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saintescuderia · 1 year ago
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pancakes (pt. 1)
welcome a new multi-chapter fic. enjoy.
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AKA - the story of how the naive australian rookie befriended the gym junkie F1 hospitality worker with the shoe collection - and inadvertently broke the grid's most treasured and unspoken rule: you don't go for y/n.
series masterlist here :) // the pancakes recipe here :)
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P1 - bulgarian split squats
Really, the only way to survive Formula 1 was by going to the gym. 
The gym addiction was something that had existed long before joining the circus of a motorsports paddock filled with politics and rumours, as well as the slim fitting uniforms that always seemed to be accompanied by, in your opinion, ugly ass shoes. 
Sure, Puma was the offical sponsor but couldn’t they get anything other than the Speedcat? And what even was that name? Speedcat? It was on brand, sure, but at what cost? Really? If Formula 1 was trying to grow its popularity they could honestly start with their dress code. Seeing Christian Horner in Skechers really took the intimidation out of him when you served him his double espresso during the Spanish Grand Prix that one time last season. 
One of the perks of working in Hospitality - and there were very few far and in between - was that uniform was not so strict. F1 Hospitality only required an all black service with ‘comfortable shoes.’ This you took for interpretation. Dunks. Jordan 4s. Maybe 1s. Never 13s. Forces were good for a night race - that usually meant more stairs - and Vans were what you reached for in the morning when you knew you’d be working the barista shift. Converse were for ‘throw away’ races.
These were the races where you knew the shoe-care was not important. For example, Silverstone with its torrential UK drinkers who were likely to throw up on your beloved sneakers. Alas, you had learned the hard way when you almost lost your job by rushing to the kitchen to start scrubbing the vomit off your blue and red Cortez during peak lunch.
Never again.
Admittedly, you did try to keep at least one pair of Converse in good care since they were the renowned shoe come leg day. 
Another perk of working in F1 Hospitality was that every circuit’s map layout had been drilled into your head. Meaning you always knew exactly where the communal driver’s gym was located at and could therefore get your daily dose of dopamine before dealing with… well, everything.
You silenced the shrill horror that came from the iPhone alarm. 4:00 read the lockscreen, the light shining brightly into your face. It didn’t help that your wallpaper had a photo with a clear blue sky, making the light even harsher in the darkness. You could’ve very well changed it and avoid the pain you routinely go through every morning. But it was this very photo that reminded you why you were getting up in four in the morning in the first place. 
You had snapped it during a free practice in Italy that had miraculously lined up with a break in your shift. The sky was clear and the red car was small, but clear on the circuit. Ferrari, of course. You still remember the buzz that circled around the paddock staff that day. No matter who you routed for or whatever bias you had, there was a unanimously acknowledgement that Ferrari winning at Monza was special. He was special. 
Then again, you’ve known that long before he stood on that podium in Italy and was given his infamous nickname. 
It didn’t even take you ten minutes until you were out the door. Your gym clothes (pump cover included!) were on the one limpy chair that decorated your poor little hotel room, your shaker sat on top of your gym bag with you black high top Converse right beside it. By the time you had made it to the gym, it was a little past 4:15 and you had already scooped in pre-workout into your mouth ready to get through the oncoming pain. 
Your hips were a little tight, as per normal. The left side even more so. The hood of your hoodie was up, headphones on and blasting the hardstyle house music that would see you through the next two hours. You went through your usual stretches but with today’s added focus on the lower body. 
And then you went about destroying your legs. 
It was about an hour or so that Oscar finally sleepily arrived. You weren’t actually sure what time it was but you were up to doing bulgarian split squats - and hating life - and that was usually at the hour mark. You gave him a curious once over, noting the odd choice of clothing. It was a little odd to see a driver in the paddock wearing athleisure that wasn’t their team uniform.
“Bro, it’s five in the morning.” Oscar groaned, shuffling over to come and sit on the bench next to you. You gave another three more reps - Oscar silently watching you groan in pain through the last two - and then finally dropped the dumbbells. You reached over to take a sip of water and checked the phone for the time.
“It’s five thirteen in the morning.” You corrected. It had been just about the hour mark. “Are we training today or?” It wasn’t the first time Oscar had joined you. The reason his neck was getting stronger was because of you. In your opinion, the trainer Alpine had assigned Oscar was a fucking idiot.
“You’re doing legs.” Oscar pointed out, as if that was enough of an answer. He leaned to lay back down on the bench and stared up as he continued to speak. “Drivers don’t need bulky legs. We’ve been over this.”
You had. Many times. You knew he was right. It still would be nice to have someone to go through legs with you, though.
“So train with light weights.” You offered, trying. Oscar just gave you a look that made it clear he was not picking up any type of weights. You shrugged, not deterred. “I’ll do calisthenics with you. Or we can work on plyometrics.” Oscar’s response was to close his eyes and let out a deep sigh. “Fuck it man, do some cardio.” You came to the last resort, coming to kick his legs as you walked past to load up the smith machine with some different plates. 
“Piss off Tezza.” The Australian-ness continuing to shine through with the nickname that Oscar had specifically designed for you in respect of your shared citizenship to the ‘land down under.’
Except unlike the blond caucasian boy who loved AFL, grew up in Brighton East and attended Haileybury, your Australian-ness was less obvious. Your accent, for one, wasn’t as prominent since your parents were African immigrants. This, of course, didn’t just influence your speech patterns and accent.
Dark skin, dark eyes and dark hair, you weren't exactly the picture of a 'true blue Aussie.' The rite of public school bullying from those who did look 'Australian' (whatever that meant) had you scoffing at vegemite and preferring to follow EPL and La Liga than whatever the fuck was Aussie Rules Football.
Why is it called football if the players pick up the ball?
Still, when a homesick Oscar Piastri overheard one of the Hospitality staff yell out that that they were going for a 'Macca’s run' between the practice sessions on his very first F1 race weekend, he instantly picked up on the Australian-ism. And he didn’t let it go. And cue the beginning of a friendship that had Oscar Piastri calling you ‘bro’ and shortening your last name as per Australian rite.
Even if you had sworn off that sort of thing.
“Oscar, man, if you ain’t here to train then why are you?” You said, locking the plates in place on the smith machine. You lifted up your hood up and ducked under the bar to rest the metal against you shoulders, the hood acting as a cushion. The starting weight was light enough that you wouldn't have to worry about music for your first set. Besides, if Oscar was here, he could be the entertainment for this set. “You forget that this is a driver’s only gym. You could get in trouble." The sarcasm was all too clear in your voice.
No one used the ‘drivers-only’ gym. It was something that every Grand Prix had set up. Mobile, communal and high-end, it had enough equipment to rival the local 24/7 studio franchise gym that seemed to exist in every neighbourhood. Despite the fact that every driver preferred to train at their own motorhome gym - or that every team had their own mobile gym set up in conjunction to the motorhome - F1 still went about packing up and moving their own studio gym to every single location come race weekend.
If anything, it was a nice stop during the presentation walk during the sponsorship lunches where good old Stefano Domenicali would show off all the amazing resources that the Grand Prix space has to offer. 
So, no. F1’s Driver Gym was not used.
The only reason it wasn’t gathering dust was because every weekend it was packed up and moved. That and you woke up at 4am every weekend to destroy your muscles in the familiar red and black equipment.
"You're here." Oscar reminded you. "And not a driver."
You ignored him and just kept up with your repetitions, focusing on engaging your glutes and keeping your core tight. Oscar was silent as you finished your first set. When you finished your last rep, he stood up and came round as you locked the machine. He knew you well enough to pick up the 10kg and help add it to the sides.
"Thanks." You said. Oscar nodded and added the weight to the other side. There was a quiet air for a moment and you went to pick up your headphones to put them back on. Things were getting heavier and you would need music to get through the next few sets.
“I might be leaving Alpine.” 
You looked up at Oscar who dropped the bomb and then looked back at your headphones. You sighed and then dropped the headphones back to land in your gym bag. Headphoneless, you went back to the machine and Oscar took your invitation.
“Zak Brown approached me yesterday and suggested something about picking me up for next year.” Oscar said.
You just kept squatting. Oscar was far too removed to yet be aware of - well, everything.
“And with talk of Fernando quitting, I know that Alpine will be calling me up but do I trust that? Honestly Lando has been doing so well and Ocon has always pissed me off.” Oscar watched as you started to struggle.
He stood up and came around to help you but you just shook you head. You pushed through one more rep and then called it. 
“He does have a punchable face.” You said, now out of breath. Esteban had always annoyed you and before meeting Oscar, you used to dread the weekends where you were put on Alpine.
Your friend handed you the water bottle sat beside your gym bag before you could even ask. You gave a two finger salute in thanks as he continued on.
“And Lily and I got into this massive fight again! Apparently I don’t communicate enough!” He huffed. “But I sent her flowers and chocolates because she’s going through finals and she likes daisies and Cadbury."
“Yeah, but is that her love language though?” You asked, dropping your bottle and going to stack up the final set of weights on the smith machine. Oscar stood up again to help you.
“Her what?” He asked, handing you the plate.
“Love language.” You answered, still panting, and explained, “You’ve got physical touch, gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation and acts of service.” 
“Are you saying people love in specific ways?" Oscar asked, quick to process new information as always.
“Exactly. You did something nice for her, an act of service. Maybe all she wants is a nice, long phone call or maybe some texts complimenting her or something.” You shrugged and then brought up your headphones.
Oscar accepted this, knowing the last set would require music.
He watched you as you settled back under the smith machine bar and went on squatting more than his body weight. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. He really shouldn't have been surprised at your lack of surprise. Little shocked you. That or your might’ve already known and just kept it to yourself. F1 Hospitality were a part of the Formula One Group and, therefore, were not associated to any one team. They had rotations across all teams and, therefore, every member of staff were required to sign an NDA. Not that ever did anything in this damn place.
Still, Oscar knew that you were one of the few genuine people left in this place.
He knew that there would’ve been so many opportunities where you could’ve easily done something for yourself by recounting something you had overheard while pouring Toto Wolff his coffee or serving Mattia Binotto his lunch. It was the reason why so many teams hired their own internal hospo staff.
