#howie rose

[ohmymets]

if you are emotionally invested in this mets team...

So grateful I got to hear this live last night, from Howie Rose (listen here):

"If you are emotionally invested in this Mets team, and you're sad right now, It's certainly understandable. But I promise you that won't take long to wear off if it ends here, because once the immediate disappointment if they don't pull off some kind of magical comeback here wears off, you'll realize what an incredible ride this team took you for this year.

"Started out 0-5, showed some signs of life, before they fell to 11 games under the .500 mark and a lot of people had them written off right there. And so, when you're lying around during the offseason, anticipating the next one, and you think about what the 2024 Mets were all about, you won't be able to keep yourself from smiling. Remember the talk over the winter? Transitional year, they're punting on the season, well they've kicked all the way to the 6th game of the National League championship series.

"And I'll say this, on a personal level, I was 15 years old when they won the 1969 world series. That's 55 years ago, so you can do the math yourself. But I'll just say this about the 2024 New York Mets. They have made this 70 year old feel 15 all over again."

when Jeff McNeil got an RBI in the 9th:

"It's poetic, isn't it? Somehow, that the Mets, even if they don't pull the Houdini act of all time off, they're just not going quietly."

[homahowi]

🎶MIKU AMY🎶

[palesmokeisinthevoid]

Fuck it *posts my crack family headcanons except it’s just siblings*

So you know how people headcanon Terrence was Henry’s dad?

Yeah I had the thought that Terrence changed his identity to that of a certain Hershell Panzer, then proceeded to have two kids and one adopted kid. (And also got unofficially married to a Transfem Radman, aka Dr V, because I love that headcanon)

I have no clue how this idea happened but now it exists.

Also there’s definitely angst (ie, Henry pulling a Cain and Abel on Johnny), but also the comedy potential of a police officer, a notorious thief, and an unaligned college student who somehow reviews gadgets across time and space being siblings-

Charles and Pyotr (Oc), aka high energy and slightly less energy

They don’t see each other much since their parents divorced when they were both young and they ended up in two different countries but when they do it’s absolute chaos.

Copperright adopted so many kids…

Well one of the kids adopted them (Hat kid) but that’s still adoption-

Jacob wanted to turn over a new leaf so he quit the toppats and Ellie…unofficially quit because she wanted to make a name for herself in some way. Which…depending on the timeline happens even if it’s within the toppats.

Also fun little thing, Lucius (Oc) is a vampire. Only his family knows though

Anyway that’s it for these crack family headcanons and ramblings

[cjlouwho]

gimme buck and tommy meeting during a call and getting the chance to squeeze in a lil bantering and a goodbye smooch. i need it like i need air

“Well, fancy seeing you here.”

Buck turned around at the familiar voice, eyebrows furrowed in confusion even as the smile grew on his face. “Wha- I thought you were in the chopper?”

Tommy shook his head. “Parker's up there today. I may have asked if I could work ground ops when I heard the 118 was responding to the call too.”

It was a pretty intense fire that started on the roof of an apartment complex. With the wind, and the closeness of nearby buildings, there was worry it would spread fast if not quickly contained.

Thankfully, everything went smoothly. The building had been cleared and the fire was out. The crews from each department were now working on getting all their gear back in order so they could leave.

A blush rose on Buck's cheeks. “And why would you do that?”

“Oh, you know,” Tommy took a step closer to Buck, “I haven't seen Howie in a few weeks so I thought I'd catch u-”

Buck reached out and gave Tommy a playful push before he could finish the sentence. “Asshole,” he muttered.

Tommy laughed, face scrunching up tight. God, Buck loved that face.

“I wanted to see you, Evan,” he admitted. “It's been almost two weeks of opposite schedules. I'm about to file a report accusing the LAFD of being homophobic for keeping us apart.”

“I'd sign my name to it,” Buck agreed.

“So, not an overreaction?”

Buck moved even closer to Tommy. “If anything we should be doing more.”

Tommy's eyes moved to Buck's lips. “Anything specific in mind?”

“Guys, I'm seriously so close to throwing up,” Chimney interrupted, carrying the ax back to the truck. “Get a room.”

“In fifteen hours we will be in a room!” Buck yelled out to him, then quietly added for only Tommy to hear, “And we will not be leaving the room for forty-eight hours.”

Tommy smirked. “What if we get hungry?”

“Our lube is edible.”

“You know, Athena and I have made out between a firetruck or two,” Bobby mentioned as he passed by, patting Buck on the shoulder. “We leave in five.”

Years ago, Bobby would have been trying to steer Buck away from inappropriate workplace behavior, and maybe he still should be, but Buck had spent his last couple shifts becoming increasingly pouty. Plus, Tommy wasn't a one night- or, better yet, a one shift- stand. They were coming up on eight months together and apparently still couldn't get enough of each other.

Tommy would have laughed at the shocked look on Evan's face, but the go ahead from Bobby was all that he needed to be grabbing Evan's hand and leading him to a space between a fire truck and an ambulance. Tommy pushed him against the ambulance, brought his hands to Buck's waist, and practically smashed their lips together. Buck moaned, happily surprised as Tommy's tongue licked into his mouth. He wrapped his arms around Tommy's shoulders, bringing him closer.

“Where were you?” Buck asked when they pulled apart for air.

“West stairwell. You?” Tommy kissed him again before he could give an answer.

“East, mmm, east stairwell,” he gasped, Tommy working his way down Buck's jaw to his neck. “God, Tommy. We just m- missed each other.”

“Hmm,” Tommy hummed against the top of his collarbone, the vibrations giving Buck chills. He had never even felt Tommy undo his turnout jacket for better access. “Seems like we did that for quite a few years.”

Tommy knew how Buck felt about all their missed connections. He'd spent so much time going over all the events throughout the years where they could have or should have met, or almost did meet. While Buck did get bummed that they didn't know each other all those years ago, the fact that they finally did meet at what seemed to be the perfect time for them both was one of his biggest turn ons.

He reached up and got ahold of Tommy's face, bringing him back to his lips. “I love you... so much,” he mumbled out between kisses.

“I love... you more.”

“Amazing what you can see when you've got a bird's eye view,” a voice rang out over the radio. Tommy pulled back from their kiss, and they both looked up at the chopper hovering above them, giving a wave. “Parker will never let me hear the end of this,” Tommy laughed out.

Buck rolled his eyes playfully, then pressed the button on his radio. “I'm sure it's beautiful. I hope you took pictures.”

