#like actually good gluten free options which was the whole point of going

[calebshope]

The Ultimate Quick Guide to Deciding On Healthy And Balanced Granola

Granola is a cherished breakfast and treat choice for a lot of, using a crispy, enjoyable mix of cereals, almonds, seeds, as well as sugar. Having said that, not all granolas are actually made identical, and also some could be packed along with glucose and also unhealthful body fats. If you are actually seeking to bring in a much healthier option, listed here's your best overview to picking the most effective granola for your diet.

Review the Substances List:

The initial step in opting for high-fiber breakfast choices is actually to read the elements listing. Search for entire surfaces like oatmeals, almonds, seeds, as well as dried fruit products. Steer clear of granolas along with polished surfaces or sugarcoated noted as being one of the first components.

Keep an eye out for Added Sugars:

Lots of commercially offered granolas are actually loaded along with sugarcoated, which may support weight increase and also various other health issues. Seek granolas along with low sugarcoated, or even better, go with unsweetened ranges and also include your very own sweetness along with fresh fruit or a drizzle of honey.

Check the Body Fat Content:

While excess fats are a crucial part of a healthy and balanced diet regimen, it is very important to opt for granolas which contain well-balanced fats from sources like almonds, seeds, and coconut instead of unhealthy fats like hydrogenated oils. Search for granolas with intermediate fatty tissue content and low saturated and trans excess fats.

Take Into Consideration the Healthy Protein Content:

Protein is very important for maintaining you feeling full as well as contented, therefore opt for granolas which contain a really good quantity of healthy protein from sources like almonds, seeds, and grains. Go for a minimum of 5 grams of healthy protein every offering.

Mind the Serving Size:

Granola may be calorie-dense, so take notice of the advised serving dimension on the health and nutrition tag. It's easy to overeat granola, which may cause taking in excess calories as well as glucose.

Try To Find Entire Surfaces:

Whole surfaces supply vital nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Opt for granolas that are helped make with entire grain cereals or even various other whole grains like quinoa or barley.

Prevent Artificial Components

Prevent granolas which contain artificial colors, flavors, or even chemicals. Choose brands that utilize organic ingredients and also low processing.

Follow Your Dietary Requirements

Whether you have diet limitations or food items allergies, make certain to examine the components checklist properly. Seek gluten-free granolas if you're vulnerable to gluten, and also prevent granolas that consist of ingredients you're sensitive to.

Select Range

Mix points up through making an effort different kinds of granola along with special taste mixes and also ingredients. Try to find granolas which contain a mix of nuts, seeds, and dried results for included variety as well as nutritional benefits.

Create Your Own

For the greatest control over elements as well as health and nutrition, consider creating your personal granola at home. This way, you can easily personalize it to suit your taste desires and also dietary necessities.

Finally, picking a well-balanced granola involves taking note of the ingredients list, keeping an eye out for added glucoses as well as harmful fats, as well as taking into consideration factors like healthy protein content, serving measurements, as well as dietary stipulations. Through following these tips, you can appreciate great tasting and also healthy granola as part of your balanced diet regimen.

[eyeofnewtblog]

Things that happen at home:

So, youngest sibling and I have “sister dates” that started before they came out and we’ve just never called the “dates” anything else. But basically it’s just the two of us alone together and we do whatever youngest sibling wants about once a month. Lunch but we play on our phones half the time? Fine. Watch the entire How to Train Your Dragon franchise in a weekend? Been there, done that. They binge watched all of vampire diaries and the originals and wanted to start in on Legacies, about…six months ago? but that’s the only real hard no I’ve ever given. Our relationship is mostly built on the fact that I want to be in the same room as people but not actually interacting (I’m lonely but socializing is exhausting) and as long as youngest is being left entirely to their own devices, they don’t actually care.

Now. I work in construction, and before that I worked in the motorcycle industry, so like. I’ve spent the last 12 or so years working predominantly with men. (The few women that I have worked with are honestly pretty awesome, but this isn’t about them.)

The point is that when dudes get comfortable because they think you’re a “bro” or the forget your not actually one of “the guys” or they see micro aggressions and their dad mode kicks in…it’s actually pretty helpful.

So, me and Youngest are kind of wandering in the downtown are of our city (there were a few sport bars between the restaurant we ate at and where I was able to find free parking) and a random dude grabbed youngest siblings hand and was just sort of holding it…like clearly turned about, stuck his hand out to introduce himself, and youngest is being polite and shakes the hand. And then Dude did not let go.

Now. I personally know, because I’ve had it explained to me by a biker with three daughters, that the trick is to (as the male) take your free hand and trap the woman’s hand between the palms and start giving vague compliments or continue whatever conversation was going. Because the idea is that a woman will feel impolite or as if she’s not being accommodating if they take their hand back where a man normally would.

The bikers point was that he saw me being uncomfortable because someone wouldn’t let go of my hand after a hand shake and made a point to tell me about this specific “trick” and ever since then I’ve made it a point to rip my hand away quickly and violently if necessary (some men believe in a firm hand shake that actually hurts, but some do try the actual trick and I make a show of ripping my hand away, tuck my hand behind my back, and then smile and carry on the conversation as if nothing happened…no actual data if better treatment actually happens…)

Anyway! Youngest and I are meandering back to the car but we’re both kind of on our phones and a guy who is clearly part of the spill out crowd from a sports bar has…captured my sibling, who was having a “female” day.

And I get about ten feet before I realize that Youngest isn’t beside me anymore, look up from my phone, turn, and realize that not only is the most socially awkward person I’ve ever met in my life stuck in the Polite Handshake Trap, but it’s literally right outside a bar where a bunch of spots dudes are clearly wanting to get i.

My best description of the feeling that came over me was along the lines of “Absolutely The Fuck Not” and like…my fingers were tingly, my gut clenched up, and everything just sort of…narrowed into just the clasped hands…that was the physical sensation.

What I actually did was storm over, slap the top hand of the hand shake (which was his) grab my sibling, scream “she’s FIFTEEN” in his face (I remember this part) and then proceeded to angry drag my sibling for tow blocks and an ally shot cut. (That part I don’t remember…in my mind we got to the car immediately)

Anyway. The handshake trick has been adequately explained to youngest. Solutions have been discussed. Also I’m not allowed to yank on or pull my sibling that hard/fast ever again unless it’s an actual “shit is on fire” emergency ever again. So.

[miekasa]

iced tea

+ pairing: levi ackerman x reader

+ genres and warnings: college au, levi is the best not yet boyfriend au, erwin would definitely be an insufferable project partner to have but you gotta love him au

+ summary: there are three rules of night class. come on time, come prepared, and come with snacks. you forget about rule number three. luckily, levi’s there to save the day.

There’s only one appeal to signing up for a three-hour night class, and it’s that you only ever have to muster up the will to attend once a week. It’s a sacrifice, but it definitely cuts down on the temptation of skipping like you would a normal, one-hour section course. Just one and done.

Plus, you have Erwin with you in this class. Is he a little bit of a professor’s pet and consistently overly chipper every class despite knowing he’s about to endure 180 minutes of lecture? Sure, but at least you don’t have to suffer alone.

Really, it’s not as bad as it sounds, especially if the course is interesting enough, or easy enough, and luckily for you, yours is both. Not to mention, your professor is brilliant, actually entertaining, and does her best to keep the class engaging—she’s funny in the dorky, lovable professor kind of way. And she gives you short, ten to fifteen minute breaks at every hour mark just to make sure everyone doesn’t completely lose their minds.

It’s a commitment, but you’ve grown to actually enjoy it. As long as you follow the three rules of night class: come on time, come with your notes prepared so that you don’t get upstaged by Erwin, and come with—

“Fuck,” you curse, watching as Erwin pulls out one of his many, tiny, organic, boxed juices. The ones meant for children with soy sensitivities that Erwin claims are packed with more nutrients.

“What’s up?” He questions, more shocked than concerned, at your sudden profanity as he sets his juice box in the right corner of his desk.

You pout. “I forgot to bring snacks.”

Come on time, come with your notes prepared so that you don’t get upstaged by Erwin, and come with snacks. Those were the only three rules of night class, and you’d completely forgotten about the most important one.

“Oh,” Erwin grins, pulling a chocolate bar from his lunch bag and taunting you with it, “Sounds like a you problem.”

You snatch a piece from the top corner, stuffing part of it into your mouth to spite him; but you regret your choices as soon as it melts on your tongue.

“What the fuck—is this mint chocolate?” you complain, swallowing the rest of the sweet with disdain.

“Yes it is,” Erwin huffs, grabbing the remaining stolen bit from between your fingers and popping it into his mouth, “And it is delicious.”

“You’re an actual menace to society.”

Erwin crinkles his nose at you, “A menace to society with snacks for the next three hours.”

His comment makes you groan, albeit a little dramatically, and you slump back in your chair to debate your options. Class doesn’t start for another twelve minutes; you could try and run to the student center quickly to buy some last minute snacks, but the line was probably already lengthy with students of similar trains of thought, meaning you’d be late if you stuck it out, which would leave you violating rules one and three tonight. Erwin makes you sit in the front row with him, and you were not willing to take the late walk of shame with an armful of snacks in tow.

You could wait it out until the first hour break, but they’ll probably be sold out of anything good by then, not to mention the race to beat out the line again. If you played your cards right, you could order food during class and time it so that it was delivered during your break, but that was risky.

Alternatively, you could try and sprint to the concessions stand near the library, but going there and back was so much further away than the student center; you’d probably end up late, too.

“Hey,” you call to Erwin, refraining from rolling your eyes as he sets all six thousand and twenty eight of his colored pens on his desk for the evening, “Is Hange still on campus?”

“No, they have work today.”

You groan. Why did Hange have to be so responsible and good with their time-management skills. They was your last hope. Unless—

“Do you think Levi will bring me Starbucks?”

“Probably,” Erwin shrugs, humming to himself; but then he thinks it over, replying again with a knowing smirk on his face, “Actually, definitely. If he’s still here, but he probably is. You know him.”

You pout, the possibility of Levi being home is high, but so is that of him being cooped up in his favorite library. Either way, he would likely be studying right now, and you’d hate to disturb him, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

[sent 6:47pm] you — leeevaaaaaaaaai are you still on campus

[received 6:47pm] leeevaaai — yes — why, what’s wrong

[sent 6:47pm] you — uwu — wanna bring me something from starbucks before class — i have my 3 hour lecture today and i forgot snacks :—( — and erwin won’t share his organic $1500 whole foods gummy bears with me

[received 6:48pm] leeevaaai — i told you i don’t like the smileys with the noses, they’re ugly — should you even be drinking coffee this late, you’ll be up until the ass crack of dawn

You scoff audibly, and Erwin takes this as an invitation to peep at your screen. Your comment about his snacks does not go unnoticed, as bitterly munches on his (yes, in fact, organic and gluten-free, as if it being mint flavored wasn’t criminal enough) chocolate bar.

[sent 6:48pm] you — that’s RICH coming from you mister

[received 6:48pm] leeevaaai — you’re being awfully rude to someone you expect to buy you a $7 drink

[sent 6:48pm] you — hehe sorry i loooove you leeevaaai — venti iced chai latte — light ice

[received 6:49pm] leeevaaai — do you think i don’t know your overpriced starbucks order by now

[sent 6:49pm] you — uwu :—)

[received 6:49pm] leeevaaai — but you’re getting a grande, i’m not made of money — and it’s punishment for sending another ugly nose smiley

[sent 6:49pm] you — un-uwu

“I don’t blame him,” Erwin chuckles, scrunching the wrapper from his now finished bar between his fingers.

You flick him away, ignoring the turning heads of your classmates as Erwin’s pens fall in the aftermath. It’s seven o’clock on the dot when your laptop pings loudly with an incoming message from Levi—and a subsequent groan from Erwin, who breeches your personal space once more to press the mute button on your keyboard.

[received 7:00pm] leeevaaai — where are you sitting

[sent 7:00pm] you — front row to the right — erwin’s idea not mine

Levi spots Erwin’s bright blonde hair before he sees you, scoffing to himself as he makes his way to the front of the room; a tray with three Starbucks cups, and a plastic bag in tow. Erwin sees him first, too, waving at him as he crosses from the left side to where the two of you are seated.

“Aw, Levi, you brought me one!” Erwin all but squeaks, reaching for one of the other drinks with grabby hands after you take your iced drink from the tray.

But Levi pulls one hot drink from the tray for himself, and pulls the remaining one out of arm’s reach. “As if,” he grumbles, bringing his own cup to his lips. 

“You’re the best, Levi,” you smile, sticking your tongue out at Erwin. Levi only offers you a small nod as acknowledgement. He extends his left hand now, the plastic bag sliding off his wrist and onto your desk, silently.

Confused, you lean forward, setting your drink down to open the contents of the bag. Inside, there are two granola bars, a bagel, cream cheese, some kind of sandwich, and a small Nutella to-go cup with mini breadsticks attached. When you look back up at Levi, he simply shrugs, sipping on his drink again while a light pink dusts over the tips of his ears. 

“You said you forgot your snacks,” he explains, “I knew you’d text me the whole time, bitching about how Erwin wouldn’t share his zero-calorie lemon rinds if you didn’t have your own.”

You take note that the chai he brought you was, in fact, a venti, and not a grande like he’d threatened, and that the granola bars in the bag are not only your favorite flavor, but from your favorite brand, too; and you find yourself smiling as you decipher the very clear message underneath Levi’s less than poetic words.

“What’s in the other cup?” Erwin asks, pointing at the remaining drink. Levi carefully lifts it from the tray, and sets it down on the other corner of your desk, a safe distance away from your laptop.

“Tea,” he says shortly, “So you don’t lose your mind after inhaling your coffee.”

“This is tea, too. Chai is tea, Levi.”

“Tea without milk or six kilograms of sugar,” Levi corrects you, “Or ice.”

“Iced tea is tea, you know.”

Levi doesn’t respond to that with anything but a glare. You smile at his stoicism. Erwin thinks the whole exchange is kind of weird, and wonders where you possibly get the gall to make fun of his taste in snacks when you can’t even realize you’re in love with a man who refuses to identify iced tea as a valid form of tea. 

“I better go before she starts,” Levi speaks, a single hand referencing to your professor behind him, who looks just about ready to begin class for the evening, “Call me when you’re done, I’ll drive you two home.”

“Oh, you don’t have to, Erwin and I usually take the b—”

“Brat,” Levi cuts your words short, “Call me when you’re finished. I’ll be in the library.”

You throw daggers at him with your eyes, but your resolve is waning, once again, as you closely read at the implications of Levi’s promise. You accept, and Erwin is more than happy for the free ride.

Levi hums. “And eat the bagel before the Nutella.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I’m a saint,” Levi deadpans, placing the palm of his hand on the top of your head affectionately, “Call me.”

He walks away before you can debate again, just as your professor speaks into the microphone to grab everyone’s attention. You scrunch your nose, hands flying to your hair to smooth out the aftermath of Levi’s playfulness, before opening your notes for the evening.

“You’re really dense aren’t you?” Erwin asks, one eyebrow raised, but the overall look on his face is more than fond, “It’s kind of cute.”

“Huh?” you question, cheeks stuffed with food as you bite into your bagel, “Dense about what?”

Erwin shakes his head, turning back to laptop with an exasperated expression, the fondness in his eyes fading quickly. “Hopeless,” he mumbles, “The both of you.”

[heyitssmiller]

Chop It Like It’s Hot

Chapter 8: Penne for Your Thoughts

Food and shenanigans. Need I say more?

Tag List: @peanut-in-the-goal @whataboutmyfries @raxelle-nite-in-gale @heyoitslysso @spookydiyharrypotterbat

Chop It Like It’s Hot Masterlist

@lumosinlove

.

“When you said you were cooking for an entire hockey team, I thought you’d stick to the basics. Maybe a salad appetizer and something easy to make that feeds a lot of people.” Dorcas looked around at Leo’s countertops, which were covered in flour, measuring cups, and homemade pasta. “This seems a little overboard.”

Leo rolled out more pasta dough and mentally took note of the different kinds he’d made so far. Linguine, fettuccine, penne, pappardelle, farfalle…

“Leo.”

“I just want it to be good, ok?” He finally looked up from his dough and rolling pin and stopped cooking for the first time in several hours. “Besides, this is a good outlet for me. If I focus on cooking, I don’t have to focus on-” He cut himself off, then added lamely, “Anything else.”

Dorcas sighed. “That’s not how you face your problems and you know it. Talk to me.”

Leo didn’t even fight back about talking about his problems. That was Dorcas’ first clue about how bad this was.

“I can’t do it.” He rubbed at his forehead in frustration. “I can’t be ok with being just friends. I can’t be ok with taking a step back and distancing myself. I can’t be ok with trying to get over them. And I don’t know where that leaves me.”

“I only see one other option here. Talking to them.”

“They’re already perfectly happy together-”

“And who says they won’t be with you?” Dorcas demanded. “You’re only imagining two possible outcomes – talking to them and being rejected, or not talking to them and keeping this a secret. But they could also be in the same position you’re in right now. The only way you’re going to know is if you talk to them.”

“I don’t think I can do that, either. Even if they feel the same, that doesn’t change the fact that they are in love with each other. I can’t get between that.” He laughed dully, and the sound tore at her heart. “My mama would kill me if I became a home-wrecker.”

“Who said love is only between two people? Leo, I know you know this. So why is it so hard to grasp now?”

She could see the second he began to shut down and sighed. “I’m going to hug you now, okay?”

“Okay.”

Dorcas wrapped her arms around him and glared at the wall. She was ninety percent sure Logan and Finn both felt the same way and clearly none of them were going to bring it up.

So now it was her turn. And she didn’t hold back her punches.

Those two hockey players were going to get a severe talking-to tomorrow.

“You guys have to promise to be more well-behaved tonight.” Logan told the team as they drove to dinner. Next to him, Finn was nearly bouncing out of his seat in excitement. “Please.”

He got several grumbles in response, but no teasing – which was a surprise.

“So are you two finally going to ask him out?”

And there it was.

“Are you guys finally going to mind your own business?”

“Nope!”

“It’s not like we don’t want to.” Finn sighed. “We just don’t know if he’s interested.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

“He’s cooking your entire hockey team dinner. That’s dedication right there.”

“Also did you even watch the episodes of your show?”

“You just had to go and run your mouth.” Logan groaned, shooting Finn a look. He just shrugged apologetically as their charter bus pulled into the parking lot.

“Do you know what’s for dinner?” Someone asked from the back of the bus.

“He said it was a surprise.” Finn responded as they all filed out of the bus and inside the restaurant that had been kind enough to host them.

Leo and Dorcas were standing in front of several tables covered in food, which took Finn back to three months ago. He smiled broadly and waved at the two of them. Leo waved back and waited for everyone to settle down before explaining dinner.

“I figured a build your own dinner was probably the best idea for so many people. I hope pasta’s alright with you guys.” Leo said, then began pointing to each variation of noodle as he explained, “We’ve got regular noodles, gluten-free noodles, and then some cauliflower noodles for y’all to choose from. Then we’ve got sauces and proteins to choose from, including some vegetarian and vegan options. Everything is labeled, so go ahead and grab a plate and help yourselves!”

Everyone clambered to get in line and grabbed portions that were way to big for the day before a game. Their nutritionist watched on in horror.

Finn was watching Leo talk to Loops when Logan nudged him with his elbow. “Finn, look.”

