#i love you a bushel and a peck

[geezerwench]

Math

[the-state-of-georgia-official]

Could you make spooky pfpf for me?

-washington

of course, dearest countryverse sibling

we shall match :3

[devildomwriter]

Under the Mistletoe | Raphael x Reader

1.2k+ words | GN! Reader | Romance, Comedy | CW: none, just a very oblivious angel

Summary: Raphael doesn’t seem to understand the tradition of mistletoe and Solomon and the hallmark channel are making it more confusing.

At this point, it was a battle of will. By that you meant ‘Will this oblivious angel even understand?’

Even Luke had noticed by now that there was an odd amount of mistletoe placed around Purgatory Hall and he kept giving weird looks to Solomon who kept insisting it was not him.

Simeon chuckled as he knew the truth. You were desperately hoping to kiss Raphael even just a small peck, but he was blind to any kind of affectionate moves and flirtations. You’d once called him cute directly to his face and he thought you were describing the Devildom and called you odd.

It was a potentially fruitless effort to get him to understand why you were putting up so much mistletoe. He saw you doing it again today as he sat there eating what was supposed to be a sandwich that Solomon had concocted for him.

He watched you nonchalantly, his spear at his side as he’d just come back from some kind of work. This time you stuck a bushel of holly on the corner of the living room wall right before the hallway leading to his room. The next dozen would be placed around his door and if he’d let you in, his room.

“That’s a lot,” he commented after finishing the sandwich and you sighed to yourself. As you took a step down the ladder your ankle twisted slightly and you fell back. Before you could even gasp, Raphael had his arms around you, catching your fall.

You stayed there for a moment shocked at how quickly that’d all happened when you grinned up at Raphael.

“Raphael! Look, we’re under the mistletoe!”

He blinked. “Of course we are…you put it everywhere.” He said as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. You sighed exasperatedly and sat up.

You heard Solomon laughing in the kitchen and glared in the general direction.

“Better luck next time,” Simeon said sweetly though he was glad it hadn’t worked.

Most people were very confused about your affection and general attraction to a stern angel like Raphael with unyielding convictions contrasting many of yours. But you couldn’t help it. He had the cutest smile he rarely showed, a voice that lived up to the description ‘angelic’, he was very protective of you and his loved ones, wanted what was best for everyone, and was very clearly lonely and lacking in enough socialization. One reason he did not seem to understand the human tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.

You began losing hope, wondering if he knew what it meant but avoided partaking in a commercialized aspect of a holiday that meant so much to him.

You nonetheless continued and knocked on the door of Purgatory Hall the next evening again.

Raphael looked out through the peephole and let you in, his slightly reddened face betrayed his efforts to hide anything was wrong.

You placed the mistletoe on the table again and Raphael walked past you to the couch where Hallmark movies were playing. This should have been the second sign something was different from yesterday.

“Hey, Raphael?” You called and he flinched and looked up immediately.

“Yes?”

“Can I put some of these in your room?”

He blushed furiously and looked away, “my room?”

You nodded and it dawned on you he was avoiding your eyes more than usual. You frowned and took off your coat placing it on the back of your chair.

“Raphael…what’s wrong?” You asked sweetly and he turned away to hide his expressions.

“Have you…never mind…” he immediately gave up and you shook your head.

“You can tell me anything, Raphael.” You assured and he was quiet for a long time but when you didn’t budge from your spot he relaxed and nodded.

“Are you…trying to set up Solomon and I?”

You froze. This dumass was more oblivious than you thought.

You heard loud cackling from Solomon’s room and Raphael turned red and clutched his spear ready to throw it at the door.

“What?” You said completely dumbfounded as you stared at him in shock.

He collected himself for a more serious conversation and began to explain himself. “I recently learned of the human tradition to kiss under the mistletoe.”

You nodded wondering how him finally learned the truth had gone so wrong.

“You set it up everywhere in our home and then immediately leave after Solomon begins laughing…This must be a signal for you to leave after prepping the area.” He said determinedly and you planted your face in your hands.

Solomon kept laughing so Raphael grabbed your arm. “Don’t go. Please take the mistletoe down. I’m not sure what Solomon has said to you but I do not have an interest in him, only his cooking.”

This situation was so absurd you finally broke down laughing, clutching your stomach as you fell onto your side, head in his hap.

Raphael let go of you and blushed. He had no idea what to do. He was feeling humiliated as he may have jumped to conclusions. Perhaps you just really liked mistletoe. Now you were in tears on his lap, a situation he’d never found himself in and so he sat there, his embarrassment growing until he had had enough.

“That’s enough. I deserve an answer. You’ve been doing this for weeks now.”

You wiped the tears from your eyes and poured yourself a glass of water asking him to wait as you calmed yourself down.

Finally, you turned around to Raphael, leaning against the counter, pink in the face as you decided the only way he’d get it through his head is if you explained it to him.

“Solomon is laughing because I keep failing.”

“At…hanging mistletoe? You did fall a few times…” he noted, his shoulders instantly relaxed as he now knew he was not part of some hallmark movie plot to set him up with Solomon.

You shook your head. “Raphael, how many times were we under the mistletoe at the same time?” You asked him to recall and he thought about it.

“…every time?” He said but it still didn’t click.

How could someone observant enough to be the best hitman in the celestial realm be so blind to this?

“Raphael…” you sighed and gave him a dumbfounded look. “I’ve been failing to get you to kiss me.”

Having it finally spelled it out, Raphael was very quiet and very still for what felt like minutes but was probably a few moments.

Then Raphael did something you’d never seen the proud angel do before. He hid his face in his hands and remained that way for what was minutes.

Luke and Simeon came into the living room to check up on him and Simeon offered you another glass of water which you drank as you became anxious this was a clear rejection.

Finally, Raphael sat up straight, face as expressionless as usual, and got up from the couch with his spear in hand. He disappeared around the corner and your heart fell. You thought you’d fall over as tears pricked the corners of your eyes when Raphael reappeared with a single leaf of mistletoe he’d ripped off a wall somewhere.