A few seconds passed before Parker got back on the radio. “Oh, don't you worry about that,” he said, laughter evident in his voice. The helicopter began to move away from above them. “Pilot Parker heading back to Harbor Station.”

Buck was starting to lean back in when the radio came to life again.

“Captain Nash to Buckley, we're heading out in one minute. I repeat, heading out in one minute.”

“Got it, Cap,” Buck answered. “On my way.”

Tommy sighed, gazing deeply into Evan's eyes. “I'll see you soon, okay? Be safe.”

“Fifteen hours?”

Tommy ran his hands up and down Evan's waist, pressing a final kiss to his lips before they had to part ways. “Fifteen hours.”

[thewertsearch]

I’m pretty sure this is from back at the start of Act 5.2, when John was wingmanning hard for Rose. We’ve never seen Vriska talk to an incarnation of John from before the session, but we know it happened at least once, because he remembers her threatening to kill him...

...which, now that we've seen the full breadth of Vriska's arc, is a little strange. I thought John might become a thorn in her side later, leading her to seek vengeance, but that didn't end up happening. Vriska is at her least murderous when talking to John, so why would any incarnation of her actually want him dead?

AG: Hi, John human. [...] GT: excuse me, alien time troll, but i am TRYING to wrap a present. GT: really, you all have the worst timing.

Aradia might officially represent the Aspect, but they’re all Time trolls to John, and Kanaya literally just got done trying to explain Paradox Space to him. Hell, he probably thinks this is Kanaya’s alt.

AG: Yes, I can see that. Two ugly garments, and seeds for some kind of strange earth vegeta8le? Pretty lame present, John!!!!!!!! GT: nope, not going to ask how you know my name, or what i'm sending, don't care.

We’re back in John’s Denial Era. The deeper truth of his existence is currently hidden from his perception, a fact represented in his sleeping Dream Self.

I don’t think we’ve ever seen him ignore this much weirdness, though. It’s incredibly suspicious that Vriska knows so much about him, but the suspicion just rolls off his brain, like water off a duck's back.

GT: and one of these ugly garments is for me, also, it's not ugly, it's awesome. AG: Not as awesome as something you will 8e wearing later, thanks to me.

Ah, this is starting to make sense. She’s not really threatening John, she’s just promising to kill him. Which – look, I know that sounds just as 8ad, 8ut hear me out, John!

AG: I will 8e giving you the gift of immortality! GT: oh sweet, that has been on my wish list, ranking just below a mint condition little monsters poster, starring hollywood superstar, howie mandel. GT: can i expect it to arrive on my next birthday?? AG: Yes, as a matter of fact. Nice guess! AG: It will come at a cost though. GT: the mandel poster, or immortality?

John, you funny fuck. It’s quips like these that made Vriska fall for you.

[yeyinde]

Seen your layla frost mention - any good dark romance books you would recommend? 👀

oh, absolutely!!! though, fair warning - my ideal dr is a horror/thriller moonlighting as a romance so! def read the warnings.

Little Dove by Layla Frost. Maximo, honestly, is my ideal mmc. cold, collected, cunning, unflappable, with a cruel and sadistic side (but never directed toward the the fmc), and wholly devoted to Juliet on a level that would probably land him in jail irl

Then, Earth Swallowed Ocean (book 1) by Shiloh Sloane

"Southern Gothic Werewolves Fight the Devil" that's it. this is the book for me. Shiloh Sloane is my favourite author. genuinely, truly. i love her writing, i love her characters. i love her for her tiktok bio alone: I write love stories whose trailers would have Ethel Cain music in ‘em. obsessed with her. i stalk her daily on insta and tiktok. but the book: it's more horror erotica than DR, but to be totally honest, this is so far up my alley, it was practically written for me. werewolves, the devil, smut, an INSANE mmc (obsessed, mean, possessive), a strong fmc, and it's set in post WW2 Appalachia. instant fave. when i die, bury me with this book.

Cracked Blue Sky (book 2) by Shiloh Sloane

features a native fmc and i know Shiloh Sloane is white, but how she shapes Howie Black Elk was pretty realistic. i loved how much she reminded me of a few cousins, aunties. love this book!!

Snuff by Bonny Capps

dark horror erotica that you absolutely should heed the warnings to. i loved it. 5*. but it does end up on several dnf lists for being brutal and disgusting. fmc goes to Russia to discover her roots, is taken by the Bratva to feature in their "passion projects" (snuff films!), but the mmc decides he wants her all to himself. if you're queasy about totally irredeemable mmcs (sadistic, vile, possessive, obsessed, cruel), then this probably is not for you, but lucky for me, i'm into that. def on my "i couldn't look my therapist in the eye for a while" collection, though.

Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi. mmc is irredeemable (cruel, vile, obsessed). historical romance (Victorian). also on the collection. Little Mouse by Emily Rose. mafia. age gap. A Stone's Throw by Stevie Sparks. age gap (dad's best friend. Scottish hero. auction. weird rich people doing weird rich people shit. God Of Vengeance by Michelle Heard. age gap. mafia. found family. i re-read the bound series this week and my favourites are Bound by Vengeance (Growl and Cora), Bound by Duty (Dante and Valentina), and Twisted Pride (Remo and Serafina). anything by Lilith Vincent. Brutal Husband is dropping in October and i cannot wait. The Devil's Vice by Mindy Paige. trauma bonding. motorcycle gang. age gap. Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers. revenge (fmc sends mmc to prison and he gets out and comes for her). insane mmc. Spectre by Shiloh Walker. kidnapping. violence. neuro-atypical fmc. Slashed by Thalia Sanchez. fmc wants to become a Final Girl. Slasher!mmc gives her just that.

also, not a romance but if you're into dark books with compelling characters, Break Her by BG Harlen was sooo good!!!! the premise is that a professional rapist is sent to break the fmc and it's such a good psychological thriller. def not for everyone though. A Beautiful Evil by Eris Belmont has no HEA but a very brutal and malicious mml. God's Eye by Ansa Reads is brutal. loved it, dgmw. but it's def not for the faint of heart.

[al-the-remix]

BuckTommy Whump Week Day 1: Canon typical injury // Wound neglect

Thank you to the @bucktommywhumpweek mods for putting this together (and sorry it's a day late!) uhh...I have no idea how to tag this one, so just enjoy! Again, please excuse any grammar/spelling errors, they'll be all fixed by the time these make is to Ao3.

