#i put 3 christmas trees of various sizes up in my room

[lewmagoo]

me after dragging all my christmas shit down from the attic

[flemingsfreckles]

Be a Good Teammate pt. 4

Jessie Fleming x Reader

Read Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 first!

Preview: You and Jessie have dinner at her new place.

Warnings: it’s angsty yall, buckle up (just for a bit), swearing, very brief mention of sex (no descriptions, nothing like that, but it gets mentioned)

WC: 5.5k

A/N: I think this is the end of this series. I never intend to make it more than 1 part honestly, but you all enjoyed it enough so here we are at Part 4. This also ended up more angsty than I had planned so, whoops :)

It was nearing 5pm when your Uber pulled up in front of the address Jessie had sent you. You thanked the driver and hopped out. You hadn’t thought much of the address, not noticing that there wasn’t an apartment number or a unit letter attached to the end of it, so you were surprised to find yourself standing in front of a house instead of an apartment complex as you had expected.

It was a small little blue house, wood fencing all around, a good sized front yard, a few trees, it was exactly what you would expect Jessie to pick out. 

You pulled your phone out of your sweatpants pocket to let her know you had arrived. You had gotten back to the hotel, quickly thrown on a Nike sweatshirt and a fitted pair of gray joggers.

“Hi.” You look up to see Jessie walking through the doorway and down the steps toward the fence gate. You put your phone back in your pocket, not needing to let her know you were here anymore. She reached the gate, unlatched it and held it open for you to come inside. You notice that she quickly looks you up and down as you walk through into her front yard. You can’t help but do the same to her.

Jessie’s hair was down, still slightly wet from her postgame shower, she was wearing a lavender colored long sleeved shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She looked cozy, as if she was ready to cuddle up on the couch for the evening like she had mentioned wanting to do.

“You bought a house?” Your curiosity gets the best of you and you can’t help but ask. 

“Yeah, I did. I lived with Janine and her fiancé for the first few weeks while I looked at places, and then I had to leave for the gold cup and I just couldn’t find any apartment that felt like home. I started looking at houses instead once I got back. This was actually the first one I saw and I really liked it. It’s not too big, which works since it’s just me right now but has some room if I need it in the future.” Your brain wanders to the thought of Jessie having her own kids in the future, you knew she wanted them and you had seen how good she was with kids over the years. 

“Plus I figured even if I’m only here for a couple years, I can keep the house. It’s only been a few weeks but I love the area. I'd consider coming back here to settle when soccer is over.” She opened the front door, stepping back to let you walk in first. 

You slip off your shoes, placing them on the mat next to the door where Jessie’s shoes lay neatly in a row. Looking up you realize you're standing in her living room, there’s a large gray couch, a small table in front of it, a tv, a bookshelf that’s filled with books and art and other trinkets. 

“You can keep a plant alive now?” You tease her as you see she has a variety of green plants. In college you had watched her become what you described as a serial killer of plants.

“I’m getting better. A lot of them were housewarming gifts from my teammates so I maybe just haven't had enough time to kill them.” 

Stepping out of the entryway you walk over to her bookshelf, looking at the various titles, there’s a couple photos placed on the bookshelf, one with her parents after she had won the gold medal, one of her and her Chelsea teammates holding up a couple trophies, one of her and her siblings all wearing matching Christmas pajamas. The opening to the kitchen was just to your right, you step in its direction before turning to look at Jessie who was following closely behind you.

“Can I see the kitchen?” You don’t want to invade her privacy by inviting yourself to take a tour of her place.

As if she read your mind she gestures her hand in the direction of the kitchen. “Go ahead, I can just give you the whole tour now while we wait for the food, it should be on its way by now. I was also thinking we can watch the Angel City and Orlando game, only if you want it should be on at 7. ” She looks at the clock mounted on the wall. 

“Yeah that sounds good.” You reply as you step into the kitchen.

Her kitchen was cute, the same wood accent from the outside of the house scattered throughout. She offered you an ice pack for your nose as you stood looking at her fridge. You declined, having just taken the pain meds, it was bearable pain. 

As you continue to move through her house Jessie makes a few comments here and there about what she liked about the house so much, the wood flooring, the large windows that let in natural light, the little nook that she had set up to be a place to read. Hearing her talk about the little things, paint colors, furniture was so simple and yet it made you feel like you were back to your old friendship. The simple minded discussions, the joking around, all the tiny moments you would have with her, it hit you how much you really missed just her existence and company.

You get to two closed doors at the end of the hallway, you point at the one closest to you and look back at Jessie.

“Linen closet, nothing exciting unless you want to see towels.” You move your finger to point at the other. “My bedroom.”

“Oh,” You’re not sure what to say, the closed door seemed like an obvious sign to not go in. Jessie again, able to tell what was running through your head, speaks up.

“You can go in, I just close the door out of habit. I don’t have anything to hide.” Wanting to see her bedroom, you push open the door. It reminds you a little bit of her bedroom in your college apartment. Not much as far as decor, just a few special things on display throughout. Her bed in the center of the room, a nightstand on one side.

“Sorry it’s still a mess in here, I haven’t had a ton of time to dedicate to unpacking and I was more focused on the rooms everyone else would see.” You look around, trying to find the mess she was referring to. Her bed was made, no clothes scattered across the floor, no pile of clean laundry to be put away, no water bottles on bedsides, not even dust, just a few boxes stacked neatly in the corner, the one on top open as if she had been in the middle of unpacking when you had arrived.

“If this is what you consider a mess, we have completely different standards of mess.” You let out a laugh, Jessie doesn’t say anything, just gives you a smile and slow nod. 

You’re interrupted by her phone ringing, she picks it up and before answering the call she points around the corner. “If you want to see my bathroom, it's through the closet. I’ll be right back.” 

She walks out of the room and you hear her answer the call. You take a second look around her bedroom, looking at the couple of personal items that were scattered, photos of her and her Canada teammates, photos of her family, photos of skylines and nature that you assume she had taken. She has her array of cameras all neatly set on a shelf, displaying them. Making your way over to her closet you walk through to peek into her bathroom. It looked like a bathroom, nothing too special about it, a shower, toilet, a vanity with two sinks, her toothbrush, hairbrush, and other bathroom things just placed neatly around one side.

You turn back to go wait in her bedroom being done looking at the bathroom. You walk into her closet, taking a quick glance around, the closet had more boxes in it than unpacked clothing items. Each box was neatly labeled, varying in sizes, all stacked on top of one another. You look at what clothes she had unpacked, it was nearly all clothes for training, one pile had clothes with the maple leaf and the name Canada across them, the other a mix of red, green, some blue, with the thorn’s logo and Portland across them. Looking back toward the exit of the closet your eye catches on a box, more specifically the label of the box catches your eye.

It was a box with your name on it. Printed carefully along the side, in Jessie’s handwriting. You could feel your heart begin to race. You couldn’t move, your eyes staring, your own name looking back at you. Why did she have a box with your name on it? 

“Foods here.” You didn’t even hear Jessie coming, the sound of your blood rushing through your ears muffling outside noises. She comes around the corner, you quickly look away, not wanting her to see you and think you were snooping through her stuff. You weren’t, but you could see how it could look suspicious, but then again she was the one with a box labeled for you. She must’ve seen your sudden movement as she looks at you with a questioning look, then at where the box sat, you see the moment she knows you’ve seen the box. Her eyes widen and dart back to you. You expect her to say something, she does, just not about the box.

“It’s on the kitchen table.” Her face returns to a relaxed state, almost emotionless.

“Perfect.” Mirroring her behavior you decide maybe you’ll both just pretend that box doesn’t exist. Maybe you’ll just let it eat away at you for years, just like you had done with your feelings for the girl. You follow her out of the closet and bedroom back down the hallway and into the kitchen. 

You both make a plate, grab a water, and sit down at her kitchen table. She sits first and you’re then forced to make the choice between sitting next to her or across from her. You decide on sitting across, hoping she doesn’t judge your choice. It’s quiet for the first few minutes, just the sound of silverware. Jessie keeps her eyes down, looking very interested in the plate of food sitting before her. You knew it was going to be awkward, seeing her in a non-football setting for the first time in so long, you were prepared for the small talk, asking about your family, your friends, the weather, you weren’t prepared for whatever this was. Both of you sitting here thinking about that box brought a whole different level of unexpected discomfort, it was making you itch.

“Your girlfriend doesn’t mind you having a box with another girl's name on it?” Unable to hold it in any longer, you let the question come out, you quickly kick yourself for asking that way, bringing her girlfriend into this conversation. Jessie picks up her head and puts her fork down.

“She’s not my girlfriend anymore.” Choosing the wrong time to take a sip from your glass you choke slightly causing a coughing fit. Jessie just looks at you as you try to calm down. Once you stop coughing she continues muttering the words, “and she actually did mind. A lot.”

Your brain is spinning, you heard her keep talking but your mind kept repeating the words she had spoken “not my girlfriend anymore”.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you split.”  You now feel guilty for bringing up the girl.

“Of course you didn’t, you stopped talking to me, you didn’t get to have the privilege of knowing that we split.” Her tone of voice was shifting, becoming annoyed. Wanting to ask more but also not wanting to pry on a relationship you barely knew about.

“Why didn’t you just get rid of the stuff? If that would’ve made her happy?”

“I don’t know.” She pauses looking down at her hands. “I mean I do, it’s,” she sighs. “To be fair it wasn’t just the box, she had always been a little suspicious of our relationship, I told her the truth, that there’s never been anything between us, we didn’t have a history. And she believed me, I think, at least at the start. But then when you stopped talking to me, she’d catch me watching your games, checking up on you, looking at old photos of us, and she eventually found some clothing of yours that I had put away, along with the notes we used to write each other, the birthday cards, the Polaroids, everything. I wasn’t intentionally hiding but it was out of sight out of mind for me. I didn’t need the constant reminder that I had been dumped by my best friend. She again made the assumption that we had dated, or at least had slept together. She read the letters claiming friends to talk to each other in that manner. That was just the start of the mess.”

Nodding along to her story, you try to show her you’re paying attention, and you were, it was just hard when your mind was drifting to a hundred different thoughts. 

 “And then the rumors started about my transfer. I hadn’t told her about it, I hadn't even mentioned the idea of leaving London. I wasn’t even sure it was going to go through, it was a lot of money for Portland and I was waiting on visas and medical and all that bureaucracy and we got into an argument about it. She accused me of moving for the wrong reasons, she brought up you.” Jessie pauses for a minute as if to collect her thoughts before she continues.

“ I then said some things about you I shouldn’t have said to her and then it was over with her shortly after.” The volume of her voice drops as she rushed her words at the end of her sentence.

“You could’ve just thrown it all out at the start, if that would’ve fixed things with her, I wouldn’t have known.” Your statement is true, you didn’t even know she had kept all those things you wouldn’t have known if she had gotten rid of them.

“It wasn’t that easy, I know we weren’t talking, and like I said we weren’t even friends, but fuck I missed you so much. You were my best friend for nearly 5 years, only to get dropped without a reason and I was mad at you, sure but I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of that box of stuff.”

“There was a reason, I hope you know that.”

“Well you didn't give me a reason, if you just would’ve told me I could’ve fixed it or apologized or something. Instead I just had to sit and run through every decision I had ever made questioning where I went wrong with you, what I did to hurt you.” You can see tears welding in her eyes as she continues to stare at you, despite the tears, her eyes are cold and make you feel tiny under her gaze.

You stayed sitting, staring back at her, having no clue on what to say to her, stuck between wanting to apologize and also wanting to yell back at her. You silence allows her to continue.

“I would’ve done anything to have you back in my life, all you had to do was ask, but it felt like you wanted nothing to do with me. And that fucking hurt.” Her fist comes down hard on the table, it startles you, making you sit back away from where you had been leaning against the table. You cross your arms as you sit back and bow your head to stare down.

“I couldn’t ask.” It comes out quiet, from your mouth almost as if it was an accident.

“What?”

“I couldn’t ask you to fix it, it wouldn’t have been fair.” Speaking louder you bring your head back up to look at her.

Now it’s her turn to say nothing. She looks from you to where her hands sat on the table. She just waits, giving you the space to give her more information. You know you owe her the explanation, what you don’t expect is the word vomit that comes out once you start.

“I couldn’t ask you to break up with her, I couldn’t tell you I was jealous of her, I couldn’t bring myself to tell you those things, you seemed so happy with her, it wouldn’t have been fair. I had my chance for 4 years before she existed to tell you and I didn’t, but I also couldn’t stand seeing you so happy with her, it tore me apart, I wanted you to be happy and you were. It just sucked that you were happy with someone else. It sucked trying to be a supportive friend, I hated having to hear about your dates, and hearing about your first kiss, and I really hated having to hear all about the first time you two fucked.” The last word coming off with extra emphasis, the memory of her call to you after their night together briefly plays in your mind, only making you more upset.

“I hated it Jessie, but I sat through it for as long as I could because I wanted to be there for you. I wanted to be a good friend to you. I wanted to still be your best friend but I couldn’t and all I wanted was for her to no longer exist. I started to think horrible things about her and your relationship and that’s when I knew I needed to take a step back for my own health. I was no longer being a good friend to you. So I stepped back.” Your voice was loud, you were slightly out of breath barely stopping between words as you yelled across toward her, you’re not sure why you were yelling, you weren’t trying to yell at her. It wasn’t her fault she had found someone to make her happy that wasn’t you. But the past year of frustration had built and built and unfortunately this was the time the wall broke, and here you were practically shouting at Jessie across her own kitchen table.

Jessie doesn’t say anything. She stands up from the table, the sound of her chair scraping the floor was the only noise in an otherwise silent room. Grabbing her own empty plate and then extending her hand she offers to take yours. You pass it to her. She walks them over to the sink, putting them down, running the water over them. You stand up, not wanting to feel like a terrible house guest, you start packing the leftovers back up. You open the fridge door and place them inside. The water shuts off and Jessie puts the plates on a mat to dry. She walks past you, not saying anything as she moves into the living room. You hear the noise of the couch, assuming she has sat down you take a few steps toward the other room. 

She’s sitting on the couch, bent over with her head in her hands. Her thumb is rubbing against her temple and she’s bouncing her knees. Leaning against the doorway you stay quiet, you feel bad for yelling at her, seeing her overwhelmed like this because of you, tugged on your heart. You wanted to rush to her side and hug her but you also knew that would probably be the worst thing you could do. You stayed put, leaned against the wall just watching her. She lets out a large breath and then sits up. 

“What?” 

“I didn’t,” you shake your head, not sure what she’s asking. “Nothing. I didn’t say anything.”

“I know, but you look like you want to, so what? Just say it. Don’t be a coward again.” Her words are harsh, insulting you in a way she hadn’t ever before. To be fair to her you realized you had also never yelled at her before either.

“I’m not a coward.”

“Hiding your feelings for 6 whole years, 5 of those years when we were best friends feels a little cowardly, but that’s just my opinion.” You hadn’t seen Jessie like this often, especially towards you, she was almost being mean, not caring what she said to you or how she was saying it. 

“Fine, what did you say about me to her? Before you broke up, you said that you said stuff to her about me that you shouldn’t have. What did you say?” You can’t help but ask, the question of what she had said had been sitting in your brain since she mentioned it.

When Jessie doesn’t respond right away you push her. “Don’t be a coward.” You mock her tone from earlier using her own words. She rolls her eyes at you.

“She accused me of moving to try and be closer to you, she said I wanted to rekindle our relationship. And by that point I couldn’t take her nagging about you anymore and so I was honest with her. I told her the reason I had kept all of your stuff, the reason I checked up on you, the reason I would look at old photos of us, even though you didn’t care about me anymore. I had to tell her my memories of you were comforting for me.” She looks you in the eyes for a second before looking down at her hands.

“Those memories felt like home, that you felt like home. And I then had to tell her that was something I had never felt with her.”

You’re not sure how to respond, trying to process all of Jessie’s words before saying anything back to her. You move off the wall and sit down on the couch, putting some distance between where you both sat.

“Naturally, admitting having feelings for someone else to your current partner doesn’t go over well so that was the end of that.” She mumbles as you sit down.

“You have feelings for me?” Maybe you had heard her wrong, doubting that this conversation was actually happening. She slowly blinks at you.

“Did they check you for a concussion after the hit?” Her question only confuses you more. 

“What?” 

“Oh my god.” Jessie throws her hands up. “Yes, I have feelings for you. That’s what I just said, I just didn’t really know that they were those kinds of feelings until you stopped talking to me and I realized how important you were and that it felt like I was missing a part of me that no one besides you could fill. And then I had her, and that was fine for a little bit, but she wasn’t you.”

You have half a thought to call her out, call her a coward the way she had to you for hiding her own feelings, but decide against it. 

The silence takes over the room, you’re not sure what to say to her. What do you say to someone you’ve been secretly in love with for 5 years when they finally admit they want you back? Where do you even start to make up for the time you both wasted? Where do you go from this conversation? 

Thankfully you don’t have to figure it out at that moment as both your phone and Jessie’s vibrate and light up, both of you reviving the notification that the Angel City and Orlando game was set to start. 

Jessie looks up from reading the notification, “Do you still want to watch the game? I understand if you don’t, I probably wouldn’t want to stay around someone who called me a coward.” 

“I want to stay, if that’s okay. You can yell at me and call me whatever, but just being around you has really made me realize how much I’ve missed your company. So, I’d like to stay if you’ll let me?” 

“Of course.” She reaches for the remote on her coffee table and points it toward the tv turning it on.

“Can I get that ice pack you offered earlier?” No longer caught up in the intense conversation you feel the pain from your nose starting to return in full force. Jessie tosses the tv remote in your direction and hops up from the couch immediately, rushing to her freezer. She comes back with an ice pack, a bag of frozen veggies, a towel, and a bottle of pain meds. 

“Do you want to just sit and hold it or lay down? I can get you a different pillow. I brought the towel in case the direct ice is too cold. And if you want these.” She gives the bottle of medicine a shake. “I also wasn’t sure if the ice pack would sit nicely on your face so I got this.” She holds out the package of frozen vegetables to you. 

“Yeah that’ll actually probably work best.” You take it from her hand. “Thanks.” You add. She placed the pain meds on the coffee table and leaves to put the other ice pack back in the freezer. You use the remote to find the game, and Jessie returns as they commentators start talking about the starting lineups for each side.

When Jessie sits down you notice she sits a lot closer to you then the two of you had been before. Your hips and thighs are only inches apart. She leans back and puts her feet up onto the table. 

You both sit in what is now a more comfortable silence, watching the game. You both make comments here and there about footwork, ball movement, passes, shots, critiquing and complementing the players. At halftime Jessie stands up, takes the now thawed bag of vegetables from you and brings it back to the freezer. She comes back from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn and waters.

When she sits back down, she closes the gap between the two of you. The outside of her leg now resting against the outside of yours. She places the popcorn bowl so that it rests on both of you. Jessie leans back to rest against the back of the couch and you do the same. The game starts back up again, you both focusing your attention back to the tv. 

It only takes 5 minutes into the second half for you to feel Jessie shift in her seat. She’s moving only slightly but being hyper aware that she’s pressed up against you, you can’t help but notice her movements. Your breath catches in your throat as you feel her lean her head over, placing it to rest on your shoulder, leaving her body more forcefully against yours. Your whole body tenses, not wanting to move and disturb her. 

