#it's a shame i use it for recipes and book recommendations

[vspin]

uninstalled instagram last week because I found myself wasting precious free time doom scrolling instead of my hobbies and the algorithm was showing me the wackiest shit.

it's been kinda hard to detox which is shocking😳

on the plus side, I've read 2 books this week (including a nonfic) and got Skyrim modded and working.

[violet-hearth]

Magical Note Keeping ...

Happy Friday! 

Today I wanted to take a step back and talk about information keeping, i.e. grimoires and journals. This will be a mostly beginner focussed post, however if you are a regular practitioner who has been feeling stuck or stagnant, I hope this can give you a little motivation to find new ways to view your practice. 

Magic is a personal and experimental practice. Information keeping - whether this be general witchcraft knowledge or the specifics spells you are doing is an important practice to keep. If you do not keep records, how will you know what has worked and what hasn’t? 

NOTE: I do not practise Wicca and therefore do not feel comfortable talking about the practice of a ‘book of shadows’ but use whatever terminology and definitions feel most comfortable to you 

A grimoire is generally understood as being a journal or spell book documenting your magical “workings, musings, inspirations, and ideas” (Queering Your Craft). It is a solely personal record that can be customised to how you work best - whether this is through several themed notebooks, using apps like notion to create a wiki-style database, or through keeping an ‘everything journal’ that is a combination of information, spellwork, and journaling.

Regardless of what you call it I highly recommend keeping a research notebook or journal where you can record your thoughts, notes and reflections on the books you are reading.

I personally use a combination of a 46 pocket notebook where I journal, take notes, keep my shopping lists, write about spells, and record my tarot and carromancy readings, as well as other more specialised notebooks and digital note taking apps. You can personalise your system of information keeping however you like, but if you feel stuck here are some formats and ideas to try out: 

Junk journaling or scrapbooking: create collages for manifestations, paste in printed and handwritten spells, utilise art magic 

Create a ‘cook book’ of spells, recipes, and your favourite dishes for a more kitchen and hearth notebook 

Work in a sketchbook and create a more visual notebook whether this is similar to the junk journal or through sketching and painting plants and step by step recipe comics 

Use a binder or folder to keep all your note and spells organised 

Use notion or obsidian to create a ‘wiki’ of all your information and spell tracking 

Create a reference book of associations, spells, and rituals

Record your walks in a nature journal (this can be for both rural and urban), take note of plants in the pavement, trees, birds, animals, people, the weather

A Note from ‘Queer Your Craft’ by Cassandra Snow:

“Queer community has always been drawn to personal accounts and the written word, and these can be a fantastically witchy way to own and tell your own story as you move through it. Sure, you can decorate it to look more queer or personal and include explicity queer stories and spells, and I recommend all of those things. It's also worth noting that recording your own triumphs and pitfalls and chronicling your own journey towards liberation (not to mention that of any movements you're a part of) is a badass move all its own.”

In my personal practice and experience, art and writing are powerful tools of expression whilst also a way of reflecting on and healing from things of our past. As Juliet Diaz notes in ‘The Altar Within’ (which I would HIGHLY recommend!):

“Reflection is a powerful tool. From scanning your day to addressing lingering things, reflection helps us understand our lives and the lives of those around us. If we don’t reflect, our minds will try to make sense of life in their own way, causing more noise in our heads.” 

Juliet Diaz recommends setting time aside each day to unwind, make yourself a cult of tea, and spend 10-15 minutes a day with your journal. When we come to witchcraft from the perspective of being from minority groups and poverty, we carry a lot of shame, worry, and stress. Journaling often helps us process this. The goal isn’t to live the ‘love and light’ new age mindset (in fact I urge you to avoid it entirely) but to be self aware, and to be reflective of our feelings and our practice. 

Whilst Juliet Diaz recommends stream of consciousness to help you clear your mind, if you wish for more formalised reflections techniques I suggest Gibbs Reflective Cycle to help you look back on past experiences. I find having a structure useful on days when I am overwhelmed or processing larger events and can be used for spell work, rituals, or your everyday journaling. 

Journaling and record keeping are both important parts of developing a magical practice. They aren’t required, but can be helpful tools to keep things in order. No matter what format (if any) you use to keep track of your craft, take a deep breath and remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. Be kind to yourself and use whatever tools are comfortable to you. 

Sources:

Queering Your Craft by Cassandra Snow 

Sacred Sex: The Magick and Path of the Divine Erotic by Gabriela Herstik

The Altar Within by Juliet Diaz 

Witchery by Juliet Diaz

[youtube video] Putting the "Craft" in Witchcraft with Marshall Witch of Southern Light by The Witch of Wonderlust 

[youtube video] ROCK your Grimoire! Sacred If You Make It So: BOS Love [Tour],Tips & Prompts by Molly Roberts

[aimlesspixel]

Chapter 3 of Isat Scintillation

I'm not super confident in my writing for Mirabelle in this chapter so please let me know if there are any aspects of her character I may have missed or should keep in mind. Thank You!

Isabeau - "I've got some shopping to do so I'll meet you all back here at sundown!" Odile - "I'm off to go get us some lodging."

Bonnie is already gone by the time you look back presumably off to explore the town maybe something else.

Mirabelle - "Well that just leaves us! Wanna explore the town together?"

Sure you had to go pretty quickly when you were saving Vauguard together so just exploring sounds quite nice. "It sounds like a fun time Mira." You say with a small smile.

The town is quite lively for just coming back from the end of the country, then again Vauguard is the country of change. Lots of people are moving about cleaning up any damage left behind by the sadness' and freezing. It makes it all the more surprising that the shops and such are open already Mirabelle's eyes lock on one in particular.

Mirabelle - "Oooh! Let's go in this one! I used to shop here all the time before the king came!"

You give a slight nod of agreement and Mira leads you inside. It's a bookstore and the door makes little ding ding on entry.

Mirabelle - "Ding ding hehehe." "Oh is that housemaiden Mirabelle back in my shop? It's been quite a while hasn't it?" Mirabelle - "It has ma'am." she says with a smile "Me and Siffrin will be looking around though I do have a quick question before we do." Shopkeep - "Would you happen to be looking for that final issue of the Cursing of Chateau Castle?" Mirabelle - "If you have a copy on hand I'd love to pick it up! Oh, but I actually wanted to ask if you have any empty familytales on hand." Shopkeep - "Of course but why are you looking for one if you don't mind an old lady prying. Don't you have one already or are you getting bonded?" Mirabelle - "Oh! I -I don't mind Ma'am. I-It's not for me. It's for one of my traveling partners Odile."

You all discussed a bunch of different things while traveling and decided to get Odile a familytale to keep since she doesn't have one yet and you're all family. You remember remarking at the the time that the idea was quite Novel, much to the bemusement and chagrin of your family present there.

Shopkeep - "Ooh alright dearie it's a shame it's not your time yet but it's best to take your time while you can. Change knows I did."

While the shopkeep gets the items Mira asked for you look around. Mira recommends some of her favorite horror stories when one book in particular catches your eye. A particularly dusty novel written in a language that can actually cause headaches.

[You have equipped Memory of Memories] It's been a minuet since you've remembered this but you could never let it go not after all it took to get it. You open the book, It's a collection of recipes from various parts of the world including your home.

Mirabelle - "Ooh what do you have there Siffrin?" She peers at the book curiously. Siffrin - "It's a recipe book! It has some that I'd like to ask Bonnie to make." You can feel some excitement in your chest, you may not be able to remember it but you can experience some of what you used to have right? It may be a little iffy if the universe will let you without any headaches or side effects but…

wait a minute.

You look back at Mira eyeing your novel curiously. "Is something wrong Siffrin?" Siffrin - "Are you not getting a headache right now Mira?" Mirabelle - "No, I don't know that language so I wouldn't try to read it in the first place though it looks like you're having no trouble so-"

WHAT HOLD ON WAIT HOLD ON A SECOND

Siffrin - "Wait wait wait wait wait. You're not getting a headache right now Mira? Positive? Absolutely???" Mirabelle - "Yes??? Why would I????"

No way No way No way what. How is this possible shouldn't-

Mirabelle grabs your shoulder lightly - "Sorry but, are you ok? You're shaking do you want to breathe with me?"

You didn't even notice in your hope and disbelief but you're shaking from excitement. You don't know how or why this is possible or what's even going on but you should calm down first. This is huge if it's what you think it is. You nod your head.

Mirabelle - "Okay with me In…"

She waits a few moments

Mirabelle - "And out…"

You repeat this until you are sufficiently calmed down.

Mirabelle - "Okay are you felling better now?" Siffrin - "Yes, thank you Mira." She smiles - "It's what we're here for. Wanna talk about it?"

Definitely you absolutely want to discuss this with everyone. "Absolutely though I'll save it for when we get back to the Inn alright?"

Mirabelle looks at you with some concern in her eyes but agrees.

You add the book to the purchases you're making and as the shopkeeper couldn't recall the price she was selling it at she let you take it as a gift to the Saviors of Vauguard.

[lander64]

Finished reading the Wings of Fire guide book! Gonna give some overall thoughts.

I went in knowing it was going to be a lot of information we already knew with a few new story’s here and there. So I wasn’t personally disappointed as others were. Pretty much all of the old information was expanded upon enough for it to still be interesting, however the new information is the absolute highlight of the guide.

For the most part, each section is roughly the same in quality. Thankfully, that quality was quite high. I’d rather read the main books ofc, but the guide is still good. However, there were a few weaker moments. The Sandwing section started out strong, but fell off by the end and the Rainwing section was pretty dull overall. I also wish there was less of a focus on the lives of royal dragons and more on the lives of the commoners. The Seawing section particularly suffers from this. Not that there weren’t good stories in there focused on royalty, the Mudwing section has a great one at the end, for instance.

The art is phenomenal. It’s absolute eye candy, even the small drawings in some of the stories are super cute. Id recommend going to look at some of the art even if you have no interest in the book itself.

Overall, I’d say that the guidebook is a stronger whole then the sum of it parts, but a high recommendation if you’re a WoF fan. If number ratings mean anything to you, then it’s a solid 7/10.

Under the read more is some specific details that I thought was interesting. Quite a few spoilers in there so be warned.

- Sepia is funny definitely a new favourite

- the Mudwing succession story was really good. I liked the expansion of Mudwing royalty it presented and It had a nice twist at the end

- Queen Coral sections are surprisingly funny, I loved reading the blurbs of her stories gave me a good chuckle

- the font used in Fin’s letter (as well as Fierceteeth’s later on in the book) was super hard to read for me. That’s probably because I read a scan on my phone screen, so I’ll see how it looks in the actual book

- Kinkajou’s story was, interesting. Makes me happy we didn’t get a book about her in arc 2, I cannot imagine myself still liking Kinkajou if we did tbh

- honestly the Rainwing section as a whole was pretty lacking for me. Really only the last bit with Queen Jackranda got me intrigued but not as much as other stories in other sections

- Mastermind interview was neat, but could of been better

- Despite being a hassle to read, the Fierceteeth letter was really cool. I hope we see more of the small village they’ve set up in future material

- Getting some more information on Burn’s weirdling collection was pretty neat. I like the confirmation that the wing seen there was a Silkwing’s. It’s pretty intriguing how just the wing washed up to shore, I would of thought it’d be parallel to how Luna arrived. But instead of being helped, this unfortunate Silkwing would of be murdered

- Unfortunately over half of the Sandwing section was taken up by Smolder’s diary of taking care of Flower, which I wasn’t interested in at all and only read the first bit before skipping. Shame cause the Sandwing section was shaping up to be my favourite part of the book

- Mink’s letter was cute

- Was expecting the Icewing section to only focus on royalty like the Seawing or Sandwing sections, but Caribou’s letter was a pleasant surprise

- Super cool how there’s an actual Skywing anthem that you can play. I’m not really a musician or anything of the sort, and I did admittedly skim through it, but still very cool

- Skywing section should of been renamed the Queen Scarlet section. Tailwind’s story was great and a real highlight of the guide, might even my favourite story

- I wish less of the Silkwing section was about the rules that Silkwings follow. I would of preferred more parts akin to the Queen Monarch message

- I wonder if the honey drop recipe is good, I’d try it myself but I don’t think I have the ingredients for it

- The list of the Hives was neat, it’s nice to have a little paragraph of information on each of them

- Book of Clearsight excerpts was cute, I could see a small book just detailing more of the future reading

- Leafwing’s detailing their favourite books was charming

- I’ve realised I don’t really have much to say about the Pantalian sections. They aren’t bad at all, I’m just not as invested in them

- Very happy the Scavenger section was so small. I don’t think I could of forced myself through that

- Favourite section was the Skywings, least favourite was Rainwings

[wachi-delectrico]

Ok, instead of just getting angry at these people (which will probably just reaffirm their usage of ChatGPT in these ways to themselves), I'll offer alternatives that don't rely on LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT. All a LLM does is write sentences, and they're not reliable to write factual information, even when you feed them the information yourself. See: the case of the dangerous edible mushroom identification book, the issues it has with processing large chunks of information for summary, the problems ChatGPT has as a search engine, and how incompetent ChatGPT is at solving math problems.