Now he blushed and looked away from you. You blinked in surprise trying not to get your hopes up but you ran up to him and hugged him. He stuck the leaf onto the end of the spear which reached above you both and he looked down at you, pink visible in his cheeks.

You looked up at him and closed your eyes. He stared at your freshly glossed lips and closing his eyes too he bent down and you finally felt the kiss of your angel’s lips.

[neuroticbookworm]

Random QL Superlatives: 2024 Edition

This list is gonna contain qls (and a few kdramas) I’ve watched this year, rather than the qls that were released this year.

Best Hosaka: Namgoong Shiwoon, Light On Me

ICYMI, I am obsessed with Hosaka from I Cannot Reach You, for his complete disdain for miscommunication, his incredible radar for bullshittery, and his otherworldly ability to not-so-gentle-parent bl boys into talking to each other. Every BL should have a Hoska. A Hosaka is a crucial part of a healthy BL ecosystem imo. So this year’s Best Hosaka Award goes to.. Namgoong Shiwoon!

Namgoong is kind yet firm in his opinions (and boyyy does he have them in a bushel and a peck), goofy in physicality yet measured with his words, and an all-around stellar friend. He would figure out the exact ways you’re ruining your life before you’ve even had a chance to emerge from the mental rubble, and will meet you with a detailed presentation on how to fix everything. Get a Namgoong for your life and listen to them for the best results!

Favorite Signature Move, Kiyoi tackling Hira, Utsukushii Kare 2 and Utsukushii Kare: Eternal

Kiyoi losing his patience with Hira and tackling him to the ground so he can get in his face and scream to get information out of him was simultaneously hilarious and sad.

Most Ineffective Defense: Sangwoo and His Lil Desk Divider, Semantic Error

I am still laughing at how Sangwoo believed with his entire precious heart that putting up a foot tall, easily removable physical barrier is gonna deter my man Jaeyoung, menace extraordinaire and dedicated Sangwoo-annoyer. Boy, did you even wanna try?

Saddest Sex Scene: At 25:00, In Akasaka

I was already heartbroken when Hayama and Shirasaki tried, failed, and emotionally devastated each other by attempting to “rehearse” for their intimate scene the previous night, but the filming of the actual scene took the pieces of my shattered heart, stomped on it, and then set it on fire. The aborted pinkie touch should be made illegal due to the amount of pain it inflicts on the masses.

Favorite Wholly Unrealistic Teenage Boy, Hasegawa, Oppan

I love this boy with all my heart and soul. What a mature little teenage noodle. The writers must’ve conceived his character by pouring all the good stuff they want to see in a baseball-jock teenage boy into a beaker, and out he emerged, Powerpuff Girls style.

Best Use of Strong-Independent-Women Money: Lee Mi Na’s Collection, Hit The Spot

I adore this woman for many things. Her friendship with Hee Jae. Her standards for men.

But most of all, I adore her for the things she spends her money on.

What an icon.

Best Righteous Anger: Ryunosuke, Tokyo In April Is…

I am always a big fan of characters who are mad for the right reasons and are not afraid to show it. Ryunosuke watched his friend carry this unbearable guilt around for years, and was rightfully mad at Kazuma who he assumed knew what had happened to Ren. And when he realized that Kazuma did not know, Ryunosuke sets his anger aside and tells Kazuma. I am part of the Ren Protection Squad and Ryunosuke is our leader.

The Cameo That Inspired The Loudest Scream: Madea Kentaro in Utsukushii Kare: Eternal

My earnest, precious son Yamato from I Cannot Reach You showing up in the middle of Hira and Kiyoi’s patented messiness? The scream I scrumpt, y’all.

Bestest Best Friend: Joon Pyo, The Eighth Sense

Joon Pyo! He got the fuck out of his own room for the night so his childhood best friend can get some. Ji Hyun better protect and cherish him at all costs.

Most Precious Gift To The World: Fujita-san and Kasuga’s conversation, Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna Season 2

Asian daughters fighting the intergenerational trauma demon everyday just.. get to have this? To watch whenever we want and draw strength from it? And feel the shoulders of the other daughters (and mothers) also fighting their fight, standing right beside us, fighting, and living, and thriving? What a blessing.

Wisest Wisdom: Pie’s Post-Breakup Advice, The Trainee

Heartbreak is temporary. French Fries are eternal.

The Swooniest Gwenchana: Ji Hyun, Happiness

Did I make up a whole category just because I needed to put his face on this post? Yes.

This year has been, amongst many things, undeniably fun. Tag me in your superlatives lists, and I will see y’all in the next one!

Tagging the peeps: @lurkingshan, @bengiyo, @happypotato48, @wen-kexing-apologist, @starryalpacasstuff

[beyondthisdarkhouse]

Disclaimer: I love and use the Metric system and am in NO WAY advocating for its abolition

However,

I really fucking love old, bizarre, hard-to-calculate measurement systems. Sometimes they're fairly simple, and sometimes they evoke a world for me where people got very into one particular realm of expertise and did not worry much about the minutiae of others. Because if they did that profession's guild would send around enforcers to stop them from encroaching onto their turf.

Practical example: Eggs! I've always bought eggs in the dozen. But the dozen is itself a unit of measurement, and it blew my mind when I first learned of places that sold eggs in units of 10.

Meanwhile, horses only make sense in Horse. They're measured in hands, half-hands, and quarter-hands. One hand is 4 inches. The decimal system works in base four, so 14.2 hands means 14 hands and 2 inches. (That's 58 inches, measured from the hump just before a horse's neck begins. It's also about the size of a large pony or small horse.)

Carats. In ye oldey dayes, a troy ounce (1/12 of a troy pound) was made up of 24 ounce carats, which were divisible into 20 grains troy, or, four ounce grains (a totally different thing from grain grains) which could then make four ounce quarters of 1.5 grains each. What the fuck. Wheels within wheels.

