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allurilove · 1 month ago

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What are the yanderes getting you?

“Also featuring Henry and Moira.”

Yandere Boyfriend has seen the trend on tiktok where people make a ‘burr basket’ for their significant other. He’s obviously going to participate because he simply loves you, and he doesn’t want to be flamed on the internet incase you wanted to share how you didn’t get one to a bunch of people you didn’t know. He thought that a ‘burr basket’ was sort of ridiculous, that it fed into overconsumption, but he decided to put that aside and get you one because it’ll make you happy. He’s been secretly shopping here and there, watching you browse the aisles and stores. You had the tendency to call something ‘cute’ or you made a comment that you needed that item— yet you would always put it back on the shelf and walk away. Your boyfriend would scratch his head in confusion and quickly grab that thing and toss it into the basket he carried. If you weren’t going to buy it, he will.

Calm Yandere has always been the type of person to think of a theme before he buys you something. For your birthday, he knew that you ran out of your favorite perfume, so he buys you another, and a bunch of flowers and aromatic things. For this year, he knew he wanted to get you an array of cozy items. A thick white sweater, mufflers with a snowflake design, fuzzy socks to go with the pair of uggs, a candle that smells like apple and wood, and a bunch of tea he got from a specialty store. He puts all of his items in a red box with a gingerbread design, and puts a bow on top. He’s quite happy with what he got you, and he contemplated multiple times if he should just tell you. However, every time he reached for his phone, his dog would put her paw on his hand. Silently telling him not to.

Yandere Husband loves to travel with his family, but since his sisters were visiting him instead, he decided to stay at home and surprise you with something else. Tickets, booking hotels and flights was his sort of expertise, and buying gifts for others… was a bit of an hassle since you had closed yourself off to him. He couldn’t tell what you liked anymore, so he was really working off of whatever intel Henry gave him. But, he had an inkling that Henry was mostly dropping hints of what he wanted. Because your husband was pretty sure you couldn’t care less about receiving monster trucks, and “sick new shoes, and it has to be from adidas. Dad, are you even listening? Should I just draw you the exact pair I want— I mean what mom wants?”

Your man knew that you wanted a lamp. You had mentioned before that you wanted to add some light to the bedroom, and instead of giving you a regular shmegular lamp, he got you the Alabaster Totem 16 that costed about 30k. He just thought it was cute and unique. And of course, he just haaaad to get you some jewelry too. He personally liked Mikimoto and got you the ‘Classic Black Sea Pearl and Diamond Pendant.’ He also got you another necklace from Graff, a ‘Pear Shape Diamond Cross-over Necklace.’

This is the type of food Moira and Henry would make for reader— with the help of yandere husband of course lol. They might not be too concerned if the food tastes good or not, and as long as it was pretty, they’ll feed it to their mother. While yandere husband is busy making the food, the kids will make their iconic homemade cards they give you every year. Henry is a drawer, always scribbling some comic inside his card instead of words, and Moira liked to practice her cursive skills.

For Yandere Chaebol, Christmas is a pretty big deal to him and his family. He has a truckload of presents for his family, and another truck for his kids. His cousins are located in Busan, and his whole mother’s side preferred the simpler life of Jeju island. So, he’s dragging you around to visit all of his family. He’s not ashamed to show you off to his family anymore, and the press had learned of your guys’ relationship. A lot of people had so much shit to say, and the k-netizens don’t technically like you. The Chaebol cares about practicality… and comfortability, so he bought you a pair of shoes. You two will be walking around a lot, seeing nice sights, and eat good food. He might not be getting you much, but he’s paying for pretty much everything. The hotels, restaurants, the transportation, and the dumb souvenirs you want.

Yandere Prince isnt about to get you a necklace or earrings, but definitely a human feast. He’s been keeping a list of all the people he hates, and had beef with, for the past year. For thirty days straight, he’s been hunting them down and kidnapping them. He kept them plump for his wife- shoving clean foods down their throat. When Christmas time came along, he pretended he didn’t get you anything. He just sat there at the head of the table, and made brief glances at you. You were a tinge disappointed, your stomach growling, but you never had a taste for human food. You were starting to expect that you were going to have to sit there and watch your family chow down, but then… Your husband got up from his seat, clapped his hands, and a light had appeared at the newly built stage. His enemies were then lined up one by one, each in chains and shackles. The yandere prince might not show love for you, but he does think you’re beautiful. The way you tear into his enemies and make them scream… he’s glad to have you.

Dumb Yandere’s making sure that the house is clean, the bedsheets were washed and dried, and that the dining room is decorated to the nines! The yandere bought a tiny tree with red and white ornaments, a mistletoe taped to the front door (so he can immediately have an excuse to kiss you), and he was your present. The man awkwardly adjusted the wrapping paper he put around his cock, and he waddled around the house as he prepared the dinner table. He had ordered food before you came, and he made the dessert himself. He picked off the burnt bits on the pie, and tried to cover up the misshapen brownies with powdered sugar.

Crybaby Yandere Inmate could only cry from behind bars. He cried, humped his pillows, cried again, and then decided to make you a card. With his crayons he drew a portrait of you and him standing by a tree on the front of the card, and on the inside, he started to write how much he missed you. He rubbed the strawberry jam he got from breakfast on his lips, and he pressed long and hard onto the paper. “mmmmwah,” he then smiled as he pulled away and saw the kiss mark on the paper. All he could hope for is that you hadn’t fallen for another man.

Allure: Still writing yandere husband x you part four. So far it’s about 1.6k words rn.

#Allurilove yandere writing #happy holidays #this is for the yanderes that are in an relationship with the reader!#yandere boyfriend x you #calm yandere x you #yandere husband x you #yandere husband x wife reader #yandere husband x daughter #yandere husband x henry #yandere chaebol x you #yandere prince x siren you #dumb yandere x you #crybaby yandere inmate x you #male yandere oc's #christmas #yandere x y/n #yandere x you #yandere x reader #yandere oc

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avatarofthearchives · 11 days ago

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Random Magnus Archive Headcanons

A: Gertrude used to have a hippie aesthetic. There's only a handful of pictures that serve as evidence for this, and no one in her life has ever seen them.

B: Georgie loves DND and has a group she plays with on weekends. She's the DM.

C: Gerard is bad at making decisions and tends to flip a coin when he's unsure. He doesn't always listen to the coin, but he finds it to be a good way to figure out which outcome he'd actually been hoping for.

D: Jon doesn't realize this about himself, but he always plays paper when playing rock, paper, scissors. He doesn't understand how he keeps loosing to Martin.

E: Michael Shelley had hiccup fits all the time.

F: Anabelle has done despicable and worrying things in every version of "The Sims" franchise. Including "The Sims Free Play" which...is almost impressive.

G: Jon found the Creepypasta website when he was a teen and genuinely thought he stumbled upon an Archive of documented supernatural encounters. He obviously hadn't, and he realized that sooner than later, but not before gaining anxiety around the idea of hyper realistic eyes. (Jon after starting the apocalypse: "Martin this is just like that website. The pasta one.")

H: Agnes is always wearing at least one piece of jewelry. Most people assume it's am aesthetic thing, but really she just likes having something on her to fiddle with. She doesn't know what to do with her hands otherwise.

I: Peter and Elias frequently send each other letters written on their finest parchment paper and mailed in a homemade envelope closed with their own personal wax seal. Then, after receiving each others letters, they shred them to be petty. They both know the other person shreds them, but they keep putting in a large amount of effort anyways. Their dynamic is incomprehensible.

J: Melanie has always had a deeply unnatural skill that's come in handy many times in her life: She can train cats to do tricks. No one knows how she does it, not even herself, but give her an hour and a box of treats and she'll have a cat sitting 50% of the time...Which is an impressively high number if you've ever met a cat.

#the magnus archives #magnus archives #tma #gertrude robinson #gerard keay #jonathan sims #michael shelley #anabelle cane #agnes montague #melanie king #peter lucas #elias bouchard

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daytaker · 1 year ago

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The Gang React to You Giving Them Chocolates on Valentine's Day

And other Valentine's Day miscellanea. I'm going with MC giving store-bought chocolates. I know in some places, it's more common to give homemade chocolates, but I for one do not have any idea how that is done and it's not something that's common where I live, so I'm going to go with what I know, which is very little. Enjoy! (Mostly below the cut.)

The length of these varies. Some are quite short. I just wanted to put out some sort of Valentine's Day themed Thing, even if I'm almost two days late.

Lucifer

"How thoughtful. I don't suppose there's anything deeper I'm meant to read into here?"

He's so smug. Unreasonably so. More than you would expect. Yeah, guys, he got chocolates from MC. But his pride doesn't allow him to flaunt the fact. He has to just hope and pray people actively ask him whether he's gotten anything or where those not-so-discreetly placed chocolates sitting on his desk happened to come from.

Lucifer is very traditional in his treatment of you. When it comes to events like this, he's almost painfully predictable. He'll certainly have roses for you, and depending on your relationship, he might reserve dinner for two at a high end restaurant. And if your relationship is at a certain level, you can expect a trail of rose petals leading to the bed. It's kind of cringeworthy but he means well.

Mammon

"O-oh... Ahem... Is it Valentine's Day? Ha! I thought I was forgettin' somethin'. Heh, uh... thanks, human."

Obviously he didn't forget; he's been stressing over this day for the past week. He needs to get you something, but it can't be anything that's too cheesy or anything that makes him look cheap, so he's probably broken the bank to get you some sort of jewelry that he'll spend the next century paying off, but it's worth it.

When he gets chocolates from you, he plays it off like it's no big deal, but actually, he's so excited to reciprocate that before he has time to think it over, he's acting like he just so happened to have this expensive piece of jewelry on his person so you might as well take it for him. He spends the rest of the day kicking himself because now how in the world are you supposed to know that this was actually a very tactful and expensive gift from the greatest demon in the Devildom?

That, and he'll probably spend the entire day glaring at his brothers and the dateables from the corner as they shower you with gifts and attention.

