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thyme-in-a-bubble · 1 year ago

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the paint

lilac, chapter nine

a/n: hi! I'm back after taking a short break to obsessively work on this year's kinktober, but now i'm finally back to writing this beloved story. it feels so good to get back into it. it's only been a few weeks, one month max, but i've missed my lumberjack so much.

summary: “oh please, there’s only one guest staying here right now, and even so, people know this room is under construction, who in their right mind would just willy-nilly waltz in here?”

warnings: lumberjack!frank castle x reader, smut, lumberjack AU, past domestic violence, crazy ex trope, renovating an inn, painting, kissing, semi-public sex, oral, fingering, dirty talk

word count: 1922

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A faint ache began to bloom in the muscles of your face from how hard you were smiling. You simply couldn’t help it. Every time you thought you’d gotten it under control, your eyes would just flutter back up to the man beside you as he stretched, reaching the paint roller in his hand far enough up to kiss the taped-off crown moulding that framed the ceiling, and each time he’d do so, his flannel would ride up just enough for you to catch a sliver of his skin before it dropped back down, giving you just enough of an unintentional tease to remind you of what he looked like beneath it.

“You’re laughing again,” Frank pointed out the soft giggle that bubbled out of you as your glance washed over him.

“I’m not laughing,” you gushed, straightening back up to your full height as you finally stopped rolling over the one low spot you had absentmindedly been painting over and over again for a few minutes or so.

Eyes briefly flickering your way, his feet carried him closer to you, “well, what’s so funny then that you can’t stop laughing?”

“Nothing’s funny,” you tried to keep your eyes on the wall as you felt his broadness brush against your shoulder.

“Oh, no?”

“Nope,” you playfully bumped your hip lightly against his, childishly angling your roller dangerously close to where his was glazing the wall a soft blue tone, an action that quickly developed into a juvenile game of chasing him across the wall.

To your amazement, Frank played along, keeping it going till he suddenly changed tactics and caught you by surprise, rerouting his roller down to collide with your own, however, it never got the chance to strike as you, in the midst of a giggle fit, retracted your brush from the wall, fearing that he would roll right over you and make your arm all sticky with paint. Though in the end, not noticing exactly where you were hastily withdrawing your paint roller to, it ended up being him that got smeared and not you.

“Oh my god,” your eyes grew wide at the sight of the blue that coated over the dark brown of his plaid sleeve, “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to–”

“Oh yeah?” he glared back at you, grin crinkling up his eyes, “you didn’t?”

“I swear, it was an accident.”

“Ah, sure it was, just like this,” you felt his roller glide down the length of your top, making it look like you’d hugged a smurf.

Letting out a shrieking gasp, it only took approximately two seconds before you pouched in an attempt to get him back. Though the former soldier’s swift hands caught your roller before you could manage to seize your revenge, settling both yours and his own down on the covered floors before playfully wrapping his arms around you, halting your attempts at retrieving it.

Laughter mingling and mixing into one, your feet then left the ground as Frank lifted you up. As your gaze now rose to be at the same level, the silly game swiftly vanished from your memory as you stared back into his brown eyes, both of your glee fading away as if it was never there to begin with.

You didn’t know who initiated the kiss, but that part couldn’t be less important as your arms curled around his neck and one of your legs blissfully bent, softly flicking your foot upwards as you felt his tongue sweep across your own.

Lowering you back down to the floor, his touch dragged up your form till his fingers tangled in your hair, tugging at the very roots in such a way that made you purr against his lips. Feet shuffling, the far wall you hadn’t begun on yet soon collided with your spine, though you weren’t pressed against it long before Frank surrendered to your enthusiastic efforts in spinning him around and switching places.

As your lips then detached, you slowly began to drop down to your knees, a wide grin warmed Frank’s features as your fingers hooked into his belt, “what do you think you’re doing, huh?” his head gently fell back to collide with the wall as he stared down at you in adoration.

“What do you think I’m doing?” you blinked up at him as you bit down on your giggling lips, palm nuzzling against his blossoming hard-on as you undid his belt, his excitement created an impressive imprint against the fabric of his dark jeans.

“I think we’re in an inn full of people and someone could walk in here at any moment,” he narrowed his eyes almost in a daring fashion as you tugged his zipper down.

“Oh please, there’s only one guest staying here right now, and even so, people know this room is under construction, who in their right mind would just willy-nilly waltz in here?”

Not tearing his eyes off of you for even a second as you freed his heavy length, he muttered softly, “you’re trouble…” utterly hypnotised as you wrapped your fingers around his girth.

“Nuh-uh,” you smiled up at him, “I’m adorable,” before you swiped your tongue softly over his tip, visibly sending a shiver down his spine.

“Yes, you fucking are…” he uttered enchantingly, mouth falling agape as you began to plant sweet kisses all the way down towards his base, your dazzling eyes never leaving his, “holy shit…”

As your slobber began to gloss him up, your palm exploited it as you slowly twisted your enclosed fist up and down his length, keeping your movements up as your lips soon wrapped around his bulbous head, flat tongue fluttering like a gentle sea against his throbbing underside.

Looking like he had died and gone to heaven, you felt as Frank’s fingers reach down to ghost over your features, his broad thumb caressing the outline of your face as your head began to bob, drool slowly dribbling down from your efforts and adding to the mess already painting the front of your shirt.

“Atta girl,” his fingers tenderly combed through your hair, “fuck,” lips stretched, his tip hit a place in the back of your throat that caused your eyes to squint, tears nearly appearing before you settled back to slobbering around his head, “you're so pretty like this.”

One hand steadily pumping the latter half of him, your other wandered over your own thigh. Like a magnet, your fingers pressed down on your clit through your pants, the astonishing relief causing a muffled moan to vibrate against Frank’s cock, a sensation he clearly enjoyed by the sounds of his own eager groans.

“Oh, just like that,” he grunted, eyes lightly fluttering as you gurgled around his cock, “don’t stop,” fingers flexing and balling up into a fist in your hair as he twitched in your mouth, soon stifling a mesmerising moan as he came down your throat, “fuck…”

Letting go of him with a soft pop, you swallowed as you gazed up at his hazy visage, feeling yourself drip and drench your panties from the borderline meditative motion of giving him head.

Hands still fast in your hair, Frank kneeled down to your level and pressed his lips to yours, the teasing touch you had going on over your pants quickly grew into something more desperate.

“Could you–…” you breathed heavily, “god, I feel like it’s been forever since you touched me…”

A warm chuckle rumbled out of him as he looked back into your blown pupils, “we fucked this morning,” he noted, rising back up and scooping you with him.

“Exactly,” you bit down on your smile, “it’s been like three hours.”

Slipping beneath your waistband, your grip fastened in the front of his open flannel as his fingers grazed through your wetness. Eyelids fluttering at the foggy sensation, Frank manoeuvred your frames, spinning you around and pressing your back against the wall.

“Well, I’m sorry that you had to wait that long,” he entertained your quip, rubbing your puffy clit just right, “whatever can I do to make it up to you?” his free hand securely snaked around your middle.

Sharing his breath, your nose nudged against his, “seems to me like you already have a pretty good idea of what could suffice.”

“Oh yeah?” he chuckled like a crackling fire, “could this maybe make you feel a bit better?” your hold on his shirt tightened as he gently slid one finger inside your dripping heat.

“Mhm,” you nodded hazily, one of your knees briefly lifting to graze against his leg.

As you readjusted your arms, draping them around his neck, “or how about this?” his lavish pace then intensified as he eased his ring finger in beside his middle one, curving them a bit as the root of his palm nuzzled firmly against your throbbing clit.

“O-oh, fuck!” your head fell back and collided with the wall, your fluttering gaze glued to his.

Leaning in to muffle your breathy whimpers with his kiss, the sensual soppy sound his efforts produced echoed throughout the half-painted room, those only growing in their volume as he rocked his digits within you rougher.

Moans melting against his tongue as it danced against your own, it didn’t take long before your pussy clenched down around him, clambering and inadvertently pulling his fingers in that much deeper as he slowed back down, rendering it a demanding task for him to get his hand back with the way you blissfully clung to it.

Head resting a moment against his broad shoulder as you caught your breath, your puffs gradually morphed into the same blissful giggle you hadn’t been able to shake just moments before.

“You know what?” you lifted your head.

“What?” he chuckled through his smile.

Tangling your fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, you rose up to your tip toes and uttered, “I don’t know if I can wait another three hours,” before you captured your lips in another heated kiss, your hands swiftly travelling south on a mission for more.

But just as Frank hoisted you up, your legs tangling around his hips, a booming voice from somewhere else in the inn cut through your haze.

“I did it!” you heard your father shout, his jovial stride caused the staircase he hastily ascended to creak just as loud as his boisterous words boomed, “I finally did it!”

“Shit,” you hissed, nearly pushing Frank away as you scrambled to hide any evidence of what the two of you had just done.

“I’m a genius! I think I’ve finally cracked the code to croissants!” the moustachioed man burst through the doors just as you rushed to pick your paint roller back up as if it had been glued to your grip for hours.

“Dad!” you skurried to roll some more blue on the wall, hoping he wouldn’t notice just how flustered you were, “hey!”

“I think I was handling the dough too much while laminating,” he rambled, flour tinting his apron a lighter shade of green, “also why I’ve never been great at pies, I fiddle with it too much, but I think I finally got the hang of it! Just pulled some out of the oven and they look amazing,” darting his dazzled gaze from you to Frank, he offered, “you kids want one?”

“Uh,” you glanced back at the man, still standing close to where you’d blown him just moments before, “sure,” you stiffly heard yourself agree, “that sounds lovely, dad.”

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pharaohgargamel · 1 year ago

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А вы когда ни будь видели цветок смурфика?

Have you ever seen a Smurf flower?

Я видел и скажу даже больше! Они растут у меня в саду!

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I have seen and will say even more! They grow in my garden!

Эти прекрасные цветы называются по книжному "Дельфиниумы" и имеют очень яркий окрас от темно сиреневого, голубого белого и розового.

Растение многолетнее. Цветет в середине июня. Довольно таки долго. Аромата не имеет. Можно размножать семенами.

Мне они лично очень нравятся.

Но почему же всё таки я именно их назвал цветком смурфика, Спросите вы? А причина вот какая: цветки имеют настолько яркий голубой окрас, что на солнце практически переливаются и кажутся голубыми огоньками, почти как эссенция смурфа.