It was also the reason why Oscar felt comfortable coming to tell you about Alpine and McLaren before he had even told his own parents, or Lily. The argument with his girlfriend had prevented him from getting any sleep, mulling it over in his mind for hours. Oscar knew you would be able to help him through it all.
And that you would be the only one awake at this godforsaken hour.
By the time you had finished your first set, he was Googling love languages and having a quick read through. 
By the time you had finished your second set, he was halfway through doing the love languages quiz.
By the time you had finished your third and final set, he was seeing what the problem was between him and Lily.
“I think Lily is words of affirmation and I'm acts of service." He said, coming up to the machine as you stepped back and pulled down your headphones. You blinked and nodded, still put of breath. "I think I forgot to check in with her and send her some compliments. Tell her I'm proud of her for getting through exams. Especially because she never is one for gifts, really."
You held out your hand to him. "There you go. Growth."
"I don't know what to do about Alpine."
"Call a lawyer."
Oscar pursed his lips and then considered this. That wouldn't be his first move but thinking about it, it was probably for the best. "That's actually a good idea."
"Isn't that why you're here?" You retorted. "Since you're not here to train. Speaking of which, the fuck is that?"
“What?” He asked and realised you were looking at his feet.
“Zak Brown isn’t going to hire you if he finds out that you’re wearing fucking thongs with socks.” You said, finally recognising the flip-flops he wore with some white socks that really needed to be washed. 
“You’ve been a great help, thanks.” Oscar smiled. You rolled your eyes and went to your gym bag. Pulling out a pair of white Adidas Sambas, you tossed them to Oscar.
“Put these on.”
“Is my footwear really that offensive to you?”
“We’ll go run the track.” You said then gestured to all of him. “It’ll help you burn all of this off.”
Oscar sighed and did as he was told. He laced up the shoes you'd given him that surprisingly fit his large feet and followed you out to the track. He used his pass to get through since a driver running the track at 5:30 in the morning would just be seen as the dedication to the grind. A Hospitality staff member would just be accused of breaking in. 
“Maybe it’s a good thing you’re going through a crisis. I’ve always wanted to do a morning run on the track.” You said with a grin as the pair of you came to the starting line that, in a matter of hours, would be full of mechanics, engineers, reporters, camera crew members and, of course, drivers.  
“If I get a seat at McLaren, you can be my trainer.” Oscar said as you both started warming up into a light jog.
"Ha." You snorted. "As if you could afford me, bro."
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bullet-prooflove · 9 months ago
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Birthday Celebration Bingo: Cake - John Nolan x Reader
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Tagging: @ravennaortiz @anime-weeb-4-life @trublu2u @hellostickerdoodle @kmc1989
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John doesn’t tell anyone that it’s his birthday. Truthfully he doesn’t want the reminder that he’s the oldest rookie the LAPD has ever had, he’s just happy to let the day pass him by.
When he’s assigned to the crime scene, he’s gets a little excited. It’s his first mandatory callback and he’s eager to get started.
“It’s just guard duty.” Sergeant Grey tells him. “You have to stay until the detectives release the scene.”
The thing about guard duty? It’s kinda boring. It’s meant to be an hour or two tops, but he’s on hour five and his phone battery is starting to die out. There’s only so much Angry Birds the poor device can take.  
When he hears the elevator chime he’s practically frothing at the mouth for company. He already  counted the exact amount of ceiling tiles in the conference room and the waste paper basket is overflowing with the screwed up wads he’s been trying to dunk.
He doesn’t expect it to be you stepping off the elevator. You have a white carrier bag in your hand and smile that gets his heart racing.
“This is your case?” He says as he picks up the clipboard and moves to greet you. The crime scene tape is tied to a plant in the corner and the reception desk. You linger on the opposite side of the barrier.
“God no.” You say indicating to the crime scene tape. “If it was mine, you would have been set free hours ago. This is Bertrum’s mess.”
“Oh.” He says, before tilting his head to one side, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown “So why…”
“Happy birthday.” You say, removing something from the carrier bag and setting it on the desk between you. It’s a white cake box from the Hummingbird Bakery. He smiles as he opens it. It’s chocolate, his favourite, the words ‘Happy Birthday Officer Nolan’ are written in white icing.
“You mentioned last week that your was birthday coming up and you weren’t doing anything to celebrate so I thought I’d surprise you.” You tell him as his eyes raise up to meet yours. “Then I heard you were trapped here so I thought I’d drop by on my lunch break.”
“Becca, I honestly don’t know what to say.” He tells you, his palm brushing across his mouth. “Can I hug you?”
You haven’t known each other very long, not more than a few months but the two of you have a connection. It started when you met during a crime scene, the two of you had made each other laugh and from there it had shifted into something a little more.  There’s feelings there, certainly on his end, yours, he can never be sure.
“I brought you cake. I think it’s customary.” You remark.
He ducks underneath the tape, his arms wrapping around you, drawing you close. You fit against him perfectly, like the missing piece of a puzzle and in that moment John realises that he doesn’t want to ever let you go.
The two of you hold on for a long time before you pull away so you can rifle in your purse. It takes you a minute but you finally manage to locate the two wooden forks you stowed away. You press one into his hand before gesturing towards the cake.
“Shall we?”
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carolperkinsexgirlfriend · 1 year ago
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Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 54
Part 1 Part 53
Months pass, slow and stretched out, like the bubblegum El’s taken to chewing. Sometimes, she’ll wrap it around her pointer finger and pull it, teeth clamped around the other side until it’s elongated – all air, stretched past recognition until it snaps.
That’s how the summer passes, foisted from adult to adult to adult. If Mom’s busy, then it’s Jonathan. If Jonathan’s busy, then it’s Uncle Wayne. If Uncle Wayne is busy, then it’s hopper. Never any of the parents who don’t know. It’s a lot of time being cooped up inside, going crazy.
For the first time, school being back in session is a relief. He’ll take the monotony of schoolwork and the stress of being zombie boy over staring at his ceiling for a second more. The party grumbles about their precious free time being sucked away, and Will echoes along, complaining about the homework and tests and boring hours, but his heart’s not in it.
When he’s home, it’s like the walls are closing in. With that in mind, he slips out his window, unnoticed. The party had talked about going to the arcade. Will hadn’t been invited. They all knew he wouldn’t be able to go; Tuesday’s were the day when no one was free. Jonathan had photography club after school, and everyone else worked. He’d be stuck at Melvald’s sitting quietly in the corner as his Mom worked.
But not today. Today, he gets on his bike and starts riding. He makes it to Mirkwood before things go wrong. He hears it: that static, horrific clicking. He falls off his bike, and it’s like he’s back in last November, scraped knees and all. He gets up and runs, bike abandoned at the side of the road.
His breathing is ragged by the time he’s back in front of his house. He whirls around, pulse in his throat, and sees nothing at all. There’s no sound, no Demogorgon stalking toward him, petal mouth opening. And it’s the middle of the day. There’s nothing at all. Will swallows, throat clicking with how dry it suddenly is.
He climbs back in through the window, disheveled and sweaty, hands shaking. He changes his dirty pants, dunks his face and hands in the abandoned water glass at his bedside. Good as new. Will closes the blinds, and sits down on his bed.
They’re probably there already, crowded around Pac Man or Dig Dug, the shape of Will’s absence a hole they always seem to leave open for him. He clenches his fingers around his knees, staring at his closed window.
What would Steve do?
Steve wouldn’t hesitate; he would’ve already been at the arcade, laughing at the center of everything like always. He wouldn’t be falling off his bike and seeing things that weren’t there.
With that thought, Will stands, walks purposefully out his bedroom door. Mom’s packing bologna sandwiches into her reusable lunch box, one for her and one from Will. He freezes at the entryway to the kitchen and watches her work.
“Are you ready to go, sweetie?” she asks, pouring coffee into her dinky little thermos, not turning around.
Will takes a deep breath. “I want to go to the arcade with my friends.” He tries to say it confidently, but it comes out wobbling all over the place.
Mom pauses, still holding the coffee pot in one hand, tilted at an angle that would have it pouring all over the countertop if it wasn’t almost empty. She stays like that for an endless moment before putting the coffee pot on the counter with a quiet click. Will wonders if it’ll burn.
She turns around, biting her lip. “Sweetie, Hop and Wayne are both at work, and you know Jonathan is–”
“Why can’t I go by myself?” he interrupts, trying not to think of how much of a disaster that’d been a few minutes ago.
Mom’s shoulders slump. She crosses her arms, hunching into herself, mouth scrunched up just like that time she’d tried a lemonhead for the first time at Jonathan’s wheedling. She’d spit it into her hand within seconds, staring down at the thing with horror.
That’s how she’s looking at Will now. Like she’s spit him out and couldn’t imagine having ever had him at all. But then it passes, and it’s just his Mom, looking worried.
“Do you think Steve and Eddie could take you?” she asks.
It’s a compromise he’s happy to grab with both hands. “I’ll call them.”
He picks up the phone, dialing the number by rote. He’s dialed it enough that he could do it blindfolded.
“Munson residence.” Steve’s voice sounds gruff, like he’s been sleeping. Or crying. Or like whatever had happened in the Upside-Down to make his voice gravely and rough in the hospital all those months ago. “Hello?”
“Will you take me to the arcade?” Will asks.
There’s a long enough pause that Will starts blushing, especially when he hears his Mom huff about phone etiquette behind him. But then Steve says, “sure, want me to come get you?”
Will glances at the clock hanging in the living room, squinting to make out the numbers. “Can you be here in ten minutes? Mom has to go to work.”
“Sure kid,” Steve says, pausing long enough that Will almost hangs up, before saying quietly. “She still not letting you stay home alone?”
“No,” Will says, just as quietly, pointedly not looking over to where his Mom is hovering by his shoulder.
Steve sighs, tinny over the distance between their houses. “Okay, see you soon kid.”
“Bye,” Will says, but Steve’s already hung up.
He puts the phone into the cradle, feeling excitement and dread burble up within him in equal measures.
“Are they coming?” Mom asks.
Will nods, walking into the entryway to slip on his shoes. “Steve is. I’m not sure about Eddie.”
