outdoors and have a fire pit, you can skip the candle and ashtray. Instead, you can throw the letters directly into the fire and scatter some ashes as soon as they stop being a fire hazard.

[ilovewritingfics]

Thought for the week

Everytime I researched more about the life of Victorian rural Scotland, I was reminded of how different life is between the convenienta scottish wizard & witch and an arduous rural scottish muggle.

I mean, rural Scotland lacks certain amenities like plumbing let alone bathrooms due to their homes which are cottages or farmhouses.

In a life of a scottish muggle, it is a rough routine of maintaining hygiene and laundry. A rural Scottish wizard on the other hand, with a swish of their wand, they could just summon a large copper tub and fill it full of Aguamenti spell, warm it with Incendio, use whatever soap or herb infused water to clean oneself, then scourgify the used water and Evanesco the copper tub. How convenient for the witch and wizard living in rural Scottish 1890s!

After bathing, a Hot air charm can just be used to dry off those long locks of hair in just a few seconds. Sooo convenient. :)

Laundry just became easier for the women, as they only need a few spells like Aguamenti and Scouring charm to clean all those cloth. Then proceed to use Wingardium Leviosa to lift those heavy and wet fabrics to the clothesline. No bones are getting sored when you have magic! 👍🏻

In kitchens, they just had to use Aguamenti and Glacio to create their ice and cut them with Diffindo. BAM! you get an endless stock of ice for the icebox to preserved meats or a nice refreshing and cool ice creams using the 1890s ice cream maker. 😋

Incendio can be used to lit their coals or wood in their cast iron ovens to cook wonderful meals then charm the dishes to wash themselves after eating. Then the Reparo charm, by Merlin's beard, don't get me started on it. Any broken pieces caused by rowdy children or natural disasters can just be fixed in an instant! No need for government disaster relief funds for broken homes!

I swear every daily chore that muggles find time-consuming just became a swish and flick for the Wizarding World.

I had absolute fun looking for any muggle chore that can be wizardified to the full extent of my writing skills. I imagine the look of joy on Anais’ face when she doesn’t have to clean those heavy bedsheets and dresses like a squib anymore. 😁

So much potential of writing and describing a life of an 1890s wizard or witch through the eyes of our MCs.

This is why fanfics are the best!!! 🥹

[blueberrybladelemonade]

Wash on, Wash off

Summary: A long stressful day requires an equally long relaxing shower.

Contains: Showering together (SFW, nothing inherently sexual!), Kissing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Compromising on the water temperature and not fighting over it (for once).

Work had been busy but uneventful. Your sole motivation for the day had been getting to go home. Everything just dragged on and you couldn't wait for it to be over. Though in hindsight, you should've stopped checking the clock since it was only making the day feel significantly longer. Luckily for you, after returning from your break, the remaining hours flew by.

As you arrived home, you decided brew a cup of tea and grab the book you had been reading. You pulled out a chair, opting to sit at the table while you waited. In the meantime you opened to the page you had bookmarked and began to get lost within the pages.

As you finish another chapter you decide to stand up and stretch. You let out a yawn before taking your dish to the sink. Your eyes flick over to the clock as you clean the mug. It was about that time, you nod, now replacing the kettle with fresh water.

Almost on cue you perk up at hearing the door click. As Peppino steps into your shared home you greet him with a hug, taking note of his disheveled appearance. His shoulders sagged and he looked exhausted. And, now that you looked at him, also annoyed.

It was a long day for him too it seems. Peppino wraps his arms around you in return, resting his head on your shoulder. You feel him relax a little bit into the embrace.

"Bad day?" You ask softly, running your hands along the length of his back.

Peppino vents about his day as you usher him to sit on the couch. The week had been going too smoothly for it to last. What didn't help was that the Noise also chose to show up at the pizzeria today. So of course that could only result in a headache.

As he asks you how your day was, you shrug. You mention the minor annoyances throughout the day and just how it dragged on. At least now that he was home you both could finally relax. You take his hand and tug him up from where he had been sitting.

"Let's get a shower".

* *

You laid out a towel on the counter along with your night clothes. Peppino had followed suit, entering the bathroom shortly after.

The shower door slides open slide and you step onto the chilly tiles. You twist the handles on the far side of the room before ducking out of the way as water gushes overhead. In another quick motion, you again turn the handles, this time to adjust the temperature.

After a moment you stick your hand into the running water, humming in approval. The water was just shy of being too hot.

You grin and turn to face your boyfriend.

Peppino helped pull your shirt over your head and after a moment you both had your clothes off and discarded on the floor.