Alternative for cooking:

If you have food at home and can't come up with anything to cook, try MyFridgeFood or SuperCook, it shows you recipes based on what you already have laying around (SuperCook shows you both recipes that match your available ingredients exactly and recipes that may have additional ingredients, both of which you can filter). If you want to be more thorough, AnyList shows you recipes, saves your ingredients, and can be used to generate grocery shopping lists based on those, and can be used for long-term meal planning. PlanToEat lets you save recipes from anywhere on the web and can automatically generate shopping lists based on them. Besides those, I find it useful to go to the supermarket and walk around until I get a vague craving for what I want, then look up recipes and make a shopping list based on that.

Alternative for summarizing:

Recall is an AI-based solution specifically built for summarizing both files and web content. There are many others like it. If you want human-made pre-made summaries for things, check out SparkNotes and CliffsNotes. If you want to cross-reference any notes, use an academic search engine such as Web of Science.

Alternative for search engine:

It's obvious to any seasoned user that the quality of Google as a search engine has significantly decreased throughout the years, being absurdly vulnerable to SEO spam. The most popular Google Search alternatives are DuckDuckGo and Brave Search, as they more often than not offer good results while protecting user privacy. If you want the best of the best, and are willing to pay for the best of the best, a lot of people recommend Kagi. If you struggle to find what you're looking for regardless of browser, perhaps you should brush up on how to do web searches more efficiently (plus each search engine has its own keywords and search operators you can learn to improve your search results).

Alternative for maths:

if you're struggling to solve a maths problem yourself, you can input your problem into Photomath and it'll show you a step by step guide on how to solve it for free. Another alternative for this purpose is Symbolab, and though it shows you the step-by-step of each problem, you can only see the specifics of the explanation with a subscription. Personally, my favourite online maths solver with steps for when I'm stuck is Cymath, which shows solutions and steps for free, though it only comprehends some Algebra/Calculus problems thus far. If none of those help you truly understand a problem or a subject, you can ask at Mathematics Stack Exchange (no shame in asking!). If you don't have a scientific calculator, you can try the Desmos website, or the NumWorks app or website (a free emulated version of the actual physical graphing calculators they produce).

Just like all these, whatever it is you want done by AIs like ChatGPT, you can find other programs (and ever other AI-based programs!) made tailored to your specifications. By choosing the alternatives you protect yourself from misinformation.

[harrysmimi]

Periwinkle Chp 3

Monochrome

More of my work | series Master list

Harry Just did what YN suggested him to. He spent his day all by himself. Went to get a coffee very early in the morning after a long run. He read the entire book his sister got for him when she visited. He baked amazing Brownies and saved some for YN as a thank you for such an amazing idea. Ordered take out, did a face mask and gave himself a nice manicure. Went to get his tattoo done.

For the first time he didn't had to make any compromise. He ordered what he truly wanted to eat which he hardly ever got to when he's out with his friends, or when he used to take his ex-girlfriend out on dates. She had many allergies so he had to make sure not to order something which have something she is allergic to knowing she'd definitely want to share with him. He felt no shame in embracing himself with carrying out a ritual of skin care routine, and painting his nails. In fact it was one of YN's suggestions.

His day was made even better when YN had texted him suggesting that they should do something tomorrow. He wanted to see her today, he's had enough time to himself he thought and lured her into considering a little picnic to which she agreed. Surprisingly. She was just excited to show off her new hair colour and hair do.

He made sure to put the container of brownies he saved for her in his tote before heading out. He had reached before her (about ten minutes before) and saved a spot at the park near a tree under a shade. He saw YN running her way towards him with a box from some bakery, her usual carry on backpack jumping up and down with each of her rushed steps. She was spot on, on time.

How is she so punctual?

She looked amazing with her a Slightly darker shade of Usual Periwinkle hair like she said, a classic Periwinkle sun dress on her gracefully falling over all the curves of her form. White Vans with ankle length Periwinkle lacy socks.

He was in love with her monochromatic look she have going on.

Pair of black priscription glasses was just a break from all Periwinkle look. Her full front fringes made her look like a new person. Harry couldn't help but stare at her in awe, like a love sick puppy as she jogged her way to him. The hem of her dress ended just above her knees, flowing with her moments. She is a lot shorter when she's not wearing her usual healed boots.

Harry crashed back down on the earth when she finally plopped down next to him on the picnic rug.

"Yo dude, how was your day?" She asked, panting from running a long way, "you couldn't find a place at the far corner of the park?"

"I'm sorry, it's all busy by that side," he pointed to where she came from, "and my day was amazing."

"Are you like going through your goth phase or something?" She pointed out his all black look. Plus his black manicure. Plus she was confused seeing how he's not boiling up wearing all black - black button down, black skinny jeans, brown beat up Chelsea boots - in middle of summer.

"No," he laughed, "but you seem to be in your flower fairy phase."

She gasped, "is it that obvious? It means it's working then." She flipped her hair all sassy. "Anyway, I've got some amazing cheesecakes and some amazing fruity drinks Sandy's husband came by today and brought his new recipes for me to try out and give my honest review thought I'd share with you!"

"Calm down mate, how many cups of coffee did you had today?" He chuckled hearing her rant in one single breath, "and I made brownies today, saved some for you!"

"Aw!" She cooed. "And I drink tea darling."

"Let's eat these before they like melt or something," she set the box down it had four different samples of cheesecakes.

They sat there under the tree chatting, Harry talked about his last semester, that he was going to be graduating early, and the book he read today and how amazing his sister is for recommending the book to him as it was a great experience to reas it. She really preferred to listen him talk about himself than talk about her own traumatic childhood. Usually because people get defensive over when she jokes about it when in fact that's her way of not thinking much about it and just live her life.

"How did your mum reacted to your tattoo?" She asked.

"She said it looks amazing," he smiled. "You should definitely read that book, it's amazing."

"I don't like to read," she shook her head, "I'll see if I can find the audio book version of it. Your sister seems like a cool person."

"She is amazing!" He bragged, "don't you have any siblings?"

"I do, I've got four half younger siblings. They're set of twins, brothers are three and sisters are one and half." She explained.

"Aw they must be handful then."

"I don't know, I don't talk to my mother now so I don't get to see them. But I can imagine them making constant ruckus." She shrugged.

"You miss her?" He asked, "I mean your mum?"

"No, not at all." She scoffed, "we like never had a good relationship."

"You never talk about yourself, it's always me ranting about shit," late but at least he realised.

"Meh, I've got nothing interesting to share. I'm like the most boring person I know." She smiled sheepishly.

He looked extra adorable with the confused look in his eyes. His skin looked extra taken care of today, thanks to his at home spa session. His eyes have taken over more of a bluer hue under sunlight. He looked well rested and comfy. He was now taking pictures of the sunset. The lips balm which he just reapplied looked like a gloss over his plush lips. It was a bad idea to even think of wanting to kiss him again, especially when she's very sober.

"Have I got something on m'face?" He asked noticing her staring at him with almost a gaze of kitten.

"Nothing," she shook her head looking away from him immediately. Harry was quick to notice the flush on her face.

"Why is that dog running towards us?" She asked, almost terrified. Harry looked behind him to see an adorable German Shepherd puppy running towards them. "Oh fuck no!" She exclaimed getting up immediately ready to run.

"What's wrong it's adorable," Harry looked back and forth between the girl and the puppy.

"It's everything but adorable, ahh!" She squealed taking quick steps back as the puppy kept approaching her. "Just fucking hold it!"

"It's not going to do anything," Harry sighed getting up to rush after the girl being chased by a puppy.

"Chase stop!" A high pitched voice called after the dog. It was quite a view but he noticed how tensed YN's body language was.

"Who's dog is that?" She asked.

"YN I need you to stop running," he was quick to get a hold on the puppy. "Oh hello!" He cooed petting the dog.

"Thank you for catching him," the little girl said, she looked to be about seven years old dressed in a very similar dress to YN.

"Your welcome," he smiled.

"Can you please help me put this on?" She handed him a pink leash, he helped her to put it on, "his name is Chase. He's our new puppy, daddy surprised me on my birthday a week ago, it's his first time out as his doctor said he couldn't go out just yet but we got bring him out today, he's adorable, isn't he?" She ranted.

"He is very adorable," Harry smiled, "here."

She took the leash in her hand, "thank you."

"I'm so sorry about that," it a man who looked to be the little girl's dad.

"It's, it's okay!" YN sighed taking in heavy breaths. He looked a bit taken back to see YN but he left immediately.  Harry bursted out laughing, he found her adorable in the moment.

"It's not funny," she huffed stomping her way back to where their stuff was.

"It was funny how you squealed and found that adorable little thing scary," he chuckled following her back to their spot. She glared at him. "Ahh!" he squealed himself running when she started chasing him.

"Stop mocking me!" She threatened.

"You look that that puppy," he commented, jogging as she sprinted after him. But she gave up, sighing she walked back. "Hey, I'm sorry!"

"You're very fucking annoying," She sighed clearly annoyed.

"I didn't know you are that scares of dogs, I'm sorry," he felt bad.

"Oh shit, Sherlock!"

"Come on, I apologise," he huffed in defeat.

"It's okay," she said. She almost lost her balance when he tackled her with a bear hug from behind.

"But you gotta admit Chase was Adorable!"

"Pfft! I don't like dogs!" She rolled her eyes, staying still thinking he'd leave her alone, but in reality she didn't wanted him to leave.

"How can you not?"

"You were not attacked a scary, not vaccinated and hormonal German Shepherd when you were eight years old and had to get ten shots right in your bum after plus four stitches on the wound." She ranted.

"Oh-" what his first reaction, "oh! I didn't know I'm sorry!"

"It's okay now if you leave me I'd like to eat my brownies?" She requested.

"Oh yes, yes sure," he left her, they were both sat back on their picnic spot. "Do you like it? Made it from scratch!" He bragged seeing her take a bite from the brownies he made.

"It's okay, okay," she hummed, "just kidding. It's amazing!" She chuckled seeing his upset face. That was her way of getting back at him for making fun of her being scared of that puppy.

"You meanie!" He pouted.

"Thanks," she smiled.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"It's about perspective," she countered.

"You're weird."

She just chuckled. Harry just sat there admiring the view - wink wink - whilst YN updated her own Instagram stories with little pictures of cheesecakes and Harry's made from scratch brownies, which were absolutely delicious.

There was a turmoil of emotions going back and forth between his heart and brain. Almost a war of it's own. Now his relationship with ex wasn't really going well for the last couple of months before he ended things. Why is he feeling guilty for liking someone else and letting his feelings grow for them? He is definitely very sure over his ex already, he has been even before she became an ex.

Maybe because YN isn't interested in him. He wouldn't want to come out as try hard kinda guy. At least he can try and convey his feelings? That will not ruin their friendship right? Like they literally slept together not even a day ago!

Come on Harry man the fuck up! It was his inner voice screaming at him.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked.

"What is it?" She asked keeping her phone aside.

"I'll take that 'cause if you hit me it will cut open my head!" He took the glass bottle of strawberry milkshake (which also was given by Sandy's husband in exchange of feedback) away from her.

"What?" She laughed.

"I don't know how you will react to what I'm gonna say," he shrugged.

"Right but I will never hit you with a glass bottle of strawberry milkshake. And that too on your head!" She almost died laughing. "But anyway, what is it?"

"I don't know how to really say it," he looked down sheepishly, folding his legs under his thighs and sitting in a meditation position. He caught her staring at him intently which made it worse to actually say what he wants to, he is nervous.

"Hey are you okay?" She asked, sounding very concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, I am totally okay." He was quick to assure her, "I'm gonna say it as I can't find another way to say so. I, I really like you."

YN knew there was more to what he had to say. She had all the time in thi world, for him, so she just let him finish. He talks real slow and she already have ten questions in her mind.

"I, I have actually for a little while. It was just a little infatuation at first, but ummm, it grew on me day by day." He explained, "I was also sorting out my feelings and emotions. I don't know after night before I just really can't just think of anything. I'm sorry, it's okay if you don't feel the same way. I just want to get this out and regret later not telling you."

"Who told you I don't feel the same way?" She asked, "but before I just want to ask, why did you really breakup with your girlfriend?"

"Because she cheated on me," he answered, "are we really going to talk about this now?" He felt a little upset that he was here confessing his feelings for her and she is asking about his ex. His feelings matter, but so does hers so he didn't felt the need to react to it just yet. At least not before hearing why she asked that.