“Hmm?” He asked, turning back around to look at what Logan was pointing to. There in front of them was a pot full of creamy white sauce, bacon, and sausage with a little label that read: carbo’hara.

Finn melted.

He’d told Leo that joke during their first conversation and how he and his brother would have it the night before every hockey game as kids. And he had remembered.

“Logan.” Finn said, not bothering to hide the yearning in his voice.

“I know.”

Dorcas was watching all of this with growing frustration. Were they blind or were they just stupid? All of this could be solved so easily with a single conversation, but none of them were willing to take that first step.

She really shouldn’t get involved. It wasn’t her business. But-

“It’s painful to watch, isn’t it?” A stranger’s voice asked. Dorcas turned to look at a girl with blonde hair and mischievous brown eyes. She stuck her hand out.

“I’m Marlene. And I just want to say that I am so sorry you’ve had to deal with the three of them for months now.”

Dorcas smiled and shook her hand. “So you’ve noticed, too?”

“I think everyone has.”

“True.”

“You’re thinking about interfering?”

Dorcas shrugged. “It’s either that or waiting for them to get their acts together.”

“And who knows how long that’ll take?”

Dorcas laughed, looking appraisingly at her new companion. “I like you already.”

The other girl grinned. “I told Leo when he was in Gryffindor that he should introduce us. He said it was a terrible idea.”

She smiled back. “He was right.”

“So I’ll take Leo, you take the other two? I’m assuming you’ve been trying to talk to Leo but haven’t had any luck.”

“He’s being really stubborn about the whole thing.”

“From all the complaining I’ve heard from the team, so have Logan and Finn.”

Dorcas rolled her eyes. “After dinner I’ll talk to them. Normally I wouldn’t interfere, but this is ridiculous.”

“Agreed. Good luck.”

“You too.”

“Hey,” Marlene spoke up, “Can I have your number? You know, for meddling purposes.”

Dorcas grinned. “I really hope that’s not the only reason you’re asking for my number.”

“Guess you’ll have to see.” Marlene said with a wink.

Oh, boy.

Dorcas was in so much trouble.

But she had other things to focus on right now.

She marched over to Finn and Logan and stated firmly, “You two. We need to talk.”

A dark-haired guy in glasses sent her a wide-eyed stare. “You’re terrifying.” He looked to his teammates. “What did you guys do?”

“Now.” Dorcas said, ignoring the others entirely.

“Rest in peace.” Glasses guy said solemnly as Logan and Finn got up nervously. “It was nice knowing you.”

Logan shared a worried glance with Finn, but they both followed her to a quiet hallway where she turned to glare at them.

“Are you two actually interested in Leo or are you just stringing him along? If it’s the latter I won’t hesitate to punch you.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Logan asked, then frowned. “Fuck, does he think we’re stringing him along?”

“So you are interested?”

Finn looked confused. “I thought that was obvious.”

“What’s the holdup, then?”

“We’re not sure he’s interested.” They shared a sad look. “He’s never given us any reason to think so.”

Dorcas pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh my god, you three are so stupid. It’s not that he doesn’t like you, trust me – he’s terrified. Think about it. He likes two guys who are already in love with each other, which would be daunting for anybody. And he’s worried that if one of you didn’t feel the same he’d come between the two of you and ruin everything. Not to mention that if he got rejected he’d be rejected not once but twice.”

They stared at her, then turned to stare at each other.

“Fuck.” Finn stated simply.

“Fuck is right.” Dorcas agreed. “Now what are you going to do about it?”

***

“You were so wrong when you said introducing me to Dorcas was a bad idea.”

Leo laughed and turned to face Marlene. “Hello again.”

“Hey, cooking guy. Anyways, I’m in love.”

“Oh, really?”

“She’s awesome. And terrifying. And I really want to take her out on a date.”

“If you hurt her-”

“Oh my god, are you giving me the shovel talk?”

“No. All I’m saying is that we had entire class of knife skills in culinary school. She knows how to properly butcher things. You hurt her, you’d better prepare for the consequences.”

Marlene blinked, then broke into a dopey grin. “Fuck, that’s so hot.”

Leo laughed, shaking his head a little as he grabbed an empty pot and brought it back into the kitchen to clean. Dinner had been a huge success – almost to the point of them running out of food. Leo had noticed the nutritionist shooting him glares all night and made a resolution to send him an apology letter. He just hoped it didn’t affect their playing too much tomorrow.

He was scrubbing the pot down when another pot was set down on the counter next to him. Marlene shoved his shoulder to get him to move to the side a little. “Figured you could use some help.”

“Thanks.” He said with a smile as she grabbed a sponge.

“So,” She started, and that’s when Leo knew he was in trouble. “I know Dorcas talked to you earlier. And I’m sure you don’t want to hear any more of that, but I wanted to let you know that no matter what happens, it’s going to be okay. I mean, yeah, it might suck for a while, but at the end of the day wouldn’t you rather know than be left guessing forever?”

Leo stopped cleaning out his pot and looked at her, surprised at the turn this conversation took.

She shrugged. “Just a thought.”

He’d never really considered it that way before.

There was a knock on the doorframe, which startled them both. Leo turned around to see the head coach standing there.

“We’ve got to head out soon to get to our hotel at a decent time. Thank you so much for dinner! My guys will be talking about this for months.”

“I’d be happy to do it again sometime.” Leo said, then winced. “Maybe something with a more controlled portion size, though.”

The coach laughed. “That might be for the best.”

After all the goodbyes, Logan and Finn were the last two inside, seemingly reluctant to leave. Leo took that as a good sign.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, right?” Logan asked, green eyes hopeful. “At the game?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” The bus driver honked the horn, clearly fed-up with waiting. “You’d better go before they leave you behind.”

Logan and Finn gave one last wave before heading towards the door while Leo began making his way back to the kitchen.

“Hey!” Logan called suddenly. Leo turned back around to look at them. “Can we take you out to dinner tomorrow? After the game?”

Leo’s stomach churned at the wording. He gathered up all his courage, took a deep breath, and asked, “Is this a date?”

Finn and Logan beamed. Leo’s heart skipped a beat.

“I sure hope so.”

[thekytchensynk]

Business Lunch (Fictober Prompt 15)

Prompt number: 15

Fanfiction Fandom: Ducktales

Rating: G

Warnings: No warnings

Read this story on AO3

The letter had arrived without a return address, which had set off some warning bells for Fenton and ALL of the warning bells for his mother.

"What is this?" She gestured to it. "What sort of fool thinks we'd-" She trailed off as Fenton just opened it the way he would any other piece of junk mail, giving him a look of disbelief mixed with anxiety that, once upon a time, would have meant he was grounded, big-time.

"No one would send me a bomb or something through the mail," he argued.

But it didn’t turn out to be either junk mail or some sort of booby trap. It was, instead, a letter inviting Fenton to a “lunch meeting to discuss a potential scientific opportunity.” It didn’t even use a name, just starting “To the lucky resident” instead.

His mother’s eyes further narrowed. She didn’t even need to say anything -- he knew the contents made her even more suspicious. And to be fair, Fenton couldn’t blame her. To a detective, this had to look like step one in either a scam or crime.

But he’d already decided to check it out. The “meeting” was to be held at a fairly popular cafe called Serene Subsistence, so the chances of someone trying something were low. And if the person knew where he lived, they also probably knew he was Gizmoduck -- he wasn’t sure anyone in the neighborhood didn’t. So if they did try something, he had ways to handle the trouble.

So the next day, Fenton made his way to the cafe. Since it was a nice spring day and since the letter hadn’t specified any particular seating arrangements, he chose to sit at a small outdoor table in front of the place, shaded by a blue-striped umbrella and looking through the minimalistic menu.

Fenton hadn’t eaten at Serene Subsistence before, and now that he’d arrived, he sort of understood why. His instincts must have seen something in the decor, or in the sign design, and warned him off. Instead of describing the various options, the menu gave each one just a picture, a name -- something like “the Green Continent” or “the October Surprise” -- and a small list of icons to indicate whether the meal was low-salt, low-fat, gluten-free, all-organic or a host of other things. Huge swaths of white space surrounded each entry.

“You’d think they could put a few lists of ingredients,” Fenton mused out loud, squinting at the menu as though that might reveal hitherto unseen text.

“Awww. come on, where’s the fun in that?”

“You.” The word was out of his mouth before he could stop it, disgusted and angry and very out of place in this hip cafe. If that hadn’t drawn people’s attention, the way the glassware and silverware rattled as he slammed the menu to the tabletop would have.

Mark Beaks waved a hand at him dismissively as he pulled up the selfie camera on his phone and snapped a picture of himself in front of the table. “Come on, calm down, we’re not here to fight. We’re here to talk business.”

“I wouldn’t be here if I’d known I’d be talking business with you,” Fenton said, enunciating hard to prevent his full anger from leaking through.

Beaks grinned at him as though he were a kid who just got his times tables right. “Of course. That’s why I didn’t put my name on it. Uh-duh.” He pulled one of the other chairs at the table out and plopped into it without looking, eyes already back on the phone. “So, yeah, thanks for not looking into that too much, I would have felt really stupid if I get here and you hadn’t shown up.”

Fenton would have loved to have done that. He would have loved to be anywhere but here. Just showing up had given this arrogant tech addict a win, and this guy liked nothing better than wins. Which left him which the difficult task of trying to decide if leaving or staying would give this guy another win.

Or, which would be better for him. After all … what did Beaks want? Why would he be here? If he was plotting something, odds were good that just letting him talk would get it out into the air. Would that be worth dealing with a bit of Beaks to find that out? Maybe stop something before it started?

With a sigh that couldn’t even contain all of the disappointment he felt at doing this, Fenton sat back down. “All right,” he said. “What do you want?”

“Simple. I’m headhunting.”

For a brief moment -- blame too many supervillains -- Fenton thought he was talking like … literal headhunting. Like decapitating people. Luckily, before he could let his reaction to that get onto his face, the clinical part of his mind reminded him that this was a business meeting, and that in business parlance, headhunting had a whole other meaning.

“So, what, are you checking someone’s references?” Fenton asked, trying not-terribly-hard to cut the venom out of his voice. “Looking for recommendations? People who might be willing to build a body-bulking villain serum to-” His mind put two and two together and came up with an answer he did not like.”Are you trying to hire Dr. Gearloose away? Because whatever his reputation, he’s very loyal to the-”

“Gear wha?” Beaks finally looked up from his phone again, and he looked and sounded so puzzled that Fenton felt sure it had to be real. Any skill Beaks had at deception didn’t really center on fooling others with an act so much as just ignoring most people so you never had to worry about fooling them.

Despite that Dr. Gearloose not being the target was good news, Fenton found himself somewhat insulted on his mentor’s behalf. “He’s one of the greatest scientific minds on the planet,” Fenton said. “But you’d never get him away from his lab.”

“Ohhhhh! The guy whose stuff always goes evil!” Beaks said, looking pleased at having worked this out. “Yeah, no. Not interested. Scrooge can keep that stuff. Not good for the Waddle image when things suddenly go all…” He finished the thought by curling one hand into a claw-like shape and making a rasping sound that Fenton assumed was meant to personify “evil.”

But if he really, honestly didn’t care about Dr. Gearloose … “So why are you here?”

“For you-” something about the way he said it made Fenton think there was initially meant to be another word there -- his name probably. But Beaks had probably forgotten it. It was certainly on brand. “I said it in the letter, right?”

“The letter was vague,” Fenton pointed out. “And it’s not like the two of us are exactly on good terms.”

Again Beaks wave a hand, as though dismissing the entirely valid criticism out of hand. “Past is past,” he said. “Just let it go. I want to offer you a spot at my company and I don’t want any misunderstandings to get in the way of that.”

“Misunderstandings?” Fenton’s voice rose again, drawing more stares. Forcing his tone back to an annoyed murmur, he added, “Like when you put countless lives in danger just for your … your click count?”

“Clicks? What, no,” Beaks said, seeming scandalized. But Fenton counted in his head. Three. Two. One. “It’s likes, man. Engagement is key. Clicks. Who even clicks on something anymore…”

“Whatever,” Fenton said.

“But yeah, I meant misunderstandings like that,” Beaks added, almost as an afterthought. “We just need to move past that and see if we can come to a beneficial arrangement.”

The absolute nerve of this guy. “Listen,” he said, and this time it really was a bare whisper. “The suit will never go anywhere near you or your-”

“Wait, wait wait.” Beaks interrupted, shaking his head. “Not that. You. I got to hear some of what you showed off to Dee on that infiltration mission, some seriously interesting stuff in there. We could use someone with that sort of brainpower in our labs.”

That brought him up short. Him? The offer still wasn’t tempting, but that one reveal had changed the entire perception of their conversation. This was about him? About science?

And also about the info he learned from spying on what you thought was a date, the logical part of him mind reminded him unhelpfully.

“You want me to … invent things? For Waddle?” Fenton repeated, just to make sure. This felt wrong, like a trap. It seemed like something that might actually be part of a real business, not the sham that Beaks seemed to run.

Beaks was back on the phone again, and Fenton would have assumed he’d checked out entirely if he didn’t keep on answering questions and comments. “Well, yeah,” he said. “The awesome Waddle devices that trendy young influencers just have to have don’t invent themselves, you know. Slap our name and logo on them and boom! Instant must-have gear. Something for the shareholders to talk about. I gotta prove I can still bring in the cool -- and the cash, too.”

Ah. “So anything that the people in your lab, you take credit for?”

“Duh.” Beaks looked across the table at him, and for the first time in this entire conversion, it felt like he was actually being serious. “People don’t just want the goods, they want to feel like they’re buying into something larger than life. If I sold our phones under some other random name with a stodgy old buzzard as the CEO, you know what sort of market share that would get? None. Because people don’t just want a phone, they want a phone from me. It’s the same reason people react so strongly to you when the cops could usually do the exact same thing. Because they weren’t just saved, they were saved by a hero.”

He hadn’t thought about it that way before, and now, he sort of wished he never had. A hero? His mother was a hero. She’d saved as many people as he, probably more, and she also did the things needed to bring them to trial, to let justice do its work. All he could really do was stop what was right in front of him. Maybe Beaks was right about how it worked in business. But that was maybe the best reason of all to just stop listening to the idiocy that came out of his mouth. All it did was validate Beaks’ own sense of importance.

He stood. Started to leave. “Thanks, but I’ve got to go.”

A chair scraped. “Hey!” Beaks’ indignant voice followed him.

He felt the hand on his shoulder, trying to tighten with some degree of command or control, but it felt laughable. Weak. And then Beaks said, “Hey, amigo, hold on, tell me what the problem is. We can work something out.”

Whirling, Fenton said, “If I was interested, what would the starting pay be?”

Except he said it in Spanish. Not as fluid as his mother’s but still far more dancing than that one thudding word when Beaks has uttered it.

He expected the confusion -- the tech CEO wasn’t fooling anyone into thinking he could actually speak another language. But he got the other thing he expected to see almost immediately. The narrowing of the eyes. The darkening of the expression, as anger took the edge off Beaks’ carefree attitude. He’d been asked a question, he didn’t understand the question, and he thought not being able to answer it made him look foolish. That more than anything else told him all he needed to know.

“All right. Not interested, thank you.”

He didn’t even wait around to see if Beaks reacted to that. He just walked away.

[babettekourelos]

Flour Power

Flour is flour, right?

Wrong!!

All flour is definitely not made equal. Not only do we need to differentiate between cake flour, bread flour and all purpose flour - we also have to consider the differences between commercial and artisanal flour i.e. bleached/unbleached and roller milled or stone ground flour. Not to mention organic flour, enriched flour, whole wheat and rye. Gluten free and alternative flours are also worth discussing but will form the subject of a different article.

If we were to take a look inside most pantries around the world, we would in all likelihood find a bag of cake or all purpose flour. These flours are perfectly suited for the occasional weekend or holiday bake. In the last 12 months however, another flour has become prevalent in our kitchens... I am of course referring to bread flour. As a result of the lockdowns imposed by governments across the globe in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world watched a bread baking revolution unfold on social media. When our survival instincts kicked in, flour became a hot and very scarce commodity. Bread after all is and has always been the staff of life. Suddenly GLUTEN was the least of our problems and everyone scrambled to get their hands on the last available bags of flour. Even the folks who had never baked a single thing in their lives prior to the pandemic, now boasted well stocked baking cupboards but had no idea where to start. I am guessing that many have eventually taken the leap and at least baked a handful of times - but for those of you who are still sitting on the baker's fence, hop on over and let me guide you the first steps of the way.

First off, we have cake flour. As the wheat flour with the lowest protein content (5% - 8%), cake flour is perfect for making soft, light and airy baked goods such as cakes, cookies or pancakes. Cake flour is made from soft spring wheat and due to the low protein content, this flour is not suitable for bread baking as it is impossible to achieve a strong gluten structure which consequently results in a dough which cannot retain its shape (unless it is baked in a bread tin). Cake flour is able to absorb more liquid and sugar than all purpose or bread flour and thus your baked goods will stay moist for longer. Yum!

Pastry flour has an 8% - 9% protein content, which results in a slightly more developed gluten structure, which in turn allows for easier shaping and handling of the dough. Pastry flour is best suited for flaky pastries, sweet or savoury pies, tarts and quiches. Not as common as cake, bread and all purpose flour, you will probably struggle to find pastry flour at your local grocery store. You may have better luck sourcing it from a speciality bake shop or online.

Next up, we have all purpose flour. This flour is pretty versatile, as it is a perfect mix of soft and hard wheat flour. With a protein content of 10% - 12%, this flour is well suited for bread baking as it is capable of forming a decent gluten structure. All purpose flour is most commonly found in North America, where it is the go-to flour for most types of baking. You can easily make your own all purpose flour by mixing together equal amounts of cake and white bread flour. If a bread recipe calls for all purpose flour, but you only have bread flour on hand, don't stress - you will still be able to bake a decent loaf of bread. There really is no reason to over think it.

Bread flour usually has a protein content of 12% - 14%. Due to the high protein content, this flour is able to produce a strong gluten structure, which will allow the dough to easily retain its shape. The final loaf will also boast good volume and yield a wonderfully chewy crumb. The terms whole meal ,whole grain and whole wheat are often used interchangeably and simply refer to bread flours containing varying degrees of the entire wheat kernel. If you are looking to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, you can easily replace half of the amount of white flour required in a recipe with the same amount of whole grain flour. Whole grain flour boasts a slightly darker colour (think brownish/tan) and coarser texture as a result of the presence of the wheat bran. Unlike pure white wheat flour, baked goods made with whole grain flours will be a little more dense, heavy and compact. This is due to the fact that the bran is razor sharp and easily severs the delicate gluten strands, which severely weakens the dough structure and thereby inhibits the size of the final loaf. However, rest assured that while you may be sacrificing volume, the final loaf is guaranteed to offer a tastier and more wholesome loaf than a standard white loaf.