His Mom hums. “What a lovely boy.” She digs around in her purse, depositing a handful of quarters into his waiting palm. “Do you need anything else, sweetie?”
Will shakes his head, tucking the loose quarters deep into his pocket. He waits by the door, like a dog waiting for his owner to come home, metaphorical tail wagging while his Mom putters around trying to find her work smock.
Will doesn’t recognize the sound of the car that pulls up; its engine quiet enough that he mostly hears it by the sound of the tires rolling over the loose debris that always covers their driveway. He does recognize the knock a few seconds later. Three light knocks, barely loud enough to reach Will where he’s standing by the door. Like Steve knows exactly where he’s waiting. Because he does.
Will wrenches the door open, already smiling. Steve’s standing there in his customary blue jeans, and a blue polo, hair perfectly coiffed, jean jacket thrown over the whole thing. “Hi,” Will says.
“Baby Byers,” Steve replies, nodding down at him, before looking behind Will to where his Mom’s now hovering. “Ms. Byers.”
“Oh, honey. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Joyce?”
Steve smiles, that crooked one he does where just one side of his mouth turns up. “At least one more time, huh?”
Mom laughs, stepping around Will to pull Steve into a hug. She hands over a few bills that Steve stuffs into his wallet with instructions to get them both something to eat.
Steve’s Bimmer is sitting in the driveway behind their own junker. It’s nice enough that it should contrast, but it’s been rotting in front of the Munson’s trailer without being washed for long enough that he can’t tell the difference. It smells musty when he climbs in. Steve stares at him pointedly until he buckles his seatbelt, and then they’re off.
They leave in a line, Steve backing up with his Mom only seconds behind. Will’s almost surprised when his Mom doesn’t follow Steve’s car the whole way. She turns off, and their cars part ways.
Will grabs the opportunity with both hands. “Can we go get my bike?”
Steve glances over at him with a raised brow, but keeps both hands at ten and two. “Where is it?”
“Mirkwood.”
Steve sighs, but turns around, and notably doesn’t ask. He finds it without prompting, the white of its body stands out in the dirt. He’s just glad no one has picked it up and ridden away. Steve grumbles as he struggles to stuff it into his trunk, before stuffing it into his backseat, muddy tires and all.
They’re back on their way, and Steve still hasn’t asked. That’s what makes Will open his mouth. “I tried to ride it to the arcade,” he says, picking at the small hole in the knee of his pants. “But I heard it.”
He can see Steve’ fingers tighten around the steering wheel from the corner of his eye. “What?”
“It was like before,” Will mumbles. “Like when the Demogorgon got me.”
Steve’s knuckles are white, but his voice comes out even when he asks, “do you think it was there?”
Will thinks back, past the panic and the running and the breathlessness. “No,” he whispers, watching color bleed back into Steve’s hands. “It was probably a squirrel, or my tires on the leaves. I just panicked.”
Steve sighs, lets the R.E.M song live fill up the silences all one its own – Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything? – He pulls in smoothly into an empty spot at The Palace.
Steve doesn’t turn off the car, so Will makes no move to get out.
Steve sighs again, reaching over to switch off his tape deck. The silence is deafening, but Steve doesn’t let it linger. “You know,” he says, not looking at Will at all. “Uncle Wayne told me it’s called shellshock.” He takes a shuddering breath before letting it out smoothly. “It’s like when something bad happens and sometimes your brain can get like, stuck there? I guess?”
He’s staring out the windshield, like he’s somewhere else. “Are you okay?” Will asks.
It takes a second for him to blink back into life, but when he does, Steve turns his head to smile down at Will. It still looks sad. “It’s hard sometimes, bud,” he says, reaching over to squeeze Will’s shoulder. “But we’re getting through it, aren’t we?”
Will’s not sure why he thought Steve and Eddie would bounce back so much better, had already bounced back, even. But Steve’s shoulders were always so squared, and even in the hospital when he’d been wan and tired, he’d seemed so strong. Unbreakable.
“Yeah,” Will exhales. “We will be.”
They get out of the car in sync, Steve slowing his pace so Will can keep up with his shorter legs. Steve reaches over his head to pull the door open, waiting for Will to walk under his arm and into the sanctuary that is the arcade.
Just like he imagined, all three are crowded around the pac man machine, Lucas maneuvering the joystick with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. Will sneaks up beside them, Steve just behind, and the machine is in sight just in time to watch pac man blip out of sight, eaten by a ghost for the last time.
“It thought you nerds were supposed to be good at this kind of thing,” Steve says, plopping his arm onto Mike’s shoulder to peer over at the screen. “Doesn’t that mean you buttheads are dead?”
They all turn in unison, Lucus’s brow already furrowing before it smoothes out when he sets his eyes on Will.
“Will!” Lucas shouts, as all three tackle him noisily, the steadying hand Steve puts on his hand the only thing keeping him up. He’s surrounded on all sides, safe and warm.
“Wow, thanks for making me an afterthought,” Steve says, rolling his eyes bitchily until Dustin runs at him, tackling him in a hug of his own that has Steve’s eyes widening before his smile softens and he ruffles Dustin’s hair.
“Hey, Steve,” Dustin says, lisping over the T as he smiles goofily up at Steve.
Will watches the interaction, fondness filling him up entirely.
“I thought you couldn’t come!” Mike says, dropping his arms from around Will and taking a step back. The broad grin on his face takes the sting out of it.
“Mom said Steve could take me,” WIll mumbles.
Lucas looks up at Steve, that same starstruck look on his face that they’d all started to have as Will shared more and more about Steve’s heroics on the other side. “Cool,” he whispers.
Steve’s ears turn red and he coughs before immediately diverting attention away from himself. “What’ve you twerps been up to?”
WIll listens happily to his friends complain about the new player on the scoreboard, MADMAX, and how even Dustin couldn’t seem to catch up to him.
It’s been a while since they’ve had a mystery that wasn’t life or death. Will wonders who this Mad Max is and if he’d let them watch him play.
Part 55
Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect
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the-froschamethyst4 · 1 year ago
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Beach
𖤐Pairing: Husband! Alejandro x Wife! Readeer
𖤐Pronouns: She/Her
𖤐Warnings: fluff, children, language, married couple, brief nudity, breastfeeding,
𖤐Summary: Alejandro and his family wanted to go to the beach so of course Alejandro was going to deliver that promise to his family
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Alejandro had planned a trip for his wife and two kids. Y/n had brought up going to the beach, Y/n wanted a trip after giving birth to their baby boy Santiago.
Alejandro sat in his beach chair watching the water crash against the shore of the white sandy beach. Alejandro then looks down at his wife on her stomach her bikini top undone to get her back.
His 4 year old daughter at his feet burying his feet in the sand and his 2 month old son Santiago was asleep in the little baby tent he set up for him so he wouldn't burn.
"Maria, you wanna go to the water?" He asked his daughter who was wearing a light pink bucket hat. She looks up.
"Yes, papi," she says, Alejandro leaned over and grabs her floaties they took off her so she could eat her lunch and enjoy the sand.
He helps her put them on and took a hold of her small hand as they walked to the cold water. They stopped at just the edge of the water, he bends down to her level holding her close to his side.
Alejandro walked into the water and guided Maria to where he was. He held her to his side as the water splashed them, she giggles as Alejandro would gently dunk into the water and quickly come up before the waves took them out.
"Alejandro...can you tie my back?" Y/n mumbles against her arms. She just barely opens her eyes and mumbled again. "Alejandro?" She sits up holding her bikini top against her chest and sees he's not in his chair and Maria wasn't around, but she hears loud giggling coming from ocean. She turns and sees her husband and daughter playing in the water.
She tries to tie her top and looks at her baby boy. Santiago stirred in his sleep but was still asleep. She moves to the baby tent laying in the tent while her back half was out of the tent.
She cups his chubby cheeks and his eyes slowly opened. He giggles and kicks his feet. She takes his tiny feet and kissed his soft baby feet making him giggle.
"You are so cute, baby," she says, kissing his chubby cheeks again.
"Oh he's awake," Alejandro was carrying a tired Maria. Her chin resting on his shoulder and her arms were around his neck.
"He just woke up," she says, kissing Santiago's forehead.
Y/n picked up her baby boy and sitting in her own beach chair, Alejandro sits in his chair holding onto Maria. Y/n moves the strap of her bikini and Santiago attached himself to Y/n's nipple.
Y/n leans back and looks up at the sky, the sun was wanting to go down and Alejandro placed his free hand on her thigh.
"When he's done you wanna head up to the villa?" Alejandro asked.
"Yeah," she says, looking at her husband.
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Y/n carried Santiago and carried the bag that held the baby tent as Alejandro was packing up everything into the little wagon. She looks at her husband seeing if she could help.
"Do you want me to carry anything?" She asked.
"Nah, it's okay, mi amor," he says, kissing Y/n's lips and following her into their rented villa.
Soon entering the villa, Y/n had placed Santiago on his playmat and Alejandro took his daughter into her bedroom, removing her floaties and helping her into some better clothes so she can sleep.
"Papi, can I have water before I go to bed?"
"Sure, amor," he kisses her temple and let her get change and he went to go get a glass of water for her. Y/n was changing out of her bikini and put on panties, shorts and a t-shirt.
Y/n walked back to the living room just passing Alejandro and getting a small tap on the butt from her husband.
Y/n laid next to Santiago as he hits the small stuffed bunny. Her fingers tickled Santiago's belly earning giggles from him.
Alejandro came back and looked down at his wife and baby son. He joins his wife and son on the floor kissing Santiago and tickling him to earn some giggles and laughs from their son.
"Mami, could you read me a story?" Maria asked coming downstairs.
"Sure, baby," she gets up off the floor and follow her daughter to her bedroom leaving Alejandro and Santiago together.
Alejandro looks at his son and he's how Santiago looks like a carbon copy of Alejandro, same hair, eyes, and nose.
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Y/n and Alejandro walked hand-in together on the beach, no sun in the sky only the moon. They took a small walk on the beach with no kids, both were asleep back in the villa.
"This is nice," Y/n says, leaning on Alejandro.