"Yes, you were with her for a year Harry, it's not easy to move on. I know everyone is different, I am not saying you can't move on this quickly. I just don't want to - I don't know how to say it. I just don't want more things on my plate now, I have enough." She explained, "I am not going to deny now that we are talking about this. I've liked you for a long time, I didn't know you were dating someone. Just you know? I told you already!"

Is it bad that she is putting herself first? She never know what is going to happen in future, they both would obviously want more if this conversation went the other way. Why is she feeling bad? She wouldn't want whoever this ex of his is to come running back to him and him dumping her for this person.

She had a fear of losing people close to her and she had been staying away from dating all together just focusing on herself for now. Having her little (not to little) one sided crush on him was just enough for her.

"And I really don't know where you wanna go from here," she added.

"I don't know either," he shrugged. "Do you wanna grab breakfast tomorrow?"

"I've got a few appointments tomorrow," her voice sounded sad, "but we can go for dinner if you're free."

"Mhmm, that would be good," he agreed. They both got to wrapping up their picnic set up and collecting their trash.

"Yeah?" She smiled, "dress a little fancy you're going to love this place!"

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"I'll keep it a surprise," she said, and proud yet smug smile on her face.

"Sure," he didn't know what else to say.

Harry walked YN to her car, he tried to be smarty pants and dig out where they are going for dinner the next day, but she is smarter than him and she never gave into his little play of words.

"I know what you're doing, Harry quit it," she rolled her eyes throwing her bag into the back seat of her car and shutting the door. He just laughed.

"Hey before you go," his hand went to stop on top of hers on the door of driver seat of her car, "I know this is confusing, for me it is, but I get it where you're coming from and I just need you to trust me, alright?"

"Mhmm!" She nodded.

"Drive home safe, okay," he wasn't asking her, he was telling her.

"Yeah," YN nodded again.

She lost it completely when he leaned in and pressed a longing, soft kiss on her forehead which lingered moments after he pulled away. He smiled at her before he walked over to his own car.

God she felt her soul leave her body!

Just as she got into her car finally being able to gather herself, her phone started ringing.

Harry was able to glance at her as he drove past, he saw her squealing and jumping whilst on a call. She is adorably weird sometimes.

......................................................................

It was 8.30 in the morning when his phone went off with a spam of texts before he got a call. He was still half asleep but the call was from YN.

"Ello?" He said.

"Get your ass out of your bed and meet in thirty by the Starbucks!" She ordered.

"What? Why?" He sighed.

"Come on dude, I need you help it's urgent!" She whined.

"Fine, but which Starbucks?" He asked.

"The one down the street!" She exclaimed.

"Okay, okay!" He was already pushing himself out of his comfy bed.

"By thirty, I mean thirty minutes sharp!" She said before she hung up. He is going to need to hurry the fuck up.

Harry took the quickest and coldest shower, changed, fixed his hair, put on his moisturiser and sunscreen (it is very essential!) before he headed out. He chose to walk as it was just five minutes away for him, also he reckoned YN might be getting her own car. By the time he reached to the Starbucks he saw her already coming out of the store with two cups of coffee.

"Hi," she greeted him with the biggest smile on her face.

"Hey, good morning," he was quick to collect her in a warm hug.

"Good morning," she handed him a cup of coffee. It was a plain black coffee with no sugar, no milk for him. "We're going to go pick someone!" She announced as they both got in her car.

"Who?" He buckled his seat belt.

"Gus, my fur child," she shared.

"You're getting a dog?" He acted surprised.

"Oh fuck no!" She sighed, "he is a baby cat. Five months old from Manchester."

"Oh, I'm from Manchester," Harry grinned.

"I know, he's like the cutest and cuddliest thing ever," she ranted about this new kitten, "I wasn't going to have him for next three days but his breeder informed that he can fly in today. So we're going to go pick him up now!"

"You're taking be along just 'cause you think I might know Gus?" He asked jokingly.

"Basically, yeah," she nodded.

She even showed him pictures of Gus when they stopped at a red light. Harry would agree he's like a little cotton ball with big blue eyes.

"Why are you getting a cat all of sudden?" He asked.

"It's not something impulsive. I was a six month long process and three month long wait." She said, "I did not wanted to get a pet just yet but my therapist adviced me to get one. Like an Emotional support animal. So yeah, I really thought about it."

"You go to therapy?" He asked.

"Yeah, since I was 15," she shrugged, seemed to be very comfortable about it.

Soon they picked up the kitten from the airport. Harry was swooned by the little moving ball of fur. Now he understood why YN gave up her appointments to someone else for the day. He wanted to get him out of the carrier then and there and play with him. But he had to wait until they het to her place.

Harry decided to drive. Gus was very calm and silent all the way back to his new home.

"My sister used to go to therapy too," Harry shared.

"Hope she is doing fine now. It really does help alot," YN smiled.

"She's doing amazing actually," he said proudly. "Do you mind me asking if it is helping you?"

"Of course not. It is helping, a little at a time. I just have an hour and half long sessions twice a week." She shared, "there is a lot to get over you know. But I've finally found a therapist who I click with, it is so fucking annoying to repeat the same shit over and over again to every new therapist!" She groaned making him chuckle.

"You never tell me about me about yourself, you've got an hour," he said taking a look at the GPS.

"Do you really want to hear my sap, tragic and horrid story?" She chuckled, not believing he actually is interested in hearing her story.

"Yes, I do. And I'll decide if it's a sap, tragic and horrid story as you put it." He assured her, his classic smirk plastered over his face.

"You're annoying," she rolled her eyes. He knows that look does things to her by now. "I don't know if you'll believe me but, it's your choice if you wanna or not wanna I really don't mind."

"I was born in California to my excuse of a witch mother. I was around two and half years old by the time when she like took me back to India and put me in an orphanage." She started, "she, she was an addict but have been clean for about seven-ish years. She obviously did not wanted me, nor did she tell anything to my grandma. I don't know how she like kept a whole ass human she pushed out a secret from her own mother. But I was adopted. By adopted parents like put me into this bording school facility thing when I was four. It was like a horrible, horrible place!"

"Turned out they didn't wanted me either 'cause they were finally able to have a kid of their own, they didn't had to pay for me it was a sketchy place. They claimed to be run by the government but it's not the truth. I was there for like ten years. Before like my grandma found out. Because that woman was now clean, sober, was married to this rich Mexican dude she met on fucking tinder and was trying for kids. That how my grandma found out about it."

"She said she was drunk and high ass off, didn't know she was pregnant, doesn't know who my dad is. Even the speculate ones didn't wanted to be involved in anything, not even getting the tests done. My mother— oh I hate to call her that— was just 19, was there to get her law degree. She like put up with me with me for about two years before she shipped me off to India where she could really just easily put me up for adoption. And that was that." She ended her story taking in a long breath.

Harry seemed to be listening to her very carefully. He was so surprised she did not stutter, nor did she get teary eyed whilst talking about it. He knows there is more to the story.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that," he said, "and I believe you."

"It's not your fault, you don't have to feel sorry about that," she smiled.

"Didn't the bording school try to contact your orphanage?" He asked.

"They never," she shook her head, "they never tried. I doubt they wanted to. And like I was very notorious for trying to escape that hell. It was like a prison basically. We were allowed to walk out on the pavement for just an hour a day. Got to go to bed at twelve, were woken up by five, had to do our own laundry by hand. Clean up the place because, well we lived there. Had to put up with prick guards to always tried to assualt the kids there. Turned out it was like a huge human trafficking thing in disguise and I was like very hard to be sold 'cause like I wiggled through tiny spaces and they couldn't drug us as those would kill the kids sometimes and they'd be in loss."

"This one time I like was so fucking close to escaping when I was like eight, I could fit through the railings of surrounding the building," she chuckled, "a huge german shepherd was released onto me, who was not given any vet care and was very fucking hormonal. Hence why I'm scared those fuckers. I get goose bumps talking about it. That place is shut down though, my grandparents made sure to sue them."

"I don't know what to say," he couldn't believe her.

"You don't have to, it's quite traumatic I know," she shrugged, "I've accepted it and moving past it now. I don't usually like to talk about it though."

"I understand why now, it's okay," he said, "you're very brave to be smiling through telling your story darling. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you," she looked at bim with a soft gaze. She has never been told that except for her grandma. "I don't like to cry, makes me feel all sorts of weird."

"It isn't, and it shouldn't be."

"I know, but why waste my precious tears on something I can't change?" She shrugged.

"I like the way you think," he smiled.

"Thank you, thank you!" She bowed in courtesy. Gus meowed loudly in the background.

All day till early evening they both spent playing with Gus and getting familiar with him. Harry needed to go see his friends from college before they both went out for dinner.

"Hey, I've got to go." Harry said, "going to see Niall and Louis after a long time. So see you in evening, yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded and walked him to the door.

"And..." He stopped, "can I kiss you before I go?"

"You want to?" She was a little surprised and tried hide the ten back flips and then eleven front flips her tummy did right then and there.

"Mhmm," he nodded.

"Then you can kiss me." She shrugged. Harry just took half a step closer to her leaning down he planted a soft kiss on the full of her mouth. His touch was so soft and tender it almost made her go weak in her knees.

"Have fun with, Gus." He whispered before another kiss was pressed on her eyebrows before he slipped out the door. She shut the door behind her.

"Ah! Gus, this guy gonna be the death of me," she sighed a whined, sliding down the door on the floor. Gus was quick to hop his way towards her and hop on her lap for sleepy cuddles.

She was falling really quick and deep for this guy!

[bloodycassian]

LEATHERBOUND - Reader x Cassian - (I think I missed this request but I think someone req’d something similar) Reader is a librarian in Illyria when Cassian comes in asking for help finding something.

Cassian's favorite time of year in Illyria was the winter days where the sun was out. The winds were harsh enough to stun his wings, but the rays from the sun were warm enough for a perfect contrast. Not letting him freeze, but not letting him get too hot either. 

The muddiness also became packed ice instead of the mess it had been over the summer. It was still messy in the more trafficked areas, but not nearly as bad. He couldn't hide the joy that rept into his heart at the sight of so many Illyrians taking joy in the season. Small winged children threw snowballs at passerbys from a ledge. A broad winged male scared them off with a flyover. Cassian entered the small shop, the smell of dust and worn carpet whirled around him. It was comforting in a strange way. It reminded him of being a child. Innocent and curiously exploring different shops at his home.

The bell above rang in a dull tone. He looked up and saw the shotty repair job on the ringer. Not exactly as it had been when he was a child, it seemed. "Stay right there!" You called from the back, putting away the stack of books you held. They clattered into the bin loudly. The sound of rustling made him curious.

"I'm just here for-" He called, starting to step further into the room. The books lined the short walls, and the stacks in the middle looked percaiously stacked. They were organized, but the bottom of the stack seemed stained. He doubted the resources for another bookcase were available. 

"I know, just dont move. I just cleaned the carpet." You brought a towel from the front desk over and placed it beside the small outcropping of hard wood you had laid out for anyone first entering the store. "This is the last building in Illyria with carpets. I'd like to keep it that way." You said when the dark haired male gave you a pinched look. He bent and began taking off his boots. Boots that looked far too new for the likes of an Illyrian. 

Watching him do so, you noticed the two Siphons on his hands. Then the one on his knee. Your head went fuzzy. What had you done to deserve a visit from the Lord of Bloodshed? He noticed your stare and gave you a wolfish smile. You didn't flinch away from it. The wind howled at the gaps in the stone, and you cleared your throat.

"So what do you need?" You asked, crossing your hands behind your back. Ready to be of service. Hopefully he wouldn't demand too much of your small store.

"You said you knew. So you tell me." He said with a sly smile. You stammered, sweat slicking your palms. "I didnt mean- We have several ah..." You looked away, at the different categories of spellbooks and history of Prythian. Shame fell in your gut at the bottom layers of books that made the stack in the middle of the room.

"I'm looking for a cookbook. One with Illyrian recipes." He stepped to the carpet, his dark socks immaculate against the worn pattern. 

"Is the high lord a fan of home made treats?" You laughed at the odd request. Then covered your mouth, the embarrassment turned your ears red. "I'm sorry-" "No, its fine." Cassian chuckled, pulling a book off a shelf. It was of the first war, and was bound in dark leather. "He does. But the book isn't for him. The high ladies sister, actually." 

The one of hellfire and stone or the one that seemed to be a ghost? You dared not question him. "A solstice gift?" You asked, showing him over to the small cooking section you had obtained over centuries. They weren't of much use in Illyria, but the few travelers found them fascinating. 

"Yes, she's had a rough year." His voice was somber, but the hope still lingered in his eyes.