It was a pretty house, with arched windows and the pristine white walls of a Spanish revival that had recently had some love and attention given to it. Evan had told him some meandering tale that Tommy had had a difficult time following about ghost phone calls and haunted desolate suburban homes. It was one Tommy couldn’t quite believe, but enabled nevertheless; he’d overheard stories about the Loz Feliz murder house, scuttlebutt around the water cooler and during lulls between calls. He’d never given the stories any real consideration, and gave them even less now that he was faced with what looked like a totally innocuous family home. 

Maddie had settled herself at the end of the dining room table, her whole body angled towards him, hands folded around her coffee mug, radiating warmth as she waited patiently for him to spit out what exactly it was that had brought Tommy to her home on her day off.

Tommy hadn’t really known what to expect when he had called her. They’d never had the chance to spend much time one-on-one, whether it was Evan or Howie, there always seemed to be someone else hanging around, dividing his attention. Now he wishes he’d reached out sooner and under more pleasant circumstances. 

“So, what is it you wanted my advice on?”

Tommy drew his own mug closer to his chest, lacing his fingers around it to keep himself from fidgeting. The steam from the tea felt warm on the underside of his chin and he had to bite down on the skin of his inner cheek to quell the sudden swell of emotions that rose inside him. 

“Evan wont let me look after him.”

The corner of Maddie’s mouth twitched up in a moment of brief amusement, then tugged down in a sympathetic half-smile. “Welcome to the club.”

Tommy found himself laughing despite himself, the noise thick and a little wet in the back of his throat. He hoped that part was quite enough to slip beneath her radar.

If Maddie noticed she didn’t acknowledge it, much to Tommy's relief. He already felt foolish showing up here to needle his boyfriend’s sister for relationship advice, even if he had been invited, he didn’t need to get all emotional about it too.

“Have you talked with Evan recently?”

“I have, but I can’t say that he was exactly forthcoming. Not that he ever is when he’s injured.”

“Right,” Tommy looked down at his hands. “Which I understand, I’ve had strains before, they’re a drag and it’s annoying having to be on the bench for three weeks, but they’re worse if you don’t let them rest.” She was watching him with clear understanding as he rambled. 

“What happened,” Maddie asked gently.

Tommy rubbed at the side of his nose, feeling a little sheepish. “You’re a nurse so you know. Anyway, it sounds silly now, but he wanted to go to the gym the other day–which it’s way too early for–and we got into an argument about it. I wanted to give him space, but now he hasn't texted me in three days and I don’t know what to do. I tried to call him earlier, but he didn’t pick up. I just don’t know how much to push.”

In Tommy’s experience, the line between caring and overbearing was a thin one. 

Evan had never seemed to shy away from going after Tommy’s attention when he had wanted it, whether that meant asking for tours he didn’t really need, or playing sports he didn’t actually like, or organizing a coffee date to apologize when he hadn’t needed to. Maybe it had been presumptuous of him, but Tommy really had expected Evan to reach out sooner rather than later; and the longer the silence went on the more deliberate it felt, like maybe he’d overstepped some invisible boundary Tommy hadn’t even considered looking out for. 

Maddie watched him with a kind, sympathetic expression. Maybe at first glance most would say she and Evan didn’t look much alike, but to Tommy it was clear in their eyes, and their smiles, and their big hearts. 

“I don’t know how much he’s told you yet about our parents or our family situation.” She spoke carefully, as if weighing each word with her consideration. “But I think you might find that he does want someone to look after him, he’s just worried that once you see it, all the raw, messy bits he likes to hide, you won’t want to stay.”

Tommy was all too familiar with raw and messy, not that Evan knew that yet. And maybe that was part of the issue, he’d been so preoccupied with letting Evan set the speed and seeing where it took them, that he’d allowed his own role in this dance to fall to the wayside. He’d told Evan that he was interested, but did Evan know to what degree? Maybe he’d been too concerned with scaring Evan off to really open up the way he should have by now.

“Has that happened before?” Tommy asked when he’d worked the words past the frog in his throat.

She tilted one shoulder up. “He thinks it has, and that’s enough.”

Tommy considered that, staring down into his milky reflection in his untouched tea. 

“Here, have a biscuit,” Maddie offered, pushing the plate of neatly arranged shortbreads across the table at him. 

Tommy gladly took one. In spite of what Evan had suffered through with his parents growing up, he was lucky to have her. 

///

For once the afternoon L.A. traffic didn’t get under Tommy’s skin. He gladly welcomed the prolonged drive home to turn Maddie’s words over in his head. 

In many ways Evan’s body was sort of like a haunted house: possessed by a ghost that wasn’t his, neglected because of it. 

In Tommy’s pocket there was an extra key on his keyring, freshly cut and matching his own. It had sat there for a week, fucking with his head while he’d waited for the perfect opportunity to offer it to Evan. Sure, it was fast, but there was just something about the way Evan had weaved so snugly into Tommy’s life that had made him want to forgo all of his usual hesitancies and firmly erected walls in favour of having Evan be able to come and go from his house as he pleased. And Tommy liked the idea of finding Evan already in his home at the end of the day. He’d hoped that Evan might take it as the signal it was: that Tommy wanted him around permanently, taking up space and leaving his dirty socks all over Tommy’s house. 

Most of all, Evan made him want to be brave. Now Tommy wasn’t so sure. 

Evan had navigated their first few months of dating with his foot pressed firmly on the gas and very little inhibition, leaving Tommy reeling in his wake. He wasn’t accustomed to being pursued with that much earnest persistence, especially by men who up until very recently considered themselves straight.

///

Maybe he’d overlooked the very real possibility that all that inertia may be overcompensation for something lurking below. That when all that confidence melted away and all the forward momentum Evan had built up hit its peak, Evan wasn’t fully prepared to handle the descent that lived on the other side, not on his own.

That was okay, Tommy was a pro at handling those. If only Evan would let him. 

Tommy tossed his keys in his hand as he made his way to the front door,  thumbing the rough edges of the newly cut key. He wasn’t sure how many things Evan truly had of his own; he’d heard about the bicycle and the brother, and he knew that what Evan did have he fiercely guarded, his own space and his bodily autonomy were at the top of that list. 

Tommy had witnessed the way wounded and sick animals could go from gentle to aggressive in a blink of an eye out of fear and pain. He wanted Evan to know how invensted he was in this relationship, but also didn’t want to be the one to corner Evan, to make him feel trapped and like he needed to lash out to be understood. 

It was a fine balance. 