Leviathan

"Wh...? For me? This isn't a prank, right? Because I'm not gonna forgive you if this box is full of tide pods!"

It's not full of tide pods, so all is well. He's so embarrassed to have doubted you that he tries to just shove his gift into your hands and push you out of his room, but it won't take too much persistence to get him to back down.

His gift is some sort of merch relating to an anime, manga, or game the two of you have particularly enjoyed together. Preferably something cute and evocative of the holiday. He doesn't know. He's never done this before. Why would he? Nobody would ever think to give him anything on Valentine's Day, so why would he bother with gifts? You do remember that nobody likes him, right? He doesn't like them either, so it's fine, but---

Let's just thank him for our gift before he falls too far down the self-hate spiral.

Satan

"I had hoped I might receive something from you today."

Satan is glad to get something from you, no matter what it is, but to be honest, chocolates probably aren't the best choice for him. He'd rather have something a little more heart-felt, that seems like you picked it out with him in mind. Literally anything cat-themed, or a book of some sort (bonus if it's a romance novel).

He's probably gone and done something stupidly romantic like buy you flowers and a book of poetry with certain parts highlighted.

But don't be fooled. Satan's favorite part of Valentine's Day is talking about its gruesome history, from the martyrdom of St. Valentine to a whole host of brutal murders that have taken place on the day. Catch him trying to figure out how to shoehorn the Chicago St. Valentine's Day Massacre into a casual conversation.

Asmodeus

"Oh, for meeee? You're such a sweetheart!"

He adds it to his enormous pile of chocolates, cards, flowers, and love letters. But of course, it's special, because it's from you.

He loves it, but... he's another one who would probably prefer something a little more personalized. Being who he is, he's a very popular demon on Valentine's Day, so seeing you put in a little effort to get him something with a bit of Asmo-flair would thrill him.

Beelzebub

"Chocolates...? This is the best thing I could have asked for. They'll taste even better knowing they're from you."

Well, obviously he loves them. He probably tried to get you chocolates too, but it doesn't matter how much he loves you. Beel's gonna Beel. The box is empty. He's shocked. He was sure he left some.

Belphegor

"...Wait, it's...? ...Thanks, MC. They look really good."

Belphie stares down at the chocolates in his hands, looking tired and mellow, while he internally panics because holy shit, it's already February 14? When did that happen? He doesn't have anything for you. He hates Valentine's Day. Why does it have to exist and lay bare all his inadequacies, like being a procrastinator and forgetting to prepare for things in advance even to the slightest degree?

Diavolo

"Ah, for Valentine's Day! It's a delight to receive this in person!"

Diavolo probably gets plenty of Valentine's Day presents from admirers (and suck-ups) around the Devildom, but most of them come in the mail or are otherwise delivered in an impersonal manner. So when you approach him directly to give him some chocolates, he's reminded why you're everyone's favorite human (himself included).

Also, you'd better clear out your schedule, because Diavolo booked out all of Ristorante Six for a dinner date tonight. Yes, the entire thing. Yes, on Valentine's Day. No, he's not worried about the dozens of disappointed couples who had probably been hoping to eat there.

Barbatos

"Any gift from you is satisfactory in my eyes."

It's kind of embarrassing to give regular old chocolates to someone like Barbatos who's a complete whiz in the kitchen, especially when it comes to sweets. But you figure he'd appreciate the gesture, and you'd be right. Of course, he will turn around and present you with a variety of immaculate, handcrafted artisan chocolates, tailor made to your personal taste. But sure, those store-bought candies you got in the heart-shaped box are completely fine, so stop stressing out about it.

Solomon

"Aw, thank you, my adorable apprentice! I have some homemade chocolates for you! What? Aren't you going to try some?"

Solomon tries to kill you on Valentine's Day...with love, obviously! But seriously, aren't you going to try the chocolates? He put his whole heart into them. And the hearts of several unique Devildom species. They're not toxic, stop worrying.

Simeon

"The fact that you thought of me means more than you realize."

And he means it. The fact that you thought about him, and when thinking about him, made the active decision to buy him something for Valentine's Day makes him stupidly happy.

Simeon strikes me as a flowers kind of guy. He got you flowers. Maybe some homemade treats too, but definitely flowers.

Luke

"Thanks! I got you something too. Happy Valentine's Day!"

Luke made cookies. They're delicious. Befriending this kid is the smartest thing you ever did.

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path-of-grass-and-leaves · 25 days ago

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Bioregional Magic: Sustainable Ways to Work with Native Plants

Note: Post Contains Personal Anecdotes and UPG

As someone with a nature-based practice, I completely understand the desire to work with native plants. Many of us are deeply compelled to foster a connection with our land spirits and the local flora and fauna.

But with the normalization of consumption in witchcraft spaces paired with unethical wildcrafting and foraging practices, it's important to be careful. We don't want to harm the native plant populations and the wildlife that depends on them in our quest for a more localized practice.

Learning which plants are safe to harvest

By safe, I don't mean safe to handle or consume, though this is also crucial knowledge for anyone harvesting wild plants in general. I'm specifically referring to whether or not the collection of native plant matter will make a negative impact on the local ecosystem.

Think of it this way, if your practice is spirit-focused. Will the collective spirits of certain plants really want to assist you if you're devastating their population for your own gain? IME the answer is a hard no.

Take a look at a field guide and start identifying some of the native plants in your region. Are some of them listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern? Now you know which plants you should never disturb or collect materials from.

If not threatened, are some species generally harder to find? Are they present only in a certain type of environment? Do they take a long time to mature and/or have a very specific method of seed dispersal? Proceed with caution.

Example:

Common Blue Violets are one of the first plants to bloom in my garden during springtime. I also consider them very important in my practice and like to harvest them for certain rituals. But like I said, they're one of the first native plants to bloom during spring. Which means there are going to be pollinating insects, songbirds, and small mammals which rely on these plants for food. And predators who rely on those animals.

Since this is a hardy plant that usually grows in abundance, it's okay for me to harvest some from the garden for personal use. But I still need to leave enough to serve as a resource for wildlife and allow it to reproduce for the following year.

On the contrary, I never touch my wild Bloodroot. I only have two or three plants in the garden, their seeds have double dormancy germination requirements, and they take 2-3 years to reach blooming size. I have only ever collected seeds for propagation, and even then do it rarely because I know that the ants do a much better job at this than I could.

So when we can't harvest materials to use for tools and ingredients in workings, how do we utilize these plants in our practice?

Physical Representations and Symbolism

Images, objects, and symbols representing the plant can be used to substitute organic matter that you would otherwise collect and use for workings. Consider art pieces or photos, sculptures, sigils and seals, paper cut or folded into the shape of leaves or flowers, etc.

If the plant is your main component or energy source, consider designing the working to cater to this. For example, if I'm petitioning the spirit of milkweed, I might want to incorporate aspects of air and wind, since this is how their seeds are distributed. Or I may want to add some lunar energies knowing that this is the planetary correspondence for milkweed. This is would completely depend on my intent for the specific working and which physical or spiritual aspects of the plant I choose to work with.

If you're seeking a more long-term effect, try getting crafty and using symbols of the plant to decorate your own tools. I'm talking homemade oracle cards, painted jars or boxes for container spells, decorated offering bowls, ritual jewelry, and so on.

Working with Living Plants

This one is for the spirit workers. While it's entirely possible to petition plant spirits, especially collectives, solely using imagery, working carefully with a living plant can help establish a more direct spiritual connection.

This can be done by conducting your working outdoors, inviting the spirit of the plant into your space, and asking for assistance. During this time you would leave an offering, usually fresh water, but you can also offer things like soil or compost. Obtaining a working knowledge of certain plants can help inspire ideas for more creative, species-appropriate offerings, giving your spells and rituals an extra boost.

Now if this were a plant that was on a special concern or endangered species list, I would avoid offerings and actions that could potentially disturb the plant in any way. I may work within a few feet of the plant and present my offering in a bowl, removing it at the end of the working. I would definitely avoid touching it or say, pouring out water over the soil where it grows.

While we're on the subject of offerings, consider acts of service. Once again, we're going to use milkweed as an example. If I want to leave a nice offering for the spirit of milkweed and I know that Black Swallowtails feed on the nectar and pollinate it, I may offer a potted plant of dill placed in the wildflower garden. This is because Black Swallowtail caterpillars love to eat dill and will later pupate into adults, which will be beneficial for the plant. Consider different species and their relationship with each other. You may even get multiple spirit allies out of the deal.

Cultivation and Seed Distribution

Now, we've talked about ways to avoid harm when incorporating native plant species into our practices, but what about making a positive impact?

The Act of Growing Things is actually my favorite part of plant magic. Sure, I love harvesting my vegetables, fruit, and herbs to use in various recipes, and wild plants I find in the yard are excellent allies. But there really is something special about watching a tiny seedling grow into a full-sized plant, or seeing that delicate young native perennial thrive during its first year outdoors.

Whether transplanting or growing from seed, you're inevitably going to develop a strong relationship with that specific plant. You'll learn all about its growth rate, ecological benefits, soil requirements, and more. This will lead to folklore, correspondences, and later on your own UPG related to where this plant fits within your practice.

Another option, if you don't have the energy for more hands-on cultivation, is seed scattering. Disturbed areas like roadside ditches or even your backyard are perfect for this. Whether scattering or growing in starter pots, seeds can be charmed or enchanted with a specific intent and planted as a sort of living spell.

I use Prarie Moon Nursery for my seeds, but there are plenty of other affordable online vendors. You can also check out what's available locally. There are a few native-focused nurseries in my area that have a nice variety of options depending on the season.