You let the words sink in. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, his presence was warm and welcoming, actually. As if he was putting off a vibe of 'I'm safe.' You handed him a complete cookbook full of basic recipes and baking. The cover was so worn the title was unreadable. Dark spots stained the inner pages, you knew because you'd borrowed the book several times. "We all have." He flicked through it for a moment, smiling. His teeth were immaculate, and a bit extra pointy on his canines. The sight of them sent a thrill through you.

"I recommend the sweet dough. It's spice free, the only thing you need for it is pine needles and sap." You flicked the pages to one you had bookmarked. The opposite side was full of different types of cakes to make with minimal ingredients. 

"I'm too familiar with it." He laughed, shaking his head. Some fond memories from long ago lingered there. He could recall the scent of the bread with full accuracy. The way it the needles would char on top of the dough if there were too many. 

"How much do I owe you?" He pinned the leather under his arm and pulled a satchel from his pocket. Your heart raced at the glimpse of so many gold coins there. 

"Ah- it'll be Twenty silvers." You said, embarrassment coating your tongue. He didnt even look like he was carrying and silver. He eyed you speculatively. "Twenty silvers for a full book?" He asked. You nodded, trying not to wring your hands. He fished a gold coin from the pouch and held it out to you. "Let me get you some change... it may take a second." You fumbled to the desk where you kept your coin inside a spellbound box. 

"Dont worry about it. I'll be back another time." He called, setting the book on the floor to pull on his shoes. "Lord Cas-" You began to protest.

"Just Cassian." He corrected, grunting as he pulled on the boots. "Call it a tab." He winked and eyed the ripped, hole filled curtains of the front window. How they swayed in the breeze that drifted in from the rocks. 

"I'll be seeing you." His eyes scanned you, and you nodded. "Be seeing you." You said back, your mouth dry. He was intimidating in the ways you'd never thought of. Not in a scary way, but in a sly way that made your heart race. The bell over his head dinged hollowly as he exited, shoving the book into his backpack. You tried not to stare as he left. 

+ The Solstice party was a success as it normally was. Nesta kept to herself in the corner with Amren while everyone else exchanged gifts. Elain's eyes lit up at the book, and she hugged Cassian with heart. "I'll be making you something tomorrow." She promised. Cassian felt the flicker of cold over him and shot Az a look. They glowered at one another. 

Rhys leveled a look at both of them that got them to straighten up. Feyre handed out mugs of hot cider. Mor brought around a bottle of liquor to mix with it. The night was warm with friends and joy. Besides the cold corner where Nesta sat. Cassian did his best to ignore it. As did everyone else. 

He was nearly the last to leave. The cider had effected him more than he thought. But it warmed his insides against the cold wind of Velaris. He wrapped his wings around himself to shield from the cold. He thought of the librarian who had given him the book. His mind drifted to the rest of that day, how Devlon had even seemed cheerful. 

He wondered if you were doing anything, if you had any family celebrating with you. If you had a mate that spoiled you. His heart kicked up at the thought of it. He hadn't noticed a ring...or any tattoos to signify a mating bond. He couldn't recall much else. He had been stunned by the beauty and simplicity of you and your shop. He couldnt remember if you had wings. 

The frustration ate at him. He had to know more. He needed to know if you had a good solstice. He made a plan. "It would be good karma" He told himself, entering one of the several shops on the way to the townhome. His excitement made it nearly impossible to sleep that night. + "Happy solstice." A voice called from the front door. You hadn't heard the bell chime. 

You rushed to the front, making sure that the carpet hadn't been ruined. The curtains whipped from the wind outside. The enormous Illyrian shut the door with a firm gentleness that made your heart race. His hands wrapped around a small wooden box. Well, it was small in his hands. 

"It's the day after solstice. Happy late solstice." You corrected, striding over to him and giving him a look about the shoes. They looked incredibly clean. "You still need to take them off." 

"I know. You need to open this first." He forced the box upon you and stooped to begin unlacing the boots.  "What-"

"Just open it." He stood and followed you to the counter. Heat flooded your cheeks, you hadn't gotten him anything. Not that you could afford it, or even knew what he would want. "Why did you get this?" You asked, trying to hide the tension in your voice.

"So you dont have to cook that sweetbread again." He said with a grin, staring at you. At how your hands delicately removed the lid from the box. Then at your stunned reaction at the waft of spices that spilled from the box. "Cassian-" You breathed, utterly speechless. 

"I have a request too...So you can't say its too much. It's for me too." He went to the shelf where he'd gotten the cookbook for Elain. "Make us these, and we'll call it even."

"Cassian... I'm not a cook. I dont bake." You laughed when he pointed at the spice cakes in the book. "Maybe ask the sister-" You pushed the box toward him, the heaviness of it screamed 'expensive' to you. Guilt marred the joy of receiving the gift.

He pushed it firmly back to you, locking eyes. He noted the way you tensed at that stare. He eased, trying to ignore the scent mixing with the smell of leather and spice. "I want you to make it, using these." He patted the top of the box. 

You debated with yourself. The male carried around more gold than you'd ever seen. And he wasn't worried about it. You figured if it was a gift then he genuinely wanted you to have it. You sighed and took the box, placing it under the shelf beside your bag. Your wings pinched at the movement. 

You ignored how his eyes lingered on your scarred members. You were used to it from some males, but never one as important and high ranking as him. He shook himself and refocused, pulling himself out of the rage he was feeling at the sight of your ruined wings. 

"Any other requests?" You sighed, feigning annoyance. His toothy grin made your stomach do flips. 

[synonymroll648]

Random Sokeefitz Headcanons Because What’re You Gonna Do? Stop Me?

keefe got an iphone in the forbidden cities and refuses to let go of it “because elvin music sucks and human music doesn’t, and i didn’t make a bunch of mood playlists to just abandon them!” 

it was quite some time until sophie found out that he’d made playlists dedicated to her and fitz - which she “aww”ed over for, like, a week

they ended up spending a whole day at splendor plains just listening to their favorite songs in his room 

sophie added a bunch of songs to the playlist that he made for her, and they spent hours trying to construct the “ultimate fitz playlist” 

fitz is mostly an acoustic and instrumental type of guy, so he didn’t really get why they were so excited when they showed him the playlists the next day, but he was happy that they were happy (and he had to admit, the vibes were spot on)

sophie and fitz both love talking about human history

for sophie, it’s one of the few subjects that she knows a lot about, and for fitz, he thinks it’s an interesting learning opportunity

they talk for hours about various events

it’s like they’re in their own little world, speaking their own language. mostly because nobody else understands what they’re talking about enough to casually jump into the discussion and they’re too put-off to want to ask them to put them up to speed, but still

since keefe lived in the forbidden cities for a while he knows a decent amount about humans from firsthand experience, but his knowledge is all of how various cultures are like now, not their histories

he’s never bothered to explain that though since sophie and fitz always look and sound like charmed little kids whenever they turn to him with ridiculously specific questions. they share a childish curiosity towards the world that softens their edges in this way that just makes him melt, and whenever he tries to shrug off questions because he has no idea what the answers are (but doesn’t want to admit it), they give him puppy eyes that he couldn’t say no to under any circumstances

so yeah keefe’s google search history is really fuckin’ weird 

but at least he knows the full story behind why that one old dead white dude used 20 something canons for percussion for his symphony instead of drums like a normal person

insomnia’s a bitch so there’s no guarantee of who wakes up first, but on nights where they sleep the recommended amount, it’s usually fitz. he’s a big morning person

keefe is the exact opposite. his partners have to drag him out of bed. if they even manage to un-pry him from curling around their bodies beforehand. mans is a koala, i tell you

in the beginning he felt bad about it, but after being reassured multiple times by his partners that they don’t mind how clingy he is, he has no shame about making them an hour late to work because he persuaded them into giving him extra cuddles

keefe and fitz always snuggle up to someone in their sleep, but sophie doesn’t always do that. don’t get her wrong, she loves the feeling, but sometimes she just needs a starfish break. keefe and fitz have fallen off the bed before because of how far they have to scoot over to ‘give her her space’

fitz holds people’s hands in his sleep. his partners adore it; fitz didn’t even realize it was something he did until sophie pointed it out 

when they actually do get up out of bed and get ready for the day, fitz is almost always the one who makes breakfast 

he has a bunch of recipe books for baked goods. he has revisions where he thinks the recipes could be improved, and sticky notes on his favorite pages

keefe doodles on said sticky notes. one time he forgot to grab a sticky note for what he has drawing in pen and drew on the page. he freaked out because “oh shit that’s not removable fitz is gonna be so mad-”

fitz wasn’t mad. he thought the big mandala keefe had done in the corner of the page was super cool 

so did sophie

now keefe leaves little doodles on any unimportant/unofficial papers they leave out in hopes that it’ll make them smile when they notice

they always do 

ahem getting back on track - the thing that fitz makes the most is panakes pancakes. he made the recipe himself after sophie suggested it and everyone loves them, so it’s a regular thing he makes. also because they’re basically the healthiest elvin food he knows how to make, and he’s trying to cut down on sugar 

since he’s trying to cut down on sugar and sophie misses the variety of textures the human culinary world had to offer, they have a lot of human foods 

fitz doesn’t take sophie and keefe shopping in the forbidden cities anymore because they always get a shitload of stuff they don’t need. mostly containers and containers of oreos that they go through in a week 

once, sophie tried buying out the entire oreo section at walmart. fitz told her that buying out a huge section at one store was way too suspicious and to put most of them back

she did, but then she insisted on dragging them to five other stores to eventually accumulate the amount of oreo packages she was going for

keefe also got a bunch of other junk foods with way too much cholostreol for fitz’s comfort 

fitz literally just wanted to grab steak seasoning ‘cause it tasted good with some other veggies at home. that was all he wanted. and then he came home with seven bags of stuff he didn’t need

sophie has a habit of skipping meals when nobody tells her, “hey, you gotta eat something,” since she gets so consumed in assignments from various sources. hence why fitz meal plans and sends his partners with lunches (and sometimes even dinners, in sophie’s case, if he knows she’s gonna be at a long meeting or an overnight mission) like they’re first graders

keefe got her a lunchbox from the same company that made her sparkly unicorn journal that we saw in exile from when she was, like, five. it’s just as ridiculous as the journal was 

keefe and fitz laughed their asses off when sophie was so embarrassed by it that she literally painted the whole thing black so the rest of team valiant (mostly stina) would stop (lightheartedly) teasing her about it 

sophie’s super protective of her boys. she’s stepped in and told off strangers harrassing her boyfriends on multiple occasions, no hesitation, no regard for the whispers and eyes that follow her for a good while afterwards

it makes keefe’s day because !! someone cares about me enough to stand up for me!; it makes fitz’s day because wow, you’re so brave and i’m so lucky that you’re here for me 

they never say that stuff out loud, but the gestures they show her in return - from surprising her with fettuccine made from scratch for dinner after a long day dealing with the council to leaving extra kisses on her skin and holding onto her for just a little longer than usual - show their appreciation clearly enough

fitz has a thing for scooping up his partners in his arms and spinning them around when he’s really excited

but not to the extent that sophie does

it’s an easy thing for fitz to do, since he’s tall and got muscles, but it’s a lot more of an effort for sophie. a lot more of an achievement, since she’s literally an entire head shorter than fitz and not that much further up on keefe 

like, she lifted weights for months just so she’d be able to say she could carry not only keefe, but also fitz 

it was mostly to rub in keefe’s face that he’d lost a bet they’d made that she was too short to carry fitz around and owed her twenty bucks at first, but as time wore on she just liked the surety of having her bfs secure in her arms, and not in danger

keefe loves it when either of his partners pick him up and carry him around. it’s its own grade of attention that scratches his brain in a way he didn’t know he wanted just right 

i should probably stop now but i’m gonna add a few more things ‘cause you can’t stop me

forehead kisses are a Big Thing for them. it’s part of their daily routine. it’s mostly fitz giving and keefe and sophie receiving, but not always. they’re all happy about forehead kisses no matter what role they play in it, though 

hand kisses are also a Big Thing for them. moreso for keefe and fitz than either of them with sophie, but it’s still a thing 

sophie gets really flustered whenever either of her bfs (mostly fitz) kiss the back of her hand or her palm, but she doesn’t mind being a walking puddle of goo for the next few hours too much

keefe, on the other hand, relishes it. he’s overly dramatic about it when people are around for the laughs. but when it’s just him and fitz (or sophie - sophie doesn’t kiss hands very often, but when she does, it’s on his palm to put the cherry on top of a tender moment and keefe dies), he lets the joke-y mask fall. he lets the soft smile overtake his face. he lets himself give into the urge to pull fitz closer - for a long hug or a sleepy, loving kiss, depends on the day - he lets himself feel vulnerable and loved

when fitz eventually pulls away, keefe always draws a heart over the middle of his palm (where fitz kisses his hand every morning) as a physical reminder that this love is reciprocated and real  

and i have even more headcanons where this came from but i don’t think today is the day to see if i can max out the character/word limit with headcanons lol

[askcaffeinatedstanfordpines]

Greetings! Terribly sorry if I look a bit more disheveled than usual. The journey here was… more exciting than I would’ve preferred. Now, while what offerings I’ve brought may seem strange, I assure you these are all human safe as per your request. I personally tested instances of each of these for toxins as well as consuming samples with no ill effects. No harm should come to anyone from these.

