#magic mountain monday

[stalinqrad]

it's a hard and thankless job being a lowe-porter girl in a john e woods world, but someone has to do it...

[ash5monster01]

Christmas Tree Farm

Pairing: Charlie Dalton x FemReader

Warnings: fluff, mentions of distant parents, meet cute, friends to lovers, language, heavy flirting, sickeningly sweet and full of Christmas magic.

Summary: To avoid spending Christmas at home Charlie chooses to work at a Christmas Tree Farm. What he doesn't expect is finding the girl of his dreams. 

Word count: 3.1k

Masterlist

Being home for Christmas was Charlie’s worst nightmare. Not only was he subjected to spending time with his folks but being back in Vermont during the winters only reminded him of one thing. He could only take so much of the snide comments his father made about sleeping in and his mother with her overbearing questions. At least when he was at Welton winter break was at most two weeks. When it came to college it became a month of this madness. So he needed to find an excuse to get out of the house and fast. 

That’s why on a particularly cold afternoon, having sulked behind his mother in the supermarket, his eyes caught the bulletin board. Buried in a mountain of announcements, rooms for rent, numbers for tutors, was a particularly bright red sign. Help Wanted - Christmas Tree Farm. So when his mother gets distracted by the bag boy for putting dish soap in with the vegetables, he rips one of the numbers from the bottom of the sign. The first one taken and he knew better than to wait. 

So come Monday his father has nothing to say when Charlie’s pouring a cup of coffee before he’s even come downstairs. Giving only the brief details of a short time job and how he wanted the extra cash for when he went back to school. All he got in return was a huff and the snap of the newspaper opening in his father’s hands. He knew best to bundle up and finish his cup of coffee, leaving the house quickly before his mother could question him. 

When he pulls onto the long drive he discovers the Winter Wonderland presented before him. Darlene Love’s voice barely plays over the rumble of his engine as he passes the gorgeous trees that lined the drive, all wrapped in the most sparkly Christmas lights he had ever seen. He can’t help the soft smile that covers his face because Neil would have loved this and for the first time in a long time, it finally felt like Christmas. Not the time of year to feel sad. 

“Hey! You the new guy?” he doesn’t expect the soft voice that calls out to him when his car door shuts. Turning he’s quick to find you, eyes as sparkly as the Christmas lights he just passed. It’s like the breath gets knocked out of him, and suddenly this might’ve been a bad idea. 

“Yeah, Charlie” he wipes nervous palms across the front of his jeans before approaching you. A nervous smile on his face as he offers up his hand. When your gloved one closes against his he realizes he had left his pair at home. “Shit”

“That’s not normally the greeting I’m used to” you mutter and Charlie lets go, a nervous hand flying to the back of his neck. Of course he was already making a fool of himself in front of the pretty girl. 

“Sorry I just realized I left my gloves at home. Already screwing up my first day” he confesses and you giggle at the nervous boy in front of you. It makes you wonder if he’s ever had a real job before. 

“It’s okay, I have an extra pair. You’ll especially need them for today” and before he can ask what that means you’re walking off to the barn beside you. He follows anxiously as you slip through the doors and return almost seconds later in front of him. Nearly running you over he spots the black gloves that look warm and inviting just like you. 

“Thank you” he says without backing away and you grin. He was charming and different, much different than the farm boys who rotated around here every Christmas season. 

“Leroy is out warming up the truck, you should probably go meet him” you’re quick to tell him and he nods, as if suddenly realizing he was actually here to do a job. 

“Yeah, um. Sounds good” and the call of your name interrupts you both. Both your heads turn to the small white farmhouse, gutters lined with rainbow Christmas lights, and light up reindeer in the yard. On the front porch stands a plump woman wrapped in a pink apron and flour in her box dyed hair. 

“Coming!” you call and Charlie realizes the name belongs to you. You offer him one last smile, pointing towards the field where an older gentleman waved from the truck. He nodded to confirm he knew his direction and as soon as you entered his life you were gone. Running through the fluffy white snow and towards the house that looked warmer than his ever did. Against his better judgement he starts in the direction of Leroy who had a much less pretty smile than you. Trying out the sound of your name on his tongue. 

That’s how it starts. Spending the days leading up to Christmas, sharing shy smiles and awestruck looks. Always warm and kind until he’s pulled to haul trees and strain his body until all he can think about is you. It’s the most manual labor he had ever endured and he can only thank rowing for the strength he had been given, or else he wouldn’t be able to keep up. Especially with Leroy who even in his old age somehow hauled twice the amount he did. It was a lot but had become the best distraction from the storm cloud that always loomed over his home. 

“It’s a warm one” your sweet voice surprises him, freezing in place where he stands on the flatbed trailer. It was only 35F degrees but the heavy lifting had warmed Charlie’s blood, having shed his coat as he unloaded each tree off the trailer. 

“Yeah, hopefully we don’t lose all our snow” he answers after a moment too long. You grin at him, admiring the tight white T-shirt clung to his filled out form. How the red scarf swayed from his neck with each movement he made. You’d be a fool not to admit how handsome he was, especially here in the beautiful snow, pine needles stuck to his clothes. 

“We won’t, not here at least. That’s the Christmas Tree Farm magic” you tell him, having lived here your entire life. No matter the season, the purpose of this place was to provide Christmas miracles. Winter was of course your favorite, but with Charlie here, it made it even better. 

“Yeah? Does that magic work on anything else?” Charlie asks, a sly grin covering his lips and you decide to flash that same smile right back. Happy to flirt with one of the most interesting boys you have ever met. 

“Miracles usually” and you walk off, a fluffy hat like a halo on your head and boots crunching in the wet snow beneath you. Charlie swears you’re a Christmas miracle itself. At least his own. 

For the days to come more and more trees disappear from the lot, families stopping by each day to bring home a little Holiday joy. Charlie watches you with your clipboard and bright smile, happily chatting with customers and playing with little kids. The whole place is a Winter Dreamland and it’s no doubt partly because of you. Years of learning how to contribute the magic within the place. Until now he’s quite certain he never knew what Christmas felt like, at least not until he met you. 

He doesn’t get alone time with you again until a particularly late night. All the lights went out on one of the fences and not wanting to go to his empty home, he offered to stay late and redo it. It’s colder at night here, but prettier, especially as the snow falls to the ground. His fingers are practically numb but he supposes he’s more comfortable here than in his room at home. So he continues on, not knowing you’re approaching with two steaming cups of hot chocolate. 

“Need a break?” He turns to find you’re in some of the cutest printed pajamas he’s ever seen, little Santa hats adorning your clothes as you crouch down beside him. Just the sight of the warm mug has him reaching out with cold fingers. 

“You’re a lifesaver” he grins, immediately lifting the cup up to his lips. You go to protest but he’s too late, the searing liquid hitting his tongue. His face twists quickly and you wear a sympathetic look. “Shit!”

“Does that happen to be your favorite word?” but he won’t take the teasing, his tongue poking out from behind his lips and a soft pout covering his face. 

“It’s okay, I happen to jump the gun a lot” he says, fingers closing around his burnt tongue. It no longer hurts but he knows he won’t be able to taste the hot chocolate now, his taste buds in hiding. What a loss. 

“Here, let me help” and what he doesn’t expect is your lips forming in an O shape and blowing softly on his tongue. He gapes like a fish, knowing you’re both aware of how it won’t help him at all. Yet it’s the best excuse to be this close together. As badly as he wants to kiss you he knows he won’t be able to taste it. That would be worse than heartbreak. 

“Done this before?” Charlie asks when you’re done and you shrug, sipping from your own cup that was now at a much safer temperature. 

“Hot cocoa is my speciality, then again all things Christmas is” you grin, eyeing the lights Charlie had so perfectly wound around the fence. It had been a long time since someone had come around here and cared so much. 

“Have you lived here your whole life?” Charlie asks, lifting to his knees again and continuing to wrap lights. If he stopped now he would be here all night, at least he now felt warmer with you by his side. 

“Born and raised, my parents inherited it from my Grandparents. They must’ve finally gotten tired of Christmas because they retired to Florida a few years ago” Charlie laughs at this response, brown eyes catching yours in the glow of the Christmas lights. 

“You think you’ll ever get sick of it. Christmas twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty five days a year?” Charlie asks and you instantly shake your head, as if you’ve known the answer to this your whole life.

“Never, this place will always be home. Even if I’m trimming trees in August and getting stuck under mistletoe with creepy customers. Christmas wouldn’t be what it is without the people who believe all year long” you say, looking at nobody in particular as you give an honest answer. Charlie’s heart warms over at the sentiment you provide, falling for you more than he ever should’ve in the first place. 

“Mistletoe?” is the only thing he responds with and the instant roll of your eyes only makes him grin wider. You’re not surprised at all that this is what he takes away from your words. 