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These beautiful flowers are called "Delphiniums" by the book and have a very bright color from dark lilac, blue white and pink.

The plant is perennial. Blooms in mid June. Quite a long time. Has no aroma. Can be propagated by seeds.

I personally really like them.

But why did I call them the Smurf flower, you ask? And the reason is this: the flowers have such a bright blue color that they practically shimmer in the sun and seem to be blue lights, almost like the essence of a smurf.

#цветы #дельфиниумы #экзотика #интересное #это интересно #эстетика #сад #садоводство #смурфики #flowers #interesting #delphinium #the smurfs #природная магия #волшебство

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tapparell-a · 6 months ago

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my favorite colors. It's going to be long so make yourself comfortable.

1 the color of the sea at night. it is not black, but a dark blue that seems infinite

2 the color of the green birds, the ones that fly from one tree to another.

3 the white of daisies and clean sheets.

4 the color of the post it. any post it

5 the color created when light hits the red acrylic.

6 the color of the Smurfs.

7 any acrylic color on wood.

8 pastel colors (only in the morning)

9 the brownish color of old, slightly moldy photos.

10 skin pink, both in summer and winter (I prefer the skin color in winter, though)

11 the color of the windows in the other rooms with the light on at night.

12 the shadow (that of butterflies is more beautiful)

13 the segment of light coming out of the half-closed doors

14 the color of beer bottles (broken piece on the beach)

15 pale grey

16 the color of the light from the lamps

17 lilac

18 colors of Greek vases

19 the clouds

20 eyeshadows

21 ice cream

22 leather, especially that of old suitcases

23 the wood

24 tulips (all types, including stems)

25 canary yellow

#ehm #idk #why #i did it #but #i #like #it?#boh #color

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seiyasabi · 4 years ago

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Утешение (Consolation)

(This is a Yandere Lev Haiba x Female Reader comfort story :))

TW: Stockholm Syndrome, reader has a menstrual cycle, mentions of past kidnapping, time skip (he’s a model at this time w his own flat), he kinda treats you like a baby, he and you have a bath together, !no NSFW, etc..

I’m sorry if this sucked haha, my interpretation of Lev is probably not very accurate :)) Also, I am also a person of Eastern European/Japanese descent, so my ethnicity joke at the end is one I use a lot. Please do not take offense :)))

“Come on, Kitten, get in the bath tub for your Lyovochka,” The large grey haired man coos at you from his place by the shower. This morning, you awoke to harsh cramps and a small pool of blood, causing you to break down in tears. You’d stained your pretty, lilac sheets, along with the white jumper your cat-eyed lover had given you, “Don’t be sad, didn’t I promise that I’d get you new sheets and-“

“But I ruined your sweater. Aren’t you mad at me?” More tears bead your (colour) eyes, your bottom lip wobbling slightly. Lev gasps at your words, quickly shutting off the warm water he was drawing into the tub.

“Not at all, Kitty!” He got to his feet in mere seconds, suddenly materialising in front of you, his large hands cupping your face, “I can get many sheets and sweaters, but there’s only one of you. My pretty baby can’t control this-“

“But I should’ve known it was coming! I always keep track of it, but I forgot-“ He shushes you kindly, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“You worry too much. Do you think your Lyovochka can’t provide you with new sheets and a jumper?” You shake your head, eyes widening at the thought of insulting your doting kidnap-boyfriend.

“No! No I don’t mean it like that-“

“Then there’s no need to worry your pretty, little head. When I go to my next shoot, I’ll stop at the store and buy you cute things. Now, let’s get you into the bath before the water turns cold,” He shucks your clothing off of your body, before guiding you to your expensive, white tub.

“Thank you, Lev. You’re always so good to me,” The grey haired man helps you sit in the warm water, he presses a chaste kiss to your lips, shooting you a cheesy grin.

“Anything for my Smurf,” You send him a playful glare, causing him to giggle like a schoolgirl. Covering his face with both hands, he puts on a high-pitched voice, “Turn away, I don’t want you to see me naked,” You splash some water at him, drawing a small yelp from his grinning lips, “Whoa, my Kitty is very feisty today.”

Both of you giggle happily whilst he undresses, his lithe form being exposed quite quickly. You look away when he takes off his drawers, keeping your eyes closed until you feel him slide into the large tub behind you. He presses a button on the side of the tub, turning on the jets. Lev’s long arms wrap around you, holding you close to his broad chest. You rest your head on his left pec, and his hands knead the flesh above your aching uterus.

Sighing in content, you allow yourself to relax. He hums a song to you quietly, rocking you back and forth. Placing a chaste kiss on your neck, the both of you bask in each other’s presence.

“I’m so proud of you, Kitten. You’ve come so far, and you make me so happy,” Freezing up slightly, you try to push down the memories of the past year.

You used to watch him play when the both of you were in school, but after graduation, you hadn’t seen him for a long time. Whilst he became a model, you’d become a makeup artist. It was a shock when you ended up working together for a fashion show, but it allowed you two to rekindle your friendship.

That’s what it was. A friendship.

Until, it wasn’t.

The two of you became friends, yes, but that was as far as your unprofessional relationship went. You’d hung out together at each other’s apartments, gone shopping together, etc., but that was usually with other people.

That is, until he had a Time Magazine interview.

During that interview, he’d said you were his girlfriend. That was news to not only the rest of the world, but also to you.

You were now his regular makeup artist, so you were there during the filming of his interview. Hearing this, the interviewer called you out to the stage, practically shoving questions down your throat. You tried to correct the situation, but everyone thought you were shy.

So, when the filming was over, Lev was able to force you into his Tesla under the guise of you two discussing what just happened.

Long story short, he succeeded in keeping you in his flat, not allowing you out unless it was for a gala or something of that sort. But, by that time, the cat-eyed man was able to manipulate you into submission.

Who would hire you if he slandered you?

What would you do if he used his money to hurt your loved ones?

It was much easier to give in, so you did.

Now, here you are, being pampered by an obsessed model.

A particularly harsh squeeze to your sore muscles brought you out of your stuper.

“-Kitty? Did I say something wrong?” He pouts, even though you can’t see him.

“I’m sorry, Lyovochka. I was flustered,” Lev reaches a hand to your warm cheek, and gives it a delicate pinch.

“Awe, you’re so cute! This is why you need your Lev. Without me, you can’t even think straight!” He wraps his arms around you tightly, one of his forearms pressing against your breasts, and the other one around your stomach. Squealing slightly, you try to push his hand away from your abdomen.

“Lyo! Be careful, you’ll-“

“My cute ketchup packet! I love you so much!”

“I love you too! But, can we start the actual bath now? I feel greasy,” He quickly releases you from his hold, and grabs a cup on the stand beside the tub.

“Of course! I’ll wash your hair for you!” He dips the cup into the turbulent water, before he pours it carefully onto your hair.

“Are you sure that You’re able to?” You ask him teasingly with a smile, causing him to nod eagerly.

“Silly girl, I wash your hair every bath time,” He smooches your forehead, before proceeding with your wash routine.

Washing the remnants of product from your hair, he quickly pours his two-in-one soap onto his head, and haphazardly rubbing it around.

“Lev, what on Earth are you doing?” You can’t help but laugh whilst watching this ridiculous scene, “I can’t believe a professional model is using two-in-one in my presence. I feel like this is illegal-“

“Don’t Report me to Ren! He’ll skin me!” Lev whines. Ren is his hairstylist, and you can only imagine how he’d react.

“Then put on some conditioner too! Make sure you scrub your scalp-“

“Can you do ur for me?” He bats his eyes at you teasingly, a hopeful smile on his thin lips. Rolling your (colour) eyes, you nod.

“Fine! Only because I no longer have painful cramps,” He cheers happily, before seating you on his muscular thighs, practically forcing your hands into his thin hair.

With (light/heavy) hands, you scrub at his scalp vigorously. He sighs happily, leaning into your touch. Your chest is pressed against his, and the bloat of your tummy presses against his muscular stomach.

Once his head is soaped enough, you grab the previously discarded cup, and fill it with water. Once full, you slowly pour the warm water on his head, your finger running through his soft locks to wash out the soap at a faster pace.

Lev’s practically purring at this point, leaning his entire weight onto your hands. Scolding him slightly after he almost knocks you over, you grab your conditioner, and squeeze a small pile onto his hair. Smoothing it into his hair, he preens at your attention.

“Even when you’re in pain, you still take care of me. You’re the best person I know,” He kisses your nose, nuzzling his head into your neck.

“Lyovochka! You’re putting your hair stuff on my face! I’m gonna break out!” The both of you laugh once more, before he places a cool hand over your bloated tummy.

“Yeah, you’re the best of the Smurfs,” You pinch him for that, “I’m so happy that we’ll be together forever.”

You tilt your head in mild confusion at the connotation of his words, only to notice a small velvet box on the soap stand next to the tub. Gasping quietly, he laughs at your shocked expression. Using his free hand, he reaches behind you, and grabs the box. Flicking it open with his forefinger and thumb, he smiles down at you with tears in his eyes.

“(Your Name), would you make me the happiest man in the world, and become the Ponyo to my Sosuke? The Rasputin to my-“ You shut him up with a kiss, and a bright smile on your pretty face.

“Yes, yes! I love you Lev, and I’d love to marry you!” His features show his disbelief in you saying yes. He figured he’d need to wait a bit for you to be more compliant, but boy was he wrong!

He didn’t realise that you gave up a long time ago.

He didn’t realise that you figured out that using him would warrant more freedoms, more press interviews, more people to notice his unhealthy behaviour when it comes to you.

But he will. One day he’ll come crashing down like a tower of glass, and you’ll be the one who has the sledgehammer.

#yandere haikyuu #yandere haikyuu imagines #yandere lev #yandere lev haiba #lev x reader #lev haiba x you #yandere haikyuu x reader #tw stockholm syndrome

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its-bound-to-get-loud · 4 years ago

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Michael Clifford hair timeline

As some of you might know, this blog started from the frustration of missing certain things in the 5SOS fandom. I’m a 1D fan, I’m used to seeing masterposts about anything and everything. That’s very much not the case in the 5SOS fandom. So I figured, if it’s not here, I might as well go and do it myself. A while back I came to the conclusion there doesn’t seem to be a proper detailed timeline of Michael’s hair journey. So of course, I decided to make one. I heavily underestimated the amount of time this would cost, but I (mostly) had fun making this. So, now I would like to present you with the finished result. It should have every hair color ever in here, but if I somehow missed something or got something wrong, please let me know. I’ve tried my best to be as thorough as possible, but I only became a fan in 2020 and basically had to work my way through 5SOS history for this.