(Yes, that's why we talk about "24 carat gold", meaning that as close as is humanly possible, all 24 carats of the ounce are pure gold. It's a great fineness for a ring that will get the absolute shit beaten out of it if you work with your hands.)

Nautical miles should bother me more but honestly they make way more sense than the other miles do because I've read Longitude. It's 1/60 of 1/360 of the circumference of the earth. The earth is a giant sundial. I can't explain it any more clearly than that.

Bushels. Bushels don't make sense anymore but we still pretend they do. "A bushel of oats weighs 34 pounds," we say. "A bushel of barley is 48." Back in MY day, a bushel was 8 dry gallons, 4 pecks, or 2 kennings, and that's the way we LIKED it.

Board feet. My brother handles lumber for a living and he's explained it to me half a dozen times but I still don't and maybe never will understand board feet.

[the-state-of-georgia-official]

hold on, I'm finishing my food, I have 6 tots and a piece of chicken left

I'll be there in a minute 🫡

Going live

[dawnrider]

OTP Prompt Challenge request:

9. Morning Routine: InuKag

(I’d love to read some fluffy, domestic married Inukag morning routine bliss, but please write if/ as you feel so inspired ❤️)

Hello @xanthippe-writes ! Thanks for the prompt from this list.

This felt like it fit into my Bushel and a Peck universe so have some domestic morning routine. While not blissful, per se, it's fluffy and happy. And hopefully a bit real...

Fancy Cheese and Size Threes

“Don’t forget to grab diapers,” Kagome called from Sara’s room, the sounds of an angry baby not wanting their diaper changed following her words.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes in the mirror as his toothbrush hung out of the side of his mouth. He was trying to simultaneously wrangle curls into pigtails – Izzy’s current style of choice – and brush his own teeth while not dribbling on his shirt. “There,” he declared with a sigh, tugging on each one to pull them tight. “Go get your bag and your sweater.” Grasping the handle of his toothbrush, he got back to brushing.

“But I’m not cooooold,” Izayoi whined. Inuyasha paused in his brushing and gave his daughter a sharp look in the reflection of the mirror. She pouted, then turned on her heel to do as asked. He heard his wife cooing to Sara in order to distract her while trying to dress her. She’d hit the stage where she hated being changed in any capacity and tried to escape the changing table while you fought leggings onto her chunky little legs. “Daddy! I can’t find my sweater!”

“Nice try, pup. It’s on the chair,” he called back, spitting out the last of his toothpaste.

“Oh.”

“Uh huh.” He stepped out of the bathroom just in time to be handed an armful of squirming baby. “Well good morning to you too,” he muttered, dropping a kiss on top of her head. She squealed angrily at being restrained, little arms flailing.

“Here,” Kagome murmured. Her fingers swiped something from his face, then grabbed a towel just inside the door. “Toothpaste,” she clarified with a grin when he gave her a confused look. He sighed dramatically, then chuckled when she went up on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. “Diapers.”

“I heard you the first time.” Inuyasha adjusted Sara in his hold to keep her from climbing over his shoulder. “She still in a size three?” Kagome nodded as she pulled socks from the top drawer and tried to balance on one foot to put each of them on before giving up and plopping onto the floor. “Anything else we need? The C word?” he whispered the last, glancing toward the doorway. Izayoi was in her room, presumably struggling her way into her sweater based on the sounds she was making.

Kagome grinned wryly. “Probably not a bad idea. Just don’t get the soft kind. She doesn’t like those anymore.” He nodded. No string cheese, only the sticks. Got it. “Can you grab a bottle of wine too?” He knew if he asked her what kind she would say anything was fine, but he would end up grabbing two and hope one of them was serviceable.

“I’ll even get us some of the fancy stuff and the you-know-whats you like.”

Kagome’s eyes glowed. “Can we watch that movie I’ve had saved for later?” Inuyasha pretended to hate the idea, but nodded anyway, a sly smile lifting his lips. Fancy cheese and cracker night was a long-standing tradition. Especially now with both girls, they rarely got the chance to get out for an actual date night, so an old romance adventure movie on the couch with “fancy” grocery store cheese and crackers was about as much of a date night as they could reasonably expect.

“Am I gonna be late, Daddy?” Izayoi called from her room. She had only minimal understanding of the clock, but knew that time was a factor in their day. Inuyasha glanced at his watch and swore under his breath. “That’s a bad word!” Izayoi scolded, sounding scandalized.

“Yea, yea. Just don’t repeat it. Bye. I love you,” he murmured, kissing Sara’s squishy cheek and handing her to Kagome. “You too.”

Kagome grinned as he pressed a kiss to her lips, snatching his collar for a moment to keep him there. “Love you. Fancy date night.”

“And diapers. I know.” He grinned, kissing her one last time, then went to scoop up the four year old. Despite her protests, she’d put on her sweater and had her little backpack strapped on her back, the clip done in front. “You’re gonna have to take that off in the car, you know.”

“I know. I don’t wanna lose it!”

“Kid, that would be some kinda skill to lose your bag between here and the car,” he said with a chuckle. Despite his teasing, he wouldn’t put it past her to set it down somewhere and get distracted. He asked her about what she planned to do at preschool today and she told him elaborately the picture she planned to color and the tower she wanted to build in the block corner because Joey – another hanyou child she seemed to have a love-rivalry relationship with – had knocked over her last one before it was finished.

As he was backing down the driveway, he looked up and spotted Kagome holding Sara, chubby baby hands banging on the window glass and a face that told him she was squealing with laughter.

“Wave bye to your sister.”

“Bye Baby! Bye Mama,” Izayoi called as she waved back. Inuyasha grinned and gave a little wave too, making Sara screech and smack the glass again. Kagome was barely holding in laughter and she wiggled her fingers to say goodbye as well. “Daddy?”

“Yea, pup.”

“When I’m bigger, can I eat fancy cheese too?”

Inuyasha nearly choked, then smothered a laugh so he could look at her seriously in the rearview. “Sure, pup. You can eat fancy cheese when you get older.”

“Good. I wanna know what’s so great about it. You and Mama never share.”