"I'm glad you enjoyed this," he says, kissing the top of her head. "Let's go," he says as they walk to the villa, opening the sliding door and getting some wine and enjoying the rest of their night together.
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squeakadeeks · 3 months ago
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This is kind of a weird question to ask one of my favorite creators (and definitely feel free to ignore it, if it's too personal), but as someone who's also bad at cooking and I'm pretty sure some of my "food" probably started it's own colony of eldritch horrors in the drain where I dumped it, I have to know, how do you survive? What do you eat? I was fine, while I had roommates, a partner, somebody to live with, with the magical ability to create edible food, but I find myself living alone for the first time ever and I don't know what to do with myself. Anyway, long live the SLUDGE.
LONG LIVE THE SLUDGE !!
ok so truth be told there is a bit of a bummer rationale to my rudimentary cooking skills due to The Horrors BUT like a phoenix from the ashes i rise, and if i can rose, then anyone can rose.
i make do with a lot of no/minimal cooking meals. Most of these can be prepared in under 15 minutes with a few dishes + are portable. I got into the habit of preparing them on a schedule to make myself prepare them as opposed to turning it into a whole cooking ordeal.
for breakfast i tend to rock with naan + cheeses, toasts, store-bought pastries, bananas/apples and peanut butter, quaker oats, frozen waffles + jam. cereal used to be an old favorite but i cant be fucked to buy milk anymore.
for lunch i usually do naan + cheese + deli meat, PB and J sammy, ramen + copious veggies a la microwave steaming, chicken patty/chicken strips, yogurt and fruice.
dinner tends to be similar to lunch but sometimes i can do a more involved dish like quesadilla + canned black beans, pasta + peas, canned soups, rice + veggies, boxed mac and cheese, etc.
if im really desperate i will do a "smorgasbord" meal with a random assortment of stuff. an example would be beef jerky+sugar peas+bread rolls+satsuma orange.
im not claiming its a nutritional slam dunk but by god it gets the job done
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nancypullen · 12 days ago
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Hump Day
We're just 71 days into 2025, and so far I'm not a fan. The world is a dumpster fire and our "leaders" are tossing gasoline on it. Staying uninformed is not an option, but a steady diet of doom and gloom is not healthy. I'm forever trying to strike a balance. Finding ways to distract myself usually involves making something, growing something, eating something, or my favorite - buying something. Unfortunately I'm boycotting both Target and Amazon, which is about as much fun as a bad rash. I get so many of my craft supplies through Amazon (less expensive and free shipping) and because of our location, loads of other things. I'd rather click "add to cart" on Amazon than drive the 30 minutes to a store in Easton. I also use Amazon to avoid extra purchases. For example, I love Mrs. Meyers Multi-Surface Cleaner (peony is my favorite).
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I can order a couple bottles from Amazon and save about a buck. If I go into a store to buy it, I'll roam around and toss a few other things into my basket, maybe wander over to the toy section to see what's new for the grandgirl. So instead of spending $8 for two bottles I'd spend $58 on miscellaneous goods - some we need and some we don't. Right now I'm down to my last few squirts of my cleanser and my options are slim. Go to Target (won't), order from Amazon (won't), order from Walmart online (yuck), or subscribe to Grove and have to order stuff every month (won't). *sigh* I may have to give up my favorite, fragrant cleanser. Rats. I know, I know, first world problem. Not even worth writing about. Since I'm not buying anything, I'm focusing on the other three pillars of staying sane. Making stuff - Still cranking out everything from cards to birdhouses. Might be time to learn how to whittle or make soap. Growing stuff - I'm trying, good grief, am I trying. I have such plans for this spring and summer. I've got seed trays planted, a little greenhouse full of hopefuls, and the mister is putting together a raised bed for me. We have a dirt delivery tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited.
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I've always loved gardening. I love watching the first green shoots pop up, I even love the weeding. I've done some of my best thinking on my knees in the dirt. The rewards are splendid, from picking sun-ripened tomatoes to filling the house with bouquets. I don't even mind sharing the bounty with local wildlife as long as they're not greedy. Am I jumping the gun? Probably. All I can tell you is that focusing on seeds and plants is keeping me out of handcuffs.
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Moving on, last but certainly not least - eating stuff. I tend to fill my plate with high protein, high fiber choices, mostly lean meats, eggs, and veggies. My morning scramble is usually a couple of eggs and a 1/4 cup of cottage cheese whisked together with plenty of pepper. I start red onion and kale in a skillet...
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and once the kale wilts and the onion is tender I pour in the egg mixture. YUM. Once it's in my bowl a good sprinkle of nutritional yeast gives it a cheesy flavor and another wallop of protein.
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Yes, I do eat from my Halloween bowl every morning. It makes me happy, mind yo' business.
Today I had a taco salad for lunch - just greens, veggies, and avocado with some seasoned ground turkey on top. Tonight we're having salads topped with grilled chicken for dinner. That's why I don't feel one bit guilty for grabbing a mixing bowl and whipping up some lemon poppyseed muffins. Not going to lie, it was only because I've been dying to make something that worthy of a sprinkle of dried flowers. I recently watched every episode of With love, Meghan and her liberal use of dried flowers on everything from salted sea bass to homemade donuts inspired me. While I don't believe a donut has ever passed her lips, I'm a huge fan of making things pretty. Sign me up for the flower brigade! I baked the muffins, made a quick glaze, dunked the muffins in the glaze, and gave them a very light sprinkle of edible flowers.
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Not princess-worthy, but it made me happy. That was the goal.
I failed to include what is probably my favorite distraction from the madness. Reading! Books are the most wonderful escape of all, and I've had my nose in books since I first made friends with the alphabet. I read fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, how-to, pretty much anything. Today I picked up a book I'd requested from my library and I'm already finding it fascinating.
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Here's the blurb:
Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our most extraordinary cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to tracking down Cuba's last official cigar factory “readers” more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world. Climbing through Peru’s southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge every year from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day. And he crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address – to which countless people from across the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last custodians preserving age-old rites on the brink of disappearance against all odds. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them. What an interesting read! Three other holds came in and I downloaded those as well, so I'm going to happily plow through them.
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That last title could be considered a how-to book, I'll get back to you on that. I'd better read it before it's banned. There you have it, the ways I'm keeping my spirits afloat while the headlines give me every reason to dissolve into despair. I'm well aware that this is boring fodder, no one gives a flip about my scrambled eggs. I made a promise to myself to get back to writing, and this blog is a good place to blow the dust off my brain and practice. It's unfortunate that I have so little to write about, maybe the arrival of spring will provide topics. I'm being 100% honest when I say that tomorrow's dirt delivery is the most exciting thing on the calendar for March. You can expect a full report. Until then, chin up, my darling! Yes, so much is awful right now, but we must be joyful warriors. Feed your souls and make them strong.
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Read a good book, eat a muffin, laugh with friends, grow flowers. That happiness is armor. Go out and spread love, they can't stop us. Sending loads of hugs. Stay safe, stay well, be kind to yourself. XOXO, Nancy
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fullmetalfisting · 1 year ago
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I had a lunch meeting and we all had sandwiched from Jimmy john’s. Since there were a few left, I put them in the break room with a little sign that said “free.” I came back 10 minutes later and an employee was eating a bowl of soup but he’d put two of the turkey clubs in the bowl for some reason. He wasn’t dunking it either. They looked like the twin towers rising out of his Tupperware.
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pttwice · 1 year ago
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Can you do baby tzuyu(5-6month) go to the beach with her mama jeongyeon and mommy nayeon and her big sis dubchaeng ❤️
hi hi! absolutely :) it’s just gonna be more of a lil’ drabble! i hope that’s okay!
mermaid
|| little!tzuyu, cg!2yeon, bigsis!dubchaeng ||
“Okay, Tzu. You’re all ready to go.” Nayeon gave her baby a gentle kiss on the forehead before guiding her to Dahyun and Chaeyoung who were building a sandcastle.
Jeongyeon fell asleep the second she put her beach chair down in the sand, failing to make it through even a page of her book.
Beach days for the girls didn’t happen often, but when they did, they were the best. Jeongyeon always took the time to relax and Nayeon took the time to actually catch up on her reading.
“Can you guys play with Tzu for a bit while I read?”
Dahyun looked up from the sandcastle and gave her mommy a thumbs up. “Yeah, mommy. Gonna let Tzu build da castle!”
Chaeyoung nodded in agreement and gently pulled the little over to join her in the sand. She handed the baby a pink shovel and continued to add to the sandcastle.
For a few minutes, Tzuyu entertained herself by digging and putting the same sand back into the hole she just dug. Once she got bored of her little game, she set her shovel down and intently watched what her big sisters were doing.
“Tzu, wanna help?” Dahyun brushed some of the sand off of her hands and extended a bucket out to the baby. Tzu just tilted her head a little and babbled softly, poking the bucket.
“Hey, Hyun?” Chaeyoung watched the little interaction, unsure if Tzuyu was old enough to actually build the castle instead of destroying it. “Maybe should do dis after. Tzu’s too little.”
Dahyun watched as Tzuyu giggled and kept poking the little bucket. She set it down and thought for a second. “Maybe we could bury her!”
Chaeyoung’s eyes lit up at the suggestion and she positioned Tzuyu so she was sitting. “Do you wanna be a mermaid, Tzuyu?”
Tzuyu babbled more and clapped her hands together. Her big sisters took that as a yes and started to bury Tzuyu’s legs.
Nayeon glanced up every few minutes to make sure her babies were okay, smiling as she saw the three playing. She took a few pictures before returning back to her reading.
By the time Tzuyu’s legs were buried and Dahyun and Chaeyoung and made her a mermaid tail, Jeongyeon had finally woken up from her not so impromptu nap. She got up and stood over the littles, hands on her hips as she looked down at them.
“Wow, you guys did a great job. You look beautiful, love bug.” Jeongyeon let out a soft chuckle. The mermaid tail was a bit short and a little wonky, but it did kind of resemble a mermaid.
“Thanks, mama! Tzu looks pretty!” Dahyun proudly stood up, her bottom and her legs covered in sand from sitting in it for so long.
“Are you guys ready for some lunch?” Nayeon pulled out the cooler and Dahyun and Chaeyoung ran over towards their mommy, excited to eat after working so hard.