“My Mom hangs it everywhere and moves it so it’s never entirely unavoidable. It’s only cheek kisses but I swear it’s always the guys missing half their teeth beside me” you say and Charlie burns with jealousy at the idea of all the men who think they have a shot with you. Yet he supposes he’s one of those guys too. 

“Well maybe one day you’ll find yourself under the mistletoe with somebody not that unbearable” Charlie offers nonchalantly, suddenly more focused on the lights than before.  You wear a grin that seemed brighter than any Christmas light on the entire farm. 

“Yeah, maybe” you agree, sipping from the hot cocoa before lifting back up to your feet. Nights were always so peaceful here, more magical. A part of you wished Charlie could stay here forever. 

You stay with him for a little longer before retreating into the house. Repeatedly checking out the windows to make sure he doesn’t freeze to death. Wondering who he really was and all the things about him. Why he wasn’t like any of the half brain guys who worked here before. He was quick witted, smart, kind, and confident. A mix of traits you never knew could be possible together before. You fall asleep with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders and cheek pressed to the windowsill, the last thing you saw was Charlie before entering your dreams. 

It’s not long until Christmas Eve arrives, the last of the families coming to pick trees out to decorate before tomorrow. You used to hate people who waited so long to get one but when you got older you recognized how they waited for family members to arrive in town, how it was their own special tradition, and now they were your favorite customers. You hoped one day someone would love you enough to wait until the last minute like they did. Yet like every Holiday season the day passes in a blur, leaving you standing beside the campfire with your parents, Charlie, and all the other farm hands. 

“It was a good season guys” Leroy holds up his beer and you smile, stepping closer to the fire for extra warmth. “Thank you”

“We made double what we did last year too. Christmas magic is stronger than ever” you point out, having read the books an hour ago. Another good season meant another year of keeping the farm. 

“I think that has more to do with you than the trees” Charlie mutters and everyone grunts and agrees with his words. Knowing it was you who ran the show, you who was kind to the customers and made Christmas feel real for the kids. You took care of everyone here and without you this place wouldn’t feel like Christmas, not at least not in the way it should. 

“Damn looks like we’re out of beer” and of course it’s you who’s instantly ready to volunteer, starting for the barn lit by only a single light above the front doors.

“I’ll help” Charlie scurries after you, almost tripping in the snow, and you smile back at him before both slipping into the warm barn. He finds you pulling a case from under the tool bench and he’s quick to swoop in and grab it from you. 

“Didn’t know you were so enthusiastic about beer” you tease, eyebrows raising as he stands in front of you. He’s nervous but he needed to be alone with you before one of those guys out there noticed the way he looked at you. 

“Not so much beer but you, yeah” he admits and a soft blush covers your cheeks. The sentiment surprises you but with the snowflakes dusting his hair and the scarf wound tightly around his neck, he looks just like the Christmas prince you always imagined for yourself. 

“You think you’ll come back around next year?” you ask, needing to know this wasn’t some college boy looking to lead you on and leave with your heart a week later. 

“If you’ll have me, hell I’ll even come in the summer too” and the genuine way he says it makes your heart soar in your chest. Slowly you grab the beer from his hands and set it on the ground. He gives you a confused look, not understanding what your goal is. When you spot his confused look you only offer a sly grin before pointing up. 

As if spotting a shooting star in the sky, right on the beam above you both hangs green mistletoe, pulling you together like a magnet. “At least you have all your teeth”

“I’m not sure I find that as big of a compliment as I should” and you giggle before grabbing the sides of his coat and drawing him near. 

“Well you should considering I plan on kissing your lips and not your cheek” Charlie’s heart stutters in his chest, unsure where to put his hands and unable to look away from your dazzling eyes. He’s not even sure this is real. 

“This might be my favorite Christmas yet” he finally utters and you grin before lifting on your toes. Charlie steps closer, hands falling to your waist to steady you, the smell of your shampoo invading his senses. Everything about this moment couldn’t be more perfect and he hated that tomorrow he couldn’t come back here and spend his Christmas with you. 

He doesn’t close his eyes right away, preferring to watch as your lips fumble against his only slightly. Not yet locking with his own but sharing the same breath. When he’s sure he can’t take it anymore he presses his hand to the back of your head and seals you against him. Eyes shutting because he finally got to taste you. Nothing about this could be anymore perfect. You couldn’t be anymore perfect. Everything about this is right, Charlie’s firm muscles against your own, soft lips slowly tasting you, warm tongue dipping against your own. You’d stand here and kiss him forever but the distant holler for the beer stops you both. 

“Better supply the masses” you mutter, a little love drunk from his kiss, hand patting his broad chest. Charlie grins, brushing some of the hair away from your face. 

“God but I really want to keep kissing you” he says, already dipping in and stealing another kiss. He smells like the pine trees and tastes like peppermint, he’s Christmas wrapped up in a perfect package, and right now you wish you could keep him forever. He reminds you of home, even when you're here. 

“Me too but I’d prefer not to have an audience” you say before sadly stepping away from him and grabbing the beer case from the ground. 

“Then later? My car once everyone leaves?” and the words make you feel like a giddy teenager. You bite your swollen lip before studying his face and nodding. 

“I’ll be there” you agree and he grins, stealing the beer case from your hand and stealing another mind numbing kiss. 

Smiling you follow him out of the barn, unable to keep the smile off of your face as you walk towards all the people you love the most in life. Here where every wish comes true. Your little Christmas tree farm and the boy who loves you. 

[elzdaizy]

Trouble After Paradise (Part 1)

Warnings: lots of angst, conflict, explicit language.

Summary of short story: Reader and Harry have returned from their honeymoon to a harsh reality and their first huge hurdle as a married couple.

A/N: This is 1 of 3 parts. Enjoy! Just a little short story idea i had and wanted to share with you all.

It’s been four weeks since you returned home from your honeymoon in Costa Rica and you’ve found yourself reminiscing constantly on that magical holiday.

To say the least, things have took a turn for the worst since you and Harry got home.

You were bombarded with mountains of piles of work to get through because there was no one to fill your position whilst you’d taken the month off leading up to your wedding, including the honeymoon.

Harry had started filming his next movie, one that was mentally draining due to his character being a very unwell mental patient at a psychiatric hospital.

You worked from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon in the office but always brought home some work to do which kept you busy until about eight at night when you’d get into bed.

Weekends were exhausting as well, you were catching up with friends and family after basically being off the grid throughout the week.

Harry’s shooting location, thankfully, was only a few hours away up north in Manchester so he managed to be home often between breaks but unfortunately meant that he wasn’t home with you for periods of times.

He tries his best to be at home with you on the weekends but his schedule doesn’t work that way all the time. On average you probably see each other a total of two days out of the week and it’s been this way the past four weeks.

You’ve both been so busy, you’ve barely had the time to live life together as a married couple. There’s a tension building full of stress and exhaustion on both ends of your marriage. You find yourselves bickering when you’re together and getting on each other’s nerves more than ever before.

You know it’s because you’re equally annoyed with yourselves and each other with the current situation.

It’s 8pm on a Friday night and Harry called you earlier that morning to let you know he’s coming home today at around 6:30pm and will be able to stay the full week until he’s off again. He asked for you to pick him up from the station because he had booked a meal at The Ivy for 8pm. You of course said yes. You were so excited to hear the news, you felt tears well up in your eyes. “I really can’t wait, I miss you so much.” You replied before you both said your goodbyes and I love you’s before hanging up.

What you didn’t know was that working would be busier than ever that Friday and now you’re still in the office trying to hurry up and finish off one last piece of paper work to be sent off to your client before the weekend. Your phone had died two hours ago and Harry hadn’t contacted you before it died so you weren’t too concerned that he would’ve tried to since then.

You could cry out of frustration. You purposely stayed back to get all this extra work done so you could book off Monday and Tuesday to extend your weekend to spend some time with your husband.

Half an hour later, you finally send the email and pack up your stuff. You race to your car and make your way home. The door is unlocked when you go to turn the key and your heart skips a beat when you realise that Harry must be home.

The lights are all off downstairs which is odd so you make your way upstairs to your bedroom to find Harry sat on the edge of the bed in just his underwear and his phone in his hands.

“Hi, baby.” You softly speak up as you walk through the door and put your bag and coat over the chair in the corner of the room.

Harry glances at you over his shoulder briefly without so much as a tiny acknowledgment of your presence before looking back to his phone.

You frown, thinking his behaviour seems a bit off. The energy in the room seems low and you can sense he’s not in a good mood.

You walk over to him, a hand on his shoulder and the other hand reaching to lift his head by tilting his chin in your direction for him to look up at you. As soon as you try to lean forward to place a kiss to his lips he yanks his head away from your touch and rolls his eyes, letting out a huff.