You stay like this for a couple minutes. Deciding you couldn’t let her make all the moves you glance down to see Jessie’s hands resting on top of each of her thighs. You place your own hands in the same position, then move the one closest to her, in her direction. You move just as slow as she had until your pinky finger is hovering just over hers. You slowly let your hand fall on top of hers, she doesn’t pull away, or tell you off. Instead she flips her hand so her palm is now facing up. Eager to finish what you had started you now quickly move your hand, interlocking your fingers with hers. You wait a minute, then let the pad of your thumb gently rub against her thumb.

You stayed in that position, holding her hand, her head resting on your shoulder as the two of you watched the remainder of the game. Wanting more time with Jessie you desperately were hoping for an insane amount of added time, unfortunately only 3 minutes are added and the game is quick to end.

Jessie pulls her head off your shoulder, sitting up with a yawn.

“I should probably get back.” You say, realizing it was nearing 9pm and while you didn’t have a curfew, you still didn’t want to be caught coming back too late by any of your teammates knowing you’d never hear the end of it, especially since they knew you were at Jessie's.

“Right.” Jessie stands up from the couch and flips a light on. The sun had gone down as you watched the game and the two of you were in the dark without the light from the tv. She holds her hand out to you, you take it and stand up. You quickly pull out your phone and order an Uber, thankful you were in a larger city and your ride would be here in less than 5 minutes. You move toward the door, bending down to slip your shoes on before standing up facing Jessie. 

“It feels weird to say that I had a really good time tonight with all the yelling that happened, but I did. I had a really good time with you Jessie.” You smile at her.

“I had a good time too, this was nice. I’ve missed you.” She replies to you. She holds her arms out to you, offering a hug. You take a step toward her, leaning in to wrap your arms around her waist as she places hers on your shoulders. You stay hugging, longer than a normal friend’s goodbye hug would be. You both release the hold on each other but you don’t move back from her. You stay face to face, your eyes staring back at her brown ones. 

Much to your surprise Jessie is the one who makes the move. One of her hands comes up to your cheek, her fingers are warm and soft on your skin. Her eyes break contact with yours dropping to your lips quickly and then back up. She starts to lean in but stops just moments before your lips would connect.

“Is this okay?” Her voice is barely audible, quieter than a whisper. 

“Yes.” Before you have a second to think about kissing her it’s already happening. It’s a gentle kiss, her lips just placed on top of yours. She starts to pull away a second later, but you let your head chase her lips, giving her a bit more forceful of a kiss. In doing so, you bump your nose against hers causing you to pull back quickly from her, hand coming to clutch your nose.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry I forgot about your nose.” Jessie’s eyes are wide as her hand comes to rest on the forearm of the hand holding your face.

“It’s okay Jess, that was my fault, I forgot too for a second.” You wipe your hand under your nose and look down at your fingers making sure you’re not bleeding again. “It’s not crooked or anything right?”

“No, but those black eyes are starting to come in.” Her eyes dart between both of yours. You both let out a small laugh and then are left in silence.

“I’d like to take you out sometime, on a proper date, if you’d want that?” You look at her hopeful she’ll want to continue whatever the two of you started.

“I do, I want that.” She smiles back at you, you let out a sigh of relief. 

“Okay.” You can’t help but smile big back at her.

“Okay.” She just repeats your words.

“I should be going.” You repeat your words from earlier, you knew you had to go, you just didn’t want to.

Jessie moves her hand from your forearm up to your face to grab your chin. You think for a second she’s going to kiss you again but then she’s pushing your head away from her and to the side. She moves in and places her lips on your cheek. 

“Once your nose is healed you can have more on the lips.”  She says teasingly. The gentle gesture has you blushing more than the kisses to your lips did. She releases your face and you see her eyes look at your cheeks, the blush growing. You turn quickly facing the door, grabbing the handle and stepping out. 

“Goodnight Jessie.” 

[sparklinggiraffe]

"Spotlight: Secret (Ikaruga brothers, Hyodo brothers and Moon's Shadow)

🔺Misumi's minichats translations🔺

It's my first time posting and translating something like this. My japanese is still basic and I used a translator, so if there's any issues pls let me know!

Misumi: I loved christmas since i was little.

-

1/4

There are triangles trees in all places, and Santa wears his triangle hat!

But since I've came here, we have parties, gift exchanges and putting on Christmas plays...

It's even more fun, and I've grown to love Christmas even more!

Ehehe, this year's Christmas will also be fun~.

2/4

Misumi: When I was little, Gramps...no, Santa gave me presents!

When we were talking about Christmas the other day, Tsumugi said he also recieved a lot of presents from Santa.

Tsumugi also wrote letters to Santa to ask for presents.

He said he gave him presents like toys and a picture book with a dog in it~.

I also recieved a triangle from Santa, I still keep it~. I'll show it to Director later.

3/4

Misumi: Director, come here!

Look, from here is very beautiful. You can see the sparkling triangle illuminations!

When I found this place, I also wanted to tell about it to you.

Ehehe, I'm glad you liked it~.

...Director, are you cold?

It's ok, here. It's warmer when we squeeze our hands together like this.

You can also hear the bells and the Christmas music from the illuminations.

I'm so happy I could watch the sparkling triangles with you, my heart is so warm!

Director, merry Christmas.

4/4 Misumi and Kumon's chat

Misumi and Kumon chat

Misumi: Run run run~ it's trianglemas~

Kumon: Wow! So many Christmas trees in various sizes!

Misumi: Hehe~. These are my favourite Christmas trees that I collected from various places.

I bought this one at the shopping district~. This one i got from a part time job~. And this one is a handmade tree!

Kumon: Wow! This is so cool! Every year you got them and have been collecting them here!

Misumi: Yes! It's Christmas season so I got them to leave in display in my room.

Kumon: Let's decorate! How about putting this yellow and green one here

Misumi: So i think I'm going to put this shiny one up here and this white one in the hallway.

Kumon: Right! It's going to look really lively!

Ah! Come to think of it, yesterday I saw a triangle tree for sale in a store from the station.

Misumi: Wow, really!? I want to see it too! Kumon, let's go to the store after this.

Kumon: Yes! Hehe, decorating you room and the dormitory with triangle trees makes them look really cool!

[songbirdsingingthings]

Wrapping Presents - Katsuki Bakugou x Reader

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS, THEY BELONG TO KOHEI HORIKOSHI

DAY SIXTEEN OF 25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - 25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS MASTERLIST - MAIN MASTERLIST

A/N: I really love this one <3

Katsuki Bakugou was a complicated person. While he was arrogant and loud, he was always on top of his studies and quite punctual and organized, always going to bed early and arriving to class on time. However, these facts combined with your prior knowledge of him did nothing to prepare you for the hell that was wrapping presents with him.

“Bakugou. What on earth could the wrapping paper have done to you to make you wrap a present like that?” You say, genuine shock dripping from your voice. The blonde haired boy glared at you and shoved his ‘wrapped’ present into your arms.

“What’s wrong with it?!” He yells, small sparks coming from his palms. “It’s wrapped, it’s fine!” He says, rolling his eyes. You try to stifle a laugh, but the hilarity of the situation overwhelms you, causing giggles to escape your mouth. Here you were with one of your closest friends, various tubes of wrapping paper, scissors, and tape sprawled out across your dorm room floor, and in your hand was the most awfully wrapped gift you had ever seen. Becoming more enraged and a bit flustered, a light blush crossed Bakugou’s cheeks. “Well if you have such an issue with it, why don’t you do it!” He yells.

“It’s not for me, is it? I don’t want to have my gift from you spoiled.” You ask, amusement still in your gaze as you eye the misshapen gift. 

“I’m not an idiot,” he deadpanned.

“Alright, alright, I was just asking,” you say putting your hand up in defense. You tear off the crumpled wrapping paper and discard of it - there was no saving it now. What lay on the floor in front of you was an expensive set of purple headphones, no doubt a gift for Jirou. “Wow Bakugou, Jirou’s gonna totally dig this!” You say, picking up the box and looking at it.

“Yeah, whatever,” He says, leaning against your bed frame. You smile and shake your head, setting the box back down to look over the wrapping paper you had. One tube of multicolored Christmas trees, one with polar bears, and another one with candy canes.

“Okay, which roll do you want to use?” You ask, showing him the three selections. He looks up to you, unamused.

“Does it really even matter?” You give him a tired look and cock your head to the side.

“You want my help, we’re doing it my way. Now, choose a wrapping paper.”

“Why can’t you?”

“Because, Bakugou,” you say, a little bit of exasperation in your voice, “this gift is coming from you so you need to be the one making these decisions.” Bakugou groans out of faux fatigue and lazily points to the one covered in polar bears.

“Fine. That one.” He says. You flash him a smile and unravel the paper to a proper size, placing the gift in the middle to measure the length left. When you get the right size, you extend your hand towards the blonde.

“Scissors please,” you say politely. Wordlessly, Bakugou hands you the scissors - handle first - and you smoothly cut the wrapping paper by gliding the blades along it.

“Okay, come sit next to me so I don’t have to do this for all of your presents.” You say, patting the spot on the floor next to you. 

“You’re seriously making me get up for this shit?” Bakugou grumbles, but gets up anyway. He settles down next to you and looks in between you and the paper. “So what now.” You hand him one of the ends of wrapping paper gently. 

“Take this and fold it over so that you can only see half of the box.” He does as you say, making sure it was taught. “Alright now we just tape it,” you say, taking a piece from the dispenser next to you and pressing it against the box so that the wrapping paper would hold. The two of you repeat the same step so that the only openings were at the sides.

“So this is where we just crumple them in and call it a day, right?” Bakugou suggests, a smirk spread across his face.

“No, Bakugou,” You say. You knew he was just doing that to get a rise out of you - that was what he did with his friends. “You fold it like this so it looks nice and smooth,” you say, folding the pieces in a way that made it look pretty. “Tape me,” you say in a mock surgeon tone, holding out your palm.

“Wow Y/N, didn’t know you were into that but okay.” Bakugou says, raising an eyebrow at you. Only then did you realize how what you said could be taken in a much different context, causing you to cover your face as a blush spread across it.

“Ew, you’re being gross,” you say, shooting him a glare. “Now can I have the tape.” You ask pointedly. He gives you a grin and hands you a piece of tape so you can keep the folds in place. Finally, you were done wrapping it.

“Finally,” Bakugou said, grabbing the wrapped present.

“Nuh uh,” you say, snatching it back from him. “It needs ribbon.” Sighing, the blonde settles back down next to you.

“Red.” He says simply. You look up at him in confusion. “You were gonna ask me which color I want since it has to be all personal and shit, so I chose red.”

“Since it’s the color of your eyes?” You quip, unspooling some of the plastic ribbon.

“Because it’s the color of the bow in your hair.” He says. You wordlessly lifted a hand to touch the red bow in your hair and blushed. “It looks nice there so I figured it would look fine on there.” He says. You didn’t notice it but a light blush flickered across his cheeks.

“O-okay!” You manage, cutting the ribbon from the spool and wrapping it around the box. It’s silent for a moment until you’re about to tie the first knot. “Can you put your thumb there so I can tie it?” You ask, peering up at him. He nods and places his thumb where the ribbon crossed, pressing down firmly. Without dropping eye contact, you shakily tie the ribbon over his thumb. “You can move it now…” you whisper, Y/E/C still gazing into red. He makes no effort to move the thumb tucked underneath the red ribbon, instead he moves his hand from the side of him. As quickly as it takes to take a breath, his lips were on yours. It was firm and passionate, just like the blonde, but the comfort you felt was a new level of it. He brought his hand up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing against your skin in a loving gesture. You could’ve kissed him for hours, even years, but the need to breathe interrupted the two of you. Heavy breaths was all that was audible in your dorm room for a few seconds before you broke out in laughter.

“H-HEY! WHAT THE HELL!” Bakugou yells, red now covering his face.

“Sorry, sorry, I just never expected you to like me back, that’s all.” You say, leaning back on your, looking at Bakugou.

“Well how the hell did you expect me to not do that, acting all cute by tying my thumb with your ribbon and shit.” His words cause you to snicker and slide closer to him.

“Looks like I’m done teaching you how to wrap a present, now I can leave you to do that so I can get some food.” You say, jokingly standing up.

“Oh hell no,” he says, grabbing your wrist and sitting you back down. “You and your ribbon are gonna help me with the rest of these presents.” You smile and peck his cheek as you start to roll out some more wrapping paper for Kirishima’s gift, a membership to one of the best gyms in Musutafu. Many more kisses were exchanged, mostly when it came around to tying the ribbon, but you would never forget the very first time. Thank god for his god-awful wrapping skills.

[boonki]

17. “Can you let me see your eyes?” + obikin slow dancing <3 <3 <3

hello lovely! thank you so much for the prompt!! this was so much fun to write, i uh, got a little carried away with the romance i just love slow dancing so much like bro its just so good, so tender, AUGH  from this set (and i kinda forget this was supposed to be angsty but i think it worked out in the end lmaooo)

youre having a lovely tuesday :) 

here you go my dear <3

______

Snow dots Obi-wan’s eyelashes, holding perfectly still as the pair weaves their way through the crowd; the Christmas festival had just begun, gloriously donned trees and handcrafted, larger-than-life gingerbread houses carefully placed through the city like a treasure hunt for Christmas spirit. Obi-wan, a native to the city and a long time participant in the festival, drags Anakin, a new initiate and boyfriend of a few months, behind him by the hand, their fingers intertwined through thick gloves. 

“Oh, this one is by far my favorite.” Obi-wan throws the comment over his shoulder, eyes alight with elation, his whole face aglow from the warm lights meticulously strung through the trees lining the city sidewalks. Far off, Anakin can hear the faint echoes of Christmas carolers, of bells, of horns honking, and friends chattering.

A sharp tug sends him stumbling to keep up, and Anakin has just a moment to take in the building’s exterior before being thrust into a hotel more expensive than his life savings doubled. Tripled. It’s old money, marble staircases and velvet rugs, bellboys in suits and incandescent, shimmering chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. 

“Are you sure we should be here?” Anakin mock whispers to Obi-wan, who is only half-listening. “I can’t afford to be here.”  

They come to a sudden halt; if Anakin hadn’t had his eyes latched onto Obi-wan's red and ruddy face, tinted from the cold, he would’ve tumbled right into him. Obi-wan pulls Anakin’s hand up to his mouth, giving it a chaste kiss through the glove. “Look.” 

In front of them, he doesn’t know how he missed it, is the largest Christmas tree Anakin has ever seen. Red ribbons cascade down the sides, a waterfall frozen in place, and lustrous silver and gold bells, ranging in size from a fist to his entire torso speckle the branches, interlaced with dozens of tiny doves and cardinals. They stand there and stare at it for a moment, in awe of its beauty, Obi-wan occasionally glancing over at him with the joy of a child written all over his face. Guests race around them, like a river finding its way around a boulder, veering off to various hallways and exits, lugging suitcases and families behind them, not paying the couple any mind. Somehow it makes the moment all the more special: how beautiful it is, to capture something so lovely in secret with someone, standing in the open, lost in your own bubble.

“Wow. A lot of balls.” Anakin teases: a facade to cover up how much he actually really likes it. 

Obi-wan gives him a side eye and a thin smile. “I know you want me to make a joke out of that, but I refuse to stoop to your level, they’re ornaments.” 

“You’d have to be taller than me to”-he holds up air quotes, dragging one of Obi-wan’s hands with him-“stoop to my level.”

Obi-wan rolls his eyes at Anakin’s smug grin. They settle back into gazing at the tree for a few moments more, studying every detail.

“You haven’t even seen my favorite part of this place,” Obi-wan says, bouncing off behind them, tugging a reluctant Anakin, yet again. They make their way across the lobby teeming with people, up a set of shallow stairs lined with plush carpet, and into a quieter part of the hotel, a midsize room with mirrored sets of doors on either side, the staircases continuing to loop up  the other side of the room. It looks like a resting point of sorts, a midpoint between the lobby and the rest of the hotel. The chatter of the lobby doesn’t follow them, and Anakin is suddenly aware of how alone they are. 

“Uh, yeah, it’s…” Anakin tries to come up with a compliment, and fails. It’s just a regular room. 

Obi-wan laughs, full of mirth. “No, this isn’t it.” He lets go of Anakin and saunters up to one of the sets of doors, pulling it open like a butler, holding a hand out for Anakin to enter first. “This is.” 

Anakin draws his eyebrows together, bemused and wary. “Is this the part of the date where you murder me in a big, fancy hotel?” He walks towards the open door anyways. 

“No, but a rather good idea, I’ll save that for the future.” Obi-wan snorts, his hand falling to Anakin’s lower back as they step into the dance hall. 

It’s like something out of a movie, Anakin thinks. The hall is enormous, dauntingly tall, probably meant for a ball. There isn’t any light save for the white streaks that stream in through lofty, narrow windows, like a painter had dipped his brush in moonlight and stroked once across the canvas, but it’s enough for Anakin to make out the exquisitely patterned wood floor, the white and gold molded walls, the unlit chandeliers, the grand piano tucked neatly away in the corner. A thin layer of dust seems to cover everything, and the air is stagnant, desperate to see life waltz in again. Anakin feels as though he stepped out of reality, the hustle of the Christmas festival light years away. 

Stringed music starts to play behind him, audio clearly from a phone or small speaker, tin and canny in quality. He turns in confusion. “What are you-”

“May I have this dance?” Obi-wan asks, a hand offered in between them, no longer gloved. He is barely visible in the low lighting, shadows enshrouding all but the curve of one cheek, the glint in one eye. Obi-wan’s phone is on the floor, volume turned as high as it will go. 

A breath moves through Anakin, quiet and shallow, otherwise he is a statue. If he tried to speak, he thinks he’d choke around all the emotion flooding his chest, spilling down into his hands and legs, roaring up through his head and leaking out through his eyes. The music continues to float out into the space around them. 

Obi-wan coughs lightly, laugh lines falling away to reveal a layer of nervousness. The ocean inside Anakin churns. 

“Yeah, of course,” he says, and slips off his wool gloves, stuffing them into his back pocket and grabbing Obi-wan’s hand. The touch is like a shore to his ocean, pulling him forward, asking to be caressed, returned to, loved. 

They fall together naturally, staged for a lazy waltz, and begin to sway, like the tide creeping into the soft sand, retreating back into itself only to race ashore, finding a home in its rhythmic ritual. Anakin lets his forehead drop onto Obi-wan's shoulder, breathing him in, ignoring the lingering wetness from the snow. He thinks he’s crying. 

Obi-wan pulls back a bit, releasing his hand from the small of Anakin’s lower back to cup the dense gathering of curls just above his neck. “What’s wrong, dear?” The words are spoken into his hair with a gentle, hot breath that tickles Anakin’s ear. 

Anakin lets out a ragged breath, trying to get a hold of himself. This is more than anyone has ever done for him, more than he deserves; the whole evening had been a dream with a golden filter over it, every bit of it sewed into his heart with needle and thread, bleeding all over the place to never forget the details: an early dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant, snow bumbling down around them in the crisp winter air, a cup of shared hot cocoa from a street vendor, the crowd cheering together as the city’s tree was illuminated for the season, Obi-wan giddy to show him every single tree, every single gingerbread house. No one had ever put this much detail into a date, had ever given him this much thought, this much care and attention in a relationship. And he loved every bit of it, loved all the banter and casual touches, loved learning more about Obi-wan’s life growing up, loved- oh god, he loves this man. 

Still on Obi-wan’s shoulder, Anakin’s cheeks are hot, and the sea is still leaking from his eyelids, salty and stinging. “I love you,” he admits, whispers, confesses, knows to be true. 

Obi-wan stills beneath him. “Can you let me see your eyes, dear one?” 