The house was dark and quiet, he hadn’t expected anything else, but still he tried not to let his disappointment settle in the pit of his stomach and make a home there. That wouldn’t help anything. 

 He made his way to his room, not expecting to find a big formless lump on his bed or that it would groan when he flicked on the lights. 

Tommy just about jumped out of his skin, swearing black and blue. Evan was lying on top of the bed covers, his sneakers still on his feet. It looked like he had half-heartedly attempted to undo the laces on one before giving up. 

Evan lowered the arm he’d flung over his eyes against the light, squinting at him where Tommy still hovered in the doorway. 

“Hi,” Tommy said, at a loss for anything else. As far as Evan’s expressions went, the one he was wearing was fairly unreadable.  

“Hey–So, you’re going to be mad at me.” Evan let the words out in one big sigh, like they had been pressed up tight against the starting gate of his teeth. 

Tommy risked taking a step closer to the bed. “I promise you I’m not.” 

Evan let his head thunk back against the mattress, eyes locked on the ceiling, and muttered: “I think I strained my strain.”

Caught off guard, Tommy had to press his lips together tight to suppress the laugh that bubbled up in his throat. This wasn’t exactly the moment for it. 

Evan was still staring at the ceiling, looking miserable, even after everything Tommy couldn’t help but feel fond. “Stay still, I'll go get the ice pack.”

“That won’t be hard.” He heard Evan mumble as he went to dig the gel pack out from the back of his freezer, grabbing a bottle of Advil and one of the water bottles Evan had left in his dishwasher for good measure. 

When Tommy returned Evan had indeed not moved. He settled himself on the foot of the bed, pulling Evan’s skinny ankles into his lap as he began working away at the laces. “How did you get into my house?” Tommy asked as he worked. That really should have been his first question, he could feel the heavy presence of his eyes in his pocket. Well received or not, he probably should have offered it to Evan a week ago.   

“You’re a firefighter, you should know those little fake rocks are a dead giveaway to anyone trying to break in,” Evan huffed, sounding more like himself. “At least invest in a garden gnome or something to throw them off.”

Tommy chuckled, catching Evan’s eye. “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time my boyfriend decides to break into my house.”

Evan’s gaze dipped down to where Tommy was working the first shoe off his foot, quiet for a few moments before he said, softly: “Thanks.”

Tommy just grunted as he started working on the laces of the other high top. Evan really needed to invest in some proper weightlifting shoes, but Tommy wasn’t exactly raring to get into another gym centered argument so soon. 

When he’d finally wrestled both shoes off, Tommy got Evan sitting up against the headboard, and situated himself on the edge of the mattress at his knee so he could slip the ice pack under the meat of his calf and hold it there.  

“I can do that if you want.”

“It’s fine. I’m happy to,” Tommy said simply, giving Evan’s ankle a squeeze where his other hand rested. He wasn’t expecting Evan’s eyes to dart off to the side, a rush of air leaving his lungs with a hitch that snagged Tommy’s attention. 

“Fuck, I didn’t want to do this,” Evan said, his hand coming up to rub at his eyes. 

“Be a mess, you know, a nuisance.”

“Do what? Evan–”

“Evan, I don’t think you’re a nuisance,” Tommy said, trying to catch his eye. 

Evan shot him a flat, red rimmed look. “I broke into your house. I was stubborn when you were just trying to look out for me, and then too much of a chicken to call you back when you were worried about me.”

Tommy stroked his thumb over the exposed bulb of Evan’s ankle bone. “I shouldn’t have pushed,” he said softly.

Evan shook his head. “I want you to push–you weren't even pushing–not really. I just, I really like you.” 

Tommy felt a sappy smile spread across his face. He let go of Evan's ankle to take his hand instead, giving it a squeeze. “I really like you too.”

Evan let out a wet sound somewhere between a cough and a laugh, his face a startling red. “I really like being your boyfriend.” 

“Good,” Tommy said, “because as your boyfriend I want to ice your leg for you, even when you’re being stubborn about it, even when you don’t call me back.” Evan’s eyes dipped away to the side like he was preparing to sidestep Tommy’s sentiment again and he figured this was his moment to lay it all out there. “This isn’t too much. You’re not too much for me, but if it’s too much for you, too soon, you need to tell me, because I’m serious about this Evan. I want you to be around even when things are messy.”

Tommy reached into his pocket, pulling out his keychain and began to work the new key off the ring. “Maybe this isn't the right moment, but I had this cut a few weeks ago, and so if you'd like, you can just let yourself in next time instead of having to hunt through my garden for fake rocks.”

Evan stared at the key Tommy held out to him, a dumb founded expression on his face. “You got that made for me?”

“Yeah–”

“You don't plan on going to Ireland any time soon do you?”

His eyes were like big wet saucers, infinitely vulnerable and Tommy frowned. “What?”

Evan's face crumpled, one big hand snapping up to cover it as he muffled a sob. 

“Okay, okay,” Tommy soothed as he climbed gingerly over Evan's legs to sit properly on the bed beside him. “Come here.” 

He was relieved when Evan let himself be pulled against his chest, wrapping his arms snugly around Tommy's neck.

“I'm sorry I was a dick and for the crying, my leg just really fucking hurts,” Evan mumbled into Tommy's now soggy shirt collar.

Tommy rubbed his back in calming circles. “It's okay, I don't mind, and I forgave you pretty quickly. Just next time please call me back so I know you're alright. I want you to.”  

Evan moved just far enough away so he could get a good look at Tommy's face. “Me too–all that stuff you said–it's not too much for me either,” he said and pulled Tommy into a wet, kind of snotty kiss. 

Tommy cradled Evan's face in his hands, it was short and sweet, Evan's sinuses too blocked up for anything more than that, but at least he was smiling when he broke away from the kiss, out of breath.

“I was kind of worried you were going to break things off with me, that's why I didn't call you back," he admitted.

“Evan–” Tommy tried, but was cut off.

“Look, maybe I have a penchant for self-sabotage, but I'll, uh, try to be better with that.” He laced their fingers back together, resting them against Tommy's knee. "I haven't wanted something this badly in a long time. It's kind of scares me."

"Me too," Tommy admitted, "I meant it when I said I was serious about you."

Evan's smile did something that made Tommy's heart jump in his throat. "Good, because I think I'm going to need a ride to the doctor's tomorrow."

"I think I can manage that," Tommy said and reached for the ice pack where it had been left forgotten on the mattress. And maybe after that Evan would want to come back to his house and stay a while.