I used Michael’s instagram as a guide and filled in the gaps with interviews, tour diaries, etc. Thankfully he documented most of his hair changes on instagram, which made my job a little easier. So let’s get going!

I have combined 4 pictures into a collage, to prevent having to post close to 50 pictures below each other. The order of every collage is left to right, top to bottom.

So we start with Michael’s natural hair color,. This is a picture I found on Google, I have no idea about the exact date. But this is his natural hair before he started dying it. The next picture is the very first time he dyed his hair, this was a red-ish brown. This picture was posted on January 2 2013. Then later on in the same month he decided to dye his hair darker, to a chocolate brown, which he posted a picture of on January 27. His first bold color happens about a month later. On March 30 2013 he posted this picture of himself with dark blue hair and some lighter blue highlights in his fringe.

The next change comes June 19 2013. When the blue has been mostly removed, you can tell there’s some blue left in the fringe from the highlights, and the rest of his hair still has a blue-green tinge to it. This picture is a screenshot from the 5SOS vs. food video, Michael did post a picture of it on instagram captioned: “when I went blonde for a day”, but the color of that one is quite saturated. So is a better representation. After that, we move on to galaxy hair! The first picture with this hair was posted on instagram on June 19 2013. I thought this was a separate color from the 3rd picture in this collage, but it’s possible it’s the light playing tricks. Picture 3 was posted on June 26, exactly a week after the previous one. On July 6 we move on to the next change, bleach blonde! I think this is the first time he bleached his whole hair. Since the previous color’s were all darker than his own hair, he wouldn’t necessarily have needed bleach. As seen in the first picture of this collage, his hair wasn’t bleached yet. Except for the highlighted fringe. I assume a color removing product was used to get most of the blue dye out, because he said he went blonde “for a day”, which doesn’t indicate fading to me.

The bleach blonde seem to stay for a while, because the next change is almost 3 months later. September 28 2013 brings the reveal of the smurf blue hair. This obviously fades over time, leaving a light, almost pastel blue color as seen in the screenshot I included from their Australia/New Zealand tour diary, opening for One Direction. As October 21 comes around we get a brand new color, bright pink! This faded into a pastel pink as can be seen in the screenshot from this thank you video, posted on November 24.

Up next is reverse skunk, as posted on instagram on November 26 2013. This seems to last a good while, because the next change doesn’t come until 2014, judging by this twitcam from January 18 where the reverse skunk hair is still present. February 10, is when this picture of the purple hair was posted. Moving on to March 21, we get dark red, or maybe dark brown with red highlights, it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly this color is. There is no instagram picture for this one, so I’ve used a screenshot from the 5SOS Livestream to show this one. While writing this I discovered in this video, posted on March 13. where his hair was also this color already. The 4th screenshot from the Don’t Stop video, to demonstrate how long their hair lasted. The video was released May 18 2014. So I’m assuming it was filmed somewhere in (late) April.

The next hair color in line is brown, the picture in this collage was posted to on May 18. However, going back through Michael’s instagram it seems like he already had this color at the start of the There’s No Place Like Home tour in Sydney, on April 30 2014. It’s likely he dyed it right before the start of tour. The next change comes a little quicker, the earliest I could pinpoint this brown/blonde combo is May 18 at the Billboard music awards 2014. I can’t pinpoint, when exactly he got it done, but I’m assuming it was close before the BBMA’s. Moving on, we’re getting to the iconic green hair era. Again it’s hard to pinpoint when he exactly got it. There’s only 1 picture of it on his instagram, which was uploaded in July. The picture I used is from the Capital Summertime Ball 2014, held on June 21. The website describes it as “his new green hair”. So I’m assuming this is where he debuted it. After green we get this mystery lilac type color. I only found it in this Target Prank video on the 5SOS Youtube channel. Since they are promoting 5SOS1, which was released June 27, 2014, the video can be narrowed down to late June, early July of 2014. That’s as close as I could get it. I even went back to check if maybe they pre-filmed this in february/march and this was the faded purple hair, but the timeline still holds up.

September 1 2014 is when we see a new hair color appear on instagram. For (what appears to be) the video of Good Girls Michael bleached his hair to a white blonde. A better picture is the screenshot from the Good Girls video I included. The next change we see is on September 4 at the 5SOS performance for the iTunes festival 2014. This means that either he bleached his hair a while before September 1 or it was just a transition before the red with the orange undertone. This color fades throughout September judging by the pictures on instagram. I probably should have included one in here, but you can easily find them if you look for them. However on September 29 it seems the color got a refresh, looking nice and bright again.

The first picture in this collage, posted December 17 2014, shows the hair fading again. Then on December 18, at the People Magazine Awards the hair seems refreshed again. It looks to me as if the color has a slightly less orange undertone as well. But that’s hard to determine from 1 picture. The next picture, posted February 4 2015 shows the red has once again faded. After the red he moves on to this purple color. The first time we see it on instagram is February 18 in a video from the studio. The picture used for illustration was posted on February 27.

A better view of the violet/purple hair can be seen in the screenshot from the Japan Tour Diaries part 1. In part 2 you can already see the color fading again. The next picture, posted February 28 2015 shows and even more drastic fade, where his hair has turned almost blonde again. Then around March 15 his hair goes fully white blonde again. At the start of the ROWYSO tour in Portugal, May 4, Michael’s hair is still blonde. However 2 days later in Spain, on May 6, he seems to be back to a violet/blue color, like he had previously.

Then May 24 2015 we move to the next change, (jet) black hair (sorry, it had to be done). On July 16 a touch of color is brought into the hair, with addition of a few colorful streaks in his fringe. right on time for the start of the next leg of the ROWYSO tour that starts in Las Vegas. On July 23 he seems to have added a feather extension in the mix. This may have just been a temporary thing, because I can’t find any further evidence of this beyond the 1 instagram picture. Then August 29 brings a drastic change. From black we move back to blonde.

The blonde seems to last for quite some time. Judging by this performance of Hey Everybody, his hair was still blonde on November 11 2015 (the video was uploaded on the day of the performance, I checked). But then November 22 brings us red hair at the American Music Awards. Judging by other pictures on his instagram this seems to be a more true (less orange) red than in 2014. The red slowly fades, first to a more orange toned color in Bali (picture posted January 2 2016). And eventually it fades all the way to blonde wint a soft hint of red/pink in the 3rd picture, posted January 25 2016. Shortly after he premieres a teal hair color at the G’day USA red carpet on January 28.

The teal color sticks around for a while, even during the first leg of the SLFL tour. The last I saw of it was on March 12 2016, at the Philippines show. Then in between the Asian and Euopean leg the color changes from teal to brown, as seen at the Sheffield SLFL show on April 5. Then in the break between their last Dublin show (April 27) and their Vienna show (May 12) he bleaches his hair again. After this the era of Michael frequently coloring his hair seems to be done. He stays blonde, at some point he grows it out until only the long parts of his hair are still blonde. As can be seen in this picture posted on October 16 2017. Then at the start of the Meet You There Tour in Japan (August 2 2018) the colored hair makes a brief return with this pink moment. It doesn’t seem to last long however, since I can’t find a lot about it after Japan. So it may have been a temporary thing.

October 9 2018 he posts the first picture in this collage. It’s very possible this is faded pink from the previous picture. Or maybe he dyed it a lighter shade later on. After this the colored hair stops, but we do occasionally get various shades of blonde. The second picture, from November 16 2018, shows a caramel tone to his hair. In the third picture, posted on October 21 2018, we see sort of a dirty blonde. We end this timeline the way we started, back to natural hair. because of quarantine the bleached blonde grew out and eventually disappeared once he cut it. So we have come full circle. We started with natural hair and we are ending it with natural hair. If we get any more changes in the future I will be sure to add them to the timeline.

Finally, a few facts, for fun.

In total, Michael has had 29 color changes in a span of roughly 8 years.*

He’s had the most colors in 2013 and 2014 (both years he’s had 8 different colors)

The orange red was the color he had the longest, 150 days to be precise (based on the information available).

* Not counting fades or the “blonde for a day. Since they are part of 1 color or were just used to transition to another color. Also not counting the various shades of bleached blonde in the last collage, since it’s hard to tell if they are actually different, or if it’s light. I did count the transition from blonde to natural.

#5 Seconds Of Summer #5SOS #Michael Clifford #hair timeline #Michael hair

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bioodorange · 4 years ago

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||Lilacs|| Jane the Killer x Reader

ahhh yes cottage core fluff!! maskless jane and her cute s/o enjoying an afternoon in the garden! GN! reader, please like and reblog

“You know if you keep using that much paint, the texture will be all weird..right?”

“Ok well, it’s an artistic choice that you just can’t appreciate.”

“Sure it is, lets see if you’re still saying than when it takes forever to dry.”

You simply huffed at your girlfriends response, casuing her to laugh and rest her head on your shoulder. “C’mon Y/N! Don’t pout your face will get stuck that way!” she joked, using her free hand to pinch one of your cheeks, laying playful kisses on the other.

Trying to hold a stern face, you stifled a laugh and gently pushed her hand away. “Well lucky for you my face looks good no matter how it looks- you’re just jealous I can’t pull it off.”

“Uh huh, I sure am..” Jane hummed, swipping some blue paint off the pallete with her thumb and whiping it onto you’re cheek. “Yeah you’re really rockin this smurf look, it brings out your eyes.” she giggled, managing to get another streak of paint across your nose before you ducked away.

“Hey that is not fair!” you laughed, wiping the paint off with the back of your hand.

“All is fair in love and war, Y/N!” she declared, having set the paint down so she could wrap her arms around your waist.

“Oh so this is a war now hm?”

“I mean if you want it to be, I prefer the term battle.”

“Yeah? And why is that?” you asked, turning to the side so you could see Jane better. You had been in her lap for almost 3 hours, learning to paint and adding a bit too much sugar to the tea you were drinking.

“Well it implies we have space between battles for other things, like movies, or walks..” she said, smiling at you as you turned around. Her short brown hair was held out of her face with a dark red bandana. There was a fair bit of paint on her arns and legs from you dropping or straight up missing with the brush.

“True, but aren’t we more like enemies if we’re having battles..?” you questioned. The paint on your face was more of a mess than before, pushed in every which way from your poor attempt at cleaning it.