Next we have rye flour. Rye falls within the wheat family but has a low glutenin content, which consequently results in a lower gluten content in the dough and the final loaf. (Note: Gluten = a full/complete protein and is formed out of the two partial proteins 'glutenin' and 'gliadin'.) People who suffer from slight gluten or digestive issues, may find it beneficial to favour rye bread over pure wheat breads. It is important to note however that some folks incorrectly assume that rye is gluten free. Although lower in gluten, it is definitely not gluten free. It is also worth mentioning that the three types of commercially available rye flours (light, medium and dark) actually do not refer to different varieties of rye, but rather to the amount of bran left in the flour. Thus, the darker the rye, the more whole grain the flour. The lighter the rye, the more refined the flour. When it comes to baking, the texture of rye can be a bit intimidating if you are new to rye - it is sticky and tacky and a little tricky to control. So you may want to consider using a mix of 50% white flour and 50% rye instead of immediately tackling a 100% rye recipe. Although rye is considered by some to be an acquired taste, I believe the only reason people think they do not enjoy rye is due to the common addition of caraway, cumin and sometimes fennel seeds. You can easily omit these fragrant seeds and enjoy the natural taste of the rye instead.

When you are just starting to bake bread at home you, you have the wonderful opportunity to make informed decisions about the type of flour you will be using. Thus it is important to understand the manner in which the wheat was grown, harvested, milled, and which (if any) additives are present in the final product. However, before I delve into the finer details, I would like to mention that no matter what flour you do decide to use when baking at home, your final loaf will be a million times better and healthier for you (and your family) than the commercial sandwich loaves from your local super market. So if after reading this article and weighing all your options, you still decide to rather buy bread than bake your own, I urge you to seek out your closest artisan baker - who (if worthy of that title), will take the necessary care on your behalf.

Stone ground, unbleached flour is the flour of choice for most artisan bakers. Sometimes referred to as artisanal flour, this flour (if true to its name) should be free of pesticides, preservatives and any other additives. When flour is milled using millstones as opposed to high-speed roller mills, more of the natural goodness of the grain remains in tact. This is due to the fact that stone milling doesn't reach the same high speeds or searing temperatures, which ensures that most of the nutrients remain undamaged and are not burned off. Furthermore, stone ground flour is also more likely to be composed of the entire wheat kernel. I.e. It still has the wheat bran, endosperm, and wheat germ in tact. (Having said that, I would still recommend checking with the miller, as this may vary from brand to brand.) The advantage of having all three components in the final flour, is that you are getting all the natural goodness (vitamins and minerals) as well as the added benefit of the fibre which is provided by the wheat bran.

Commercial flour on the other hand, has the wheat germ and bran removed in order to extend the shelf life and to produce a whiter, more refined flour. This flour is often bleached using chemicals such as chlorine, bromic acid and peroxide. (On a side note, there does however appear to be some movement away from bleaching and a focus towards the optimisation of the shape of the wheat kernel - to achieve a higher yield of the white starch). Wheat germ, which is oily by nature and consequently has the tendency to go rancid, is removed from the flour. This extraction, in addition to the nutrients which were already lost during the milling process results in a flour with very little nutritional value. The solution?  Commercial flour producers add artificial vitamins back in to make the flour more nutritious. This is referred to as 'fortification' or 'enrichment'. Take a closer look next time you buy a bag of flour and scan for the words 'fortified' or 'enriched'. In some countries, the enrichment of flour is enforced by law. (In countries where bread is an important staple food, fortification is often used as a means of improving what may otherwise be limited access to essential micronutrients. Fortification has however not always proven to be successful. This is due to the difficulty of successfully spreading a concentrated amount of micronutrients into an industrial bread batch - some loaves end up with too much and others not any. It is also questionable whether those micronutrients are bioavailable.)

At this point the flour has already undergone quite significant changes, but is then subjected to further preservatives, dough conditioners, dough enhancers and other chemicals in the commercial bakery setting (which speed up or entirely eliminate the bulk fermentation time). This is good for business, but not so good for our digestion. What makes matters worse, is the fact that many of the additives and processes are conveniently omitted from the list of ingredients on the final loaf. Some commercial bakeries also request that the additives be added at the milling and flour production stage, which allows them to circumvent providing a full disclosure of all the additives. Hungry yet?

When it comes to organic flour, it is required (at least in theory) that the flour be made from top quality natural and GMO free grain, which was grown in soil containing only natural substances/fertilisers. In addition to this, no pesticides or other chemicals should be used in the growing or harvesting of organic wheat. True organic flour is also not subjected to fumigation or irradiation -  measures which facilitate pest control and prevent food poisoning from harmful bacteria. The problem with organic flour however is two-fold. One - it is considerably more expensive than the rest of the flour on the market. Two - not all products sold under the organic label are in fact organic. Business is business after all. Even more reason for the concerned and responsible consumer to start asking pertinent questions.

However, judging from the growing popularity of home mills (small counter top grain mills), and an increasing community of small, independent millers, the importance of good quality natural flour and the need for clear/honest labeling are slowly but surely becoming topics of global discussion. Knowledge is power and an informed consumer can be the catalyst for positive (and healthy) change. So don't be fooled by natural looking packaging and words such as natural, organic, 'bio', artisanal, etc... Ask the relevant questions. Take an interest in the way your flour and other foods are produced. Have discussions and share your findings. If we are what we eat, shouldn't we be paying closer attention to what we are really consuming?

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. What flour are you currently baking with? Have you made any interesting discoveries? 

You can reach me at babettesbread@gmail.com

© Babette’s Bread Ltd.

[nicknellie]

Honestly that’s me, also kinda good night/morning again.

You should be so proud that you were able to finish your school work, that is such an accomplishment! Also cat 👀🥺, but I hope that your kitten didn’t cause too much of a mess! Imagine if we made tallies though, that would be hilarious (also adding yes)

Box stuff

1. Yes, you have described them so well! Reggie is organized but at the same time very chaotic which frustrates Alex so much. (Even more so due to the fact that Luke is just chaotic not organized at all, I mean have you seen his writing) Also agreed, Bobby is middle and I love the drum idea that’s amazing!

2. The baby is an honorary member of the band is amazing, I love that like so much.

3. That is precisely what happens, also because Reggie was going to give it to Alex for food however he needed to put it somewhere and completely forgot

Board games and Jam stuff

1. I love the little detail that you added of matching pajamas because that’s exactly how their game nights go a majority of the time. Yes to all of these, Bobby is the one who flipped a table once during Pictionary and since then the game has been banned. (Also points if Alex did the same during Cluedo because Reggie just kept on saying that he was suspicious) ‘Reggie we are not playing about us, it’s a mystery game with clues’

(Also bring me up suspicious, I remember reading some thing about where the boys play among us and that’s all I can think about. Because they do and the boys just keep calling each other out, i’m not going on a tangent right now but I may in the future 😂)

I haven’t played Articulate before however yes they do! (Also for some reason the fact that the box has a circle which makes me think of the game of life, for I don’t know why reasons, so I’m going to offer that up)

You’re absolutely right they definitely do go to thrift shops and just find random cool stuff. (Alex joins them later on)

I love the detail that you added that Luke on Julie’s team won’t win which is mostly because he won’t stop staring at her throughout the entire game. Reggie is definitely the master, except for in scramble because Luke shines in that game. After people started taking sides and stuff monopoly was banned very quickly, you’re so right.

2. I really wish I could explain why I thought of this but legitimately this all became a thing from me looking at some random thing of strawberry jam. That is so clever and that is the ultimate pun for Reggie. (Since you mentioned different versionsc all I can think about is this song actually starting out with Reggie talking about how much he loves etc. jam and how all the rest of the boys have problems)

Number stuff

2. Yes, (eventually) in the end everyone has a couples jumper as well. Also The fact that Luke stretches Alex‘s hoodie is hilarious, especially because he was doing it to make Julie jealous basically. Also adding on, Willie and Alex are cuddling under a blanket during this whole thing.

3. Yes, Luke just wants to make Julie happy in life and that’s everything to be honest.

4. You know those shows you have where you put it on a watch later and you’re like I’m genuinely interested in this however procrastination is my best friend and suddenly it’s like three years later, well Merlin may be that show for me. I support that AU idea so much, we need that in our lives. (Honestly whenever I think of two halves of a whole I think of yin and yang and I can’t explain why). And I love how this made you think of a fanfic, because I’ve had similar thoughts as well during our conversations.

(Wait yes, Alex is definitely Merlin he has that oh I’m wise so you need to listen to me kind of style. Also definitely takes Luke, Arthur, under his wing to make sure that he is not dumb/dies)

5. I just want more Alex and Julie to be honest, I don’t feel as thought we got to see a lot of that in season one. Thank you, yes my thoughts exactly. (Honestly I like to think that he came out to her as well however at the same time due to the fact that people in the 90s weren’t as accepting I feel like he just doesn’t know how she’s going to react and is kind of saving that for a later date🥺)

6. Exactly, so Bobby has no way that they could technically be out there (how Julie kind of draw strength from the fact that her mom is watching over her which is why she believes that she got the flower during that exact moment) also things would be much different if they had been able to send some kind of sign down to him. Even if it’s something little just to show that they are still there for him and even death couldn’t come between them.

8. I think I now know how you feel when I mentioned him writing ‘we were going to be legends’ on the back of that photo. Because ouch, and you are so right it’s not even funny. Nothing is the same without the boys because they all have little personality things that make simple tasks even better. Luke is able to do the Rubiks cube because he fidgets a lot with his hands, Alex is able to do the puzzles because he has really great concentration and it helps him feel more focused, also same for Reggie he’s able to do crosswords and sudokus because he’s able to focus on the more also he’s really great with numbers. (Also I totally didn’t say that Bobby doesn’t understand sudokus, because I don’t understand them)

That last sentence, you are correct but whoa that is painful.

10. Gotta love our random tangents

Yes, and the boys know that Bobby went on the logflume however they just don’t talk about it. Reggie has so many scrapbooks it’s not even funny legitimately once he realizes that he can take 1000 pictures and they can be stored in one place he kind of explodes (doesn’t stop him from making scrapbook though)

Alex just loves having people be happy, (also I didn’t think about an AU situation in which he does run into someone who has a skateboard )

I cannot describe that ride either however I know exactly what you’re talking about and Alex being impatient to go on rides is legitimately everyone who has ever been in a theme park. Reggie doesn’t talk to Luke for a good amount of time because Luke is the one who said that the ride wouldn’t be so bad, ‘I mean what’s the worst that can happen’ (also I did not say that just so I can reply, famous last words)

(Same energy as ‘street dogs haven’t killed us yet’)

Toffee nut- I’m glad you like the theory because I legitimately have no explanation for why Bobby is allergic to gluten but it just fits. Alex loves baking gluten-free stuff because not only is he reassured that Bobby has some thing that he can eat but in general it’s always nice to find new recipes.

Also random thought but every once in a while the boys will go somewhere go to bakeries and if they have gluten-free options they will try whatever they can.

Once again Alex just cannot say no to Luke and Reggie and they definitely eat the gluten-free food.

11. I love that for us 😂, even if there’s no possible way that I can happen it somehow did. (Also Reggie has a picture with the queen and I have no clue if there is even a way of having photoshop back then however Reggie is crazy enough to pull it off so they just think that it’s Photoshop)

13. Fairytale princess Luke is everything we need in our life. (This is also a band photo that is stored somewhere, because of course Luke wouldn’t do this alone)

14. His fists are like clenched tightly however he’s trying to pretend like he isn’t angry. I love that line with everything I have, that needs to be in season 2. Also the fact that someone who is very tall is trying to pretend to be someone who isn’t as tall is very humorous to me and I cannot explain why.

16. I love how determined Luke and Reggie are in this little scenario that you have painted, which they definitely are. One time Bobby is out and it’s just Alex with them two and he has no clue what to do because they can’t be in the kitchen however he cannot resist their puppy dog eyes.

17. Wait I love this (also Reggie finds baby photos of Willie that are actually baby Willie and shows them to Alex) (no one knows how but to be honest I could definitely see Reggie going to Caleb just ask for baby photos)

Also Willie finds it adorable that Alex is pretending to be embarrassed and definitely teases him about it. Bonus points if there’s a picture of Little Alex with a hotdog shirt and Willie is like ‘I knew there was another reason why I called you hot dog’

19. Water fights all the time, also during winter they have snowball fights all the time as well. (Also they always have water balloons on hand and it is very common for someone to throw it at another person‘s back and or down their shirt)

Yes, I love this theme as well, (despite being a very competitive person) Luke is just not competitive)

20. Same lol, honestly all Alex quotes and just Alex is everything and part of the reason why I love him so much.

(Also sidenote the fact that Owen Joyner performs these lines so beautifully. Maybe this is just me geeking out but the delivery and the pacing and the changing of voices from either high pitch to low pitch or whatever the line needs is just fantastic. Well if you can tell someone has been in any kind of music/acting field it’s that last sentence right there)

Alex is just happy that his friends are bonding with the guy that he likes. Especially because they are all the type of person that if their partner and or one of the boys doesn’t like each other then there is no way that they will be together. Also yes, Alex has a love hate relationship with Willie and Reggie bonding over puns.

Luke is very well practiced at egging houses, anyone who has ever made fun of the boys can confirm, and he is very torn between I want Flynn to like me but this is Julie’s house. Also yes, in the end he does egg her house.

Hear me out, she would’ve won mother of the year for being supportive towards Alex however I don’t feel like she would’ve for Luke because it didn’t really feel like she was supportive of the band which is basically Luke’s entire being. But aside from that yes. (But it got us unsaid Emily so I mean is that really a flaw 😂)

21. Yes, adding onto what you said honestly one thing that I keep thinking about which is the only thing he’s never told Luke is that he actually saw Emily and Mitch one time after Luke ran away.

Honestly for some reason I keep saying to myself he got arrested. Just because for being a person who basically freaked out at breaking into a museum it would be hilarious that he’s actually been in trouble with cops before, but anyways Emily and Mitch are his emergency contact so they have to pick him up and then that’s where they talk about Luke and everything. (I really wish I can explain this, also the fact that I’ve said this like 3 times already is concerning 😂😂)

But going back to what you said, he struggles with that so much because he loves Luke so much but at the same time due to the fact that Alex has such a bad relationship with his parents he doesn’t want Luke to end up on that note.

Mitch having a conversation with Ray is everything I needed and I did not think I would. (Imagine if Kenny Ortega had a secret Tumblr though 😂😂)

24. I want to see Flynn’s reaction to flying solo now it’s what we do deserve. Yes, it’s like you read my mind because that is exactly what happened, I feel like we can kind of see it in all eyes on me, with her face kind of being a tiny bit upset with Julie talking to the boys but she isn’t able to see what’s going on. (Even though the boys have only had one interaction with her they are very devastated, all they want is to be her friend as well)

Love how you meant Carrie, also why am I now thinking about Flynn joining dirty candy just to spite Julie, (I need to stop) also yess this is how the reaction song comes. Possibly maybe even a sad song because Flynn is talking about how much she loves Julie but she’s been feeling so disconnected from her lately. Yes, Jadah Maris is so talent.

Honestly I only know that video because one of my friends was singing the lyrics and I was very concerned 😂. Yes, you should be proud, maybe it’s because I cannot remember titles for the life of me but that is a very accomplishing thing.

25. Ahhh, dad Alex is everything. Also due to the fact that he has quick wit for a bit it would just be him and Carrie joking around with each other. Also I feel like the show does kind of show that although Trevor is supportive he is really bad at discipline 😂. (Honest Reggie wouldn’t be able to able to tell her off at all because he is afraid of somehow becoming like his parents, even though the boys keep reassuring him that will never happen)

26. Honestly the boys are kind of just holding a grudge at this point but it’s Trevor making the hats that has them go into a big group hug and burst into tears also the actual forgiving.

Also going along with the fact that Willie wears a beanie, he also wears a bandanna. I’m glad that’s stuck in your head to be honest.

28. Yes, what if the final product of Reggie raging at Bobby is Now or Never (however this has been re-make and has switch genres by Luke) (I have reasoning)

32. I love just thinking about some fans randomly bumping into sunset Curve. Legitimately they bring stickers and fanart everywhere because Alex is definitely the type of person to go to a grocery store at 3 AM just to look for a particular ingredient (for an example)

Honestly I had no reasoning for Alex being a hedgehog except for the fact that hedgehogs are cute so I most definitely agree and you are entirely correct

Yes, and once Alex finishes the puzzle it’s framed just because not only can he not take it apart but he’s afraid of it being ruined and it is so amazing

34. Yes, precisely and there’s only one photo of Luke that works and it’s him glaring and crossing his arms like an upset puppy (still stuck)

35. (Honestly Ray just adopts all of them, Luke, Reggie,Alex, Flynn, Willie all of them) I legitimately said this for just someone however instead of collecting stray cats Ray takes in stray children. Also, yes just best father of the year goes to Ray for the past 15 years. That is a very good theory because this entire time I’ve just been thinking of Reggie taking pictures.

Also the fact that technically Willie can’t show up on camera I didn’t think about but for the purpose of him looking absolutely amazing in these photo shoots I’m going to ignore that.

37. Yes, and Alex does have to make rules because otherwise he won’t have any clothes. The only reason Willie is allowed to get away with it is because he looks fantastic in the hoodie and Alex just has heart eyes.

39. Yes, she always talks out loud to herself and Trevor just silently encourages her and then he replies this one time and she is absolutely shocked but because the idea so so brilliant she immediately jumps on it.

40. Seeing Alex dance with Luke to dirty dancing with this particular dance in mind is what I need to see in season 2. Also yes, Reggie as well, honestly it just becomes a band thing because

Lol that is so relatable, also 10 out of 10 songs to be stuck in your head.

(Sorry for like the four notifications you got from me liking this post, because of course I just accidentally kept double tapping this and then letting out a gasp because it unliked the post)

Also the fact that this started from jigsaws and now we have three categories is everything

Good morning/night/afternoon/whatever time you’re reading this!

Ok so before I start I realised when I was trying to sleep that I left out a few things. I wanted to include a photo of a couples jumper and also the link to my Mitch headcanons, which I think I mentioned and then just didn’t include.

The only pics coming up were Christmas ones but this is the style I was in envisaging! Two heads holes, comfy, not just a random hoodie like Luke and Reggie try and use!

So here’s the link lol

BOX STUFF

1. Ajskfnskfo I love this like Luke’s writing is terrible can you imagine the state of his bedroom??

Actually, mentioning his bedroom, it was probably a mess and still is because Emily and Mitch didn’t tidy it when he went away in case he came back and then didn’t want to change anything after he died

3. YES definitely Alex being the designated chef of the group and Reggie bringing him recipes, except that’s the one he just totally forgets about, I love it

BOARD GAMES AND JAM STUFF

1. I love that so much omg they all have one game they just can’t play 😂 Bobby did that in Pictionary because he was doing his drawing and thought he’d made it really obvious, but the others were purposely guessing wrong and it pissed him off. And yes lmao Alex trying to explain to Reggie that it wasn’t him it was a random character for gods sake Reggie can you just read the damn rules?!

Omg PLEASE go on that tangent 😂😂

Oh yes totally they play game of life! It’s the only one Alex is really really bad at

Yessss Alex joining them is everything!