By now the whole room felt warm and steamy. It was almost like a drug, lulling you both into a state of calm, pleasantly dulling your senses.

You gesture for him to step into the warm water. "After you." Not even a second later he recoils with a hiss.

"Merda! This is-a scalding!"

"No?" You watch as he turns one of the handles to cool the water. You don't understand how lukewarm water was at all appropriate for a relaxing shower, but you let him be. This time. Instead you step into the shower after him.

You both chat about what to cook for the week, plans you both had, and just about anything that came to mind. As you talk, you pour the body wash onto the shower scrub. You take your time lathering him up, pausing to pepper a few kisses across his collarbone and shoulders.

While Peppino turns to rinse off the soap, you scrub his back, cleaning the harder to reach areas with ease. You smile to yourself, hearing him hum in approval. For another minute you continue to trail along his back before finally hanging up the scrub. Instead you apply a dab of shampoo into your hand and lather his hair with it, at one point creating more suds than hair. 

Gently you scratch your nails over his scalp. In response Peppino shuts his eyes and sighs contentedly as you continue. At one point you decide to switch to massaging his head, the lathering part now being unintentional. He swore he was floating, your fingers against his skin felt like heaven. 

For a moment, the rushing water was the only sound as everything else dissipated. Only existing here with him. 

After Peppino had rinsed off you traded spots. Now that he was out of the direct line of fire, you turn the water back to what you originally set it to.

"You're going to-a cook." he mutters.

You stare back at him over your shoulder, arching an eyebrow. "I take super hot showers to practice burning in hell." you give him a thumbs up, "Practice makes perfect".

His eyes widened before sputtering out a laugh. You smile brightly.

You loved showering together. Usually. There were times where the two of you would argue over the water temperature or whine the other had been in the water too long. Or if one of you, (usually you) went to leave the bathroom and let a gust of cold in as one of you stepped out. Other times you'd both joke and talk about anything as you washed each other. Most times nothing more ever happened, just the two of you under the shared water scrubbing off the dirt from the day.

In return Peppino scrubs the shampoo into your hair, shielding your eyes from the soap before guiding you directly under the water to rinse off. His gaze softens as he brushes your wet hair out of your face. A comfortable silence stretches out between you. 

His warm lips were on yours in an instant, both hands cupping your face. Your body leans into his unconsciously. Both of you remained like this for a lingering moment, his thumb tenderly brushing along your cheek.

As you pull away, you instead touch your forehead against his, smiling softly at Peppino. The adoration you have for this man, your boyfriend, ran so deeply. 

“Mia cara.” he wrapped his arms around your middle, tugging you back against his chest. The hot water streamed down your back while the steam softly surrounded you both. There was just something truly comforting in being vulnerable like this, something safe, as you relax into him.

* * *

A whine escaped your lips at the sudden chill that hit your skin as the shower door opened. Peppino grabbed your towel and wrapped you tightly into it. You thank him as you dry off and slip into your nightwear. 

As you open the bathroom door, you give him quick peck on the lips before bounding towards your shared bedroom.

[thylacines-toybox]

Hi I've had this LPS plush named Lucky for as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to try and restore her mane back to its former glory or at least something like it, do you have any ideas? I was struggling to find anything online

That's a well-loved hairdo! It might never get as soft and fluffy as it was (without replacing the fur entirely, that is), but giving it a gentle wash and brush could help fluff it up again. Or even just a brush! Get one of those wire slicker brushes for pet fur, and work through her mane gently with that. Be careful with it, as they can pull out hairs on some fur types! Hopefully that should help put some life back into that mane.

If you want to try a wash first, just give her a little bath in the sink with warm water and regular dish soap! Squeeze and rinse several times to get all the soap out, then let her air dry (don't put her in a dryer, those are definitely not good for fur fabrics!) and try brushing as she dries.

[the-fiction-witch]

Care

Media Pinnochio

Character Lampwick (Age up)

Couple Lampwick X Reader

Rating Sweet

I sat under the village's stone bridge doing my best to huddle away from the cold, and the rain it was soon to become sleet and likely snow by morning, My clothes were dirty and wet, my whole body shivering, numb from the cold. 

I looked up at the dark grey sky, the rain endless without a cloud break to be seen, the ocean attacking the tall wall between the village and the beach, I started to worry if I would even make it through the night. 

"Lampwick?"

I glanced up honestly kinda expecting it to be the grim master to take me away to a dark cold place, but it was an angel. Y/n Y/l/n from the sewing shop in town, was the seamstress assistant often to be found turning hems, pinning shirts and stocking ribbons. 