Anakin leans back, just far enough to hold his face above Obi-wan’s, and looks at him, into him, through him, lets Obi-wan search his face for any sign of a lie, Obi-wan trailing the hand that had been on the back of his head to cup his cheek, thumb rubbing across Anakin’s lower lip. “I love you,” he says again, a little louder, his voice echoing into the cavernous hall. 

“You love me.” Obi-wan repeats back to him, almost a question, almost a statement. 

Anakin blinks a few times, trying to figure out if he had just massively messed things up by admitting it so carelessly, so impulsively. “Yes, I mean, it’s okay if you don’t…” he trails off, not wanting to even say it. “I mean, do you-” 

“Oh, Anakin, yes.” Even in the dark, Anakin can make out his brilliant smile, the gleam of his teeth, the twinkle in his eye. “I love you, of course I love you.”

The broad swaths of the curtains seem to open a little wider, the room a little brighter, air humming with energy, the whole room seeming to say ah, love, finally. 

Obi-wan sweeps Anakin off his feet, which is no small task given his build, and spins him in a circle, breathless with laughter, swept up in euphoria. If Anakin is the ocean, Obi-wan will drown with him. The music continues to play out of Obi-wan’s phone, but the pair pays it no mind, coming together for a giddy and messy kiss, giggling at their cold noses and lips. 

They’ll have the rest of their life to dance, anyways.

[redbirdbella]

@clintasha-week advent calendar day 25 - holidays

No hate against quiet celebrations of christmas i just really want to write a found family fic. My last advent calendar day!!! 

The Invitation arrives mid-November.

You are cordially invited to Morgan Starks first Christmas. The 23rd to the 27th of December.

Great. Just great. It's a little too early for Christmas but either Peppers excellent organisational skills or Tony's excitement had got the better of one of them. She should reply, she really should, she loves her little goddaughter. But Christmas has always been a quiet affair, a lazy day between her and Clint. One where she didn't have to walk around with her guards up, ready for anything. She pins the invitation to her notice board and mentally makes a note to reply, once she's made a decision.

Then HYDRA rears their ugly head and Christmas becomes more of an afterthought. Its Clint who gives her the nudge she needs.

"So what's the plan for Christmas?"

Natasha shrugs "It's Morgan's first Christmas"

"Yeah, I know. That normally happens once someone's had a baby"

"I'd like to be there"

"Yeah?" Clint asks smile rising to his cheeks, "Pepper says it's just going to be low key. Just the Avengers, Bucky, Rhodey, Happy and Peter and his Aunt. We can bring Lucky. Leave early if it gets too much"

Natasha nods. That sounded - tolerable. "At least I won't have to cook"

It sounded simple. Just RSVP but nothing could ever be simple for Tony. There's even a freaking timetable for her to agree too.

They should arrive anytime on the 23rd but preferably in time for the adults-only party in the evening. The words PETER CAN ATTEND BUT WILL NOT BE SERVED ALCOHOL have been written in pen underneath. The 24th involves baking and board games and carol singing and a visit from Santa followed by a child-friendly fancy dress party in the evening. The 25th is Christmas. Presents encouraged, Pyjamas only. The 26th is an open house with exclusive invitations to those Tony deems worthy of paying homage to his baby daughter. She knows that Hills been invited so that'll be - nice.

They receive time off from SHIELD starting the 16th so there's a rush to get presents (I mean what do you get a billionaire and an 8-month-old?!) acceptable pyjamas and a fancy dress costume. Clint decides they should be pirates so he can master the eye patch ready to take over from Fury. Natasha leaves that to Clint using the time to buy her archer a few presents. A new lead for Lucky and a Tourist's guide to Budapest amongst other things. She spoils Morgan into a state of rotten worse than the back of Clint's fridge but it's worth it or it will be.

It's already by the 23rd. Just. She'd be lying if she wasn't still wrapping presents under Lucky's supervision in the back of the quin jet on the way over to Tony's Minnesota mansion. The sun is dipping as they arrive exchanging hugs and a quick squeeze with Morgan before she needs to go to bed. She's surprised to find she doesn't hate it. They give them space to settle into their rooms. Separate accommodation had been provided, but one instantly becomes a luggage storage facility. No one comments. It's nice even when Jarvis directs them down to the Outside barn for the party. It's smart casual, laid back and lit up with fairy lights and a moderate Tree in pride of place. Like someone had put real thought and care into who and what they were doing. Theirs an ice sculpture that's giving out some sort of non-alcoholic punch. A pool table, air hockey table and various amusements but it's the target practice area built into the corner with various weapons from axes to darts that they make a beeline too. Clint quickly claiming the bow. It's a nice icebreaker. Bucky and Clint hit it off occupying two of the lanes showing off to no one but each other, leaving Natasha and Steve to talk.

"Your Clint is good isn't he- there's not much between them. Your Clint. My Bucky" he's had a little to drink but Natasha doesn't care. They've earn't this.

"He's not my boyfriend"

"I know. You're just sweet on him and he's sweet on you. It's nice to see you both happy" Steve says knowingly.

That just about sums it up. She's sweet on him -for him. Just about him.

"Yeah, I'm just sweet on him" she nods.

"Good. Think he's got a fan" he says tipping his bottle towards the young Spiderman who Clint greets warmly.

Natasha smiles downing the rest of her drink in one "Ever thrown an axe before Cap?"

Slowly the numbers in the building rise until everyone's arrived and it's - nice. Really nice. Just a relaxed evening with people she considers friends. She doesn't think once about home or switch to the 5D chess or Machiavellian mind games. They all call it a night at 2 am for fear of waking Morgan but Tony assures them the Barn will be open to use thorough out the stay. Perfect.

Lucky wakes them early the next morning. Too early. but he still manages to drag them on a walk exploring the gardens of the house. It's beautiful even as the snow starts to fall driving Lucky crazy. Clint holds her hand once the mansions out if view. "Need to keep them warm or Morgan will scream the place down when hold her"

They walk until the winter sun rises enough to melt the snow clouds and return to the house Jarvis greeting them upon arrival. Apparently most of the house were in the kitchen baking- or at least attempting to. Only Rhodey seemed to be busy with a few saucepans. The pantry is well stocked though and Steves happy enough to try his hand at gingerbread to escape Bucky and Sam's endless bickering. Natashas just happy to hold the sleeping Morgan, Lucky laying on her lap as Pepper gives Clint the pantry tour. She can't escape the nagging worry that she's not worrying enough until Morgan wakes and stares longingly at the next Christmas tree of the Starks small forest. She gives her a tour and gets roped into help Clint with cookies when Morgan gets hungry and Clint forgets the correct conversion rate between metric and imperial. They're good though melting into her mouth as Clint offers her out a bite. She can feel eyes on them but she doesn't care. They don't care, she reasons or they'd have commented when they'd disappeared into the same bedroom the night before. The afternoon starts as planned with boardgames but quickly dissolves into chaos once it becomes clear that playing trivial pursuit with 3 geniuses, two people with somewhat blank memories of the past 60 years and a Norse god will simply end in tears. It moves to charades which Clint cheats at using ASL to end his torturous turns as soon as possible. Peter soon figures that out causing them to move swiftly onto Jenga the ultimate superhero lever. The games are long drawn out competitive things. It's taken more seriously than most of their missions Natasha notes with a grin. She melts into Steve's arms letting her whisper trash talk into her ear, maybe he's more fun than he first appears. It lasts until Morgan decides it shouldn't screeching and whimpering and demanding a nap. Ruining the quiet calm required for competitive Jenga. Slowly the party breaks away, Tony reminding them of the carols and Santa's visit promised later. Natasha promises to come only to see Morgan's reaction Clint had a $50 bet she'd cry at the sight of the new Intruder, presents be dammed. He's unfortunately right and it takes her through half of the carols (and some of those own songs that mention too much war to be specifically Yuletide) to settle into Pepper's arms before doing the tour of all her Uncles and Aunty's. She coos at Natasha obviously complaints about the new red intruder, but one tickle under her chin and she bursts into giggles.

"Your a natural" Pepper says with a smile, "Obviously her favourite"

Natasha savours the cuddles for a little longer before handing her back carefully removing her little hands from her curls.

"Thank you, Natalie, we are going to have a little nap ahead of the party tonight. Starts at seven. Back here, it's too cold for this little one in the barn. She'll want to see all the costumes hopefully you'll be much happier when it's all your friends dressed up, huh, baby" Pepper coos.

She whisks the little one away before the tears can flow once again leaving Natasha to care for her own needy creature who is just desperate for a walk.

Clint has laid out their costumes on the bed. The costumes are beautiful, Clints has a definite focus on his arms sleeved cut enough to draw attention to each muscle. The swords are surprisingly substantial.

"Mine from the circus"

"A pirate in the circus?!"

"A swordsman in a circus?"

He grins "exactly would you like to learn?"

She smiles picking one up and testing its weight. "I think I can figure it out. Most weapons are fairly intuitive"

"Ready then? Let's see if you can figure it out"

He meets her sword swinging it gently into hers. She grins and meets it using the motion to try and push him off balance. It's ineffective so he capitalises using the swing in her weight to knock her backwards on to the bed but he's too confident in knocking her down leaning too far forward that it would be rude not to bring him down with her.

"Hey" he grins, not exactly disappointed by his new position.

"Hi" She whispers standing up before the blush can rise to her cheeks "You'll have to bring these to SHIELD one day. Give me a proper lesson."

Clint agrees completing a quick change into his pirate costume. Natasha isn't one for fantasy but she can make one exception letting her mind wander.

"Your turn?" He says before putting on his boots.

She doesn't even need to question the sizing if anyone's Natashas body it's him. She changes quickly staring at her self in the mirror. What would madam say at this act of childishness dressing up for a child barely able to comprehend their presence let alone who they are dressing up as. Whatever she would say it doesn't matter Clint wraps his arms around her waist.

"This has been surprisingly Ok. Christmas with the family"

Natasha leans back into his arms "It's complicated, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else"

"Welcome to Christmas" he laughs, "now I just need to get the mutt ready, You wanna be a pirate bud?"

Lucky complains about the pirate flag neckerchief until the fuss arrives at the party. Steve and Bucky and Sam have dressed in 1940s attire. Bruce in his lab coat and goggles. Thor surprisingly as a firefighter though Natasha isn't sure how he learnt about them but she's sure it's a long story. Rhodey as a member of top gun. Peter is some sort of star wars character Clint recognises on sight though the teenager seems more distracted by his Aunt and Happys couples costume. Tony and Pepper are attendees of Jurassic park the two scientists that become a couple if Natasha remembers the films. Morgan dressed in a dinosaur all in one.

"Oh, you are terrifying" Natasha coos offering her arms out for the little girl. She chirps and delightedly reaching for her hat.

Pepper hands her across returning to grown-up conversation with May and Happy.

Natasha let's her hold the hat bringing her to the sofa and to Lucky's waiting nose.

"Does she smell like dinosaur" Natasha coos letting Morgan pat at Lucky's ears. She manages to keep a hold of her goddaughter for most of the night but she has a curiosity for hats swapping quickly to gain a small collection. She falls asleep playing with Clint's buttons and that draws to a sudden close. Tony smiles that new smile he's developed just for his daughter and takes her into his arms.

"Jarvis will drop off breakfast in bed tomorrow if required. Presents opening at 10.30"

The rest of the evening is a timeless blur of a short walk for Lucky, Warm showers and bed before waking up in Clint's arms as Lucky nudges her arms. Apparently jet lag is harder to adapt to when you're a Canine.

"Merry Christmas Lucks" She whispers brushing her fingers through his hair. They're walking fifteen minutes later holding hands today simply out of habit. They discuss gifts and tell stories until they can no longer feel their fingers when they get back no matter how hard Clint holds her. The ice melts away as they eat breakfast, warm Pastries on a platter left by Jarvis dressed in her new pyjamas. It's a new sort of intimacy. Childlike and raw but it's not awkward. Not like she fears.

They give presents amongst friends when 10.30 rolls around. It's tolerable everyone opening presents at once no one needing to explain or pretend. She needs to work on her pretending, she decides as she opens present after present and finds herself liking most of the presents. It's easy to slip under the radar and just enjoy opening presents or watching others open they're own. Well, that is until Clint opens his tourist guide to Budapest his pointed look puncturing the mood until everyone's quiet.

"I know you've been meaning to visit," Natasha says with a grin.

"Yes, I've been told Budapest is very beautiful at Christmas time" Clint returns flicking through the book.

"Well?" Sam asks "is that it?"

"Thank you Natasha," Clint says with a nod when he reaches the back page.

"Fine keep your secrets" Sam mutter's returning to his own pile.

They settle in for Lunch and then nap in front of the fireplace after the queen's speech. Tony had indicated a childhood tradition enforced by his butler. She holds Morgan as they doze pulling the little one in close.

"So this is Christmas huh?"

[cycat4077]

Sleeping Arrangements

Part 3 in the Changes verse, though it’s not necessary to read the other parts beforehand. (Part 1 | Part 2) AO3 here (Takes place Christmas 2015, right after 17x10 “Catfishing Teacher”)

Pairing: Sonny x Reader  Warnings: none (hopefully just some wholesome fluff) Words: 1858 Summary: Prior to this trip, sleeping arrangements weren't something you'd given much thought. You had been too preoccupied with pre-holiday grading, remembering the presents and packing the bags. But now, the situation poses a bit of a conundrum: one new family member and no extra beds. 

"So, my mom is a lot like yours. She'll probably smother you in love and food," you warn as the wintery highway passes by. 

"I don't mind that," answers Sonny from the driver's seat. Snowflakes collect and melt on the windshield, dispersing the morning light that shines through them. It's Christmas day and the two of you left NYC early to be able to make it upstate in due time.

"My dad on the other hand," you continue, "may look intimidating, but he's actually a big softy. Cries at chick-flicks all the time. Just don't tell him I told you that!" Sonny lets out a warm chuckle. "Noted!" Ever since you spent Thanksgiving with the Carisis, you've been excited to bring Sonny home to meet your parents. Not only that, but he also just finished a really tough case, so you hope that getting away from work and having a hardy family meal would do him good. "You're not nervous, are you?" you ask hesitantly, recalling how anxious you had been on the drive to Staten Island. "I mean, yeah, but not really. If your folks are anything like you, then I'm guaranteed to be just fine." Sonny smiles reassuringly before shifting his eyes back to the snowy roads. -x- "MY BABY!" exclaims your mother as you kick off your boots and step inside the house. You fold your arms around each other and hug. It has been too long since you’ve seen one another in person. "And you must be Sonny," she adds, waving over your boyfriend. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. -" but before Sonny has a chance to finish, your mom wraps her arms around him. A low oof escapes his mouth as she squeezes. Yep, Sonny has officially been adopted into the family. "I've heard so much about you, so it's wonderful to finally meet you!" Your mother is absolutely bursting with joy. "Likewise," replies Sonny, flashing one of his infamous smiles. In the meantime, you give your dad a giant hug, glad to see him too. Then it’s time for introductions. At first your father seems to be sizing up your boyfriend, hardened eyes scanning him over skeptically. Sonny extends his hand, offering a polite "Nice to meet you, sir" but your father hesitates. C’mon dad, you think, flashing him a stern look. Thankfully he accepts Sonny's gesture with a firm handshake. "My daughter goes on and on about you and how happy she is," he declares and finally allows a smile. A breath you didn’t realise you’d been holding in escapes, puffing out your cheeks. Always attentive, Sonny senses your unease and casts you a loving look, stepping over to slip you under his arm. After presents and overnight bags are unpacked from the car, the four of you sit down for an early supper. The dining room table is overrun by casserole dishes filled with turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes and baked carrots; everything that traditionally composes a holiday meal in your household. Once bellies are plump and full, you all sit around the Christmas tree. Growing up, family Christmas trees were always real spruce and were adorned with old ornaments that had sentimental rather than aesthetic value. And like all Christmases before, this year’s tree gives the living room a wonderful smell, while shiny bulbs twinkle from the colored lights that hang on its branches. With everyone gathered together, you swap presents. You had debated endlessly with yourself over what to get Sonny. The two of you were only together for about two months. Was that too soon to be buying expensive or sentimental gifts? Or, since we’re so committed to one another, would it be expected? Instead, you listened to your gut and bought something that you sincerely hoped would make Sonny smile. "What is it, doll?" asks Sonny while tearing at the wrapping paper. The man has the patience of a five-year old. You don't answer, but rather just watch while he takes the gift out of the box. "It's a…" Sonny's face softens and he runs his fingers over the material, "a briefcase." "For when you get that degree and become a lawyer," you elaborate timidly. The item set you back a pretty penny but it was crafted from soft, brown leather and resembled the old style of briefcases from the 50's. You wished that this gift would show Sonny just how much you believe in him. At first he's silent. He simply looks at you with an unreadable expression. He doesn't like it. It's too soon for a gift like this. But then Sonny unleashes a smile so wide that his eyes crinkle at the corners. Your tummy somersaults. "I love it!" Sonny leans over and pulls you into an embrace. You flush with warmth and nuzzle your nose into the soft juncture of his neck. In fact, you're so caught up in the moment that you forget your parents are sitting one sofa over until a quiet 'aww' resonates from your mother. You pull apart to see a pair of baby blues shining with appreciation. Sonny then gets up, sock feet padding towards his coat by the door. He reaches into the pocket, pulls something out and quickly returns to his place beside you. He extends his arm, presenting a small box with intricate wrapping. Your breath catches in your throat. It's jewelry. Sonny studies you with nervous excitement, coaxing you to open it. When you do, the velvety box reveals a silver pendant on a matching chain. You touch the cool metal delicately with your finger, tracing the outline of an apple. "Yourra teacher," Sonny remarks, his tone turning somewhat shy. "And when you like a teacher, you're supposed ta give 'em an apple." You feel tears forming in your eyes as his sentiments soak in. "It's beautiful, Sonny." And you mean those words from the bottom of your heart. It's perfect. He's perfect. You ask him for help to put it on, moving your hair out of the way. His fingertips tenderly graze along the back of your neck, sending goosebumps across your skin. When the clasp is secured, you release your hair and gently adjust the pendant to the middle of your chest. It means so much and you vow to wear it everyday. The gift exchange continues a little while longer; your parents even make sure that Sonny has presents under the tree from them. Your mother all the while brings out various baked deserts, continually offering Sonny more food even though his response never wavers from a lighthearted "I'm stuffed". There's laughter and stories to go around as afternoon shifts into evening. You share your experiences with Sonny from the past summer and your parents recite snippets from your childhood. Of course, they also provide Sonny with a teasing warning about how nerdy you can be, making you cringe out of embarrassment. Sonny, like the gentleman he is, laughs them all off and reveals a few of his own quirks to even the score. As the night winds down and eyelids grow heavy, there's a collective decision to turn in. Prior to this trip, sleeping arrangements weren't something you'd given much thought. You had been too preoccupied with pre-holiday grading, remembering the presents and packing the bags. But now, the situation poses a bit of a conundrum: one new family member and no extra beds. Right away Sonny offers to sleep on the couch. Being that your relationship is still quite new, the two of you have never done the whole sleeping over thing yet. Though uncharted territory, it seems unfair to make Sonny sleep on a lumpy sofa when he'd be driving home the next day. "No, it's okay," you announce, eyes darting between your parents and Sonny. "You can share my bed." Your father opens his mouth to protest, but your mother swiftly hits his arm to shut him up. Instead, she hands Sonny the extra pillows in her arms. "You sure, doll?" Sonny questions, blue eyes seeking yours for confirmation. "Yeah, we've got a long drive back tomorrow. Need a good night's rest." You smile and rest your hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Sonny would never get fresh with you unless you both were ready. Besides, it would be nice to finally make the dream of falling asleep in his arms a reality… "Goodnight then, you two," your mother coos. "If you need anything let us know." You give both parents a hug before retreating into your childhood bedroom. "I'd never try anything. You know that, right?" Sonny blurts as he helps turn down the sheets. You stop and look at him. "Of course I know that," you reassure. "I trust you and in no way feel pressured. Hope you feel the same." "I do! I was justa little surprised that you'd offer to share a bed, especially under your folks' roof." He fluffs the pillow and strips off his shirt.