You step back, very offended and extremely hurt by his cold actions.

“Fuck you, then.” You throw your hands up and storm away to head downstairs to the kitchen. You’re literally trying so hard not to break down and cry right now so you’re pacing around your kitchen, breathing heavily for a few moments then deciding to pour yourself a large glass of wine.

You almost down the first glass. The second one being poured less than five minutes later. You’re just stood by your kitchen island with a glass of wine in one hand and thoughts racing around your mind as you try to figure out why your husband seems to despise you at the moment.

You soon realise it could possibly be the fact that your phone was dead and maybe he was trying to get ahold of you.

You start to feel a pit of guilt in your stomach when you take your phone from your pocket and plug it into the charger point next to your toaster.

You finish your second glass of wine once your phone switches on and your eyes widen when you notice the ten missed calls and five unread messages from Harry.

You read the texts carefully one at a time.

From Harry:

6:09pm - l’m fifteen minutes away from the station if you want to set off now. Love you. Xx

6:30pm - Where are you? I’m waiting near the security box until you’re here. Xx

6:53pm - I’ve rung you five times and you’re not answering so I’m making my own way home now.

7:26pm - Why aren’t you answering and why aren’t you at home? You do realise we have to be at The Ivy in half an hour.

8:03pm - cancelled the booking. If you read this before you come home - don’t bother me when you get in, I can’t be arsed with this tonight.

You heart feels like it’s going to stop. You have never felt more terrible in your life. You feel like a punch to the gut is what you deserve right now and nothing less. And to think, you literally just spat in his face and said fuck you to him, still not realising what you’d done.

You were so fixated on wanting to spend the week with Harry that you’d completely forgotten about picking him up and going out for dinner tonight.

You were a little drunk and very upset with yourself so of course the only thing currently you did was start to cry. You sat on a stool at your island, lent your elbows on the countertop, put your face in your hands and sobbed. Sobbed for your husband and how upset he must be feeling. Sobbed at the realisation of how much you hurt him and let him down. You felt like a failure.

After about thirty minutes of letting your feelings flow out of your system uncontrollably, you composed yourself and prepared yourself to go and apologise profusely. You’d gone over what to say in your head a million times and nothing sounded good enough but you know the least he deserves is an apology rather than an explanation or excuse right now.

Your face is puffy and red from the crying as you shakily walk up the stairs to your room and find Harry is now laying under the covers with the tv on, watching a movie with a deep frown on his face. As if he’s in deep thought rather than paying attention to the screen.

You push the door open gently and let yourself in. Basically walking with your tail between your legs, you can barely look at him as you sit on the bottom corner of the bed on your side. You couldn’t be further away from him on the bed if you tried.

“Harry, I’m so sorry.” You croak. Lips quivering as you fight the urge to break down crying again. You finally look at him after your first attempt at the beginning of a long apology. He’s ignoring you. Keeping his eyes fixed on the screen and his arms crossed over his chest.

You decide to keep speaking, “I completely understand why you’re angry and I don’t want to give myself any excuses for-.”

He reaches for the remote and turns up the volume to drown out your voice.

You let out a shaky sigh. A tear slipping down your cheek. “I didn’t ignore you on purpose- look, can you please just say something?” You beg pathetically and Harry’s head turns as his eyes look at you with anger.

“Told you I can’t be fucked with this tonight just leave me alone, please.” He sighs in annoyance before completely turning his back to you as he lays on his side.

You really don’t know what to say now. You didn’t expect this reaction from him. He’s never been this angry with you before and it’s terrifying you slightly because you really can’t cope with it. You don’t even care if he shouts at this point, you just want more of a reaction from him.

He has every right to feel the way he does, you know that. You hate going to sleep on bad terms though. You both agreed to always resolve conflicts before getting into bed because you never wanted to be that couple that gets into fights and makes one or the other sleep on the sofa.

It seems like it’s going to be that way tonight though. You don’t want to say another word because you don’t want to make it worse. Even though you know you won’t get much sleep, you decide to go sleep downstairs on the couch. You could go sleep in the spare room but you need a tv to distract you from your racing thoughts so the living room it is.

You get up from the bed, go take a quick shower and change into your pyjamas before grabbing your pillow from your side of the bed and walking towards the door.

“Goodnight, Harry. I love you.” You say to him softly before closing the door behind yourself and making your way downstairs.

You turn on a shitty reality show to fall asleep too. It takes a few hours but eventually you drift off.

The next morning you’re awoken by the sound of the blender rattling off in the kitchen. You feel at peace for a split second as your groggy memory clears up as your consciousness comes back, along with the awful events of last night. You grimace start yourself as you sit up on the couch and turn around to see Harry standing in the kitchen, making himself a smoothie, dressed in his running gear.

It mustn’t be any later than 6am because he only likes going running at the crack of dawn. He hasn’t noticed that you’re awake yet but you know he’s still fuming by the look on his face.

Now that you’re not intoxicated and knowing it’s a new day, you’re determined to resolve this issue very soon. You don’t want to waste any more of the short time you two have together for the next four days being bitter.

You get up from the couch and stretch before walking over to the kitchen island and taking a seat on the stool you were sobbing on last night.

“Morning.” You say with a tired voice as Harry still hasn’t acknowledged you whilst he’s cleaning up some dishes. You’re both facing each other on opposite sides of the island.

Harry looks up at you frowning and doesn’t reply so you take it as your queue to go in strong with all guns blazing.

“Can we please talk about this now?” You plead. Harry just deadpans and looks at you with a look that tells you no as he picks up his AirPods and puts them in as he makes his way to the door to go on his run.

“What the actual fuck! This is an actual fucking nightmare.” You frustratingly shout to no one but yourself after Harry closes the door on his way out.

[officialrhysandweek]

Rhysand Week 2024 Prompts!

art by arz28

Sunday 8/18: Day One

Adolescence: Rhysand grew up with a loving Illyrian mother and as far as we know, a cold, distant High Fae father. His half Illyrian heritage lead for an interesting childhood growing up in the camps. Let's use day 1 to explore our High Lords youth! What was he like as a child? What was it like growing up alongside Cassian and Azriel?

Monday 8/19: Day Two

Carynthian: One out of only a handful of Illyrian warriors to win the Blood Rite and walk away with the title "Carynthian", he is one of the best warriors on Prythian. His Carynthian title is the counterpart to his title of High Lord, and is one of the highest honors in his Illyrian culture.

Tuesday 8/20: Day Three

Loved Ones: From his fallen mother and sister to his brothers Azriel and Cassian, his cousin Morrigan, his mentor Amren, and his mate and son Feyre Archeron and Nyx, Rhysand is surrounded by loved ones both lost and found. How does his relationship with them change over time? What was his relationship like with his mother and sister? How did he and his friends mourn them?

Wednesday 8/21: Day Four

Lord of Night: The Night Court is the most polarizing and scandalous court in Prythian, and he serves as its Lord. There's both beauty and darkness in the Night Court and as one of its leaders Rhysand must navigate these things. How does he do it? What does it truly mean to be the Lord of Night?

Thursday 8/22: Day Five

Survivor: Brutal training in the Illyrian camps as a child, weeks of torture at Amarantha's hands during the war 500 years ago, 50 years trapped Under the Mountain, and even more that we humble readers likely haven't even gotten to read about. Rhysand is a survior through and through, how does it shape him? Is there anything you imagine he's survived that we haven't gotten to look at?

Friday 8/23: Day Six

Worlds Axis: "This was not a male to be fucked with. None of these people were, but this one... Authority rippled off him. As if he was the entire axis of this place." Hybern, Amarantha, the Prison and Dusk, Fionn, the cauldron... The key players of this world surround our High Lord and him and his family are always the ones to make the first move. Why is the magic of this world so drawn to him? What wonders does Rhysand have in store for us in future books?

Saturday 8/24: Day Seven

Free Day: Give us Rhysand or give us death! Show us all your Rhys ideas, the sky is your limit!

Please feel encouraged to take as much or as little inspiration from the prompts as you would like when creating your posts! Last years guidelines still apply so please consider checking those out. Let us know if you have any questions!

[staytinyville]

Stay Alive (37)

BTS poly!ot7 x Reader

Magical Creatures AU

Series Masterlist

Warnings: none

A/N NOT BETA. EXCUSE FOR THE NOT UPDATING. It's holiday week so things are a little wild. Tomorrow's update might not be up either. I'll probs have to do it Monday depending on how New Years. Please excuse the wait in advance.

Namjoon’s family didn’t live far from Jin’s. It seemed convenient to find that he too lived inside mountains with large cave systems. You knew in your world it wasn’t common to find this complicated of caves but judging by the way each wall was carved you figured it had more to do because the dragons themselves built them. 