*hes carrying a lot of food all at once, to the point he’s probably hurting his back carrying as much as he is in his bag and in his arms. He’s got…*

[…Deviled cockatrice eggs! Having gotten back home made it a lot easier to properly boil these things. But be warned! Cockatrice eggs are naturally high in capsaicin, which has fascinating ecological implications about the wildlife in dimension 6616, but also may make them too spicy for some to handle. The spiciness is diluted as a result of the boiling process, but this is not recommended if you cannot handle the average habanero pepper.]

[…Roasted giant man-eating lizard steaks! These are the biggest reason why I’m as delayed as I was getting here. I was attacked when I least expected it, and unfortunately stuck in a situation in which it was myself or the lizard. Fortunately it was a youngling, as I likely would’ve been a goner otherwise. Not to mention there was no way I’d be able to carry as much as I have. It would’ve been a shame to let all that meat go to waste, so I do hope you’ll overlook its blue hue. And don’t be shy about getting seconds either.]

[…a pecan pie! Stanley insisted I had to bring “something normal” and gave me an old recipe book. Personally, I found the lack of nutritional value in the recipe appalling, so I used a protein powder in the crust and added nuts and nutritional paste, as well as more honey than I normally would’ve included in case the paste offset the flavor. I still don’t know why Stanley was sighing and burying his face in his hands.]

It's party time!!

Thank you to all who come today! Can't wait to see what foods you bring! Dad and I have provided a few things, but the majority of the food will come from all of you!

Reminder to be kind and considerate. I don't wanna kick anyone out but I will if I have to.

If you wanna talk to my dad, he's gonna be wandering around making sure people don't break anything. I mean, he just got @papafords-childrenshome, and I think it'd break his heart if it got ruined two days after it opened... On that note, if you vandalize the place in any way, you'll be kicked out! Again, I don't wanna do that, so please just behave.

And I think that's it! See you at the party!

[you-cant-spell-subtext-without]

The Adventurous Eaters Club

Hi buddies!  Welcome to the first post of yet another project I have chosen to take on because I apparently don’t enjoy sleep in any form. 

To make this even more FUN, let’s do a THING (just in time for #RACultivatingKindness and the Random Acts Food Equity initiative)

One hundred percent of author proceeds from Misha’s cookbook go to charity, including the following: The Edible Schoolyard The Garden School Foundation Whatcom Farm-to-School Fund

One week after each blogpost I do for this little adventure, I will count up the notes on that post and donate $1 per note to one of the above, or to @randomactsorg​.  

If you make a donation to any of these (in any amount!) or buy Misha’s cookbook and send me the receipt in my asks I will match your donation AND you can pick the next thing I cook!

[I say this like I have clout here, but hey why not feed some people, do a little good, and make this interactive!]

With all the preliminaries aside, let’s cook some chicken, under the cut! 

(warning: the photos below the cut contain pictures of raw chicken in case that is a “ew” trigger for anyone.  just warning ya)

Mix ‘N’ Match “Fried” Chicken (page 169)

This is a baked fried chicken tender recipe with three different spice mixtures (for those with children, the intent is to introduce them to diff flavors and also make them less fearful of food with ‘specks’ (or speckles, as L calls them)).

**The first thing I said reading this was “Dammit Misha!  Am I just casually supposed to own a meat mallet?” (does everyone? have I missed out on the meat mallet trend? fallen behind the curve of cool culinary utensil ownership? *hangs head in shame*)

First things first, I’m going to go rogue and tell you that after you cut your chicken breast into tenderloins (or open the package of pre-cut ones), you should salt your meat for at least an hour before cooking it. 

Like so:

pre-salting meat allows it to be seasoned from the inside as well as the outside (the salt will absorb), and also helps lower the risk of overcooking.  I promise it makes a HUGE difference.

While the chicken is salting, set up your dredging station.

This is the point in the process where I realized I am out of eggs.  However, I did have the following substitutes: 1. mayo and 2. half and half.  So what did I do? I mixed them (Misha I’m SORRY).

I am also sorry to you who is reading this post for having to look at photos of mayonnaise and half and half on this fine day.  

But! this does work in a pinch.  You basically need something runny enough to dip but thick enough to stick to the meat.

Also, here is another place Mish and I diverge - he kept the “wet” pan as a single one on the station, but I know how messy I am (in both cooking and life), and due to there being three separate spices in the recipe I divided it into three, so as not to mix it.

[somewhere Jake Abel has been summoned to make a few, um, jokes about this...composition]

Next, the “dry” station - i.e. your flour/spices.  The book uses pie pans for all of this, I - a prepared individual who did not assess not having ANY uniform cookware before starting this cooking blog journey - only had one pie pan, so these are what I used:

team free will 3.0

here they are with spices for each separate one.  do not fear the cinnamon.  I too, was once afraid.  trust me when I say you will no longer be shackled by your doubt once you have tried this.

also, I went rogue again on the last spice mixture which should just be paprika but I did not have paprika (OP check your pantry before you do the next installment of this challenge), so that is the combination I recklessly replaced with it (and I recommend it!!!).

spices plus flour plus salt (for the love of Jack always add salt at each step, I cannot re-emphasize enough that this is so very important, like Sam and Dean hotel room warding important).

Mix ‘em up.

sigh I can already tell my colors will not be as vibrant as the book’s (I know you, you’re thinking ‘OP you just mixed mayo and half and half, and THIS is the crime you are sad about?? but. here we are).  

Next, Misha says to wrap your chicken in plastic wrap.

no, I don’t know why mine is green.  let’s pretend its for Soldier Boy.

time to use the meat mallet which I do not have.  however, in a pinch - a cast iron skillet will do.  (the book also very much advocates for owning one of these and I too am a Cast Iron Truther.  the only pan(s) I use).

meat mallet cosplay.

now,“smash that meat until it’s 3/4 of an inch thick.” 

this takes approximately 30 seconds to a minute with the cast iron (longer if you have pent up aggression).  it’s not a REQUIRED step, but nice for an even cook.

take your flat chicken and start dredgin’ - flour first, just a thin coat

on each side

now take it for a trip to the half and half mayo hot girl summer pool party (or, if you are a real adult unlike yours truly, the eggs you have and previously whisked together for your “wet” pan)

[stop that thought this is a blog for a children’s cookbook]

let the excess run off before sticking this back in the dry mixture for a second coat, then put it on your pre-greased pan.

like so.

what my kitchen looked like at 1:00 a.m.

final touch = the moment I knew Misha, Vicki, and I were kindred spirits as I too like to drizzle melted butter over everything and anything.  

drizzle this liquid gold on top of each piece and

pop those babies in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes while you write bad fan fiction sentences (well, what I did then anyway)

then slice ‘em up and put them on this plate.

Yes I added popcorn for garnish as a treat.

My colors as predicted are not as good as the professional food photographer’s Misha’s:

But the flavors were definitely there!! Especially the cinnamon.  Would 10/10 recommend.

Happy cooking!  Asks are open if you have questions or want to yell at me about the mayo thing.  SORRY AGAIN OK

[juliandev0rak]

I feel like how someone does grocery shopping says a lot about who they are, might I request the LIs grocery shopping at Walmart? Like, what section they go to first, do they buy in bulk once a week or sparingly throughout, etc.? Thank youuu!

oooh i love this request, thank you @arcanecadenza 💗

I’m basing this off of Super Walmart which has basically any section or item you could imagine!

Asra

Asra is the type to go to the grocery store daily just to pick up a few things at a time

he thinks grocery shopping is fun and likes to take his time perusing the aisles to see what unique ingredients he can find

he goes to the produce section first and very carefully selects his fruits and vegetables for peak ripeness, and he loves to watch when the produce gets sprayed with water like a little rain shower 🥺

he also likes to walk through the home section to look for comfy throw pillows or scented candles

if you come along on the shopping trip he’ll turn it into an event™️ and will suggest getting tea or coffee first so you can enjoy your beverages while you wander the store

if he goes by himself he’ll probably surprise you with your favorite ice cream or flowers that made him think of you that he just had to add to the cart

Julian

Julian goes to the store more than once a week because he inevitably forgets something every time, even with a list

he’s the type to run to the store after work to grab one singular onion he needs for a recipe or a bag of his favorite chips on a whim

he goes to the frozen section first, he’s a busy man and having frozen vegetables or meals on hand is always helpful in a pinch

he generally tries to shop quickly, but if you go with him he’ll want to spend more time walking around and looking at all of the random items together

“MC, do I look good in this hat?” 

the hat is bright yellow and says ‘This is what AWESOME looks like’ on it, you can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or if he genuinely likes the hat, maybe it’s time to leave the clothing section

he likes to look in the bargain bins for old dvds, he’s the type to enjoy cheesy early 2000s movies and he still has a dvd collection despite having a Netflix subscription

Nadia

she’s a Whole Foods type of gal and probably wouldn’t shop at Walmart, but she would find it a fun experience if she did

she’s a planner, so her grocery shopping is efficient and she doesn’t get tempted by unnecessary purchases, unless you want something she hasn’t added to the list

Nadia would be impressed by the wide variety of items for sale, “They sell clothing? Bicycles? Books? Jewelry? What don’t they sell here!” 

she’ll want to look at the wine aisle, and would be surprised by the large selection there is to choose from and the sale prices

when she gets home she’ll be posting all over her social media about it because she assumes nobody has ever heard of the store, “Just went to a new store called Wal-Mart, excellent selection for wonderful prices- I highly recommend.” 

Nadia would be the type to give a grocery store a Yelp review

Muriel

he usually uses the online order option so he doesn’t have to go to the physical store to shop

if he has to shop in person he’ll stock up for an entire month at a time and buys staple products in bulk like flour or oats

he always visits the garden center so he can get supplies for his garden, and he prefers to grow his own produce instead of buying it when possible

he also likes to go through the camping supply aisles, he can pretty much always find something he needs whether it’s extra rope or a tarp to put over his chicken coop in the rainy season

the wide aisles and general cavernous interior of a Walmart means that he doesn’t have to be around too many crowds while he shops, so all in all he doesn’t mind the experience

and if you go shopping with him he’ll gladly follow you around the store if you want to look around 

Muriel always uses the self checkout even if he has a full cart

Portia

she walks into the store precisely once a week with a detailed list of items to purchase and she sticks to it, except for the occasional impulse buy

she heads to the bakery section first, not to buy any of the pre-made items but to get inspiration for her next baking project

”That frosting looks gross, I could do better!” 

Portia can often be found in the wine aisle buying cheap boxed wine, she has her favorite brands to splurge on but she also loves a deal 

if you come along, the grocery trip will turn into a game

hide and seek in the toy aisles? tag in the clothing section? Something about the fluorescent lights brings out Portia’s playful side

if she goes to the store by herself she’ll be a lot more efficient, but where's the fun in that?

Lucio

Lucio loves Walmart, the chaotic grocery store energy invigorates him and he loves to show up in fancy outfits (he strives to be the hottest person at the grocery store)

some of these outfits (a gold sparkly shirt under a white suit? neon green pants with a Gucci belt?) could land him in the “People of Walmart” hall of shame

he believes there's nothing you can’t find at Walmart, and he explores every section even if he came for just one item

he’s the type to get bored and go to a 24 hour store at three in the morning just to walk around and buy an energy drink or a frozen pizza for no reason

at the checkout he’s tempted by the “as seen on tv” items and might end up purchasing random items like an automatic light switch that activates when you clap, or duct tape that claims to be “military grade”

if you come along on the Walmart trip you’re going to have to convince him not to buy useless items and he’ll probably turn the “puppy dog look” on and try to persuade you, “But baby, we need that microwave egg cooker! I saw it on a commercial!” 

but at least he’ll hold your hand the whole time

[melrosing]

Silly headcanons question so if it’s not your thing feel free to ignore :) what do you think Jaime, Cersei and Tyrion’s favorite food and drinks are? In either a modern AU or asoiaf. I would love to see a Lannister family dinner scene, what a shame grrm didn’t indulge us 😅

obsessed with this ask... I’m gonna go for modern AU lann siblings because I feel like the only person in canon with a favourite food is Sansa lol... also on reflection this is less about their fave food than food habits but whatever I had fun

Tyrion:

Eats out most days of the week at weird indie restaurants you wouldn’t have heard of, asks for the waiter’s recommendation every time 

Not fuckin picky, guy will try anything. If it’s something particularly weird he’ll eat it just to say he has

Only Lannister sibling who can cook, but mostly as an exercise in showing off at dinner parties. Everything he makes is ‘X with a twist’

Carries sachets of hot sauce in his wallet as some kind of statement???