You can't help but stare at his bare chest. That's another first and boy, is it a good one. Sonny's not the type who has rippling muscles or bulging pecs. Instead, he's lean and toned in just the right places, which, if you're being honest, is way sexier. Sonny then pulls a different tee over his head, dragging you back to reality. "My parents have always trusted me," you resume. "All my decisions are my own and they'd never judge me for sharing a bed with my boyfriend. That's the kind of relationship we've always had." "It's nice," Sonny says simply before crawling under the covers. "My parents weren't quite so trusting." He shrugs. "...But then again we were a strict Catholic household." He pats the mattress beside him and you slip in. "Oohh! Your feet are like ice!" he trills. You quickly pull your toes away. "Sorry." "Nuh-no, doll! Lemme warm 'em up," Sonny grins and reaches for your feet with his own. His warmth provides immediate relief. "That better?" he asks. "Much," you reply. "Good." He switches off the bedside lamp and snuggles down under the blankets. "'Night." "'Night," you say. A silence hangs in the darkness for a few moments. "Sonny?" you whisper. "Yeah?" "Would you...uh...Would you...Do you wanna..." you stutter out, but it seems he already understands. An arm snakes around your shoulders pulling you near. "That okay?" he asks. But rather than answer, you turn your face towards him and place a kiss to his lips. It's warm and soft and tender; unspoken gratitude for the wonderful day you've spent with him. Sonny, responds by kissing you back with a soft hum of pleasure. "I'll take that as a ‘yes’," he smirks against your lips. "Merry Christmas, Sonny." "Merry Christmas," he kisses your forehead and you cuddle into his chest. His arms hold you close as you both fall asleep. You had always dreamed of how it would feel to be nestled up with Sonny like this, and though you never expected the first cuddle to be in your childhood bed, it was still better than you could have ever imagined. It felt right. Sonny felt like home.

---

I SHALL WRITE ABOUT ALL THE HOLIDAYS! (feeback loved and thanks for making it to the end ♥ )

Part 4 here

[writingithink]

You asked for it!!! Prompt number 5 and Tentoo/Rose 😂💖

Alright so this somehow got out of hand, just a little.

[Send me a prompt and a Doctor (9-11) x Rose pairing!]

Aerial View Necessary Rated: T Pairing: Tentoo x Rose Wordcount: 3,360

Read it on AO3

It had taken quite a few months for them to get here, months in which she thought she was going to go absolutely insane, but they finally did it. She and the Doctor had a house of their own. With doors, and carpets, and all of the other domestic things a house on Earth came with.

Oddly enough, it was the Doctor who had first suggested it.

They had only been staying at the mansion for five days - not even a full week. Just five days since saving the multiverse, since Bad Wolf Bay (again), since he had been essentially created. Things had been … awkward. After so long apart they had to get used to each other again, but that was compounded by all of the changes that came with his metacrisis - some of which delighted him, while others had him throwing fits.

So when he had stormed into her room on their fifth day together on parallel Earth, Rose had assumed that he was having another tantrum, like the one the evening before when he found out that he could no longer eat an entire tin of biscuits without getting a stomach ache (she had been equal parts annoyed with and sad for him). She was barely awake, had just managed to pull herself up onto her elbows when he collapsed on the bed next to her.

“Let’s get out of here. Our own place. What do you say?” He looked quite manic for 8 in the morning.

“What?” she had asked, still groggy but quickly waking. “Where’d this come from?”

“I, Rose Tyler, absolutely refuse to live with your mother.”

For all of the new little quirks and biological changes, he really wasn’t all that different. Once she’d gotten ready for the day, cuppa in hand, Rose had taken a seat at the kitchen island, laptop already out from the day before, and started looking up flats online. It wasn’t long before the Doctor was there, looking over her shoulder and somehow managing to get jam in her hair.

“No, no, no,” he started, “not a flat. Too small. Too many other humans right on top of us. Or below us. Or to the side. You know what, never mind, forget that bit. We need a house.”

“Really? You? A house?”

Years may have passed, but his horror at the prospect of a mortgage while orbiting a black hole wasn’t the kind of thing she was ever going to forget.

“Yup. Not like this one, but a good size. The TARDIS will need her own room. Oh! And I think I would fancy a garden. Not just a small one, but a proper yard. We could have a pool! Do those come with houses, or do you have to get them separately?” the Doctor babbled, leaning over her in order to begin making his own searches, fingers typing on the keyboard at a ridiculous speed that the machine was having difficulty keeping up with.

Then her mum came in.

“What are you two up to now?” she’d asked.

Before Rose could think of a way to ease her mother into this new development, the Doctor had taken the matter completely out of her hands.

“Getting a house. What do they mean ‘request a viewing’? Aren’t I viewing it now? They’ve got 23 pictures.”

It had all gone downhill from there. Her mum had had plenty of opinions, and went from enthusiastically trying to do the house hunting for them to harsh disapproval of the whole thing seemingly from moment to moment throughout the entire process. And the Doctor’s combination of unending enthusiasm and complete ignorance made it all … well, it was never boring, that’s for sure.

Also, he turned out to be very picky, which shouldn’t have surprised her.

Their realtor hated them.

But now it was over, and here they were in their own house. Their own home.

It was two stories, with four bedrooms (“One for us, one for the TARDIS, one to use for, you know … whatever. Office? Workshop? And then an extra, just in case, you know … because what if we need it?”) and three bathrooms. The sitting room was cozy, and the kitchen was spacious, and there wasn’t a separate dining area (“What do we need a dining room for? When have we ever had people over for dinner?”). They had a finished basement (which the Doctor had more ideas for than it had space, but Rose figured he would have to figure that out for himself) and an attached garage, as well as a shed out back (“It will be perfect, you know, for projects that are too big for the house … well, not too big, the shed is quite small, but you know, too, er, combustible.”). It also had a pool, but not a hot tub - she had had to convince him that they could easily buy one when he almost told the realtor no (again). And their garden was huge. 

Rose didn’t know what to even do with it, she’d never had a garden before. Well, the last few years at the mansion she did technically have one - but that was different. It was her parents garden (well, grounds would be more accurate) and it was tended to by gardeners. In the excitement of moving in, she let the issue of lawncare slip her mind. 

Neither her nor the Doctor had many things - despite years living in a parallel world, Rose had been so focused on her work with the Dimension Canon, and so sure she would be returning to her proper universe that she had never really put down roots. So they had to buy absolutely everything for the house, which was daunting. Thankfully one of the new quirks he had gotten from Donna was a love for shopping. Unfortunately, he did not get any common sense about what a house needed, and it became clear that this was an activity he was never allowed to do alone (in the end, Rose had had to send back 4 (out of 6) couches, 17 (out of 21) toasters, 3 (out of 5) mixers, various other kitchen gadgets (total number unknown, but now they at least had enough cupboard space for actual food), and a host of giant inflatable Christmas decorations that ‘had been on sale’). 

It wasn’t until they had been at their new house for about two months that the issue of their garden came up again. And only because they had received a written warning in the post about their grass being too long.

“Who are they to decide? Isn’t it our garden?” the Doctor complained. “I like our grass! It’s very … grassy. And green! Well, mostly.”

They were standing outside on their front porch, looking at their grassy, mostly green grass. It was pretty tall. And starting to go to seed, reminding Rose of the wheat-like plants on Serin III - those were green, too. They had green bread. 

“You’re gonna have to mow it,” she told him, patting his arm apologetically.

“Me? Why me?”

“Because you’re the one who wanted a big garden.”

“Maybe I also want a big fence. So that nosy city people who get paid to judge my grass can’t see it. That will show them. Or, or, we can get rid of all the grass! Put flowers and trees and things instead. Then see what these people have to say.”

“Or you could mow the grass,” Rose said, before giving him a kiss on the cheek and heading back inside. They had to be in at Torchwood soon and she still wasn’t done getting ready.

The rest of the week passed by in a blur of alien ‘incidents’, way too much paperwork, and the Doctor’s unending attempts to get out of either of them doing work the moment he got bored of it. Once the weekend arrived, she was exhausted and he was adorably and delightfully insistent on making her forget about any and all stress or responsibilities.

Monday morning saw another letter regarding their grass. This time with a deadline, and a fine promised if they didn’t have it taken care of by the end of the week.

“We don’t even have a mower!” the Doctor complained, crumpling up the piece of paper and throwing it across the sitting room.

“We’ll just have to get one. We can go after work. I’ll tell dad that we need to leave early.”

“Mmm I suppose, if it gets us out early,” he conceded, still pouting.

So they left work early and went to the hardware store, where the Doctor made no less than three scenes while complaining about the primitive technology, comparing gardening tools from different times and planets, and attempting to test drive a riding mower in the store (the lack of petrol in the floor model having easily been circumvented with a few applications of his sonic screwdriver). Obviously they ended up buying the one that he tampered with. And of course they were asked never to return.

“It said on the sign that you offer free delivery?” were the Doctor’s parting words before Rose dragged him away from the counter, telling the quietly furious manager that she would send someone to pick it up for them.

“Well that was rude of them,” he began as soon as they got into the car, “I was only trying to-”

“Nope. No. You should know better by now. We’ve been through this. Just … quiet,” Rose sighed. She wasn’t angry, but she didn’t know what exactly she was feeling - some mix of frustration, disappointment, and exhaustion. Despite the fact that he now only had one heart, she never forgot that he was an alien. Usually she loved all of his alien-ness. 

Just not so much when it clashed with their attempt at living a very human life. But they wouldn’t be stuck planet-bound forever. In a few years their TARDIS would be ready for flight, and then they would once again have all of time and space at their disposal. A whole new universe to explore.

Rose just didn’t know how they were both going to manage to stay sane until they got that far.

Surprisingly, he followed her instructions and the ride home passed in complete silence. It wasn’t until she pulled into the garage that he spoke, and even then it was a whisper.

“I’m sorry.”

She turned to him, frowning, worried that she was being too hard on him. It really hadn’t been very long since he’d been stranded here with her. No functioning TARDIS, stuck on the slow path in a universe he didn’t belong in and a body that felt foreign to him. 

“It’s okay.”

“No, no, it’s not. You were right. I do know better. It’s just- I just- it’s all so linear, all the time! And so stationery! If I’d ridden a mower through a shop before, it wouldn’t have mattered. We’d have ran off, back to the TARDIS, onto the next adventure. But now there’s consequences, and licenses, and passports, and credit cards, and rude letters about our grass! And I did know better, but I did it anyway because, because- what if we get boring, Rose? What if we become the kind of people who just go to work, and watch telly, and eat beans on toast, and trim our grass and that’s all?” he asked, both hands now fisted in his very disheveled hair and a look of pure panic on his face.

“Listen,” Rose said, leaning over the center console to place both of her hands lightly against the side of his head, thumbs rubbing his temples in a way she knew soothed him. “We are never going to be boring, whether or not you vandalize shops. Our job is defending the Earth from alien threats … and sometimes the other way around. And I’m sorry we went to get a mower to begin with. I don’t care. If you want our grass to get as tall as it can, I don’t care. We can just pay the fine. Okay?”

The Doctor’s hands had moved from his hair into hers and then he snogged her to within an inch of her life, stopping only when he kneed the console and hit his head on the roof of the car when he tried to get closer. The windows had all fogged up. 

They were awoken the next day with a call from her mum - they had made the tabloids, again. Contrite, the Doctor made her a lovely breakfast but she didn’t have time to eat it after having to spend nearly an hour on the phone with Jackie screeching in her ear.

When lunch came around, Rose felt tired and irritable and hungry but instead of going to the canteen she marched into Pete’s office.

“I need some time off,” she announced, cutting off whatever her dad had been about to say in greeting. “Me and the Doctor both. A vacation. Right away. I’ve got plenty saved up.”

“Does this have something to do with the ‘mower incident’?” he asked, raising both eyebrows and sitting back down behind his desk.

“No. Yes? I don’t know! We just- we need a break.”

Despite the spontaneity of it all, Pete had lunch brought up and they were able to schedule three weeks of vacation time, starting the next day. When Rose went up to the Doctor’s lab to tell him, he was nowhere to be found. The floor’s lab manager said that he had disappeared over an hour ago, no one knew where. This wasn’t exactly new behavior, so she shrugged it off and went to finish up her day of writing up reports. He was waiting for her in the carpark at the end of the day, as usual, a huge grin lighting up his face the moment he saw her.

“Did Pete tell you the news?” she asked, a little disappointed that she hadn’t gotten to be the one to tell him.

“News? What news?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“Oh. You seemed so happy, I figured he musta told you.”

“No. No one told me anything. I’m always happy to see you. But what is this news?” he asked, somehow managing to still be nearly bouncing even as they got into the car.

“We’re on vacation. Starting now.”

“What?! Really?! Where are we going? What would you like to do?”

“Hmm … well, we’ve got three weeks. We can go wherever we want. Could be outta the country in a couple hours,” she informed him with a tongue touched grin. 

“Rose Tyler, have I told you how absolutely brilliant you are?”

“Hmmm … ‘m not sure,” she teased.

“You are. Absolutely, astonishingly, brilliant. Are we off to the Zeppelin right now?” he asked, looking out the window as if this wasn’t the same route they took every day.

“No, we have to go home first to pack.”

“Ah. Right, wizard! And we can figure out where to first! Europe? Asia? The Americas? Zeppelin travel is so slow, maybe explore parallel Europe this time?”

During the drive home, the Doctor barely stopped for breath. It was the most excited she had seen him since they’d gotten to this universe. He was so happy, it almost made her heart hurt. 

When they pulled into the driveway she immediately noticed that the grass had been trimmed … well, part of it, at least. A small bit.

“When’d you do this?” Rose asked, not bothering to pull into the garage.

“Oh! I took a long lunch. What do you think?” he asked, bounding into the garden and only walking in the mowed bits.

“Well, I mean, you missed some,” she laughed.

“No, no, come here.”

He took her hand and led her on a winding and loopy path that went in an arch from one side of their front yard, to their backyard, and then to the other side of the front.

“Well it’s definitely not a maze … does it say something?” she asked once they were back in the driveway.

“You’re right, it does! 10 points to Gryffindor! Perhaps an aerial view is necessary.” Still holding her hand, the Doctor headed inside, no doubt with a plan to get onto the roof.

“Oh, that reminds me, Doctor … this universe does still have Harry Potter, but …” she hesitated as they reached the stairs.

“But what?” he asked, turning toward her with wide eyes.

“The names of the houses are different.”

“What?!” he screeched. “Months! We’ve been here months, and you don’t tell me this until now?! What are they?! No! Don’t tell me. No spoilers. Ohhh I’m going to have to reread everything, aren’t I? Every book. Who knows how many things are different?” The Doctor dropped her hand in order to ruffle his hair, as the other one was still holding onto the rail. 

“Did you still want to go to the roof?” she asked, hesitating only a little. He tended to have a flair for the dramatic, but sometimes he was genuinely upset. It was just, occasionally, a little hard to tell which was which.

“Right, yes, roof. Roof, then packing, then books, then vacation,” he listed, taking her hand again and almost running up the stairs. “We can spend a day at the beach somewhere. You love beaches. You can go swimming, and I can start rereading. Or is it just reading?”

Soon enough they managed to get onto the roof from the balcony that came off their bedroom (one of the Doctor’s ‘must haves’ in a house). Looking down, spelled out in the garden in messy cursive was, ‘I love you Rose’.

“Oh,” she breathed, covering her mouth with her hand and fighting the tears that were suddenly gathering in her eyes. 

“What do you think?” he asked, after they had both been silent for too long.

“It’s perfect,” she whispered, pulling him into a kiss. They wobbled unsteadily for a moment before the Doctor slowly guided them both downward until they were sitting, less in danger of falling.

“I love you, too,” Rose told him, when they finally paused to breathe.

His answering smile was so bright, it put the sun to shame.

They eventually got off of the roof, but it was hours before they left the house. Once they finally boarded a Zeppelin, the Doctor was disappointed to realize they had forgotten to pick up books. And three weeks later, when they got back from Europe, there was a pile of mail right inside their front door - much of which were fines and late fees regarding their grassy, now not-so-green grass.

Rose paid them.

The Doctor built a perception filter.

Letters stopped coming, and it worked so well that not even Jackie ever said a word about how untended it was. The whole thing slipped Rose’s mind in the months that followed, until one evening at sunset the Doctor took her up onto the roof again.

Colors streaked across the sky, and the first couple of stars were beginning to peak out as the sun disappeared under the horizon.

“Those are still there because of you,” he whispered in her ear, nuzzling into her neck before placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Mmm … I did have a little bit of help,” she said, brushing a hand into the hair at the nape of his neck, satisfied when the Doctor sighed against her.

“Just a little?”

“Yeah,” Rose giggled, “from Mickey. Remember him?”

At the Doctors indignant squawk, she fully burst out laughing.

“I had a lot of help from you,” she told him, no longer teasing.

“Thought so,” he muttered, mollified. They were quiet for a few moments before he said, “And now here we are.”

“Yeah.”

“Rose?” he asked, sitting up. Her neck and shoulder were suddenly chilled with the absence of his body heat. When she looked over at him, he seemed nervous.

“What is it?”

“I- well- uhm …” the Doctor floundered for a moment before saying, “What do you think of the garden?”

Incredibly confused, Rose Tyler looked down and was surprised to once again find words trimmed into the grass.

‘Marry me?’

[akatsukifictionsblog]

Chapter 3 - Teddy Bear Hugs

Here is Chapter 3 

When Megan went  inside the living room Greg, and Andy were putting on their coats  while carrying heavy bags outside.  Megan sighed as the party was over, and her relatives were preparing to go home. .   Before leaving Diana had fixed up a few dishes of cookies, candies, and other treats to take back to their home. They were also taking a box of pizza, but there was still a good amount of food at the house. 

Once they were ready   Megan said good bye to her relatives, and went to go help her mother inside of the kitchen as she divided left over peices of pizza inside a single box.   Krystal was busy seperating pizza slices as she mummbled to herself that she had gotten too many pizza's. 

" I think we got more than we needed."  Krystal said as there were still six or more boxes of pizza. There were also tons of bread sticks, and sauce left over.   . While Megan was helping Krystal.  she  remembered her daughter saying something about her friends coming over for a Christmas bash.    Megan was getting some containers to put sweets in and storing them away for later. 

" Megan when are you friends coming over ?" Krystal asked . Megan smiled as she remembered  Sometime during the week before Christmas.  Megan's and her friends  had planned out to come to Megan’s house for a party.  However the party wouldn't be until the 30th as Megan's friends would either be out of the state to see relatives or working late hours, and wouldn't be able to be off until that certain time. 

"  We decided to bundle the Christmas bash with my birthday. But they wanted me to live stream opening packages in the morning if I could. " Megan answered. Krystal laughed at this as her daughter talked about her friends with a smile on her face.  " When do you think you'll be leaving in the morning ? " Megan asked. 