[theotherbuckley]

WIP Wednesday 💘

Starting WIP Wednesday off with a snippet from my Buddie High School Valentine's Day AU. It's 5.5K finished and I'll post it tomorrow, keep an eye out 👀. Guys, please be proud of me I wrote this fic in 2 days. That has never happened before. I normally take weeks and weeks and weeks. Anyways, here you go. Prev snippet here

“It’s from one EB… who do we think that is?”

“It was the one that came with the brownie and a rose, I think it’s probably my favourite.” Eddie’s eyes glance over to Buck before quickly averting back to Howie. “Not that, uh, not that I’m interested. I think maybe it was from Erin Bowler, the new girl we share PE with.”

“Ooh she is pretty though.”

“I guess.”

Hen, who had been observing the whole conversation stares at Buck with a knowing look on her face. Buck blushes. “Buck, weren’t you just the other day talking about cows?” she says.

“Um, yeah.”

“Yeah, Buck was talking about how cows have best friends, I thought it was pretty cute,” Eddie adds.

That gets Buck to smile. “And, did you know that cows drink up to 100 litres of water a day? And that they produce 50 litres of saliva, can you imagine drooling that much? Oh and also you can lead a cow up a flight of stairs but then they can’t get back down! Maybe, I’m the cow because my leg always hurts more when I walk down the stairs. Anyway, I think it’s because of the shape of their knees or something.”

Eddie is staring at Buck with this look of awe written on his face. He’s smiling at Buck with that smile. The one that always makes Buck feel soft and gooey, the one that makes Buck feel like his heart has been taken out of his chest only to be kissed and wrapped in a blanket before placing it gently back between his lungs. It’s the smile that Buck thinks Eddie has reserved just for him, it’s the one he really thought meant that maybe Eddie felt the same way he does.

“Absolute idiots,” Hen mutters under her breath.

Tagging: @disasterbuckdiaz @fortheloveofbuddie @jeeyuns @wildlife4life @honestlydarkprincess @eddiebabygirldiaz @spagheddiediaz @jesuisici33 @your-catfish-friend @ladydorian05 @giddyupbuck @eowon @elvensorceress @watchyourbuck @steadfastsaturnsrings @housewifebuck @thewolvesof1998 @king-buckley @rainbow-nerdss @cal-daisies-and-briars @malewifediaz  @evanbegins @diazsdimples @wikiangela @bucksbirthmark  @puppyboybuckley @underwater-ninja-13 @daffi-990 @fionaswhvre @aspecbuddie @lover-of-mine @nmcggg @tizniz @monsterrae1 @smilingbuckley and anyone else who wants to share! pls let me know if you'd like to be added or removed :)

[bibibibuckleykinard]

Tommy pulled into their driveway, ready for his next 48 hours off. He stared at his work bag before killing  the engine grabbing his keys and phone from the cupholder, opting to leave it in the truck instead.  He made his way around the car to the passenger side, grabbing the box of diapers and formula, that Buck had texted him to get before heading over.

“Psst,” he heard. Tommy frowned looking around, not seeing anything. He turned his attention back to the truck, closing the door. He turned to head into the house, pressing the lock button on this key fob.

“Psst,” he heard again.  He looked around again, “Hello?” he called out.

“Bushes,” He heard coming from the bushes that they shared with Chim and Maddie’s property.

“Howie?” Tommy questioned 

“Shh!” Chim hushed his brother-in-law, peeking out from the bush he was hiding behind.  Tommy made his way over, as Chim waved him down.

 “Is there a reason you’re hiding in our rose bushes?” Tommy questioned.

“Will you keep your voice down?!”

“What is the matter with you?”

[letters2fiction]

Welcome to Letters2fiction!

The concept here is to send in a question or a letter request, and you’ll get a response from your fictional character of choice, from the list below. Please stick to the list I’ve made, but of course, you can ask if there’s some other characters I write for, I don’t always remember all the shows, movies or books I’ve consumed over the years and I’m sure I’m missing a lot 😅

Status: New Characters added - Thursday March 21st, 2024

TV SERIES

A Discovery of Witches:

Matthew Clairmont

Baldwin Montclair

Gallowglass de Clermont

Marcus Whitmore

Philippe de Clermont

Jack Blackfriars

Sarah Bishop

Emily Mather

Diana Bishop

Ysabeau de Clermont

Miriam Shepard

Phoebe Taylor

Gerbert D’Aurillac

Peter Knox

Father Andrew Hubbard

Benjamin Fuchs

Satu Järvinen

Meridiana

Law and Order:

Rafael Barba

Sonny Carisi

Joe Velasco

Mike Duarte

Terry Bruno

Peter Stone

Hasim Khaldun

Nick Amaro NEW!

Mike Dodds

Grace Muncy

Kat Tamin

Toni Churlish

Amanda Rollins

Olivia Benson

Rita Calhoun

Casey Novak

Melinda Warner

George Huang

Sam Maroun

Nolan Price

Jamie Whelan

Bobby Reyes

Jet Slootmaekers

Ayanna Bell

Jack McCoy

Elliot Stabler

One Chicago:

Jay Halstead (Could also be Will if you want)

Antonio Dawson

Adam Ruzek

Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz

Dante Torres

Vanessa Rojas

Kevin Atwater

Sean Roman

Matt Casey

Kelly Severide

Joe Cruz

Sylvie Brett

Blake Gallo

Christopher Hermann

"Mouch"

Otis

Violet Mikami

Evan Hawkins

Mayans MC:

Angel Reyes

Miguel

Bishop

Coco

Nestor

911 verse:

Athena Grant

Bobby Nash

Henrietta "Hen" Wilson

Evan "Buck" Buckley

Eddie Diaz

Howie "Chimney" Han

Ravi Panikkar

T.K. Strand

Owen Strand

Carlos Reyes

Marjan Marwani

Paul Strickland

Tommy Vega

Judson "Judd" Ryder

Grace Ryder

Nancy Gillian

Mateo Chavez

The Rookie:

Lucy Chen

Tim Bradford

Celina Juarez

Aaron Thorsen

Nyla Harper

Angela Lopez

Wesley Evers

BBC Sherlock:

Greg Lestrade

Mycroft Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Moriarty

Molly

Bridgerton:

Anthony Bridgerton

Benedict Bridgerton

Simon Basset

Daphne Bridgerton

Eloise Bridgerton

Kate Sharma

Edwina Sharma

Marina Thompson/Crane

Outlander:

Jamie Fraser

Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser

Frank Randall

Black Jack Randall

Brianna Fraser

Roger MacKenzie

Fergus Fraser

Marsali Fraser

Jenny Fraser Murray

Ian Murray Sr.