Tzuyu watched as her big sisters ran to get food and whined softly. She held her hands up, not wanting to be left out of lunch.
“It’s okay, baby. Mama’s gonna get you. Ready? Here comes Tzu!” A big smile made its way to Jeongyeon’s face as she pulled Tzuyu out of the sand, freeing her of her mermaid tail. The little laughed excitedly as her mama carried her over to the rest of the girls.
The rest of their beach day was spent building more castles, Jeongyeon dunking Nayeon into the water — much to her dislike — while the littles splashed around, and a very sleepy baby Tzu by the end of the day.
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malina-33 · 2 years ago
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Single choice
Summary: It’s summer 2022, Nortern Italy, Miles and Alex are on vacation before The Car tour.
And they are happier than ever.
Word count: 3,5k
A/N: I missed the everyday cozy life of their relationship, so I wrote this :) Creative-crisis conversations presented as well, but they don’t take far away from the happy ending. Inspired by "Call me by your name", so for a better atmosphere, I advise you to include this playlist in the background.
Also, English is not my first language, so if you find grammar mistakes, feel free to point them out to me!
Enjoy these two sweeties💕
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The wide shirt's hem fluttered in the warm wind, three buttons at the top were casually undone, and the sleeves were carelessly rolled up to the elbows. Alex, covering his eyes, lay on a soft sun lounger under the shade of the terrace's arches of their small villa in Portofino, stretching out his long legs. His chest rose and fell slowly in sleep, while his hands rested relaxed on the armrests. Silken curls played with the gusts of breeze, but surrendering, they fell onto his face and tickled his nose, causing the man to unconsciously wrinkle it like a child.
Miles couldn't take his eyes off this literally biblical scene. "Taking Al away to the Italian Riviera for two weeks before the tour started was my best decision" the man thought smugly. Only God knew when they would be able to spend such peaceful time alone again, without rushing anywhere and hiding from anyone. And now, leaning against a marble column with his hands folded on his chest, Kane smiled until wrinkles formed around his eyes, unable to believe what he was witnessing. These sprawling palm trees in their backyard, the deafening trills of southern birds, the sweet sea air, and a serene tanned Alex in a milky linen suit, quietly dozing off after lunch - all of this was now accessible only to him, Miles, and he savored every second of this vacation that sometimes seemed surreal, like a calm before the storm. But he persistently pushed away such thoughts, continuing to revel in his own paradise.
They had already spent 10 days here, the first 3 of which they didn't venture beyond their plot on the hill, which offered a breathtaking view of the coast and emerald water. They were lingering in bed for a long time under the biting rays of the sun, plucking mandarins straight from the tree, and listening to vinyl records of Celentano on the veranda in the evenings, intertwining in each other's arms, merging and becoming the one. Then, finally realizing that missing the opportunity to stroll through such picturesque streets would be a crime, they started going out in town under the mountain after the sunset, when the heat subsided and the cicadas began their twilight concert. Every time they ordered a new pasta dish in local restaurants, hoping to try them all, but that was Italy...
In the mornings, they descend to the pebble beach, where Alex could lie for hours, reading books, while Miles were snorkeling in the Ligurian Sea, growing tired of waiting for his lover and retaliating by playfully splashing him with cool droplets. They would play in the water like teenagers, dunking each other or taking turns piggybacking. When the sun would started to scorch their skin, they would go to the local deli for ready-made lasagna with eggplant, always getting a few types of cannoli, new bottle of wine, olives and fruits. They would then retreat to their villa for the rest of the day, either playing the guitar, the only one they brought from their stuffy LA studio, or playing board games (for which Miles constantly called Alex "nonno," while he calmly continued to roll the dice), or falling asleep under the shade of the leafy trees right on the grass.
Miles hadn't laughed so often and so loudly, and more importantly, so genuinely, since their last joint tour. He felt an immense universal joy that was bursting from his chest, causing his cheeks to ache from the ever-present smile on his face. He felt alive next to the dearest and only person who truly understood him, which Alex had been for the past 17 years.
"How have we put up with each other for so long, Milo?" Turner laughed, finishing his glass of semi-sweet red wine.
And Kane replied seriously, capturing his alcohol-glistening gaze: "I no longer know how to live without you, Al."
And it was the absolute truth. They often had conversations like this, but Alex never actually put up with Miles, he did love him. He only put up with being apart from him. And it was always important for both of them to hear this small confession, like a spark of a cricket in the foliage, but a heart-wrenching one, even after a year, or 10, or 20 years of their relationship.
Relationship? Friendship, love, presence by each other's side, support, musical inspirations, passionate desires, care, hurt, forgiveness, kisses, hugs backstage and on stage, touches all over their bodies, eloquent glances, and ending with a single word proposals. That's what their relationship was. And if Miles were offered to never be a musician but to love Alex, he would still agree without any hint of hesitation, somewhere deep inside bitterly realizing that if Alex were faced with such a choice, he would have to think about it.
But at this moment, Miles didn't want to think about it at all, he only wanted to listen to his lover's steady breathing and bask in the fading sunlight with him. Miles walked around the column and silently sat down on the edge of the lounge chair. He lightly ran his hand over Turner's knee, not wanting to disturb, and then traced chiseled fingers slightly higher, along his thigh. However, even these gentle movements made Alex squirm, furrowing his brow and rolling over to the other side.
"Shh, sleep, my dear, I didn't mean to wake you," Miles whispered, soothingly continuing to stroke the man's leg.
"But I'm already awake," mumbled Alex sleepily, opening his eyes and immediately squinting in the bright light.
"What a shame," Kane sang mockingly, secretly delighted by this fact because he had missed Alex during the silence at their villa and mindless wandering through the rooms while he slept in the fresh air, "Will you move over?".
Alex squeezed himself into the corner of the lounge chair, making space as much as the single bed allowed. Miles approached him with a cunning smile, lying on his side, unable to fit his broad shoulders on the mattress even if he was alone, and invitingly opened his palms. Turner simply snorted and muttered something about a smug cat, pressing his back against Miles' contrasting cool chest compared to the scorching heat outside, covering man's hand that rested peacefully on his waist with his own, and intertwining their legs.
"So, you woke me up just to sleep together all cramped up? I don't want to anymore," Alex slowly stroked Miles' wrists, who closed his eyes in pleasure.
"Mmm, I just got bored being alone, you've been sleeping forever!"
"Mi, maybe an hour and a half at most," Turner said in a lecturing tone, turning slightly to give Kane a disapproving look.
"Well, I call that forever. Anyway, since you're already awake, let's think about our plans for the evening," Kane quickly changed the subject, kissing Alex's back of the neck, "I saw a poster for a local concert in the neighboring town. We can rent a scooter to get there, it's just a few kilometers away."
Alex burst out laughing at the last words, turning in his lover's embrace and almost touching noses with him.
"Oh, Kane, you don't even have a driver's license! And the fact that I rode 100 meters on it in a clip means nothing."
"We'll figure it out somehow, it can't be more difficult than tuning a guitar for the first time."
"Well, since I have such an experienced and confident driver, I can't deny myself the pleasure," Turner teased, pouting his lips and furrowing his brows like a college girl.
"Gosh, how cheap that sounds, Al. Those are second-rate tricks from middle school. Did I teach you to flirt like that?" Miles rolled his eyes, hiding a smile in the corners of his mouth.
"No, I think we just fucked right away," Alex retorted, immediately receiving a playful jab in the ribs, "Hey! Am I lying?"
"Do I need to remind you who first put his knee between my legs in the dressing room, huh?" Miles smirked, tucking Alex's overgrown locks behind his ear and stroking his slightly stubbled cheek. He looked angelically peaceful now, despite his unholy words.
"And do you regret it?" Seeing the silent denial, he continued, "Well, neither do I. So you don't need to teach me how to flirt, maestro. If we want to find a free scooter before sunset, we need to start getting ready. I was also planning to take a shower," Alex casually mentioned, slyly avoiding eye contact and running his hand suggestively along Miles' waist.
"Well, that's better already, at least the hints are subtler, but you've lost your touch. I'll have to remind you."
"Oi, you better do it indeed" Turner whispered in his ear. Honestly, he was amused at how they, two grown adults, were behaving as soon as intimacy was mentioned - it was like they were back in 10th grade of the school.
Once he calmed down, he reluctantly slipped out of the warm embrace and gracefully got up from the sun lounger, stretching and rising on tiptoes to better loosen his stiff limbs. Miles settled himself more comfortably, royally occupying the vacant spot and propping his head on his hand, watching Turner's toned body with a hungry gaze. He could do this for hours, knowing every mole, wrinkle, and scar.
"What are you looking at? Trying to find gray hairs?" Unable to withstand his scrutinizing eyes, the frontman softly spoke. Now he had his hands in the pockets, exposing his face to the sun and wind, which cautiously peeked onto the veranda through massive columns. Somewhere far below, the sound of the waves and children's laughter could be heard. Idyllic.
"It's too early for you to worry about that. I just can't get enough of looking at you. Clearly, this lifestyle suits you well, even though I fattened you up a bit, considering you were all skin and bones when you arrived."
"Afraid of breaking me?"
"I am," Miles admitted, not completely sure if he interpreted the question correctly. Turner smiled disarmingingly, the way he only smiled at him, leaned in, still keeping his hands in pockets, and planted a chaste kiss on the man's forehead before disappearing through the door.
"Catch up, or I'll manage without you," Alex said over the shoulder, fully aware that he wouldn't be able to handle anything without Miles. Not in life, not in the shower.
***
Comparing guitar tuning and riding a scooter turned out to be inappropriate, as Miles pointed out rather immodestly, getting behind the wheel, because the second one was elementary. During their short ride along the coast, Alex couldn't stop capturing breathtaking views with his vintage Canon. The peach-colored waves gently licked the shore, competing with each other for ownership of every stone on the beach, while the numerous bushes along the road swayed in the wind.
The neighboring town turned out to be Santa-Margherita-Ligure, welcoming the men with the warm glow of lights strung between each café and the loud Italian laughter that didn't quiet down until late at night. Leaving their mean of transport on the waterfront, they headed towards the main square, where light jazz melodies could already be heard. Ordinary chairs stood right on the historical cobblestones, occupying almost all the space, and a small mobile stage had been set up in the center, where musicians were tuning their instruments.