“Trust me, Iz. When you get older, you’ll understand.”

“You alllllways say that.”

“Yup. And it’s pretty much always true.” He shook his head and smiled, seeing the slight pout on her face. “Guess what.” Her ears perked up, her pigtails quivering behind them. “We have to stop at the store on the way home from school later. You want to pick out a treat for you and Sara?”

Her eyes got huge and her mouth dropped open. “Really?!” He nodded. She squealed in excitement, then stopped almost immediately as both their ears flattened at the noise. “Sorry, Daddy.” Inuyasha only reached back behind his seat and patted her leg. She still had a lot to learn about being hanyou, but she was learning, and he couldn’t be more proud.

[artisticlegshake]

THE DANCE AWARDS ORLANDO RESULTS 2024

HIGH SCORE BY PERFORMANCE DIVISION (MINI)

BALLET:

1st Tarantella - STARS

2nd Esmeralda - VLAD’S

3rd Another Polka - YOUNG 

4th H. Potter - CDC

5th Visions - CCJ

CONTEMPORARY:

1st I Am Here - IMPACT

2nd Stuck In Pause - VLAD’S

3rd Without You - STARS

4th Amen - RHYTHM

4th Turn To Stone - SPOTLITE

5th Le Moulin - G-FORCE

LYRICAL:

1st Beautiful - STARS

2nd Smile - MATHER

2nd Time Goes Slow - CLUB DANCE

3rd If Rain Must Fall - VLAD’S

4th Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer - SOUTH TULSA

5th All That We’ve Lost - WESTCHESTER

JAZZ:

1st Luck Be A Lady - VLAD’S

1st Pump Up The Jam - SPOTLITE

2nd Hey U - MATHER

3rd Schoolin Life - MATHER

4th Word Up - SPOTLITE

5th Hey Pachuco - CDC

5th Love Potion - G-FORCE

5th On Broadway - ART & SOUL

TAP:

1st Freedom - ART & SOUL

1st It Ain’t Funky - ART & SOUL

2nd Lucky Day - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

2nd Puttin’ On The Ritz - CDC

3rd Best Day Of My Life - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

4th Get Up Off Of That Thing - CDC

4th Reet Petite - ART & SOUL

5th Barbapapa’s Groove - DANCE SPECTRUM

5th Tequila! - UPPER

MUSICAL THEATRE:

1st All That Jazz - IMPACT 

2nd A Bushel And A Peck - VLAD’S

3rd Hot Note - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

4th Revolting Children - CCJ

4th Rise Of The Pink Ladies - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

5th Loathing - WEST FLORIDA

HIP-HOP:

1st Queen B - VLAD’S

2nd Brava! - IMPACT

3rd Hoops - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

3rd Multiplayer - CCJ

3rd Nascar - STUDIO 61

4th Fire - ART & SOUL

5th Shake The Floor - STARS

BALLROOM:

1st Get On The Floor - THE SOUTHERN STRUTT

2nd Gangman Style - STARS

ACRO:

1st Could It Be - VLAD’S

2nd Bowl Of Cherries - ART & SOUL

2nd Heaven - ART & SOUL

3rd Faith - DANCE SPECTRUM

SPECIALTY:

1st Rama - IMPACT

2nd Through The Rain - STARS

3rd Dream Of You - VLAD’S

4th What A Feeling - VLAD’S

5th Black Car - SPOTLITE

[the-state-of-georgia-official]

y'all need help with that, sweetheart? ^^

Washington kisser

[Anon it's literally been confirmed on one of the blog posts here that they're siblings what the fuck]

[the-state-of-georgia-official]

ive been trapped under post limit jail so made an alt account

Also

Want to join hawaii and me in creating chaos?

welcome to alt account gang

...also I would, but I gtg to sleep soon ✊😔

[freakoutgirl]

Yeah well I love you a bushel and two pecks.

[inappropriatewenning]

Okay, really niche AU time:

It's a production of Guys and Dolls.* Pretty amateur, maybe university level, and it's not good. I cannot stress enough how not good it is. Bear with me. Ignore gender for now, more or less.

Nie Huaisang is the director. Nie Huaisang does almost nothing, but his choice of WWX as Adelaide sets off the whole thing.

WWX auditions on a lark, singing Bushel And A Peck, very over the top, NHS thinks it's HILARIOUS and casts him on the spot over any objections. WWX and his buddy Wen Ning seem to have pretty good rapport, and NHS detects hidden comedy potential in Wen Ning, so there's your Nathan Detroit.

Jiang Cheng doesn't have time for this and isn't really much of an actor and refuses any kind of lead role. But he is in fact a highly competent singer, and ends up as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, carrying the weight in some tricky group pieces. Wen Qing and Jiang Yanli are the other Guys. Jiang Cheng finds that he does have time for this.

Lan Xichen is also a highly competent singer, good romantic lead voice, and is cast as Sky Masterson on the strength of it.

But who is Sarah? LWJ, who has been ignoring the whole thing because musical theater is beneath him and Huaisang is incompetent, finally, angrily, tries out on provocation from Wei Wuxian. Sarah Brown. Prim, uptight. Everyone is a little concerned: can the Lan brothers play opposite each other like this? Lan Wangji flatly points out that it's not like he's actually in love with anyone here, so why would it be harder to act with Xichen than with anyone else?

Now. You are saying to yourself: but inappropriatewenning, most of this casting is terrible. And that's the beauty of it:

Jiang Cheng is surprisingly intense working with Wei Wuxian on bringing real emotion to the (Semi-) Scorned Woman part. No you don’t fucking get it Wei Wuxian, they DO love each other and of course she’s not going to just find someone else! And yes she’s also angry! People can be angry and loving! People can care about each other and still have problems!

Lan Xichen doesn't really bring a lot of...energy? dare I say chemistry?...to the role, but as he works with director's assistant Meng Yao one begins to see glimmers.