#bioregional magic #plant magic #nature veneration #nature magic #spirit work #witchcraft community #witchcraft #witchblr

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pasteldreams · 1 month ago

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loverboy!matt for winter/ christmas...

buys you matching sweatshirts and christmas pjs

would never let you leave the house without a jacket because you might catch a cold

carries your jacket when it gets too warm

has an extra hoodie in his car for when your clothes aren’t warm enough

buys your gifts at least a month in advance

and there’s A LOT of gifts…

that man is spoiling you

remember that one thing you said was cute one time? no? well, matt does and now it’s yours

clothes, shoes, jewelry, perfumes, items based on your interests, everything

if you have pets, he would totally buy them gifts too

“they needed a new toy” “they didn’t need 10, matt…” “baby, i couldn’t pick just one”

asks his brothers if they think you’ll like the gifts he bought

“are you sure she’ll like them?” “dude, you’ve asked us the same fucking question every day for weeks, the answer is still yes” “but she’s so special to me, what if-“ “oh my GOD. we get it, you love her. your gifts are great, now shut the fuck up”

would cry if you gave him anything homemade as a gift

every holiday, matt writes you a love letter that he hides in one of the gift boxes

invites you over to watch christmas movies but just ends up staring at you the whole time

“dude, you’re kinda freakin’ me out” “did you know you’re really pretty?”

would take you ice skating

would probably tear up if you ended up getting hurt on the ice

“why are you crying? i’m the one with the twisted ankle” “i’m the reason you got hurt” “no, baby, the ice is the reason i got hurt”

would pull a picture of mistletoe up on his phone to hold above your heads

“you know what that means!” “i don’t think that’s how it works, sweet boy” “can’t you just pretend? for me? pleeease”

would take you on late night drives to look at christmas lights

“when we buy a house together, can we decorate it for the holidays?” “you wanna buy a house together?” “duh, maybe right before we get married” “married?!” “yeah, you’re stuck with me forever, my love”

would "forget" to turn the heater on at night so that you have to cuddle him for warmth

a/n: just a quick thing i whipped up today, enjoy and happy holidays!

🏷️ taglist: @y3sterdaysproblem

reply/msg/inbox to be added to the taglist!

teddy bear divider by @dollywons and gingerbread divider by @issysh3ll

#matt sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #chris sturniolo #nick sturniolo #sturniolo #the drawing board 𓂃🖊#matt sturniolo fanfic #matt sturniolo fluff #lover boy #loverboy!matt sturniolo #fluffmas #christmas fluff #matt sturniolo x reader #sturniolo x reader #matthew sturniolo #dividers not mine

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tsumuus · 6 days ago

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tsumuus valentines event !

thank you all for all the support and love ive recieved, it truly means the world to me

i recently reached 1000 followers and there will be a 1k event soon, but for now, since valentines is approaching, i wanted to do a little something for that

rules and event info are as follows:

asks !

in your request, pick your valentine (any character of your choice; mha, haikyuu, etc...) + your gift (fic prompt) + anything else you'd like to add:

prompts !

♡ teddy bear - 🧸 - your best friend/long time crush gives you a teddy bear on valentine's day. its just a simple gesture. no hidden meaning behind the gift, right? right?

♡ box of chocolates - 💝 - you made homemade chocolates for everyone in your class. its just your luck that the bag with a joke confession meant for your best friend ended up in the hands of your crush

♡ bouquet of flowers - 💐 - someone sent you flowers on valentine's day. the problem being there isnt a note. you spend the entire day trying to figure out who the sender is

♡ handwritten letter - 💌 - you receive an anonymous love letter and spend valentine’s day trying to figure out who it's from, unaware that it's someone you’ve known all along

♡ spotify playlist - 🎧 - you and your best friend are often told you’d make the perfect couple, but neither of you has ever considered it, until valentine’s day makes you two rethink everything

♡ engraved jewelry - 💍 - any prompt or story idea you want, just pls be specific :)

feel free to tweak prompts however you like in your requests

(also specifiy if youd like a smau or written fic. smaus take longer for me to do and will vary in size. i have way less experience in making smau than written fics as well, but check out the ones ive done :) written fics vary from 200 words to 1000, just depending on how much im feeling it😭)

rules + info !

event will run from 2.1.2025 to 2.15.2025 (feel free to begin sending in your requests!)

all i ask is that you dont be weird or negative in any way. also keep your requests pg, im 17 lol

thats all, enjoy!

navigation | masterlists

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shall-we-die · 10 months ago

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╔‌‌‌‌•°🍰༄•°══════════•��•°༄༚

{HBD Dear MC!~}

A list of gifts they gonna give you 🎁

╞•⊰❖⊱•═══•༻🎂༺•═══•⊰❖⊱•╡

☰[Main list]•⊰ X Obey me!

#Part 1 📍 || #Part 2 || #Part 3 || #Part 4

╚•°🍰༄•°══════════•⊰•°༄༚‌‌‌

[Lucifer]:

A piece of music he composed, a bouquet of rare black roses, a vintage vinyl record of his favorite music genre, a handwritten letter and a necklace with a pendant.

[Mammon]:

A brand new car, an expensive watch, a gold necklace and the most expensive set of jewelry he could find. (With the help of Lucifer’s money of course)

[Leviathan]:

A signed rare copy of his favorite anime and manga series, rare figurines of his favorite characters, and a handmade bracelet made out of real gemstones.

[Satan]:

A box of homemade pastries that would always refill and never run out, a leather-bound notebook filled with his best poetry and a ring with a ruby attached to it.

[Asmodeus]:

A luxury spa package, his favorite book series and a perfume set that contained all his favorite scents.

[Beelzebub]:

A home cooked dinner, a bottle of champagne and a jar of his special honey.

[Belphegor]:

A big cuddly teddy bear, a warm blanket and pillows and, a big pillow-shaped chocolate cake.

[Diavolo]:

An exclusive tour of the Demon King’s castle, a luxurious robe and a box of sweets.

[Barbatos]:

A personal day out with him at his favorite places, a bottle of expensive tea and a vintage-style fountain pen.

[Simeon]:

A bouquet of rare pink roses and peonies, a box of chocolates as well as his homemade cookies, and a framed letter.

[Solomon]:

A handwritten book filled with magical spells and runes, a new spellbook which he designed himself, and a bottle of the rarest and most unique wine there is.

[Luke]:

A box set of his favorite stories, a new plushie and a box of his delicious pancakes.

[Raphael]:

A handmade sweater, a basket with all his favorite herbal teas and spices, and a box of his most precious herbs and plants.

[Mephistopheles]:

A box filled with all his favorite rare books, a handmade ceramic mug and a handcrafted blanket.

[Thirteen]:

A framed photo of the two of you together, a handmade plushie with all her favorite features and a big box of chocolates.

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kalpanahandmadepaper · 5 months ago

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https://kalpanapapers.com/collections/handmade-paper-box

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akairawrites · 1 year ago

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Cats Out The Bag | Damian Wayne Imagine

Curiosity Killed The Cat part 2

Taglist

@ella-fella-bo-bella @ayoitsurfavdesigurl @luvvvjada @harleycao @aiq39 @lumineliax @420sprite @stvrfir3 @instabull @rukia-uchiha-98 @1lellykins @lilupie @deliciousfatblackcat @skyesayshi @imarimone12 @mysticalhills @4arancia @bat-h-tic @luvelyxp @urmomsbananabread @elebeleb @strawberrycreamb @princessofhope0 @itisjustagirl @dollceesstuff @just-reading-dany @Ginger24880 @godknows-shetried @that-levi-kenma-kinnie @kierancaz @Crystals-faith @cascadingbliss

You could feel the cool night breeze against your cheeks as you gracefully leaped through the air. It was a tranquil night in Gotham, the perfect backdrop for criminal activities.

Upon descending from the side of the building, you headed toward the front entrance. Naturally, the door was locked. You reached for a bobby pin from your hair and crouched down to examine the lock. Inserting the pin, you heard a satisfying click as the door unlocked. A self-satisfied smile crossed your face as you returned the bobby pin to its place. Inside, you inhaled deeply and exhaled, a smirk forming as you dropped your duffel bag. Rifling through it, you retrieved a homemade C-4 like device. With practiced ease, you entered a password on the screen and affixed it to the wall near the safety deposit boxes. After a few seconds, the device beeped, and the boxes popped open with a hiss. Your first-time trial was a success, and you couldn't help but smile.

Swiftly, you went through almost every box, finding mostly deeds and divorce papers. Fortunately, you stumbled upon some jewelry, and someone even carelessly stashed a wad of cash inside, which you promptly pocketed.

Once your bag was stuffed, you exited the building unnoticed. Scaling the side of the building, you reached the rooftop to survey your surroundings, ensuring no heroic intervention was imminent. As you counted the money you had collected, a pair of feet landed behind you. You sighed in annoyance and slowly turned around, still clutching the cash.

To your surprise, it was Robin.

A few years back, after robbing a jewelry store, Selina had persuaded you to take a break from a life of crime, deeming it too perilous and unpredictable. Only recently had she allowed you to return to your illicit activities. You took a moment to observe him, noticing his increased muscularity and shorter hair. With his mask on, he would be unrecognizable anyway. "You got taller," were your initial words.

Little did you know that Damian was scrutinizing you as well. The last time he'd seen you, he was just 14 years old. Normally, he wouldn't care much about his adversaries, let alone think about them as much as he did about you. Even though you had bested him the first and only time you'd crossed paths, he couldn't help but think about you.

"And you got curvier," Damian blurted out, unable to prevent the words from escaping his mouth. He mentally scolded himself for succumbing to his intrusive thoughts.

You gave him a quizzical look, unsure if he was attempting to flirt with you. He didn't strike you as the flirting type. Shaking your head, you slapped the cash against your palm and rocked on your heels. Slipping the money into your bag, you slung it over your shoulder. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, but I gotta go." You turned to walk in the opposite direction, but a force struck you from behind, sending you tumbling to the ground, landing on your stomach with your chin scraping against the pavement. You groaned and rolled over, just as Damian unsheathed his sword in a graceful forward roll.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to hit a girl?" you taunted.

"No, she threw me into the League of Assassins, where I was trained to be a cold-blooded killer," Damian replied.