Ian Fraser Murray

Murtagh Mackenzie

Call The Midwife:

Shelagh Turner / Sister Bernadette

Dr. Patrick Turner

Nurse Trixie Franklin

Nurse Phyllis Crane

Lucille Anderson

Nurse Barbara Gilbert

Chummy

Sister Hilda

Miss Higgins

PC Peter Noakes

Reverend Tom Hereward NEW!

Narcos:

Horacio Carrillo

Peaky Blinders:

Tommy Shelby

Downton Abbey:

Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham

Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham

Lady Mary Crawley

Lady Edith Crawley

Lady Sybil Crawley

Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

Isobel Crawley

Matthew Crawley

Lady Rose MacClare

Lady Rosamund Painswick

Henry Talbot

Tom Branson

Mr. Charles Carson

Mrs. Hughes / Elsie May Carson

John Bates

Anna Bates

Daisy Mason

Thomas Barrow

Joseph Molesley

Land Girl:

Connie Carter

Reverend Henry Jameson (Gwilym Lee's version)

Midsomer Murder:

DCI Tom Barnaby

Joyce Barnaby

Dr. George Bullard

DCI John Barnaby

Sarah Barnaby

DS Ben Jones

DS Jamie Winter

Sgt. Gavin Troy

Fleur Perkins

WPC Gail Stephens

Kate Wilding

DS Charlie Nelson

Sergeant Dan Scott

NEW! Once Upon A Time

Regina / The Evil Queen

Mary Margaret Blanchard / Snow White

David Nolan / Prince Charming

Emma Swan

Killian Jones / Captain Hook

Mr. Gold / Rumplestiltskin

Neal Cassidy / Baelfire

Peter Pan

Sheriff Graham Humbert / The Huntsman

Jefferson / The Mad Hatter

Belle

Robin of Locksley / Robin Hood

Will Scarlet

Zelena / Wicked Witch

Alice (Once in Wonderland)

Cyrus (Once in Wonderland)

Jafar (Once in Wonderland)

Gideon

Tiger Lily

Naveen

Tiana

Granny

Ariel

Prince Eric

Aladdin

Jasmine

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Hercules

Megara

Tinker Bell

Merida

Red Riding Hood

Mulan

Aurora / Sleeping Beauty

Prince Phillip

Cinderella

Prince Thomas

NEW! The Vampire Diaries / The Originals

Stefan Salvatore

Damon Salvatore

Caroline Forbes

Elena Gilbert

Bonnie Bennett

Enzo St. John

Niklaus Mikaelson

Elijah Mikaelson

Kol Mikaelson

Rebekah Mikaelson

Freya Mikaelson

Finn Mikaelson

Mikael

Esther

Marcel Gerard

Davina Claire

MOVIES

The Pirates of the Caribbean:

Captain Jack Sparrow

Barbossa

Will Turner

Elizabeth Swann

James Norrington

Kingsman:

Merlin

Harry Hart

Eggsy Unwin

James Spencer / Lancelot

Alastair / Percival

Roxy Morton / Lancelot

Maximillian Morton / The Shepherd

Orlando Oxford

Jack Daniels / Whiskey

Gin

BOOKS

Dreamland Billionaire series - Lauren Asher:

Declan

Callahan

Rowan

Iris

Alana

Zahra

Dirty Air series - Lauren Asher:

Noah

Liam

Jax

Santiago

Maya

Sophie

Elena

Chloe

Ladies in Stem - Ali Hazelwood books:

Olive

Adam

Bee

Levi

Elsie

Jack

Mara

Liam

Sadie

Erik

Hannah

Ian

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros:

Xaden Riorson

Dain Aetos

Jack Barlowe

Rhiannan Matthias

Violet Sorrengail

Mira Sorrengail

Lillith Sorrengail

Bodhi Durran

Liam Mairi

[ohmymets]

“Champagne as shampoo” is definitely the kind of thing I would’ve written in my live journal in my early 20’s.

[jaytoons7]

Last pride month, I made a list of some of my OCs sexualities and genders. This year though, I'm gonna go a bit further than that. I'm not only gonna update that OC list, I'm gonna list the sexualities and genders of the Shifted Timeline versions of THSC characters!

Under the cut coz this is gonna get long. Also, Not everyone will be included unfortunately.

First up, The ST versions of canon characters:

Henry Stickmin: Demiboy and Aroace. Uses He/They (His sexuality honestly varies depending on the universe, But this is his for the main story's timeline)

Ellie Rose: Cis Female and Bisexual. Uses She/Her

Charles Calvin: Cis Male and Bisexual. Uses He/Him

Gadget Gabe (Gabe Stickmin): Nonbinary and Lesbian. Uses They/Them

Dr. Vinschpinsilstien: Trans Female and Lesbian. Uses She/Her

Dave Panpa: Cis Male and Pansexual. Uses He/Him (Couldn't resist the pun)

Rupert Price: Cis Male and Gay. Uses He/Him

Jacob Rose: Trans Male and Gay. Uses He/Him

Johnny Panzer: Cis Male, Asexual, and Panromantic. Uses He/Him (Double the puns)

Reginald Copperbottom: Masc Leaning Nonbinary and Gay. Uses primarily He/Him

RHM: Trans Male and Pansexual. Uses He/Him

Sven Svensson: Trans Male, Bisexual, and Homoromantic. Uses He/Him

Burt Curtis: Cis Male, Demisexual, and Homoromantic. Uses He/Him

The Witch: Fem leaning Nonbinary and Lesbian. Uses mostly She/Her but isn't picky.

Gremlin: Nobody knows what's up with her, But she definitely ain't cishet. Seems fine with She/Her

Five-Eyes: Trans Masc Nonbinary and Gay. Uses He/They

Howard Copperbottom (Howie Howitzer): Cis Male and Gay. Uses He/Him

Katelyn Copperbottom (Cool Katie): Trans Female and Lesbian. Uses She/Her

Hubert Galeforce: Cis Male and Gay (And a goddamn disaster at that). Uses He/Him

Dmitri Petrov: Cis Male and Gay (But has given up on romance). Uses He/Him

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated OC list:

Jay Benson: Transmasc Nonbinary and Demisexual. Uses He/They

Scottie Anderson: Nonbinary, Pansexual, and Polyamorous. Uses They/Them

Ulle Meadows: Cis Female and Lesbian. Uses She/Her

Eden Orchard: Generally Unlabeled. Uses She/Her mostly but isn't picky.