“Well everyone knows only the best stories have enemies to lovers, and a bit of a sexual tension.”

“First of all, forbidden love stories are much better and second how do we have any sexual tension?! We live together!”

“Exactly! Haven’t you heard of roomates! The extreme will they or won’t they, they share a bed but are too emotioanlly broken to open up, it’s a very sad story if you think about it.”

“And why is it that? Wouldn’t enemies, such as ourselves be out for blood? Kill each other the first chance we got?”

“Gosh you really aren’t any fun are you Y/N? Obviously its an arranged marriag and our hatred comes from a miscommunication in our early teen years. The truth is that we were child hood friends and-”

“And what? owned a coffee shop together?”

“I was gonna say were deeply in love but thats a much better idea!”

At this point you cracked up laughing, doubling over a bit. “Gosh I can’t you serisously somtimes!”

“Can’t take me seriously?! You’re the one with paint all over your face!” Jane laughed

“Well hey thats not my fault now is it?”

“I mean you were the one who rubbed it all over yourself..” she pointed out

“I- What!! Why didn’t you tell me?!” You asked, trying to get the dried paint off your face

“We we’re having a very important conversation!”

“Important my ass I probably look ridiculous!”

“Yeah, but you’re still cute,,”

“Im always cute.” you corrected, making no progress what-so-ever in cleaning off your face.

“Yeah ok that true but not right now your face is all red, let me help-” Jane said, cupping your face and licking her thumb

“Oh hell no you are not spit washing me!” you said squirming in her grip

“I am too, its just a little bit! Sit still jeez!”

In your frantic attempt to get away you fell off of her lap, hitting the easel on your way down causing the whole thing to topple over. Paint spilled onto the ground and all over your bare legs.

You and Jane looked at each other for a few moments before busting out into laughter. It was something you’d remember forever.

A perfect day

#jane the killer #jane the everlasting #jane the killer x reader #jane todd richardson #creepypasta #creepypasta x reader #gender neutral reader #slenderverse

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chasseuses · 4 years ago

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Papa smurf jade

Im. Sorry taku

---

lilac i will punch you.

#thanks! i hate it 💕#papa smurf jade #twisted wonderland #twst #twst meme #disney #cursed #octavinelle #twst jade #jade leech #twisted wonderland jade #submission #lilacpuncch

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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

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Down with the Recipe, Bake from the Heart, 7/10 (Taywhora) - Juno

Chapter Summary: Pastry week will see a nostalgic signature, a Breton technical, and a tricky and fiddly showstopper that will cause some to crumble. Meanwhile, Tayce finds a friend in Veronica after Aurora’s outburst causes a rift between them, and Lawrence and Ellie make up for lost time.

WEEK 7: PASTRY WEEK

Aurora was the only person who had arrived so far when Tayce came down to the common room at Norton Hall, sitting on one of the sofas and jiggling her leg. She looked up and smiled a pinched smile at Tayce as she came over, but said nothing.

“You okay, Rory?”

“Yeah, good.” But her smile seemed to indicate otherwise.

It was a little concerning. Aurora had been quieter last weekend, withdrawing into her shell, which pained Tayce to see. She’d hoped that trying to cheer her up in the Showstopper, by spending some more time with her, would let her relax; but for some reason it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“I’m gonna miss Tia,” Tayce said, wondering if Aurora wanted to talk about her. “She was always humming something while she baked. It was nice to hear her, she had such a nice voice. Not like me! I can’t hold a note!”

Aurora managed a half-hearted laugh.

“I know. It’s shit seeing people leave at this point, isn’t it?” Tayce continued, injecting as much sympathy as she could into her voice. “We’re all getting dead close. It’ll be shit when anyone leaves now.”

“Alright, babes?” Lawrence entered, interrupting their thoughts, looking shattered as she crossed to them. “How’s it hanging?”

They both gave her a wave, and to Tayce’s surprise, Lawrence tugged on their wrists until they both stood, and then engulfed them in a hug, pulling them both in tightly.

“Lozza?”

“I just really needed to hug you both,” Lawrence was muttering into their ears. “Just … yeah. I just wanted hugs today, alright? Just don’t tell Ellie, she’ll be thinking I’ve gone soft.”

Lawrence sounded strained, her sarcasm fading each week, as quickly as the bright purple of her hair had faded into a dusty lilac over the last six weeks. Tayce hugged her back, looping a hand around Aurora’s waist too; Aurora was still hesitant, but returned it.

When Lawrence finally let the two of them go, Tayce saw Veronica come in, and perked up. She’d waited all week to see her.

“Vee?”

Tayce beckoned a worried-looking Veronica to sit with her on the sofa as they waited to go into the tent, and Veronica joined her. Tayce held out one hand to her.

“Look, Vee, I’m sorry for what I said to you last week when Tia left. I meant it to be light-hearted, to try to make you smile, but it was the wrong time and the wrong thing to say. I’ve wanted to say sorry all week for it.”

“Right,” Veronica nodded. “I knew it was a joke. I know you wouldn’t have meant it in a mean way, Tayce, I know you’re not like that - I just wasn’t in the frame of mind to have a joke back with you, you know? Tia had just left. And … yeah.”

“I didn’t want Tia to go, no one did, you know?” Tayce added, “But at the end of the day … it’s still a competition. And there’s still three of us that need to go before the finale.”

Tayce took a deep breath, her heart suddenly heavy at the thought. “That’s half of us that are left.”

“I know.” Veronica’s eyes were distant.

Tia’s departure had shifted something in the air. Tayce could feel it as the six of them traipsed down to the tent, all of them chatting for the cameras, but none of them feeling the same jovial way from before.

Maybe it had been Tia’s self-deprecation that had kept them all reminded not to take this too seriously. Now back in the tent, they were all showing their true fear.

Veronica didn’t look like she wanted to make any more friends, grinding her teeth and chewing her tongue. Lawrence kept reaching back on her stool, to lay a hand on Ellie’s forearm, as if Ellie’s narrow escape last week made Lawrence want to make sure she was still there. Bimini was deflated, running out of steam, her small stature appearing to shrink even further.

And when Tayce looked over at Aurora, her fingers drummed incessantly.

——

Signature: Hand-risen pie with the filling flavour of your choice.

“Hand-risen pie?” Tayce folded her arms when she crossed to Aurora’s workbench. “Doesn’t sound dirty at all, does it! What filling are you using for the pie?”

“Manchego cheese and chorizo. You?” Aurora asked flatly, looking at her ingredients.

Tayce opened her mouth to answer, but as she did, she was distracted by the glint of the light reflected in the camcorder lens, the camera coming over, the hungry eyes of the nation watching their every move.

She unfurled her arms and threaded one around Aurora’s waist. “It’s my mum’s secret recipe. I’m making this pie the way my mum always made her pies. She makes the best pies around.”

Tayce hoped that her actions would be reciprocated, but Aurora was stiff at her side.

“Please. My nan’s from Yorkshire. You’d struggle to beat her pies.”

Even her tone of voice wasn’t the same as usual. Her monotonous words, her serious expression, the frostiness in her eyes made Tayce shiver.

She must be really worrying about her bakes this week.

“Are you using your nan’s recipe then? I bet it’s gonna be amazing. You’re gonna do good, bitch!”

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

Aurora’s voice was still flat, monotonous, her eyes cool as she surveyed Tayce. Trying to encourage Aurora hadn’t really had the desired effect, and Aurora didn’t look as if she wanted Tayce here. She let Aurora go, and when Aurora turned back to her pastry dough without another word, Tayce made her way to her own workbench, the cameras swivelling to focus Veronica speaking to the judges instead.

What’s all this about now?

Pastry week was one Tayce was hoping she would make it to. She’d made pies and flans quite a bit as a teenager, and they always turned out really well. Her family always loved them.

Unfortunately, pastry week wasn’t going as well as Tayce hoped.

She’d cooked off the filling for the pie, and set it to cool; but the pastry did not seem to want to cooperate. The dough for the first pastry was too wet she found, and when she shaped it against the cake tin, it fell apart.

“No worries, can’t help a soggy bottom sometimes, don’t panic, let’s start again.”

As she was mixing her new dough, she heard Ellie give a yelp of pain, prompting the medics to sprint over to her for what must have been the twentieth time this season. But Veronica was the one with the cameramen all over her today, worrying about her pastry, and Tayce could hear her huffing and growling at her bake.

“You alright, babes?” That was Bimini’s cautious voice at Veronica’s bench, resting on their elbows as Veronica gave a heavy sigh.

“I’m gonna have to restart,” she muttered.

“You’re not, you’re doing fine,” Bimini’s voice carried over.

Tayce could see Veronica leaning against the workbench, her knuckles white as she gripped it, her head downcast and her shoulders tensed.

“Don’t you get all defeatist, babes,” Bimini shook their head.

“Come on Vee,” Tayce said, crossing to grab Veronica’s hand, “you’ve got this! And if it’s a bit wonky donkey, who cares! It’s a pie! You’re from Yorkshire, you’re already gonna be amazing at pies!”

“Lancashire.” Veronica’s teeth were gritted.

Tayce waved her remark away. “What are your fillings?”

Tayce looked over to see the chicken and mushroom in a creamy sauce cooling patiently on the hob. The pastry she’d made and sculpted around the cake tin, as they’d been instructed to do, was a little droopy, but not as wet as Tayce’s had been, and nothing that couldn’t be salvaged.

“You’re fine! You’re gonna win with this, what are you talking about! Just bung it in the fridge and get it set, girl!”

Veronica huffed again, but she nodded, taking the pastry and walking to the fridge to let it set. Bimini gave Tayce an appreciative smile as they turned back to their own workbench, sipping the cup of tea before grabbing their own pastry from the fridge, theirs already set and ready for the oven.

Tayce couldn’t look at what Bimini was wearing this week. Something else inspired by Noel in that show no doubt, but it was a sequined bodysuit, catching the lights and reflecting into all their eyes. She hoped Bimini wasn’t going to do a repeat of last week, coming round to give everyone baking tips, or they’d all be going blind from the light.

But before she could ponder much more, Tayce’s thoughts were interrupted by another squeak from the other side. Ellie’s finger was bleeding again, and the medics jogging up the aisle to get to her. Lawrence had paused at her own workbench, a hand hovering at her mouth, to watch the medics putting more plasters on Ellie.