She was on her bike in her long green dress and black fluffy coat and hat she was looking over the bridge at me 

"Ohh Hi Y/n" I shivered 

She moved down the bridge and came around the side holding her dress to not get it in the mud or water "What on earth are you doing?"

"Uhh trying not to get rained on" 

"Why aren't you at home?"

"Well... I uhhh"

"You do have a home don't you?" 

"Uhh I have a boat. That I sleep under"

"A Boat?"

"Yes."

"Where's the boat now?"

"Under the waves"

"Come on" she said fixing her bike a little 

"What?"

"Come on" she snapped patting her bike seat

"Uhhh okay" I nodded rushing out from the bridge and climbing onto her bike with her and she scampered off through the village until we arrived at her little cottage house she smiled and climbed off helping me to climb off the bike with her, she let me follow her in and she wrapped a blanket around me as she sorted some things "You're too kind to me"

"Well I can't leave you" she said "You're a sweet thing lamp wick even if you misbehave" she giggled 

"I wouldn't misbehave if I didn't have to"

"I know, well how about I take care of you for a while till you get a little more on your feet"

"You don't have to do that"

"well I want to" She smiled as she finished lighting the fire 

"You sure?"

"Of course"

"I promise I'll rep-" I began 

"Lampwick. don't worry yourself" she said 

"Okay" I nodded pulling the blanket tighter to warm me up 

She put some water on the fire and started making some food, after a while she took the water off the fire and poured it into a large wooden bathtub "Go on" she smiled

"Really?"

"Yep go on,"

I smiled and stripped off climbing into the hot water at first it kinda hurt my numb body but slowly it warmed almost like I needed to be defrosted she gave me a rag and some soap and I gave myself a good clean as I honestly don't really remember the last time I had a proper bath, she took my clothes and washed them up giving some items small repairs before hanging them by the fire on a wooden close horse  

"When you're finished lampwick dinner's ready" she smiled 

"Ohh, what about clothes?"

"Uhhh your shirt is about dry, and your undies. that'll do for dinner and bed" She smiled fetching them for me

"You're too good to me" I smiled climbing out and getting dry getting into my warm clean clothes she gave me some food and we sat down to dinner together the hot food filled my stomach with both nutrition and warmth, once dinner was done I tried to help her with the dishes  but she pushed me away and let me get cosy in bed with a soft fresh pillow and blanket 

"Cosy?" she asks as she finishes with the dishes coming to tuck me in a little more

"You don't have to be so nice to me"

"Well I want to take care of you" she smiled giving my head a kiss "Go on get some sleep your safe and warm here I promise" 

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me"

"Y/n come on, come to bed"

"Alright" she smiled she threw a couple of extra logs on the fire and packed things away locking up the house and changing into her little nightie  "Make some room" she smiled climbing into the bed we had to move and adjust a little till we cuddled up with the blankets wrapped around us tightly 

"Thank you so much for taking care of me y/n"

"You're welcome Lampwick" she smiled giving me a soft little kiss "Come on let's get some sleep"

"Okay, goodnight y/n"

"Goodnight lampwick" she smiled before blowing out the candle 

[smut-n-more]

  .𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚Day 14.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

                          ๋⭑🛸๋⭑Creek!๋⭑🛸๋⭑

‎    🪐✩˚₊‧Armpit/Role Reversal/Stockings‎‧₊˚✩ 🪐‧

"Me? Top? No way in hell can I do that!" Tweak practically shrieks out as he finishes washing the dishes, his hand twitching and forcing water and soap to be flung onto both of them again. Craig sighs and starts to wipe up the mess as he talks. 

"I don't like the change either rally, but me and Clyde were talking and he had said that-" 

Tweak almost rolls his eyes. 

"You know not to listen to Clyde! Bebe told me he couldn't find the clit!" Tweak dries his hands and arms before marching  from the kitchen, hoping Craig would just drop it at some point. He flops onto the couch and picks up Stripe, petting the small creature gently. 

"I mean I can't find yours either-" Craig grins at the shitty joke, Tweak punches his shoulder.

"If I stop, will you not make those damn jokes anymore?" 

Craig considers it before nodding, making his way to the bedroom. He wasn't much of a foreplay guy but Tweak usually made him do something like strip or get on a condom, not that they had used one in years- so maybe he could prep his ass?

Craig nervously wriggles out of his pants and boxers before  grabbing the lube. He squirts the amount he usually sees Tweak with, rubbing the cold stuff up and down his fingers before reaching back, prodding at the rim experimentally, clenching up when the cold comes into full contact with his skin. Craig takes a deep breath and just shoves it in all at once, wincing when his 2 fingers are all the way in. 