Taking seats in the corner of the front row, the men waited for the performance to begin.
"Have you forgotten what it's like to be on the other side of the stage?" Miles whispered, his lips almost touching Alex's ear.
"Sometimes I even prefer it here," Turner sadly smiled, "no obligations, masks, rehearsed lines, or unjustified expectations. You just exist in the music without thinking about how to reproduce it. I miss that."
Kane anxiously studied Alex's face from the side, trying to understand if he was speaking in a state of creative melancholy inspired by the upcoming concert or if he was simply revealing his deep pain that had burdened him all this time.
"Hey, I didn't mean to put you into existential ponderings. We can talk about it if it really bothers you, but not now. I purposely brought you here to relax and spend these last days with an empty mind, not to reflect on one careless question"
Miles didn't condemn him, but rather tried to hide his own anxiety behind a feigned admonition. He gently squeezed Alex's hand, caressing his knuckles with his thumb, and warmly smiled, knowing that this was the only support he could offer in public.
"Sorry-sorry-sorry," Alex babbled, running his hands forcefully over his face and organizing his thoughts, "forget about those words, we'll come back to it another time. You can hit me if I utter another sad-philosophical phrase that upsets you tonight."
Miles only laughed at that, patting his friend's knee, and, unable to resist, left an unnoticed kiss on his cheek, indicating that he would never fulfill his request in their lifetime.
Lost in conversations, they hadn't noticed that all the chairs had been taken and the band on stage was counting down seconds until the performance began, tightly gripping their bows in their hands. The increasingly suspenseful sound of the violin filled the entire square, eliciting sudden shivers from the audience and instantly isolating them from the rest of the world. Alex's full attention was now focused on the five people on stage, the sound that seemed to exist right in his head, and the melting night air. Rarely could he simply enjoy the melody without trying to dissect it into notes or analyze the lyrics.
Miles usually smoothed out the crease between his eyebrows that arose from such contemplation with a kiss, and he was ready to do it now, but as his gaze slid across the side of the face, he unexpectedly saw a serene smile on partially open lips. Turner leaned back in his chair, holding his hands between his thighs and slightly covering his eyes, which indicated his complete absence in our reality and his presence in his own, understood only by him and undoubtedly bringing him pleasure.
The concert lasted only an hour, not abundant in a wide repertoire. Towards the end, young men and women, children, and even racy grandmothers and grandfathers stood up from their seats to dance right in the square, laughing loudly at their clumsiness. Alex and Miles only watched this scene with warm smiles, tapping their feet rhythmically on the stone pavement, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention to themselves. The clock on the tower, located on the western side of the square, as was customary in all ancient city planning laws, struck 10 o'clock exactly at the moment when the musicians, in the heat of the final chord, sharply raised their bows towards the pitch-black sky, ending the performance. The square drowned in applause and whistling, evoking familiar motives from men's careers.
The air intoxicated their heads, and not wanting to return back so early, they turned into the depths of the city. Turner continued to photograph the local architecture and Miles against its backdrop with mocking skill, not allowing the camera to hang peacefully on his chest for more than two minutes. And when tourists would disappear from their sight, Kane with the agility of a cheetah would press Alex against the nearest wall of another you-know-who-lived-in-this-house-you-lustful-bastard building, pulling him into a tempting kiss and, despite all protests about his indifference to history, smiled contentedly on his lips, feeling Alex pull him closer by the collar of his leopard-print shirt.
They would laugh drunkenly, without drinking a glass, immediately receiving Italian curses from open balconies in response. They would play tag on narrow streets, after which they breathed heavily, resting their elbows on thr knees and joking about their advanced age. They would eat mango ice cream, licking the sweet drips from each other's fingers, and would never stop thinking for a moment about how lucky they are to be loved here and now.
***
They returned to the villa at midnight, exhausted from their long walk, hastily discarding their sticky clothes as they collapsed onto the unmade bed. Alex, resting his chin on Miles' chest, looked at him with such devoted eyes that Miles' heart skipped a beat at the impossibility of resisting those bottomless depths. In the moonlight, his sharp features softened, Alex's fingers gently tracing along the line of his jaw, while a warm smile lingered beneath his closed eyelids, etching itself into Miles' memory with fiery strokes.
"Mi, are you asleep?" Alex asked in a barely audible voice, listening to the rhythm of Miles' heartbeat beneath his cheek.
"No," Miles replied just as softly, shifting slightly on the crisp sheets to find a more comfortable position.
"Do you remember what I told you today about not feeling freedom in music?" Alex continued, as if afraid to disturb his own thoughts, "well, I realized just now that I'm the one closing myself off from it. But you know when? When you're not here. I'm tired of pretending to be someone else without you, tired of feeling not myself without you. And today, there on the square, when you were holding my hand, it hit me that since we met, no one else has come this close to me. You were and still are the only person who truly knows me. Can you imagine?" His voice broke into a hoarse laughter that, truth be told, sounded hauntingly beautiful in the peaceful silence.
"No one really knows me except for you. And I've been afraid to show my true self to anyone but you. But today, for the first time in a long while, I was able to listen to music without thinking about anything else but your fingers on my hands. And I realized," he paused, unconsciously gripping Miles' shoulder tighter, "I realized that I can perform on stage, just thinking about your hands, and then I won't have to try to hide behind a fabricated image to entertain the audience. Damn it, at 36 years old, I've come to the realization that I can simply sing without pouring my own problems into the songs, but instead, just give people the sound. A sound that resonates in their minds, in their feet and hands, a sound that makes them feel alive. I can make at least one of their days truly happy, just like you make my life happy simply by being with me."
Throughout this entire time, Miles never removed his nimble fingers from Alex's head, combing through his hair and soothing him. He could listen to his voice forever, automatically arranging the words into lines for new songs. The sight of Alex — until it stole the air from his lungs, until it brought tears to his eyes, until his pulse faltered in his veins, until a volcano of warmth erupted in his chest. Until he feels alive again.
"Al, if you haven't realized in 20 years of performing what you do for the lives of everyone who attends your concerts, then I'm going to have to enlighten you now," Miles chuckled softly, continuing to massage his head, "everything you've done for the industry is your way of existing in this world. You don't know any other ways, and that's your strength, not weakness. Your music is literally you, it's not about trends or fan requests. It's about how you communicate with others. You have an incredible gift of conveying intangible values through your lyrics. I have no idea how the gears in your mind work, but damn it, you're exceptional. And I swear, anyone who has ever heard any of your songs has pondered the words, thought about what you wanted to say, and ultimately thought about themselves. Your music has meaning, it's not just a string of letters for the sake of rhyme. It's a dictionary of your life. And since the day we first met, I've been carefully studying all your meanings and embodiments, so my music is about you and for you. You are my only inspiration, and if all you need to write a new song is a notebook and an image in your mind, then all I need is you by my side."
Miles may have wanted to add something more, but unable to bear the weight of such declarations of love, Alex impatiently kissed him, exhaling loudly from the fulfillment of a desire that had been building throughout his entire speech. Kane, quickly finding another activity for his tongue besides talking, trailed it along Alex's lower lip, feeling every crack from the salty water.
Alex smiled like a child, whispering 'I lovelovelove you' into his man's lips, continuously running palms along his cheeks. They continued to gaze at each other for a long time, carrying on a quiet conversation interrupted by occasional kisses, shivers down the spine, and tearful thank yous for everything. Even the stars, cautiously peering through the open windows, blushed at their whispers under the thin blanket. Only with the first rays of sunlight, when words ran out and lips swelled from endless contact, men finally fall asleep in a tangle of intertwined arms and legs.
And if Alex were offered to never be a musician but to love Miles, he would without hesitation write a song about it. Because it would be meaningless to confront the person with a choice who made it 17 years ago.
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A/N: I sincerely want to believe that this is how everything really happened for them. All in all, these two deserve a happy ending. I will be incredibly happy if you leave feedback after reading! Everything that was born in my head would very much like to find a response in you💔🥺
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littleblondesoprano · 11 months ago
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4,9, 14, 24
Thank you!! :D!! I'm whacking this under a Read More because apparently I like to talk, lol.
4) List five of your favorite recipes, share them if you like!
1) Peanut Butter Ramen: I've been addicted to this lately. What you're gonna do is get your ramen noodle block (whichever you like, but mom and I get our favorite kind from Costco). Cover it in water and pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes.
While that's cooking, you're going to assemble your Team. You Need: Peanut Butter (any kind, but we use Justin's, the one with honey in it), Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Five Spice, Ginger, Coconut Aminos (can use Soy Sauce in its place). Raw veggies, sriracha, sesame seeds, and french fried onions.
You're gonna slap like half a cup of peanut butter, however much garlic, onion powder, ginger, and five spice you think you want, a splash of coconut aminos, and mix that shit together. You now have your peanut butter sauce.
Next, your raw veggies. You can throw legit whatever you want in there, but I use bell pepper (Red), carrot slices, green onions, purple onions, and cucumbers. Slice your veggies to mouth-sized pieces to your heart's content!
Drain out the water from the ramen with a similarly sized plate on top of the ramen noodles. Once you are done choppin, plop in a good 3-4 heaping tablespoons of your peanut butter sauce to the ramen, all of your chopped veggies, then top with sriracha, sesame seeds, and french fried onions! Combine and FEAST. Keep in the fridge, and you can easily get 4 meals out of this sauce.
2) No Bake Cookies (Boiled Cookies) I've had these so many times in my life and they are always fucking bangers. Cannot go wrong with these!!
3) Salmon-Avocado Sushi Salad: Mom and I make sushi for lunch (and I usually get two more meals out of sushi rolls too) and all the leftovers go into a big bowl that I call 'sushi salad' and can eat 2/3 of before feeling sick because it's just so good that you don't want to stop eating. Keep in mind: This recipe is for 2 people across multiple days - it's 5 meals out of this amount, including sushi salad. Which is a lot, in and of itself.