Cers:

Has fuck loads of fancy recipe books, has never cooked but likes to imagine that if she did it’d be incredible

But her chef cooks most of her meals so what does it matter 

Buys desserts in glass ramekins and eats them in front of the TV

Regrettably, has an 'it’s gin o’clock’ plaque in her kitchen

Jaime:

Oven pizzas. An entire tray of lasagna. Packet of microwave rice. Literally just carbs 

Eats cereal in the middle of the night whilst watching sports

Buys groceries with vague plans to cook something their family chef used to make, ends up ordering food instead the rest of the week as all the ingredients go off

Brienne has introduced to him the concept of ‘five a day’, so he buys a bunch of bananas sometimes  

[ddarker-dreams]

Practice Makes Perfect. Narancia x F Reader 🎀

a/n: this is a scene that i imagine taking place on narancia’s route! the dialogue in italics is spoken in english. 

[Scarlet Ribbons description]

Pleasant chatter from multiple languages buzzes around you, warm and enveloping. This street acts as a melting pot of nationalities. You usually try to avoid Via Toledo during peak tourist hours, as for all its appeal, there are disadvantages. The one that troubles you the most is how some street vendors try to sell their goods at a marked up price, mistaking you for a tourist. Maybe you would’ve fallen for those tricks a year ago upon arriving in Napoli. Now you know better, and can navigate accordingly. 

It’s a longer walk home, but extra exercise never hurts. The scenic route is a breathtaking one.

Walking down cobblestone paths, you recite a mental checklist for the day. There’s grocery shopping to be done, maybe picking up some in season fruits for a salad later. Bucciarati recommended a recipe for salad dressing you want to try out when you get the chance. On a less exciting note, you have a job tonight. It’s a shame it couldn’t have been in the afternoon like you’re used to. Adding some grilled chicken to your dinner may be a good idea, to hold you over during the night hours. Normally, things go without too many complications. In the event you’re held up for whatever reason, at least you won’t be hungry. 

Your thoughts cease at an unmistakable sight of messy black hair and an orange bandana. 

Narancia is sitting on a bench to the side of the road. He’s hunched over, laser focused on an object in his hands. Is that… a book? A bright yellow one at that. To your knowledge, Narancia has stated he doesn’t like reading (“If I really need to know something, I’ll ask Fugo!”), so this makes for a rare sight. Before you get the opportunity to call over to him, you stop yourself, noticing how his lips are moving. You can’t recall the last time you’ve seen him this concentrated. What is he saying? There’s no one around him, so he can’t be talking to anyone. 

“Pr… pretty?” Narancia murmurs to himself, eyebrows furrowing. You blink and tilt your head. He’s speaking English? What for? Curiosity gets the better of you, and you decide to listen in more before approaching him. Luckily he’s too inundated to notice you. 

“Dammit, that isn’t right either,” he brings the book closer to his eyes, hoping it’ll help him retain the knowledge better. “Pre-ty!”

His pronunciation isn’t all that bad, you note. It still leaves the question of why exactly he’s trying to speak English. Upon closer inspection, you catch the title of the book. English for Dummies. Did Fugo give him that? You sigh, running a hand through your hair in exasperation. It sounds like something he would do. You can picture it now. Narancia, hopeful as ever, going to Fugo and requesting tutoring in the language. Then Fugo giving him this and a dismissive “Best of luck”, afterwards. 

“Okay, good, now for the rest.” Narancia clears his throat. Taking in a deep breath, he prepares himself, looking uncharacteristically serious. 

“You look… pretty!” He exclaims, oblivious to the looks people passing by are giving him. Narancia pumps his fist in victory. He continues to say the sentence with unbridled enthusiasm, and shuts the book. You have to admit that it makes for quite an endearing scene. Now that he seems to be done with his lesson, you decide to walk over, leaning down to get a better look at his book. 

“Hey, Nara, I didn’t expect to see you here,” you greet, noticing how his eyes widen at the sight of you. He fumbles the book into his lap, covering the title to the best of his ability. “Were you out doing stuff for Bucciarati?”

“Y-yeah! I was… going shopping, for stuff.” Narancia has difficulty maintaining eye contact with you when he offers his answer. You know Narancia and his education can be a sensitive subject, and assume he finds being caught studying embarrassing. Smiling, you sit down next to him on the bench. 

“You’re good at it, y’know,” you reassure, nodding in approval. “English. It can be tricky at times, but you did well.” 

His eyes shine in delight at your praise. “You think so?” 

“Yeah, you’ll be a pro in no time at this rate.” 

You scoot closer to him on the bench with the goal of seeing the book better, an action that makes his entire body stiffen. Narancia smells of citrus, you notice. He’s remaining adamant on obscuring his book from your view for whatever reason. As if hoping to distract you, he suddenly presents a question. 

“Would you teach me some English?” Narancia blurts out, looking equally as surprised as you at his own straightforwardness. When you think about it further, it makes sense. He has an interest in Western pop culture, specifically, the music. Maybe he’s wanting to understand the lyrics better by knowing the language. 

“I can’t promise that I’ll be the best teacher, but I’ll do my best.” You fix your posture and smooth off your skirt in an attempt to appear more professional. What is Narancia going to choose for this impromptu lesson? Maybe he’ll ask to learn some of his favorite lines from rap, or the basics to everyday conversation. 

“How would you say, ‘I like you’?” He inquires after a moment’s deliberation. Huh. Well, that’s not what you were expecting, but it’s a place to start. It’s a tad embarrassing to go over this in public, especially when there are tourists around, but it’s for Narancia. He’s not someone who usually tries to rely on others. The least you could do is help him out here. 

“I like you.” You pronounce each syllable with care, drawing it out so he can understand best. Narancia repeats your words, voice low, concentrating as well as he can. It’s a simple enough phrase to figure out. There’s an accent in the words, but that’s to be expected. He continues to reiterate it, making minor adjustments to match how you said it. You give him a proud pat on the shoulder.

“That’s perfect, Nara.” 

His tan cheeks flush and he clears his throat. “It’s just a few words, not that big of a deal.” 

You’re about to chastise him for not accepting your compliment, and then remember you need to get going. “Let’s pick this back up another time, I still haven’t had dinner yet.” 

Narancia’s shoulders slump when you stand up from the bench. He’s always been someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve, and you can’t help but compare how he looks now to a kicked puppy. Leaving him here in this dejected state doesn’t sit right with your conscious. 

“Wanna walk back with me? I don’t know much you like Caesar salad, but what’s what I’m planning to have.” 

Energy is infused into him, Narancia springing up from his seat at your offer. You can’t help but find his excitement contagious. That’s one aspect about Narancia you’ve always admired, how lively he is. He’s easily the most fun member to be around. Always down to do whatever as long as he finds it interesting. You’re grateful for the chance to get to spend some more time with him.

“I’ve been trying to eat more vegetables lately anyways. I’m down.”

With his confirmation, you continue the journey back to your apartment building, Narancia stealing occasional glances at you on the way.

[elriel-oblivion]

So it's been four days so here's part two 😁 Just wanted to say a huge thanks to everyone who read/liked/commented/reblogged the last part! It was such an amazing response, especially given it was my first time posting my writing here, so thanks for all the love you shared 🥰🥰

Heads up, this part is actually part one from Elain's pov. Initially I wanted to continue from where the last part left off in Elain's pov, but as I was writing the background, I realised I'd written too much to just skip when Az gets to the estate and cut straight into a continuation of part one, so I ended up rewriting the whole thing in her view. So there's no new elriel moments, but you'll get a lot of new stuff anyway 😅 I would've said you don't have to read this part to understand part three, but when I was rereading the later parts a few hours ago, I realised there's some stuff that alludes to things in this part, so I strongly recommend you don't skip this 😅😅

Also, wow, some of my fave paragraphs I've ever written are in this part 😁 Bonus points if you can find them; there are four I'm thinking of in particular 😉

Word count: ~ 3.1K. Lemme know if you'd like to be tagged/removed 😊 Next part up in two or three days 😊

AO3

Ashes from the Deep

Part II

__

It had been a pretty uneventful day as Elain worked through her new plant textbook. Feyre and Rhysand had decided to spend the weekend away at the mountain cabin, Cassian and Nesta were away doing things she wished not to think of, and Mor was at the Winter Court.

Amren had only been round in the mornings, probably to check Elain was still alive. She'd glance round the living room, examine some of those fine crystal glasses in the display cabinet and then leave. There was no difference today, though Elain always felt Amren's scrutiny upon her even when that muted silver gaze was directed elsewhere; perusing Rhys' wine collection had become a tired ruse.

So besides preparing and taking her meals with Nuala and Cerridwen, Elain had spent her afternoon with her book, making notes and copying drawings. The twins had gone off on some errands, so she'd wandered into the garden at some point to tend to her many plants, telling them how lovely they each were. The crocuses looked particularly stunning this autumn day, their pale violet colour breathing life into the shades beneath some of the trees.

With her book, she'd identified new weeds, digging into the soil to rip some pesky ones out. Sometimes she didn't want the help of a tool; sometimes she needed to feel those roots on her bare skin.

Harvesting the carrots and beetroot was also on the agenda today, along with seeding for some spectacular displays next year. She'd been collecting the seeds from some of her summer blooms, like those soft clouds of baby's breath, saving them to replant. These she sowed directly into ground she'd prepared days before, her fingers digging into the crumbly clumps of earth.

Autumn onions she'd plant tomorrow, perhaps. Feyre always remarked on how their strong taste complimented meats well, so Elain wanted to harvest some fresh for her sister for once. It'd take a few months of waiting, but there was little else better than picking out and eating food one had grown with their bare hands and the essential ingredients of love and care.

Setting her book on the patio table, Elain surveyed the garden. It was a good day's work. Plants watered and sown, weeds uprooted, and hands sweaty and soiled, Elain was proud of what she'd achieved today. There were no distractions, nothing to take her from the one thing she always found satisfaction in.

After a long shower, she found herself back in the garden with a cup of tea and a blanket. The sunset washed the sky in a blaze of red and orange glory before it yielded to the cool tones of twilight then night. Elain sat in silence, hands wrapped around her mug. How long would it be until someone's arms were wrapped around her, until she felt the warmth her sisters finally had?

Silly, these thoughts. Immortality stretched far ahead, there would be time to develop that companionship. Months and years were but a heartbeat in the life of a High Fae. She wouldn't even notice the years pass.

Or so everybody else kept saying.

With her tea finished, she perused the book of recipes she'd borrowed from Nuala. Some recipes jumped out, ingredients for which she'd been growing for a few months now. Pumpkin pie sounded especially delightful, the gourd having almost darkened and hardened to ripe quality just a couple days ago. They should be ready for harvest tomorrow.

A chill wind sent Elain inside to prepare and have her dinner in pleasant silence. Even her mind was quiet tonight. After washing her dishes, she stood by a bay window, fingers idly tapping the windowsill.

Faelights bobbed like tiny lamps, dotted through the garden. The full moon was now high in the sky, its ghostly glow illuminating the datura flowers she'd seeded half a year ago. She pulled on her blanket and went out again for a better look at those gorgeous blooms, the petals opening only at night.

Elain couldn't be happier she'd found seeds of a triple-flowered variety. They'd grown to produce large trumpets, three layers of petals ruffled against each other. Somehow she thought of her sisters as she crouched and stared at the flowers, each layer so similar, yet fighting for space and breath as it unfurled before another. It was only when they were all fully open that they could sigh along the night breeze as one, an ethereal song of togetherness, tinged with notes of poignancy, only heard by those with the will to look deeper.

The white petals were stained with velvet violet, a true vision in her garden. While the others had given her passing compliments on the flowers, Azriel had seemed stunned the first time he saw them, citing them his favourite of all the plants Elain had grown so far. Something about their shape and contrasting colours, he'd mentioned.

She smiled fondly at the memory, where his eyes sparkled as he reached for one of the soft petals.

Her hand lashed out to grab his wrist. 'Don't touch them; the leaves and stems are highly poisonous.'

His brows rose. 'You wouldn't think that at first sight. But they're beautiful, Elain. Truly magnificent,' he said, his smooth voice so low, a voice that was night given sound. And how befitting, as even those datura flowers seemed enraptured by his presence, one shy petal finally unfurling towards him.