Tweak peeks into the bedroom with a small smile, it was so cute watching Craig struggle at something that he had gotten so good at.

"Let me help." Tweak hums, grabbing the lube bottle and warming it up like he always did for himself before getting some and gently removing Craigs fingers and inserting his thin but long ones into Craig.

"It's a new feeling but just relax and don't clench- that makes it worse for you-" Tweak instructs, slowly moving his fingers back and forth, in and out. Craig rocks himself back to meet Tweaks gentle finger thrusts. Tweak soon removes his fingers and lubes up his own dick, putting on a condom since he knew Craig didn't douche- he didn't even think Craig really knew what that was- 

He takes the time to lube up and line up with Craigs hole, gently pushing into it, letting the tip rest in the entrance. Craig hardly moves or tenses so Tweak puts in a bit more it was a new but oh so welcoming feelinging. 

"Shit- Craig you're so tight-" Tweak moans out, starting to shift his hips, speeding up a small bit when he hears Craigs gasps. He was determined to eventually find his prostate- Craig had found it effortlessly their first time so Tweak would return the favor. He deperalty snagles his hips every way that he knows he could- smiling when Craig cries out.

"Right there- Fuck-" Craig groans out, encourageing the small blonde to fuck there even harder and faster, Tweak reaches around to stroke Craig, sobbing out when he hits his peak and never stopping his hips, every thrust a pure caffinee driven jerky movment until he feels warm liquid spill onto his hand and onto the freshly washed sheets. 

"Darn-"

First time writing Creek lmaooo. Im so so tired.

[sunnyrealist]

🌶️ Chapter 47: Homecoming 🌶️

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Previous Chapter Recap/Context: Sebastian and Kate have decided to move in together after their camping trip in the Scottish Highlands. Upon their return, Kate sends Sebastian to the inn to gather his belongings while she completes some chores around the cottage, and he comes back shortly after with a trunk in tow. While Kate is initially determined to help him unpack, Sebastian comes up with some other plans...

Pairing: 25-year-old, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x 24-year-old Kate Mayflower (my OC), the Hogwarts assistant librarian

Content warnings: In general, this is rated 18+, so minors should not read or interact with this story. This chapter features a massage, frisky banter, doggy-style sex, and light dom/sub dynamics. Admittedly, there's very little plot happening in this one.

The full chapter is available below the cut; it can also be found on AO3 (link is posted below). Please leave some feedback if possible, especially if you like what you read! 🥰

Chapter 47: Homecoming

Sebastian has to tear himself away from Kate. Before apparating, he turns around once more to flash a handsome, adoring smile and wave, and then, for the first time in many days, she is alone.

Not knowing how much time she has, she tries to use it in the most productive way possible. She unpacks her extendable bag and uses magic to complete some of her chores. Soap, a scrub, and warm water are enchanted to wash all of the dishes as she places any remaining perishable food into her icebox and non-perishables into various cupboards. There’s quite a bit still left - enough to likely last them the weekend.

Afterwards, she strolls outside to begin the laundry, carrying a huge basket filled with soiled clothing. Realizing she now will be laundering for two and not just for herself, the task seems daunting, and she lets out a heavy sigh, then places her hands on her hips and determines a plan. She fills a basin with soapy water, and uses a charm to make the laundry wash itself and hang itself to dry on the line above.

Her garden is next. Kate picks all of the ripened fruits and vegetables, then begins weeding, and finally uses a weather spell so that rain falls over the entire plot. 

Back inside, Kate hums and sings as she waters the house plants by hand and watches them perk up almost immediately. A few minutes after finishing, she hears a knock on her front door, and it's her lover, back again.

Sebastian steps inside the cottage, a trunk magically floating behind him as he glances around the charming little home, seeing Kate in every detail, from the paintings hung on the wall to the furniture in the room. It seems far more clean, sunny, and airy than when he left, not too terribly long ago. His expression softens even more as he gazes upon her.

“You've been busy,” he says quietly as he closes the door behind him, allowing the trunk to finally touch down. Crossing the room to reach her, he kisses her cheek sweetly.

“There's still much to do,” she replies humbly, turning pink. “But I took care of as much as I could while you were gone.” She gestures to his trunk and gently asks, “Are these all of your belongings?” Kissing his hand, she beams up at him. “We'll have to get you unpacked, but that might take time.”

“I'm not too terribly worried,” he says, his thumb caressing her knuckles. “I don't have many possessions that I actually care about. Besides... I suspect the unpacking will be a task that will have to wait for some other time. As I plan to spend quite some time kissing my future wife completely senseless.” He pauses, smirking cheekily. “We have the rest of our lives to unpack.”