Damn.

Damian rushed toward you, his sword slicing through the air. Swiftly, you rolled out of the way, but he managed to slice open your bag instead. You stood up as he charged at you again, the absence of your bag making the fight a fairer match. You assumed it would be easier to defeat him this time, just as you had when you first faced off.

As you prepared to throw a punch, Damian seized your wrist and struck your elbow, simultaneously sweeping your leg from under you. You crashed to the ground, landing hard on your back and knocking the wind out of you. He threw away his sword and grabbed you by the collar of your suit, cocking his fist back and delivering a punch to your face. The ringing in your ears intensified as the blows continued.

Foolishly underestimating Damian, you realized he was much stronger than he had been four years ago. He was giving his all, determined not to stop until you were defeated. Gathering enough energy, you managed to kick him off you. As you wiped your nose, feeling the blood trickling from your lips, you stood up, reminding yourself that you were not your mother.

You landed a few punches, but Damian's strength remained a significant advantage. He kicked you in the stomach, causing you to tumble toward the edge of the building. He slowly approached you, grabbing you by the hair to lift your head off the ground. He surveyed your bloodied and battered face, sighing as if regretting what he was about to do. With nothing left in you to fight back, you braced yourself as he delivered a final blow that sent you over the side of the building, hurtling towards the ground.

⋆

You clutched your book tightly to your chest as you navigated the bustling hallway. Skillfully, you maneuvered past the people blocking your path, making your way to your locker. After shoving your books inside, you retrieved the ones needed for your next class. However, you couldn't shake the feeling that someone's intense gaze was fixed on the side of your head. You glanced to your left and found yourself locking eyes with a pair of piercing green ones. Damian stood only a few feet away, next to his own locker. You let out a resigned sigh, anticipating that he might deliver another one of his lectures.

A few weeks ago, Damian had been assigned as your tutor for the rest of the year, given your struggle to keep up with your classes due to frequent absences. Neither of you had welcomed this arrangement, but your slipping grades left you with no choice but to accept help, even if it meant being tutored by the most arrogant person you'd ever encountered.

As Damian approached, you couldn't help but speak up, "What do you want, Damian?"

"I want you to meet me at my dorm once classes are over," he stated, his tone more commanding than inquisitive. You arched an eyebrow and closed your locker. "For what? We don't have anything scheduled for today."

He merely sighed. "I just need to have a word with you," he said and walked past you without further explanation. Your eyes tracked his retreating figure as he disappeared down the hall. You couldn't help but mutter, "Who does he think he is?"

After the school day ended, you complied with his request and made your way to Damian's dorm. You knocked and waited for a few moments, unsure of the reason behind this unusual request. Damian seldom engaged with you outside of tutoring, making it clear that he wanted nothing to do with you ever since you'd punched him in the face.

Once Damian finally came to the door, he said nothing when he saw it was you. He just stepped out of the way, allowing you to enter. You walked into the small dorm room, which was plain but tidy. The walls lacked decorations, reminiscent of how your dorm looked when you first moved in. Damian's tie and blazer lay discarded on his neatly made bed, leaving him in his half-buttoned dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” you asked, taking a seat on the edge of his bed, being careful not to disrupt the bedding.

Last week, when Damian came to your dorm to study, his eyes caught sight of something on your nightstand—an emerald green necklace that almost perfectly matched the color of his eyes. It had looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. A few days ago, it finally clicked in his head where he had seen it before. Too much evidence pointed to you being someone he desperately did not want you to be. He would never admit it, but you were growing on him, and he secretly enjoyed your company. To confirm his suspicions, he needed one more piece of evidence.

"Let me see your hand," Damian abruptly requested.

"What?"

"Your hand, let me see it." Without waiting for your response, he took hold of your hand and examined your palm. He noticed a scar running diagonally across it, he remembered when you came to school with it bandaged up. You had told people it resulted from a kitchen accident, but he knew the truth. Damian was piecing everything together like a puzzle. It would explain why he often caught you sneaking into the dorms late at night, as well as why you were frequently late to class and tutoring.

It was you.

He just couldn't figure out how you were alive. He had believed he killed you. His heart ached at the thought.

You watched as Damian traced the scar on your hand with his thumb, his touch sending a tingly sensation through your skin.

"Damian...?" Your voice came out softer than intended. When he heard his name, he looked up at you, his eyes conveying a mixture of fear and regret, emotions you never thought you'd see from him.

"I know," he simply stated.

Confused, you shook your head. "You know what?"

And then it clicked. He KNEW. Why else would he be so interested in your scar? You thought you had done a good job of keeping it hidden. In fact, you had done a good job. The only way he would know was if he had been there.

You withdrew your hand from his. "You're Robin?" You didn't receive an immediate response, which confirmed your suspicion. You sighed, unsure if you should be upset or not. After all, it's not as if the two of you were best friends who had promised never to lie to each other. You did feel somewhat guilty for beating him up, but he had almost killed you in return.

"I'm sorry," he finally admitted, looking away, as if he couldn't bear to make eye contact while apologizing. It was a momentary lapse of his ego.

"Damian Wayne apologizing?" you said, a smug grin on your face.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't get used to it."

You laughed and playfully nudged him. You noticed a small smirk tugging at his lips, and it made your own smile grow wider.

Surprisingly, you both sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Damian decided to break it.

"How did you survive that fall anyway?" he asked.

You chuckled. "No one told you? I'm like a cat, Damian. I have nine lives."

If you couldn’t tell I tried to avoid having to come up with a alias for Y/N…anyway,

Add yourself to my taglist here

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twiixr4kidz · 2 years ago

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Hii I was wondering if you could make Seven evil exes x reader and it's like their first anniversary hehe thanks!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻

I AM SO SO SORRY THIS IS SO LATE I HOPE U ENJOY IT ANYWAYS

matthew patel

he's been preparing for MONTHS

he wants everything to be absolutely perfect

you're gonna come home to the house being covered in rose petals and balloons

the smell of a fresh, homemade meal wafting through the halls

the sound of a hot bath being drawn, filled to the brim with the most delicious-smelling bubble bath

and matthew, with a small gift in hand

in that box may or may not be a specific piece of jewelry you'd been eyeing for like, ever :3

matthew LISTENS

lucas lee

he invites you over and hands you a fancy outfit, perfect for a night out

he tells you to take all the time you need to get ready while he does the same

once you're ready, he will not shut up about how fucking incredible he thinks you look

and then, it's time for the bougiest dinner you've ever eaten

the sky is the limit, and lucas is more than willing to pay for whatever you want

he even gets the most expensive champagne

AND DID I MENTION IT WAS A PRIVATE DINING ROOM???

todd ingram

spoiler alert, he's been writing a song about you since he first began having feelings for you

definitely sits you down beforehand to plan something, except he doesn't tell you that it's for your anniversary

he wakes you up with breakfast in bed and a fresh pitcher of your favorite flowers on your bedside table

he lets you sleep in, but not TOO late - you have a very busy day ahead, full of the most stomach-churningly sweet romantic activities ever (todd's a little bit of a cornball but in the best way possible)

roxie richter

roxie gets so excited the night before that she literally keeps you up until midnight just so she can scream "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY" and pop confetti canons that somehow?? spawned into her hands??

she does let you sleep eventually, but she wakes you up as soon as she sees fit

the entire house is fucking COVERED in the tackiest party city decorations

for breakfast? a cake. that she made. at 3am. (she didn't sleep)

she also wanted to do something fun for your anniversary... by fun i mean a nerf gun fight

plus side, if you win, you get to pick dinner!!

kyle katayanagi

at first, kyle sort of brushes off your anniversary

trust me, he cares. he cares A LOT. but he literally has no idea what to do for an anniversary so him brushing it off is his way of saying "WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO"

the day of, he'll invite you over without saying much

when you get to his house, he (nervously) greets you with some hand-picked flowers and your favorite drink

he's the kind of guy to get you one of those little gift baskets that has things like your favorite snacks, a movie, a comfy pair of pj pants, a stuffed animal, and a little giftcard

at the very bottom, tucked into the folds of the pj pants, is a letter where he expresses how lucky he is to have you in his life

ken katayanagi

ken's a big planner but a bad celebrator

similarly to his brother, he also isn't really sure about what to do for your anniversary

he's probably going to keep it on the simpler side because he doesn't want to overwhelm you

he pays attention to the things you say you like and you want, and he'll pick out a couple that he knew you really wanted

and of course, he's going to treat you to dinner because what kind of gentleman would he be if he didn't??

gideon graves

i've said it once and i'll say it again, gideon LOVES to spoil you

he gives you gifts all the time, and your anniversary is no different

the gifts that he gives on your anniversary are one the more expensive side

he either makes or buys all of your favorite foods for you

AND, when you thought he already did the most, he surprises you with two tickets for a trip to a dream location of your choice, including plenty of fun activities, lots of sight seeing, and LOTS of rest n relaxation

#scott pilgrim #scott pilgrim vs the world #spvtw #matthew patel #matthew patel x reader #lucas lee #lucas lee x reader #todd ingram #todd ingram x reader #roxie richter #roxie richter x reader #kyle katayanagi #kyle katayanagi x reader #ken katayanagi #ken katayanagi x reader #gideon graves #gideon graves x reader

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f4unlette · 2 months ago

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𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑑

⌗ bake for other people, like family, friends, colleagues

⌗ watch mukbang videos, informative documentaries about internet phenomenons, history (political, fashion) crime or strange occurrences

⌗ listen to new music and learn more about the artist or the band itself, make new playlists

⌗ watch a gameplay on youtube or play childhood nostalgic video games

⌗ learn new makeup styles, hairstyles and build outfits based off of different fashion styles

⌗ get a homemade manicure

⌗ create your own website (ex. carrd)

⌗ deep cleaning: making your bed, doing laundry, going through a pile of clothing, throwing away old/expired makeup products, de-cluttering, cleaning the bathroom, deep cleaning the kitchen and the pantry by throwing away expired products, cleaning bags, boxes, wallets and pencil cases, changing the aesthetic of your bedroom