You Need: 1 Can Salmon, 2 packs Nori sheets, 2-3 english cucumbers, 3-4 carrots, 3-4 ripe avocados, black sesame seeds, Coconut Aminos, 1 red bell pepper, 4 cups sushi/sticky rice. Tupperware containers. Water. Big Knife. 3 bowls. Rice cooker.
Properly clean your sushi rice and pop it in the rice cooker (or use the stove, whatever). While that is cooking, slice your english cucumber, carrots, and red bell pepper into long, thin slices. Drain your canned salmon and turn on the sink to make the liquid go away faster bc my god does it stink. Empty salmon into bowl, and crack open your avocados - scoop out whatever meat inside is not bad and add it to the bowl with your salmon; once all avocados are free of their husk, get a potato masher or fork and go to Town. I like my meat mixture like a green ooze, but if you want chunks, don't go Fully to town. Take an Exit or two before you are at Blob level ooze. Set off to the side.
Get another bowl and fill it almost to the brim with water, this is to dunk your Big Knife in so the sushi/sticky rice does not adhere to it in between cuts, bc it will TRY.
Once rice is done, lay out a Nori sheet and cover in rice, making sure to leave space at the top - like the header on a google doc - to wet so the Nori will stick to itself and Become Roll. Layer in your fillings - we start with sesame seeds, then the Meat Ooze, then cucumbers, then carrots, then bell pepper before Rolling. Do this until you have today's lunch, and two days worth of sushi (usually, two medium sized tupperware containers, single layered).
Now armed with your left overs, you're going to cut up the rest of your veggies into bite sized pieces and throw it in the bowl with the Meat Ooze. Toss in a handful or two of sesame seeds, two Nori sheets (torn up, for bite-ability), and not all of the rice, but a good chunk of it. Top with a shit ton of Coconut Aminos, stir up, and Enjoy. :3
4) Pickle Chicken: This is a pretty easy one, but it is time consuming. You Need: Chicken Breasts, Big Pickle Jar (24 oz), Garlic powder, Onion powder, salt and pepp, panko bread crumbs, flour of your choice, egg or milk or both, an Air Fryer but two is better.
You're gonna beat up the chicken and then submerge it in a bath of pickles and *lots* of pickle juice. Marinate them bois in pickle juice in the fridge for two days. Come back to it having assembled a wet and dry breading station: in one container we have a beaten egg, or milk, or a mixture of both - and in the other corner we have our Spices (onion, garlic, probably salt, pepper and w/e else you want) flour, and bread crumbs. Beside that we have as many air fryers as you can plug in without throwing a fuse.
Spray the insides of the air fryers with nonstick things, like Pam. Take that Pickled goodness known as chicken out of its briny grave, dredge in the dry, then the Wet, then the dry again before tossing very quickly (but not too quick to splatter) into a heated air fryer. Do this until all fryer space is full or you are out of chicken. Flip the chicken at the 10 minute mark, then fry an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temp reads at least 165F/80C. Then pop that sucker on a sandwich, or enjoy with honey mustard if you know what is yummy.
5) Rotisserie Chicken Salad (Add Dill if you like Dill. And green onions) I used to eat a version of this for a while when I first came home from college! Very good, very refreshing, esp with crackers or on a sandwich with some lettuce + cucumbers. (Pro tip: cherry tomatoes on the side go beautifully with this. I also add like, half of the mayo, I don't like my chicken salad soupy.)
9) If you could go anywhere in the universe and in time, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you be?
I would go back to Ancient Rome, when the Coliseum was almost completed. I had a dream - but it just felt different than a normal dream - that I was standing on top of a hill, with, I guess, my partner in that life, watching a big block being lifted with a rudimentary crane as the sun was just starting to set. I want to go there, not just to see what I think is a past-life version of myself, but to just look down from that hill. I have the image stuck in my brain - it's been a few years since I had the dream - and I really want to see it for real. I'd also just really love watching a naval battle happen in the coliseum bc that sounds wild.
14) Would you ever visit a lighthouse?
I have already! On vacation a long while ago (2012-ish?) we visited the Saint Augustine Lighthouse in Saint Augustine, FL. It was beautiful, and really fun! The view is so worth going up all those stairs, and, it's haunted! We mainly went bc it's haunted, but it was really fun! I'd totally go back. And ofc, I would visit a lighthouse, they're often haunted and I'd fucking love ghost hunting in one.
24) Be honest, do you have stuffed animals?
I have many!! I'll even show ya pictures! I have two Ghostface plushies because I fucking love that man, that mythos, that bod, that knife.
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I have a lil ghostie who falls off my bed every single night, so I just put him on the floor. And a GIANT ghostie that I got from TJ Maxx last year in the Halloween section because I loved it.
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A big ol' bat!! I think I got it from Michaels when the Halloween stuff was on sale. And I have a bat Ugly Doll (does anyone else remember when those were big?) I have my other Ugly Dolls, but they're in a bin. The Bat has special privileges on account of being a bat.
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I have a bichon frise dog plush, bc my paternal grandma had a bichon named Bebe and I loved her dearly. This plushie is named Sassy though. I think mom got her for me when I was a toddler bc we were on a long car ride (10 hours) and I didn't have a stuffed animal with me.
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I have Beast, from Beauty and the Beast. I got him from when I went to Disney, almost eight years ago? He falls off a lot. And a $6 Build-a-bear from the $6 build-a-bear day. I got it in college; it used to have little overalls, but they ripped so I shoved the fabric in my fabric stash (ziploc bag) and now it is Nakey. It is also ripped down the back for some reason, and I gotta try and sew it back up.
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A ram, very fluffy, very cute. It holds up the rest of the plushies. Foundational King.
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A ragdoll plush that looks a lot like Fluffy when she was little! Dad bought her for me when I moved four hours away for college, so I wouldn't miss my Fluffy as much. (Read: I did miss her just as much, but the plushie was very nice).
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A roadkill Bunny that I adore! The ones on Etsy sold out way too fast, so I got one from Amazon. The quality is definitely not as good, but I love it just the same.
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A giant sheepdog! I don't remember if I named it or not, it's been so long. I took it to college with me because I legit cannot sleep without it or without pillows/a person in its spot. I need to have both sides of my body barricaded when I sleep. i am not joking when I say my body wakes me up if it falls off of the bed.
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I also have all the plushies (stored away, ofc) that I loved when I was little, like the sock monkey mom passed down to me (Monkey-Lunkey), or Googly-Eyed Scooby, or the horse from Toy Story.
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marcholasmoth · 2 months ago
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OSRR: 3828
mom's home!!!
i went to the dentist this morning to get my teeth cleaned. so my teeth are clean. it's nice.
went to the hospital again to see mom knowing they'd likely release her today. got there around 9am. her breakfast had arrived already, and she'd eaten what she wanted at that point. she was so tired of hospital food that she didn't want to eat it, plus it's hard to eat when your lips are kinda fucked up.
but she got visited by the doctor who said he was good with whatever PT said, and PT said she was cleared to go after taking a walk around the floor for a bit. so eventually, after one last miserable lunch of a turkey sandwich and a fruit cup - neither of which she ate much - i loaded her into the car and we made our way back home.
of course, we stopped for food. we stopped at dunks and i saw my friend adri working!! they gave us a free muffin. so that was nice. it was nice to see them.
we also stopped at the pharmacy to pick up her new meds, and then we stopped at mcnaldos for a light lunch and for fries to feed de bords. (the birds. there's a flock of pigeons that lives in a nearby parking lot. there are signs that say "don't feed the birds" but we, collectively, as a community, ignore them.)
we sat in the parking lot nearby and fed de bords with as many french fries we could spare. mom was so happy to eat fries because (1) she loves potatoes, (2) it's the first thing with flavor she's had all week, and (3) they didn't make her suffer to bite into them because they're narrow. thanks, fries. you made my mom's life a little better today.
and after feeding de bords, we went home.
walked mom in, got her situated. brought the rest of my stuff in. sat down with mama. we sat there for a while, halfway watching tv, and i was so tired that i said "okay i'm gonna go take a nap" around 5pm. so i napped for an hour or so, until i was woken up by my seester for dinner, which was dino nuggies and smiley fries, which was something i specifically asked for the other day. (chels asked if there was anything i wanted that could make my week suck less, and i said "smiley fries." she got smiley fries. i nearly cried.)
and then because today is my papa's birthday, we also had brownie sundaes for dessert. it was so good to have flavorful food that i could eat enough of. and i made sure mom ate - she hadn't had a full meal since before she fell on monday morning, so it was good to keep using the tongs to move nuggets or smileys to mom's plate.
when dinner was all done, i went upstairs to sit with mom again. we worked through her meds and determined that one had been left at the hospital, so she called the pharmacy nearby and asked if they could do a partial fill, which they said they could. so i took the keys to the acura and mom's wallet and went to go get the meds she requested along with something for my papa, who i hadn't been able to get anything for for his birthday.
upon returning, i gave mom her meds and did some notetaking before getting the card i got signed for my papa and i brought it to him with the toblerone and cherry slices i got for him.
the card was sentimental. and especially after this week, i appreciate my papa for all he does. it may feel like not a lot, depending on the day, and he has his quirks and odd habits, but so do i. everyone does. i really do appreciate him and i wish it were easier to do.
i came back upstairs and sat with mom again, and i talked to her for a little while. she's grateful to be out of the hospital and to not have an IV in her arm. i hate IVs. but we got mom settled and her meds taken and all happy and tucked in. just really grateful to be home. she cried. i cried. we crode together.
and now i'm in bed and my tummy is grumbling slightly, so i'm electing to ignore it in favor of turning over and falling asleep.
i did talk to joel and leo briefly today. they're both doing good and i'm happy to hear that.
it's been a good and exhausting day. (i took a brief nap in mom's bed in the hospital today. the nurses were confused to see me in the bed and her in the seat beside me when it's been the opposite all week.)
(i snored so loudly i woke myself up.)
time for sleeping.
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never-not-ever · 4 months ago
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Wed-NEZ-day morning
I thought it was Thursday all morning but it's only 9:23am so I guess "all morning" sounds dramatic lol.