“Hello, Namjoon Sunbae!” You both turned to find the five boys from the other day making their way over to you.

They carried bags and certain things with them, looking as though they had been out shopping. It wasn’t far from the Big Hit tower so you assumed they were only out shopping. However, taking a closer look at the bags you noticed they were more gift-like. 

“Hey, guys!” Namjoon grinned, bowing politely to the boys as they bent further. “Look at how big you've all gotten! It's been such a long time!” The man laughed, taking in how tall they all were. 

You almost giggled thinking about how Namjoon was one of the tallest of his group. He must have felt odd finally seeing someone eye to eye. 

“We missed you so much.” The blonde boy began. "We're super excited to have you back. And that you found a mate!” He smiled brightly, bowing his head your way. 

“We're trying to get ours to like us.” The spade tailed boy spoke up. “Ow.” He whimpered, moving to rub at his head when the blonde one tsked at him and lightly tapped his head. 

“It's nice to formally meet you.” The fox boy greeted quietly. “I am Soobin. This is Yeonjun, Boemgyu, Taehyun, and Kai.” He explained pointing to each of the boys. 

“Hello.” You bowed your head. You saw his tail swish behind him softly, making you look up at him. “You're a Kumiho.” You deduced, getting a large smile and blush from the boy. 

“I am!” He giggled. “What gave it away?” He turned a bit as his tail wiggled excitedly. 

“And you guys?” You asked, turning to the others. 

“I'm an imp!” Beomgyu was the first one to speak up, his own tail curling around his body to show off. He shook his head a little, showcasing the horns that sprouted from his forehead. 

You didn’t spend much time knowing what imps were, but you knew they had to do with the devil. However, from what you gathered, he didn’t look like Hanseol, who was a demon. So you were a bit confused over it. 

“Like demons?” You furrowed your eyebrows, looking over at Namjoon. 

“No, no.” Beomgyu told you. “An imp is part devil. Demons are their own things.”

You hummed, nodding your head as you understood the difference. You turned to the brown haired boy who grinned. 

“I'm a banshee!” Taehyun spoke up. 

You probably would have never gotten that seeing as he was one of the three boys who looked like regular humans. However with the way he spoke you could tell that he had a pair of lungs to him. He demanded people pay attention to him, much like Jimin. 

“He's an idol here.” Namjoon told you. “Most idols come from creatures who have voice abilities.”

“Like Jimin?” You looked over at the tall man, curious over the boy who had one of the most amazing voices you had ever heard. 

“Jimin was going to be an idol before Hanseol got to him.” Namjoon had a sad smile on his face. 

You reached out to grab onto his hand, squeezing in a comforting way. You turned back to the boys when the red head spoke. 

“I'm a Phoenix.” Kai said, reaching a hand out as flames engulfed his palm. 

“Woah.” You whispered, mesmerized by the flames that licked his hand. Not only did they give off light, but they also sparkled as if they had glitter flying around. 

“And I'm a nymph.” Yeonjun, the blonde one, grinned

“A nymph?” You furrowed your eyebrows, looking at him for a moment. “Aren't they like—women?” You softly spoke, trying not to sound offensive. 

“Are you assuming my gender?” Yeonjun blinked at you.

“No! No! I'm so sorry.” You suddenly cried, waving your hands around. 

“I'm just joking.” Yeonjun grinned, waving you off. “I'm a tree spirit. We have no genders unless we wish to.” He explained. 

“You boys are all so adorable.” You giggled. “I love you all already.”

“We'll see you guys later.” Namjoon told them. “I'm going to go visit my family.”

“Of course, Sunbae.” The younger boys all bowed, allowing you and Namjoon to leave as they waved behind you. 

Much like Jin’s home, you had to do some hiking to reach the caves of the mountains. 

“This is where you live?” You asked, looking up at the sign that had the small village’s name. 

The ceiling was high with stalactites and stalagmites everywhere. Different tunnels lead to different things as windows were carved out as well. They look like regular homes to you just in the mountains.

“Most dragons tend to live in mountains. It's where they find the best homes.” Namjoon explained, leading you towards his family home deeper into the earth. 

“Where are they?” You asked, looking around as you noticed it was mostly humans who roamed the caves. 

They came in all shapes and sizes–even colors. For Namjoon he looked like a normal human. The only thing that made him stand out was the heat from his skin. However in this world it seemed there were lots of people who showcased horns and scales that adorned their bodies. 

“Modernizing has brought most of the dragons down to the city. We tend to stay in our human forms because it's convenient.” Namjoon explained. 

“Human forms? You're able to turn into a huge dragon?” You smiled brightly, looking up at him in astonishment. 

“I am.” He nodded his head with a giggle. “I would love to show you but my skin needs to heal properly first.” He smiled sadly. 

“I'm sorry, Joon.” You spoke up, softly grazing the skin of his arm where his wounds were healing. 

“It's okay, you brought me home.” He leaned his forehead to touch yours, allowing you to feel dizzy from his heat. 

“Dragons are some of the most ancient of creatures in this world. It is said that this world was created from the skin of a large dragon that had come to die here. Each scale that fell from his body created a creature we see.” He began to explain as he looked around the cave some more. 

His smile grew and his eyes closed as he heard the sound of some cawing. You quickly took notice of it, looking around to find whatever it was that made that sound. It sounded exactly how you would assume a dinosaur would, but you knew that the creatures to make that sound must have been a dragon. 

“How many scales did he have?” You asked Namjoon, turning back to him. 

“Enough to create all the creatures that your world considers mythical.” He grinned. 

“That sounds amazing.” You softly told him. 

He leaned down to give you a quick kiss, making you smile. “Come on, my parents are waiting.”

He led you down a couple of more tunnels before ending at a door. It was attached to the rock in the mountains and had windows like all the other homes. Before Namjoon could think about knocking, the door swung open and bodies pushed forward into the man. 

You quickly let go of his hand as he fell down to the floor, a chirp falling from his lips. You began to laugh and giggle at the sounds that were coming from the pile, finding it cute how the dragons seem to remind you of cats. 

“Hello.” You turned to find a woman who reminded you exactly of Namjoon, understanding who it was. 

“Hello.” You bowed your head in greeting, smiling at her. “I am (Y/N).” You introduced yourself, realizing that Namjoon was not going to be let go anytime soon. 

“Yes. Namjoon told me about you.” Tears began to well in her eyes as she pulled you into a hug. 

You gasped quietly, but quickly fell into her arms as her own heat made you feel calm much like Namjoon’s did. 

“Thank you for bringing my son back.” She quietly cried into your shoulder. 

You pressed your lips together, feeling tears well in your own eyes. You realized this was how things were going to be with each one of the boys. You could only imagine how rough their families had to have it. 

Once they got all their hugs and cries out, Namjoon stood up allowing him the time to look over at your beaming expression. He started to smile as well, coming to your side and pulling you into him. 

“Everyone. This is my mate. (Y/N).” He explained. You bowed your head, smiling as his family began to coo at you. 

They asked you questions–most of which regarded the fact that you were human. But they didn’t make you feel out of place. They made you feel at home. As someone who came from their world. You were glad they were understanding. You wouldn’t know what you would do if they didn’t accept your life with Namjoon and the boys. 

Once things settled down and the family went about cleaning up from Dinner, Namjoon took you around their cave home. He took you to his old room–as Jin had–looking over different things that he had left behind. 

Your eyes went wide at the pile of gold and jewels sitting in a corner, looking over at him with a teasing expression. 

“This is my horde.” He chuckled, falling face first into it. 

“Your horde!?” You giggled, allowing him to pull you on top of him. 

“Yeah.” He chuckled, moving a hand behind his head as he got comfortable. 

He didn’t bother to move off the uncomfortable pile, making himself feel right at home on it. He did keep you on his chest though, making sure you were as comfortable as possible. When you felt his breathing turn slow, you looked up at him, thinking he was asleep. But instead you found him with a frown on his face and tears welling at his lash line. 

“Namjoon, are you okay?” You quietly asked, leaning up to look at him. 

“There will never be a time I won't hate Hanseol for what he did. I can't deny that the past 10 years were taken wrongfully from me.” Namjoon swallowed thickly. “It's a terrible story but it's still mine.” He softly said, looking down at you. “Ours.” He added, moving to brush his fingers along your cheek. 

“I love you.” He said. “Thank you for what you did.”

You felt your heart stop for a moment, a smile over taking your lips as you felt so much love swell in your chest. You felt it when you were with Jin the other day. A feeling you would only ever get to feel with them. 

You leaned up to press your lips to his. “I love you too, Namjoon.”