Things of course unravel. Wen Ning is too scared, and Wen Qing takes his place after stepping in with Jiang Cheng in rehearsal to show WWX what he means about the emotional shift that makes Sue Me work. Jin Zixuan takes over her initial role. He and Jiang Yanli are engaged by the end of the last show.

Adelaide and Sarah barely interact--until their surprisingly sexy Marry The Man Today. Were the characters supposed to sound like they’re fighting? ……..Were they supposed to, uh, “practice kissing” at the end?

Nie Huaisang is in fact a lousy director. Meng Yao does most of the work and Lan Xichen finds time to help him. There’s an awkward moment when Nie Mingjue (crew) walks in on them and doesn’t quite understand the vibe.

(* actually thematically appropriate because this is the jianghu, this is the otherworld of people living outside of regulated society)

Right okay my bus is almost at my workplace so I gotta leave you all with this.

[the-state-of-georgia-official]

augh, thank you, Idaho 🥺

Tbh I need to spookify some more tomorrow, maybe if I have time I could throw yours into the mix if you want

I have spoopy pfp

hmm perhaps i should spoopify mine aswell

[txemrn]

A Bushel and a Peck

Book: TRR

Pairing: Liam Rys x Riley Brooks-Rys

Word Count: ~3160

Warning: For mature audiences only; TW: major character deaths; mention of cancer, declining health, miscarriages; depiction of an afterlife

A/N: This is a follow-up to Wounded (you don't need to read it to understand this fic). I was asked to "fix it," and I think I did--I mean, I tried... but in a non-traditional way, that still leads to a true HEA. In a way, this is fairly fluffy, but sad fluffy.

A/N 2: Some of these characters, plot points and dialogue belong to our friends at Pixelberry. This was not beta'd; please excuse my errors.

~🖤~

"Can you show us another one?"

"Please, Auntie Ri? Just one more?"

Riley chuckles under her breath before a dry cough robs her titters. "You two aren't tired of those yet?"

Seven-year-old Monie grabs another leather-bound photo album as her five-year-old sister Ginny finishes a snack. The two girls visit with their great-great aunt every Thursday afternoon during the summer months while their mother runs errands.

"How about this one?" Monie passes the scrapbook to Riley, her frail, old hands gripping tightly to the heavy collection of photographs.

"Oh!" Riley squeals, a gravel to her voice, "you picked one of my favorite ones–"

"You say that about every album," Ginny retorts.

"Shhh, your manners!" Monie shakes her finger at her little sister.

Riley smiles warmly. "You're right; I do say that about my photo albums because I just love all of them." She pauses, licking her lined lips. "But this one…" her breath catches in adoration as she opens the front cover. "This one is very special. Here," she pats the empty spaces next to her on the bed, "let me show you."

The nieces eagerly climb on to the bed, sitting close on either side of Riley.

"Who is that?" Ginny exclaims in shock, looking over her aunt's arms in awe. "She looks like a Disney princess!"  

Riley curls an arm around her petite body, giving the little girl a gentle kiss in her raven curls.

"He's cute!" Monie croons, "he looks like–like Ken!"

Riley lets out a heartfelt laugh before coughing into a handkerchief. "This," she points to the tall, broad-shouldered man, dressed in full regalia, "is King William the first of Cordonia."

"Whoa," both girls hum in unison, their eyes glittering in awe.

"And this woman?" She points to the bride in the picture, "is me."

Ginny gasps, staring up at Riley. "But, Auntie Ri," Ginny puts a finger to her mouth, "where's your crown? And–and why is your hair a different color–?"

"Ginny!" Monie scolds.

Riley coughs into her hand, clearing her throat. "Those are some good observation skills," she boops Ginny on the nose, the little girl then turning to stick out her tongue at her older sister. "This picture was taken on my wedding day, over seventy years ago."

"Wow, that's older than Daddy," Ginny announces.

"So, that's Uncle Liam?" Monie guesses hopefully, pointing to the blond groom. 

Riley hums approvingly. "That is your great-great-uncle Liam."

Monie sighs dreamily looking at the picture. "You're so beautiful, Auntie Ri. Did you love him with all of your heart?"

Riley smiles, a sudden twinkle in her stormy blue eyes as she softly caresses her niece's cheek. "I still do."

After receiving Liam's grim test results for his cancer treatment, the young royal couple was advised by the Council to seek a second opinion. And then a third. But, the conclusion was always the same. Liam was dying. 

With the uncertainty of his time left, he made the difficult decision to step down as king. Cordonia was finally stable and strong enough that it could–and it would– thrive with the sudden change. 

But, once the choice was made, Liam never looked back to the country he loved so dearly. He couldn't. All he could see now was his wife, the woman that held his heart, the woman who wholly and bravely kept her vows…

… for worse…

… in sickness…

Liam and Riley savored every last moment they had with one another during his final eight weeks, laughing and revisiting old memories of their seven years of marriage. They enjoyed one last private waltz before he was confined to a wheelchair, one last café and baklava at their favorite late night bistro before he was restricted to the palace walls.  They held each other close at night, whispering prayers of love over one another, for just one more day, for just one more chance to say, 'I love you.'

And then he went.

Olivia Nevrakis assumed the throne as queen of Cordonia. Liam's short reign will always be celebrated in history as a time of rebuilding, as a time of peace, as a time that set the small country up for success. 

Though not reigning, Riley is still revered as a queen, but shortly after Liam's death, she returned to New York to be near family. She did return to Cordonia for visits, but otherwise, her life resumed back in the states. 

She never remarried. And after the four pregnancy losses she had with Liam, Riley had lost all hope and interest in ever becoming a mother. 

But even though her heart was shattered, she discovered abundant joy in a different familial role: being an aunt.  After the first generation of nieces and nephews had grown up, Riley quickly became the cornerstone of the Brooks family, highly regarded and respected. And loved. She was known as the fun aunt, the one with the best stories, the one that remembered birthdays and sporting events and recitals. She made sure every child in the family felt seen, heard, and above all else, loved.

Lost in the memories of her former life, a knock on the door interrupts Riley from her daydream. "Come in," she calls out, her soft timbre strained and gruff.