Kate chokes back a laugh as he leans down to kiss her lips. Then, he suddenly picks her up, throwing her over his shoulder and taking her to the loveseat as she kicks her feet in the air. 

“Oh, goodness!” she protests, finally bursting into joyful laughter. “Mr. Sallow, we have so much to do, though!”

Sebastian chuckles softly, a mischievous grin on his face. “You're right, we have so much to do…” he agrees, shifting so that he's hovering over her. He presses soft, quick pecks over the line of her jaw. “But none of it is urgent... And I really would much rather just... spend some… quality time with you instead.”

Kate giggles, his touch tickling her a bit. “Bash, you're going to kill me. I'll never get anything done around the house!”

His fingers trace a lazy pattern along the smooth skin of her neck. “Well, maybe you should consider this instead: Perhaps I should keep distracting you…” he teases, his voice dropping as he presses his lips to her collarbone. He feels her shiver under his touch, and a warm flood of affection washes over him. “I can give you rewards... to get you to slow down and relax for once…”

“Homeownership isn't as easy as you might think, darling,” Kate chides him, tapping his nose playfully. “But... What kinds of rewards are we talking about? Perhaps I could be persuaded…”

He smirks, pressing a kiss to her nose in return. Then, he hums, considering her question. “Mmm… Well, you’ve already been working hard today, so you’ve earned a break. Perhaps I could start by taking off your clothes and giving you a... very thorough massage. How does that sound?”

Kate inhales sharply. “I… never get massages... I don't think anyone has even offered in the past few years, really. I would love one…” Her lips curl into a devious smirk. “...But I'd never want to inconvenience you. I can't imagine you'd want to put your hands on my bare skin. The very thought…” She huffs out a laugh. “...Why, the notion is ridiculous…” Her eyes twinkle.

He chuckles, knowing she's just teasing, and he finds it adorable. “Absolutely ridiculous,” he agrees with a mischievous grin, continuing their banter while his hands run up and down her side. “Who, I ask... who would ever want to touch your glorious, flawless skin?” His expression completely changes, turning serious. “I would... very much like to touch you. So, yes. Let me. Please.”

Kate cracks up at his open admission. She begins to undo the buttons of her blouse. “If you insist.” She gets about halfway down the buttons, and then she suggests, “Perhaps this would be better if we went to the bedroom. This damned loveseat is too small. We need a bigger sofa.” She chuckles, then takes his hand and puts it inside her blouse against her breast. “What do you think? Shall we go to bed?”

Sebastian's breath catches. There's a brief hesitation, but his eyes darken, and his voice drops an octave. He brushes his thumb over her flesh, his eyes flicking up to meet hers. “Bed,” he replies breathlessly. “Bed, yes... absolutely. Lead the way.”

Kate laughs again as he takes her hand to help her up. She walks backward, facing him, finishes unbuttoning her blouse, and lets it fall to the floor in the hallway. Then, her hands go to her rear, untying the bow on her skirt. It drops as well, leaving her in just simple undergarments. She quickly divests herself of her short stays, her breasts falling loose and bouncing. She grins at him and then teasingly muses aloud, “I suppose I could keep these panties on, since it's just a massage…”

“Absolutely not,” he says, shaking his head. “I'm afraid it's no-clothes allowed for this massage... for… uh, my convenience, of course.”

Sebastian follows in her wake, his gaze trained on her and her movements. His mouth goes drier than the Sahara as she reveals every inch of her smooth, creamy skin. His throat goes tight, but he manages to hold himself together as they wander into the bedroom. “No clothes allowed?” she asks playfully. “For me or for you? Or for both of us?” Kate grins, knowing full well how this massage may eventually evolve. “Perhaps you ought to... disrobe.”

His smile transforms into a cheeky smirk. “For both of us, sweetheart. My job will be a lot easier if I can use every tool at my disposal to give you the best massage possible,” he says innocently, starting to unbutton his shirt.

Her eyes roam over his toned frame as he removes his top, then his trousers and shorts. He stands before her completely naked, and only then does she slowly pull her panties down. Sebastian can feel his manhood responding immediately, and he wants to touch her - badly. He swallows hard.

“Sweetheart,” he says in a low tone, his body humming with need. “Go ahead and get on the bed. On your stomach, please. This is going to be the best massage you've ever had.”

Kate takes a long look at Sebastian before she obeys, climbing up and wiggling her rear a bit more than necessary as she lays face-down. “Is this how you'd like me?” she asks seductively.