Series Masterlist

@h3arteyes4mingi , @fangirling-all-the-way-tbh , @rinkud, @rln-byg , @singukieee ,  @hoshi-is-ult-bbg , @ldysmfrst , @k-p0p-4ever , @shadowyjellyfishfest , @forestsquirrel , @juju-227592 , @alienchickenpoop , @dreamerwasfound , @afangirl91 , @psiphidragon , @puppyminnnie , @girl-nahh-two , @shyloh-the-cornsnake , @oemmi2005 , @ollyoxenfrees , @whynotlarene , @beeltsumu , @cryingpages , @milopenne , @belikejk , @thatonedemigodfromseoul , @woozixo, @serveruslovebot , @vintageoldfashion ,

[tomorrowxtogether]

TXT Debut a Sparkling New Chapter — and Reveal Which Previous Era Their New Album Is a Throwback to (Exclusive)

PEOPLE spoke to Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai about making "The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY"

Tomorrow x Together's latest release is an evolution and a nostalgia play all at once.

The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY (out Monday, Nov. 4), is officially the start of a new era for the K-pop group's five members — Soobin, 23, Yeonjun, 25, Beomgyu, 23, Taehyun, 22, Hueningkai, 22 — who spoke to PEOPLE ahead of its release.

They're moving out of "The Name Chapter" — two albums that reveled in the freedom and occasional chaos of youthful indiscretions — and into "The Star Chapter." Represented by a bright, shining logo rebrand, it carries messages about finding true love and lasting happiness.

“To some extent, I think it really reflects us growing up,” says Hueningkai.

"In our past installments, it was more of those magical moments, like ‘Run away together with me,’ or something that could be a little bit less responsible," adds Taehyun. "But this time around, it's romantic, but in a sense that it's grounded and more realistic.”

Sonically, SANCTUARY has a sweetness that recalls some of the group’s earliest releases.

"I think you're spot on about talking about how you thought of The Dream Chapter when listening to this album," Huengingkai confirmed while discussing their influences with PEOPLE in October. "It's something new, but it's something that also provokes nostalgia as well," he adds.

The lead single, "Over the Moon," is dreamy pop but includes some very grown-up themes with lyrics about living under one roof and planning for the future. Other tracks, like "Danger" tip into funky Bruno Mars-like territory, or in the case of "Forty One Winks," more upbeat R&B.

While there's no real rock or pop punk moments (something they've leaned into with great success in the past with songs like "LO$ER=LO♡ER"), "Higher than Heaven" does have a romping pop-rock bent.

The album's sound isn't just a reflection of the group's shifting tastes. “We have this big narrative that overarches every installment in our musical journey," Hueningkai explains.

Their discography, and the larger lore of the group, incorporates a sprawling fictional backstory that can feel intimidatingly complex for the casual fan. But the themes — the pains of growing up, the reality of facing adulthood, and the heartbreak that so often goes along with it — are universal enough that they come through easily in their earworm singles.

While TXT has shared in the past that their music is often informed by personal experience, they often keep a distance from speaking about their own relationships, instead telling the song's stories of crushes or lost loves as the tales of a “boy” (representing all and none of them) directed at “you,” an embodiment of their fans.

Explaining the meaning of their latest album, for example, Beomgyu says, “It’s a chapter where the boy finally recovers his name and remembers the promise he made with you. And they finally reunite in this album. So it's the rejoicing that they all feel with this reunion.” 

All five members wrote lyrics and music on SANCTUARY, something they've been increasingly passionate about over the six years since their debut.

Taehyun admits to doing most of his writing in the car and on planes, amid their busy schedules. They still find space for collaboration though. "We tend to work separately on lyrics, but when we get stuck, we ask for help from the other members," says Soobin.

Seemingly non-stop promotions can be draining, but they're candid about how they keep their minds and bodies healthy. "Sleeping well is the best thing you can do for yourself," says Beomgyu. Adds Soobin, "We eat a lot of supplements, too, and try to work out a lot so that we can stay healthy and keep up our stamina."

That work ethic has gained them a mountain of accolades in relatively short career.

In 2023, they headlined Lollapalooza in Chicago, then performed at the VMAS in New York, where they also took home the award for Push Performance. Their last album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, making them only the second K-pop group to enter the chart 10 times, with the only other being their label mates BTS.

Asked if that sort of accomplishment is exciting or intimidating, Yeonjun explains, "We feel both. We feel both elated, and also we feel a sense of responsibility. And I think both are needed, because only when we feel that responsibility can we grow as artists and evolve as artists. So because so many people are giving us love and support, It's our duty to grow and evolve, and show new sides of ourselves as artists."

Adds Taehyun, "We are eternally grateful to Global MOA who always provide us with a lot of love and support. And with this album and the albums going forward, we're going to pay back to them by providing really good music and performances."

The Star Chapter: Sanctuary is available to stream now.

[naturallyteal]

The Wrestlers

An Epic Poem for a “chosen hero”* for GOetry Monday

prompt by @isiaiowin

Settle in, this one is long…

Canto I

A Dame of Grace and sunlight was the Queen

A mighty sovereign of all her realm

And all her court she gathered on the plain

To play a game she had herself devised.

It was a joust with very simple rules,

The oldest game in every universe:

The High Queen drew a line into the sand

And said: let there be sides, one Black, one White.

Now let those sides be diff’rent from each other,

And that may make them hate and go to war,

And as a symbol of that war both sides

Are to appoint one special champion each.

A hubbub went through both sets, Black and White,

As they stood, anxious, on their playing field,

And as they didn’t know what fight would come

And weren’t allowed to talk, now, with their foe,

They issued forth as their ambassador

Two very different champions, such as this:

Canto II

The Black side chose a snake of mighty cunning,

So fluid and graceful in his moves, so sly,

Like quicksilver and swift in his defence,

As well as his attack. They thought he’d win

Each kind of challenge She could throw at him.

Masterful his scheming and so wily,

A serpent well-skilled in imagination,

Brink-full of optimism, more than any.

The White side chose the best of their sword-fighters,

So strong and solid, principled and upright,

Like a tall mountain, unchanged and unchanging,

Soldier incarnate, Guardian, and the Queen’s Knight.

They reckoned nothing, aye, could overcome him,

No bird’s beak grind down any of his substance,

And that his wide intelligence would shield him

Against all onslaughts of a tempting rival.

Behold the moment both chosen opponents

Face off each other, commencing the battle!

Canto III

An arena has aptly been created

The Queen and all the courtiers are well watching,

The contestants have been prepared and readied,

And all the world forgets to breathe with tension:

They take each other’s measure, careful, cautious,

And each thinks: why me? What the deuce I do now?

And as they start amiably to chatter,

And find they think each other quite enticing,

The Queen gets bored and orders them to wrestle!

A cheer runs through the crowds of bichrome colours,

And all the hate the teams accumulated,

Is channeled into our two beloved champions.

They bow to pressure from the folks around them

Both Queen and peers appear too much to gainsay,

And they undress as is for wrestling custom

And oil their skins and stretch and warm their muscles.

Canto IV

Our heroes Black and White, the best of each side

Have took the measure of their situation

And of each other and begin to wrestle.

They quickly thus develop an Arrangement:

They both do what they have to do to uphold

An image of two adversaries wrestling,

But careful not to really hurt each other…

Because what happens when one of them wins this?

And as the wrestling match goes on for aeons,

They keep refining tricks and grips and touches,

Making a home in this their magic show act;

They keep pretending, prestidigitating,

And actually they get quite comfortable

With little bits they’re carving out for themselves

And for each other, until someone calls out:

“Are you certain that they’re really wrestling?”

Final Canto

How Higher Powers play with us below,

And we are only pawns upon their board,

This tale has shown thee, listener agape:

God doesn’t give a damn, make your own story!

~Fine~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* my chosen hero is Azicrow

notes and credits:

The pictures above with wings, and the background story my poem refers to, are from this tumblr post . The picture without wings is from this tumblr post . Both posts are by @fuckyeahgoodomens . Thanks and kudos!

And as a treat for everyone who made it so far into this long post 🤭, I warmly recommend this amazing comic about the wrestling statue and our heroes on AO3, “Man to Man” by Fledglinger @fledglingdoodles . Warning: explicit, very NSFW! They are also my source of this link to a 3D model of the original (wingless) statue for all you fanartists who might want to draw it!

[ethanthespookymonth]

Hello and welcome to this hell of a blog! This is a place where I will post my favorite stuff, and fandoms I'm in. Please be respectful or you will be blocked! Thanks!

TRICK OR TREAT BOX IS OPEN! 🎃

Regular dni!!!

⚠️School schedule! This is important and the main reason why I won't answer!⚠️

Monday through Thursday: 8:00 AM to 3:25 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM

Mountain time!