A young woman with dark hair bounds into the room, bracing her heavily pregnant belly. Monie and Ginny jump up from the bed, running to her with arms wide open. "Mommy!" They crash into her legs, nuzzling sweetly into their mother's sides.

"Hey, sweet girls," she croons, before she looks towards Riley, raising an eyebrow. "At least… I hope you two were sweet girls for Auntie Ri today."

"Oh, Jamie," Riley titters. "You know they are always perfect angels with me." She winks at her great-niece, hugging her daughters.

"Girls, Daddy is right outside. Can you go hold his hand? I need to talk with Auntie Ri for just a minute." 

Nodding their heads, the two young girls run back to their great-great aunt to give her hugs and kisses goodbye. 

"I love you–" Riley singsongs, giving them a knowing grin. Monie and Ginny chime in with her as they all sing in unison, "a bushel and a peck."

The girls raced to the hallway, instantly meeting their father. Jamie closes the door, letting out a sigh before turning her sad, glistening attention to her great aunt.

"Aunti Ri," a lump grows in her throat, "the doctors said you're refusing your heart cath."

Riley straightens out her posture, firming her jaw. "That's right, dear."

"Why?" The young woman whispers, wiping away a tear.

"Because what difference will it make?" Riley carefully grabs her walker, slowly making her way to her niece. "I'm almost 98-years-old, baby girl," she grabs Jamie's hand, comforting her as she watches her begin to cry. "It's time. I'm… ready to go home."

"But," Jamie exhales a trembling sob, "what about us? What if I'm not ready for you to go?"

Riley grins endearingly, "I know that feeling all too well." She gently rubs her thumb over her niece's fingers. "Did I ever tell you what my Liam said to me the night before he passed?"

Jamie dabs away her tears, shaking her head.

"We would stay up late into the night, dreaming of the life we could've had if it wasn't for, y'know, the cancer. But," Riley licks her lips, "that night. Our last night… Liam was quiet. There were no more what ifs or discussions of what could have been. Instead, he just smiled. Completely at peace." Riley's eyes flutter as she recounts the distant memory. "He simply said, 'I'm ready, love.'" Riley shrugs.

"Do you think he knew?" Jamie sniffles, "you think he was ready to die?"

"I think," Riley removes her bifocals, letting them hang around her neck as she draws closer to her niece. "He was ready to live again. He was ready for the next adventure that life has to offer."

Jamie tilts her head. "What's that?"

"Eternity," Riley chuckles, gripping tight to her great niece's arm. "He's been waiting for me a long time." She sighs with contempt, "You kids?" She chuckles to herself, "you are so strong. You all are. My presence isn't what makes you strong. It was our time together… and sure, you'll be sad. But this life?" Riley shakes her head. "It's not the end of the road. And as for me… I'm ready to live again. I'm ready for my next adventure." A tear rolls down Riley's cheek as she smiles brightly. "I'm ready for eternity."

Jamie helped Riley into her favorite rocking chair for her afternoon nap before dinner, covering her up with her favorite knitted blankets. The women hugged each other close before they finally said their goodbyes. 

Turning to leave, Riley calls Jamie back to her side.

"Baby girl?" Riley titters before she begins to sing. "I love you–"

Jamie lets out a heartfelt laugh, wiping away the last of her tears. "--a bushel and a peck."

----------

Warm beams of light crawl across Riley's skin, stirring her awake from her deep slumber. She sits up, rubbing the remainder of her sleepiness from her eyes when suddenly, she freezes. She blinks a few more times as confusion--and fear–billows through her veins.

Her room. It's different. The space was large, filled with the gorgeous scent of pink Cordonian hydrangeas, fresh picked rubies… and something else. Someone else.

Riley takes in the soft gray hue of the walls, accented by the navy toile window treatments. Everything beautiful in its place, everything perfectly neat, everything… oddly familiar. Like a distant dream, like the memory of another life.

Cautiously taking in her new surroundings, Riley begins to mindlessly fumble with the intricate stitching of a throw pillow, the threading comforting to her fingertips.

Then she stops. 

She holds up her hand, her ocean eyes growing wide with wonder. Her skin. It is pure like the first Lythikos snow. No blemishes, no creases. It's perfectly smooth, perfectly pink and supple. Speechless, she reaches up to touch her own flushed cheeks. 

And she gasps, the lines of the past century remarkably gone. Her face. It feels impossibly soft. Like velvet.

A thread of panic unfurls in her stomach as she throws the covers off her body, retreating to the en suite bathroom. Riley has had dreams like this before–many times, actually. Fantasies about her younger years, about her life in Cordonia, about the precious moments she had with the love of her life.

But there was something strange about this one. Something life-like. Something real.

Riley stares at her reflection in the mirror, her hands curiously exploring her body. Espresso tresses. Slender slopes of her waist and hips. She swivels to the left, then to the right, chuckling at her age-rewind. If she could only tell herself then what she knows now…

As she pretends to pin her hair up in different regal styles, the whisper of a melody floats into the room. Startled by the accompaniment, Riley twirls around, listening more intently. She takes a step forward. Then another. She cranes her neck towards the bedroom door, her only exit.

It was a guitar. Someone was playing it.

Riley carefully opens the door, and pads softly down the hallways, through the kitchen and to the foyer. She presses her ear to the front door of her quarters, the music crescendoing through the air.

Swiftly exiting the quarters, Riley tiptoes through the halls down to the main corridor, following the strumming of notes. She finally comes to a set of double doors, one of them sitting ajar as a heavenly light pours out.

Placing her fingertips on the ornate wood,  the vibrations of each chord stirs the wings of butterflies in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she pokes her head into the room.

A woman–an older woman–sits casually in a chair, her fingers meticulously plucking the strings. Riley focuses on her kind face and soft features. Her wavy blonde hair is pinned back into a low bun, exposing the brilliance of her crystal blue eyes.  Though expressionless as she played, the curves of her rosy lips are pleasant, friendly.