⌗ gardening or taking care of house plants

⌗ learn more about certain species of flowers, animals, subjects (like astronomy, philosophy, sociology, biology) and take notes

⌗ make a shopping list for necessities (food, cleaning supplies, hygiene necessities) and wishes (makeup, clothing, collectibles) on paper and by making pinterest boards and sections

⌗ re-watch old nostalgic movies or series (comedy anime like azumanga daioh, lucky star, nichijou, gakuen handsome and saiki k, horror/thriller and comedy movies, novelas)

⌗ read a book, whether it’s classic literature or a comic book

⌗ studying: watching videos, taking notes, reciting out loud

⌗ take an everything shower with music playing. from skincare, to hair care, brushing teeth and body care

⌗ skincare: do a face mask and a gua sha massage, learn more about your skin type and how to take care of it

⌗ make handmade gifts:

paper crafts: stickers, bookmarks, collages, keychains with shrink paper, decorated envelopes (drawings, glitter, paint, gluing things like buttons and lace, 3d open envelope drawings), scenery stands, fake food and objects, strings, drawing posters, paper stars, paper crowns, flower bouquets, realistic camera;

clay crafts: vases, boxes, plates, bowls, spoons, jewelry holders, cups and mugs, charms, rings, playhouses, paint palettes, animal sculptures, candle and incense stands, lighter cases;

crocheting and sewing: hats, gloves, scarves, plushies, keychains, pillow covers/pillows, bags, cup stands, book cases, water bottle bags, pencil cases, creating new clothes out of old ones, mixed/leftover fabric rugs or blankets.

bracelets: patterned, beaded, with a string and buttons;

other: door handle hangers, painted wooden spoons, painted tiles, painted tea bags, pins, painted rocks, decorated journal cases, soap making, altoid wallets, decorate your phone case, hair wraps, decorate a photo frame, recycle an old candle (seashell and can candles), flags, window beads, hair accessories (decorated headbands, hairpins), decorated sunglasses, soda tab friend, bleached t-shirts, surfboard necklace, washi tape, gift baskets.

tiktok: diy ideas when you’re bored

⌗ try out a new sport: ex. badminton, volleyball, dance, swimming, tennis, basketball, martial arts, athletics.

⌗ do pilates or a 1980s workout, play just dance or do a karaoke session

⌗ play a board/card game (monopoly, trivial pursuit, uno, cluedo, guess who)

⌗ take a walk and explore your surroundings

⌗ write down new recipes you haven’t tried yet including the necessary steps to make them and make a grocery shopping list of everything you need

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gravehags · 1 year ago

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satan baby

Pairing: Cardinal Copia x f!Reader (Curator!Reader)

Rating: Teen

Tags: yule with the papas, secondo and terzo fighting over caroling, gift giving, and maybe...kissing

Words: 1,877

Summary: It's the most wonderful time of the year.

a/n: it's been a while my children. eat up and merry christmas to those who celebrate. a little present from me to you.

divider by @gothdaddyissues!

“This is Secret Santa, you’re only supposed to get a gift for one person,” you sigh, currently inundated with a pile of presents on your lap and by your feet. “What’s all this?”

“Correction, bella, this is Secret Satan where you get as many gifts for whomever you like, sì? And you’re our star this year.”

Terzo smiles warmly at you as you fidget with the fabric of your festive dark green velvet skirt. You’ve all gathered in the Papas’ private living room, the mantle of the roaring fireplace positively bedecked with greenery and a massive tree opposite. A couple weeks ago you and Copia were put in charge of creating the orange garland, a not insignificant task given the height and breadth of the noble fir. Speaking of Copia, he is sitting in a deep leather armchair, stroking his mustache thoughtfully and giving you a funny look. When you give him an exaggerated wink his lips curl into a smile and his eyes dart away as his cheeks flush.

“Another cup, signorina?”

Primo is currently standing next to the hot plate on the side table, stirring the large cauldron of mulled wine. You really shouldn’t, you already are feeling a little woozy and warm but what the hell. Christmas, right? Or Yule, rather. You nod eagerly and Primo doles out a hefty amount of the dark liquid into a mug with little rats on it, passing it to Secondo who passes it to you as Terzo hands you yet another gift to open. So far you’ve unwrapped a beautiful homemade perfume from Primo and a garnet jewelry set which you are sure is quite old and quite expensive from Terzo. Copia still clings to the small present on his lap that bears a tag with your name on it, unwilling to see it in your hands just yet. One of these presents alone would be more than enough to dazzle you but the Papas insist on spoiling you. Who are you to object?

“This one is from me,” Secondo says, smiling slightly sinisterly over the rim of his mug.

“Ominous, but okay,” you say as you unwrap the box with caution. When you gingerly open the lid and see what’s inside, you let out an undignified screech. Primo, Terzo, and Copia exchange alarmed expressions as you reach in and lift the stuffed creature from its confines to marvel at it. It’s positively hideous - a large round potato-like head, red vestments, even a glittering pectoral grucifix. You’re beaming.

“Is that supposed to be me?” Copia says, outraged and red-faced.

“He’s perfect,” you coo, holding him against you in a tight hug. “Look at his stupid little face!”

“Ah, sì, he looks just like you,” Terzo says with a grin.

“He–it–looks nothing like me. No mustache. No sideburns. Eyes are all wrong!”

“He’s beautiful,” you say, cradling the monstrosity in your arms with all the grace of Mary. “Thank you Secondo.”

“I made him myself, you know.”

“A man of many talents!”

“A man of many war crimes,” Copia growls from his spot, flinging himself backwards in his chair and crossing his arms.

“Don’t speak about our son that way!” you cry, pressing your palms to the ears of the small stuffed man.

“Our son?” Copia cocks his head with interest and the brothers all look at you in silence.

“Y-yes. He looks - mostly - like you and I am his mother. Therefore we are his parents. So step up.”

When you reach out to hand the stuffed cardinal to the real thing, he sighs and takes it in his hands.

“He is infernal,” Copia says, placing him sitting up on his lap. “But I accept him as mine.” The sight makes you scramble for your phone to take as many pictures as possible.

“What a beautiful family moment,” Terzo says, wiping a fake tear from his cheek. “Copia, I think you’re the only one left who hasn’t exchanged presents!”

Handing the doll back to you he hesitates to reach for the gift still in his lap. Primo, ever wise, interrupts to ask if anyone wants dessert while you reach down and grab the present you’ve brought for Copia. Terzo and Secondo haul themselves up with much grumbling and follow Primo out of the room to help.

“I thought you said you were only bringing a present for one person? Primo was who you drew, sì?”

“Yeah I know but,” you scoot your chair closer to him, “you’re special. You’ve been on my side since day one. I couldn’t not get you something. You mean too much to me.”

Copia blushes the fiercest shade of red you’ve seen yet as you hand him the heavy package.

“Grazie, cara mia,” he says quietly, mismatched eyes boring earnestly into yours.

“Don’t thank me yet, you haven’t opened it.”

With a smile he begins unwrapping the festive paper. When he finishes and sees what is inside his heart jumps.

“Dolcezza,” he breathes and you blush just as fiercely as him at the nickname, “this is wonderful.”

It had taken you a lot of time and a lot of money (worth every cent as far as you are concerned) to locate an antique facsimile of William Blake’s art. Admittedly, you had used a lot of the Ministry’s excellent resources to find it but all the effort was worth it for this moment. When Copia looks up at you, you swear there are tears in his eyes.

“I have never before received a gift such as this, cara. Thank you.”

When you reach out and cover his gloved hand with yours and squeeze firmly, it’s as if his whole body sinks into itself. Softly, he picks up your hand and brings it to his lips - a sweet echo of his action from the first day you met. It takes everything within you not to knock all the items out of Copia’s lap and climb in it yourself. In all honesty, you’re moments away from doing just that when the Papas return to the room with much clamor. Your heart sinks as Copia drops your hand and clears his throat, and you return to your chair from your half-risen position. When Copia looks at you and points to the small box next to him, you mouth the words “later” with a smile before accepting a comically large slice of yule log from Secondo. The rest of the evening is relatively quiet apart from the dueling rendition of “Carol of the Bells” that Secondo and Terzo fight over while Primo sleeps contentedly in his comfy armchair. When the Papas begin loudly arguing in Italian you signal to Copia and begin gathering your things in a large brown bag. Without a word the two of you slip out the door and when you hear a crash and Primo’s deep bellow ringing out you skitter away down the hall.

“Looks like we made it out just in time,” you giggle as the two of you finally slow.

“Eh, sì, it always ends like this,” Copia says with a huff and an eye roll, “they can’t help themselves.”

Copia is unaware of where he is standing but oh, you certainly are. This looks like a perfect place to stop.

“Not trying to be pushy but I think you were going to give me something?” you say, cocking your head and setting down your bag.

“Ah…yes,” he sets down the book you gifted him and thrusts out his hand with the fastidiously wrapped present within it. “For you.”

You take the gift and open it delicately and slowly and see him chew on his bottom lip slightly.

“If you don’t like it I–”

“Hush,” you say simply as you open the box. Inside, resting on dark red velvet is a simple and small golden grucifix on a delicate matching chain.

“You always wanted to be a part of the Ministry,” he says quietly, fussing with his gloves, “and I hope this lets you know that we accept you. We’ve always accepted you. I–”

You remain silent as you set down the box and put the necklace on while Copia watches. When you finish your hands don’t return to your sides but rather come up to cradle the Cardinal’s cheeks. He’s frozen as you stand just like this, thumbs brushing against his sideburns and a look on your face that he doesn’t think he has the capacity to describe. Your cheeks positively glow, your eyes seem lit from within and your lips are curled into a soft smile. They part momentarily for you to take a deep, steadying breath - inhale, exhale - before you lean forwards and gently place your lips on his. The ground shifts beneath him, the world is spinning as the fingers of your right hand begin to slide along his jaw and you tilt your head. You hesitate only for a moment, pulling back slightly before Copia grabs you insistently by the back of the head and pushes his lips back against yours. He tastes of mulling spices and his mustache tickles your upper lip, as you always knew it would. When you finally need to catch your breath he barely relinquishes his grip on you, making you laugh and kiss his chin.