Alexander Williams: Cis(?) Male, Bisexual, and Polyamorous. Uses He/Him

Richard "Crusher" Hughes: Cis Male and Gay. Uses He/Him

Hazel Juniper: Cis Female and Pansexual. Uses She/Her

Tara Sammson: Trans Female, Bisexual, and Polyamorous. Uses She/Her

Lori Woods: Cis Female and Lesbian. Uses She/Her

Lynnette Strickland: Demigirl, Asexual, and Biromantic. Uses She/They

Marianne Strickland: Cis Female and Lesbian. Uses She/Her

Harrison Calvin-Curtis: Demigirl, Aromantic, and Homosexual. Uses She/They

[romanbridgers]

tease tidbit tuesday

this is stupid lol. i just found it in my notes app though so i figured i might as well toss it out into the void.

Tommy Kinard gets dumped on his wedding day—at the altar, in front of the guests and the priest and God Himself, rings having already been exchanged. The priest is just about to pronounce them husbands when Evan jerks his hands away and stares at Tommy, his eyes as wide as saucers and says, “I can’t do this. I can’t marry you, Tommy, I’m so sorry—” and then power walks himself down the aisle.  Jee-Yun squeals delightedly as Evan hustles for the exits, hurrying after him, tossing rose petals in his wake before Maddie scoops her up and deposits her into (a very confused) Howie’s lap.  “I’ll—uh—I’ll get the groom,” she stammers, waving her hands at the guests before pivoting on her heel and rushing after her brother. Tommy still hasn’t moved from his spot in front of the priest. He doesn’t think he’s taken a single breath since Evan slipped the gold band onto his finger. He might be hyperventilating. Or having a heart attack.

A large, warm hand claps Tommy on the shoulder. It gives him a reassuring squeeze.  “Hey, man, are you okay?” Eddie whispers under his breath.  Tommy stares at the doors, still quivering from Evan’s and then Maddie’s dramatic exits.  “No,” Tommy mutters, balling his hands into fists. “What the hell just happened?” 

???????????????????

[epitheterasedaskblog]

(Hey everyone i wanna say is what kind of insect is your favourite?)

Epithet, well my favourite insect is me😈 but🤨 my true favourite is mosquito :3

Giovanni: Oh, hercules beetles are my personal favorite—They look so badass!

Rick: I too like those types of bugs! (he also likes hercules beetles)

Molly: I don't really have a favorite, but I do like ladybugs. They're pretty!

Sylvester: Crickets.

Mera: I honestly could care about insects. They're just annoying pests.

Indus: Ants! They protect and feed their queen like I do with Lady Mera. Those small little things have plenty of honor! Though they are a pain to get rid of when they appear out of nowhere...

Trixie: Thorn beetles!

Naven: I don't do well with insects, so, I'll have to pass on this one...sorry..

Phoenicia: Rose maple moths!

Lorelai: Dragonflies...

Howie: Bees.

Percy: Dung beetles.

Ramsey: Gotta go with the good ol' Brazilian treehopper.

Zora: The assassin bug.

Arnold: Green Milkweed Locusts.

Bugsy: I'll have to go with Goliath Beetles.

Howdy Mornin': Cockroaches!

Yoomtah: Rose maple moths! Those things are just the cutest!

Stink: Stink bugs! (obviously...)

Car Crash: Hummingbird Hawk-moth!

Flamethrower: Fire ants!

Crusher: Rhinoceros Beetle.

Spike: The Australian Walking Stick! Those things are sick as fuck!

Dark-Star: Grasshoppers!

Ben: I like ladybugs, they look so friendly and nice.

Martin: Oh, oh! My favorite ones are thos--

Everyone:

GET OUT!!

[cjlouwho]

The Only Exception

Had to write a little fic from Tommy's perspective based off of The Only Exception by Paramore. Read below or on ao3!

For so long, love felt to Tommy like wearing a turtleneck on a summer day. It was uncomfortable. Itchy, sweaty, and no matter how much you tugged it away from your neck it came right back to choke you again.

That was the type of love he'd grown up with. A love that was never truly love at all.

A father who failed more often than he succeeded. Who cheated and lied and spewed words of hatred. Who treated him like gum on the bottom of his shoe. Who treated his mom even worse.

And his mom would get sick of it. She'd say she was done. She'd cry and yell and pack her bags- only her bags- and she'd look Tommy straight in the eyes and tell him, “This is what love looks like, Thomas, this is all it is.”

During those times, Tommy's dad would beg and plead for her to stay. He couldn't make it through life without her, he didn't know what he'd do if she left, he was nothing without her, she was nothing without him.

He'd wipe away her tears and take her suitcase from her hand and lead her back to the bedroom. Tommy would make himself a bowl of cereal, sit on the couch, watch cartoons until after the sun had set, then he'd tuck himself into bed.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

When he got older and left for the army, there wasn't really time for love. There was time for quickies in secret hookup spots around base. There was time to learn more about himself than he dared speak about. There was time to get close to a guy who laughed in his face when Tommy told him that maybe one day they could leave the military and get a place together.

You're living in a fantasy world, Kinard, so here's some reality. Guys like us weren't made to be loved.

He was young and naive then.

He learned to grow up quickly.

He tried love after he first became a firefighter. But love was closing his eyes and imagining someone else when he was intimate with her. It was taking extra shifts at work so he had an excuse not to invite her over. It was telling her he had to sleep alone because he had nightmares.

It was unfair to them both.

It wasn't love.

Because love doesn't exist.

Tommy learned to be comfortable with being alone. Learned to keep himself busy with hobbies so he was content when he walked into his empty house.

Learned to enjoy another man's touch for a night, and be gone long before the sun rose.

Learned to fake girlfriends at work, be the guy who has someone new every other month. Let everyone call him a player because that was better than any other word they'd use if they knew the truth.

Love doesn't exist. Not for someone like me.

Even at Harbor, once he decided to be honest with himself and the people around him, love felt like an illusion.

There was the guy who was still deep in the closet, who didn't even want to look at Tommy when they were in bed together.

Then the guy who paraded him around and let everyone, including his ex-boyfriend, know he was with a firefighter.

The guy who in the end said he only asked him out because Tommy saved his life and he felt he owed him that much.

Just stop trying.