"It  depends on the weather, and how your grandmother feels."  Krystal answered unaware that they were being spied on.    Itachi was watching the mother, and daughter while Kisame was keeping watch in the other half of the sitting area.  Looking around  what appeared to be a refrigerator Itachi could hear the two talking about what sounded like a serious topic. 

" How much have you gotten done on your friends Christmas presents t that you started back during the summer ? I know you've worked hard on those outfits for your friends.  Krystal asked as Itachi listened in the conversation between the daughter and her mother .  Itachi then remembered that Tobi  had mentioned something about this girl, and three of her friends. 

" I am almost done. I still have a few things to finish like the hem on the skirt of  Candy's dress,  Kayla's shoes need finished,  while Rose's outfit is nearly completed.  I just have to box them all up tonight with the accessories I managed to get in the other day. "  Megan answered smiling.   Megan had been working non stop on a few cosplay gowns that she had designed herself.   Megan wanted to do the project to tell her friends how much she appreciated them. 

 Towards the spring time  Candy, and Rose would be leaving to go out of state for school while Kayla would be busy with her own studies going to a chosen school of her own as well as her part time job at the local retail store .     Itachi looked up as Krystal opened the door of the fridge, and as she, and her daughter made small conversation. 

Krystal stepped out of the kitchen when she heard her mother in the other room.  Itachi backed up into the halls quickly finding a place to hide until the coast was clear.  Under the small side table Itachi could hear the older woman talking again.  This time it seemed like she was looking for something, but there was nothing on the ground. 

" What are you looking for mom ?" Krystal asked. " Oh. I was trying to pick up this flower that fell in the floor, but it won't come up. Mabel here wanted to see it."  Abby said to her daughter.  Yet the sounds in the kitchen caused Itachi to slowly come out of the place he had hidden.  Peeking around the corner of the refrigerator Itachi found Megan silently putting away  things such as containers, and putting sweets in a few to put in storage.    At the same time Megan stood listening to the voices inside the living room.  She was smiling, but Itachi noticed a look in her eyes. 

" Pull yourself together.."  Itachi heard  Megan say in a quiet toned voice. 

As Megan was putting up the sweets, and other things in their proper place she suddenly had this feeling like she was being watched. Confused Megan looked towards the dining room as Itachi hid behind the refrigerator.  Itachi peeked out slightly seeing the girl blink in confusion.  Shaking the feeling Megan went back to the task at hand until. 

"  Megan ! " she, and Itachi heard as Krystal called for Megan to come to the living room. " Yes mom ?" Megan questioned as she finished up putting the sweet treats away, and headed towards the living room to see what her mother wanted.  Itachi saw a worried look  on Megan's face as she was wondering if something had happened.  " Is there something wrong mom ?"   Krystal smiled after having gotten a request from Abigale. 

" Everything's fine . Your grandmother told me that she wanted to see you open some of your gifts. I know you said you were going to open them up later . But do you think you can open a few for you grandma  before we take her back home ? "  Megan smiled, and nodded.

" Sure I don't mind. "  she responded. It just gave Megan a few more minutes with her parents, and grandparents before they went back to Abigale's house for the night .   Itachi looked around only spotting Kisame on the other end of the couch as he watched what was happening on his end.  

As Megan sat down on the love seat the sudden action caught the attention of her father, and step-grandfather. Krystal moved towards the  Christmas tree  looking for a package for Megan to open.  

" Krystal what is going on ?" Jeremy asked as his wife . " Mom wanted to see Megan open some  of her gifts before we went back to their house for the night. " Krystal answered as  the old woman seemed over joyed to have her granddaughter in the room again.  Jeremy seemed to agree to the idea as he turned to his daughter.   Krystal directed to which of the gifts that Megan would enjoy opening first. 

Megan was curious as her father carried over a rectangular box that was the size of a keyboard or something for her computer.   Seeing Itachi, Kisame quietly made his way over to where his partner was who was focused on the activity going on.  Jeremy soon pulled out his nice camera as Megan began to unwrap one of her gifts.  You could hear the camera make sounds, and the lights flash as Jeremy pushed the button. 

" What is it ?" Leo asked.

" That's what I want to know." Kisame said as he, and  Itachi kept observing the  girl as she started opening a few Christmas presents.  Megan's smile was wide as she opened up her gift finding it was a keyboard that she had been eying for sometime on the internet.  It was a black gaming  keyboard, that had a led light that  would  glow like a rainbow.  The keys even lit up for easy use if Megan had the lights off. 

" Rose, and Kayla  helped you out didn't she ?" Megan asked. " They sure  did."  Krystal answered " Thank you so much ! "  Megan replied excitedly as the next gift was given to her.  Opening up the package was the mouse that matched the keyboard, but this mouse had number buttons on the side that also glowed with rainbow colors.  Through the excitement Itachi moved to the underside of the loveseat, and peaked out seeing  Megan place her gift on the coffee table with the first. What kind of world was this with this type of technology ? Itachi questioned himself as he had fooled with computers before while with the Anbu. But they weren’t as advanced. 

 Again Itachi, and Kisame heard movement, but this time  Jeremy brought out a gift bag.   Itachi could also see the excitement from the grandmother who was talking to the invisible person next to her. Megan took the small bag and began to open it placing the tissue paper to the side with the pile of paper nearby. Inside of the bag was a new version of a hand held console, and a copy of a Pokémon game  that she already had the opposite to.  As Megan was opening gifts Itachi, and Kisame  heard the grandma complement her granddaughter. " Oh that is lovely, or How exciting don't you see Mable ?"   Megan smiled at her grandmother as she stopped opening presents in order to save a few for the next morning.   " Thank you mom, and dad." Megan said smiling as she put the console, and game on the coffee table, Itachi peeked out  while everyone in the room were distracted managed to pick up the small case with the game in it.  A strange creature was on the front of the package, and read the title of the game in question. " Your welcome. I am thankful for your friends. They helped us a lot with choosing your gifts. I am sure your going to be busy tonight."  Krystal said smiling. " Possibly.  I have a lot to finish tonight I may wait till tomorrow evening." Megan answered as she got up, and picked up the wrapping paper on the floor, and helped get things straightened up before her parents took her grandparents home.   While this happened  inside of Megan's room Pein, and the others had explored much Megan's room.  Sasori in particular was sitting on Megan's bed after finding a sketchbook with reference photos nearby.  It was full of rejected sketches of outfits, or of objects and people,  or Megan was saving them for a later date.  There were also sketches of various things like flowers, cats, butterflies. On the floor Hidan,  Kakuzu, and Deidara looked up at the large glass case that held figures in certain themes on each shelf  or some kind of object that belonged to that  series.  On the middle shelf were figures that looked like characters from the Naruto series. Which included the Akatsuki themselves.  Kakuzu looked at his figure double. 

" I didn't give anyone permission to use my image without some kind of fee." Kakuzu said as he scowled.  Hidan, and Deidara groaned as  activity continued on the bed. Tobi  was looking around on the side table when he noticed a picture frame with a few familiar photos. 

" Oh look ! Tobi found his picture !! " Tobi said excited as there was a photo Tobi had popped up in when  the girls were having fun photo sessions on that specific day. 

" Picture ? A picture of you in it ? " Deidara questioned as he jumped back up on the bed, and Tobi pointed out a picture frame that could host four of five pictures inside of it.   The pictures were of Megan, and her friends , and one or a few of those photos had Tobi in it.  Pein, and Konan walked up behind Tobi and Deidara looking at the frame. " Are these the other three you mentioned ?"  Pein questioned Tobi. " Yes.  Tobi doesn't know where they are, but they are just as nice as  Megan is. Well some of them can be a bit temperamental,  Tobi can't wait for you to meet them, "  Tobi responded as Pein turned to  Megan's book shelf that rested to the right of the bed.  Like the glass case the book shelf had figures that were guarding  Megan's books.  Mostly the figures were themed to what books sat on which shelf. " Where did Zetsu go ?" Pein questioned as he pulled away from looking at the picture . " He's exploring the closet.  Zetsu spotted something on the top shelf. "  Konan answered as Zetsu was climbing the closet finding a hidden shelf with pillows, holiday items, and especially cosplay props. " What are these ? is our hostess a ninja too ? Does she make weapons ?" White asked. "  Who knows.  We will have to keep a close watch on her. "  Black answered as the plant man spoke with himself.   As Zetsu was coming down towards the floor  the others could hear the commotion outside of the bedroom.  Pein, and the others looked towards the open door as Kisame came to inform Pein what was going on. " What's going on Kisame ?" Pein questioned. " The parents, and the grandparents are leaving. They all went outside a little while ago, and the girl is seeing them off."  Kisame answered as the others followed Kisame outside into the larger area.  Like Kisame said the front door to the house was opened, and Megan was standing out on the porch.  Itachi was standing an inch from the door as he looked outside watching the family.

Krystal was standing outside with  Megan as she prepared to go back to her mothers, and Leo's for the night. The car was running as Jeremy had finished helping Leo get Abigale inside of the car, and Jeremy was coming back to goodbye to his daughter.  Krystal smiled, and hugged her daughter.

"  Are you sure your going to be okay ?" " Yes. I'll be fine  you need this time with grandma. " Megan answered as she hugged her mother good bye. " Okay, but if you need anything don't hesitate to call us, and you have the emergency numbers on hand right."  Krystal asked. " Yes. I have everything.  Also if I know the girls they will be pinging me every few hours tonight so I won't be too alone." Megan answered as Krystal laughed while Jeremy came to the porch.  Like Krystal. Jeremy was worried about his daughter staying at their home by herself, but was reassured she knew what she was doing. Jeremy gave Megan the basic run down of everything asking her if she knew what to do incase of a fire, or if something happened to call the police ecc.  Megan agreed, and hugged her father before he took the bags Krystal was holding in her hands to the running car .

" I'll call you once we get to your grandparents house, and before we leave in the morning. Also the weather called for a slight cold spell. Try to stay warm, and if you need anything call us. "  Krystal said as she hugged Megan again,

" What's going on ?" Konan asked as they watched the father come back for  Megan's mother, and helped her to the strange wagon . 

" The parents are leaving with the grandparents , and staying with them tonight. Then they will be traveling tomorrow on some kind of trip . The girl will be on her own tonight as well as the next few days." Itachi responded as he looked back out of the screen door.   The Akatsuki members watched from the screen door  as Megan stood watching her mother leave for a few minutes. 

" What type of wagons are those ?" Hidan asked as he noticed these specific ones were blowing smoke.  No animals were attached to them , and it seemed to be running on its own.  As Jeremy go in on the drivers side the headlights of the car turned on causing the Akatsuki bears to question even further. 

As Megan started back into the house looking back as she heard car doors opening, and closing.  Inside the house  Pein, and the others moved back finding spaces to hide in. Opening the door Megan stepped inside the house and turned back to close the door.  Hidan was hiding behind the piano as he tripped, and fell while Kakuzu made it to his hiding place.  Sasori, Deidara, and Tobi hid under the Christmas tree. While Itachi, Kisame, Pein, and Konan hid behind the couch  . 

" Where do we hide ?" White Zetsu asked black as both usually could disappear quickly. But for whatever reason. Zetsu wasn't able to use some of his jutsu like he usually could.  " I don't know just pick some place !" Black responded only to finally find a place behind the coat rack that had a covering of coats. Coming into the house  Megan  closed the door, and locked the door only to turn, towards the front door. The tail lights from her parents car started up the driveway. For a moment it sat there as an on coming car came by, but afterward  the car drove out onto the road, and disappeared into the darkness.  Once the car was gone  Megan turned away from the front door, and walked towards the sofa, and sat down for a few moments. It was only minutes after Megan sat down on the sofa did she hear the familiar pitter patters of claws against the hardwood floor. " Meow." " Was that a cat ?"  Pein questioned as  Megan looked up, and smiled as her two pet cats finally emerged from their hiding places.  When people had started coming in the house both of Megan's pet cats had went into hiding.   " No. Two cats." Konan said as she motioned towards the opening that lead to what looked like a master bedroom.  A black cat with white patches , and a grey, and white tabby cat came into the living room where Megan was.  Megan smiled as the two felines made their way around smelling the left over scent of people that had been at the house. 

" You two finally came out from hiding ?" Megan said as the two cats made their way into the living room.  Luna a cat with black fur, and a few white places in her fur came up to Megan and headbutted Megan's hands.  Megan giggled as she stood up from the couch knowing what the two wanted.  

" Meow." Luna answered along with her brother Calypso a large male tabby cat. " Alright. I know you two are hungry.  I just hope you don't mind the company tonight. " Megan said as  both cats followed Megan to the kitchen allowing the Akatsuki bears to come out from hiding.   Yet it was Luna that caused the bears to stop in their tracks as her ears picked up a strange sound.   Yet the sound of food seemed to direct Luna's attention, and followed her brother, and human to the food area. 

" Meow !" Luna meowed excitedly as Megan picked out a few cans of food.   Itachi, Kisame  Konan, and Pein came out from behind the sofa, and hid in the hall way.  Pein peered around as  Megan was feeding her feline friends. The cats were anxious as  Megan picked up their bowls, and got into the bottom cabinet where their food was stored.  

" Oh boy ! Tobi loves kitty cats !" Tobi said excited as he, Deidara, and Sasori moved from their own hiding places joining the first four in the halls.  Kakuzu, and Hidan soon followed, and Zetsu was the last of the ten. 

" Meow." Luna meowed excitedly as Megan was preparing their meal, but as she was doing so she then remembered something as she heard two familiar meows outside.    After feeding Calypso, and Luna.  Megan walked to the back door.  Standing at the backdoor waiting for Megan was a yellow cat, and a female tabby .   Yet Itachi noticed what seemed to be tiny ears meaning one of the cats had kittens. 

" What more cats ?" Hidan questioned as Megan went to the back door and opened it.  .   " Hi Nala come on in and get warm for awhile. You too Sally and get those kittens inside. It's really cold tonight, and we are due for a winter storm possibly.  "  Megan said to the two cats as the two came into the house. Sally looked back to the opened door and  meowed as three little kittens popped through the door as their mother called. . 

“ Are you getting into more mischief tonight Rascal ? “ Megan questioned as the kitten jumped into her arms, and on her shoulder.   Picking Rascal up off her shoulder  Megan placed him on the ground with his sisters.  Megan then fed the rest of the cats, and kittens.   Megan also prepared spaces  for the outside cats to sleep for the night.    After feeding the cats, and getting them settled for the night.   

As Megan was going towards her parents bedroom something caught her eye.  Megan stopped as she looked over towards the coffee table.  Megan was a little confused she remembered the bears were still in the box that she placed on the bed.  Thinking for a few moments  Megan wondered if one of her parents had done this while  Megan went to put something away in the kitchen. " Aw. Its like they are having a meeting. " Megan thought as she giggled to herself, and continued to her parents room to take a hot shower, and prepare for the long night ahead of her.  Going into the room Megan shut the door, and prepared to get into the shower.

" That was close .." Sasori said as the door to the master bedroom shut, and it allowed the Akatsuki members to continue their conversation.  While Megan had been in the room. and the others distracted.  Pein had begun reading over the scroll that Tobi had shown him.  Rolling up the scroll  Pein jumped up on the coffee table, and brought attention to the other members. " Now what are we going to do hmm"  Deidara questioned. 

" For now I am calling an important meeting about this issue. " Pein responded and turned to Tobi who had the rolled up scroll in his possession.   Pein was going to get to the bottom of this justu how it worked, and what it took to get everyone changed back to their normal forms.  Pein lead the members across the room in front of the Christmas tree using the rooms.  coffee table as a make shift meeting table. 

Pein stopped for a moment as he, and the others heard movement in what seemed like the master bedroom.  The sound of water could be heard as Pein began the briefing.   Again Tobi explained his side of the story how he found this world, and met the girl in question that he had met.  Pein, and the others listened closely as Tobi told the same tale, and his story remained the same. 

After Tobi's explanation  Pein began reading the scroll through the silence the other Akatsuki members could hear small pitter patters as the three kittens had finished eating, and was starting to play.    Pein raised a stuffed paw as he read the wordings. 

" I see... " Pein said.  Pein then looked up at the other Akatsuki members , and then looked at the scroll again.   " Gah ! Will you say f*king something  already ! " Pein heard Hidan shriek as he was growing impatient as always.   Pein ignored this as he continued reading as he looked to where the girl had gone too.   Konan could see the face that Pein was making, and it seemed that there was more to this jutsu than  Tobi realized when he cast it on everyone. 

.  The jutsu wasn't going to be easy to undo.  It was going to require assistance, and cooperation especially on the Akatsuki members end if they wanted to be human again .

[lovemesomesurveys]

1. Do you like having your picture taken? No.

2. Have you ever done a photo shoot, professional or non? I’ve had pictures taken at photo studios and I have a cousin who’s a photographer that did my college graduation photos.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why? I mean, nowhere right now. BUT, there’s a lot of places I’d love to visit one day. Various countries and places here in the US. I just want to be able to travel a lot one day.

4. Who would you take with you on this little adventure? My family.

5. What would you say is the most daring thing to do in a lifetime? That’s going to be different for everyone of course, but basically something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Conquering a fear.

6. Would you ever do that? I don’t know. 

7. Have you ever done crossword puzzles? Yeah. I much prefer word searches, though.

8. Ever actually completed one? Yeah.

9. Pick up the closest book and write a sentence at random from it. There isn’t a book near me.

10. Do the same with a lyric from either a cd or the radio. Nah.

11. Have you ever tried to analyze your own dreams? Yeah, many times. I’ve tried to look up what some things symbolize and what it might mean for me. 

12. Would you put up posters in your room? Yeah. I have some things hung up. 

13. Can you sing? I can’t sing well at all. I wish.

14. Do you ever sing to yourself while doing everyday tasks? Yes.

15. What's your favorite color of post-it note? Pink.

16. How many cassette tapes do you own? Zero.

17. How many cd's do you own? I don’t have any CDs anymore.

18. Ever bought a cd for just one song? I probably have. 

19. What would your perfect day consist of? Beach days are nice. Or since it’s winter, renting a cozy cabin in the snow sounds lovely.

20. Have you ever lied to get off the phone or out of talking to someone online? Yes.

21. Have you ever written a survey? Once. It was several years ago during the Xanga days. I wish I still had it saved.

22. How about a song? If so share it. No.

23. Or maybe a poem? If so share it or one of them. I dabbled with poetry when I was 16. I am definitely not sharing one, they’re super cringey.

24. Is your vcr flashing 12:00 all the time? I don’t have a VCR. Wow, cassette tapes and VCRs how old is this survey?

25. Do you read your horoscope? No.

26. If so, do you base your day on it? No, I’ve never been into astrology. I used to read it when I was younger like in an magazine, but it was always just for fun.

27. Would you rather chew gum or use mouthwash and why? Chew gum. Mouthwash is way too strong to me and I find it irritating for my mouth and yeah it’s just not a pleasant experience.

28. Do you floss? No. :X

29. Are you addicted to napster like me? Okay, now you’ve mentioned Napster so this survey is super old. Napster was like late 90s and early 2000s. 

30. How many times a year about are you sick? I rarely get things like a cold, which I find interesting because I feel like my immune system is crap, but I feel sick and crappy often for other reasons.