“Why,” he whispers, thumb running against your cheekbone. “Why me?”

You lean forward and rest your head against his chest, close enough to hear the thud of his heart.

“It was always you,” you murmur, wrapping your arms around his waist and stroking his back. “Always. From the moment you kissed my hand the day I was hired to the moment you comforted me when I was sad and lonely. From the moment you shared your rats with me. From the moment you put me to bed when I was drunk. All of it, Copia. All of you. That’s why.”

When you pull back to look at him, there’s definitely no mistaking the tears in his eyes this time and when he frantically pulls you in for another kiss, you can feel the wetness on your own cheeks. When you pull away with a giggle he looks concerned.

“Amore mio, what is it?”

You point upwards to the healthy sprig of mistletoe hanging from the rafter.

“You had no idea did you,” you say with a grin, chin resting on his sternum.

“Who would? Who could even see that and in the dark I–” his words cut off as you gasp from the short sharp smack to your ass.

“Copia! Not in front of our child!” you chastise, reaching into the bag and pulling out the accursed doll.

“Ugh, I had forgotten about him,” Copia grouses as you take it and peck him on the cheek with it.

“What should we name him?” you muse, adjusting the doll’s pellegrina.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something suitably horrific,” he smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead which you lean into eagerly. “Until then…shall I, eh, walk you back to your rooms?”

“Please,” and with one last long, lingering kiss with the odd cardinal doll squished between the two of you, you pick up your bag and continue the long walk back to your cozy bed with the Satanic cardinal you hoped would soon be in it.

#cardinal copia x reader #cardinal copia x f!reader #cardinal copia x female reader #cardinal copia #the band ghost #the band ghost fic #rachel writes

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coff33andb00ks · 2 months ago

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Recipe for the Perfect Christmas 6/12

One part small town girl coming home from the big city. One part handsome stranger. Five parts lifelong friends (don't forget to include their partners). One part stubborn father. A dash of Christmas spirit. Part: Six of Twelve Pairing: Oscar Piastri x ofc (with appearances from Mark Webber. Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon, Pato O'Ward, and George Russell) wc: 5,606 warnings: none soundtrack: spotify ⋆❆⋆ apple music nav: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve a/n: we're halfway there!!

The town green had been transformed. The outer perimeter was lined with booths. Some large, some small, all festooned with lights and tinsel and garland. There were handknit items, handmade decorations, homemade jams and jellies, jewelry, aprons, knickknacks, candies, as well as the treats from the bakery. In the center of the green was a stand selling cocoa, cider, and coffee, and the mayor and sheriff had put up a tent with heat for those who needed to get out of the cold air for a few moments. There was a bandstand, and as Natalie began setting out boxes of cookies and brownies she heard the twang of an acoustic guitar start to play. A few parents had come up with a scavenger hunt for kids, and each one that she saw was clutching a paper showing the items they had to find before they could return to the game booths and exchange it for a prize.

“No, no, the garland is crooked,” Franco insisted.

Ollie huffed with annoyance, stepping back from the booth. “No? It’s fine.”

“I spent all day Sunday doing garland at my girlfriend’s house, I know when it’s crooked. Look, I’ll show you.”

Natalie glanced up from arranging the pies. Franco was pulling out his phone and moved closer to Ollie, showing him something, photos of his garland hanging skills she assumed.

Ollie’s brow furrowed. “That’s your girlfriend’s house?”

Franco nodded. “Yes? But look at–”

“That’s my girlfriend’s house.”

The two began bickering, showing things on their phones to each other, and Natlie raised her eyebrows when they suddenly stopped. Not saying anything when they walked away, Ollie’s head bent low so he and Franco could continue talking, she shook her head and adjusted the display to her liking.

"Working hard?" a voice cooed.

Pasting a smile on her face, she turned to look at the three women who approached the booth. "Hi, Kaye. Tabitha. Kathy. What can I interest you in?"

"I suppose I'll take two dozen chocolate chip," Kathy said. "How are you liking working for your dad?"

"It's great." Natalie placed the two boxes in front of the woman and held her hand out for the money.

"I heard Pierre dumped you," Kaye said sweetly.

She sucked in a breath. "We ended the engagement, yes."

"Because you got fired?" Tabitha looked up from examining a pecan pie.

"Guess he didn't want to marry a deadbeat," Kathy said in a stage whisper.

"If you're not going to buy the brownies you're holding, please put them down," Natalie said, hating the brittleness that crept into her voice.

"Yeah, sure." Kathy shrugged and opened her wallet.

"This money is going to Mark, right?" Tabitha asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you're unemployed." The woman shrugged.

"And that instantly makes me a thief?"

"Whoops, excuse me."

She panicked at the sight of Oscar, smiling and apologizing for bumping into Kaye. For some reason, she didn't want him to be around the three women. Kathy and Kaye were sisters, Tabitha their cousin, and the trio had deemed themselves better than everyone way back in elementary school. Natalie had always tried to be polite, but it had been apparent at Tabitha's twelfth birthday party that neither of them had ever liked her. When, feeling pretty for one of the first times in her adolescence, she had worn a white dress and Kaye had spilled chocolate ice cream down the back, then had gone around telling the other party guests that Natalie had had an accident. It had taken two years before the teasing and name-calling to fade away, and even now Natalie hated the word 'poop'. Then, when she had shyly started talking to one of the boys in high school that everyone thought was cute, Kathy had swooped in, and the next thing Natalie had known, Tyler and Kathy had been a couple, and then they had gone to college together, and then they had gotten married.

"Hey," Oscar greeted her, flashing that beautiful smile in her direction. Sidestepping around the women, he slipped into the booth and handed her a cup. "I got you some coffee."

"Thank you," she said, more grateful than the words could express.

"Already getting charity," Tabitha hissed under her breath.

"It's a cup of coffee," Oscar said. "Hardly charity."

"It's okay. Everyone feels sorry for Natalie." Kaye flicked a lock of dark hair over her shoulder. "Especially now that she's been fired and had to move back home."

"I know it's embarrassing, Nattie, but at least you had a home to come back to."

Next to her, she felt Oscar stiffen. Taking a sip of coffee to keep from snapping at the women, she closed her eyes at the taste of sugar and powdered creamer. He'd remembered. That touched her more than his presence did and she drew in a breath, opening her eyes to see three faces smirking at her.

"Having daddy take care of you is better than nothing," Kathy said.

"Wow," Oscar breathed. He cleared his throat. She heard him inhale, then he paused.

Tabitha snickered. "Good thing he never remarried."

"You know," Oscar began, and Natalie almost didn't recognize his voice. It was hard, cold, a contrast to the warmth of the arm that slid around her shoulders. "I think it's better to attempt something and fail, through no fault of your own, than it is to be a bitter bitch because you never had the fucking nerve to try."

Three pairs of eyes blinked in unison. Three smiles faded into thin lines. Then, from behind them, Natalie heard the sweetest sound.

"Nattie cookies!"

She loved that nickname now. Unfazed when Tabitha slapped some cash onto the counter and picked up a pie, she smiled when Max, Eve, and their kids approached. "Hey," she greeted, blinking back the unshed tears. "Are you guys having fun?"

Lucas's head didn't reach the top of the counter but, when she leaned, she could see him staring at the tower of cookies Franco had created. "Wow," he breathed, unknowingly echoing his uncle. "Cookies…"

"I've got a special one just for you," she said, taking another sip of coffee before handing the cup to Oscar. His eyes met hers and he tipped his head in question. Nodding, she mouthed thank-you before turning back to the customers. "And one for your sister."

"Cookie?" Lucas asked hopefully, jerking on his father's sleeve.

"We're getting cookies, I promise," Max said, lifting him up.

"Let me get it." Natalie ducked behind the counter, easily locating the two boxes she had set aside for Grace and Lucas. Checking which one was which, she popped up and held them out. "I hope you like gingerbread."

"Oh my god," Eve said, leaning to look at the one Grace accepted. "That looks just like the snowsuit you wore last weekend."

"Did you decorate these?" Max asked, wincing when Lucas squealed in his ear.

"Yeah."

"They're great," he said, grinning. "How much?"

She shook her head. "On the house."

"Come on. How much?" he asked.

"You're really insisting on paying for them," she sighed.

"He doesn't easily part with money," Oscar said. "Take it while you can."

"A dollar each," she finally said, rolling her eyes.

"That doesn't sound—" Max grunted when Eve elbowed him in the side. Reaching for his wallet, he sighed while pulling out two dollar bills.

Natalie accepted them, then handed one to Grace and one to Lucas. "I'm having a flash sale," she told them. "All cookies and brownies are a dollar a dozen."

"Shut up," Eve told her husband before he could argue.

Max rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll take twelve dozen."

"Sorry, the sale is open only to customers between the ages of…" Natalie leaned close to Oscar. "How old is Lucas?"

"Two."

"Grace?"

"Five."

"Thanks," she whispered. "The sale is open only to customers between the ages of two and six."

"Me two," Lucas said, grinning. "Cookies?"

"Sugar cookies?" she guessed, already reaching for a box. He nodded, eyes wide, and she handed them over. After a few seconds and a whisper from his father, he placed the dollar bill in her hand. "Thanks so much for coming, sir."

"I want brownies, please," Grace said, holding out her dollar.

"Excellent choice, ma'am, I can vouch for the deliciousness of this batch myself. Don't tell my boss, but I sneaked about ten to eat when he wasn't looking." Natalie reached for a paper bag and snapped it open, then placed the brownies inside. "Thank you so much, miss, Webber's Bakery always appreciates such wonderful customers."