“All these blue plasters!” Ellie held her hand up with a sigh, wriggling her fingers.

“You’re gonna look like a smurf soon, all that blue,” Tayce said with a grin.

Ellie gave a snort of laughter, but behind her, Aurora turned to glare at Tayce.

She held up her hands. “Relax! It’s a joke! Besides, she’s too tall to be a smurf.”

“Why don’t you focus on yourself, that’s what youdo best anyway, instead of trying to bring other people down all the time?”

Aurora’s words made Ellie’s laughter freeze in her throat, and Tayce’s stomach plummet to the floor. There was no friendliness there any more; all pretence had been cast aside, and Tayce could feel the cold in her eyes from here, ten feet away.

“What’s brought this on? I don’t bring other people down! And it’s a baking contest, what’s wrong with focusing on myself, anyway?”

“Because you can do that without belittling other people, too! All you care about is winning, even if it means putting other people down to make yourself feel better, and I’m sick of hearing it!”

Aurora’s voice rose an octave, while everyone else swivelled round to watch the two of them.

“Is this about what Tayce said to me after Tia was sent home last week, Aurora?” Veronica asked. “Because I knew it was a joke, and in any case Tayce has already apologised to me this morning, you saw that, you were there. It’s all fine!”

Aurora blinked, momentarily struck dumb, but she regained a little bit of fire power. “And just now? Was it really necessary to belittle Ellie for having a load of blue plasters?”

“I wasn’t belittling her, I was just trying to make a joke! Lighten the mood a little bit!” Tayce held back a laugh at how absurd this sounded. “Why are you so uptight today? Chillax!”

“Aurora,” Ellie was saying quietly, “it’s just a joke -“

“Uptight?” Aurora retorted, ignoring Ellie, a derisive snort of laughter echoing round the tent. “Uptight, in a really stressful place where cameras are following your every moment, and you can’t even take a shit without worrying that you’re being recorded?”

As if to illustrate her point, the cameramen were pointing cameras at them both; when Aurora saw the shine of the lens, she gave an exasperated growl and stormed out of the tent.

Where had this come from? She’d been so quiet all morning, not her usual, bubbly self. Tayce knew this competition was taking a toll on them all, herself included, but this was a far cry from the warm, tender woman who had comforted Tayce just last weekend when she was thinking about her grandad. Was she really this worried about the bake on its own?

“Tayce,” came Veronica’s voice, “you need to go see her. Make sure she’s okay.”

“What?” Tayce looked up in surprise. “She won’t want me - best she’s left -“

“Tayce, I’m not asking you, I’m tellingyou, you need to go after her,” Veronica’s tone was stern, her blue eyes firm. “Go! Go on!”

Tayce looked from the door of the tent to her pie, fresh from the fridge for cooling.

It can wait. I can still get the pie done in time.

So she left the tent, but a glance to her left and to her right showed no one there, no noise except for birdsong in the trees beyond them.

“Rory? Where have you gone?”

But Aurora appeared at that moment, carrying her mug of tea, casting a disdainful look at Tayce the moment she saw her.

“Rory -“

“Tayce, don’t. I don’t even want to speak to you right now, I can’t deal with the - the -“ But Aurora seemed to lose her words, looking at Tayce; and Tayce watched a flash of uncertainty behind her eyes before she shook her head and walked past Tayce back into the tent.

She ignored everyone as she went back to her workbench and started spooning her filling into the pastry case, averting her eyes from them all, even waving Ellie away from her as she leaned over the workbench.

——

The mood was subdued by the time they were back in the common room at Norton Hall after the Signature, even the weather mimicking their sombre expressions, the grey sky and drizzle mingling in the wind and casting the whole tent into a dull shadow through the window.

Tayce was feeling the cold, and not just because of the weather. The common room in Norton Hall was distinctly frosty as soon as she’d entered. Lawrence and Ellie were absent, but Veronica, Aurora and Bimini were nestled on the sofa. Veronica was the only person of the three of them who came to see Tayce, looping a hand through the crook of her elbow.

“One good turn deserves another and all,” Veronica murmured. “Thank you, Tayce. I was freaking out more than what I would have done at home with that pastry. I appreciate what you said to me.”

It was almost a little too formal, but Tayce was glad to have a friendly face at her side.

“You’d have done the same for me,” Tayce muttered. “How long d’you reckon before Rory stops being annoyed at me?”

Veronica grimaced. “I think she’s feeling a bit better now she’s asked me about you apologising, but she said she feels like you’re a different person all the time, and honestly, what you said at the end of last week definitely didn’t help.”

“I only meant it to be a joke! It’s just my humour, I don’t mean it to be hurtful.” Tayce shrugged. “Is she properly annoyed at me?”

“She’s not annoyed at you, she’s just … everything’s just a bit tense in the competition. It’s a bit harder to not be nervous. And I feel like Aurora’s just nervous for everything at the moment.”

“You’re always nervous as well, though,” Tayce said.

Veronica managed a shy laugh. “Yeah, but - Tia always reminded me that nerves just mean I’m caring about the bake. And caring about what you bake is a good thing, right? So that’s a good feeling to put into your bake. And if it’s not perfect - then, well, it’s not perfect, but if the care you put in it makes it tasty, and if it tastes alright, then it’s probably fine.”

They were at the table, looking over the pies. Lawrence’s beautifully-shaped pie and Veronica’s patterned design were in stark contrast to Tayce’s own under baked disaster and Ellie’s collapsed mess at the end, untouched. Tayce picked up a piece of Aurora’s, even though she didn’t really like mushrooms, to put onto her plate.

“Aurora’s nervous, yeah, but that means she cares, about the contest andyou,” Veronica said, helping herself to a piece of Lawrence’s pie as she did. “The way I see it, if she didn’t care about you, she wouldn’t be worrying so much about thinking you’ve gone from being a nice person to being horrible to people for the sake of the competition.”

Tayce stared at her. “Vee - that was almost …”

“Sense?”

“Yeah!” Tayce laughed. “Do that more when you bake instead of freaking out, and you’re good!”

“Give over!” But Veronica was starting to smile again, tentatively, but it was there.

Tayce followed Veronica to sit with her, but Veronica seemed to recede back into her shell, licking her lips repeatedly and eventually taking out her book and starting to read. Over on the other side of the room, Aurora cast her a look, her eyes a little softer now, before turning back to Bimini.

I’ll have to try to talk to her about what she thinks I did, after Technical.

——

Technical: Krouign Amann

“What advice do you have for the bakers on this one, Prue?” Noel asked.

“Trust the ingredients, and trust the instructions.” Prue nodded at them all.

“Well. That’s nice and clear,” Noel said, indicating to the confused expressions on all the bakers’ faces. “Now, if you’d like to exit the tent, we can start the Technical.”

Everyone’s collective jaw had dropped when confronted with the technical’s name on the top of the page, and the ingredients. Krouign Amann? It sounded like a New Wave band on acid to Tayce.

And the ingredients were confusing. There was almost as much butter as flour and sugar, a huge quantity of all of them.

“Is this … really the amount of butter we need?” Veronica was mumbling to herself as soon as the cloth was taken off. “Is this for real? Is it April Fool’s Day or something? I’ve lost track of the bloody days here …”

And the uncertainty was catching. Bimini stood staring at the ingredients for a good minute before they even picked up their pencil to annotate the recipe. Aurora resumed her drumming on the workbench. Lawrence tapped her pencil against her chin, muttering “… the fuck d’you pronounce that?”

Tayce relied on her usual tactic: jump straight in and fix it later.

Trust the instructions. You haven’t come bottom yet, have you?

Well, she had, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. Don’t live in the past, Tayce.

She hastily shooed the thought away and started to measure out the ingredients, still a bit confused as to the sheer amount of butter - about three times as much as any pastry she’d made before - but trying to let herself trust the process.

By the time the hour and a half was up, she sighed, relieved at the fact that what she had produced looked vaguely like a cake of some sort - which was what Matt and Noel had suggested - and it smelled alright, she thought. Somehow she always thought that a cake that smelled decent would turn out decent.

Tayce seemed to be the only person in the tent who had had much luck. Lawrence’s looked like a cake too, but it was very flat and heavy, while Veronica’s looked extremely pale. Ellie nearly dropped hers in getting it out of the oven, before fighting to get it off the baking tray, and she was almost in tears.

When she found herself at judging sitting on the stool between Lawrence and Aurora, Tayce thought maybe they were making up, but Aurora’s usual hand was not made available to her this time; Aurora choosing to hold her right hand in her lap and her left clinging onto Bimini’s right.

Something’s still going on. I’ll have to find out afterwards.

Bottom of the pack was Ellie, whose bake simply oozed with fluid once cut into. Veronica’s was next, and then Bimini’s. When Aurora raised her hand for third place, Tayce felt her heart beating in her throat, thinking she was about to win … until Paul motioned to hers for second place, again, and Lawrence’s mouth spread to a grin as she realised she had taken first place for the Technical.

“You’re doing good this week, Lozza,” Tayce whispered to her after the applause had died down. “They loved your pie as well, didn’t they! You’re gonna get yourself a win!”

Lawrence looked aghast, slapping her leg with the back of her hand. “No, don’t say that, I don’t want to jinx it now!”

Tayce opened her mouth to make another joking response - but thought better of it, biting her tongue and grinning as widely as she could at Lawrence instead.

——

“Why can’t I just get it right?” Veronica moaned, as they all relaxed in the common room afterwards.

“You ran out of time, didn’t you? Otherwise it would have baked fine. What’s happening with you and timing, girl?” Tayce asked.

Veronica shrugged. “I just keep running over with the prep stuff. I try to stay in the time but I keep going over!”

“How? You’ve got enough alarms for the rest of the room.”

“I don’t know - I just can’t get it exactly right.”

“The judges keep giving you the same critiques every week, Vee - you just need a bit more time in the oven. Like five more minutes. Maybe you need to just spend less time making the prep absolutely perfect, and get that five minutes back.”

“I can’t!” Veronica’s voice hitched up. “I can’t! It will go wrong!”

“Yeah, and so? You can always start again, and it’s just baking! Chillax!”

“I can’t chillax, Tayce, I’m -“ but Veronica froze, her hands in her hair, staring at the table like a woman possessed. Her breathing gradually slowed again, the red in her face fading.

“It’s just baking, isn’t it?” Veronica muttered, still not smiling, but her voice no longer panicked. “Tia would say that too. That it doesn’t need to be perfect.”