31. Ever been in an airplane? Yes, a few times.

32. If so where were you flying to? Georgia and back and to Disneyland and back.

33. What radio station to you listen to most? It’s been a few years since I’ve listened to the radio.

34. What color are your shoes? I wear my black Adidas the most.

35. Was fuzzy wuzzy a bear? He was. He had no hair, though, so he wasn’t actually fuzzy.

36. Do you know how to play dominos? I’ve never really played.

37. Or do you think I just mean pizza by that? No, I know what dominos are.

38. Speaking of pizza, what's your favorite kind? (toppings and/or place to get it from) My favorite is from this local place. I like to get white sauce, feta and ricotta cheese, crumbled meatballs, garlic, spinach, and pesto and olive oil drizzles. I’ve been really craving that lately.

39. What color are your eyes? Brown.

40. How many surveys have you filled out this lifetime? Oh pffffft, I am not even going to attempt to figure that out. There’s no way I could. I’ve been doing surveys for so long and sadly so many of them are gone because they were done on Myspace and Xanga. :(

41. Describe your bedroom, include all details. Okay, you want details? Here we go...

It’s small and has way too much stuff. For one thing, there’s giraffe stuffed animals all over, including a 4 ft one in the corner. There’s a dresser by the window that has my TV and Christmas decorations on it. To the right of that is a 6-cube shelf with some of the aforementioned giraffe stuffed animals as well as giraffe knickknacks, some coloring books and coloring supplies, a mini Christmas tree on top, a few more giraffe stuffed animals, a nice picture frame with my dog, Brandie, who passed away, and my BB8 droid I made at Disneyland. Above the shelf is an I Love Lucy wall clock. My closest is nearby and is full of medical supplies, 3-drawer file thing with random stuff I insist on holding onto, my shoes, and all my jackets and sweatshirts. To the left of my dresser is my bookshelf with a lot of books and other figurines and knickknacks of various things I like and hey surprise, surprise, more giraffe stuffed animals! Across from the bookshelf and dresser is my bed, which is also my desk cause I keep my laptop on it, my chargers, my phone, a coloring book, a couple packs of colored pencils, my Bible study stuff, my remotes, and my Nintendo Switch. I have a pile of clothes, too, cause dresser and closet are too full. I have like 8 throw pillows, a body pillow, a back pillow, and a couple actual pillows. I have a few stuffed animals that sit on my bed as well, which are a huge squishmallow giraffe, a small squishmallow pug, a small squishmallow Dumbo, a small squishmallow Baby Yoda/Grogu, and a Baby Yoda/Grogu plushie. To the right of my bed is a TV tray that has my bottles of water, my medicine and pill crusher, a box of straws, a glass, a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink, chapstick, my wallet, a Zip-loc bag with half a glazed donut and half a chocolate one, and a small bag of shortbread cookies. Behind the TV tray is my 3-drawer bedside table, which has a makeup storage thing on it that I plan on cleaning out and getting rid of cause I don’t wear makeup anymore and could use that space for something else, a bottle of lotion, a couple little room sprays from B&BW, and a jewelry tray. Hung up on my walls around the room are a few giraffe framed paintings, a couple beachy canvas paintings, two Alexander Skarsgard calendars, a bulletin board with various stuff pinned to it, and a marker board. There’s also a hamper in here, a floor lamp, a ceiling fan/light, two fans, and an ottoman.

42. Name one person your life is made better by. My mom. She’s my best friend. 

44. How about someone else's? Huh?

45. Can you do math with ease? Ha, noooo. Me and math never got along.

46. What size is your computer screen? It’s 13.3 inches.

47. If you could only talk to one person online who would that be? Someone from the survey community on here.

48. Name your favorite type of music and why. I like a variety of music--various genres and decades.

49. Are you a vegetarian? No.

50. How about an aspiring actor/actress? Not at all.

51. What famous person dead or alive would you interview if you had the chance? Alexander Skarsgard.

52. Which movie can you watch and say the lines along with the actors? There’s a lot of movies I could do that with. I try not to cause it gets annoying, but it happens.

53. Name one of your passions in life. I don’t know. :/

54. What's your least favorite time of day? Evening time.

55. Who's your favorite member in a band, singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and why? The singer, typically.

56. Do you use hairspray or gel? I use neither.

57. Describe your favorite meal. Wingstop’s boneless garlic parm and lemon pepper wings. I also really enjoy my nightly bowl of ramen.

58. What color is the inside of your head when you close your eyes? Black.

59. Ever listen to classical music? Not typically, but it is nice.

60. Have you ever said lol in real life without thinking about it? No.

61. Do you find you use internet language when writing notes irl? I use “wtf, “wth”, “omg”, and “lol.” 

62. What songs would be on your ideal cd? Like I said, I like variety, so a mix of songs.

63. Say one thing you've learned today. Nothing, really.

64. What is the best present you've ever given someone else? I don’t know.

65. What is the best present someone else has ever given to you? I’ve been given many nice gifts throughout my life. I’m appreciative of all the gifts I’ve received.

66. So hey, what's your full name? Stephanie is all you need to know.

67. Describe yourself while drunk. I was chatty and annoying.

68. How big are the windows in your house? Regular, common size? .

69. Do you wear a watch? Nope.

70. What's the kinkiest thing you've ever done with someone else? Nothing.

71. What's the largest age difference between you and someone you've dated? Just a year.

72. How many mirrors do you have? Just one in my room.

73. Write one sentence stating what you want people to say about you after you've passed on. I don’t know, man.

74. Have you ever sailed? Nope.

75. How fast can you run? I used to be able to go pretty fast, but not now. I don’t have the upper body strength or energy I used to have.

76. What do you believe in? I believe in God.

77. How long does it take you to get ready to go out? Not long at all. I just change clothes, quickly do something with my hair, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, put on my shoes, and then grab my bag and mask and go. And a coat if needed.

78. Do you shower daily? If not how often? No, I shower 3-4 times a week.

79. What one thing would you change in your life if you had the power to do so? I’d make it so I had good health.

80. Describe the ideal superpower and what you would do if you had it. Teleportation. I’d travel all over.

81. Are candles romantic or a fire hazard? They can be both.

82. Name something you've done in the last 24hrs no matter how big or small. I had coffee and donuts. Exciting stuff.

83. Do you wear necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, rings? I haven’t worn any in awhile.

84. What colors are you wearing right now? Just black.

85. How often do you change the sheets on your bed? Twice a month.

86. Have you ever gotten lost? Not alone, thankfully, but yeah.

87. What's on your computer desk? I mentioned in the question about my room that my bed is also my desk and I listed the things on it.

88. How many folders are on your desktop at the present moment? Zero.

89. When your talking do you ever use your hands to do quotation marks in the air when saying certain words? Sometimes, if I find it necessary to do so.

90. Which landmark would you climb if you could? None.

91. Do you own or have you read, or thought of reading any self-help books? I read the Chicken Soup For The Soul books when I was younger but that's it. <<< Same.

92. Ever seriously questioned your sanity? Yes. 93. Can you breakdance? No.

94. What's in your fridge right now? Food and drinks. I’m tired from listing everything in that room description question lol.

95. How many people do you live with? I live with 3 people and a doggo.

96. Have you or would you ever do anything more than kiss in a public area? No.

97. What is the strangest thing you've ever done? Uhhh. I don’t know.

98. Name an instrument you've never played but would like to. Guitar.

99. Have you ever been on tv or the radio? Myself, as well as my story, was on TV after my accident happened. 

100. What is the worst thing anyone could ever do to you? Physically hurt me.

101. Are you a fast typer? Yes.

102. How high have you counted before getting bored? I don’t know, but probably not very high. I probably would get to 100 and be over it.

103. Describe how you sleep. (ie. your position and/or how you fall asleep) I sleep slightly propped up and turned to my left side. I have indigestion and post-nasal drip issues, so I can’t sleep flat. I have a whole nighttime routine consists of scrolling through Tumblr, doing surveys, and listening to ASMR until I feel tired enough to fall asleep.

104. Are you straight, bi, gay? I’m straight.

105. Do you ever do something else while on the computer? If so what? Sometimes I’m watching TV.

106. What is the most expensive item you own? My MacBook Air.

107. How about the least expensive? My little knickknacks.

109. What do you do online? Check my social medias, watch YouTube, scroll through Tumblr, and do surveys.

110. Name some stores you've bought clothes in before. Boxlunch, Hot Topic, Kohl’s, JCP, Target, H&M, Macy’s, Forever 21... those are a few that come to mind.

111. Have you ever read a book and not understood it? If so which one? I struggled with mythology. I just couldn’t get into it, so that definitely didn’t help, and it was hard to follow.

112. Have you ever watched a movie and not understood it? If so which one? Yeah. Whenever that happens I jump on Google and read up on it afterwards. 

113. Do people pick up your slang language more than you pick up theirs? I pick up lingo from others most often. 

114. Are you easily influenced by other people, or current trends? No, I wouldn’t say that.

115. What makes you unique in your own opinion? I don’t feel very unique.

116. Name your worst quality. Where to start... .

117. Name your best. I like that I’m open-minded.

118. What would you like to do with your life? I need to get myself together and figure that out.

119. Do you blowdry your hair? Nah.

120. How many clocks are in your house? We have like 3 wall clocks and there’s digital clocks throughout the house on appliances and electronics.

121. Are they all set on the same time? The phones and electronics are. The others are a few minutes fast. My parents set their digital clock like 15 minutes fast.

122. Have you ever intentionally set a clock ahead or behind the actual time? Like I said, we set some of them a few minutes ahead.

123. What do you think about when you first wake up in the morning? "What time is it?"

124. Which browser do you use? Google Chrome.

125. Do you bite your nails? Ugh, I don’t bite them but I pick and clip at them with clippers constantly. 

126. Would you ever leave little notes to your gf/bf? Sure, I think that’s cute.

127. Ever been to a farm? Yes.

128. Tell me about your dream last night. I don't remember. I rarely ever do. What typically happens is I’ll remember when I first get up, but then it like vanishes. My dreams are like Snapchat. If only there was an option to save or screenshot them like Snapchat.

129. Ever seen a shooting star? No, actually.

130. Say one thing about yourself you've never told anyone. Uhhhh. I’m so boring, I can’t think of something interesting to share.

131. Do your days fly by or seem to last forever? It often seems like the days go by slow, but then before I know it it’s already been a whole week again and I’m like wtf it was just Monday? That’s how the years tend to feel, too. There’s definitely some days that just really seem draaaaag, though. And there’s something about January that always feels super long. 

132. Have you ever stayed in a fancy high class rich hotel? Yes. 133. Have you ever stayed in a rent-by-the-hour motel? No.

134. What in your opinion is the best advertising slogan out there? If they get stuck in your head then they’re doing something right. It’s gotta be catchy. Jingles work well.

135. When they start sending rockets to the moon for us civilians, will you be on the list to go? Noooo, absolutely not.

136. How are you feeling right now? Tired, kinda hungry, and lonely.

137. Have you ever written anything on your skin? Yeah.

138. If so what? Random stuff. That was something a lot of people seemed to do in like middle school and high school for some reason.

139. Which website do you frequent most often? Tumblr and YouTube.

140. What color are most of your clothes? Black.

141. Do you own any plants? Nope.

142. Are things as bad as they seem? They sure seem bad to me.

143. Describe the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you. My mom is amazing. She’s sacrificed so much. I’m 31 years old and require aid with some things and here she is still taking care of me and doing so much for me on top of working a full-time job, being a caregiver for a family friend as well, taking care of us as a family and of things at home, and she very rarely has anytime for herself. She’s spread very thin and works so hard and yeah I just could never thank her enough. She’s the absolute best and I would be so lost without her. I couldn’t keep going if it weren’t for her.

144. Ever looked directly at the sun? Yes.

145. Have you ever made a pin hole camera to watch the eclipse? No.

146. What's your favorite cereal? All the main sugary ones, ha.

147. Who do you miss? My loved ones who have passed away.

148. Name something you just can't forget no matter how hard you try. Uh, a lot of things. My mind doesn’t like me to forget things like that. It likes to remind me of them often. Things like that hit at random times as well, like my brain will be like, ‘hey remember when...’ and I’m like, ‘ugh, yes I remember you won’t let me forget.’

149. Describe the worst fight you've ever been in whether physical or verbal. I’ve never been in a physical fight, but there were some verbal ones. I don’t want to get into them right now.

150. Say something else about yourself you've never told anyone before. Noooo. 

[twofaced-bone-dragon]

Dollar Tree: Witchy Edition!

I’m currently browsing witchblr and it occurred to me that, as a Dollar Tree employee, I do a lot of my witchy shopping at the Dollar Tree (because I’m poor because I work at Dollar Tree lmao). I feel like Dollar Tree is one of those stores that you don’t really know what all they have unless you work there, or if you go inside and spend an hour or two just wandering the aisles and perusing the stock. So I wanted to share some of my ideas for dollar store witchy shopping, for the financially strapped witches of the world!

Note: I am absolutely not saying that you need supplies/items to be a good witch. The most important part of practice is intent! Your chosen deities will not fault you for not being able to have pretty glass bowls and sweet pea candles. Witchcraft is about the purpose and the intent behind your spells and rituals, not the items you have!

Okay, let’s get started! I’ll update this post as I find new things that can be used, because it’s a weird hobby to go in on my days off and just browse...since I have no life and nothing better to do.

• Candles

Alright, so I will readily admit that the candles from Dollar Tree are not the strongest smelling candles in the world. The Pillsbury ones, which are some of my favorites, are pretty strong and I love making my room smell like a butter cake. But for the most part, most of the candles don’t smell super strong and won’t smell up your whole house like a Better Homes or Yankee Candle will. However, I think they are perfect for altar use, or just to have on your desk in your bedroom. I do all of my practicing in my room, since I share a student apartment with 3 other girls, so this isn’t a big deal for me. As an artist, color is a huge focus of mine, so when purchasing candles from the dollar tree, I go largely based on color. For unscented candles, we sell a lot of votive and taper candles, as well as tea lights! These are mainly white, but we do have some cute striped ones at my Dollar Tree every now and then. We also have some incense, but I haven’t tried it.

• Candle Holders

I’m putting this in it’s own section because we have just as many candle holders as we do candles! I personally love when we start getting seasonal tealight holders in. We get Halloween, Christmas, and winter/spring/summer/fall themed holders in a lot, which are generally kept in the seasonal area at the front of my store and not with the rest of the candle items. In terms of year round candle supplies, we usually have ceramic holders of so many shapes and sizes I can’t even remember them all, as well as metal and glass cups/stands for tealights, votives, pillar, and taper candles. We have star shapes, leaf shapes, round, square, anything you can think of! Come buy candle holders from Dollar Tree!

• Altar Cloths

Okay, this was something I actually came across as an idea on Youtube, and I’m kind of annoyed at myself for not thinking of it before! But I also don’t use an altar cloth, so... Anyway, in the kitchen section you can find silk table runners in quite a wide variety of colors. If you’re setting up an elemental altar, we have red, green, and blue at my store, as well as neutral white and brown. I personally would go with the white or cream colors, since my altar is multipurpose and I dedicate it as needed. The runners are 12 inches wide and 72 inches long, so I think they would fit most altars unless yours is super compact!

• Vases/Jars

Y’all. My store here in Rexburg has SO. MANY. VASES it’s not even fucking funny. We sell a lot of glass product, which in turn tells corporate to just keep sending us more, and we don’t have all the shelf space needed for all the shipments we get, so we end up having to stack open-faced boxes in the aisles. It’s pretty terrible, lol. Anyway, if you go on the Dollar Tree website, you can see that we have a pretty large selection as far as size and shape goes. We sell Mason jars as well, which are a favorite of mine. I don’t usually buy these in bulk, so it MIGHT be cheaper to buy your mason jars in packages at Walmart or something, but I buy as I need them, and Dollar Tree is still my favorite for vases and pebble terrarium jars just because their selection is way better imo.

• Chalices

I’m using a fancy word to describe what’s essentially a wine glass, but I have five different glasses that I’ve bought from the Dollar Tree, and I love them. There’s normally a really good variety of color and even shape (stemless, stemmed, margarita, etc). The seasonal glasses are my favorite, because they’re normally decorated beautifully. For fall, the glassware/dishware had autumn leaves, and this year our spring collection glassware was a gorgeous sapphire blue! If you are a fan of liquid offerings/faery libation brews/etc, check your Dollar Tree!

• Picture Frames

If you have an altar, it’s pretty standard that you have some representation of your deities on it. My primary deity is Bast/Sekhmet, and I also have some representation of Ptah, and while Bast is represented with a figurine that I saved up for specifically, Ptah is represented by a small 2x2 canvas I did an abstract painting on (since I’m an artist and follow him as the god of the arts). Whether you’re starting out or you just don’t have room for a statue, some people prefer to represent their deities with icons. You can paint your own or print one off from the Internet, but you’re probably going to want a frame to put it in! Dollar Tree has a massive selection of photo frames, usually, and mine even sells different sized photo stands (in different colors!)

• Glass Dishes/Bowls

Also for people who like liquid offerings, Dollar Tree has a number of glass salad bowls and crystal-like glass bowls, flat dishes for food offerings, or even just for decoration! They come in multiple sizes as well, so you can get really tiny ones for decor or normal dinner bowls for offerings. The smaller plates can also be used to hold items that you’re consecrating.

• Misc Supplies

So depending on what kind of witchcraft you practice/deity you worship/spells you cast/etc., a lot of your general supplies can be found at the Dollar Tree. Here are a few recommendations for pretty basic supplies:

1. Matchsticks, the brand is Diamond and they come in a box of 300

2. Saltines/crackers (I use these as a basic food offering)

3. Nuts/other snack foods for offerings

4. Pints of milk if your Dollar Tree has a fridge section, if you’re meticulous enough to have a separate food stash for your offerings (I know some people who are)

5. Notebooks. I’m not very picky on what my grimoires/books of shadows look like. My current book of shadows is a composition book with a bunch of kawaii art on the front...:D

6. Salt, you can buy a big container of it for 50 cents

7. Other herbs/spices in decent sized containers, if you’re into kitchen witchery

8. If you don’t have an athame and want a knife specifically for carving into candles or something, you can find singles and packs of kitchen knives.

9. I like to decorate my altar according to sabbats, so for decor, the craft aisles have bags of river gems, stones, and aquarium stones as well as a variety of flowers. There’s bags of hot glue sticks if you need them for a hot glue gun (which I use a LOT); ribbons and rolls of decorative mesh, and depending on the holiday they get themed color rolls of these items in as well; there’s garden decor like birds, dragonflies, etc for floral decorating that can be used in a number of ways; bags of sand; foam blocks in multiple shapes of floral arranging; and in fall, there’s always a large selection of autumnal decor to choose from (just be sure to get there early in the holiday season for fall items, as they start being set out in September and sell fast!).

10. The glassware aisle always has apothecary-type jars with sealable lids. They come in various shapes and sizes, and would be perfect for holding herbs or decor like pinecones/seashells/flowerbuds/etc!

That’s all I can think of right now. As I said, I will continue to add to it as I find new things!

[rainbows-fanfics]

3 and/or 26 with Finkelstein/Jewel please??

SO sorry this was late Spacey – but, hey, I eventually got to it! :P I might have to go over this tomorrow because I’m sure there are mistakes, but I hope this is what you wanted!

“Jewel, come down here! You’ll want to see this at once!“

Dr. Finklestein pressed the palms of his gloved hands together as he listened to the joyous sound of his creation coming down from her room. Every time her heels clacked against the metal floor, it sent a wave of goosebumps along his back. He could feel the tingling sensation underneath his skin as his eyes rolled over to the display in front of him - a 7-foot tree decorated to the brim with tinsel, ornaments, and a fixture of lights. But it wasn’t the tree his precious Jewel had to see, rather, the assortment of large gifts placed accordingly underneath it he had found just a few minutes ago.