She beamed at him. 'They like you. Flowers like it when you talk to and compliment them - but these ones haven't given me the same reaction as they have to you. I think they really like you, Azriel.'

His answering smile was heartbreakingly tender.

A few more seconds passed before she realised she still held his wrist. She silently let go.

It was a shame she'd have to dig out the datura shrub and move it inside for the winter; it did look magnificent in the moonlight.

The sky shifted past its midnight velvet, and still Elain crouched, admiring the flowers. She shivered in the night's chill. The stars above twinkled and glistened, cold and distant as ever, yet stunning - infinitely more striking than they'd ever been when she was human. A thousand different colours sparkled in that vast expanse, the moon a phosphorescent queen in the centre of her court.

The Night Court truly lived up to its name in the wee hours of the day. Its opulence never failed to mesmerise her; the enhanced Fae eyesight was at least one thing she was grateful for from this body.

Her eyelids became heavy and she yawned. Why was she still out here? It was late into the night; she should be in bed by now. But the night was so beautiful and it was so quiet and she wanted to appreciate it all just once. Just once without the expectations of others, without having to wear that miserable smile all the time.

Of course, it didn't look miserable, which is probably why almost nobody ever bothered to look deeper into Elain. She should be used to it by now, but it still felt - wrong. That most overlooked her so long as she wore a smile. That most didn't think her capable of feeling the utter bitterness and loneliness she had once seen so plain on her sisters' faces.

And in acknowledgement of her sisters' hardships, Elain didn't fault them for not looking, for not seeing her. To see past the thick blanket of darkness in one's own mind was a trial in itself. But it had been years since the war now. And still they didn't notice.

They didn't notice that Elain was being shredded from the inside out.

It was almost laughable. But not funny enough.

No, it was not funny that people still treated Elain like a child, that people wanted to keep Elain in some weird impasse of a stage between child and adult. She'd thought finally carrying out her duty and giving her hand in marriage would show everyone that she was growing up: Elain Archeron, middle born but first married. Of course it was still on her own terms, to a man whom she'd loved. A man who'd seen her through the rubble of her family's lives. But she'd overall hoped doing what was expected of her would be enough.

Clearly not. She didn't even know who she was any more. Did she ever? Everything she'd once yearned for, gone. That fragile human life would soon be just a speck on the horizon of her past.

She sighed. Rebuilding herself was going to take a long time.

But what would she have to do for people to see her, to listen to her? Throw a rage? Fall into a drunken stupor and break a few dozen bottles?

She definitely could, but those were not her. She was Elain Archeron. And so she would wait. Patience wasn't a bad thing at all; she saw it on the shadowsinger's face all the time, that tranquility and calmness she so wished to feel inside.

Azriel. Her heart softened as he entered her mind again, and she dug her fingers into the soil, if only to occupy her fidgety hands. As sure as the chaos of her visions these days, there was a mess of butterflies related to him she wasn't willing to show. Or understand.

Elain and the spymaster? Now that was laughable. Truly laughable. He was wise and patient, while she - well, everyone already thought her a child, and though he listened like no other around her, surely even he couldn't glimpse the adult she so desperately wanted everyone to see.

No, it was foolish to entertain the idea of a relationship with him. No matter how much he saw.

No matter that he was the first to see her since Graysen.

Elain exhaled. She stifled another yawn, smoothing out the soil, then brushed her hands clean. She wrapped the blanket closer around herself and stood. Twinkling stars and velvety darkness and -

There, a knot of shadows materialising at the far edge of the garden, collecting and swirling into a larger mass before Azriel himself stepped out and sagged against a tree. His shadows whirled and obscured him, a dark fire with him burning at the core.

Elain's voice left her throat before she even thought to call him and she ran over to his figure slumped in the dimness.

She couldn't help but say his name again as she neared. 'Azriel!'

Those beautiful hands fiddled with a Siphon, but he looked even worse up close. Fatigue dragged at his body, a second weight to all the muscle and armour he already had to carry. Sweat and dirt clung to him, his hair. At least the shadows were parting, swallowing each other and misting away as they often did around her. Perhaps she should ask someday why they did that. But not today, not when his breathing was so laboured.

She raised a hand - to do what, she had no idea. She couldn't just touch him right now. 'You don't look okay.'

Something else limned his features as he huffed a light laugh and said, 'I'm fine, don't worry.' His voice was raw, so starkly different to its usual icy smoothness. It was common for him to guard his emotions, but in his state, this kind of thinking was just unhealthy. What would it take for him to be honest with her?

'You don't have to pretend with me, Azriel,' she said, lowering her hand. She studied the ground, embarrassed that she'd come up to him. What could she even offer in her pathetic childlike state when he was so clearly affected by his mission right now?

His hand rose. Her heart faltered, she had to do something, and she blurted, 'Can I wash your hair, please?'

His eyes widened, his entire composure crumbling. It wasn't often that the shadowsinger looked startled, but Elain was far too shy to show that she quite liked the effect her question had on him.

'You want to wash my hair?'

His face was so exquisite, it hurt to look at it. His eyes would be even worse; it wouldn't be the first time she was rendered speechless by their kind gaze. A myriad of colours swirled in their glistening depths - gorgeous greens and brilliant browns, all so natural and rich, if only she could look at them long enough to find their matches in the garden around her. Though, his eyes were an entire spectrum of colour in their own right. How would she ever pick out each and every shade?

And if she somehow did have the courage to meet his eyes now, what would she see of herself in their reflection?

A lovesick puppy? A doe-eyed, fearful fawn?

No, she didn't want to know.

So she swallowed and focused on his hair. Perhaps this Fae eyesight was a curse, for even his hair was shockingly fascinating. Only flat black from a distance, the faelights bobbing about the trees highlighted layer upon layer of silky raven locks up close. His hair was so dark it seemed to absorb the surrounding light. Mud stained one side of his head, and it was an effort to keep her hands from brushing it away, so she said, 'I'm positive that's mud and you shouldn't sleep with that in your hair. It'll only take a few minutes.'

He ran a hand through his hair, clumps of dirt falling out.

'You've managed to get some on your face, too.' There were light specks of mud and blood across his face, a more noticeable patch along his cheekbone, thrown into sharper relief by the faelights and his own weariness. Was that a cut beneath the patch? And another on his temple?

She leashed her arms.

What had happened? He wore the signs of a fight, but why would he come here when he knew Elain was the only one home?

His eyes bored into her face, but she refused to meet them. He seemed to lean forward then, stumbling.

Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous that he wouldn't even acknowledge he was in need. Azriel rarely stumbled. Any fatigue Elain had felt just a while ago was now burrowing down a little longer. Her voice was firm when she spoke. 'I'm washing your hair. It'll help relax you into falling asleep.'

His brows rose, but if Elain stood there one more moment she wouldn't have the courage to do anything for him. For herself - she could take care of someone else. She could do for Azriel what she hadn't done for Feyre all those years as a human.

And for Azriel, she could tend to the male who'd provided her with comfort and safety in this world of distress and danger.

So she pulled him along, clenching her jaw and refusing to look back. Her heart hammered in her chest but she continued, hand wrapped round his armoured arm. Her hand slid down to his wrist but just as she was about to replace her grip, he grabbed her other hand and pulled her into him.

The shadows instantly began to ensconce them, dozens of those cool tendrils twining like vines. The estate loomed huge before them, and Elain gripped Azriel's hand tighter. 

'My bathroom,' she said. Beneath the low whisper of those shadows, her blood thrummed, her heart so painfully obvious against her ribs now. It would be a wonder if the spymaster wasn't aware of it. Though she did hear another flutter above, right by her ear. But as expected, the shadows made quick work of their journey and she didn't have the chance to dwell on it further.

Now out of the comfort of Azriel's hold, Elain set down her blanket and made to grab a chair from her bedroom. His dark presence was so overwhelming that she exhaled lightly as she entered the room and took the chair. She dragged it to the sink, avoiding his gaze, and pulled a towel, soap and a large jug from the cupboard by the door.

As she settled the soap and jug on the sink, she dared a glance at him. He was still clad in full armour, those black scales gleaming like obsidian over his skin, his Siphons glistening jewels across his body. 'I think you'll have to collapse your armour for this,' she said.

He inclined his head and tapped a Siphon, those scales lashing back into each other with cruel elegance. They were a mirror of their master: cold, controlled and unyielding, forged from scintillating darkness. He was a night sky riddled with stars; light existed if only one bothered to look for it.

Azriel's great wings righted themselves as he stood straight, now looking smaller in just his black tunic and trousers. Something about him seemed vulnerable without the armour, so Elain breathed, 'It's beautiful, all of it.' The hulking armour, the classic simplicity of the tunic and trousers, and the male who wore them all.

He was just so wonderful, Azriel. An enigma that could see her own. Her heart clenched.

Azriel rustled his wings, colour blossoming on his cheeks.

Elain blinked and pulled the chair out a little. 'Please sit.' As he sunk down, she rested the towel on his shoulders, hovering her fingers above his forehead. Her body tensed and her fingers remained suspended. It was like a spark of tension flickered in the space between their skin, teasing her, tempting her, taunting her.

After all, she'd offered to wash his hair, an act that would certainly require touching. But why was she so hesitant? She'd touched him before - kissed his cheek, even. Although that had been in the heat of adrenaline, a mark of her gratitude where a simple thank you wouldn't suffice, not for risking his own life for hers.

This was - what was this?

She finally lowered her fingers through that tense spark, pushing his head back against the sink. It was exhilarating, this contact, but he lowered his wings, shifting on the seat. Elain moved into the space he gave, turning on the tap as he went still. Just as her body was taut, taut as the skin of a drum.

She checked the water. Warm. It was time to start.

Azriel was looking up at her. Something like yearning swirled in his eyes.

He looked so tired. It made her heart ache.

'You can close your eyes,' Elain whispered. And he did.

___

Feedback's welcomed; thanks for reading 😊

If anyone wants to know what the datura flowers look like, CTTO:

@illyrian-lover-flower @julesherondalex @nooriee @mis-lil-red @verifiefangirl @tswaney17

[heartless-symphony]

Ace Cream - Ace!Spencer x Ace!Fem!Reader

Hi ! I had this idea stuck in my head for a moment. I’m not ace, nor aro, so this might not be perfect but i really think Spencer would be really intersting (even more than he is, i mean) if he was ace. It would be nice to have a representation!! 

Thanks to my two proof readers !!

MASTERLIST

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Ace Cream

Ship : Ace!Spencer Reid x Ace!Fem!Reader

Type : Some fluffy fluff

Warning : maybe some curse words, talk about sex and maybe murder ??

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Your eyes were wandering between the doors and the buttons of the elevator, your fingers tapping the side of your thighs in a fast rhythm. Your other hand anxiously played with the strap of your bag, lifting it closer to you. You took a shaky breath, trying to focus on something else. You remembered clearly how you had gotten here. Since you were young, you had been interested in police work and criminals, which kind of scared your family. As soon as you could, you joined the police unit of your city, using your free time to learn more and more, always more. You were never tired of learning. After spending days and nights working as a low-rank cop, you were finally promoted to detective, and you worked even harder, hoping to get captain one day. However, after a pretty hard murder case, you had received a letter. You were invited to pass the tests and training at the FBI after your “astounding” work. You had almost jumped in happiness. Since you had spent most of your life traveling, following your father in different countries, you had learned a lot of languages, a lot of different cultures, and it was one of the assets helping you to join the FBI. You were soon recommended to join the BAU, which you happily did. You had always admired the team and their work, using the little knowledge they shared about profiling for your own work. You had been waiting a long time to finally get where you were, and the day had finally arrived.

You tried to ignore your anxiety, closing your eyes to breathe. Your heart almost stopped as the doors opened, and you slowly walked out, looking around. Here you were, standing in front of the doors leading to the BAU bullpen. Through the glass door, you could see a whole lot of people working, and you bit your lip, trying to contain your excitation. Near the door were standing two men, and you shyly took a step forward. Agent Hotchner, in a simple black suit, was holding a file, reading through it, as a young man stood beside him, talking to him about what you guessed was a case. You recognized Agent Hotchner from the TV, but he was also the one you had talked to as soon as you got invited to the BAU. As for the other man, you could only remember him from all the interviews and press conferences they gave. The young man with curly hair and bright hazel eyes was no one else than the famous Dr Spencer Reid, who couldn’t be much older than you. You knew you were one of the youngest FBI agents, and you knew he was one of them too.

As you took another step forward, both agents glanced at you, stopping mid-conversation. Agent Hotchner sent you a little smile, before closing the case file.

“Agent Y/L/N, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. I’ll introduce you to the other. This is your first case, agent. Be prepared.”