Here's some stuff about me: 😜

Name: Hayden 😶‍🌫️

Nicknames: Stiles/Hale ❤️‍🔥

Age: 16 Yes I am a minor! 🪽

Gender/Pronouns: He/Him/They/Them 🏳️‍⚧️

Sexuality: Bisexual 🏳️‍🌈

Birthday: 3/19/2008 🥳

Zodiac: Pisces ♓

Profile picture is made by the amazing: @jadescortaurius1

Virgil Ask and Roleplay Blog: @ask-virgil-anxiety-side

Oogie Boogie Boys Ask and roleplay blog: @asktheboogieboys

Sally Face Ask and roleplay blog: @ask-sally-face

Marble Hornets ask and roleplay blog: @ask-marblehornets-roleplay

Ask Ness the waiter blog: @ask-ness-the-waiter

Ask Googleplier blog: @ask-google-plier

Ask Willford Warfstache blog: @willford-motherloving-warfstache

Ask Blog for Mike Schmidt: @ask-mike-schmidt

Antisepticeye roleplay blog: @anti-the-glitch

Marvin the Magnificent roleplay blog: @marvin-the-magnificent-magic

Argos and Mr. Plant ask and roleplay blog: @night-at-museum-blog

Mettaton ask and roleplay blog: @mettaton-undertale

Wybie Lovat Ask and Roleplay Blog: @wyborn-lovat-ask

Hello Tumblr and fellow mutuals! So recently I've gotten the money for a vehicle. But I haven't been able to find one because I have no resources. (Such as Facebook and Instagram.) If anyone is selling a car around Cheyenne Wyoming, please let me know! I need the help. Thanks for the help!

[ramblingoak]

Swiss's Cookies

Mushy May in Lucifer's Hollow: Day 16 - Cooking a Special Recipe

Swiss x Phantom (and Sunshine as the world's worst baking assistant)

This fic is set in an alternate universe in a town called Lucifer's Hollow. It's sort of like a Satanic version of a Hallmark town. For Mushy May I'll be using the prompts to post little snippets of life for the humans and ghouls that live there 💙 Thank you to @forlorn-crows for putting Mushy May together!

~ In Lucifer's Hollow Swiss teaches physical education at the local high school and Phantom owns a bakery called Sweets and Treats ~

Warnings: lots of banter, some cursing, sfw, 1k words (thank you to @ghuleh-recs for the dividers!)

“Don’t you think it’s weird baking something for a baker?”

“The only thing that’s weird here is your utter lack of faith in me.”  Sunshine flashed Swiss an exaggerated pout that had the multi-ghoul narrowing his eyes.  “Shut up and give me a cup of sugar.”

“Oh I have faith in you, Swiss.  Faith that you’ve never baked anything in your life.”

“I watched my mom make this hundreds of times.”  He threw the sugar in and began to mix the ingredients together.  “This recipe was important to her.  Passed down fro—“

“‘His father and his father’s father and his—’“  She yelped when an egg was thrown her way, barely dodging it.  Both of the ghouls watched as it hit the tile, yolk and shell flying every which way.  “I’m telling Mountain that you wasted an egg.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”  Swiss threw a rag next and pointed at the mess when Sunshine chose to catch the projectile this time.  “Be a dear and clean this up.”

“Is this how you treat your students?  No wonder Copia has gotten Teacher of the Year twice.”

“I’m gonna make you run laps on Monday if you don’t shut the fuck up.”

“Pfft, like you could make me do anything.”  Sunshine looked up at Swiss from where she was kneeling on the floor cleaning the egg.  “Well, except for this.”

“We’ll see what happens Monday.”  Swiss hissed when Sunshine flicked his tail as she walked by to the trash can but he kept his eyes on the counter.  “Ok!  Time for the oven.”

“What are they supposed to be again?”

“Cookies.”  When Sunshine continued to give them a skeptical look he shoved her out of the way to get the tray to the oven.  “Just you wait, these are magic.”

“Not any kind of magic I’ve seen before.”  She ignored Swiss cursing at her in Ghoulish and swiped a finger through the bowl that had the leftover batter.  As soon as it hit her tongue she made a face and leaned over the sink to spit it out.  “Or tasted.  Satan’s dick Swiss, are you sure this was your mom’s recipe?”

“Of course I’m sure!”  He pushed her to get a taste himself, freezing as soon as did.  Sunshine watched him, waiting for him to react the same but beyond wrinkling his nose a bit he remained still.  “It just needs to be baked.”

“I don’t think baking is going to save this.”

“Oh I’m sorry, did you get a degree in baking when I wasn’t looking?”

“No, but I can tell when something is absolute shit.”

“Say my mom’s cookies are shit one more fucking time.”

“Swisstopher, your mom’s cookies are shi–oh I’m going to scratch your eyes out!” 

Sunshine’s threat was made through a mouthful of flour Swiss had thrown at her and the ghoulette immediately tackled her friend to the ground.  Their claws clacked against the tile as they scrambled around, Sunshine soon laughing in triumph when she managed to get Swiss in a headlock.  She was in the middle of belting out an old Ghoulish victory song when a throat clearing from the doorway had them both freezing in place.

“Um.”  Phantom’s eyes darted from the pair to the state the rest of Swiss’s kitchen was in.  “I can come back.”

“No!  No, wait.  Lucifer’s balls Sunny, let me go.”  The multi-ghoul shoved his friend away and scrambled to his feet.  He slipped briefly in some sugar before managing to steady himself in front of his boyfriend.  “Hey cupcake.”

Phantom’s cheeks flamed immediately at the nickname just like they always did when Swiss used it.  They both ignored the gagging noises Sunshine made while they exchanged a kiss.  As soon as Phantom pulled away he made a face and swiped a hand across his lips.

“Ugh, what is that?”

“I’m making you cookies!”  Swiss’s grin was infectious but Phantom still had to head over to the sink and get a glass of water.  “Sunshine was here trying to sabotage me.”

“If by sabotage you mean give you huge amounts of moral support then sure.”  The ghoulette got to her feet, throwing a glare Swiss’s way before starting to brush the flour off her clothes.  “You owe me a shirt dickhead.”

“I’ll get you a new shirt as soon as you give me five laps around the gym.”

While the two continued to snipe at each other Phantom was busy looking over the mess they had made.  Swiss had been texting him all day about a surprise he was working on and Phantom had been so excited to see it he even closed his bakery a little early.  But this...he slid a claw into the mixing bowl and placed it against his tongue, immediately regretting it.  He scanned his purple eyes over the kitchen again before they finally stopped on a bag laying on its side, white granules spilling onto the floor.

“Swiss, how much of this did you use?”

Swiss looked over, wincing when he got a faceful of chocolate chips from Sunshine.

“A cup.”  He grabbed the paper the recipe was written on and handed it to Phantom.  “My mom had one cup of sugar listed.”

“This is salt.”

Sunshine immediately covered her mouth with her hands, shaking her head when Swiss whipped his head her way.

“I said a cup of sugar!”

“I thought that was sugar!”  She began backing away as Swiss advanced on her.  “This isn’t my fault.”

“You ruined my mom’s cookies!”

“You’re the big cookie expert, you should have noticed it was salt!”

Their voices drifted off as they disappeared further into the house, Ghoulish curses and crashing sounds occasionally hitting Phantom’s ears.  He looked back down at the recipe in his hand, smiling at the little hearts at the top around the words “Swiss’s Cookies”.  Making an easy decision he set the paper down on a clean part of the counter and began gathering ingredients.

Luckily for Swiss he was dating a cookie expert.

If you'd like to be added/removed from the tag list (or if I accidentally left your name off) of this fic or any of my others please leave a comment or send me a dm! Thank you 💙

My Masterlist ~ My Archive of our Own ~ My Ko-Fi Tip Jar

More fics in the Tales From Lucifer's Hollow masterpost

[stalinqrad]

no one gets her (clavdia chauchat) like i do...

[zanychaosbasement]

James cried, he cried all throughout Saturday and Sunday. Now, on Monday, James stopped crying. He couldn't, all he could think about was how selfish he was being for crying and not caring for Sirius, who had lost his brother. He felt guilty about Lily; what would she say if she knew he was crying his eyes out for his ex-lover—his dead ex-lover, he thought bitterly. He loved Lily—honest to Merlin, Morgana, and Mother Magic, he loved her—but... she wasn't Regulus, his star. Everything about their love was young and innocent, fragile, not like with Regulus. Their love was something else; it could move mountains. It was confident, secret, but constant. It was everything; it consumed everything, leaving nothing in its path but James's broken heart. Both knew that it wouldn't be forever, but they liked dreaming about it—their forever—a house near the sea with a clear view of the stars. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine it. He sighed, got up, and shoved every thought of Regulus into the deepest, darkest pits of his mind—his star didn't deserve that. He ignored that little traitorous voice and moved on. He had work today.