"Oh!" She exclaims, noticing Riley. "You're finally here!"

Riley's eyes grow into saucers. Does she know this woman? 

She watches the older woman set down her instrument before bounding towards where Riley stood.

"We have been waiting for you," she smiles sincerely, taking Riley's hands endearingly into her own. “We have so much to talk about–”

"Grandma!"

"Oh!" She lets out a hearty laugh as four small children file into the room, dashing quickly to her side. She bends over and greets each one with a tight hug and a kiss. "How are my darlings?"

Riley smiles at the interaction, admiring the love this woman has for her beautiful grandchildren.  She then casually surveys the room; are their parents nearby?

She looks back to the family when suddenly, she notices one of the blond boys with striking eyes like his grandmother is gazing up at her. He doesn't say a word, but his stare is friendly, warm and inviting.

Riley climbs onto her knees, her attention not leaving him as she soaks in his handsome mannerisms. Even for such a young boy, his hair was perfectly combed to the side. His collared shirt was properly tucked in, and he politely held his hands together behind his back. So precious, so refined and orderly, just like…

Riley gasps as a sea of tears gather in her eyes. She reaches out, combing her fingers through his short hair before stroking his freckled cheeks. And she lets out a silent whimper. "William?"

The young boy giggles, turning back to his brothers and sister. "I told you she would remember me!"

Wrapping her arms around his frame, Riley pulls him to herself tightly, his arms securing around her neck. "My–my baby boy…" One-by-one, each child approaches slowly, excitement written on their chubby faces. Riley caresses the cheeks of two more little boys: another blond and one with dark brunette hair like hers. "Henry?" She sniffles as he nods, chewing coyly on his fingernail. "Alexander?" The two boys join the embrace with their brother William, rivers cascading down their mother's face as she peppers them with kisses.

"Do you remember me, Mommy?"

Riley glances up to see a little girl with stormy blue eyes, her espresso waves tamed into two braids. Though she wore a pretty pink jumper with bows, she was wearing a pair of muddy galoshes. 

That's my girl. 

"My Eleanor," Riley whispers, extending her hand to join the fold with her brothers. She presses her lips into the little girl's temple as she holds her close. "Oh, my baby, I love you," she squeezes her grip around the boys, "all of you!" She snickers, "I love you."

"A bushel and a peck," Alexander pipes up. "Right, Mommy?"

New warm tears pour down Riley's reddened face as she lovingly dotes on her children. "That's right, baby," her breath quivers, "that's right. But… how did you–?"

"You used to sing that to me at night–"

"Me, too!" Henry exclaims while William nods in agreement.

"You and Daddy told me that over and over," Eleanor giggles, "until I woke up in Grandma's arms!" 

Riley freezes as she peers up at the older woman, now overcome with her own tears of joy. She slowly stands, her lips parting in awe. "Your majesty?"

"I haven't been called that in over 85 years!" The older woman shares a contagious laugh, “But, how about we just stick with ‘Eleanor’ for now?”  She quickly reaches out, pulling her daughter-in-law into a snug embrace. Riley quickly slinks her arms around the woman, holding her close as they both weep silently together. "You," Eleanor whispers, "were more than I ever dreamed for my Liam. You were–You are everything he deserves… and more.”

Riley suddenly lets go, staring into her mother-in-law's eyes. She bites her lip as she tilts her head curiously, almost in disbelief.

"Where… where is he?" She sobs into a smile.

Eleanor tucks Riley's hair behind her ear before resting her hands on her daughter-in-law's shoulders. "Where do you think, my dear?"

Riley stumbles backwards as a bright smile crawls across her face. She finally turns around, pushing through the double doors and out into the main corridor. After descending the grand staircase, she exits into the pure daylight, a gentle breeze greeting her.  She glances around the grounds, the fresh greenery invigorating her senses. Without thinking, she abruptly takes off down the steps, sprinting through the bushes, across the courtyard and around the fountain. Finally, she reaches a thick hedge of beautifully twisted vines and leaves. The garden maze.

Riley closes her eyes as she catches her breath, another gust of wind tangling in her hair. A tug on her heart beckons for her to keep going as she fumbles her way into the maze. She frantically runs around the corners and through the turns, her hands outstretched to catch her if she trips.

Making it around the last twist of the path, Riley spills into the center of the maze: the garden. Her eyes frantically search, scouring through the area, looking behind lattice work and dense pieces of foliage until finally, she gasps.

Around the corner along a private path, a tall, strongly-built man slowly paces next to a swing, his hands casually in his pockets. With his short locks of blond ruffling in the breeze, he glances at his watch before instantly feeling a pair of stormy blue eyes fixed on him.

As he peers over his shoulder, a smile tugs at his lips, his breath escaping his lungs as his eyes begin to shimmer.

"There you are, my love."

With reckless abandon, Riley dashes down the dirt path, gasping for air between her wails of disbelief. Leaping into the air, Liam's strong arms instantly catch her, pulling her close to his broad chest. His large hand cradles her intimately as his other fists tightly into her careless waves. She locks her legs around his waist, her fingers combing hungrily into his hair as she presses her face into his neck.

And she weeps, deep groans escaping her chest as her body shudders in his arms. 

"Shhh," Liam gently croons, warm tears coursing down his chiseled cheeks. "It's alright now. Everything is alright now."

Quieting down, Riley looks up to her husband, his lips immediately finding hers. "Is this real?" She pants, claiming his mouth again. "Please tell me this is real life, baby."

Liam pulls her into another deep kiss, his tongue gently caressing her lips apart as he elicits soft mewls from her mouth. He pulls back, his crystal blue gaze meeting her hopeful, tear-stained eyes. "It's better, love." He pushes a wayward tendril from her face. "This is eternity."

~🖤~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~🖤~

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~🖤~

[chiliger]

How did Peck, Flores and Carlos come about their names?

Oh, I’m glad you asked, anon!

Carlos was the simplest and most mundane. He was going over a roster that had some nat-born names on it and liked the look of the name. But he considered it more like a decoration until his CMO, San, said it in exasperation one day, and something clicked for Carlos where he officially is Carlos.