“That’s it! You just need to not panic, and you’re good!”

“Thanks, Tayce. Again! I just … I feel like I have to take the win home,” Veronica sighed. “And that worries me. I feel like I have the weight of Lancashire on my shoulders at this point. But you’re right.” Veronica’s voice was dark all of a sudden, low and quiet. “There are six of us, and three still have to go.”

“We all feel that same pressure, Vee,” Tayce soothed, rubbing her arm, “and we all deserve to win, now. We’re all great. Not just bakers, but people.”

And they were, Tayce thought to herself as she watched Aurora and Bimini talking on the other sofa, quiet and calm.

There was Bimini, who had essentially given up their badge last week to give them all advice and make them better bakers. Veronica, whose precision and artistry meant she could probably be a professional in disguise. Lawrence and Ellie - who hadn’t come back to the common room yet again after the Technical - who both had imagination and incredible skill, and although Lawrence’s were more refined, Ellie was baking things at twenty-one that Tayce couldn’t do with five more years on her.

And Aurora, the only one in the tent who truly loved baking, who poured her entire soul into her creations; and who was now rising from the sofa where she sat with Bimini, making her way to their rooms again.

Now’s my chance.

Tayce patted Veronica’s arm and got up to jog after her, finding her halfway up the stairs.

“Rory! Aurora!” Aurora definitely heard Tayce’s shout, as she froze on the stairs, her shoulders stiffening, tensing up. When she turned, it was slowly, as if she were fighting not to.

“Can we talk? I want to talk to you about us.”

“What, us? Right now?” Aurora’s laugh was a bitter sound on her tongue. “I’m shocked you even want to be around me now, with no cameras around.”

Tayce took half a step backwards. “What are you talking about?”

But Aurora just huffed out a great breath of air, jamming a hand into the pocket of her jeans. “It doesn’t matter, Tayce. I get it. It’s all part of the game.”

“What does that mean?” Tayce said, but Aurora had turned and was disappearing up the stairs. “Rory?”

“Stop calling me that!” Was Aurora’s shrill yell in reply.

She followed her up the stairs, hearing the slam of her door, but Tayce paused outside it, knocking gently at first, and then harder when there was no response.

“Honestly, I really don’t know what’s happened. Can we talk? Please?”

Tayce waited for a few moments, but not hearing any noise on the other side of the door, she sighed. She was just turning to head to her own room when the handle turned, and Aurora stood there, arms folded, leaning on the doorframe.

“Alright. Let’s talk. What’s happened to you the last couple of weeks, Tayce? Hmm? Be honest with me. Is this fake-flirting thing to help us bothout, or just you?”

“Both of us!” Tayce exclaimed. “It’s meant to help us both do better! And for the audience to enjoy us both bonding! What are you talking about? How can I be the only person benefiting from that?”

Aurora pursed her lips. “You say you want to fake-flirt, fine. But what does all thismean?” Aurora swooped one arm in an arc, indicating all thisas she spoke.

“All what?”

“Don’t play that game.”

“I’m not playing a game, Rory,” Tayce said, ignoring Aurora’s wince, “I don’t know where you’re getting this from.”

Aurora did the same sweeping motion. “You staying in my room? Where are we meant to be drawing the line with the fake thing, Tayce?”

But Tayce found her tongue heavy in her mouth, her heart thumping against her chest at the coolness in her voice. “Don’t you want me around you apart from when filming is happening?”

“No, it’s not that,” Aurora’s voice was edged with sadness. “But … I feel like when the cameras are off, you’re just … different! And I don’t know who you are, and it’s confusing for me …”

“In what way do you think I’m different?” This was news to Tayce. Fake-flirting aside, Tayce had been nothing but genuine with her feelings towards Aurora back in the common room, out by the lake; but Aurora’s chin quivered as she continued.

“You’re nice to me, we flirt, and then when filming is done, you just …” Aurora took a shaky breath. “I just don’t know where I stand with you. I don’t know what you’re thinking about me, whether we’re even friends, whether you’d be saying things about me if I’d gone home -“

“Aurora,” Tayce replied, her skin tingling.

“Tayce.” Her voice was firm, but her fingers drummed against her arm where her arms folded.

This is wrong. This is all wrong.

Tayce took a deep breath, knowing she was going to have to just admit her feelings for Aurora and put this fake-flirting thing to rest. “Aurora, I’m … I care about you a lot -“

“But how do I know you’re not just being fake now? Hmm?”

"It isn’t fake! Look, I promise you -”

“Tayce,” Aurora interrupted her, a painful crack in her voice, “I can’t do this right now. I just can’t -”

With a shake of her head and an expression of utter despair, she closed the door to her room again with a crash, and this time, when Tayce knocked repeatedly, she got no response.

She leaned against the wall with a huff, tears stinging the backs of her eyes again.

Why did I think faking my feelings was a good idea?

Tayce had thought that they were getting on really well at first with the flirting. They laughed, they talked, they baked together. What did this strange direction Aurora had taken mean? Were they even friends any more? That was more than Tayce could bear. Her chest ached, radiating to her ribcage, and Tayce briefly wondered if this was what heartbreak was like.

Does she really dislike me so much that she doesn’t even want me near her after filming is done?

Her thoughts were interrupted by giggling, voices chatting rapidly in excitement, more giggling. Tayce wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as she watched Ellie running up the stairs, closely followed by Lawrence, although both of them stopped, wide-eyed at the sight of Tayce, hastily letting go of each others’ hands.

“Hi, Tayce. We thought you’d gone for an early one,” Ellie said, still giggling.

“Aye, we thought you were having Netflix and chillax or something,” Lawrence continued, as the two of them stuck their tongues out at each other before falling back into giggles.

Tayce forced a grin at them both. “How much have you two had?”

Ellie blinked.

“Not enough,” was Lawrence’s reply, causing Ellie to snort with laughter and Lawrence to grab her forearm.

“Lawrence tried to push me in the lake!” Ellie cried, while Lawrence’s jaw dropped and she slapped her arm.

“I did not, I just said maybe you should get in the lakewhen I said I was like the Loch Ness monster and you said what, non-existent?”

Ellie flipped her hair over her shoulder before slapping Lawrence back. “If you’re not laughing at my jokes, you don’t have a sense of humour.”

“Get fucked!” Lawrence pushed her a little harder this time, and Ellie fell against the wall, still giggling and evidently unhurt.

“Oh my god, did you see what she did to me! Tayce, you’re my witness!” Ellie shrieked with laughter, as Lawrence, eyes rolling in mock-exasperation, took her hand again, pretense cast to the wind, and led her away past Tayce down the corridor. “This is contestant abuse this is! Sabotage! She’s trying to break my arm so I can’t bake tomorrow! Tayce, Tayce help me!”

“Have fun you two!” Tayce waved with a smile, which Lawrence returned, pulling a still-giggling Ellie into her room.

Tayce sighed. They hadn’t had to fake anything.

——

Showstopper: 36 puff pastry canapés (12 filled, 12 unfilled, 12 your choice)

Tayce was wishing she had as many alarms as Veronica did. Making three types of canapés with puff pastry was challenging as it got. Tayce would have to be delicate, but also creative, and make sure everything was baked to the right time, even getting the shelf of the oven right. Before long, tunnel vision kicked in. She whisked, proved, folded, rolled, until she had all the pastry ready and baking.

It wasn’t until everything was baking that she saw Aurora in her peripheral vision, coming over, tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand, putting the mug down on the corner of Tayce’s workbench.

“Thought you could use some tea.”

“Thanks.” She nodded, picking up the mug and sipping. “Thanks, Rory. I appreciate that.”

Aurora lingered, and Tayce took a scalding swig of tea as Aurora drank from her cup of coffee, both of them silent. Maybe it wasn’t quite an olive branch, but an olive branch shoot.

“Can we talk?” Tayce said eventually, as Aurora chewed her lip beside her.

Eventually, Aurora gathered herself. “Let’s talk after this is done, okay? I need to focus for now.” And she went back to her workbench, wringing her hands.

It was good enough. Tayce pushed the thought to the back of her mind for now. She had puff pastry to concentrate on.

The time seemed to fly, filled with bakes to worry about. Around the room, everyone else was also concentrating: heads down, barely any chit chat, getting on with their bakes. Aurora piped something into her filled pastries, her mouth a thin line; Ellie, by contrast, constantly licked her lips as she concentrated, and that still didn’t stop the piping bag from dropping to the ground through her fingers.

But by the time they had all come to an end, the last decorations going on, Tayce put her last touch to the last canapé to hear Noel announce there were still five minutes to go.

Bimini was also done, sipping their cup of tea and nodding at Tayce; but the rest of them were piling pastries onto the trays, grabbing chocolate and powdered sugar and cinnamon and anything else that was going on the top.

“You good, Rory?” Tayce called to her; and Aurora nodded curtly, still cool, still concentrating, and looked on target to finish.

“God,” Veronica hissed into the air, taking Tayce by surprise. She turned to see Veronica twirling the piping bag over and over in her hands, her hair coming apart from her bun with the amount she had been clutching it.

“What’s up, Vee?”

But Veronica’s breathing was speeding up again as she hastily fiddled with her pastry layers, her fingers quivering. Evidently Tia’s words had vanished from her mind as panic crept back through her.

Tayce rounded her workbench to get to Veronica’s. “Don’t panic, don’t panic girl - here, let me give you a hand -“

“Oh, god, thank you -“ Veronica’s relief made her hands go weak momentarily as Tayce started grabbing pastries and loading them onto the tray. Somewhere behind her, Bimini sprinted to the other side to do the same for Lawrence, whose pastries were also making her groan.

With the two of them loading the tray, Noel announced a minute to go. Veronica inhaled with a hiss, her hands quivering, but Tayce shushed her.

“It’s alright, you’ve got this Vee -”

Tayce had never seen anyone fill miniature buns so quickly, but Veronica was managing it, all decorum gone; the mess on her fingers and the tray was piling up but Veronica was a woman possessed and no longer seemed to give a damn about perfection. On her right, Tayce saw Bimini doing a similar thing for Lawrence, while Noel bit his lip at the front of the room, watching them all.

“Right, time’s up bakers, step away from the bakes!”

Noel’s announcement came a second after Veronica had put the final canapé in place.