Ao3:

[undertale-fic-librarby]

Hi! Here to ask if you have any Grillby centred fics :D (That aren't from Silverskye13, cuz i've re-read their fics too many times at this point 😭)

Howdy, thanks for asking! Here are some fics that might fit what you're looking for!

Ocean on Fire by TheNinjaMouse (Explicit, Incomplete)

The city of Daiport has many things to brag about. It's ancient history, the beautiful mountain ranges and of course, the glistening ocean beaches that hug a good portion of the city's outskirts. It's also the home of the monsters that emerged from deep within Mount Ebott. You, having left your strict family upbringing to chase after your love for the ocean and a dream to become a professional dance choreographer, find yourself in a city quite unlike any other. But life continues much as it always has since you moved here. You work in the local surf shop, train for the biggest dance competition of your life, and spend all of your free time in the water. That is, until a chance encounter leads you to meet a monster who turns up the heat in your life. As for said monster? He's never met a human with hair as bright as his flames. He finds himself drawn to you for reasons he can't fully understand. So the question you both have to wonder is: What happens when water and fire collide? Part 1: Chapter 1-33 Part 2: Chapter 34-49 Part 3: Chapter 50- We're back baby

Things you never forget by A_Pile_of_trash (Teen And Up, Incomplete)

A thousand years ago, before the barrier went up, monsters found themselves under constant threat of humans. They have suffered from years of prejudice and hatred. And now war. Grillby is now the last of his family line, the only one left to save his niece. Developing monsters need both love and magic... and at the moment, all he can feel is despair. You, are a lone human, living at the base of Mt Ebott, as far from the cities as you can get. You are used to the monsters on the mountain. You are also used to being alone and keeping secrets. Now you can no longer do either of those things.

Light A Fire (In My Soul) by Funnygaaragirl (Mature, Complete)

Grillby never wanted anything to do with his soulmate. The very fact the existed was an annoyance at best. But in a world where everyone knows the first thing their soulmate will say to them it's hard to avoid. He was perfectly fine with having casual sex with strangers and annoying his coworker. So when he does meet his soulmate and finds he actually enjoys talking to her, he finds a war within himself that he can't seem to win. And when he almost loses her in the fight, he has to confront his own wants and mind. This is a work inspired by and taking place in the world of 'Short King' By absurdmagewrites. *Updates Monday*

Undertale Origins: Grillby by SimonKilnsworth (Teen And Up, Incomplete)

The legends and the history books try to make it seem like monsters are all peaceful creatures that couldn't hurt a fly. But even we have our bad apples. I should know, I was one of the worst. The serene Underground you've come to know was a recent thing, one that was built on a lot of mistakes. This is the story of some of them.

Hi Hungry, I'm Dad by kaybdrabbles (General Audiences, Incomplete)

Two lost, sick skeleton children walk into a bar. Grillby wishes there was a punchline.

[wheretheharekissesthefox]

The hand that feeds is the hand that's loved

Chapter 6: Dates and Meatings

Astarion's an aspiring lawyer, who's running from his past and suffers from a long list of food allergies. Gale's a former culinary prodigy, who's going through a nasty divorce and suffers from cooking fatigue. They meet in the snack aisle.

Trigger Waring (18+): Alternate Universe: Modern Setting, No Magic, No Vampire, No Wizard, Lawyer Astarion, Cook Gale, Astarion Has Food Allergies, Gale Is Depressed, Astarion Everything Is A Transaction Ancunin, Mystra Is Faerûn's Gordon Ramsay But A Proper Bitch, Unnecessary Cooking And Food Details, This Is Basically A Culinary Show, Author Constantly Thinks About Food, Food As A Love Language, POV Gale, Angst, Emotional Rollercoaster, Feelings, Overthinking, PTSD, Past Domestic Abuse, Past Non-Con/Rape, Unhealthy Coping Mechanism, Blow Job/Fellatio, Hand Job, Frottage

Read on AO3

As usual, Gale had worried unnecessarily. The meeting on Monday went well, and Astarion didn't mention ‘the incident’, so, Gale didn't either. He didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. Actually, Astarion was so professional, blunt, and direct that it had the cook fidgeting on the couch in discomfort, while the lawyer tried to hammer the important but uncomfortable reality into his head.

"Bad news, Gale. I found out that Mystra's lawyer's none other than Raphael Deville, who truly does his name justice. He's one of the slimiest, shrewdest douchebags I've ever had the displeasure to meet. He's notorious for representing all the influential, uber-rich assholes of Faerûn. Ketheric Thorm who owns Moonrise Media Inc. which includes ThormTok, Instaglut and Whispers, for example. Those Rashemi guys who own BooTube. Multiple politicians, and, of course, your soon-to-be ex-wife. So, the uncomfortable truth is that we have to fight with all we've got. Do you understand? We need to reveal everything to the jury."

Gale wriggled about on the sofa, kneading his clammy hands. He didn't want the entire world to know about his failed experiment, nor his failed marriage. If he'd understood Astarion correctly, he'd also have to tell everyone – including his mothers – that his relationship with Mystra had started when he'd been sixteen and she'd been thirty-six. Gale realised he was ashamed to admit it. He wasn't even sure why, he'd loved his wife. She'd told him she loved him too, but Gale started to doubt it. He'd thought it was logical to hide their relationship due to their job positions, and he'd been proud to be so grown-up about it, but now, thanks to Astarion, he saw what a flimsy excuse it had been. Mystra had simply wished to keep it a secret to save her own image – or otherwise people would have started to ask questions.

"I understand that this is difficult for you," Astarion continued, "but we must hit them with everything we've got because they will definitely play foul. They'll try to pin everything on you: the accident, the failed marriage, the stolen recipes, even the fact that you were underage when your relationship started."

At that, Gale couldn't help but laugh.

"That's ridiculous! Who would believe this?"

"With the right delivery and PR, everyone will," Astarion replied dryly. Gale snapped his mouth shut, confused and stunned. "Raphael's clever enough to turn everything into something it's not and make it look believable for the public by using manipulation techniques of compassion. He'll spin some kind of tear-jerker story that reverses the roles, presenting Mystra as the victim and you as the perpetrator. Maybe, you forced her into sex because you're stronger than her, or blackmailed her. Maybe, you were abusive and Mystra couldn't escape the relationship because she never lost hope to change you for the better. Maybe, you stole all her recipes because you're just a nepo baby with no talent. Maybe, it wasn't an accident, but you purposefully set the kitchen on fire because you're jealous of her thriving career. Maybe, she finally came forth with the truth because she could no longer sleep next to a monster, who could beat her to death at any moment. Maybe, there were even drugs involved, which surely can be conveniently found in your bedside table. Everything's possible, Gale."

The addressed just sat there, shell-shocked, and stared into space. Was Mystra able to do such awful things? Did she truly hate him so much that she'd come up with lies simply to destroy not just his career but his entire life? Gale didn't know what to think anymore.

"Gale." Astarion had stood up and walked over to him. Now, he sat down next to him and placed a hand on his. "I know this is hard to accept, but the woman you fell in love with doesn't exist anymore. The woman that young, bright prodigy loved is dead."

Gale started to cry, hiding his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, darling. It needed to be said," spoke Astarion softly.

"I know," sobbed the addressed. "I don't even know why I'm crying, I don't love her anymore."

"The mind's a fickle thing and a mystery. Just let it all out, darling. You'll feel better afterwards."

Gale kept wheeping and wished for the ground to open up and swallow him whole. He was so pathetic. Somehow, he ended up with his head on Astarion's shoulder, wrapped up in the latter's arms, calmed by the now familiar scent of bergamot, rosemary, and brandy. It smelled so much better than Mystra's cloying rose perfume.

"I have more uncomfortable news for you," muttered Astarion. "You need to provide me with a list of potential witnesses. Former neighbours who can attest that Mystra locked you out of your shared apartment. Former co-workers who witnessed how you worked on your new recipes and experimented with the Karsite cuisine. Doctors and therapists who can prove that you never had an alcohol or drug problem, and are not prone to violence. Additionally, doctors, nurses, co-workers, friends, and family members who know about your severe injury, which proves that it was an accident and not arson. Friends who know about your affair when you were still underage. Literally anyone who can provide the smallest amount of evidence regarding the case. This is serious, Gale. You can't afford to be ashamed or uncomfortable about the truth because it will cost you your career – and in the worst case, even your life."

Gale nodded tensely. He knew what was at stake.

Gale Dekarios: I balled my eyes out in Astarion's office and made a complete ass of myself. Excuse me while I jump off a bridge.

Karlach Cliffgate: Aww, mate... Wanna talk about it?

Gale Dekarios: Not really, but I think I have to.

Karlach Cliffgate: Good self-reflection! Don't bottle everything up all the time. It's not healthy for your heart. Wanna meet up at BS for a late lunch/too-early dinner?

Gale Dekarios: Okay.