Grace giggled while accepting the bag. "Thank you, Miss Natalie."

Natalie opened another bag and handed it to Max for Lucas's cookies. "Are you guys having fun?"

"It's great," Eve enthused, taking a sip from the cup she held. "I can't wait to ditch these guys so I can really buy some stuff."

Max looked slightly panicked. “What stuff?”

“Oh, a little of this. Little of that.” Eve practically beamed. “I have to get gifts for the girls at work.”

“The girls at… Honey, you work in an office of fifty people,” Max pointed out.

“It’s my last Christmas with them though, I need to do something.”

"She's got a point," Oscar conceded.

"I always do."

"Santa!" Grace shrieked. "Can we go see Santa?"

"Yeah, let's go," Max sighed, easing the box of cookies from Lucas's grip and slipping it into the bag. "See you later."

"I'm right behind you," Eve promised. She waited until her husband and kids had gotten a few feet away before looking at Natalie. "Do you have a chocolate pecan pie?"

"I think there's one left…" Natalie turned to look, but saw Oscar already moving to do so. "Is that your favorite?"

"No, I usually hate them, but right now I'm craving one so bad I could scream." Eve reached into her pocket for her wallet. "Oh, and a coconut one, too."

"Anything else?" Oscar asked.

"Um…" Eve looked over the offerings on the counter. "Three dozen snickerdoodles."

"Jeez, Eve," Oscar muttered.

"It's Christmas," she defended, handing money to Natalie. While Oscar bagged up her order, she looked at Natalie knowingly. "What happened with the three unwise bitches?"

"Oh, them," Natalie sighed, slipping the money into the cashbox. "It was nothing. Well, okay, they were being bitches. But Oscar shut them up right before you came over."

"What did he do?"

"He defended me," she said softly, glancing at him. Fighting the urge to sigh, she turned back to Eve and saw a knowing expression on the woman's face.

“That’s how Max sucked me in.”

"What do you mean?"

"At first you just think he's kinda cute… Maybe a little hot. A bit of a dork. But nice."

Natalie grinned. "Okay…"

"Then you start seeing he's a great guy. Around the same time he stands up for you or someone else and it hits you." Eve sighed and took a sip of her drink.

"What, exactly?"

"He's nice and hot and will definitely bang you like a screen door in a hurricane."

Natalie blinked. "Um…"

"And then the next thing you know, you're two months pregnant, getting married, and you're so ridiculously happy you make yourself sick."

She had no idea what to say to that. "Oh?"

"The sick part might have been the pregnancy." Eve shrugged and took another sip of her drink.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Oscar asked, handing over the bag.

"How hot my husband is."

"Mommy!"

"Gotta go. Thanks so much. See you later."

Natalie watched the family head off, a lump forming in her throat at the sight of Max and Eve's hands finding each other despite the two children. They fit right in with the community, she thought, looking on as they stopped to greet everyone. Her gaze moved to other people passing. Smile after smile. And, from Mr. Kelly's booth, she could hear the jangling of bells.

"You alright?" Oscar asked gently, touching her arm.

She turned to him, smiling warmly. "I am now."

The rest of the evening went relatively smoothly. Ollie and Franco never came back, and when she told Oscar about what they’d discovered he rolled his eyes, then stuck around, helping her bag items and going on coffee runs. Then, when it slowed, he insisted she take a walk around the green and see what everyone else was selling.

Her first stop was the next booth for a cup of hot cocoa. Hearing familiar voices behind her, she turned to see Franco and Ollie returning, their bickering apparently forgotten now. They were laughing and relaxed. At least, until Oscar saw them and called out to them.

She couldn’t hear what he said, but she could see the boys’ faces as he spoke. Sipping her hot cocoa, she looked on as the two moved to enter the booth, her eyebrows raising when Oscar walked over to join her.

“Hot chocolate, no marshmallows,” he requested, paying the teenager behind the counter.

“What did you say to them?” Natalie asked, gesturing towards her booth.

Oscar glanced back, then flashed her a sheepish smile. “Told them to cut their bullshit and do the work they’re getting paid to do.”

At first you just think he's kinda cute… A bit of a dork. But nice.Then you start seeing he's a great guy. Around the same time he stands up for you or someone else and it hits you.

She did not want to imagine him banging her like a screen door. At all. She wasn’t ready to be a screen door. But she knew, deep down, that if either of them intitated it, he’d satisfy her in ways Pierre never had.

“Thank you,” she murmured, falling into step next to him.

“Sorry if I overstepped. But you’ve got enough to worry about without those two acting stupid.”

“No, it’s fine. I need to learn to stand up for myself, I know.” She paused, looking at a display of finely knitted baby hats. Selecting two for Maddie’s twins, she also grabbed a new scarf for her father.

Oscar slipped the bag from her grasp after she paid. “Maybe you do. But it’s okay for others to do it for you sometimes.”

“You sound just like Dad,” she laughed softly.

“High praise indeed,” Oscar quipped.

Arms loaded, Oscar jogged up the steps onto the front porch. He shifted most of the bags over so he could unlock and open the door, greeting Penny when she slipped out, tail wagging and giving an excited little whine.

"Hey, girl, let me get this stuff inside," he said when she whined again. Carrying the bags through to the kitchen, he dropped them on the counter. He could hear Penny's claws lightly clicking against the floor as she followed him, and finally turned to give her a proper greeting. "I was gone for an hour, did you miss me that much?"

Penny's mouth fell open, her tongue lolling out while he rubbed and stroked her slightly shaggy fur. Lifting her paws to his chest when he squatted down, she sniffed his face, giving his chin a lick.

"I missed you, too. And yes, I did stop by the bakery for a snack," he said, ruffling the fur behind her ears. "I got you some treats, okay?"

She whined and gave his chin another lick before he straightened up, then turned and left the kitchen. About to put away the groceries, he remembered he had left the front door open and sighed, following the dog. He called to her as he reached the door. When she whined he stepped out and saw the package next to the rocking chair. Penny pawed at it, gave it a sniff, then apparently decided it was uninteresting and went back inside. Oscar bent to pick up the box, reading the label while going back into the house.

He recognized the handwriting, and the overuse of packing tape. The plain brown box was stamped all over with blue and white snowflakes, his name and address filling the shipping label in the familiar calligraphic style. He knew in an instant what it was and carried it to the kitchen, making himself wait until the groceries had been put away and Penny had received a handful of treats before getting a box cutter to slice through the tape.

A Christmas card rested on top of a bed of blue and white tissue paper. He opened it, reading the message wishing him a warm and happy holiday and a prosperous new year. Brushing his thumb over the swooping, swirling signature, he breathed a small sigh, remembering when his name had been included. When he had spent weekends stuffing tissue paper into boxes and affixing labels while the house smelled of mint and sugar. Setting the card aside, he removed the tissue paper and located the tin nestled inside. The wintry scene printed on the lid matched the blue and white. There were four smaller tins, each labeled, and he left them in the box to give to Max, Eve, and the kids when they came back to town.

He had barely pried off the lid but could already smell the contents. Peppermint and chocolate. Helping himself to one of the squares of white chocolate fudge, he popped it into his mouth, already reaching for his phone to call and thank her. She would be just leaving work, probably stopping to pick up dinner, and it wasn't until he had found her name in his phone that he remembered she wasn't coming home to him.

The fudge tasted bittersweet but he knew it was regret. Snapping the lid back onto the tin, he left it on the table and ignored the longing to hear her voice. They were still friends, yes, and probably always would be, but he had no rights to call her as much as he still did. She had a new life. With Charles, a great guy who loved her the way she deserved.

Groaning, he called her, part of him hoping she would let it go to voicemail so he could leave a quick message thanking her for the fudge and peppermint bark and the truffles. But of course she answered, her voice ringing with happiness.

"I knew you'd call! I saw online the package was delivered." Lauren chuckled. "Couldn't wait 'til Christmas, could you?"

"I never could," he reminded her with a grin. He thanked her, making sure to add another thanks for the treats she'd sent for Max’s family. "I'll make them wait until Christmas."

"How is the house coming along?"

"Pretty much done. The furniture has all been delivered and I've got to get the decorations up and put together some things." He looked at the cartons stacked in the living room and knew he needed to get to work. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great. Charles and I are going to see The Nutcracker tonight, so I'm at the salon getting my hair done."

"I won't keep you. I just wanted to say thanks."

"I'll always send you my Christmas candy, Oscar."

"I know." He felt it again, that bittersweet sensation, and swallowed hard. "Have a great time at the show."

"I'm sure I will." She paused. "Are you doing okay?"

"Just a few holiday blues," he admitted. "Wondering what I'll be doing next."

"You'll find something, Oscar. You always do."

"I know, I just…"

"Hoping the bakery girl will be involved?"

"How did you—"

"Max came to the bank the other day."

Of course he had. And of course he had told her about Natalie. "It's a little complicated, but I wouldn't say I'm having no luck. She's got a lot on her plate."

"Is there room on yours?" Lauren asked.

Oscar exhaled slowly. He didn't know how much Max had told her and had to remind himself that she was no longer his fiancée, that he didn't have to tell her everything. "I think so."

"It'll work out, Oscar."

"I hope so."

"It will. Stop being so moody. This isn't like you."

"I know, and I hate it. I'll pull myself out of it."

"If you need me—"

"I'll call," he promised. "Don't worry about me, Lauren."

"Tell the sun not to shine while you're at it."

He laughed, felt some of the melancholy ease. "Have you two set a date?"

"Charles wanted to do October… Fall wedding at his family's place in the mountains. But…" She sighed. "We're looking at June now."

"You can have your fall wedding in the mountains."

"I don't want people to think I'm just doing a repeat."

"It's not a repeat."

"But people talk."

"Fuck people."

She laughed. "Are you sure you won't mind? You won't think it's weird?"

"Of course not. I mean, as long as it's not the same day and the same time and you wear the same dress," he teased.

"Hell, I might do the same bouquet and music, too," she laughed.