That's what he did. He stayed in his bubble of work, hobbies, home.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Every day the same.

Then he got a phone call from someone he hadn't heard from in a while.

And he literally owed his life to this guy, so of course he said yes to the most insane plan he'd ever heard.

Then suddenly he was meeting two new guys that had joined the 118 after he left. He was reconnecting with Hen, he was getting texts from Howie, he was gaining a new friend in Eddie, and he had plans to teach this Evan how to fly.

Evan with a beautiful smile and a hot body and the most adorable personality he'd ever seen.

He needed to keep his distance, because he didn't know Evan very well and he could be reading this all wrong.

Which, apparently he was, because Evan seemed to hate him and the last thing he needed was for this overall sweet guy with beautiful eyes to hate him.

He needed to do something to fix it. Needed to make things right so he didn't lose this friendship that hadn't even had a chance to begin.

So, he went to Evan's place and...

Oh.

It's funny how a person can really change your perspective of things.

Maybe the only time love doesn't last is when it's not meant to. Maybe there are exceptions. And maybe it'll find you when you least expect it. Maybe it'll find you in the loft of an apartment you've never been in before. Or during a messy first date that could've ended better on both ends.

Maybe love is an attempt to get your coffee order right when you've never even discussed whether or not you like coffee.

Or it's an insane ask to be a date to a wedding, because even though you barely know each other his family wants to meet you. He's talked about you to them.

It's found in a hug at a bachelor party, or in a “be safe” when you're going into work.

Maybe love is a kiss at the entrance of a hospital. So unexpected you can't help but vocalize your surprise.

Maybe it's not caring if you have evidence of a make-out session all over your face because you like this guy and you don't care who knows it.

Or maybe it's being there when someone from your past pops up and you can't quite vocalize how you feel.

Love is a late night dinner after a bad day where you can express your worries and discuss parental trauma. Love is knowing when to turn the conversation on its heels and flirt because life's been too serious lately and sometimes you need a reason to smile.

Love is found in the person you lean on when you're upset or angry. It's who you go to with your tears, whether they're from sadness or rage.

It's learning each other's flaws and not running away. It's learning to love their mess, all of their imperfections, and sticking it out because they're worth it.

It's a heated argument that no one wins and you forget what started it in the first place. It's in not giving a reason to pack your bags and threaten to leave, but in hashing it out because the person is worth staying for.

It's in honesty and thinking before you speak and being faithful.

It's in a hospital room after an injury that almost takes your life. It's when you open your eyes and your person is seated beside you looking worse than you do because they haven't slept in three days.

Love is cooking dinner together, and laughing so hard that soda shoots out your nose because only one of you knows how to follow a recipe.

Love is running to you when you show up at their station unannounced because they forgot their lunch in your fridge.

It's a kiss in the middle of a station that once held your biggest insecurities hostage. It's a hand on your back leading you up the stairs because everyone will want to see you.

Love is a gasp and a plead for more. A whisper that it's never felt like this before. It's strong arms gripping your back, wanting to feel you, wanting to kiss you, wanting to see you.

Love is holding you close until you fall asleep, until the sun rises, and even long after that.

Love is breaking through every rule you've made for yourself without even realizing it. Breaking down each and every barrier you've put in your own way and doing it with such grace and care that it brings tears to your eyes if you think about it too much.

Love is the person lying beside you right now, snoring so loudly you can't sleep, but you don't even care. You watch them, place a hand over their chest to feel their heartbeat because sometimes you wonder if they truly exist.

Love is curling into your touch, smacking their lips as they tug you closer and resume snoring right in your ear.

Love is here.

Love is present.

Love is real.

Love is Evan.

[writer-by-the-sea]

Hello! How are you? This is my first time requesting something from you and I'm kinda anxious

Could you do a valentine drabble for when Elliott and the Farmer spend their first valentine as a married couple, what would he do with them, for them, where would they go, etc

Hope this isn't too much, have a great day!

IMPLIED NSFW

Our first Valentine's day as a married couple! A day made for love, a day that was one of my favorites of all time. 

And things were going horribly horribly wrong. 

I stood in shock as I stared down at the disaster before me. How in the world had I managed this? A plate of fresh strawberries, now covered in some kind of chocolate… abomination. The chocolate turned dry and crumbly, barely able to stay on the berries before somehow turning into dust right before my eyes. 

Then an attempt at a white chocolate drizzle went even worse than I could have imagined. It looked—

Well…..

It looks like the aftermath of an orgasm, and a weak one at that. Thin, white, and never meant to go on a dessert. If one would even call this a dessert. 

Through the kitchen window I could see my farmer carefully gathering a bouquet of roses, no doubt a gift for myself that I wasn’t meant to see. 

Why on earth did we ever agree to make each other’s gift? 

I could feel the panic begin to set in. While the strawberries weren’t my only plan for the day, they were especially picked as a first round of dessert for my lovely partner. The second dessert being eerily familiar to my white chocolate catastrophe. And I know that the farmer wouldn’t mind, in fact I could see them gobbling the strawberries down with no problem whatsoever. A black hole that farmer is, truely. 

With an exasperated sigh; I tossed the berries into the bin, choosing not to serve something so horrific to my farmer– even if they would eat them. I wanted a night of making love beneath the sky, our bodies illuminated by the stars as the moon watches over us. Not a night of the farmer running into the sea to take care of their now demanding bodily functions from food poisoning. 

The basket I packed was now ready to go, and soon we would be meeting on the beach for a wonderful little dinner. A collection of bite sized cucumber sandwiches, macaroni salad, vegetables with a simple creamy dip, and now just a very small portion of very plain but delicious strawberries. 

With my jacket in hand, I made my way to the beach, pausing for a moment to take in the scenery of our farm. It was coming together so beautifully, and it was all because of my farmer. The work they put in each and every day was extraordinary. I have never been so proud of another person in my entire life, and each night I go to bed I can’t help but think of how lucky I am. 

I love this farmer so much it almost pains me. I could never put it into words….

I look down at my basket, a small gesture that I hope can convey my love through yet another meal. 

Originally I thought of having us meet at the pond on our farm, a place where we would relax with the animals while we enjoyed our little picnic. However, I chose to be more selfish and insist that we meet on the beach.

I wanted to spend our first Valentine's Day together remembering the first day we met. How our eyes locked, howI felt my heart stop as I gazed back at them, how I knew– just from one look… that I would marry this person. 

And that, for the rest of our lives, they would be my Valentine. 

Even if I did ruin the strawberries.