You shyly waved at Spencer, before nodding. Hotch immediately started walking to the conference room, and the young boy gently gestured at you to follow him, letting you go first. You blushed a bit and thanked him with a nod, rushing behind Hotch, Spencer right on your tail. You walked in the room, all eyes falling on you, and you sent a shy waves toward everyone. You already knew them, obviously, but they didn’t know you. You hesitantly sat down next to Spencer, who seemed to have pulled the chair out just for you, but looked away very quickly.

“Team, meet Agent Y/N Y/L/N. She will be the new asset to the team from now on. You’ll have all the time to learn about her on the jet. Garcia, the case.”

Very quickly, the team accepted you as one of theirs. Emily, JJ and Penelope never forgot to invite you at one of their girl’s nights, you shared recipes with Rossi – he loved talking Italian with you –, Hotch treated you like a daughter and you always had fun with Morgan. The only one who seemed to avoid you was Spencer. When you did talk, you always had fun, sharing facts, teaching each other stuff. However, he often stopped talking and suddenly looked away, almost ignoring you for the rest of the day. You didn’t understand the way he acted with you.

Since the day he first saw you, Spencer knew he was doomed. He immediately liked you, your knowledge, the fact that you always carried a notebook full of quote and colorful pencils, the smiles you gave him, the attention you ported to the victims and their family, the way you knew all the Disney songs by heart and the fact that you were almost as badass as Emily. Everything about you made him smile. He even wanted to hug you, which usually didn’t happen after such a short time. Everything you did, everything you said, made him feel like a complete idiot, but in an awfully good way. It was pissing him off. Since he was a kid, he had refused to let himself fall for anyone. He had let his guard fall down for Maeve, and he ended up getting hurt. He didn’t want to make the same mistake once again. He knew how hard it was for people to deal with him on a daily basis, and he also knew that his asexuality wouldn’t help. Nobody knew, of course, because they wouldn’t understand, but sometimes, he just wished he wasn’t so different. When he saw you smile, he wanted to pull you close. When he saw you cry, he wanted to wipe away the tears and kiss your forehead. But he couldn’t. He obviously liked you, he clearly had feelings for you, he knew that. But he couldn’t act on it. Even if you liked him back, which seemed almost impossible to him, he knew that you would run away as soon as you knew about his secret. He knew it was hard for people to not have sex when they were in a relationship, and it was something he just couldn’t offer you. So he shielded himself, or at least tried. Every time you talked for too long, every time you smiled, every time your connection seemed to grow closer, his heartbeat would remind him of his feelings, and he knew he had to run away. It’s almost as if he wanted you to hate him. It would be less painful.

You had joined the team almost a year ago now, and it had become like a second family to you. You loved spending time with them, and they seemed to love spending time with you too. You were sitting at your desk, JJ sitting on it, a cup of coffee in hand. You were supposed to be doing paperwork, but the both of you had decided to take a little break. You glanced at Spencer, who was sitting on the other side of the alleyway. He seemed to be reading – no, devouring – a book, and you smiled softly. JJ glanced at the both of you, before letting an exaggerated sigh.

“So, Y/N. How’s that guy you told me about ?”

You looked down, blushing a bit. You didn’t see Spencer’s eyes shooting up, immediately falling on you, but JJ definitely did and she smiled. You let out a soft whine and leaned against your chair.

“Horrible ! He spent the whole date trying to feel me up. No matter what I said, he just wouldn’t stop. It’s like he didn’t know what being ace means. I was pretty clear about not wanting to have sex, though ! I’m giving up, I swear. I’m gonna die alone.”

Jennifer let out a soft laugh, throwing her head back, and you quickly joined her. At some point, you glanced at Spencer –you just wanted to see if you had bothered him, it was definitely not to secretly look at him. You immediately stopped laughing, blushing furiously. Spencer had put down the book, very obviously looking at you. JJ let out a soft laugh as she watched you both, before leaving. You didn’t even look at her. It had been a while since you had let yourself fall in his eyes, and you just realized how beautiful he was. You knew he was beautiful – how could you ignore it ? – but now, something seemed to have changed. He got up, slowly walking toward you. You ran a hand through your hair and cleared your throat, reaching for a case file.

“Hey.” His voice was so soft, so calm. You looked up at him and waved shyly. “Hi.” He smiled softly.

“I, uhm. I couldn’t help but hear you complaining about a guy to JJ.”

You blushed even more and it felt like you could die of shame. You weren’t hiding the fact that you were asexual, but something about him knowing made you feel incredibly anxious. You looked down and nodded slowly, trying to shrug it off. “It was nothing. Guy was a jerk anyway.”

He smiled and gently lifted your chin up. Your eyes met again and you shyly bit your lip. “I didn’t know you were ace.”  You tilted your head and his hand left your face, almost making you whine at the loss. He had never touched you before, but it felt like home. You shrugged. “It’s not like I’m hiding it.” You hoped your voice didn’t quiver, or that it didn’t make him uncomfortable. It didn’t seem like it. He smiled widely and held out his hand, which you shyly took. He gently helped you up, and your faces were suddenly so close that you could see every little detail on his face. He smiled shyly and you did too, trying to calm your burning cheeks, in vain. You knew that you were most likely red as a tomato, but you didn’t care. He was close, so close. You almost took a step back, but his hand on yours pulled you even closer, and, almost too slowly, your lips connected. It only lasted a second or two, but it was enough to make your heart rate go up. He sent you a sad, sorry smile, almost letting go of your hand.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I miscalculated the way you’d stand up and I didn’t know you’d be so close and- oh.” You shut him up, hesitantly connecting your lips again. After a second of shy, hesitant kissing, you both pulled away. “I thought you hated me.”

His eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. “What ? of course not ! Why would you say that ?” You shrugged and looked down, and he gently lifted your chin up again. “I could never hate you. I just thought that I had to stay away so my feelings would go away.”

You frowned and bit your lip, making him stare at them. “Why would you want to do that ?” He shrugged and mindlessly stroked your cheek. “Everyone I ever had feelings for either died or left me because of my asexuality. I didn’t want that to happen with you. But now that I know..”

You smiled widely. You couldn’t believe it. All this time, all you had to do was to tell him about your sexuality. You let out a soft laugh and he blushed, obviously embarrassed, so you gently pecked his lips. “I hope you won’t take this much time to take me out on a date.”

He smiled and shook his head and pulled you a bit closer, and you wrapped your arms around his neck. He gently stroked your back. “Of course I won’t. How about tonight ?” You nodded happily and leaned forward to kiss him again, smiling widely.

You heard a whistle and you suddenly remembered where you were, pulling away to see the whole team staring at you. You whined in shame, hiding your face against Spencer’s chest, making him smile.

Hotch smiled sadly. “As happy as I am to finally see you two together, the date will have to wait. We have a case.” Spencer let out a loud growl, obviously unhappy about it, and you all chuckled. You didn’t care that you had a case and would have to miss your date. You were just glad today happened.

[skycollides]

Hi my lovely!❤️ how are you? Hope your day has been amazing! An idea for ez came into my head but you can ignore it if you don’t like it! I was thinking maybe where they’re in a book store and both grab the same book. But it’s the last one and they don’t know who should get it. And maybe ez suggests if she lets him have the book he’ll take her out on a date and read the book to her on the date. Idk thought this could be cute for ez🥺 anyway sending good vibes your way!✨😊💖

Thanks for the request sweetie. I hope you like it! 💞😘

First Date

Ez x Reader

Authors note: I apologize in advance for grammar mistakes

English isn’t my native language.

Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist.

Warning: none

Words: 1.147

It’s Monday and the first day of your 2 week vacation. Since you didn’t plan to leave Santo Padre you need to keep yourself busy. The best way to do that is by reading books. So you go to the new book store that recently opened. After walking through every aisle you decide to look for the that your colleague recommended you the week before. You’re happy you finally found it. You reach out to grab the book when another hand grabs the book at the same time you do. You move away fast and look to your left. 

’’I’m sorry’’ you and the handsome in front of you say at the same time.

’’I’m Ezekiel but people call me Ez.’’ he introduces himself and holds out his hand.

’’I’m Y/n. Nice to meet you.’’ you say and shake his hand.

’’Looks like we both have a great taste in books. It’s a shame that there is only one copy left of it.’’ you tell him giving him your sweetest smile hoping he’ll let you have the book.

’’Yes that’s true. Sadly one of us has to go home without it.’’ he raises his eyebrow while looking into your eyes.

’’Yes’’ you respond looking at your feet drawing a pattern with it.

’’I’ve go a proposal for you. You let me have the book and let me take you out on a date and I’ll bring it with me then. What do you think?’’ he nervously says while rubbing his neck with his hand. You decide to let him suffer a bit.

’’What makes you think I’d go out with a complete stranger? You could be a serial killer after all. I see the article in the newspaper already: Young woman dies because she gave up on her book.’’

you say smirking at him.

’’Well you’re right I could be a serial killer but I also could be your future husband. You’ll never find out if you turn me down. So what will your answer be?’’

’’Well give me your phone’’ he does as you told him and hands you his phone. You type in your number and save it.

’’There you go handsome. Text me the details.’’ you pat his chest and make your way to the cash register to pay for the 2 other books you’ve chosen before.  

You leave the bookstore with a bright smile on your face not believing you’ve just got yourself a date with this handsome man.

Later that day you receive a message

Unknown:

Hey Y/n it’s Ez,

I hope you’re free tomorrow night

because I’ve got something special

planned for you.

I can’t wait to see your beautiful

face again.

Let me know if you’re free and

I’ll text you the details

Ez xx

You:

Hey Ez,

Yes I’m free tomorrow.

Please don’t leave me hanging

I don’t expect you tp tell me what

you have planned for us but at

least tell me what to wear.

I would hate to be under - or

over dressed.

Y/n xx

Ez:

That’s good to hear.

Dress casual. Jeans will do 

it. Nothing fancy.

You know the Romero Brothers

Scrap Yard? That’s where we’ll

meet. 6 pm darling.

Ez xx

You:

Okay say no more I know 

what to wear Ez.

Yes I actually do know that 

place. You’re a Mayan

aren’t you?! Don’t worry

it’s not going to change

my mind about our date.

I’ll be there see you 

tomorrow!

Y/n xx

Next day 

You arrive at the destination at 5:58pm nervous as hell. You take one last look into your review mirror to check your make up before you get out of your car and lock it.

Once you reach the entrance you see Ez coming your way.

’’Hey there!’’ he say and gives you a hug.

’’Hey Ez’’ you say and he pulls away.

’’You look beautiful’’

’’You don’t look bad either’’ you laugh.

’’C’mon Y/n let’s go’’ he says and leads you towards a building and opens the door for you.

’’After you my lady.’’

’’Thank you my lord’’ you say and bow your head while you both laugh.

’’Welcome to the clubhouse.’’

’’Thank you! Is it normal that it’s that empty here?’’ you ask him.

’’No it’s not but I asked them to stay away for tonight so you and me can get to know each other without interruption.’’ Ez explains.

’’So Ezekiel what’s the plan?’’

’’Well I cooked for us the rest is still a surprise. C’mon have a seat.’’ he pulls the chair back for you to sit down.

Ez leaves you sitting there going to prepare 2 plates for the both of you. Shortly after he returns and places the plate in front of you before sitting down with his.

’’It smells amazing Ez thank you for cooking for me.’’ you say smiling at him.

He returns your smile and says.

’’Thanks it is my moms recipe. I hope you like it.’’

The both of you eat and get to know each other more. You talk about your families, books, music, the club and your job. While you use the bathroom Ez uses the time to prepare the surprise in Templo.

Once you return he holds his hand out for you. You grab it and he leads you to a room. He opens the door and the sight takes your breath away.

There are fairy lights and candles everywhere and loads pillows on the floor.

’’Ez I.’’ you start and he interrupts you.

’’It’s too much isn’t it?’’

’’No it’s not. This is so sweet. I don’t know what to say but thank you! No man has ever done something like this for me. Thank you Ez.’’ you say and hug him from the side kissing his cheek.

’’I’m glad you like it. Sit down.’’ you do as you’re told and he follows your actions. You lay down and cuddle into the pillows. Ez grabs a blanket and thank him. He leans against the wall and grabs something from under the pillow. You recognize it’s the book from the book store.

’’Wait a minute you’re already dine reading? How fast are you?’’ you ask him astonished.

’’I didn’t and you won’t either.’’ you raise your eyebrow and sit up waiting for him to continue to speak.

’’because I’ll read it to you now darling. Lay down, get comfortable and listen to my voice.’’

You close your eyes and relax while listening to Ez’s voice. You could lay here all night listening to him. You never had a more perfect date and hope it won’t be the last. That’s the last thing on your mind before you fall asleep.

Ez notices that you’re asleep when he hears you soft snores. He smiles and closes the book before turning the lights off and lays down too falling asleep shortly after.

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