Omg yeah Luke is just watching Julie the whole time and she’s trying to help so they can win and he just doesn’t concentrate so they lose. Julie gets mad at him for it but he thinks it’s worth it

Lmao I can just imagine them playing monopoly - Alex is in charge of money and stuff and when Luke lands on one of Reggie’s spaces he can’t pay. Alex wants to just let him off (because he’s doing terribly and can’t win the game anyway) but Reggie is competitive and wants him to pay and Julie is backing him up because she likes playing by the rules. It’s two vs two, ends up in a big argument, and like you say it’s immediately banned 😂

2. Absjdldlajkd yes like the song actually started out about that, they figured out the tune was really catchy and then turned it into an entire song

NUMBER STUFF

2. Yes lol Alex and Willie just snuggled under the blanket like “guys there are easier ways to cuddle y’know” meanwhile Reggie got uncomfortable and tried to wriggle out the hoodie and they all just heard a ripping sound from the hoodie and Alex looked like he would have killed them if they weren’t already dead

4. YES even if you haven’t seen the show yet that’s literally perfect. Alex being one of the only ones who can get away with telling Prince Luke how dumb he is like Merlin and Arthur and keeping him safe. But somehow Luke still ends up dying from eating a bad hotdog

And I totally see where you get yin and yang from tbh!

5. Yes I can totally see that as well! I’ve read quite a few fics where he comes out to her and honestly it’s so cute every time because his reaction to her being immediately accepting of him is amazing. (Also I love it when she accepts him by immediately coming out to him as well - usually it’s bi Julie which I do love but I really strongly headcanon asexual Julie (best when she’s both tbh) and I realise that’s off-topic but yeah)

6. Yes omg now I kind of want to write that AU too 😂 Bobby somehow getting a sign from his friends to tell him that they’re okay and they’re still there. Like they could still come back to Julie, but in the dark room they get a glimpse of Bobby being sad and get to help him, therefore he doesn’t make so many mistakes

8. Absabskksksbf yeah omg 🥺 they all have their strengths and Bobby can’t build his own up to match them after they’re gone. And yes lol tbh I have literally no clue about sudokus either so I relate to not being able to do them, and props to Reggie for being amazing at them 😂

10. Awww yes Reggie just getting super excited when he finds out how much technology has progressed and how many pics he can take 🥺 also I can’t remember what they’re called but Reggie gets one of those portable printer things that’s kind of like a Polaroid but you can print them off your phone? Idk if I described that well but Julie gets him one and he loves it. Also at theme parks he always buys the photos the ride automatically takes

Oh my god oh my god oh my god yes! I love that so much omgggg your mind! It’s the one time Bobby doesn’t manage to pull him out of the way in time and it’s literally the best thing he could ever have done

Lmaooo yes that’s perfect Luke convincing them to go on it is definitely street dog energy. Reggie just refuses to even look at him because he’s that childish lmao

Ooooh yes and whenever they go to bakeries either Alex or Reggie will ask for the recipes of stuff they like (usually Reggie because no one can say no to him, but also Alex because he can be persuasive)

Yes lol eventually Bobby has to have a special like box or container to put his gluten-free stuff in otherwise Luke and Reggie will eat it all.

11. Yes definitely! Idk if they had photoshop either but they’re all convinced that’s what it is but he’s just really innocently like “no I swear I did” and it’s normally Luke who rolls his eyes like “ok sure buddy”

13. I swear if I was better at art I’d draw Cowboy Sunset Curve and Fairytale Princess Sunset Curve but alas no 😂 maybe I’ll just do it anyway lol

14. No I totally get that, it’s the sort of thing that’s funny for no reason lmaooo

16. Yes I love that like he is just moments away from opening the door and letting them back in but then he shakes his head like “no, focus” and the cycle keeps repeating. Also I love how in the scenario they keep moving but all they’re doing apart from that is puppy-dog eyes and that’s enough to nearly break Alex

17. YES. Willie has no idea where he got the photos from but doesn’t really question it either. And I can sooo see him asking Caleb for baby photos - like, he wants a Caleb scrapbook because like it or not he’s been a major part of their afterlives since he wants to remember him! So Caleb is confronting them after he stops possessing Nick and is doing this grand speech and when he’s done Reggie just raises his hand and goes “sorry but do you have any baby photos of you?” and Caleb just doesn’t question it and hands them over the next time they see each other. (Reggie also has Nick’s baby photos. Reggie has literally everyone’s baby photos.)

Ajsbskldl I love that! Little Alex in a hotdog shirt and Willie pretending to have some sort of psychic power like “yeah I totally knew about that it’s the other reason I call you hotdog!”

(BABY REGGIE IN A HOTDOG COSTUME.)

19. Omg Sunset Curve/Julie and the Phantoms snowball fights yessss and the water balloons are perfect - Luke’s preferred method is to sneak up behind someone and slam it on the top of their head so they’re totally drenched

20. Yes exactly!!! I definitely think Owen is one of the best actors in the show and one of the best in anything I’ve seen recently, he just plays Alex so perfectly and everything you said is 100% right I couldn’t have put it better myself

Yes that’s exactly their relationship! Like as sad as he would have been Alex would have dropped Willie if the guys hated him (and let’s be honest, seeing as Willie accidentally played a big part in the thing with Caleb they definitely could have hated him)

Yeah and Luke isn’t really sure if Julie being so mad at him for egging her house is worth it but he had fun so he goes with it

Oh yeah that makes so much more sense you’re totally right, but yeah it got us Unsaid Emily so in the end it was a good thing lmao

21. Ooooh yes! They share everything but that’s the one thing he has never told him

Lmaoooo yes but then what would he have been arrested for?? I feel like some sort of misunderstanding - like someone dropped something, he tried to be helpful and pick it up but then they accused him of theft and called the cops on him. Or he actually did do something illegal, knowing it was illegal. Aww yes Emily and Mitch picking him up and finally getting to see him and find out about Luke again 🥺

And yes exactly took the words right out of my mouth

If Kenny had a secret Tumblr and saw all this I would die laughing. Especially if he somehow included some of it in the show that would be the funniest thing. Sadly it’s very unlikely 😂😭

24. Yesss I agree we can totally see it then! I feel like it’s the really predictable scenario for her to be left out but I also think it would work really well

Oooooh Flynn joining Dirty Candi could be really interesting! I feel like it would only be for one song and then she’d feel bad but I’d actually love to see that.

I can totally see it being a sad song and also I think it would just be her and Julie there, the boys are nowhere to be seen and it’d give them a chance to make up before the boys are let in on it

25. Yes definitely! Because Carrie has such quick wit too their banter would be brilliant. Yeah you’re definitely right about Trevor, he’d do anything for her except discipline her well, and omg Reggie 🥺🥺 you’re so right, he’d be terrified, so he wouldn’t get involved at all when she’s being told off by Alex

26. I feel like maybe that was Bobby’s way of settling arguments back in the nineties (“Luke’s mad at me, guess I’d better make him a hat”) which is why it finally convinces them to forgive him

Omg bandana Willie might be even better than beanie Willie... maybe it’s just any time Willie has headwear, because I love Willie wearing his helmet too lol

28. Oh yes I love that! Originally the lyrics were “pack up your yarn Bobby, now or never” and Luke was like hmmm I like that

32. Omg that’s literally perfect I love that so much. Alex in his pyjamas (and a hoodie) staring at flour trying to remember which kind he needed to buy at 3 o’clock in the morning and the shop assistant is like omg you’re Alex Mercer then hands him a sticker

Yes definitely!!! He frames all his favourite puzzles and has them hanging up around the studio, but that’s his ultimate favourite and he makes sure to clean the frame of dust twice a week

35. Omfg yes that’s brilliant. Ray has two biological kids but actually he has four ghosts and his daughters best friend too (and maybe some other we don’t see, like Carlos’s best friend??) the comparison to stray cats is amazing - they just come in for food and maybe a hug then they’ll be on their way again.

Yeah same lmao I realised as I was writing that they wouldn’t show up but that’s a tiny detail and for this we can disregard it completely 😂😂 (or maybe he does show up sometimes, and even when he doesn’t there’s a golden orb there like in Ray’s photos and it actually looks really good somehow)

37. I live for heart eyes Alex tbh. And yes the other rules include: you must wash it if you get it dirty, if I find any rips I will literally kill you (because Luke once ripped one of his nicest hoodies), and for the love of god don’t lose it

39. Yes I feel like they’d be such a Father-Daughter-Dream-Team you know?? Like they’re really close and they know each other really well and the little things like that are the best part of their relationship!

40. Ahajdnsls yes I need it!

Lol the notifications were fine I literally do that so often bc I forget that’s how tumblr works 😂

Yes I was literally going to mention how we have categories now!!! I honestly find this so funny like how did we get all this from a jigsaw 😂😂😂

[angelkurenai]

Imagine Dean embarrassing himself in front of you and accidentally revealing his feelings for you when he can’t lie about a single thing.

“Hey, let me ask you one question.” Dean approached you and Sam after he was supposed to talk to the lady at the front desk “Tell me who your favorite singer is.”

“What?” Sam frowned at his brother's question and you blinked in surprise. That wasn't what you expected to hear.

“You-” he cleared his throat, determined look on his face and a frown that you found adorable but would never admit out loud “Look, I know you say it's Elvis, but we both know that's crap, so tell me who your favorite singer is.” he repeated as you started walking.

“Well, it's like you said.” Sam chuckled a bit “It's Celine Dion.” his answer took both and you by surprise. Your eyes widening a bit and a giggle leaving your lips when you took notice of the look on the older Winchester's face and the look of shock on Sam's face at what left his lips “Uh I mean Celine Dion. It's Celi-” he stammered, blinking rapidly as you came to a halt.

“Dean, every time I try and say “Elvis” it- it comes out-”

“The sad, horrible truth.” Dean completed his brother's sentence with a look of utter disappointment and you clasped a hand over your mouth to keep yourself from laughing.

“Your whole life has been a lie now huh Dean?” you asked with a small grin and he shot you a look “Thought you had a cool brother and he ruined it right now?”

“Yeah, and you know the reason why? Because we can't lie.” he pointed out and once everything started unfolding before your eyes, your smile totally faded from your lips and a look of horror took over. If you couldn't lie, then how were you supposed to hide your love for Dean from him? You were simply screwed.

“Yeah, she's got this blog. And that gluten-free popover looks like crap because there's no gluten in it.” Dean chuckled before looking up from his phone at you and Sam “You know what I mean?” he asked but got a blank face from the two of you and his smile faded “I'll- I'll stop talking now.”

“Probably a good plan.” you muttered, glancing at the computer in case it had come up with anything “You know, the internet may seem to get really quiet but you really can't seem to be able to shut up right now which by the way is giving me a headache. And that's definitely not a lie, just so you know.”

“Well, ain't it easy for you, Miss can't-lie-about-a-damn-thing? You're always telling the truth and don't have a single secret, so why should you worry about this?” he rolled his eyes, resting his weight on the desk.

“Why, do you?” you asked the question so casually, so easily, as if it was just any other question to you. Something that you would've asked any other day and it would have been totally fine. But it wasn't any other day, it was this day and this day Dean couldn't lie about it.

“Hell yeah!” he exclaimed a bit too fast and enthusiastically. But of course when it dawned on him, a look of pure fear washed over his face. Your head snapped up in his direction and your eyebrows shot up in surprise and somewhat interest. The curves of your lips pulled into a small intrigued smirk that started to scare him even more and made a thick lump form in his throat.

“Shit.” he breathed out, stepping further away from you “Shit. Crap. I just said that out loud, didn't I?” he winced at himself.

“So there's a big secret huh? Why lie about it? Is there someone you don't want to know about it, Dean?” you only took a step closer, forgetting all about your secret as you were too interested to hear about his.

“N- Yes.” it came out squeaky as he tried his hardest to lie about it but he really couldn't “Damn it.” he cursed under his breath when he knew he couldn't hide it “Oh fuck me.” he let out a heavy sigh, dragging a hand down his face before he stole a glimpse at you and added “Like... maybe literally too please.”

“What?” you asked fast enough and his entire body went stiff.

“What?” he asked back, doing his best to avoid having you ask about it because he'd be damned if he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Your lips parted but no words came out. You wanted so bad to ask, to get the words out of him, because he also seemed unable to keep his mouth shut but on the other hand, you were no more innocent yourself. It would be a dangerous game to play, the risk too big to take, and in case he happened to bring up yours and ask you about it then, how could you trust yourself to keep your mouth shut? Because lying was not an option.

“You know-” you sighed softly, shrugging as casually as you could “Fine by me. It's not like I need any more info to blackmail you anyway and I'm too tired to try at the moment.” you filled a small plastic cup with water, missing the way Dean sighed in absolute relief and his shoulders relaxed while Sam sent a smirk his way “You can keep your dirty secret to yourself... for now.” you gave him a smirk and his body stiffened once more.

“Hey, not cool.” he pointed a finger at you “I don't ask about your secrets all the time? It's not like I even want to know about them no. I'm actually desperate to, that's the right word. And mostly the ones that concern me. Like, yeah, I always care what you think about me, sometimes so much I can't sleep at night but- Oh hell, when it is a secret it must beimportant and I need to know everything that you think and feel of me because of how- What the hell?!” his voice raised an octave when he realized not only that he was rambling but also spilling the crystal clear and awfully embarrassing truth “What the hell did I just say?!” he whisper-hissed this time, mostly to himself.

“Apparently-” you were biting your lip real hard to keep yourself from grinning like an idiot because of how insanely adorable this was but it was just as hard it was for his to lie “The truth!” and a giggle escaped and he frowned.

“Hey, don't laugh!” he looked at you fake-hurt, frowning but also pouting, pointing a finger at you.

“I'm- I'm not, seriously.” and you technically weren't “This is just so freaking cute. You are and I'm not even afraid to admit it.”

“I'm- I'm not!” he tried to defend himself “I'm-” he blinked, looking from you at Sam for help but he just raised his hands in surrender “I'm a hunter. I'm not cute, n-not soft. I'm supposed to be tough a-and rough and- and not feeling like I can't breathe or speak around you because of just a few words from you or a smile which can be so stunning that I- Oh fuck it.” he let out a whine, burying his face in his hands.

“Alright-” you tried to hide your laugh behind your hand “I will admit, this is seriously one of the best things that has happened to us in a long time you guys.”

“No, no it's not!” Dean said desperately, face starting to turn a deep shade of red “It's embrrassment of the worse kind here! I can't lie about a damn thing nor keep my mouth shut a-and you- you look so damn beautiful laughing right nowand again I'm losing my breath with you and I know I shouldn't say it out loud but here I am dying of embarrassment because I just did and oh my gosh-” he threw his arms in the air “Come on now!”

“Alright now-” your eyes were nearly wide but the smile on your face was something you didn't even try to hide “This is something I didn't expect. I'm definitely enjoying this!”

“Oh of course you are.” Dean scoffed at you “Because you've always got this- this sadistic side in you that- that enjoys seeing me suffer and from one point of view it's both insanely adorable because you have no idea you're the reason behind my oh-so-sweet suffering and from another hot as fuck... me please. Damn it!” he gritted his teeth, turning to face away from you.

“I seriously...” you were out of breath as your eyebrows were raised in surprise “I seriously need to record this. As in right now. Wha-” you blinked rapidly, too shocked and probably a bit flustered by his words to react properly to anything he said “You're-” you laugh nervously, shaking your head “Wait-” you raised a hand, grinning widely when another idea came to your mind “Hey, Dean, is that... a blush I see right there?”

“Pff” he scoffed, laughing nervously “No.” technically not a lie because he couldn't see if he was blushing “Why would I be? Because you're totally about to figure everything out or I'm on the verge of spilling it? Hell yeah, definitely!” he laughed nervously “Oh this is not good. This is bad, actually, so bad!”

“Oh no this is definitely real good!”

“The fuck it is.” he groaned, rubbing his eyes “Like, I- I feel the blush creeping up my neck and my entire face burning up and yes I know I'm probably blushing like a mad here but I can't stop and I sure as heck can't lie about it either!”

“You know, for what it's worth, you know this could be worse right?” you started and his eyes snapped in your direction, totally terrified of what you'd say next “I didn't pry about your secret but right now I'm so-”

“Ok, guys, as cute as it is to see you two... flirt, or do whatever it is you always do, I'm kinda actually sick and tired of it. Had to deal with it for too many years to be honest and nothing has happened so far so-” Sam sighed and both you and Dean gave him a look without knowing just how much they matched “What? Not even sorry about it. Can we just focus on the case right now because it's more important than your hidden feelings for each-”

“Alright!” Dean exclaimed a little too loud and a little too fast “Nope. No need to go into any more detail there. No need at all!”

“For once I think I agree.” you mumbled, your eyes slowly casting down as you avoided looking at Dean more than anything or anyone.

The older Winchester sighed heavily and gave his brother a look “You speak up once and that's what comes out of your mouth? Really good job, Sammy. Thanks a whole freakin' lot.” he said in a gruff voice before dragging a hand down his face “Somehow I think out there's better than in here.” he added in a mutter, glancing at the door from which you entered as the chaos and shouting kept going on outside.

You managed a small laugh, nodding your head you whispered softly “You tell me.” and it earned a small mile from him in return as you glanced at each other.

“Hey, it's not my fault you two-” Sam started but, thankfully for you, he stopped himself by shaking his head “Nevermind. We've got bigger problems right now than you two's... that.”

If you weren't so terrified of the current situation and of spilling all of your real feelings to Dean in that moment then you would have taken a second or two to think over what Sam nearly said, but you didn't.

“On another issue-” a small smile lifted at the corners of your lip lifting into a smile, looking up from your plastic cup with water, at Sam “Celine Dion is not that bad.”

“Why do I have a feeling you're mocking me right now?” the younger Winchester narrowed his eyes at you and you managed a small giggle.

“No, I mean it. Besides, I can't lie, can I?” you said matter-of-factly with a small smile and shrug “Maybe even, dare I say, better than Elvis.”

You heard a shocked gasp come from the older Winchester “You didn't just dare say that.”

“Well, come on Dean! Sammy's right.” you insisted, effectively getting off the topic of your and Dean's relationship – whatever that was – even though you'd have secretly loved to tease him a bit more about it “You can't deny the fact thatshe's got a great voice and the way she manages to handle it when singing is incredible! Besides, didn't you hear her song on the new Deadpool movie? Man, I can't stop listening to it. It's seriously amazing!”

“Yeah, Ashes has got to be one of her more amazing latest songs. The way sings those high notes is remarkable.” Sam nodded his head enthusiastically.

“I know right?” you both started getting even more passionate about the topic, while all Dean could do was look back and forth at the two of you with a look of real horror on his face “I still can't get over the fact how it manages to give me shivers every time I hear it! It's insane, it's incredible and it's-” you stopped when you noticed the way Dean was looking at the two of you when you got excited over Celine Dion “What?” you asked him with a frown.

“Seriously?” he asked, face laced with utter disappointment for the both of you “Seriously, is this what's just happening?”

“What, why?” you blinked with a frown and he still kept the look on his face.

“You're really going to talk about... this right now? This is the talk? I can't even believe what I'm hearing. I can't even believe the answer you previously gave me-” he pointed at Sam “I mean I expected a different answer but that? That I didn't see coming. It was just- no, nope. Definitely not! I can't accept this, it's just too much. I can't even believe this.” he was now talking to himself, too shocked and probably horrified to speak about anything else.

Only thing you did was roll your eyes and let him ramble on as you took a sip of your water. But with the words that were about to leave, you wished you wouldn't have made that choice. “And now this? Both of you? I- My brother and the love of my life are both chosing Celine Dion over Elvis like it's the most simple thi-”

You choked right then and there when you heard him speak. You coughed, trying to get yourself to calm down and then tried to get some air in your lungs before you finally looked at him with eyes and asked in a whisper “Wh-who?”

Dean was also frozen in his place, his eyes equally wide when he realized the truth that accidentally spilled from his lips “Wh-who?” he repeated nervously.