I forgot I got two coffees from Dunks yesterday cause of a save $5 when you spend $15 so it was basically a free coffee. I realized this last night when I looked in the fridge 😅 and have been thinking about this coffee since.
I took my night meds so early last night cause I was having a shitty night and was already feeling tired. I think it might have been a little after 9. Thus I've been up since like 7ish.
The schedule for today isn't that bad but tomorrow's looks better so I was a little like eh when I realized it wasn't Thursday. I was telling this to the counselor on checks and she said she's doing a games/art group at 10 which actually made me perk up a bit cause I started this watercolor piece last night but left group early so I'm looking forward to being able to do so in a little bit.
The schedule for the rest of the day looks like this:
11am- wellness group 12pm- lunch 1pm- medication management group 2pm- fresh air walk 3pm- expressive therapy 4pm- fresh air walk 5pm- dinner 6pm- rec center 7pm- activity 8pm- wrap up group
So long as I don't decide to be an antisocial bitch, I'd like to go to the main 11/1/3 groups. Actually we'll see about the others but I really want to check out the expressive therapy one cause it's with this therapist intern who I've only seen shadow a skills group recently and she seems nice and cool so I'm curious to see what her group would be like. I miss the intern from last year. She was the best!
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productiveandfree · 6 months ago
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What to Eat to Boost Productivity and Feel Good
Ever heard of the phrase “you are what you eat”? Though this was a scaremongering phrase used throughout the noughties, it does have a slight element of truth. Here at Productive and Free, we aren’t about chanting about the newest diets on the markets, or weight loss fads, but instead, we’re passionate about building up our health and feeling good while doing it.   
We live in a world where health truly matters, but so does living fast and free — so how can you be healthy while living in the moment? We know as well as the next person that finding time to eat can be hard for some, especially when you’re juggling a busy family life or working long hours. One moment you’re dashing to the office fuelled with coffee; the next you’re grabbing your first meal of the day after 2 p.m.  — it’s not great, but it does happen.  
We’re here to stop the burnout feeling and help you feel good no matter what. To truly nourish yourself inside and out, you need to take a long, hard look at the things you eat. We certainly don’t want you fuelling up on leaves and lettuce, but good quality products that can satisfy every craving. Snacks as a whole play a super important role in giving you the energy to go about your day, and we’re here to help you do it right. In this blog, we’re going to be taking a look at some easy snack options that you can incorporate into your routine. And the best part about fuelling up throughout the day?  Boosting productivity and feeling fresh. Let’s get planning. 
Why is smart snacking important?
If you work a regular 9-5 and barely have time to grab lunch, then you may not be giving your body enough nutrition to truly thrive. Food as a whole is a tool that maintains your productivity and helps you at work, which is why you should pay careful attention to what you eat.   
The important factors below can be added to any kind of snack routine to make sure that you never miss out on the brain power you need. Whether it’s for your next gaming session, a day of work, or if you’re preparing good gaming snacks for yourself and friends — you should always incorporate the right level of nutrition to feed your body and mind. 
But why specifically?
Energy levels: Healthy snacks are needed, as skipping meals or living off sugary snacks can lead to those dreaded energy crashes or mood swings. You need to grab a balanced, healthy snack to keep your blood levels in check and stop those midday sleepies that creep up on you unwanted.   
Crashes at lunchtime: If you’re someone that hits a new level of tiredness by lunch, it’s because your body is craving nutrition. You should shop around for some high-protein snacks, mixed with healthy fats and carbs to help you power through the day — even without the coffee. Trust us, it works.   
Helps brain focus: Above all else, your brain just needs feeding good food. Just like the rest of your body, your mind needs to be fuelled with high nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber.  
Simple snacks to add to your routine
Snacks are needed when time is not on your side. They can make a huge difference in avoiding crashes throughout the day and helping you feel energized. Here’s a quick rundown for you to add to your next week's groceries — because trust us, the productivity levels need it.   
1. Yogurt and fruit: This one is such a simple yet effective snack. All you need is a cup of yogurt, and you’ll be fueled with a brilliant amount of protein. Top the yogurt with fresh berries or banana and enjoy all the natural sugars you need to thrive throughout the day. Not only is this packed with the vitamins you need, but it’s also super easy to make, and can be eaten on the go. Win-win.   
2. Vegetable sticks and hummus: We all know that this is the OG of the snack world, and it’s a fail-safe snack that can be prepped way in advance. Simply slice up carrots, cucumbers, or veggies of your choice, and dunk them in a delicious pot of hummus. You’ve got the fiber and vitamins from the veg and healthy fats from the hummus. Perfect!   
3. Hard-boiled eggs: We know this sounds too easy, but it is one of the healthiest snacks you can add to your roster. Boil them the night before work, pop them in your bag, and you’ve got a great snack all day long. It will give you a protein-packed day, while fuelling you up on Vitamin D.   
4. Peanut butter and fruit slices: All you need to do is grab a nut butter of any kind and slice up some apples for a healthy sweet treat while out and about. Almond and peanut butter are the most popular choices and are actually a great source of fat and protein. Dip the apple slices in, and you’ve got yourself a brilliant source of Vitamin C. Top tip? Feed this to the little ones in the family, and they won’t quite believe that this sweet treat is a healthy snack in disguise! 
 As you can see, food is the answer to many things and is the ticket to keeping your body healthy and happy. We’re buzzing with new ideas, but are always open to newer ones — what’s your productivity secret? We’d love to hear!
Share in the comments below: Questions go here
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unaffiliatedpangolin · 7 months ago
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The Libs have a huge opportunity to dunk on the conservatives.
I keep seeing them say how they would love to pay for free school lunches, they should just pay for all of them. Show them how it’s done, call them broke while you do it.
And then to really stick it to them start paying for their healthcare, and their education, pay for their children’s daycare too.
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mollydsails · 8 months ago
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August 10 - Fun filled day in Salem with Chris and Chelsea. Spent way too much money in LLBean, but I did need the clothes. We bought books at a used book store. I’ve never seen such an organized used book store. It was awesome! A delicious lunch was had at Pressed Cafe in Burlington. Freshly made panini sandwiches and salads. My sandwich had chicken breast (not deli meat), fresh mozzarella, and pesto and was served with a small Caesar salad. After returning to Molly D for a break from walking, David and I ventured ashore.
The marina hosted its own Olympic closing celebration. They offered a spread of tacos (with many fixings), pizza, cheese trays, crackers, pretzels and a variety of soft and hard beverages. For FREE! A trio of musicians provided entertainment. For those who wished to partake in it, there was a dunking tank. A fresh lobster roll food truck was also on site. I assume that the rolls were not free, as there was not a line around the truck.
We walked into town and met Chris at the Melt ice cream shop. Melt makes their own small batch ice cream. David got his usual vanilla with rainbow sprinkles and I had vanilla and bourbon. Yummy! We enjoy walking Salem. So much to see! Historic homes, shops, a great Polish deli (THE best Kielbasa I’ve ever had), sidewalk restaurants, and of course, lots of witch related museums and shops. Tomorrow we have a date for mini golf. And David and I have a date with washers and dryers.
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magicalbrandingadventure · 11 months ago
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A modern-day branding Nostradamus
Given the case was written in 2002, I endeavored to make my predictions based solely through the lens of one in 2002 (that way I wouldn't benefit from hindsight).* However, the promise (or lack thereof) of each of these products is so readily apparent that I found this to be a simple ranking.
My ranking of the products in terms of future promise are as follows:
DigiScents iSmell
Sliced peanut butter
Silver-coated bandages
Satellite radio
DigiScents iSmell
This is the clear and obvious winner of the four products. My initial inclination was that all PC owners would have their own iSmell by the end of 2004, let alone 2024. However, I've since realized that iSmell will likely be limited by their production capacity. Given that, I think it's likely that it will take several years of ramp up before iSmell becomes ubiquitous. That said, it has everything going for it: PC purchases are undergoing a meteoric rise, people are looking for new sensory experiences without leaving their home, and the technology underlying the product appears to be very advanced. The marketing for the product is a slam-dunk; it even looks cool:
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Sliced peanut butter
This the second (and final) can't-miss product on the list. Americans are living their lives on-the-go more than ever. This can be seen with the rise of the "mobile" phone (although I predict this is a trend that will die out in the coming years), the popularity of roller blades, and the increasing frequency of eating lunch at one's desk. While the interview with the sliced peanut butter creator really does say it all (who among us hasn't experienced the frustration of getting peanut butter all over oneself while simultaneously tearing the bread and losing the knife during a late-night PB&J creation?), it is worth reiterating just how revolutionary this product will be to the market. No longer will the average American need to carry around their jar of peanut butter in their back pocket along with their jar of emergency peanut butter in their fanny pack—adding bulk and anxiety regarding the dreaded "peanut butter blowout." Instead, they will be able to carry 10–15 PB slices, saving both space and time. This is particularly relevant in the post-9/11 world we live in, where it has become a piles of peanut butter jars overflowing out of trash bins near TSA security having been flagged as containing too much fluid have become a common sight.
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Silver-coated bandages
We live in a society where everything has its place: silver is for jewelry and bandages are for the weak. While I am technically speaking not a "medical doctor," I did grow up in the same town as one. Thus, I know that most cuts and scrapes are best served not by some highfalutin silver antibacterial elixir, but by rubbing some dirt on them. I believe I represent most Americans when I say that this product will never take any hold on the market, unless they are able to rebrand: instead of being silver-coated bandages, they should become bandage-shaped jewelry. Provided the price point is correct ($400+), this could easily become a statement piece worn by those in the medical community.
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(image created by generative AI, another fad)
Satellite radio
While well-meaning, this endeavor is entirely misguided as it's premise is ridiculous. People do not want fewer ads or monthly payments. Research has shown that advertisements actually increase the enjoyment viewers feel when watching television (https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5131EU). Further, it is beyond absurd to think that consumers will pay a monthly fee to listen to music that they will not even own. The chart below demonstrates the dramatic rise in CD sales every year, clearly showing that Americans are not willing to pay merely to listen to music: they want to listen to free music with ads (traditional radio) and pay to own music in their homes (CD albums).
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* Despite how funny it would have been, I opted not to write this article from the perspective of my eight-year-old self in 2002.
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