Peck is named for two reasons. One because I had the lyric “a bushel and a peck,” stuck in my head at the time I first drew her, and her beauty marks are basically little pecks 💖. But! It works perfectly in universe because she was the bottom of the pecking order as a cadet. Peck was signaled out by her peers because of her unusual height, which under different circumstances would have made her a valued asset, but not on Kamino. Her batchmates were bitter and sore losers, so they basically blamed her every time they scored low for the team exercises, even though she had the best scores when solo. A trainer had used the phrase “pecking order” once, and Peck decided to own the name because she was determined to prove her worth despite what others thought of her.

Flores got his name from a near death experience. He was still a Shiny on his first mission when he stumbled across an aggressive carnivorous plant that disguised itself as a flower. After a pretty good scare, getting rescued by General Epuna, and acid burns on his arms for the trouble, Flores’ love and fascination for plants grew tenfold. (He was already mildly interested beforehand but this solidified it for him.)

And that’s basically the gist for these three. Thank you so much for your interest! 🥰

[obsessedwithlarkin]

WELL-KNOWN DANCERS COMPETING AT RADIX GLENDALE:

ARTISTIC MOTION DANCE:

• Giselle Pilorin - First Love

CANDANCE STUDIOS:

• Mila Hiatt- Midas

• Violet Rush- Bosorkanya

CLUB:

• Lucia Piedrahita- I Wish To Tell You

• Presley Ortiz- Glamourous

• Kennedy Chzarchowski- Broadway Baby

• Kennedy Elliott - A Thousand Years

• Daisy Nielsen- Showoff

• Zadie Troung - Schoolin' Life

• Lily Knopps- Rose's Turn

• Navy Forrest- Discarded Man

• Addison Pichette- Copacabana

• Kinley Harper- He's A Dream

• Aspen Brandt- Black Velvet

• Eastyn Vose - Eternity

• Finley Nielsen- Remember Me

• Haven Berwick- Floating

• Hazel Silverman- Mambo Italiano

• Emerson Van Houten- Little Bird

• Preslie Ball- Showoff

• Goldie Nielsen- Twist And Shout

• Zoe Laird- Yea

• Claire Pistor- Bad Dreams

• Sophia Schiano - Dynamite

DC2:

• Ramsey Landry - Inhale Exhale

• Penelope Akey - Not Gone

• Emery Duffin - The Layers That Shed

• Alivia Hughes - C'est Si Bon

• Charlotte Ratjen - Come Thou Front

• Scarlett Brenly- Roxie

• Savanah Brenly - Tough Love

• Lennon Bailey - Must Be Love

• Taylor Morrison - Feeling Good

• GROUPS: Lost Souls, Total Eclipse, Mirrors, Big Time, Got Me Dancing, Dance yrself Clean, Lady In Red, Walk For Me, Destiny Fufilled, Alrighty, Follow The Leader, River, Pretty Woman, Dancin', Brighter Days, Big Blonde & Beautiful, Pink Cadillac, Don Juan, Rise Up, Disco Inferno, Lunchtime, Gimmick, The Freak Show, The Funktion, Going The Distance, Mancha, Winner, Down To Georgia, H20

DANCE DELUXE:

• Emily Collins- Sorry It Had To Be You

• Eva Gonzalez - Under My Skin

• Brielle Bailey- Miss Indipendent

• Remi Skidmore- The Raid

• Brighton Taylor- Buisness Of Love

• Breckyn Kawa- Fallen Angel

• Haven Bryan- Say Something

• Adaline Louderback- Baby I'm A Star

• Emily Kinion- Super

• Bradley Kawa - The Jester

• Vanessa Soto- Cloaked By Raven's Wings

• Colleen Heinze - Patènipat

•DUO/TRIOS: End Of The Line, Rain, Color Song, Slack Jaw

•GROUPS: Alchemy, Precious Things, How To Save A Life, Trapped, Sugar Baby Bounce, House In Nebraska, Movies, Emotions, My House, Sing Sing Sing, Sweet Dreams

DANCE STUDIO C:

• Gwyneth Woods- After The Applause

• Hinkley Lucas- Blackbird

• Delta Tomasik- The Sacred Heart

• DUO/TRIOS: One Fell Swoop, Come Thou Font

• GROUP: Mambo N°5

ELITE DANCE PRO:

• Jeida Morin- The Leaving Song

• Kennedy Cicerelli- Under Ice

• Jordan Lavigne- Uneven Ground

• DUO/TRIOS: Protector, Goodbye

EVOKE:

• Victoria Martinez - Silent All These Years

GATEWAY:

• Giuliana Mier - Flatline

• Kaydence Lawton- Forbidden

• Charlotte Cook- Verses

• Kinsley Cook - Iris

• Collette Sutzman - Ring Them Bells

• Oakley Hill - New York, New York

• GROUPS: Snap That, Telephone, Candle Flame, Undone, Sweet Child O'Mine, And So It Is, Good Morning, Gula, A Bushel And A Peck, Diva, Wings, Clouds, Rich Girl, Fix You, Stand By Me, Hey Hi Hello, It's Raining Men, The Beat

PAVE:

• Tayah Klimuck- TBA

• GROUPS: Joint Is Jumpin', Islands, Men In Snow, More, Funkytown, Veins, Rockstar

STARS:

• Madisyn Amos- TBD

SUMMER'S DANCE WORKS:

• Jewel Moody - My Anxiety

• Camryn Conrad- A Voice In Darkness

• Olive Hampton- C'est Magnifique

• Collette Conrad - You're So Vain

• DUO/TRIOS: Hey Daddy, Connect To The Spirit

THE ACADEMY:

• Patience Hughes - Lady Power

THE COLLECTIVE PHX:

• Tenley Anthony- Flickers

• Aly Bea - Strawberry Moon

• Kenny Opaska - Underthou

YYC:

• Kinsley Stella - Never Dreamed You'd Leave Me In Summer