You pushed off the desk you were leaning on and took a step closer to him “Dean.. What did you just call me?”

“What did I just call you?” another nervous laugh or maybe more like a scared one. If he did answer he would inevitably say the truth and that would just make it worse. Not that things weren't already very bad for him. You had heard him, despite your question, you had heard him crystal clear and there was no taking it back, no saying it was a joke because it was the one and only truth and he could say no other.

“Dean” you repeated his name and took a step closer to him. He would've taken one back but gosh if he was taken by theway you said his name, the way you looked at him, the way you looked in general, the way- aaaaand he was distracted by you again, typical. “What was that?”

“M-my name?” it came out as a bit of a question, but you shook your head at him. What he couldn't help but get hooked on was the small smile that played on your lips.

“No. I meant what you said before. What did you say before?”

“Som- something?” again it came out almost a bit squeaky and nervous as he started to back away, motioning to the door behind him that blocked you from the chaos going on outside “Y-you know what?” he laughed awkwardly “That-” and as if on que there was a scream “Doesn't sound good. Like nowhere near good... probably a lot better than what's going on here in here and I really think I should check it out.”

“N- no. Wa- wait-” you blinked, surprised and not sure if you could believe this “Don't go. Don't- Wait, you sure you want to get out there right now?”

“Nope, definitely not.” he said with a nervous laugh “But I need to get out of here before I die of embarrassment in here or worse before you reject me after what I just said- oh fucking hell.” he added in the end, before practically running out of the room, leaving you stunned to blink in surprise and shock and... probably complete and total happiness but you didn't have the chance to show him.

.

..

...

“What did he just call me?” you whispered a couple seconds after Dean was gone, too shocked to comprehend or think of anything else but the way he called you.

“Love of his life.” Sam said very casually and very fast for your poor heart to take “And believe me, he totally means it.” he looked up at you with a smile “Like, absolutely and entirely means it. And I could pretend I didn't hear but eh I already know it and I can't lie because-” he shrugged “Well, I can't lie and I actually love it right now. Yeah, that has actually been going on for years and if he asks why I told you? Well, oops the truth slipped out. Yeah-” he nodded his head at his own thoughts “Yeah, sounds like a good excuse. Huh wouldn't have thought of that? Finally getting to deal with this and he can't even blame me for it or want to get me back for it. Yeah, this is actually very good. It's-”

“Sam!” you exclaimed, grabbing him by his tie and pulling him forward, making him shut up “Rambling. Stop it. More important matters Now. Dean. Called me love of his life. What did he mean and how long has he felt that way without me knowing?!”

“Wow ok, calm down first, will you?” he asked and you shot him a look at which he rolled his eyes “Alright, I get it, not possible. Well uh to answer your question, about 6 years now. I'm not sure, I kinda lost count after the fourth year.” he sighed as you let go of him “It's seriously a real torture watching you both be helplessly and hopelessly in love with each other and not say a damn word. To watch you both pin so hard over the other, practically melting when you look at the other, showering each other with love and keep calling the other friend while giving such obvious heart eyes to the other, bedroom eyes for sure too, to stare longingly at each other and act like you’re some school kids falling in love for the first time and not being able to say a damn thing about it! It’s like, really, there were times when I just wanted to tell at the two of you to get a room or was on the verge of locking you in one myself or even grabbing you both and-”

“Sam!” you exclaimed so loudly they would have surely heard you outside but you didn’t care, it got him to stop rambling (not that you weren’t interested in what he was saying because- Dean giving you heart eyes when you weren’t looking? You had to ask him about that for sure!) “Yu’re getting distracted!”

“Right.” he cleared his throat “Sorry. Sorry. Truth spilling out too fast I guess.”

“The truth, yeah, of course.” you nodded your head slowly “You’re right, you’re absolutely right.” you nodded your head before you hastly started making your way to the door “I gotta leave. You’re gonna be ok here on your own?”

“Of course. B-but- Leave? Go where and do what?” he blinked a couple times.

“Follow your brother and probably-” you paused at the door, turning to look at him and let a soft breath that mixed with a laugh “Definitely kiss the living heaven out of him. Like, yep, gonna get me than man now. I’ve loved him for just as long and boy does it feel good to be able to say it know he feels the same.” you laughed softly “So yeah, you might wanna stay in there though, cause I can’t promise kissing is all we’re gonna be doing. Like, I doubt I’m gonna be able to pull away from him and frankly-” you looked at him with a grin “I don’t want to.”

“Of course you don’t. Of course.” Sam only laughed and shook his head as you hastily exited the room.

[hollenka99]

The One Where Jackie Meets The Others

Summary: Chapter 4. Jackie enjoys a couple trips out with Marvin.

Warnings: death and blood mentions

@bupine @badlypostedeverything

Things don't smoothly transition back to the way they were following that morning. However, they both agreed it was clear Anti's intentions were to divide them. Therefore, it would be dumb to give him that satisfaction. When Marvin asks, out of pure curiosity, about the mullet, Jackie doesn't really have an answer. He'd simply liked the style. But maybe it was time to move on. The chances of him returning to the '80s were particularly slim. With the green having faded weeks ago, he has it cut so it now only reaches his ears. The style is nice but he does miss his old look. He supposes Marvin was pleased with this development. He definitely got a lot of joy from teasing Jackie about how much curlier his shorter hair became following showers. The only quip he has in response is that the hero's hair wasn't much better when wet either. The next thing on the agenda was the excursion to Pizza Hut. The four of them agree to meet on Thursday. In preparation, Marvin offers Jackie a copy of the restaurant's document on allergy information. Marvin faces falls when he learns just how many items he loved posed a certain risk to Jackie's health. Nope, no pepperoni for him. No garlic breadsticks or cheesy fries either. Fried items were a contamination risk too, apparently. He lies when his friend asks about stuffed crust. Jackie trying the crust option was one of the main reasons they'd agreed to visit the establishment. Besides, it wasn't guaranteed it would trigger a reaction. He could possibly get away with sampling a little of Marvin's crust if he didn't push his luck. It is comforting to learn Henrik, the friend who made educational videos for others, had coeliac's disease and therefore had to be wary when eating as well. Jameson was Marvin's cousin of sorts. Their grandmothers had been sisters. Then their mothers were friends, leading to their sons to develop a good relationship while growing up. Jameson was a performer who used his control over time and sound for entertainment purposes. He and Marvin frustratingly run late due to the hero misplacing his wallet. They are apologetic to Henrik and Jameson who have already found a table and ordered drinks for themselves. Jameson has neat brown hair that extends down his face to his jawline and closely surrounds his mouth. Henrik, on the other hand, has black hair which has been swept back as well as glasses. The two of them promise they don't mind the delay. They haven't been here for ages anyway. In time, four pizzas are delivered to the table. There is the pan BBQ americano, gluten free Hawaiian, cheesy bites pepperoni and stuffed crust BBQ beef and onion. Marvin suggests he and Jackie trade a slice. His friend makes a supposedly humourous comment about how he identifies as Jackie's pizza base but it's lost on the former drummer. How someone can deeply relate to dough that's been baked in a pan, Jackie has no clue. He allows Marvin to take a slice regardless. However, when it comes to him returning the gesture, Jackie insists he only wants a little bit of his friend's crust. Half a slice's worth of stuffed crust is placed on top of his own pizza. Jackie regrets it as soon as it enters his mouth. God damn it, it was actually really tasty. He could see why Marvin was so enthusiastic about it. His expression remains neutral as he chews, well aware he has an audience. He hates how disappointed Marvin looks when Jackie gives a bullshit review about the cheese within being too chewy. Allergies and cross-contamination risks fucking sucked. Screw his body for being an asshole who overreacted to a commonly used spice. "Oh well, more for me." Marvin winks as he recovers from the blow before stealing a piece of chicken from Jackie plate. Alright, maybe letting one small inconvenience ruin tonight in his mind was stupid. Marvin had said he'd act as translator. Which was a lovely gesture. Jackie was grateful he was prepared to sacrifice part of his evening to play the middleman so he and Jameson could communicate. Except Marvin got sidetracked at one point and had delved into a whole conversation with his cousin, spoke entirely in BSL. It looked like a funny one too. Jackie was glad the pair were enjoying their evening. He stuck to conversing with Henrik instead. It's a struggle as they don't seem to have much in common. That is until Jackie absentmindedly asked what sort of food Henrik enjoyed. This in turn triggered the German man sitting opposite him to enthuse about fried potato slices with pieces of bacon and onion. Jackie himself launches into a story about how his mother used to work with a woman who had family in West Germany. Then this German colleague would sometimes write down a recipe or two to give to them. In no uncertain terms, those foreign dishes beat jacket potatoes or beans on toast any day. The four men give their stomachs a chance to settle a little while they chat as a group. Then it was time to finish off the night with ice cream shakes. Two strawberries, an oreo and a chocoholic are brought to the table. Although there had been several mentions of what Jameson did for a living, it is only at this point that a proper conversation about is initiated. "Jameson's doing a show on the 4th. I think we should go. What do you say?" Jackie's response is delayed due to Marvin making the suggestion just as he takes a long sip of his strawberry shake. "Oh uh, yeah, sure. What exactly will be in the show? Time stuff, right?" Jameson taps the side of his nose with a wry smile. The younger of the cousins translates this as "I believe he's saying that's for him to know and for you to find out." The performer signs something. "Expect the unexpected." Marvin rolls his eyes with a smile remaining on his face. "Oh yeah, like when you get a younger member of the audience to volunteer for your sound tricks. I once heard Hacker T Dog from CBBC sing Thinking Out Loud, you know. That was an experience." Jameson makes a comment. "I haven't seen the weirdest combinations? Well yeah, I sure hope I haven't. Kids' minds can come up with bizarre things. Henrik, especially, should know that." Henrik nods to this with a sense that this was a profound understatement. The banter carries on and Jackie soon feels like less of an outsider. The ice creams shakes eventually get drained as the evening draws to a close. Once all the goodbyes and "It was nice to meet you"s are over, the tow of them hop into Marvin's car to head home. Bohemian Rhapsody happens to begin playing on the radio as they set off. Jackie doesn't even have to ask before he's turning the volume up for both their benefits. They haphazardly fall into a duet. Jackie's heard Marvin singing absentmindedly to himself before this. He therefore already knows he has a good voice. But it isn't until tonight that he's able to hear it out loud. "I need you to do me a favour. Do you mind headbanging like in Wayne's World?" "What?" "Wayne's World. Never seen the film myself but there's a pretty well known scene where a bunch of them are in the car while this song is playing. Then during the instrumental that's coming up, they really rock out. I've always wanted to do it while in a car but I always seem to be the driver when I get the chance. So do you mind rocking out in a minute on my behalf?" Jackie chuckles. "Sure. My pleasure." As Freddie finishes claiming Beelzebub has a devil put aside for him, Jackie springs into action. He moves his head back and forth in rapid succession to the music. The pair follow along with the next verse as loudly as possible. At least, they attempt to. It isn't long before they have both descended into raucous laughter. "Thanks!" Marvin manages in between breaths when it calms. "We should do that again. With us stationary next time so you can do it too." "Deal." Marvin bursts into laughter once more and Jackie thinks he's growing particularly fond of it. --- Another crime scene, another person fighting to remain alive while bleeding from the neck. Cat is only able to stand by while the paramedics do their job. He'd like to beg them to not take this guy to hospital, to not risk history repeating itself. But it's not like he can ask anyone to skip properly treating the victim. He's sure everyone here knows this situation is a catch 22. However, they can't do anything other than perform their jobs. It takes great deal of convincing but Cat is allowed to stay outside the patient's room for the night. He's been standing guard for a good while when midnight passes. A doctor comes along on her rounds. She speaks to Cat and the other member of security he's been spending the night with. While she's talking, Anti's latest victim begins coding. Any and all resuscitation efforts prove futile. The guy is gone. So is the doctor. If she even existed in the first place. And Cat suspects Anti himself is long gone too. The day afterwards, he catches some reporting of the murder while flicking through channels. The victim has an identity now. There's a name, age and grieving loved ones. The television is bitterly switched off as Marvin searches for his notebook instead. Joining the countless other entries is 27/4/19 - Nick Shaw, 34, wife + 2 little kids The next time he sees Anti, he's not fucking around. Enough was enough. Marvin was putting a stop to this once and for all, by whatever method was necessary. --- The first Saturday of May is a cloudy one. That doesn't stop a crowd from flocking to the Jolly Gentleman's show. Chase is still getting out of the car when Niamh races out, the name Oscar having barely left her mouth before doing so. It is with great relief that Chase witnesses his daughter collide with a familiar man. The pair of single fathers briefly kiss as a part of a greeting while the five year old girl is returned. Her twin sister and older brother hover around as the greetings continue. Eventually, Fletcher drifts into his own group with both of Oscar's boys. The seven of them make their way inside. "So where is this friend of yours?" Oscar asks as they take their seats. "Do you see him?" "Not yet. He should be bringing his new roommate with him." His scanning of the tent is halted. "Speak of the devil." Chase spots Marvin entering the area, along with another man whom his best assumptions identified as Jackie. They seat themselves in the same row as the fathers. The children sit directly in front of the adults. Marvin introduces him to Jackie as Dr Chase Brody, emphasising the title. "I'm just spending the day out with my kids, there's no need to be throwing my doctorate around. Chase." He offers his hand for Jackie to shake. "And this is Fletcher, Ciera and Niamh." Oscar carries on the round of greetings by introducing himself, Milo and Max. They spend a full minute going through the mundane pleasantries before Marvin and Jackie finally stay seated. As the performance begins, Chase relaxes. They'd filled the wait time with small talk and chatter amongst themselves, however, he had intended for today to be a chance to spend time with his partner. He gives Marvin the benefit of the doubt. The thing is, Jackie came across as a decent enough guy. He also understandably seemed a little overwhelmed by the amount of people in the group. If the chit chat served as a distraction, then fine by him. Besides, he only looked like he was in his late teens anyway. They did share a history of drumming when they were younger though which was a nice surprise. That certainly allowed for a whole avenue of conversation. As soon as Jameson emerged to start his performance, the auditory atmosphere changed. There were speakers around the place and at certain points of the show it almost felt as if the sound was travelling around the space as a physical thing. He also seemingly teleported to a different spot than moments before. A woman was completely flabbergasted when she discovered a small thank you card in her handbag that certainly hadn't been there when she arrived with no easy explanation for how it got there. Throughout the performance, one of his colleagues acted as his commentator. Among his other tricks, the Jolly Gentleman sets a row of plants on fire with an elongated lighter. One of his colleagues dramatically shows up with a bucket of water to extinguish it. The performer stops him with a raised hand. He then holds the lighter, still producing a flame, up for the audience. It trails across the plants, erasing any evidence that there had been any combustion taking places. Not a single scorch mark or hint of smoke in sight. A little girl is summoned from the audience. She's about the twins' age, maybe slightly younger. After being asked what her favourite character was (Daddy Pig, of all things) she was encouraged to sing a song she really liked (I'm a Little Teapot). Already familiar with work stories his friend had, he knew what to expect. The crowd was treated to Daddy Pig's rendition of I'm a Little Teapot, complete with actions. Or at least, they were partially treated to it as the volunteer kept giggling into the microphone throughout her performance. It is evident that Jackie is too enthralled by the show to notice the barely subtle yet fond glances in his direction from the one sitting next to him. Ah, so it was like that, huh? Good for them. Chase catches Marvin's arm as they head out, taking advantage of Jackie going to speak with Jameson. It would be more discreet if Marvin's friend wasn't in earshot. With a wink, he teases his friend. "And they were roommates." "Hey, shut up. It's not like that." "Sure. And Oscar is nothing more than my buddy." "Chase-" "Seriously, what have you got to lose? If he's straight then it might get a little awkward for a moment. But I feel like he would be reasonable and appreciate the honesty. Well, you know him better than I do. You tell me." "You sure?" "Listen, I was already married to a woman when I started being cool with liking dudes. But since the split I've been around the block a few times. It is going to be fine." Marvin moves towards his car as Jackie re-emerges from backstage. It's clear he's still very much skeptical about it all. "If you say so, Chase." ---- Joel makes the judgement that Jackie would probably be fine to travel through his portals a week later. His apartment is pleasant. The ledge of one of his windows has a cushion to improve comfort. Jackie notices remnants of blu tack on the wall where something had clear been removed, which was odd. He almost makes a joke about it but decides against it. "Well... fáilte!" Joel spreads his arms to gesture to the whole room. "Wait, you know some Irish?" "Yep. Had an Irish grandmother who got me conversational." "Really? Nice. In that case, go raibh maith agat." Jackie chuckles. "So... anyway, you going to tell me how you know I'm from '86 or not?" "Okay, so you already know about my portals." "Are you trying to tell me you portalled me through time?" "What?! No, of course not. Bold of you to assume I have any control over the 4th dimension. I meant, I have powers and therefore I inherited the ability to have them." "So how then?" "One of my dads has a time based power and I guess, that trickled down to me a little. Stuff like that happens sometimes. I think Jameson might have an unusually strong immune system because his mother has enhanced immunity. Either way, I just have a sixth sense for time stuff." "...Right." Joel huffs in annoyance. "Alright, believe me or don't. The point is I want to help you go back to your own time if that's what you want." Ah. That's where that elephant was hiding. He was slowly getting used to the future but there was an inexplicable longing to return to where he came from. He was never meant to be 20 in 2019. There was no denying that fact. And as much as he enjoyed hanging out with Marvin and the rest of his new friends, it felt wrong somehow. That said, he was particularly good at going with the flow where necessary. If he was stuck in this century for good, then he'd deal with that. But if there was a chance he could be returned to 1986, there was no way he wouldn't take it. "How?" A sly smile appears on Joel's face. "Ah, for that, we will need Jameson and Henrik's help. All we have to do is wait for the right moment to ask for it. And seeing as it's now May, I don't think we'll have to wait that long."

[darkpoisonouslove]

“A Taste of Clouds Doesn’t Have to Chase Away Your Smile”

Summary: Valtor gets caught in the sudden rain that pushes him to seek shelter in a small business establishment he wouldn't have looked at twice, otherwise. Inside he finds another perspective on what the clouds can bring you if you can open your heart and your mind for the magic of the universe. Bakery AU.

This was supposed to be about rain which is still there but I somehow ended up with a bakery AU on my hands. I have to admit, I never thought I would write one but here we are and I am actually very happy with how it turned out.

Every water drop falling on his skin was like a slap in the face. Of course, it would rain the one day he would decide to leave the car in the company garage as he went out to lunch. And of course, it would pour down into an angry curtain of water that he couldn't get out of when it was falling over everything.

The downpour was violent and sudden. It had practically started from a clear sky and it had caught him at the narrow street he'd taken as a shortcut back to his office. It had turned out to be a shortcut to getting soaking wet when there was nowhere to hide from the rain as it seemed to mock him with its steady rhythm and loud noise. Surely, it could have waited for another five minutes that he would've needed to get back to his office but, apparently, his day had been going too well and had had to be ruined.

He wasn't wasting his time glaring at the sky no matter how much he wanted to when he had to stay focused on finding a way to hide from its attack.

An "open" sign drew his gaze and he headed towards the small shop keeping his pace steady. He wasn't going to run from the rain like he was afraid of it. If anything, his jaw only clenched harder at the feeling of the soaked fabric of his suit jacket between his fingers. It was hardly keeping his hair dry anymore and he had nothing else to cover his head. He could have a change of clothes in the office but he still hadn't installed a hairdryer. He hadn't thought it necessary but he was sure to look into the option now since letting the events of the last few minutes repeat was unacceptable.