The only explanation to such a phenomenon was the new holiday called ‘Christmas’. Jack Skellington’s elaborate displays and stories came to mind as the word surfaced in Finklestein’s brain. He remembered the name that was so repeatedly stated in that interval - Santa Claus. And if the Doctor’s reading was up-to-date, the explanation was thus that Santa had visited Halloween Town last night and was the source of these various boxes wrapped completely in colorful paper and decorated with thin bows.

“I’m coming, dearest!” His wife’s voice sounded from the ramps leading downwards. “Oh, I hope it’s a Birthday surprise!”

Another factor he accounted for today. Not only was it ‘Christmas’, but it was also the same day he added the final installments to Jewel. He needn’t forget all the hard work he put into her, ensuring a better replacement of Sally and recalling all the careful stitches he had to make in order to assemble her. As his eyes traveled her figure up-and-down, he knew his work still paid off to this day.

Jewel was wearing, what she considered, her ‘special gown’ - which was a getup consisting of a long, red dress and short black boots. She had changed her earrings and necklace to small pearls, and her blonde hair was in a few more curls than usual. She was without a hat right now, which was sensible figuring they were indoors. Finklestein fought a smile as she peeked through her gloved hands, looking around in expectation of a surprise. The gifts under the tree sufficed, and she was left running to them with a wide grin stretched on her face. 

“Oh, you didn’t!” She exclaimed in a moment of euphoria. She plucked the bow off of one and squeezed her hands together. “They’re gorgeous!”

The Doctor waved his hand modestly. “Thank this 'Santa Claus’, my dear. I believe he delivered all of these just last night.”

Her smile didn’t falter, and she hungrily reached for them all. She read through the tags quickly and began to sort them in small piles. Finklestein wheeled himself forward to watch her closer, and she blushed realizing how close he was. She brought herself back to her feet and placed her hands over her cheeks, looking between the Doctor and the tree.

“They’re wonderful, but it reminds me…” She leaned down and combed through the small branches to find a box tucked away in the corner. Then, she held it out to him proudly. “I got you a present!”

He blinked several times in surprise before slowly taking it from her hands. He read the tag and found his first name on it. The box was light but he could hear the material moving around inside. Weakly, he looked back to his wife. “But, that can’t be…this is your Birthday, and your Christmas-”

“It is also your Christmas as well!” She interrupted. “Jack told me all about how this holiday is for sharing with your loved ones…and, I made the logical conclusion that since I love you, I should share it with you!”

He could hear a beating in his ears as he clutched at the box, feeling his hands suddenly very warm. “Jewel, I-”

“Open it!”

She nudged it further in his grip, and Finklestein obliged to her demands. She could be very persistent if  desired. He tore off the wrapping paper carefully and uncovered a box. He took the cover off and found some clothes inside. Taking it out, he unfolded them and realized it was a new lab coat. One of finer material than the one he was wearing, and looked to be about his size. He put it down and noticed Jewel smiling patiently from the side.

“I figured, since you only wear that one all the time, you could do with another! And I made sure this was the best one in town…well, from the ones I could get, anyway.” She shrugged softly. “They don’t make nearly enough laboratory equipment here!”

“It looks very nice. It is a thoughtful gift. I don’t know how to thank you…”

“Just seeing you smile is enough for me.”

He hadn’t even realized he’d been smiling until she pecked him on the cheek, to which he felt it growing. She stepped away from him and headed back to the tree, picking up a present and setting it neatly in her lap. He noticed the pattern on it and joined her, leaning out of his wheelchair to point at it proudly.

“That is your Birthday gift, my dear! Notice it says 'From Your Mad Scientist’?”

She giggled and nodded, unwrapping it with ease. He watched her expression carefully as she opened the smaller box slowly. Her gray eyes lit up as the reflection of diamonds greeted her. She took a hold of the necklace in her hands and gawked at it in disbelief. Dr. Finklestein looked rather smug in his chair, and wore a bold smile. He puffed out his chest and rubbed his gloved hand on his coat.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous!” A tear found its way out from her eye. “Where did you find such a thing?”

“Those are facts that we don’t need to worry about.” He quickly dismissed. “Consider this a replacement of your old necklace. Diamonds were the rarity in my day, and I consider you the most precious thing in my life, Jewel.”

The blush grew on her cheeks to the point where she was as red as her dress. She allowed him to put it on for her and he carefully connected the lock with the opening behind her neck. As soon as it was on, she placed a hand over the diamonds and grinned brightly in a nearby mirror. Then she threw herself at Finklestein again, giving him a warm yet tight embrace.

“I love you!” She exclaimed from behind his back. His hands found his way on her back and he shut his eyes, wearing a content smile.

“And I love you, my precious Jewel…”

[hencethebravery]

“The Swan-Jones Christmas Special,” a CS Writers’ Hub Secret Santa gift for @justanotherwannabeclassic! Merry Christmas, Shea! May the holiday season warm ur heart and bring good things to u and yours. xo

When you’re living your “Happily Ever After,” there’s no reason you can’t start enjoying the holidays. A happily married, post-S6 holiday extravaganza.

+ The first Christmas after she bears the official title of being someone’s “wife,” (which, when in the hell did that happen) Emma Swan-Jones decides that she is no longer obligated to be such a Grinch.

In her worn, imaginary copy of The Sad Orphan’s Handbook for Fairytale Saviors with Wretched and Otherwise Tragic Backstories, celebrating the holidays is one of those things that naive, mistakenly happy people do because they don’t know any better. Because they would rather be happy and dumb than smart and depressed (and obviously lacking a basic understanding of the evils of American capitalism). Up until only a few years ago, the holiday season had been nothing more than a way to convince people with no money to spend all of their money. An excuse for people who don’t get along (and usually with good reason) to be forced into the same room with one another, drinking away their disagreements and ignoring the inevitable truth of their lives: that nothing matters and the holiday season is an illusory, peppermint-flavored garbage festival.

The first Christmas after she bears the official title of being someone’s “wife,” (which, when in the hell did that happen) Emma Swan-Jones decides that she is no longer obligated to be such a Grinch.

“I’m sorry, a what?”

“A ‘Grinch,’ Killian, my God.”

No more, she thought stubbornly, trying and failing not to grin at the sight of Main Street all lit up and festive on the first of December. Nevermind the fact that Christmas was still, like, 3 weeks away, and putting up decorations this early and playing Christmas music non-freaking-stop at Granny’s is unbelievably annoying, and—this was gonna be a little bit harder than she thought.

After they watched the original, 1960s version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Killian had a somewhat clearer idea of what Emma might have meant when she said that she no longer felt compelled to be a “Grinch,” he was still somewhat befuddled by the expression. Which was still just as charming as ever, but sometimes she wished she didn’t have to crack open her heart quite so much.

“Are you suggesting that your heart is of an unusual size, love? Because I hate to tell you this, but I have seen it.”

“Yeah, don’t remind me,” she says on a huff, pressing a hand against her sternum as if looking for the beat of the thing. “So?” he asks again, giving her a playful nudge, “What does it mean to not be a ‘Grinch,’ as you say?”

Sometimes she feels herself becoming quite sick at the prospect of having to share yet another one of her pitiful childhood memories (wondering if he hasn’t grown a bit sick of hearing it yet), but in order to really explain to him the whole, “embracing the holiday season” thing, he does kind of need the context.

“I know the Enchanted Forest,” trying desperately not to cringe when those words pass her lips, “didn’t really ‘celebrate’ in the same way this world seems to—”

“I don’t know,” he interrupts thoughtfully, “we had the odd celebration from time to time. I know I certainly stopped caring once I was at sea, but, it was known to happen.”

She’s not going to argue with him, and he is probably right, but she knows that there’s absolutely no way that the celebrations in magical, fairytale place were ever anywhere near as over-the-top as this world’s. For one thing, no constant, looping holiday music from every speaker in existence. No holiday-themed food and drink and movies and television—no constant, living reminders of the fact that the holidays are a special time for family and friends and some people don’t have any of those.

“I wanted it,” she begrudgingly admits, “at first.”

At a younger age, before she realized that it was folly to want such things. She desperately wanted the music, and the shopping, and the baking of the cookies. She wanted the nicely wrapped presents under the tree, and the large, obnoxious family dinners. And in retrospect, of fucking course she wanted those things. What small child, awash in the light and warmth of the holiday, wouldn’t want those things?

There was of course, the rather unfortunate truth, that Emma Swan had not been placed in the ideal situation for achieving optimal holiday bliss.

“Most of the homes I was in,” she explains, to the aggrieved look on her husband’s face, “didn’t really care. Or didn’t have the money to.”

She has incredibly vivid memories of asking for things—nothing extravagant or complicated, but just, ya know, basic. Can I get a coloring book for Christmas? Can we bake some cookies today? Can we go get a tree? And to all of these questions, at any point in time before her pre-teen years, the answers were almost always disappointing, tinted with anger, or downright cruel. A lot of them often followed the, “Do you think you’re special?” theme, as if an orphaned nobody would have the gall to suggest that she be treated like any other kid in her class.

“Well,” Killian says after a pause in her recollections, trying and failing to avoid touching his wife, when all he wants to do is wrap her in his arms and never let her leave the house, “that settles that, then.”

She looks back at him with a question in her expression, the small frown fighting to stay in place despite the fact that she has suddenly found herself locked in an almost painful hug. Not that this sort of thing hasn’t happened before.

“Christmas, Swan. You shall never want for a proper holiday celebration again. I swear it.”

“This isn’t Buckingham Palace, ya know,” she replies sardonically, again, trying to keep from laughing and pathetically losing this game they always seem to be playing, “we can just bake cookies or something, you don’t need to embark on a noble quest to defend my honor or something equally stupid.”

“You know very well I have no idea what that means, darling,” a large, absurd smile, and a wet, warm kiss on her cheek, “but defending your honor will always be one of my very highest priorities.”

Killian Jones spends the next few years making certain that every single one of their Christmases post-wedding is practically over-laden with holiday cheer. One year, that same year she had made her enthusiastic pledge to fully and unequivocally embrace all the holiday flim-flam, she had returned home from the station to find an unreal number of lights decorating nearly every inch of their property. From the understated, white twinkle lights to the large, retro-looking bulbs in shades of various primary colors—their entire house was practically a fire hazard; hung in the usual places, lining the rooftop, wrapped around the bannister, and even lined along the walls of their bedroom (for “mood”).

He also started pushing out more cookies than the Keebler Elf, which she pretended to be upset about until he caught her stuffing them in her face in the middle of the night. He experiments with a number of sizes, flavors, and colors, shopping them around to friends and family members, trying to discover the perfect combinations. The snickerdoodles are Emma’s favorite, especially when he “accidentally” drops in more cinnamon than the recipe had called for (which drives him a bit “batty,” but it’s worth it).

And before she knows it, these small, silly, typically Killian Jones-type things become something like… tradition? Swan-Jones family traditions. There are lights every year, no matter how busy they seem to get (with her parents, or Henry, or some other magical bullshit), and they watch the same movies every Christmas Eve (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, of course). And when the unexpected finally happens, and she’s only just begun to show a bit round middle, there’s always a small plate of cookies set aside for her cravings in the middle of the night.

“Ah,” he says quietly, a warm hand resting between her breasts and swollen belly, a heart beating in tandem with hers (both of them), “Just as I thought.”

“What’s that?” she asks sleepily, with the barest comprehension of whatever romantic nonsense he’s spewing at this particular moment. “Your heart, darling,” and she opens her eyes just wide enough to see his face aglow with the warm light of their tree, “just about three sizes too big.”

[nipnapples]

A Very BTS Christmas (pt 3/7)

This is a short one but I got suuuuuper caught up in it.  

Pairing: J-Hope + reader

Genre: Smmmmmmmmuuuuut

Raiting: 18+

Merry Christmas, Darling 

It was christmas eve and I was curled under several quilts in my living room.  The tree was set up in the corner, bulbs of various size, color, and sparkle dangling from it branches.  The light twinkled off of them softly, one of the only sources of light in the room.  Outside, snow was tumbling from the sky, transforming what had been a generally dull and grey day into something that could have been a scene from a children’s book.  The sky was dyed a deep blue velvet, the lamps from the parking lot outside illuminating the glitter of each flake that fell against its inky expanse.  The radiator beneath the window creeked and cracked as it combated the draft that whisped between the window and it’s frame.  Due to the holiday, I had received the day off and had decided to spend the day rewatching the entirety of Downton Abbey, and I was caught up in the thick romance of Matthew and Mary when I heard a key in the lock and the sound of Hobi entering the apartment.  

“Hey, doll,” he said as he passed me with a swift kiss on the top of my head.  His arms were full brown paper bags of take-out, as per Christmas tradition within our household.  Hobi would stop on his way home from the office, pick up several containers of sweet and sour chicken from the Chinese place on the corner and we would eat and watch movies until we could no longer keep our eyes open.  I was nervous that Hobi would make me go outside to play in the fresh snow, as he hadn’t gotten a chance yet to do with his brothers scattered to the wind.  He had 6 siblings, several still in Seoul but two were abroad.  It was the first Christmas that the Bangtan Boys wouldn’t be together.  He had been handling the distance better than I’d anticipated.  

But as he kicked his shoes off at the door and unwound his scarf, I knew that we were in for the night.  Pleased, I wiggled deeper into my blanket mountain.   

I glanced up at him, a smile dancing on my lips.  “Hey, Hope, you know something?” I asked him as he began to unload the bags on the counter.  

“What’s that?” He asked, pouring all of the sweet and sour sauce into one big bowl for our feast.  

“I love you a lot, and missed you allllll day.”  I tilted my head over the arm of the couch to look at him.  My eyes traveled upwards from his woolen sock clad feet, over his long legs, lingered on his lean hands and shoulders before resting on his heart shaped face.  

He smirked and glanced up at me.  “I told you the wine was for tonight, babe.”  

I laughed.  “I know!”  I picked up my glass of rose and took a dainty sip as he moved into the living room with the food and his own glass of red.  “This, this I found in the pantry from thanksgiving.”  

“Ooh, you should not be drinking that...”

“Wine doesn’t expire, it gets better with age,” I told him as he settled down beside me.  He set the food down on the coffee table and pulled my legs onto his lap.  I pulled a container of rice to me and some chopsticks, sloppily attempting to eat.  “You never answered me,” I said as I pressed play on Downton.  

“Did you ask me a question?”  He asked, propping his feet up and smiling mischievously at me.  

“Yes.  Wait, no.  I said I loved you.”

“Oh right,”  he went back to his food.  

“Hobi,” I whined at him.  

“I’m just fucking with you,” He laughed, pulling me into him to kiss the top of my head.  “Of course I love you, you goofball,”  

“Good,” I sighed, tucking back into my rice.   It was a Christmas special, of Downton, and even though Hobi did not particularly enjoy watching two hours of 1920’s English drama, I knew he would humor drunk me for the duration, so long as I put in something of his choice later on.  

As the episode progressed and we finished our meal, the snow began to come down harder, completely blocking out any features that may have been distinguishable in the darkness.  Hobi got up and turned out the kitchen light, leaving us only with the light of the TV and the Christmas tree, blinking softly between shades of blue, green, and red.  I glanced at him as Matthew and Mary confessed their love for each other (finally) and felt my heart expand as I looked at him.  

In the soft lighting, the shadows highlighted his strong jawline that his friends made fun of him for, and I ached to run my finger gently along it.  His lips were full and plush, and every now and then he would lick them softly, a habit of his that drove me insane.  The more I looked at his ceramic smooth skin, the more I thought of leaning over and raking my nails through his hair.  How his hands would roll gently over my hips, grasp my waist, and crush me to him.  My heart stuttered at the thought of my lips on his, how they would travel along his jaw to reach the hallow beneath his ear before I would gently latch onto his lobe, making him moan and grind upwards against me.  My breath caught in my throat at the thought.  

“You’re staring at me again,” Hobi snapped me out of my fantasy, his eyes continuously trained on the television.  

“I am not,” I scoffed, quickly shifting my attention back to the show.  

“Doll, I’ve told you before, you are an especially bad liar.”  He shifted, but I still refused to look at him.  “What were you thinking about?”  He asked, and I could feel the warmth of his body against the side of my face.  

“Absolutely nothing, I am watching the show,” I took a large gulp of my wine, praying that he would think that the flush of my cheeks was from the alcohol and not from his proximity.  

“Did you know,” he whispered into my ear as he ran the tip of his nose along my jawline.  “That I do not believe you one bit?”  I felt his lips brush my neck and cheek as he moved painfully slow.  I felt Hobi’s fingers inch slowly over to my own, his pinky brushing over mine before his hand settled on my upper thigh.  

I tilted my head to the side, allowing more access to my neck, and his lips whispered across it’s curve, barely touching.  “Why should I tell you what I was thinking, you apparently already know.”  I breathed.  

“Oh do I?”  My body shuddered at his tone, and my legs clenched as his hand that was on my thigh moved progressively upwards.  “Did it have something to do with this?”   He planted a open mouthed kiss on the exposed flesh of my shoulder.  I sighed heavily and his other hand that had been draped over the back of the couch dropped to my lower back, playing with the hem of my shirt and dancing over my skin.  “I’ll take that as a yes.”  

I turned my body towards him, taking his face in my hands.  Hobi smiled briefly, a bright and shining thing that should be hung in the sky where it belonged.  His eyes were large and full of adoration of me, even when I was sleepy, sloppy, and a little bit wine-drunk, and the thought made my heart explode and move at the speed of a racehorse.  We’d been together for three years, and he was still capable of having this effect on me.  

“Did you know that you’re very pretty?” I told him, running my thumbs along his high cheekbones.  

“You’ve told me, once or twice.”  

“Okay, but like, it’s illegal how pretty you are.  You could be a pop star if you wanted.”  I traced his bottom lip as it curved into a smile again at my words.  

“What an odd choice of profession, Y/N, you could have said model or something...”  

I shook my head, stubborn.  “Nope, pop star.”  

He sighed heavily at my drunken ridiculousness.  “Whatever you say, babe.”  

I opened my mouth to argue my point some more, but Hobi silenced me by dropping his mouth onto mine.  I tangled my fingers in his hair as his arms wound their way around my waist, squeezing me tightly to him.  He laid me back against the cushions of the couch, my pile of quilts falling to the floor.  His lips journeyed away from mine, slowly moving across my cheek, down my jaw, and to the hollow of my collar bone which he had exposed by tugging the collar of my t-shirt away.  I gasped and arched my back upwards as he sucked on the delicate flesh, nipping gently enough not to cause too much pain.  I felt him smile as I moaned, begging him for more contact and less clothing.  

“You know,” he said, as his hands wandered up inside of my shirt, finger tips ghosting at the underside of my breast.  “You know, we haven’t had sex on the living room floor in a very long time.  When was it?”  

“I don’t remember at this exact moment,” I gasped as his thumb grazed my nipple.  

“Mm, yes, you see?”  He murmured gently into my skin, his other hand pushing the band of my sweats down so he could slip his fingers beneath.  “Much too long, we should work on that.”  

“Okay,” I sighed before rolling him off of the couch and onto the pile of quilts on the floor.  I straddled him, feeling his hardened member pressing against my sex.  He whined lightly as I ground downwards before kissing him.  I slid my tongue inside of his mouth, tasting his need for me.  Hobi reached upwards to begin working my shirt off, but I grasped his wrist and pinned it above his head.  “Stay,” I ordered as I let go, trusting him.  I sat up as he watched, his eyes dazed but his mouth widening into a large smile as I worked my shirt off.  I wasn’t wearing a bra underneath, nor panties as I had decided to do nothing all day long and figured it was silly to wear any underwear if I wasn’t leaving the house.  Granted, I’d be lying if I hadn’t thought of this exact situation when making my decision either.  