Sebastian's breath catches in his throat. He can't take his eyes off her arse. “Y- Yes.”

After grabbing a bottle of oil from the dresser, he clambers onto the bed as well, straddling her backside as he tips the bottle, watching droplets splash onto her spine.

“Ohhh,” she moans contentedly as Sebastian's hands begin to work the oil into her skin. It has a sweet, floral scent - just what he would expect from Kate. She sighs in pleasure as his fingers begin to knead her shoulders. “That feels so good, Bash…”

He presses a little harder as she fully relaxes, his nimble fingers massaging her muscles, easing away aches and tension. “You sound like you're enjoying yourself,” he observes. “You should let me pamper you more often.”

“If you actually want to do this,” she says with a bit of an incredulous tone, unable to fathom he actually enjoys it, “you're always welcome to. But... I know it is not something men do for women. Massages aren’t really meant for women…” Kate trails off, remembering how often she would give massages to her ex-boyfriend, Joel, for them to never be reciprocated. 

When he presses against a tender place between her shoulders, she cannot help but let out a low groan, causing Sebastian to pause for a split second. It takes all of his might not to act on his instant arousal. He takes a breath to steady himself, then moves his fingertips where she seems to be sensitive. 

“Darling,” he finally responds, “that's not true. A gentleman should enjoy giving his partner pleasure.”

Kate smiles and breathes out slowly. “I suppose,” she replies softly. “You are indeed a gentleman, Sebastian. The most wonderful man I know.” Her eyes flutter closed again as she enjoys his touch, sighing and then moaning once more.

He hums in approval as she speaks so highly of him, but he can hardly focus on her words compared to the warm, silky feel of her skin under his hands. He presses into her flesh, working through knots, his fingers tracing her spine. 

When she vocalizes again, he leans down and kisses her shoulder. “Sweetheart,” he says huskily into her ear. “You sound so good. Say my name again, love…”

She exhales, then utters his name in the most sensual tone she has perhaps ever used with him. “Sebastian…” she sighs. “Sebastian... I love you…”

When she calls his name like that, it nearly makes him lose his mind. His breath catches, her sultry voice sending a deeper flood of need through him. He feels a familiar heat low in his belly, and he cannot help but press open-mouthed kisses across her flawless back. “Darling,” he murmurs between kisses. “You'll make a man come undone just by listening to you…”

“Oh, Sebastian,” she murmurs. “Not just 'a man.' You. Only you. No one else... ever.” She pauses. “I only ever want to make you come undone. Fuck, Bash... I... I want…” she trails off, biting her lip.

“Say it,” he commands her, his voice low and breathless. He shifts as the need in him grows, leaving a trail of wet kisses over the curve of her shoulder to her neck. He takes her earlobe between his teeth before he whispers, “You want...?” His arousal is evident when he presses against her from behind.

“I want you,” she finally admits. “I need you so badly. I want…” she trails off, and when he pinches her arse, she finishes her thought. “I want you to fuck me... Gods, I want it so badly…”

Her words are completely debauched and desperate; his control snaps. He groans, his voice rough with need, and he grinds his hardness against her rear with no shame. “Sunshine, if you want it that badly, then you can have it,” he growls, his body thrumming with need. 

“I do,” she replies in a strained voice. “I don't want you to hold back at all. I want to be properly fucked....”

Sebastian pulls her into a kneeling position, his oiled hands reaching around her to run over her breasts. 

“Oh my gods, Bash!” she says sharply. “Oh, Bash…” His other hand comes to rest around her neck as he uses his teeth to worry her earlobe. “I... Oh, gods…”

Her wanton request - the way she begged for him to give in to his own need - has him practically snarling with desire. His breath is coming fast and harsh as he massages her chest, rolling her nipples between his fingers. “Kate,” he croons softly. “You sound like you need it badly…”

Her breasts begin to heave as one of his hands snakes down her abdomen, brushing through the soft curls between her legs and caressing her folds. He chuckles as he feels how soaked she is.

Her breathing shaky, she mutters, “I... I... told you how much I want you, did I not?” She gasps as he begins to massage her swollen clit, pressing his erection against her rear. Kate feels his hand tighten even more around her neck, but he’s careful not to squeeze too hard. “Please…” she begs.

“You did, sweetheart...:” he admits in a gravelly voice. “You told me what you wanted. You want me badly, don't you? Should I give you what you want? Hmm...? Do you want me inside you?”

“Yes,” she replies quickly, her voice almost raspy. “I want it hard.” She leans forward slowly, bracing herself on shaky hands and knees, her arse pushing against his straining cock. “Please, Sebastian. Please.”