He pushed the door of the small business establishment to hear a ring that surely couldn't have come from a bell. And indeed, when he looked up, he was met with a wind chime that had a small solar system hanging from it. It was the Sun that the door pushed and sent the whole system into motion producing the sound.

He might have been more interested in it if he weren't in a rush to turn back to the sky and give a victorious smirk now that he'd won. The only times he was getting his hair wet were when he decided to go for a swim in the mansion's pool. Or when there was a pool party. Either way it involved a pool and an incentive and none of that was present currently.

"What can I help you with?" a voice startled him to the effect of him whirling around to the inside of the shop from where it had come as if he'd been caught at the scene of the crime.

The mellow timbre obviously belonged to the woman behind the counter who was the only one in the little space. It seemed business wasn't exactly blooming which was a shame when she herself was a sight worth the visit.

She had purple hair that seemed to cascade down her back in what had to be a braid that he couldn't guess the length of. It hardly mattered when he had her lithe figure in front of his eyes. He could see her curves even under the apron she was wearing and she had the figure of a model which he could attest to after all the time he'd spent in the company of women from all walks of that profession. And her eyes seemed to have shined a light on the thought in his mind with their bright golden color since the look she was giving him was cutting with knowledge of where he'd ended up mentally when he was on her territory.

"Nothing, I'm afraid," he said, his brain protesting when his nose could distinguish the smell of coffee from between the threads of the scent of baked bread and sugar weaving themselves around him. He was more than awake at that time of the day–especially after the surprise bath from the rain–but the yearning for the familiar warmth of a cup of coffee in his hand and the bitter taste of it on his tongue to chase away the cold and sourness left from the downpour washed over him.

"None of my products is catching your appetite?" she asked, making him look around only to feel overwhelmed by the colorful display of sweets and pastries.

He'd entered a bakery. He could've well thought it was a flower shop with all the plants around the place that were in every corner, on every table and even hanging from the ceiling in pots that seemed too small to contain them as they spilled over the sides and reached for him with their green stems. He was getting the vibe of a hostile jungle that was looking to tangle into his hair and keep him in place to feed on his life force until there was nothing left of his muscles and he was done for.

"I'm sorry but do I look like I go anywhere near these things?" he asked, stepping closer to give her the chance to take a better look at him. If she hadn't done that already. She must have had plenty of time to look at him while he'd still been fighting his mental battle with the rain outside and experience had shown that his fitness hours plus a gluten free diet had women turning after him. She wouldn't have even needed to put in the effort to do that when he was right in front of her. Lucky girl.

"Your muscles can't handle a bit of spectacular cooking and a hooking taste?" she asked, propping herself on the counter on her elbows and he was sure that even if the apron hadn't been blocking the view of her cleavage, he still wouldn't have been looking at it when he had his focus pinned on the challenge on her face. It was so potent in the curve of her smirk and the arch of her brow as she looked so pleased with herself. Like she owned the place which was highly likely but it was beside the point. She was too pleased with herself for his liking.

"I was just hiding from the rain," he said, holding her gaze to make it clear he meant to return her insult.

"Your loss," she shrugged, her nonchalance getting on every last one of his nerves and setting them on fire with the outrage rising in him that even the rain hadn't managed to draw out. "My bakery can offer so much more than just shelter and you are the only one that will suffer from not knowing that," she said, her eyes sparkling triumphantly even when he'd gone for her ego.

He'd been quite secure the subtle dig about the unpopularity of her business would have gotten her–surely he would have known about the place as close to his office as it was if it were that good–yet she didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, he was the one with the problem right now.

"You won't kick me out just because I'm not here for the cookies, right?" he asked even though he knew she had a much better reason to kick him out back in the rain. She had the reason and the power and he was having a what could be described as mild adrenaline rush at the thought of being at her mercy. He hadn't quite found himself in a situation like that before which might have been what had had him so haughty before realization had kicked in.

"Of course not," she said, her tone not as light anymore as if she was trying to give her feelings a place to hide where the sun wouldn't find them even if it was nowhere to be seen currently as the clouds provided enough darkness. She seemed to catch that as well and was quick to mend it. "You look like you're gonna melt if you have to go back out in the rain," she said, a glint in her eyes that he couldn't interpret as malicious no matter how hard he tried to do just that.

"You should try going out there before you mock," Valtor snipped, relaxed as much as he could be in the wetness of his pants sticking to his legs and his suit jacket gushing water in his hand–he was leaving a puddle on her floor as he realized, yet she didn't seem bothered by it–now that they were back to teasing. It was a good thing that she wasn't quite as vengeful as he was.

"I have sweets tougher than you," she bit back but the grin on her face was just playful rather than vicious. "Speaking of which, us, peasants, have work to do," she pushed herself off the counter. "You can stay until the rain stops, Your Highness," she threw at him casually before turning her back on him. The audacity.

He had work to do as well. She wasn't the only one who had a business to run. Though, she was probably the only one who was doing it on her own when he had many people to coordinate and manage.

"You know what," he said, glad to see her stop dead in her tracks, "I'll try your infamous sweets." She could have decided that she'd gotten the last word but he had other plans. And since he was the customer, he had the privilege. For once. "I'll take your specialty," he said, only hoping that it wasn't something too sugary. It could be too much for his years of abstinence. Though, he was sure he could manage one bite. He had to.

"That's an excellent choice," she chimed at him immediately, not phased by his sudden change of mind, and moved to grab a plate.

"I will be the judge of that," he said, expecting her to shoot him a dirty glare but she only gave a self-assured smirk as she barely acknowledged him while she worked on serving him.

It had him tensing as if for a fight when he didn't know what he was up against and what smart remark she would whip out next. He hadn't quite felt that in years now that his company had grown so much that all business partners were the ones that had to win him over and not the other way around. It was refreshing when he'd thought it would bother him quite like the rain had.

She seemed to be at the exact opposite specter of experience when she was working swiftly and dexterously, the motions she was going through a second nature. Despite the obvious habit, she didn't seem bored or annoyed with her work. The smile didn't leave her face and her body was not resisting the process like he could feel his own doing sometimes when he'd been buried in documentation so long that he'd missed his physical exercise. She looked like she was at the right place and she knew it with every inch of her being which, as much as it puzzled him–her life did seem a bit too tedious and ordinary if she was taking such pleasure in bantering with him–also drew him to her when she seemed to love her job more than he did his.

"Here you go. My favorite recipe," she said as she served him what looked like a tower of whipped cream–only somehow fluffy and soft like cotton, and extremely violet in color–though that could be just his own twisted perception considering he hadn't had that much sugar in front of him in years.

"What's that?" he asked. If he was about to die from it, might as well know what to blame.

"I call it a Kiss of the Clouds," she said and he was almost sure she was joking but no one could be that good of an actor. Not even her although she seemed to have a plethora of skills, not the least of which leaving him speechless. He had to give her credit for that since it wasn't an easy feat, yet she'd accomplished it without straining herself in the slightest.

"You're serious?" he asked, his gaze moving from the thing to her and then back again. Maybe names were her weakness.

"I'll just let my work speak for itself and shut you up," she said, though whether her voice wavered just the tiniest bit or he was projecting his own internal lack of steadiness, he wasn't sure. He sure hoped he hadn't pulled the thread that could unravel her confidence by accident when he didn't truly want to pull it deliberately either as he wasn't certain he'd enjoy conquering the victory in that fight.

He bit into it rather aggressively only to feel it melt in his mouth and release its taste that was exactly what he would have imagined clouds to taste like if he'd ever taken the time to do that. It was sweet in a way so light it felt like a breeze brushing against your taste buds and there was a refreshing coolness to it that he realized was coming from the tint of mint he could trace to the core of the flavor. It was everything the rain outside had refused to be and he was lost in the strange land of wonder she'd introduced to his brain through food.

"Saw the light, did you?" she asked, and maybe it was her who was projecting because her eyes were the ones shining radiantly with satisfaction as if she'd been the one to have a bite of heaven. And maybe she had. Maybe the approval of her work was all she needed to sustain her confidence and joy. And what a striking thought that was when he could never have enough of anything.

"I might if I eat all of it after all that time I haven't had sugar and I really want to even though I shouldn't," he admitted when discarding his ego for a moment was a small price to pay for the warmth of her company, especially when her eyes were illuminated by pride that was in no way imposing. It made her even more beautiful when it was completely deserved and it would be a crime to deny her the praise her creation was due.

"It's made with stevia. You will be just fine," she said, startling him with how easily she revealed her secret. Not that he could ever come any close to replicating her recipe even if he had the best chefs do it for him, but the instant reassurance coming from her seemed so in character he was annoyed by his own surprise.

"I'm half sure you're only saying that to get me to buy more but it is working nonetheless and I can't do anything about it," he admitted, both to make up for his disbelief in her good nature and because it was true. The only reason he hadn't devoured the whole thing yet was because he was too busy soaking up the interaction with her. It was the best thing he'd ever tasted and he wanted more.

She gave a grin that didn't make him feel like the ground was no longer under his feet when it was only logical as she'd claimed the triumph in their argument. "How many do you want?"

"How many do you have?" Valtor asked when he wasn't ready to give up just yet. Not when losing left him with the taste of her masterpiece in his mouth and not licking the wounds on his ego.

"More than you could possibly eat alone even if you were only feeding on those," she was ready with her answer and it felt good to have someone leading when he knew she wouldn't just let him drop off a cliff. All she did was push him further into thought to come up with something equally as clever and it was more stimulating that the rush of endorphins he got after a training session.

"Who says I'll be eating them alone?" he asked, the thought of making her jealous unable to surface through the visuals of what his parents' parties would look like if they served her desserts. He was sure his mom would love the things enough to try to hire the bakery to work exclusively for them, though that would need to remain just in the dream realm as the woman in front of him would disagree with the notion of working for a sole costumer no matter how much she would get paid. The quantity she was after was not in money and it was obvious by her personal interaction with the costumers.

"I told you that you wouldn't be." Not to mention her sales technique of arguing which wasn't that at all. She wasn't trying to take his money and that he could guarantee for. She'd just shown him what he was missing.

"I'll take seventeen," he decided to give her her victory after she'd done more than deserve it.

"Seventeen?" her forehead creased slightly at the taste of confusion.

"Why does that surprise you?" Valtor asked even though he had the perfect idea. If he stopped being an ass now, she would have no more reason to keep bantering with him, though.

"Seems too specific," she relented as if to prove him wrong. Almost as if she could see through him, though the more realistic–and less self-centered–explanation would be that she just knew when to admit defeat. Unlike him who always got carried away. Though, he supposed she didn't have the means to bail herself out of trouble every so often and needed to be reasonable instead.

"Today is the seventeenth," he offered, watching her lips part from the hitting realization to bring a smirk on his. He'd managed to catch her off guard and he considered it an accomplishment–probably the biggest he'd had in a while since his business policy was rather a habit at this point and any success it brought him could hardly be called a new achievement–even if she recovered quickly.

"Coming right up," she announced as she headed to complete his order. She didn't look offended by his games and it had his heart swell even when it said more about her than it did about him when he'd already said everything about himself she needed to know to draw her conclusions about the kind of person that he was. And she wouldn't be incorrect either.

Her being distracted with packing his Kisses was the perfect opportunity to shove the rest of the one he hadn't finished in his mouth but he restrained himself no matter how much he wanted to. He could take his Kiss home. The conversation with her he could only have here and he was already running out of time as she'd probably go back to her work once she had finalized her sale. He'd already filled up more of her time than she probably had for him.

"How did you get the idea for these?" he asked as he focused on her even if he could barely see her behind the wall of sweets standing between them. Far more than he could eat no matter how much he would love to have the sight of her in front of him again. His efforts to keep his fingers off of her Kiss would have to be enough to show his determination when he would get too lost in the taste–or the tender violet color that was an echo of her hair color distant enough to make the resemblance dreamy as if it was part of a magical world he didn't belong in–to hear her story. At least one of the many he was sure her bakery harbored like it was a storybook.

"Well, most people only ever see clouds as something undesirable. They either hide the sunshine needed for tanning or bring rain to soak them when they didn't have the foresight to bring umbrellas and ruin their mood when they can't find the beauty in something seemingly lacking charm," she said and Valtor was only able to rationalize she wasn't describing him when he kept his own question in mind. She'd just met him and he was sure as hell not the center of her universe. "I've always found a certain kind of magic in the clouds. They can revive the earth when they give their rain and they can be a source of joy if you have the imagination to find amusement in them," she said, most certainly catching his bewilderment even if he hadn't seen her look at him as she continued. "Ever looked at the clouds and tried to find what they look like? My favorite was the shape of a dragon I saw in them a few years back. It looked so regal... Majestic."

"A dreamer, huh?" Valtor asked, his question far more mocking than he'd intended, though he should've known when that was his default. He actually admired her for getting herself where she was without losing her spark of eccentricity and her curious approach to the world. A dragon sounded like something that would catch her attention, indeed.

"Well, we can't be all practical...ly boring," she teased as she emerged from her world of homemade wonders–there was no other way to describe what she could do with her cooking and the fairytale places she could take you to through your sense of taste–and he didn't have a good enough answer even though he hadn't grown up struggling to become who he was and he hadn't needed to sacrifice his dreams for the wealth he had. "That would be-"

"Keep the change," Valtor said as he slid a hundred on the counter. He didn't feel like a fifty would be enough to compensate for all of her time that he'd taken up with his entitlement.

"That's a bit too generous," she said, making no move to take the money. "Even if you won't go broke, Valtor."

The sound of his name when he hadn't given it was more startling that the whole experience had been when he'd given her his honesty. Indirectly as it may have been, but she had certainly given the impression she'd been able to read him. She couldn't have read his name in their meeting, though. She'd known it beforehand.

"You know who I am?" he asked, his mind not even paying attention to the redundancy he was spewing when it was still stuck on figuring out what her words meant for him.

"I do," she didn't offer more and he had to bite his tongue to keep from asking how. Even if that didn't help sever the need to know whether she recognized him from a business magazine or from a tabloid. He sure hoped it was the first even when hope had never been his thing. He wasn't good at it and it wasn't good to him in return. And the way they were clawing at each other currently was the perfect proof since there was no way she didn't see him as the playboy he was and yet, there was still a spark of hope inside him for the opposite that refused to go out. Maybe it was just tempted to shine as bright as her eyes even when he doubted he could ever be capable of that.

"Do I get a name? Or should I go look outside?" he asked, ever so confident in himself. Although, this time it felt a lot more like desperation.

"I'm afraid it's a bit trickier than that," she said, her words bouncing off the walls of her candy house to start painting it a nightmare now. "My name is for loyal customers." Her words stung with the implication of the truth in them.

"So I can buy the privilege to know it?" he hid behind his ever growing green wall when she could deliver a devastating blow even though she'd proven by now it was not her goal. It was low of him to think that when all she wanted was to make people happy. She was making little pieces of heaven and he still couldn't trust her. It really said more about him than he'd ever wanted to hear.

"You can earn it," she said, the first tint of sharpness tainting the sound of her voice. As if she was trying to cut through the shade of green that did nothing for her among the comfort of her plants, yet he'd painted all around them and he couldn't decide which one of them would have crumpled the banknote still lying on the counter more if holding it. "You can't buy everything with money," she slid his back towards him to punctuate.

"What do you think I'm trying to buy?" he asked, leaning on her counter casually as if his brain had failed to deduce she most certainly had knives lying around and would need just one precise stab to pop his inflated ego.

"My time," she said, the words piercing through him the same way her eyes had allowed her to see everything. "More Kisses perhaps," she held his gaze burning through his resolve to contain the impulse to lick his lips when she'd spread another one of the delicious fantasies she was cooking up over them. It would be all she needed to kick him out in the rain that would wash all of them out of his mind so he had to be careful. He didn't want to get soaked through to the soul.

"Well then, I can try it your way." He took back his hundred and left her the fifty that should have been on her counter from the start. "I can be very loyal," he said, pocketing his change to illustrate he'd received her message loud and clear even if he'd forced her to send it through a channel she wouldn't normally use.

"That's not the impression one gets from the media." And there was the answer to his hope. Another slap in the face. Or was it a paparazzi flashlight–always meant for the model next to him–in his eyes that could very well be the reason he would never get to see the real her?

"The media doesn't know me." Of course, it didn't. It would be hard for anyone else to know him when he hardly knew himself these days. Somewhere down the road of being the heir to a big business he'd lost the sensitivity of his soul and he'd been trying to fill the hole left after it with anything he could get his hands on. Even his parents' love hadn't helped when it couldn't get attached to the emptiness in his heart that was all his doing and he'd tried to buy something big enough to fill it.

"Fair enough," she said and the two words were like a flood trying to sweep him away.

Naturally, he did what he was used to and tightened his grip on her counter to the point where he would have suffocated it if it had been a living, breathing thing. No wonder everyone had trouble staying with him when he was clutching the same way at people. No one would smile while getting asphyxiated in his embrace.

She smiled at him and a ray of sunshine hit the counter forcing him to relinquish it–just like the clouds had relinquished the sun–if he didn't want his fingers scorched by the raw power it held.

[themiscyra1983]

Cassandra’s Half-Assed Cuisine in Quarantine: Low and Slow Beef Stew Over Noodles

Good evening, cats and kittens, and welcome to the last of my recipes, at least for the time being. This one will perhaps be judged less harshly by the esteemed @docholligay, your friend and mine, as it does involve some actual proper cooking. I’m not saying no judgment. I am saying less.

As with my Hot and Horrific Chili Queso, I don’t have a specific provenance for this dish. It’s based on something my parents would make for me and my sister since our childhood, well before I can remember. The Lease family has roots all over the place, if by ‘the place’ you mean Europe. Most immediately, we are Swedish (via my grandmother, an immigrant), Scottish (via my great-grandmother, through whom I am linked to Clan MacGillivray, if only unofficially, as that was her maiden name), and Irish (via my grandfather; the less said about him the better, but I like Ireland even as I loathe that no-account bastard through the mists of time). Any part of our heritage could have inspired this simple, hearty meal, though more likely my parents found it on the back of a gravy packet or something and added it to our repertoire. Truth be told, a lot of our family recipes were things my parents initially found on a package, which then mutated over the years when they lost the original recipe; such is the case with our Chili Ole, an amalgam of ground beef, tomato paste, macaroni, beans and various spices. No idea what that dish was originally. No idea how to actually make it.

And, though I do know how to make this, I similarly have no idea where this actually came from.

But this was a special meal for us. Simple but time consuming, it was a bit infrequent in our family meal rotation, making it special for us. Today I make it strictly on special occasions, when I have a whole day to myself, as it involves the slow cooker and while I know the point is to just let the thing run, I don’t like leaving it completely unattended. So this is a Christmas and birthday kind of meal for me. And it was my dad’s specialty; since he now lives a thousand miles away, it’s not like he can make it for me.

Now, my dad doesn’t cook very much, and even less these days, it seems. His girlfriend was shocked to learn I thought highly of his gravy, but I do have fond memories of him making gravy for our Thanksgiving dinners and for this dish. He gave me the best instructions he could recall, but the truth is, I’ve never been able to make the stuff thicken the way I like - the way he could. So, because I can’t actually advise you on making gravy, and in the spirit of this being half-assed, I’m going to tell you to add premade gravy. But in the course of this recipe you’re going to end up with a by-product that could certainly be the basis of a gravy or a broth, so I’ll tell you how my dad said to make the gravy at the end, even though it doesn’t work for me.