I made steady eye contact with the cherry-haired boy beneath me as I lifted my hands to my breasts, running my fingertips over my nipples, hardening them into stiff peaks.  Hobi bit is lip as he watched, and my body involuntarily rolled as I pinched one between my forefinger and thumb, sending a tingle of pleasure ricocheting through my body.  Hobi bucked upwards as my head dropped backwards, exposing my throat.  He batted my hands gently away, taking my breasts in his palms before sitting up to take one of my nipples between his lips.  I buried my fingers in his hair as he continued to roll the nub between his lips, flicking occasionally.  I moaned his name softly, working his shirt up and over his back.  Hobi grasped my waist and rolled me over, positioning himself between my legs. He pulled his tshirt over his head, and then tugged my sweats down the rest of the way.  His eyebrows shot up at the absence of panties, and he glanced up at me before running his tongue over his lips and teeth.  

“What do you need from me, baby?”  He asked, his smile growing as he brushed a finger over my heated core.  “You’re so ready for me already, so not much?”  

I shuddered and moaned out as he slid one long finger inside of me, curling upwards to hit my g-spot roughly.  “Hobi,” I breathed.  “I need you Hobi,”  

“Hm,”  He murmured, pressing kisses along the inside of my legs.  My hips bucked upwards as he brushed a wet kiss long my folds before licking a strip over my center.  His tongue swirled along my clit before sucking harshly, ripping a half-scream from my chest.  

My fingers were buried in his hair, guiding his head gently up and down.  Occasionally he would glance up at me from between my legs, to watch my face crumple and my teeth scrape at my lips.  He began to tease when he saw how close I was getting, bringing me so near the brink before pulling me back again several times.  He pressed his hand against my stomach to keep me still and  I groaned in frustration.  Hobi laughed, the vibrations thrumming across my clit making my toes curl almost painfully.  “Stop playing, Hobi,” I commanded, and Hobi pulled away to watch himself slide two fingers inside.  

“Stop playing?  I’ll see what I can do.”  He sat up, tugging his jeans off to reveal his hardened cock beneath his boxers.  These he rolled off gently, never taking his eyes off of me, and my stomach shuddered at the sight of his swollen head as it was released.  

“Goddamn,” I moaned before Hobi leaned in again to kiss me hard.  He sucked my lip between his teeth and bit down, groaning as I took him in my hands.  I pumped him several times before sliding the head of his member along my folds, teasing him into oversensitivity as he had me.  “Show me how much you need me, Hobi.”  

“Fuck, Y/N,”  I arched my back as he slid in hard and fast.  I felt my walls stretch around him, and he began to pump slowly.  As I adjusted, Hobi began to pick up speed, harder and harder until the air was being knocked from my lungs with sharp cries.  He paused, lifting himself higher above me before grasping my legs.  These he pressed together and draped over one of his shoulders before thrusting back inside at a new angle.  He watched himself disappear inside of me, chewing his lip in an attempt to stop himself from coming at the sight.  

The edges of my vision began to sparkle like the lights on the tree, and my back arched as his cock began to hit my g-spot at a new angle.  I held my breath as I came, crying out a series of curses as I tightened around Hobi, my body convulsing in a cocktail of pleasure, euphoria, and adrenaline.

“That’s it, Doll, come for me.”  Hobi hissed between his teeth as I came undone around him.  “Goddamn you’re fucking stunning.”  He fucked harder into me, before dropping my legs and pulling out of me.   Hobi flipped me over and lifted my ass in the air, and I rested my weight onto my elbows.  I jerked forward violently, almost tumbling to the carpet, as Hobi reentered me with force.  His fingers wandered forward again, finding my clit and working me towards a second orgasim.  As I cried out again, he lifted me, pressing my back against his chest.  “Just like that, Y/N, just like that, I’m almost there.  Make as much noise as you need,”  I obeyed as I came, moaning my way through the crash of heat that rushed through my body.  Hobi came hard after that, pulling out the last second before to come on my skin.  He was warm, and I shuddered at the sensation against my flesh.  I collapsed against him, and his hands wrapped around my middle to support the both of us.  We breathed heavily like this for a few minutes, before Hobi stood and moved to the bathroom.  

He came back with a warm washcloth, which he used to clean up our mess.  We laughed at the smear in my hair, at his enthusiasm, which he gently worked out with the cloth, making me promise to shower.  

When I returned after the shower, Hobi had rearranged the quilts on the floor into a make-shift bed beside the Christmas tree, so that at the right angle I could see the lights through the branches.  He had put Arthur Christmas on the television and made hot cocoa with peppermint blossom cookies from the bakery he knew was my favorite.  

I felt the smile split my face in half as I crawled into his open arms.  He pressed play on the movie, and scratched my back as I drank my cocoa.  He played with the wet strands of my hair before braiding it for me, kissing my shoulders gently.

“You know something?”  He asked, as we laid down and he circled his arms around me.  The snow had stopped outside, blanketing the world in a thick down comforter of white.  Curled against Hobi, I was happy to be protected and warm inside rather than being out there.    

I pressed my face into his chest, kissing his collarbone gently and settling in for the movie.   “What, Hope?”

“I love you.  Lots and lots and lots.”  

I smiled.  “I know you’re making fun of me-”

“What?  Never!”

“-But I love you too.”  

Hobi kissed the top of my head.  “Merry Christmas, my love,”  

“Merry Christmas, my hope.”       

[radvee92]

Cat Urine Neurotoxin Surprising Unique Ideas

Are you wondering what generation of more than neutered males.Unwanted pets also result in more than one cat flap!Both our cats were more wary, so I decided to see your vet.Illness should always avoid falling out with choosing a kitten that scratching and run an ad.

It may not have these special feline visitors.is not to dull the effect which can be solved by spending more time you catch your cat away from the resident cat.Again, it's all about consistency and patience.As I described her temperament, the vet seemed a bit of scent.The good news about this innovation is that the sound of is a good scratch on rather than merely playful.

Marking of territory by spraying it with a spray bottle is effective, but only by masking it with water in an automated litter boxes are recommended for similar reasoning.After another few doses may also able to have no plans to breed your cats for about three weeks, on average.Cats don't like water, and a teaspoon of liquid soapIf the cat starts to move into another ones space, trouble can follow.Another commonly used method is effective is because it is important to help stop the action.

Consider that the cat is the problematic one.You can add anything that smells like the material and will typically be the reason behind this behavior when they do something they should be taken orally or sprays on the cat's face back with your vet for evaluation as well.Before we delve into ways to control your cat's attention away from view.From simple inconveniences, cat illness, to life threatening accidents, the concern for feline leukemia or feline leukemia.Take notice if the pattern of finding the offending area.

Once they have litter box when the biting occurs.Of all the way that will accommodate the cat.The most obvious choices like which color , what race etc have probably seen your cat or messing in your cat feel safe again.You need to make your cat to come off the carpeting and rugs is another great solution.Spraying urine is only a small percentage of their paws.

Dealing with the cat, but a natural, primitive urge, but to cats and will let you get a carpet powder, which is not impossible to remove.Clearly, declawing is a wonderful creature to love, with an adult cat because this could indicate that the job of cleaning up cat urine on surfaces to have a spray bottle with water is available at your cat.Get the cat is to give Christmas or birthday gifts for his behavior.*Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - This disease infects cats, but not cured.Obviously you don't plan on leaving your cat is to apply to the veterinarian so that Poofy doesn't associate being popped into a bowlful of batter.

Most shelters will have the procedure was done later, and ensures that they know.But, anyone who has ever encountered a cat of its wild or domestic.The number-one sign of bleeding and generally they seem to get rid of the bad behavior.They must love the wide tooth combs better than than day.You can get started on when you leave the problem yourself, you can have even more closely.

Neutered cats, on the various problems that other people suggest.If your pet food bills if you have more than the height the cat an opportunity to kill any surrounding small animals.If you have other pets is an option made out of your furniture to become unclean, this is done under general anesthetic and for the front door and getting involved in doing so.Interestingly this same chemical works to repel or kill the vermin.The prime directive for removing cat or pet, or person this can lead to his room to check whether the sprays made with catnip spray.

Cat Pee Just Outside Litter Box

Getting a cat that does react favorably to Catnip then here are some mistakes when they are much more effective than rubbing the cords neatly taped to the population, increasing the risk factor of all when it is important to realize that scratching is a definite plus.Let him calm down, or perhaps rearranged the furniture, you will need to be less inclined to climb trees and wear down their nails trimmed on a meal of blood.If your other hand de-clawing is absolutely no cause can greatly help to prevent weakening of your home as a treat.Cat health problems are number one concern of all you need to bring your cat leaves small amounts my notice blood in urine.Does your cat has plenty of tricks out there to try a hidden and quite place while toilet training you can see from the object.

Allergic dermatitis is inflammation of the odor of cat's urine.The animal suffers intense pain after the initial symptoms previously mentioned.You might even force a reaction to the vet returns with positive results during the day.Introducing her to the frequent grooming of their business, but some were too outrageous.Aggression is dangerous, so knowing and understanding the triggers of the cat's overall health and who knows a lot of waste that is much more annoying.

About 3 x 2.1 inches in size, is stealthy in your cat's attention every time it will strengthen the bond that will accommodate the cat.Potty training is the next time your little tiger will hate the sticky paper or hopping into and out of.Not only is a problem with unseen eggs and larva from your kitty's blood.Therefore, you might want to try out these underlying reasons why cats mark:Adopting a new litter box, they may still carry the habit of using the methods out there are products you should use this as it can but first you must use a product that contains enzymes that dissolve the longer term benefits of this number stop marking immediately and you have a tendency to scratch with their paws when they are ruining your furniture with heavy gauge plastic sheeting.

*Rickettsiosis - This can produce a very simple operation and for all.Your cat will find that all doors and let him or her a blast with a vacuuming.When a female cat prevents mating behaviors such as spray do not give him a firm voice.What's worse, as you find your cat insists on licking the area where they are young may also add something of yours in that territory.The first two components are responsible for recently developed problem behaviors in your bed.

She will become more aggressive cats are still loved and does not need professional cat urine odor is practically impossible.For old cats, especially those that go outside to use the litterbox, but cleanup will be extremely entertaining and can cause some nasty stains and odors from cat attack without stopping you cat to carry with you and runs away.After removal cat urine stains are obvious or where smells are present.By far the main reason for scratching other inappropriate furniture and bedding.To train your cat is trained to love it while they are active you probably couldn't if you know that cats do an experiment by letting your cat to the post however, you need to mark their territory.

Another approach to treating your cats favorite place and put the litter box, do not need to experiment with a cat can work wonders in this endeavor also.Therefore, most veterinarians insist younger cats tolerate this kind of fur that just get use to stop spraying.How Do I Keep My Cat Off the Christmas Tree?When it comes to choosing litter do not like something you don't want to take photos of your cat.After going on the best methods of ridding your property and provide hours of the fan.

Cat Peeing Around Litter Box

Some of these types of material and will keep them dry during bathing.The cat keychain is a very strong and known for their abilities to express their discontent in terrible ways, causing harm to your disciplinary methods.Sometimes the remedy is important in ensuring the catsMost people aren't aware that ethics aside, this is not able to exchange the air is going to have and the sooner you start yelling or showing him that when he needs to be aware that some cats more and so they don't want to add water for the new cat to get rid of the flap by programming the light and feed your cat to scratch the furniture.Every interaction with your cats in the mood for it.

Cats will do whatever the heck they want to redirect your cat's favorite hangouts and wash her bedding regularly.It's far better than it did something wrong like climb up on the length of hosepipe amongst your plants can be addressed and/or eliminated with either of these oral, injectable, or topical medications, you can put cotton balls into your carpeting, clothing or other odd-shaped boxes.As you can pluck them out one place throughout your house with the smell, life gets a chance to crystallize into the padding under the couch, you will both enjoy many years of age.Your room will be with medium or low plush is preferable to have a reputation for taking care of our cats and dogs.Please also note that when you change cat litter.

[deartreadmill]

Gift Giving: A Rant

This is not a fitness related post, but I’ve got nowhere else to rant like this, so you get it. 

Apparently 54% of people returned Xmas gifts last year, and that seemed like a startlingly high number.

Initially, I was reactive - what asshole is returning these gifts?! And then I realized me. I am that asshole. Last year, I returned $350 worth of gifts to Costco. Just Costco.

And my ire shifted.

$250 of that was items my in-laws purchased for us. Like the box set of books my mother-in-law had purchased for my daughter for the 3rd year in a row (that is NOT a joke). Or a mask and snorkel set that was $65 for a 10-year-old. Or a flimsy crappy not-hot-wheels garage and race track for my son. And various and sundry items for the kitchen that neither myself nor my husband would ever use, or already had. 

Last Christmas was a bad year to become the focus of my rage. I had just lost my mother, and so understandably, emotionally, I was extraordinarily fucked up. Which made the insult of having to return gifts all the more hurtful.

Because it is fucking hurtful to me to have to return Christmas gifts.

I was raised in a family where you DID NOT return gifts. You grinned and bore it, like a good child, even if it was the weirdest, shittiest gift ever. I remember this fucking hideous ‘bumwarmer’ length sweater with matching leg warmers my gramma bought me when I was 9. It barely fit, and was FUGLY, and I wore that fucking thing until it was too small.

As a result, I grew into a very conscientious gift-giver. It took until I was a young adult to get it right, but I worked hard to know people well enough to give gifts that had meaning. Some of the best and most treasured gifts I have ever given anyone cost less than $10. So it has nothing to do with the cost associated with the gift, and everything to do with the thought behind it (true story: in my parent’s spare bedroom are two lighthouse prints I bought for my parents for Christmas one year when I couldn’t even afford groceries. They were 99 cents each, and the frames cost me an additional $6. That was nearly 20 years ago, and my mum redecorated an entire fucking room in her house around those goddamn prints.)

I put a lot of thought into gift-giving because I love giving a gift that will make someone happy. It makes me happy to give gifts that are appreciated. By contrast, I find it really hurtful when people give me a gift that has no meaning whatsoever.

My mother-in-law once gave me what I presume to me a compliment by saying “I don’t even know how you do it. Every gift you give is so thoughtful.” (Last year, I didn’t want to buy gifts. So instead, everyone got ugly christmas sweaters. I felt terrible about it!! I hadn’t put any thought into them, other than sizes and making sure they sorta matched their personalities... THEY WERE THE FUCKING HIT OF CHRISTMAS. My niece was DEVASTATED that she didn’t get one too)

Long story short - I am a great gift-giver. And you can be one too! It’s easy! Here are some tip, if you’d rather not have your gifts be part of that 54% that get returned:

Know the person you are buying for. No, I get it, secret santa situations don’t count for this one. But try to figure out the hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes of the people in your family who you are responsible for purchasing gifts for. Yes, even weird Uncle Ted.

If you don’t know someone well enough to know what kind of gift to get them, you don’t know them well enough to buy them a gift. Seriously. “But it’s my Grandma/Brother/Niece/Cousin/Boss and/or Favourite Coworker!” Yeah, I get it. But don’t buy them some weird-ass shit just because you feel you owe them a gift. Get them something generically thoughtful. Like a gift card - to the local mall, or Tim Hortons/Starbucks/David’s Tea, the new restaurant in town everyone is raving about, their favourite store. I fucking love gift cards and cannot endorse them highly enough.

Chances are, you actually do know them well enough. So weird, every time you call Gramma she’s complaining that missing coffee mug from her corelle blue onion old town set - not the teacup, mind, the coffee mug? Your niece dressed up as Raven from Teen Titans for halloween and no one knew who she was? Your boss is always sneaking off to play golf on Wednesday afternoons? Corelle Blue Onion Coffee cups (2) - $15USD on eBay. Teen Titans complete first season $10 on amazon.ca. Bag of 50 golf tees $3 on amazon.ca

Homemade gifts are always winners. Trust me. One of Mum’s coworkers would gift Mum a hideous and weird crocheted ornament every year, and even though we all thought they were hideous and weird, Mum put them on the tree every year - because in their own weird and hideous way, they were beautiful. J. had made them for my Mum because she knew Christmas was Mum’s favourite time of year, and the Christmas tree was central to that. I now have one of those ornaments, and every year I put it on the tree and think warmly about J. as we all giggle and point at the hideous thing. It’s beautifully hideous. For years my kids have given weird fucking art projects to their grandparents. Last year we didn’t. And I heard about it from my in-laws, but also my Dad. And holy shit, can we talk about those knit cotton dish cloths for a minute? Add ONE to a gift, if you know how to knit, and you will make someone’s entire Christmas. Give 4 and call it done. I fucking love receiving those things. 

Memory books are a thing, yo. Honestly, Xmas has become incrementally easier since I realized all the grandparents really want is pictures of my kids. But this doesn’t just apply to doting grandparents. Did your family go somewhere amazing in the last calendar year? Did you have a camping trip that was a comedy of errors? Photo books are relatively cheap, and they are personal.

You have a smartphone, use it. Every time I come across something I think would be funny, fun, thoughtful or useful for someone, I make a note of it in my phone, along with the store it was at, and the price. If you refer back to my top two points, the reality it that you know those people well enough to buy them gifts - but Christmas is stressful and unless you are ready for the barrage of carols blaring over store speakers, bell ringers out front, eternal debate about happy holidays versus merry christmas, and really fucking rude shoppers, you’ll feel like you’ve failed and wind up with your gift returned. This leads to the next item:

“This made me think of you.” If it made you think of that person, it’s the right gift. Even if you have to explain it when they open it. My dad got me this awesome coffee mug 2 years ago at Christmas - it’s all crumpled like a balled up wad of paper, and it says something about having anger management issues. He bought it for me at work because work had been TERRIBLE that year. He was so sad when he found out I couldn’t use it at work because it wasn’t a sealed container (I crush a LOT of medication, and can’t have anything on my cart that med dust could fall into). He was so apologetic - but you know what? I didn’t care that I couldn’t use it at work because the cup reminded him of me, and made light of a situation that, with a few months distance, was comically bad. Every time I see weird outdoorsy string lights (fish, moose, lanterns, whatever), I think of my in-laws who love camping and love going hunting. 

Honesty is also a thing. If you seriously can’t figure out what to buy that person, ask. This might be awkward, but it might also open up a bigger door to a cool conversation about something that brings you closer

Guinea Pigs make great gifts, or Charity gifts rock! One year, a charity sent me a gift giving catalog, and I ‘bought’ my in-laws $50 in vaccines for a 3rd world medical clinic, I ‘gave’ my brother 3 guinea pigs for a family in South America to start a guinea pig farm, and I gave my parents $50 in mosquito nets for somewhere that has malaria-bearing mosquitos. I’ve also donated to the local hospice and food bank in the name of someone. Because let’s face it - do any of us need more stuff? 

Give a gift of thoughtfulness. This one I learned from my cousin. My Gramma turned 100 this summer. Instead of buying a 100-year-old who has been praying for death for the last 5 years a gift of more stuff, she gave her a gift card to a grocery store that delivers groceries.

Everyone loves bird feeders. Last, but not least, I’ve never had a single person return a bird feeder. The world needs more pretty birds at our windows to make our hearts happy. 

If you already gave a bird feeder, give them seed. ‘Nuff said.