“You're going to get what you want, princess,” he assures her, his breath coming out in a huff of aroused air. “You want it hard? Then you will get it.”

Kate bites her lip, whining. “Yes, yes… I need it… Gods, what have you done to me, Bash?” 

His hands go to her hips, his dripping, engorged tip brushing against her entrance. Kate feels as though she might actually start drooling.

“What are you waiting f-” she cries out, cut off suddenly as he quickly presses into her. “Oh!”

Sebastian grunts when he buries herself inside her heat, his head falling back as he lets out a low, needy moan. “Darling…” he manages between gasping breaths, his hands gripping her hips tightly. “Y- You... feel… ughhh…”

He's lost for words, unable to form a coherent thought. He takes a moment to calm himself so he doesn't embarrass himself by coming too early, and he shifts himself forward to lean down and press a soft kiss to her shoulder.

The juxtaposition of his huge length spearing her paired with his gentle lips is driving Kate mad. His body is draped over hers for a long while before he finally begins to move, steadily and with strong thrusts. She breathes heavily as his fingertips dig into the supple flesh of her hips, and when she attempts to follow his rhythm and push back onto him, her rear is quickly slapped as a stinging rebuke, and she cries out.

Sebastian sees red. He pulls completely out of her, his hand twisting into her hair and tilting her head back to force her to look at him. She’s surprised to find that having her hair pulled actually… feels good. “I didn't say you could move, my sweet,” he growls, his eyes darkly dangerous. He is completely in control, his tone rough. “You're not moving until I say you can. Do you understand me?”

At first, she doesn’t register his words - she’s in such a fog of lust that she can’t concentrate. When she processes what he has told her, she can only nod until he pushes her back on her hands and knees. His cock slams back inside at full force, causing her to shriek. For a moment, Sebastian cannot do anything else but pant, letting an obscene groan slip past his lips. She's so tight around him, it takes all of his willpower not to finish right then and there.

He moves faster and harder than before. She can hear how out of breath he is, and though she is more than willing to coordinate with him, he clearly wants to be in control. She knows how possessive and dominant he can be, so she strokes his ego instead. “Seb… you’re… so big,” she moans. “So deep… Oh, good gods… I’m yours… I’m yours… You’re my master… I love… you…”

It works like a charm, the way she says she's his. His. He slams into her, his body throbbing with pleasure and desire. One of his hands manages to snake its way around to her chest, where he squeezes a breast roughly, causing her to yelp in surprise. His lips make contact with her neck, leaving hot kisses across her skin. “Mine…” he snarls. “My beautiful girl… mine…”

His breath comes out hard, and he moans against her skin once more as his thumb flicks over her hardened nipple. Wet, sloppy kisses are placed along her neck and shoulders as he fucks her harder than ever before.

Sebastian’s hand glides down from her breast to her lower abdomen, pressing softly so that he can feel himself move within her. Then, his fingers brush past her mound to rub her clit again.

It’s too much - far too much now. Kate screams and writhes. “Sebastian… oh, my Bash… I love you! I love… nnnnnggghhh… I’m gonna… master, I’m… coming…”

“Yes,” he rasps. “Come for me, sweetheart. Make a mess. Be a good girl for me, yeah?”

As she finally lets go, the only intelligible words tumbling from her lips are his name, “master,” and “love.” Her incoherent sounds, combined with their moans and pants, the slapping sound of his hips meeting her arse - it all provides a sensual soundtrack to their lovemaking. Her body spasms, her face twisting in pleasure as his cock pounds into her and his finger teases her over-sensitive bud. It is difficult to maintain this position; Sebastian seems unable to support his own weight and seems to be collapsing on her back. She herself wants to collapse, and it feels as though she is: she’s falling - falling quickly into oblivion, where nothing matters other than the two of them finding shared ecstasy. She shrieks again, singing his praises as her inner walls contract tightly around him.

His own orgasm tears through him, his breath leaving him in ragged gasps, and he can't hold back grunts that only grow louder as his release rushes over him and he empties himself into her. He somehow manages to hold himself up as his body stiffens, and he's almost delirious with how good it feels.

With the last of his energy, he slips out of her body and shifts them both onto their sides, holding her tightly against his chest as he attempts to catch his breath.

Sebastian's hands cradle her closely; one slides between her breasts. Her chest is heaving still; so is his. As time passes and their hearts slow to a normal rate, their breathing synchronizes. Kate closes her eyes, feeling his heartbeat against her back. Their bodies meld together. His body aches in the best way possible, and he's never felt so content.