But let’s start with the half-assed version. As I said: this is a time-consuming recipe, but also a simple one. It involves a few ingredients, a bunch of waiting, and then tasting and adjusting to taste as you finish it off. The most expensive part will be the steak. You can use stew beef if you prefer, but I actually found my experience using small, tender steaks much more satisfying. It was necessity inspiring invention when I couldn’t get stew beef but now I actually prefer it. You can also use onion powder instead of diced onion (in fact this is what my dad does), but I find the latter makes things more flavorful. If you want to use onion powder, I’d say add a couple tablespoons.

Here’s what you’ll need.

The Stew:

About 24 ounces worth of tender angus steaks

One small or about half a medium onion, freshly diced

Two tablespoons of garlic powder

Salt

Pepper

About 24 ounces of premade gravy (Heinz Savory Beef Gravy works for me)

The Noodles:

One 12-ounce package of egg noodles

One stick of butter or margarine (or four ounces for those of you who don’t get the stuff in quarter-pound sticks)

Cut the steaks into bite-sized chunks and place into your slow cooker or Instant Pot. Add the diced onion and garlic powder, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover this mixture with water - about 4 cups, enough to cover everything. Stir until you feel the ingredients have been distributed evenly. Put your slow cooker on low and leave to cook for eight hours.

After eight hours of cooking, remove the mixture from the slow cooker and drain, saving the water for other uses if desired. Put the drained mixture in a large saucepan and heat over low heat on your stovetop, adding the gravy and stirring often. Taste occasionally and add more garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and/or salt to taste.

In another pot, prepare the egg noodles as directed on the package, bringing enough water to cook them to a boil, adding the noodles, and stirring occasionally until tender. Once they’re ready, drain the noodles. Cut up the margarine or butter and add it to the pan, then return the noodles and stir thoroughly. Add a little olive oil as well if desired.

When the noodles are done and the beef stew is sufficiently hot, you’re ready to serve. I like to put the noodles in a bowl first, add some grated mozzarella on top, and then ladle the beef stew on top of that, adding salt and pepper if needed and to taste. You can also mix it all thoroughly and in fact this is sometimes what I do with leftovers (leaving out the cheese, which I add after reheating). The stew also goes well over potatoes as prepared in a variety of ways - mashed, boiled, those little red potatoes perfectly cooked, you name it.

This can easily make six servings or so, or four very hearty servings. I beg you to have a salad as well - I make a point of eating my greens. This is a lot of starch and protein and you should get some more veggies in there.

So What About the Gravy?

Again, I’ve never been able to make this work. Perhaps it’s the corn starch that’s giving me problems - my dad was diagnosed with celiac several years ago and stopped using flour. We could have noodles made from wheat (made in a separate pot, and tasted by the non-celiac folks in the house), but he had to taste the gravy to make it properly, so: gluten-free gravy. If you already know how to make gravy, you should use your process.

But this is what my dad told me.

You will need:

About two cups of water

About 3-4 heaping spoonfuls (my dad was not specific, I went with tablespoons) of corn starch (my family always used Argo brand)

Some Gravy Master, mainly for coloring - maybe about a teaspoon at most

When the stew mixture is done in the slow cooker, do NOT drain it off - add everything to the saucepan. In a separate vessel, mix the water, starch, and Gravy Master into a slurry, then add this to the pan as well. Stir everything together, heating over low heat, tasting occasionally. Add additional water if you find the gravy is getting too thick (spectacularly not a problem for me). As in the above process, add additional spices while cooking to taste.

Last Notes

To be honest, the “or margarine” up there is about my personal taste - it’s what I grew up with, as my family was often poor. We had butter, but used it sparingly, sticking with margarine for a lot of our cooking, including pasta. Butter tastes too...’buttery’ to me on pasta now. I use margarine (and I’m specific about the brands I like; I used to use Promise but after I started having trouble finding it I switched to Land O’ Lakes); you may very well prefer butter. I wouldn’t call either option exactly healthy.

In my dad’s version of the recipe - which uses stew beef and onion powder and involves his own gravy, as described above - he also browns the beef before adding it to the slow cooker, no more than about five or ten minutes in a frying pan over fairly low heat. I’ve never found this step necessary in my version of the recipe but you may like the effect.

...now I’m thinking about that Chili Ole my family used to make, whatever the hell that actually was before we got our grubby little hands on it. I’ll have to see if my dad remembers how we made that. But that’s all the ‘recipes’ I have for now; a LOT of what I eat otherwise boils down to ‘follow the directions on the package’ or ‘make a goddamned sandwich’ or ‘okay it’s a burger, cook a burger and slap it on a bun and top it with stuff’. If I think of anything else, well, my keyboard’s always ready to go.

For now, stay safe, stay healthy, and try to eat better than I do.

[tinysupervicki]

It’s hard to stay away, huh? I did turn off my notifications on twitter but I still peeked. Why are y’all so amazing to me? What did I do to deserve this love? This community?

Since y’all have been there for me ever since my mom passed three years ago, I’d do anything for y’all. I felt I did let y’all down because I’m a content creator and haven’t done anything in so long. It sucks because I’m yearning to do so but lack the time due to now being an adult, working a grueling adult job and living with family.

I believe I will be able to get a place of my own later in the year, I’m really hoping for that. As for my full time job, I’m actively looking for another one. The one I’m at, I feel I work so hard but I’m not appreciated enough. It’s a healthcare industry and I work hard to help people with their needs while management focuses on metrics and numbers. I wanna get out of there.

I haven’t had time to myself and just be selfish for once? So I’m glad I was able to take time off to have a pretty long weekend to enjoy Sizecon 2020 and spend time with friends.

Let’s get started on the recap, shall we? Bare with me, I talk a lot (and not well might I add).

Day 1: Thursday 2/13/20

I woke up at 4 am to catch my flight that leaves at 6:45 am. I thankfully had all my bags packed, I just needed to shower and be ready. My dad took me to the airport and wished me off. At this point, I had plenty of time, even seeing the long TSA line at the Houston airport. I had internally groaned a lot but managed through. After having some minutes to spare, I grabbed a quick bite to eat at one of the dining places, a lovely breakfast bowl that I can have (those of you who don’t know me, I have celiac disease and I have to eat gluten free). Jumped on my flight and comfortably slept in my seat on the plane. The plan was to have a connecting flight to Charlotte, NC and then to Newark, NJ.

Two hours later, I woke up to not at my destination but at Colombia, SC. Apparently, while I was asleep, they had to divert us to the next airport because the weather was really bad in NC. We had two options: stay on the plane and wait it out until we’re back in the air to NC, or get off the plane and figure out another alternative. I stayed, I had plenty of time until my connecting flight was scheduled (which I actually got alerts that it ending up delaying a lot) so I stayed in my seat and watched greys anatomy. About almost an hour passed and we’re finally back up in the air, with more space to breathe since there were people that did leave the plane. Landed safely in NC and I ventured off to find snacks and wait at my gate. It kept delaying but I finally was able to get on my flight to NJ, making my total time at the airport and in the air...all day, I can’t do math lol. I safely landed in NJ at 5:30 pm, I had been awake since 4 am. It was a day.

Yo, I’m gonna get him and his wife a gift, I swear to god, but DJ (aka Giantgripper) saved me by picking me up from the airport and letting me stay the night at his place. When he’s the host, he does one heck of a job as a host. Since I hadn’t eaten a proper meal since 5 in the morning or so, DJ took me to a Mediterranean little mom and pop restaurant that I fell in love with. Had a stuffed pepper and practically cleaned everything off my plate. After we ate, I accompanied DJ while he did some errands for extra things he needed for the con (which did include articles of clothing for the giant cafe lol). I was happy to help as much as I could. After that, we made it back to his place. Once his wife Adri (chibiana) came home from work, we watched a documentary while trying (and failing with me because I’m a turd) to make different mixed drinks to taste. I ended up going with hot chocolate, I’m a simpleton when it comes to alcohol. A little bit afterwards, I had to pass out, it was a long ass day.

Day 2: Friday 2/14/20

Valentine’s was just another day for me. Woke up, got dressed, and DJ surprised me with a fresh homemade breakfast. It was magnificent, I scrapped the plate then too. Plans for the day was to get allllllll the stuff we need and travel to the hotel, which apparently was an hour and a half away from DJ’s house I believe. Adri had to go do another thing for work and was gonna meet up later. DJ and I traveled to the hotel first. I passed out again in the car, I was so exhausted from before I guess it had hit me again.

We made it to the hotel and unpacked the car with my stuff, his and Adri’s bags, and things for the con. I got to say quick hellos to people I knew that were already there (gave a big ass hug to Miss Kaneda, she’s so precious and a big hug to IamFilledwithStatic). I was going to be sharing a room with shortmarcy, Morgana (Moe), and Guiri. So since I had arrived first, I will check in first; Morgana and Guiri were still flying from Spain and shortmarcy didn’t come until the next morning. Since it was under shortmarcy’s name and the deposit was paid under her, She had to call to have the hotel let me check in for her. In turn, I had to put my card on file. I thought I was being a responsible adult and I thought it was gonna charge like half of the charge or something but...they charged the full price of the hotel. Which was $503...which was basically everything in my bank account. I didn’t know that was gonna happen, I panicked and just sat on the couch outside of the con area while Robyn (goddess-rei) comforted me. I had to come to terms that shit happens and I had no money for the weekend. But I graciously had the best of friends this weekend, I’ll get to that in a sec.

After my bumming out, I changed to put on my blouse for the valentines banquet (one of my guaranteed dinners that night lol). I met up with Morgana and Guiri and also sillylilbug (she’s so adorably sweet). We had our own table along with my friend Joe (CaptainRandGTS, who is a phenomenal photographer btw). We ate some good food and they took account of my gluten free (however I think the chimichurri steak may have upset my stomach). I said goodnight and went to my room to basically turn the bathroom up XD I had changed into my pajamas to head downstairs to get water and pain medicine when I turned the corner and saw a group of people walking down the hall. Guys, I’m still getting used to this, but the group was like, “Is that Vicki?!” “That is her!” And I was like WHAT. It was my lovely friends sviolet, mansquishers, mister finch, Joseph moestar, and Strongshadow2018. I was so surprised and honored, I was gushing. I got to hang out with them in their hotel room for a bit, played cards against humanity (I WON!) and ate ridiculously delicious gluten free cookies misterfinch made.

Day 3: Saturday 2/15/20

Con day. This day was a bit of a blur honestly (my mind is not the same people) but I know I took this day to “try” and relax. I was still bummed about my money problem but I had enough to buy the breakfast buffet meal ticket. My idea was to chow down a lot of food (since it was a buffet) so I won’t ask for food but that did not happen because I have wonderful friends?? Towards noon, I went to ihop with my crew (we called each other the sizecon crew lol) with sviolet, mansquishers, mister finch, Joseph moestar, and strongshadow2018. We had a nice time and I was so grateful for the lunch! Once we headed back to the hotel, we split up to do more con shenanigans. I met so many people, it was amazing. People I already knew and new people as well. It was awesome to match names to faces, it was so cool. I’m telling you though, my mind is not the same so I can’t list out the whole list of everyone I’ve seen. Then I got to see my good friend Steve (Miles Striker). I’m so fucking proud of this dude. He showed me a film he wrote, recorded, and edited all by himself, it was mindblowing. We had to go back downstairs after that because I forgot I had a social to lead and he had panels to go to. I stopped by the giant cafe, that was fucking wild. I ran the Fluffy Feels Social and I did my best because I’ve never ran something like that. But I’m glad we all liked the same thing and we just kept talking! It was getting late to when the Playroom was gonna start, so I headed back upstairs. Chilled a bit more with my crew and then headed back downstairs. I don’t know what got over me, but I gathered enough courage and joined the nude swimming party. I cannot believe I did that, that was a big step for me. Kinda sucked getting out though because I didn’t have extra clothes and it was fucking cold.

Day 4: Sunday 2/16/20

Technically last day of the con but it was the busiest. I spent all morning practicing my skit for the Tiny Cafe. I was nervous and pacing around in my hotel room, making sure I get it right. Around 12:30, I headed down to meet up with the rest of the cafe to get ready when we start at 1 pm. I could not describe how nervous I was. I wanted to make sure I didn’t mess up and I know I was lip syncing (graciously provided by Anoka’s vocals) I was still nervous as fuck. This was a performance and I’m now more confident talking to others about my kink/aesthetics but performing? Oh lawd. We had a big crowd apparently, I was surprised. We had to get more chairs and apparently turn people away? THAT MADE MY NERVES SKYROCKET. The cafe starts with a wonderful performance by Adri (Chibiana) then followed by cute transitions from our servers mini-moo and shortmarcy. Then it’s time for our skit: Veronica (Jitensha), me, and Aim were shrunk and sung songs about our giants. I was first (omg) and mine was in the style of “Maria” from west side story (Veronica called it Shrunken side story). I was shaking like a leaf and tried my best to get through the whole song while doing silly quirks of mine. Once that was done, I rushed back from my spot XD it was Veronica’s turn to sing about a giant dick lol and Aim serenading a giant lady. After our skit, it was the grand finale of Morgana performing a dance in a giant hamster ball. It was incredible. Despite my anxiety, I’m glad I did this and we did so amazing (we made tips!!!!).

Right after that was done, I had to rush to lead a social of Giant men and Tiny women. It was a small turnout but we still got people and we talked a lot. When that was done, I rushed to be on my first panel of the day: Owning what you love. After that was the Macrophile panel and then after that was the Diversity panel. I was on all of them and they were back to back, I was a busy lady lol. After that panel, I was free! Since I made tips from the cafe and I was broke from the hotel, I got to buy a few things in the vendor hall. Was able to say hi to some people I knew like scridam, the reducer, miss kaneda, iamfilledwithstatic, robclassact, and aborigen. It was also mister finch’s birthday so since I was free for the night, I went with the crew to go celebrate at a restaurant. That was such a nice time, I swear everything I did this weekend I wanted to experience again. When we came back to the hotel after dinner (after a quick stop to the liquor store lol), I was able to make it in time for the closing ceremony. Hearing everyone’s words touched my heart and reminded me why I love this community. So I was able to give a speech to say that; this is my second home when I lost my only home when my mom passed. God, that room was filled with so much love. I went back upstairs and hung out more with the crew and watched Promare (pretty sick movie). I was gonna head to bed but I hung out more with Steve and we watched a movie before passing out.

Day 5: Monday 2/17/20

It was time to say all of my goodbyes to everyone that had to leave. I gave so many hugs and love, I just miss them all. Most of the crew had to head out, except for sviolet, she had her flight in the afternoon. So we went out to breakfast at a Mexican restaurant, reminiscing this whole weekend. We came back to the hotel to chill in my hotel room. Morgana and Guiri were leaving to the airport back to Spain and shortmarcy wanted to venture to NYC before she went home the next day. So sviolet and I chilled in my room before she had to head out.

Then for the rest of the evening, I had the room to myself. I watched law and order svu whole packing and double checked I had everything. I waited up for shortmarcy to come back (I was so worried) but she made it back after 10 pm safe and sound. At that point, I had to go to bed because my flight in the morning was at 5:45 am.

Day 6: Tuesday 2/18/20

I woke up at 3 am to get to the airport on time and my Lyft driver I got...I had a feeling he was having a bit of fun by himself before he picked me up. Because it stunk in the car of cum. Whatever, I held in my breath and made it to the airport safely. My flights were on time and I slept on each one. I did not want to go back home.

Back to reality and I hate the after con blues! Especially with how much this con and community means to me.

Hoping there’s a next year and I’m ready to help as usual.

Y’all have a goodnight ❤️

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

5 Reasons Celiac Disease Is About More Than My Stomach

New blog post!

When you look up "what is celiac disease" online or receive a celiac diagnosis, it may seem like a simple disease at first. In fact, when I'm explaining my condition to new friends, I often just say, "Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which ingesting gluten damages the intestines." 

However, in the seven years since my celiac diagnosis, I've realized something: the answer to "What is celiac disease?" can be pretty complicated...because celiac disease is about waaaaay more than just my intestines. Not sure what I mean? In honor of Celiac Awareness Month (and raising celiac awareness all year round!), here are five reasons celiac disease is about much more than my stomach. 

1. The symptoms of celiac disease can manifest themselves in over 300 different ways.

It makes sense to think that a disease centered on intestinal damage would trigger symptoms related to digestion. And, in some dases, that assumption isn't wrong: for instance, my main symptoms of undiagnosed celiac disease were acid reflux, nausea and rapid weight loss. 

However, stomach problems aren't the whole picture. In fact, symptoms of celiac disease can include:

Anemia

Anxiety

Infertility

Headaches or migraines

Fatigue

Discolored teeth

Thin bones or being prone to broken bones

Skin Rashes

and much, much more!

Source

As a result, some people are diagnosed with celiac disease because they are underweight, bloated and have many stomach problems...but not everyone with celiac disease is thin or experiencing stomach issues.

2. The state of my stomach can drastically impact the state of my mind.

You've probably heard the old saying, "You can win a man's heart through his stomach." However, research has only recently discovered how much emotions are tied to the gut. This is called the brain-gut connection, and scientists have found that poor gut health can actually negatively impact people's moods. For example, people with IBS and gut problems to experience more anxiety and depression than expected on average, and an unhealthy gut has also been linked to conditions like chronic fatigue, ADHD, OCD, and Tourette syndrome. I've experienced first-hand how much my stomach problems and medically restricted diet can impact my mindset. When I'm going to a new restaurant with gluten free options or trying a new gluten free product that I'm still not sure will sit well on my stomach, I feel my heart rate increase and my hands start to get sweaty as anxious thoughts swirl through my mind. I think the isolation that can result from not being able to eat "normally" at college pizza parties or out with friends has also contributed to feelings of loneliness, and on days when I wake up randomly super bloated, I definitely have a harder time wearing a smile.

I don't say all this for pity or to suggest that having celiac disease means that I'm constantly anxious, sad or lonely. As I've shared in many posts, you can absolutely thrive with celiac disease and I have not let my gluten free diet hold me back from dating, going on outdoor adventures and eating at plenty of delicious restaurants. However, I do think it is important to make people aware of how much an "upset tummy" can really impact a person's day!

3. Social isolation is one side effect of celiac disease doctors don't warn you about.

Speaking of social isolation...a recent study found that restrictions can contribute to people feeling more lonely or isolated, and I get that. As the study points out, people commonly bond over food and sharing a meal...and when you can't do that, feeling like you belong can be a little bit more challenging. At least in my experience, this is one side effect of the gluten free diet (and life with celiac disease) that no doctor or nutritionist ever warned me about. After my celiac diagnosis, I was given advice on what foods to avoid and the best gluten free brands to buy, but I had no guidance for how to maintain social ties while turning down most of the food ever offered to me.

Source

Six years into having celiac disease, I have a well-stocked toolkit to help me survive any gluten-filled social event. I am open with friends about my dietary needs and am confident in turning down food with a short, "Thank you so much, but I have celiac disease so I can't eat that." And if someone does ask, "What is celiac disease?" in return,  I feel confident enough to explain. In the case of a social invitation where I know gluten-filled food will be involved, I typically:

Eat before the event.