Tayce sighed, but before she could wipe her brow, Veronica had wrapped her arms around Tayce’s waist and was hugging her so tightly for such a small woman that Tayce had to struggle to take another breath.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Veronica’s hushed voice was an octave higher than usual, and she was shaking. Tayce rubbed her shoulders gently until Veronica untangled herself and let her go back to her workbench.

Looking around, everyone was silent, hunched over their benches, puffing and panting with the efforts. Every tray held thirty six pastries each - two hundred and eighteen in total - and they all left the tent to sit in the shelter, letting the pastries cool and wait for the judges, without the usual springs in their steps at finishing the challenges for the day.

It was the seventh weekend of constant baking, constant pressure, and an enclosed environment where all emotions were bottled and shaken up until they fizzed and exploded like Diet Coke.

Tayce could see that Lawrence’s eyes were ringed with circles. Ellie’s nails were all bitten down, the pastel pink polish chipped. Aurora’s tight-lipped silence was a far cry from the bubbly woman of the first couple of weeks. Bimini’s leg jiggled uncontrollably as they sat and watched the tent in silence. Veronica hooked a hand into Tayce’s elbow as they walked together, her knees rattling, unable to balance without support.

And Tayce herself. As the day had gone on, her stomach had been in a constant, dull ache; she’d ran to the loo more times than she could count, and she’d noticed her want for bakes dimming the more she was given them.

All of them were exhausted.

Aurora caught Tayce’s arm after Veronica had gone inside, leading her to the trees again, back where they’d started this whole arrangement.

“You helped out Veronica. Like you helped meout with my brownies.”

Tayce frowned. “I don’t get what you mean. Of courseI helped out Veronica. Why wouldn’t I help her out? It’s just a baking contest, at the end of the day! She was struggling, I wanted to help her! Like I wanted to help you!”

Aurora opened her mouth, closing it again, tucking her hair behind her ear in a nervous motion that made Tayce want to hold her, but she stayed put, her heart gently aching.

“Rory - I mean, Aurora - please tell me what’s on your mind, girl. You were so happy a couple of weeks ago! So relaxed! And you got Star Baker! But this week you’ve just been worried and anxious and shutting everyone out, and you snapped at Ellie and like … you’re making me worried. And Lawrence says I’m horizontal, so that’s something.”

The ache in her heart grew and grew as Aurora’s face screwed up, fighting back tears, until she regained her composure, sighing.

“Look, Tayce,” Aurora began, her voice heavy with sadness, “I need to make one thing clear. I can’t really do this fake flirting thing any more. It’s too much for my nerves. It’s making me distracted from baking. I just need to be focused on me for now.”

“That’s fine, if that’s what you need to focus on -“ Tayce reached to rub her arm, but Aurora pulled back.

“I’m serious. No more flirting, no more kisses, no nothing.”

Tayce tried to keep a stoic face as she nodded. “That’s absolutely fine. I want you to do well at this. I do.”

Aurora’s eyes searched her, still cool, but after a moment that went on far too long, she blinked with a sigh, her gaze softening.

“Alright. Good. Maybe - maybe we can go back to friends.”

Go back to friends. Goback. She … she really doesn’t like me at all right now.

All sensation left Tayce’s body to the ground below her, save the ache in her chest that spread through her body like poison, numbing her from the inside out. She didn’t move a muscle, letting Aurora nod grimly, expectantly, peering at her to have some sort of reaction.

“Yeah.” Tayce’s tongue was thick and dry as she managed to speak. “Friends. That’d be good.”

——

“Lawrence! Congratulations!”

Noel’s announcement of Lawrence being Star Baker had prompted Lawrence to relinquish Tayce’s hand and put both her hands to her mouth, as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She’d been praised on the recipe for the pie, and when the judges had given their commentary on her canapes, it was clear she was about to take this week; but Lawrence couldn’t stop the tears once they’d started.

It’s her first win,Tayce realised with a gulp. That’s why she’s so emotional. Now we’ve all won at least once. God.

All of them had a badge now, with Lawrence getting her first.

The person to go home would be a winner in their own right.

Tayce’s other hand was gripped by Veronica, and Tayce wrapped both her hands around it, while Lawrence gripped Ellie’s. Neither of them had been given fantastic critiques on their Showstoppers; with Veronica’s being apparently over-filled and Ellie’s under-baked.

They were both amazing bakers. Tayce knew that either of them leaving would be a loss. But as Tayce squeezed Veronica’s hand in hers, she knew that they’d still both have to go eventually for Tayce to win the show.

And that thought sounded hollow in her head. An echo of a past she wasn’t connected to any more.

Matt Lucas looked as if he was trying to keep calm too, as he opened his mouth to announce the eliminated person this week.

“The person who will be leaving us will be …”

Veronica’s hands were sticky with sweat, her breath haggard against Tayce’s shoulder. Tayce stroked her knuckles soothingly, as Matt looked between everyone, finally settling his gaze on …

“… Ellie. I’m so sorry, Ellie.”

The squeaky noise from Lawrence caught in her throat, but Ellie tossed her hair over her shoulders and blinked the sadness back, smiling and nodding at Matt as she stood.

“That’s fine. I’m - yeah.”

Tayce heard a sharp inhale next to her, surprised to see Aurora dabbing her eyes with the pads of her thumbs as everyone stood to hug Ellie, who was still wearing the cake-shaped badge on her chest, grinning and muttering to them all as she hugged them individually.

“It’s fine - ah, don’t cry - I’ll be cheering you on in the final, don’t worry - you’ll see me again soon -“

But Tayce caught the sad flicker in her eyes before she managed to tuck it away.

“Girl,” Tayce said when it came to her turn, leaning up as Ellie bent a little, resting her chin on Ellie’s fluffy shoulder. “Ellie, you can’t just comfort everyone around you, you have to let other people comfort youas well.”

Ellie’s hands gripped her a little bit tighter at her words. “I’m happy though - you all get to go on -“ she forced a giggle. “I’m not that great - I’m chaos in the kitchen -“

“Yeah, but you’re an amazing baker, and you’re allowed to feel sad that you’re not going on, you know! It’s not just about being self-sacrificing.”

As Ellie pulled away, she took the deepest breath, as if robbing the tent of all its remaining oxygen, blinking and forcing a wide smile on her face that made Tayce wince.

“I’m fine.”

Her voice was low, firm.

Tayce kept hold of her, just a second longer. “Okay, Ellie. I get it. Sometimes it’s easier to fake what you’re feeling than to face it, I know.”

The poison still numbed her. She licked her lips, hoping her words made sense.

“Just … just don’t lie to Lozza at least, alright?” She squeezed her arm, trying to hold back a sudden tear. “Let her in. Even if you lie to everyone else - and yourself - just be honest with her. Please. Don’t fake being happy with her. Honesty is always gonna be best for -“ Tayce swallowed, “for people you genuinely love.”

And Ellie’s mask faltered at the last word, the smile fading just a shadow, her breath catching at her throat. Swallowing, her chin starting to tremble, she nodded, but said nothing else as she turned away from Tayce to try to face Lawrence’s open arms.

——

FIVE BAKERS REMAIN

#rpdr fanfiction #rpdr uk #down with the recipe #juno #uk2 #baking au #gbbo au #taywhora #tayce #a'whora #bimini bon boulash #veronica green #ellie diamond #lawrence chaney #fluff #lesbian au

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capnportofficial · 2 years ago

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Pussywillow Pixies in my style!

Bonus: Young Elderberry

#i didnt mean to change elderberry's skin color so drastically #but then i looked at what actual elderberries look like #my art #smurfs #the smurfs #pussywillow pixies #the pussywillow pixies #pansy #lilac #bramble #holly #acorn #elderberry #pansy the pussywillow pixie #lilac the pussywillow pixie #bramble the pussywillow pixie #holly the pussywillow pixie #acorn the pussywillow pixie #elderberry the pussywillow pixie

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ania-sims · 5 years ago

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+200 followers! Thanks!

First of all, thank you! In recent times I have practically disappeared, but to my amazement, I have noticed that the followers continued to rise. I am very happy with this! 😍 Once again I found myself creating and adding new colors to the list (this time only unnatural). I also have new gradient/ombres in mind, so I hope to be able to share them on new projects soon (I will also update previews of them soon.). All Black: Black, DarkBlue, Dark Purple, Mud, BlackSoil, Gunpowder.

All Browns: Brown, LightBrown, Rhum, Chestnut, Chocolate, Caramel.

All blondes: Blonde, LightBlonde, Pearled, StrawBlonde, AshBlonde, Honey.

All Reds: Red, Orange, Pink, Purpura, BurntOrange, Wine.

All Extra: Green, Turquoise, Lilac, DarkGreen. / News: Smurf, Teal and VioletGrey

I hope you like it. Thanks again! 💖

#news #200 followers #thanks #soon #faq

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oribloom · 5 years ago

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pointless list of every artist i fw right now

shinigami sewerperson guardin fats��e 93feetofsmoke osquinn caspr skele bladee ecco2k yung sherman yung gud yung lean blackkray yungjzaisdead refegang king christian syveria chime bones greaf drip-133 fleecehop kodyak hellion gin$eng fifty grand stm dylan brady laura les cameronazi $ubjectz zillakami $uicideboy$ lil peep sosmula david shawty savagegasp waifu afourteen lil darkie chanel rose panda eyes illenium inochi xavier wulf chris travis kirbalagoop nothign nothing,nowhere. guccihighwaters coldhart lil tracy surf gang mesh gang trippythakid foxwedding familypet that weird kidd brady amour sakuraburst polearm walzy adharmastru former hero remghost skele irby hm.wav lil skil sk_coldworld curtains kurtains xela trey scarlet lil healix taylor morgan alasen pixel terror yandere pixel terror scapegoat porter robinosn kami oshie aaron kusnier snail’s house yung van yesterday captain sad colliding with mars barren SEBii yung scuff cat soup miruku clams casino josie velvetears sosi crywofl sizzlebird meltycanon w a s shvde doujinshi belis okashi koi lilac delta waves brobak lil rozey drew thea rchitect xori osheen drxxl astari thaiboy digital lil west misogi hnrk omenxiii ghost n ghoul mikey the magician ditc lil aaron smrtdeath king yosef lil lotus yungfuckingaff funeral original god killedmyself lund sloth the virus and antidote heaven chord revenant kaiyko shy 4evr grayera supachefm demxntia saphir scum harvest softheart trbld boy hamilton jay vee kamikaze kay lunafreya night lovell cooliecut prxz thraxx itsoktocry nedarb captain crunch wicca phase doves yawns madeintyo landon cube fish narc lederrick horse head bighead lil kawaii ceejay matt ox trippie redd xxxtentacion speaker knockerz dazegxd braxton knight brakence tommy ice glaive wido alice gas angelus cxdy sybyr lowkeylucifer ciel brody mckeegan keshore curtis heron vague001 vague002 vague003 reaper loudmouf kang oogie mane sihnjin teen pregnancy you’re dreaming lil shine yung skah dj khaled’s son fadedblackid wendigo kais scarlxrd prxjek wifisfuneral yung simmie denzel curry black smurf kellbender yung cortex lil house phone cvrbi jakkyboi eskry the blame tothegood ghostrage servatus lil zubin whxami lil biscuit

#underground

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mldrgrl · 6 years ago

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Full Circle

by: mldrgrl Rating: PG Pairing: Hank/Stella Summary: Preparing for the big move

Leaving a job after more than twenty years was difficult. Stella thought she could be an exception to the rule. She’d kept her colleagues at a distance for most of her time on the force, which allowed her the detachment necessary to do her job effectively. Whereas others might have felt isolated, she felt comfortable.