Once the laughter had stopped he sighed. "I'm really happy for you, Lauren. Do your fall wedding. Give a middle finger to anyone who tries to tell you it's being tacky. This is you and Charles, not you and me."

"You're right. I know. I'll talk to him tonight. Thanks, Oscar."

"You don't have to thank me for anything."

"Yes, I do – Just a minute!"

"Go get your hair done," he said.

"I have to thank you for a lot of things. And one day I'll get around to doing that. But right now… Thanks for being you."

"It's a hard job, but somebody's gotta do it."

"Will we see you before Christmas?"

"Probably not," he said. "I told Max the house would be ready for New Year's, but I'm working to get it done by Christmas."

"Ever the devoted friend. I hope we talk again before then, but if we don't, have a great Christmas, Oscar."

"You too, Lauren."

There was a brief pause, and the three little words hovered in the air. As they always did. He wondered if they would forever.

"Bye," she said softly, then ended the call.

He couldn't stay inside. He needed to get out, to breathe fresh air. He needed to see or talk to someone that he didn't have bittersweet feelings for. Someone that could pull him out of his head.

It wasn't until after he'd called Penny to him, after he had hooked the leash that she was still not a fan of to her collar, after he had guided her outside and shut the door, after he was halfway down the block, that he realized he could have just called Max. Or Eve. Or his mom. Or even Esteban.

Instead, he continued the walk, praising Penny when she stopped shaking her head to get the leash off. Praising her again when she stopped to pee. As they approached Natalie and Mark's house, she seemed to perk up, giving a little yip once they reached the edge of the drive. Chuckling, Oscar bent to unhook the leash, following as she ran across to the front porch and scratched at the front door. By the time he was climbing the steps to the porch the door was opening.

"Hey, you," Natalie greeted, squatting down to rub Penny. "Aren't you beautiful in your new sweater? Oscar got you the Christmas green one, huh? That's so festive!"

Grinning, Oscar watched Penny soak in the adoration. Natalie looked up at him, smiling, then turned her attention back to the dog.

"Come on in and see your Mark," she said, straightening. "Dad! Company!"

Oscar approached the door as Penny darted into the house, following the sound of Mark's voice. When the man's surprised laugh reached him, he grinned. "She's really his dog, you know. I'm just the nanny."

"Come in," she said, stepping back. "Close the door? I've got caramel on the stove."

Oscar stepped inside, breathing a soft sigh as he closed the door. Shrugging off his coat, he left it on the chair in the foyer and moved to the living room to see Penny standing by Mark's chair, her paws resting on his good knee. "Hey, Mark."

"Hey," he said, gently stroking Penny's head.

"How you feeling today?" he asked, stepping into the room. Seeing boxes and totes lined up in front of the couch, he lifted his eyebrows in confusion. Then, seeing a strand of lights stretched across the coffee table, he figured they were Christmas decorations.

"Better than the weekend." Mark peered behind Oscar to make sure his daughter wasn't coming into the room. "She won't let me work, though."

"Resting isn't a sin," Oscar said.

"I know. I just don't like everything falling on her." Mark stopped stroking Penny and sighed. "I'm going in tomorrow, though. I've got to get the fruitcakes ready for pickup."

"Who's working the shop now?"

"Franco and Ollie are doing mornings. She goes in first thing to get things started, then comes back here to take a nap and wait on me. Then she goes back after lunch and comes home for dinner. Last night she fell asleep untangling the light strands."

He wished he could offer to help out. He knew nothing about baking, though, and less about running a business. And he had more than enough work of his own to do, if he wanted to be able to surprise Max and Eve for Christmas. Thinking of all he had to do, he knew he should make it a quick visit and head back. But he stayed, watching Penny move to the armchair next to Mark's. She sat up in the seat, giving the air a few sniffs, then turned in three circles before curling up and settling in. When he heard her pleased sigh, he didn't have the heart to make her move.

"She's making caramel?" he asked.

"Doing turtles to take to the church pageant this weekend," Mark said with a nod.

"The pecan things?"

"Yep. I can't wait to steal one later." Sighing, Mark picked up his book. "Go see if you can get one for me now."

Chuckling, Oscar headed for the kitchen. He was greeted with the mouthwatering aroma of caramel and roasted pecans. Natalie was at the stove, steadily whisking the contents of a saucepan. On the counter was a long sheet of waxed paper, row after row of clustered pecans lined up like soldiers. He saw unwrapped bars of chocolate sitting in a bowl on the island counter, and helped himself to a few of the pecans in another bowl. "Are these the rejects?"

"The ones I haven't gotten to," she said with a smile. "What brings you buy?"

"Penny needed a walk." He peered into the pan and saw the beginnings of a boil. Stepping back, he leaned against the island. "Although really I think she just wanted to see Mark."

"Mark and Penny," she laughed. "I'm glad you bring her over to see him. She really perks him up."

"I told you, she's his dog. I'm just the nanny."

"Is he paying you?"

"Only in good company." He popped a salted pecan into his mouth. "And food."

"After his surgery…" She turned her attention to the pan, then reached for an open can. She slowly poured the contents into the pan, steadily whisking. "After his surgery, do you think you could bring her by? He's bad enough now with me making him stay home a few days, he's going to be in hell when he can't go to work for weeks."

"I—" Oscar popped the rest of the pecans in his mouth and chewed slowly, not wanting to tell her he wasn't sure he would still be in town then. But he thought of the little house he kept straying to when he and Penny took their long morning walks. He thought of Mr. Wright, who'd called him and told him he was lowering the asking price. He thought of his best friend living a five minute walk away, and being able to see the kids every day. He thought of dancing in the snow and the warmth of her smile. "I'd be happy to."

Her smile was so warm he was certain he felt his heart bubble like the caramel she was making.

"If you keep stealing them, I won't have any to take to church."

"I only stole two, the rest you said I could try."

"I didn't say you could try six."

"They're delicious, though, how could I only try one?"

"You're impossible," Natalie groaned, pulling the waxed paper towards her. "But I'm glad you like them."

Oscar grinned, popping a finished turtle off the paper. "I love them. Your recipe?"

"Mom's." She felt a glow rise inside her from his praise. "I added the sea salt, though."

"It's great. Are you taking anything else to the church thing?"

"I don't know. There's always so much food and it's all so good… I think we'll just stick to desserts." Grabbing the last of the candies, she placed them in the container and gasped when he reached to grab another. "Oscar!"

"Here," he said, holding it in front of her face. "The cook has to try it."

"I tasted all the elements."

"Not together."

Rolling her eyes, she leaned forward to take a bite. She nodded, chewing, tongue darting over her lips to catch the bit of caramel that had stretched between her mouth and his hand. Looking up at him, she swallowed quickly and smiled. "It is good."

"You didn't take the opportunity to say you knew it would be good?" He clicked his tongue in disappointment. He set the candy on the counter, gaze dipping. "You got a flake of salt…"

Before she could reach to brush it away, his finger brushed over her bottom lip. Her breath caught and she swallowed again, lips parting slightly as the tip of his finger traced her lip again. The scents of chocolate and caramel lingered on his finger and she could smell it. She breathed in and smelled him. Her heartbeat flurried, dizzy, and she gave in when the urge to move closer to him rose.

He was going to kiss her.

She was sure of it, even though he seemed to be moving in slow motion. His palm grazed her cheek, cupped it, and he released a low sigh that she unconsciously echoed. His tongue grazed his lips and she was struck by the longing to taste it on hers. She wanted him to kiss her.

Didn't she?

"Natalie?" he whispered.

She nodded, even though she wasn't quite sure what the question was. She finally moved her hands, raising them to grasp his biceps, marveling a little at how strong they felt as he continued his slow movement. She really wanted a kiss. It had been so long she was starved for the intimate touch, but more importantly she wanted his kiss. Because she instinctively knew it would be amazing.

"Can I get a taste of that candy, sweetie?" her father called from the living room.

Oscar groaned with regret, a soft laugh escaping when she muttered a curse.

"Sorry," she whispered, pulling away. Clearing her throat, she turned to get a plate to carry some of the candies to her father.

He sighed, smoothed a hand over his face, and said nothing while she loaded the plate with half a dozen of the turtles. She reached for the container lid, he reached for the plate. Then, sighing again, he set it down with a clink and reached for her. The container lid hit the counter with a clatter. Drawn into his embrace, she tipped her head back, catching the darkened hue of his eyes an instant before his lips met hers.

Decadent, like the caramel she had made. Rich, like the chocolate. The flavors of the candy melted between them and then she could taste only him. She could smell only him, that woodsy cologne that would have been overpowering on anyone else, even the detergent he used for his clothes. And lingering just beneath something else that she couldn't identify but could only sense. It reminded her of being wrapped in a warm towel fresh from the dryer but at the same time reminded her of sunshine. Of crisp sheets and laughter and dandelions dancing on a breeze.

She wanted him to never stop kissing her.

He was tender and sweet and made her weak. She held onto him, returning the kiss with all the longing that had built up since they had met.

"Natalie," he sighed at the corner of her mouth.

"Hmm?" She felt a little woozy, like she'd had too much wine. His arm was strong around her, and through her sweater she could feel his fingers digging into her side. "…What?"

"Your dad," he whispered after kissing her again.

She blinked slowly, struggling to figure out what he was talking about. Her dad? He was fine. He was in the living room with his book about the American Revolution. She had to take him candy, but he could wait just a few more minutes.

"What's taking so long – Oh." From the doorway came a knowing chuckle as she and Oscar pulled apart.

She tried to pretend that the feel of Oscar's fingers dragging along her arm didn't affect her. Biting her lip, which still tasted of him, she attempted to gather her scattered thoughts. "Dad, we—"

"Oh, I saw what you were doing. Better take it out of here, though, before you melt the chocolate."

#f1 #oscar piastri #f1 imagine #oscar piastri imagine #my writings > op > xmas #oscar piastri x oc #f1 x oc

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