Bring my own food.

Call the restaurant (if applicable) to ask about gluten free options, and eat there if I can safely or follow step 1 or 2.

As it's clear to see, celiac disease is about much more than my stomach - it also requires plenty of thinking ahead and the use of a well-experienced brain. ;)  

4. When I'm "glutened," more than just my stomach can suffer.

Just like celiac disease has plenty of different symptoms, people with celiac disease also experience different side effects of being "glutened" (or exposed to gluten) after going gluten free.

Personally, when I'm glutened, I typically don't feel the effects for a few days. Then, all of a sudden, I'll get extremely tired but also become unable to fall asleep, have massive brain fog and lose my appetite or have an upset stomach. It often takes me about a week to feel normal, and even longer to feel "good" (in terms of my stomach no longer being upset and having extra energy).

Beyond more expected side effects like vomiting or diarrhea, though, people with celiac disease can also experience gluten-triggered depression and fatigue, rashes, joint pain, migraines, blurry vision...I suppose you could say that no part of the body is safe.

5. Celiac disease has become a part of who I am - not just what my stomach is like.

But the biggest reason why celiac disease is about more than my stomach is simple: celiac disease is a part of ALL of me. As I've shared before, I don't make my chronic illnesses my entire identity. However, I think it is impossible to ignore how much celiac disease has shaped who I am today. Because of celiac disease, I am... ...a foodie and a big fan of experimenting with and trying new (gluten free) foods. ...an even bigger lover of planning ahead and sticking to a routine. ...not afraid to stand up for myself or others with invisible and/or chronic illnesses.

And those traits are why, in some moments, I am happy that celiac disease affects more than just my stomach. What is one way you've realized celiac disease affects more than just your stomach? Or what is one way your medical condition affects more than what people might think? Tell me in the comments!

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[etherealwaifgoddess]

A Twenty-First Century Halloween

Main Characters: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Bucky learns what Halloween is all about in the twenty-first century. Steve & Bucky have very different ideas on what festive Halloween treats are. And Steve thinks he has a perfect costume but learns he didn’t think it all the way through. 

Warnings/ Content: Light swearing but mostly just our sweet Brooklyn boys being complete and utter dorks. 

Word Count: 2773

Author’s Note: As I was daydreaming of Halloween this morning (it’s my favorite day of the year), it dawned on me that back in the 20′s and 30′s they didn’t have trick or treating like we do now. It wasn’t a thing until the 50′s at which point Steve was in the ice and Bucky was in and out of Cryo. This lead me down a rabbit hole of thinking about what Bucky would think of a modern Halloween and blindly ignoring MCU cannon while I writing this fic. I hope you all enjoy this little bit of fluff in honor of the upcoming holiday. 

XOXO - Ash

A Twenty-First Century Halloween

“But why?” Bucky asks a third time, still confused.

Steve groans, scrubbing a hand over his face in exasperation. “Because it makes people happy, Buck. Look, you don’t have to participate. I know crowds can be a little hard on you. You can just hang out upstairs until I’m done.” 

Bucky thinks hard for a few beats, considering his options. Trick or treating wasn’t a thing when they were growing up. There were parades and parties, sometimes kids would get apples or small things from their neighbors, but it was never kids dressed up in elaborate costumes getting mass quantities of candy from every available house. 

It’s the costume that really seals the deal. Bucky considers if he dresses up as someone else he’s less likely to scare anyone, and it would be nice to get smiles from people for a change instead of the concerned, or blatantly afraid, looks he’s been getting since he arrived. He thinks he could even find one that disguises his metal arm, even further hiding his identity. “Okay, I’m in.” he tells Steve who had gone back to reading his newspaper. Steve looks up with his warm, proud smile and Bucky ducks his head, nodding once. It’s hard to accept that level of emotion from anyone, let alone his best friend, but he tries to at least acknowledge it. It doesn’t help that Steve has been giving him that look for everything lately; from when he remembered the neighbor lady’s name from their tennatment back in 1934, to when he decided he liked pizza with pepperoni on it the best. 

Steve was serious when he told Bucky that Halloween was one of his favorite days. It’s not even two hours later that Steve is handing Bucky the Starkpad for him to look up costume ideas. “We only have a week, Buck. You need to order something soon so it gets here in time.” he tells him with a hopeful expression. Bucky knows Steve isn’t trying to be pushy, he’s just genuinely excited to share the holiday with him. It takes some time and a lot of Pinterest searches but he finally decides on Buck Rogers. He loved the comics back in the day and it’s a pretty simple outfit. He doesn’t expect anyone will recognize it but that doesn’t matter to him, he mainly just wants to look like someone who isn’t the winter soldier for a day. The irony of the name makes him secretly pleased as well and he can’t wait to see Steve’s reaction. 

Bucky finds a costume on Etsy with ease and though the price gives him a momentary heart attack, he reminds himself that money isn’t an issue anymore. He checks his email confirmation and lets Steve know his costume will arrive two days before Halloween. This seems to appease him, though he looks disappointed when Bucky won’t tell him what costumed he picked. Steve already had his costume picked out and it is set to arrive over the weekend. He’s going as Paul Bunyan and will be all kitted out with flannel and an axe. Bucky thinks it’s just another excuse to not shave the beard he’d grown but has to admit the costume is a good fit for Steve. 

Bucky can’t put his boots on fast enough when Steve tells him they are going shopping for Halloween candy. He has an incomparable sweet tooth and has been dreaming of endless bags of sugary goodness for Halloween with no judgement from Steve - eat your vegetables - Rogers. Bucky is sorely disappointed by Steve’s interpretation of Halloween candy when they get to Whole Foods. 

“This isn’t the point of the holiday!” Bucky whines as Steve loads yet another flat of mini water bottles to their cart. 

“You…. you didn’t even know what the holiday was about until three days ago!” Steve sputters back in protest. 

“But now I do, and water bottles and gluten free pretzels are NOT it.” Bucky points at the cart like it’s a rabid animal and Steve just rolls his eyes.

“Kids get thirsty and so do the parents, so yes, water bottles are needed. The gluten free pretzels are for the kids with allergies because they should be included too. I even got the pumpkin shaped ones so they’re festive! And I have the fruit leathers so they get something sweet too. I just want to give the kids something good instead of the crap they can get everywhere else. Besides, we can afford to give out better things; so we should.” 

“But you said we would get Halloween candy.” Bucky is unabashedly pouting, it doesn’t matter he is a grown man in the middle of Whole Foods; he wants brightly wrapped, sugar laden, twenty first century Halloween candy, damnit. 

Steve pinches the bridge of nose, clearly exasperated. “I said we’d get Halloween treats, Buck. I never promised you candy. Now, do you need anything while we’re here? They might have that cheese you liked a few weeks ago back in stock.” 

Bucky sighs heavily, “Yes, of course I want the cheese. Let’s go to look.” his voice is heavy with defeat which Steve pointedly ignores. But he should have known Bucky doesn’t give up that easily.

They are barely out of the Whole Foods parking lot when Bucky holds up his phone to show Steve a shopping list, “Damn. I forgot to get more hand soap.”

“Just use the bottle from the guest bathroom. We can pick some up next time we’re out.” Steve tells him as he navigates their way onto the main highway. 

Bucky shakes his head, “No, because then we’ll forget and then what happens when we have guests? There’s a Target on our way back, stop there and I can get the good kind we both like.” 

Steve wants to protest, he really does. But then Bucky plays the only card he has left. “Please? I’m having a really good brain-day and I want to stop while I know I’ll be okay.” he looks so earnest and pleading that even Captain America doesn’t stand a chance against him.

“Okay, we’ll stop. I’m glad you’re doing good today. I’m proud of you, pal.” 

Bucky grins and tries not bounce in his seat in anticipation. He knows full well what he is doing and it has been far too long since he’s gotten one over on Steve. The car is barely in park when Bucky is jumping out of his seat. “It’s okay, I’ll be quick. Don’t worry about me.” He calls over his shoulder as he bolts.

Steve makes a small huff of agreement but Bucky is already off. As he sits waiting in the car he realizes Bucky had been a little too excited at the prospect of buying hand soap. It’s rare for him to venture into a store solo, too. Steve is trying to figure out what he is missing when a mother strolls past with a small cart filled with candy and three smiling kids in tow. It clicks into place;  Bucky doesn’t want soap, he wants candy. 

The Halloween shop is in the very back corner of the store, far from the soap aisle and not somewhere Bucky could easily wander into by mistake. But that’s where Steve finds him. The former deadly assassin is hastily scooping value sized bags of candy into a shopping cart, his eyes lit up with excitement. 

“I didn’t know they made Twix scented soap.” Steve deadpans. 

Bucky drops a bag and lets out a very small squeak in surprise. “Uh…” he stammers, desperately thinking of an excuse, “It’s new?” 

Steve laughs, loud and deep. He can’t be mad at Bucky for this. It’s his first Halloween in modern times and he should be enjoying it. Steve’s therapist had talked to him at length about letting Bucky decide who he is now and not imposing his own ideas on him. This, Steve supposes, is one of those times. 

Steve crosses the aisle and takes a bag of mixed lollipops out of the cart, placing it back on the shelf in its designated spot. Bucky watches, frozen in place, as Steve picks up a bag of Reese’s pumpkins and drops them in the cart instead. “Jeez, Buck, at least get the good stuff.” he says giving Bucky the same shitty little grin that hasn’t changed since 1925.

It’s Bucky’s turn to laugh and he pulls Steve in for a long hug as he calms. Together they finished raiding the Halloween candy, getting Bucky everything he could possibly want to try. They even remember to stop by the soap aisle on the way to the registers, Bucky insisting they really do need soap. 

In the three days leading up to Halloween Bucky spends an inordinate amount of time sampling the wide array of candy from Target. Steve isn’t sure which stresses him out more, the sheer quantity of sugar and processed junk Bucky is inhaling, or the never ending trail of tiny candy wrappers he finds all over the house. He takes both in stride, letting Bucky get this candy exploration out of his system. It’s only a few days of the year and Bucky does seem to be in better spirits with something to celebrate on the horizon. He even goes to the local farmers market to pick up pumpkins for them to carve (a complete disaster) and handmade crafts to decorate the house (actually pretty cute). 

The day of Halloween, Steve has everything lined up in their foyer and ready to hand out well before dinner. It’s tradition for him to get everything ready mid afternoon so he isn’t rushing through dinner and trying to hand out candy at the same time. Bucky is amused by the seriousness in which Steve takes his preparation but helps out as much as Steve lets him. Satisfied everything is in place, Steve places an order for Tex-Mex delivery and heads upstairs to get changed into his costume. Bucky doesn’t need much prep time but follows in Steve’s footsteps, figuring he might as well do the same.

The all white costume is a little uncomfortable but it will only be on for a few hours and Bucky figures it could be worse. He straps the multi-colored band around his bicep and attaches the faux futuristic weapons to his silver belt. The overall effect is pretty spot on, though Bucky muses if he still had his pre-war hairstyle it would be even better. He doesn’t let it bother him too much as he pulls his shoulder length hair back into a low bun. He’s become too attached to his longer hair to ever get it cut short again. It had grown out a little while he was living in Romania, and he found he enjoyed caring for it as well as the gentle weight of it laying on his shoulders. It serves as another reminder that he is a person now, no longer just a weapon. 

Bucky stops a few steps shy of the bottom of the stairs when he catches sight of Steve standing in their living room in his costume. He’s wearing a red and black flannel shirt with a pair of blue jeans and tan work boots. It’s perfect, even down to the prop axe he’s holding loosely at his side. There’s a nagging feeling in Bucky’s mind though and he thinks he’s missing something. He’s almost got it when Steve calls out and distracts him from his thoughts.

“Look at you, Buck!” Steve exclaims as he joins him in the living room, “Didn’t want to change your name even for a night, huh?” 

“Yeah, I couldn’t resist.” Bucky says with a laugh.

“You look great. You sure you’re ready for this, though?”

“Yes ma. It’s just a bunch of kids, I’m gonna be fine, promise.” 

Steve claps a large hand on Bucky’s shoulder. He looks like he wants to say more but is interrupted by a pinging sound from his phone, announcing the arrival of their dinner delivery.

The first set of trick or treaters arrive just as the sun is starting to set and Steve is absolutely gushing at the two little girls in bumblebee costumes. They can’t be more than a year and a half, and they both wobble on their little legs while Steve places treats in their plastic pumpkins. Bucky smiles and greets the parents while Steve fawns over the kids, handing them each a water bottle and offering them granola bars from the adult snack bowl. They fall into an easy pattern after a few rounds of families come through; Steve being completely over the top to the kids about their costumes (“You’re the scariest Zombie ever!” and also, “Are you a princess in real life?”), and Bucky making small talk with the parents. It isn’t until two women crack up at the sight of Steve that Bucky finally realizes what he was missing earlier. Steve’s costume might have intended to be Paul Bunyan but there was another famous woodsman he failed to consider when putting his costume together.

“Ohmygawd you’re the Brawny Man!” the one woman shrieks in between giggles. 

Bucky wants to facepalm, of course that’s where he’s seen the flannel/jeans/boots combo before! It’s on the wrapper of the paper towel rolls that he walks past almost daily in their pantry. Bucky snorts before he can help himself but he stifles his laughter the best he can and leans away from Steve when he fails. 

Steve blushes as brightly as only a pale skinned Irishman can and plasters on his formal Captain America smile. “Paul Bunyan, actually, but thanks.” he tells the women. 

Both women apologize profusely through more giggles and Bucky finally gets himself under wraps by the time they leave. Steve shoots him a glare, still blushing fiercely, and Bucky just shrugs innocently at his best friend. 

The tips of Steve’s ears are still tinged crimson when the next person giggles over his “Brawny Man” costume. Bucky fails even more at stifling his laughter and covers it, although transparently, with a coughing fit. 

Steve might be a hundred years old but he is sulking like he did when he was a teenager after a dozen people mis-guess his costume. Bucky tries to rally Steve’s spirits but only gets a long suffering eye roll in response. 

The trick or treaters steadily flow through until a little after nine and then things trickled down to a full stop by nine thirty. They are almost out of snacks and water bottles so it’s good timing that it stopped when it did. Steve turns off their porch light and locks the door behind him before leaning against it, yawning deeply. 

“You okay there, Brawny Man?” Bucky teases as he grabs two water bottles from the bucket. 

Steve catches the water bottle Bucky tosses to him and groans at the joke, “Not you too.”

“You have to admit, it does kind of look like him.”

“I will do no such thing. But at least people had heard of Paul Bunyan.”

“Hey, one person recognized my costume. That was better than I expected.”

“She was ninety three years old. Your costume is only relevant to the aged. Mine is still a beloved children’s story.”

“Or a useful household cleaning item.”

Steve huffs and throws his bottle at Bucky’s head but Bucky snatches it mid-air and sticks his tongue out at Steve defiantly. “Next year I’m gonna dress up as robot, I think. It might be fun to make the rest of me match the arm instead of trying to make it blend in. I saw a robot makeup tutorial on Pinterest and I think I could pull it off. What do you think?”

Steve smiles, shaking his head. “You really enjoyed this, huh?”

“Hell yes, I did. We did a good thing tonight for the neighborhood kids. And it was a lot of fun too.”

“Yeah, we did. I’m glad you enjoyed this as much as I do.” 

“And next year we’re gonna hand out some real candy too.”

“Buck, no.”

“Buck, yes.” Bucky grins broadly and Steve can’t help but laugh at his antics. 

“We’ll talk about it in exactly 358 days.” He assures him.

Bucky points a finger at Steve, “I’m holding you to that, Rogers.”

The pair finish cleaning up the buckets of leftover treats in the foyer, and Bucky even talks Steve into a single Reese’s pumpkin while they watch “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. It was a perfect first Halloween for Bucky and he already can’t wait for next October. 

[prettywordsyouleft]

I've seen you mention you dream a lot of vivid dreams with idols. What is the weirdest one you've ever had, the most recurring, and the one you can still remember strong details about? Would you write any of them into fictions? Or have you already?

Hey anon! Great question.

You’re right, a lot of my dreams are pretty vivid (which can be a blessing or a curse) and I’ve had a few over the years that have really affected me! 

I have from the top of my head written a couple based off dreams entirely (Recovery and Biggest Fan) and I’m sure there are a few others but I’m mind-blanking right now.

Weirdest dream: I am a doll artist of realistic looking babies/toddlers. One time shortly after purchasing from another doll artist a little silicone baby doll somewhat modelled off of Jimin from BTS, I dreamt that my box opening video of him got a lot of traction (and it has in real life) and somehow Namjoon came across it. And he watched another of my videos and for some reason wanted to buy my Soohee from me... which was a baby I had in my personal collection that was Asian inspired. ANYWAY, I got to meet BTS and Namjoon made this big deal of taking Soohee on a VLIVE and encouraging people to buy my work and I was inundated with orders and then Namjoon invited me to Korea to speak about how these dolls can help people. Yep. So damn weird. Especially since I’m not a very big BTS fan, so it surprised me to have all these different interactions with all the members in it. 

Most recurring: Kyungsoo in a university setting. Where we had been awkward with each other throughout high school. Maybe awkward isn’t the right word... but we could work on projects together or school work productively but weren’t friends? For some reason in university we become close. And people think it’s a joke that we do? It is a slow burn, we’re friends for some time and then one night I end up falling asleep in his dorm room and he is just staring at me and brushing my hair away from my face until I roll into him and we fall asleep like that. I remember there’s an epic kiss but then it ends not long after. God dammit.

Still remember strong details about: Earlier this year or was it late last year? I can’t remember but I had a Kihyun/Monsta X dream that I still remember to this day. I actually had two in a row, but this one stands out more. Long story short (ha me and “short”), I was with an acquaintance at a horse show helping her with her horses. Her horses didn’t go very well due to some dodgy judging and then we went to get lunch, and the whole time she was raving like a wild woman. Wonho, Minhyuk, Kihyun and Changkyun come up to the food truck as I’m scanning for gluten free options and the acquaintance is openly racist towards them and then is surprised when I talk to them and get excited to see them. I am friends with MX and so it only ends up making the acquaintance look bad. Anyway, they’re there for a concert (because horse shows and random concerts on the same plot of land makes COMPLETE SENSE lolololol). They tell me to hang out whilst they prep but I’m exhausted from getting up at 4am so I go to sleep in the van with Shownu’s hoodie on. This makes Kihyun jealous and later he makes a point of giving me his. Anyway, their stylist makes me look pretty and is plus-sized like me so I could borrow her clothes (how fitting)... and then I’m out in the crowd and Kihyun sees me and says something about being distracted by his girlfriend and then “smoothly” recovers with “right Monbebe?!” Lol. Then after the concert, we go back to their hotel and I’m sharing with Kihyun because wow shit has escalated and he’s all soft and says "I’ve always wanted to hold you in my arms and fall asleep" and so that’s what he did and then when we woke he brushed his lips over my forehead and goes, "if I could wake up with you everyday god I'd be so happy"... AND THEN I HAD TO WAKE UP. I literally tried to fall back into the dream for a good hour afterwards, to no avail.

I’m not sure how sharing these dreams ideas with you all makes me seem (probably very silly) but I dunno if I could create any of the above into actual stories lol. What do you think?

[daugaarddavidsen55-blog]

No requirement to Be Anxious Over Wedding Planning

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