It came as a surprise to her that packing her office came with unexpected melancholy. Hank had come with her to carry heavy boxes, according to him, but she knew it was only because he’d been curious about what her life in Scotland Yard was like and he’d never been inside. If he didn’t tag along now, there’d never be another opportunity. He rescued an anti-stress ball that had been in a gift bag from some conference somewhere that she’d just thrown in the rubbish bin and flopped down on the couch in her office to toss it around.

“I expected more funny hats,” he said. “I never asked, why are your cops called Bobbies?”

“The home minister that created the police force was named Sir Robert Peel,” she answered, wrapping an elastic band around a folder of personal files to take with her. “The public referred to them as Peelers for some time, and then Bobbies.”

“Do you think Emma Peel was named in honor of Robert Peel? God, she was hot.”

“I’m not up to speed on my Avengers trivia, I’m afraid.”

There was a light knock on the open door of her office and she looked up from packing her files. Jim Burns gave her a half-smile and gave a nervous glance around the room.

“You’re needed, Mrs. Peel,” Hank said in a posh British accent.

“Jim,” Stella acknowledged. “This is my husband, Hank. Hank, this is Jim Burns. He was my supervisor once upon a time.”

“What’s up?” Hank waved his fingers and then tossed his ball in the air again.

“Uh.” Jim cleared his throat and began to stammer over a goodbye. “I know today is...well, I thought I would just come down...you know, uh, wish you luck and everything.”

“Thank you.”

“Well, I’ll uh...I should let you…it was nice to meet you. Hank.”

Hank waved his fingers again and Jim patted his hand against the door frame before making an awkward exit. As soon as he was gone, Hank whistled low like a bomb dropping and raised his brows at Stella.

“What?” she asked.

“You must’ve done some kind of number on that guy.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You want me to believe you never fucked that guy?”

She glanced at the empty doorway and then raised her brow back at him. “I’m merely denying that I did any type of number on him.”

Hank threw the ball up again and caught it mid-air. “I’d be jealous, but I just feel sorry for him.”

Stella put the lid on the banker’s box she was using to pack her personal items and placed her hands on the top. Twenty years in one small box. She breathed in deep through her nose and then collected her jacket from the coat rack.

It’s just a job, she told herself, watching Hank pocket the anti-stress ball and then grab the box from her desk. Just a job.

*****

The house was empty, save for a few select pieces of furniture the new buyers had requested as part of the sale. The barstools remained, the slender end table in the hallway remained, and the pair of chairs in front of the bay window also remained. They had asked for the glass bookcase in the bedroom, but it was one item Stella wouldn’t part with, and wouldn’t send to storage. It was costly to ship, but she was attached to it and so it was making the journey to New York as well.

Stella stood in her empty bedroom and took a final look around. In less than an hour she would be signing the final papers to complete the sale of her home and then in the morning she and Hank would be on a plane to New York where they would remain. Permanently. No traveling back and forth across the Atlantic anymore. They were no longer Londoners and she was no longer on the police force.

“Hey,” Hank said, stepping up behind her and hooking an arm around her chest.

“Just taking a last look,” she said.

“Fond memories of this room. Very fond.” He pressed his hips up against her back and she took hold of his arm across her chest and smiled.

“You’re the only man that’s been with me in this room. Have I ever told you that?”

“I took your bedroom virginity? Humbled and honored. You should’ve told me earlier, I’d have written an acceptance speech.”

“Do you know, when I looked at this house, these walls were blue.”

“Blue? How blue are we talking? Ocean blue, Smurf blue, or Stella blue?”

“Like a hazy sky.”

“I can see why you’d paint over it.”

“I wonder if the new owners will paint. I wonder if by next week these walls will be buttercream or lilac.”

“You can pull out, you know,” he said, opening up his arm to step in a half-circle to face her. “You don’t have to sell if you don’t want to.”

She put her hands on his chest and patted very lightly. “I want to,” she said, her eyes drifting over the bare walls for another look.

“I’ll be downstairs.”

She nodded and her eyes fluttered shut as he cupped her cheeks and caught her lips with a few short pecks. On his last kiss, he lingered and she captured his wrist to tug his hand away. He got in one more peck to the corner of her mouth and then brushed past her and out the door. Before she joined him, she gave herself one last walk around the perimeter of the room, feeling unexpectedly sentimental to the point that she found herself caressing the closet doorknob almost reverently. Suddenly feeling foolish, she jerked her hand away and held her wrist near her chest.

It’s only a house, she thought. Nothing more.

Adjusting her blazer by tugging on the lapels, she turned on her heel and joined Hank downstairs. He was on his cell phone, leaning against the wall. Their bags were in front of the door. He nodded at her and pushed away from the wall.

“Gotta go,” he said. “Becca says hi.”

“Hello to Becca,” she answered.

“Stella says hi back, we’ll see you soon.” He hung up the phone and put it in the pocket of his leather jacket. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

*****

Papers were signed, checks were distributed, and keys were turned over. The townhouse was no longer hers. On the one hand, she was relieved of the burden of a mortgage, on the other, she felt bereft and untethered, even if she had a home in New York. The house was the first move towards something permanent she’d ever made in her life. Marrying Hank was the second. Moving to New York, well that was almost like making the permanent officially permanent.

Hank had waited with the car while she went into the realtor’s office to sign the papers. When she came out, he was chatting up the driver as they both leaned against the hood of the black towncar. For one last time, she’d called her favorite car service and her favorite driver, Nicolá, had shown up promptly on time, as effusive as always. He and Hank had met on several occasions, but she couldn’t recall if they’d ever had a conversation. As soon as he saw Stella, he put his hat back on and opened the back door for her.

“To the bank now, signora?” he asked.

“Please,” she answered.

After the banking was done, there was officially nothing left to be done except check in to their hotel for the night. She’d left those arrangements to Hank and didn’t know where they’d be staying, but she hoped they had room service. She didn’t feel much like going out.

“Signora, may I say it’s been a pleasure driving you,” Nicolá said as he set their suitcases at the curb in front of their hotel. “If you return to London at any time, please allow me to drive for you, it would be my honor.”

Stella smiled and on impulse, embraced the older man. He’d been a constant in her life for the past few years and she would actually miss him. Her eyes grew a bit misty, but she blinked away any sign of emotion before she stepped back.

“My wife is going to call me a silly old goat when I tell her the most remarkable woman in London next to her majesty embraced me today.”

“Take care, Nicolá.”

“You as well, signora.”

Stella managed to draw out the process of gathering their bags together to enter the hotel just long enough to watch Nicolá drive away. She felt a little foolish for wanting to see him off and she reminded herself that drivers come and go. He was just a man who got her from place to place, nothing more.

*****

The hotel was familiar to Stella in a way she didn’t pinpoint until they walked into the room. She paused by the bed, looked out the window, and then turned back to Hank who was still in the entryway.

“This is…” she started.

“Where we met,” he finished, and then drew a line beneath the brass 908 above the peephole with his fingertip.

“Same room.”

“Your room. I was in 523.”

Stella stepped out of her heels and untucked her blouse as she walked to the window. It wasn’t dark yet, like it was the night she went to bed with him. Hyde Park bustled below. She heard the door snick shut and a few moments later Hank was beside her.

“Nice view,” he said.

“It is,” she agreed. She’d never really appreciated it before and now she didn’t know when she’d be back.

“I know it’s not easy, Sherlock.”

“It’s just a city.”

“Nothing is ever just anything.”

She wanted to nod in agreement, but there was a lump in her throat that caused her to remain still. She stared out over treetops and rooftops that she’d seen her whole life, but never taken a good look at.

“Why here?” she asked.

“Because when I walked out the door that night, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, even if I wanted to. Tomorrow morning we’ll walk out of here together and I won’t have to wonder where you are, I’ll know. You’re with me.”

She turned from the window and put her hands on Hank’s chest. His jacket was in her way so she pushed it off his shoulders and he shrugged it to the floor. “I am with you,” she said.

“I thought that, you know technically, we began here. And we can begin again here with something new.”

Stella nodded once and took a step closer to rest her head against Hank’s chest. She put her arms around him and he wrapped his around her, swaying back and forth a little.

“It’s harder than I thought it would be,” she admitted.

“I know.”

“I want it though.”

“Stella, did you ever imagine that one night would lead us here? Or even that weekend in LA. Did you ever think, even for a second, that we’d end up where we are in this moment?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“You know, if we weren’t already married, I’d propose to you right now.”

“I would say yes.”

“What do you want to do now, Sherlock? On our last night?”

“Mm.” She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. “Hot shower. Room service.”

“Cheeseburger?”

“God, yes.”

“Fries?”

“I knew I married you for a reason.”

Hank gave her a squeeze and then let go. “Take your shower. I’ll place an order.”

Stella went one way towards the bathroom and Hank went the other towards the phone. She pivoted when she was halfway, unbuttoning her blouse as she walked backwards. “As I recall, the shower is large enough for two,” she said.

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” he answered, the hotel service guide on the end table in his hand. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Don’t make me wait.” She turned and shed her shirt just before the door to the bathroom.

“Hey, Sherlock,” he called to her, the phone at his ear. “Think of this new life as an adventure.”

“It already has been, Watson. A very lovely adventure.”

The End

#i wrote this #hanella #hank moody #stella gibson #the last adventure

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