“Stay right here,” he whispers into her tangled hair, his voice a quiet rumble. “Stay. I'm not letting you go.” He tightens his arms around her in a possessive hold.

“I wouldn't dream of leaving,” Kate mumbles, her mind still reeling from the intensity of their lovemaking. “I will never leave you.” She nuzzles into his arm, settled under her head.

“I love you,” he finally says, his voice a low, tender whisper. “Sweetheart, I love you so much. I don't think you could ever truly understand how much you mean to me.”

“I love you, too,” she replies, closing her eyes.

The two of them relax, just enjoying each other’s presence for a few minutes, comfortable in shared silence.

“Kate,” he eventually whispers. “I want to spend forever with you. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you. I won’t let anything or anyone take that from us,” he says. There's a long pause before he speaks again, his voice soft. “I want to marry you. I want to make you my wife.”

She breathes out with a smile, “I know. I know you do. It's going to happen.” She opens her eyes and stares at the window, sunlight streaming in and the curtains blowing with the breeze. “I would marry you tomorrow if it would be socially acceptable.” Her mind drifts to her family, coming to the realization that it's time to tell them, now that their trip is over. There’s no longer any excuse to hold off their questions. It's going to take every ounce of courage to stand up for Sebastian.

He smiles at her response, nodding. “I would marry you tomorrow, too,” he says quietly, then adds, “if it wouldn’t anger your family.” He pauses, a thought occurring to him. “But… you know, we could elope.” He pushes himself up on his elbow, then starts speaking very quickly and excitedly. “We could go down to the Ministry and get married. We wouldn't have to have a big wedding or party or anything. You wouldn't need a special dress, and… and I could wear an Auror uniform. Or you could wear a special dress if you wanted. We have rings. We could keep it a secret until…” His voice suddenly trails off, noticing her sad, apologetic smile as she turns over to face him.

“Seb…” Kate begins, “I... I can't do that. I don't want to keep our marriage a secret. It should be open and joyous. I want… my family and friends to celebrate with us. I want to do it right.” Then she hastily adds, “Not that there's anything wrong with eloping - many couples do… but it's... it’s not right for me.” She searches his face. “I hope you can understand that. I hope you can… wait for me.”

Sebastian looks at her for a long moment before nodding. He brings a hand up to run his thumb along her cheek, his expression soft. “Of course I can understand that,” he murmurs, his eyes fixed on hers.  “I'll wait, Kate.” He leans in to press a soft kiss to her lips. “I'll wait for you, my sun.”

[elizabethplaid]

Technically, I -AM- in bed!

Had a leisurely shower Friday afternoon, then spent the evening on the phone. Painted my nails a nice dusty blue; very flat and opaque, though still a glossy finish. (It doesn't shimmer like most make-up and nail polishes do. Just a solid color.)

My phone's already asleep for the night, so we've got a low-light, grainy webcam pic. This gray floppy bunny is not my usual snuggle partner, but it was exempt from the plaster dust awhile back. Just haven't gotten to cleaning up the stuffed animals since then. (Shake them out outside, brush their fur for the older ones.)

Mom and I got our floppy bunnies for easter sometime in the 1990s. Mine was white; hers was this gray one. It somewhat mirrored how my Gund Spanky bear is white (Since) and hers was brown (Gus). They're very floppy, with bean-pellets in the hindquarters but not in the limbs. I'm tempted to restuff at least one of 'em, sans pellets, to substitute for a body pillow.

Think I should look into how best to wash the loose polyester fluff. I've got Since's old stuffing still (planned to make a little stuffed heart with it later), and I suppose it could be reused if washed. There's human and pet dander on stuffed animals, along with whatever skin oils and drool might've seeped through the fabrics. (My old cat Gizmo used to nurse on Since when she was a kitten, back in the 1990s.) So I understand there's a health hazard; I certainly wouldn't stuff anything I intended to sell with this recycled stuffing. It's just... I don't wanna be wasteful if there's a somewhat simple solution.

My best guess would be to stick it in a zippered pillow case (which I have!) and then try to let it air dry, spread out on a table? For pellets, I will either sew pouches or use pantyhose material (those cheap trouser socks you can get, for less than $1 a pair) to help keep them from shifting within the plush body. I bet I could wash those with dawn dish soap and warm water, just by hand.

It takes me a long time before I get around to doing different projects. I may sound ambitious, but it's just the planning process. I have plenty of other projects to do before I get around to this. I mean, remember how long ago I washed Since? Like 2020ish? Yeah, still haven't actually brushed her fur, even though I bought a slicker brush specifically to use with plush. I also misplaced it, then kept forgetting. I mean... *gestures around* This is just me.