Gale Dekarios: Thank you, Karlach. I appreciate it <3

Karlach Cliffgate: Mama K's here for you <3

Wyll Ravengard: We'll be there in 30 mins.

Gale Dekarios: I love you both <3

Wyll Ravengard: We know ;) Love you too <3

Basket & Shovel, or short BS, was a diner right next to Waterdeep's classification yard. While sitting inside the concrete building with a video arcade vibe, one had a perfect view at the bustling of the trains through the huge windows. Since the location was unpopular, rent was cheap, and because rent was cheap, so was the food. After Elminster Tower, Basket & Shovel was probably the best place to order deep-fried junk food. Their French fries were nice and crispy, and their hot wings to die for. They somehow even made their Caesar salad addictive. The diner was run by little people, who were the feistiest, most quick-witted staff anyone had ever seen. During the less busy hours, they always blasted Menzoberranzan death metal and Grymforge – a music style between screamo and hardcore rap – through the shitty speakers. At the moment, the band DeepGnome was on.

"You thought you were smart,

stealing my credit card,

but, baby, I wish I'd seen your face

when you realised I'm a broke disgrace.

There's zero gold, you wannabe,

I'm fucking broke, not a single gp.

I'm turning into a Bhaal spawn now,

slaughtering you like a fucking cow.

Choke - on - your - spit!

You - are - a - piece - of - shit!

I - will - rip - you - apart!

Won't - stop - once - I - start!

Your - blood - on - my - hands!

You - had - your - fucking - chance!

You - thought - you - were - sly!

Now - you - gonna - fucking - die!

Raaaaah!"

"Aah, I love this place," remarked Karlach as she stuffed her face with fries.

"It has its charms," agreed Wyll, carefully tackling his hot wings. They were piping hot and on the right side of spicy. Gale was already fingers deep in his portion, eating his feelings instead of drowning it in alcohol. The smaller evil, he thought to himself.

"Okay, now, tell us what happened that makes you want to lie down in a puddle of your own tears and drown in it. We're all ears. Shoot," Karlach told him, sucking some ketchup off her thumb. Gale sighed deeply. There was no point in putting it off any longer.

"Well... I was told that Mystra basically hired the devil's advocate, and I realised that she'll do anything to destroy everything I have." Gale's vision blurred as tears were gathering in his eyes. "She... she really hates me... I never knew. And I'm scared. I'm really, really scared."

Gale sniffed, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, while Karlach and Wyll exchanged glances. Then, the bouncer leaned over the table to pat the cook's hand.

"Look, Gale, I get it. It's scary, but you can't let your fear paralyse you, it won't help you. No matter how scared you are, you must move forwards. Doing something while scared, is better than doing nothing at all."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Gale mumbled, drowning his sorrows in hot sauce.

"Yes, actually," Karlach beamed. "After the shitshow with Gortash, I was scared shitless. But, thanks to listening to my therapist's tips, I was able to get my shit together. And it feels great! I mean, I got a dog, a boyfriend with a dog, and a new best friend out of it! – The best friend's you, by the way."

At that, Gale couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Thanks, Karlach, I appreciate it."

With a sigh, he pushed his only half-empty plate away. He'd lost his appetite. The bouncer eyed the food eagerly and asked: "Don’t you want it?"

"Just take it, I'm not hungry," replied Gale and watched, slightly amused, how she dug into his leftovers with gusto. In her excitement, she smeared hot sauce across her cheek. Gale loved her dearly, but he'd never be able to take her to a high-end restaurant without receiving death stares. Wyll had finished his meal much more primly, and was cleaning his hands with the provided wet wipes.

"Was it all bad news, or did Astarion find a silver lining?" he wanted to know.

"Well, he gave me homework," huffed Gale. "Astarion told me to make a list of attestors and witnesses, who can help unearth the truth about the scandal."

"I can help you with that," offered Wyll, and Gale stared at him, dumbfounded. It shouldn't have come as a surprise though. Gale smiled at him, gratefully.

"Thanks, Wyll. I appreciate it a lot."

"What are you waiting for then? Get your nerdy little notebook out," teased the addressed.

"Now?"

"Of course, now, you mooncalf."

Gale poke his tongue out at a chuckling Wyll, pulled his trusty notebook from his bag, and the three of them started brainstorming.

Gale Dekarios: Hello, Astarion, I hope you're well. I already finished the list of witnesses. Should I give it to you on Monday, or send it to you via e-mail? Additionally, I remembered something that might be accepted as evidence: my notebook. See, I have a habit of writing all my recipes into a notebook, a cooking journal if you will. I always add the date of invention, as well as the dates of the added alterations and improvements. During my years at the university and WEAVE, I became quite known for my old-fashioned quirk and got teased for it. Of course, the judges could argue that the notebook's fake and I created it afterwards and specifically to frame Mystra, but it might be worth mentioning it? I'm unsure, you're the lawyer, after all. Anyway, I wish you a wonderful rest of the day. Sincerely, Gale.

Astarion Ancunín: Hello, Gale, thank you very much for acting fast. Please, be a dear and send it to me as soon as possible (aancunín@11attorneys.fae). The notebook thing's worth a shot. May I take a look at it next Monday? I can't guarantee for it to be accepted as evidence because of the reasons you mentioned. It heavily depends on the members of the court, but it's worth a try. We'll get through this together. Take care.

Gale Dekarios: Thank you, Astarion, for everything. I really appreciate your efforts, and I trust you.

Astarion Ancunín: You're welcome, darling.

Gale Dekarios: Would you like to accompany me to the farmer's market this Saturday morning? I know you're busy, but I thought you'd like to experience a bit more of Waterdeep's culture.

Astarion Ancunín: Oh? Will I get a history lesson while sightseeing?

Gale Dekarios: That's not what I've envisioned, but that can be arranged. I'm not the best source for history though...

Astarion Ancunín: It was a joke, Gale. But I'd love to meet up at the farmer's market. At 10?

Gale Dekarios: Fantastic! I'm looking forward to see you! How about 9:00 though? This way, we'll be done with shopping before the big rush.

Astarion Ancunín: If I must cut my beauty sleep short, then I at least hope you make it worth my time ;)

Gale Dekarios: I will! You'll be wooed and wowed, I promise!

Astarion Ancunín: I can hardly wait, darling.

Saturday couldn't come fast enough. It turned out to be a foggy day, but, at least, it wasn't raining - yet. With a sigh, Gale gazed at the grey sky while waiting for Astarion. When the bus arrived, he spotted the lawyer's silver curls immediately among the passengers getting off. Gale resisted the urge to hug the other man, instead, he simply smiled.

"Good morning, Astarion, how are you?"

"Morning, Gale. I'd be much better if I'd still be lying in my bed."

The cooked barked a laugh.

"But then, you'd miss the magic of the market! Which's one of a kind, mind you."

"I'm sure it is," teased the lawyer.

Laughing, they made their way to the farmer's market around the corner. The market square was encircled by the fourteenth-century houses of the historic district. Gale was telling anecdotes regarding the area, and narrating all his actions as they sauntered from one stall to another. Once in a while, he anxiously glanced at Astarion to make sure he didn't bore the lawyer, but the latter seemed content with listening to his rambling, a small, soft smile on his face. Gale couldn't help but gasp in excitement when they arrived at Halsin Silverbough's stall.

The hunk of a man was one of those 'pagan Silvanus hippie folks', as Karlach had put it. Together with around forty like-minded people, he lived in an ecovillage – an intentional, anarcho-primitivism, off-the-grid community – on a piece of land outside Waterdeep called Emerald Grove. Once a week, Halsin and other community members drove to the city to sell their excess produce to make some extra money (a necessary evil to survive in this world and pay taxes and bills).

"Good morning, Gale!" beamed Halsin when he spotted him. "How are you, my friend? I haven't seen you in a while. Are you alright?"

"You don't watch TV, do you?" Astarion remarked, unable to hold back a snort. The tall, burly man with a facial scar and a vine tattoo chuckled, good-naturedly.

"You got me there, my friend. I stay away from all that stuff. It's neither good for your eyes nor for your mental health. It's all brain-washing propaganda anyway."

"Oh, I like the way you think," smirked Astarion.

"I'm a bit busy lately," Gale allowed to let slip. "My wife filed for divorce, and I lost my joy for cooking for a while."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Oak Father preserve you, not matter what obstacles you may face at court."

"Thank you, Halsin. I appreciate your words." Gale gave him a smile. "But let's turn to more pleasant things; I see you're offering fresh beetroot today. And the carrots look stunning as always."

"Oh, yes, they're very fresh – and so is the lamb's lettuce!"

Intrigued, Gale bent forward to take a look at the chlorophyll-rich leaf vegetables. They were in peak condition – as always.

"It looks amazing! I'll take a pound of the lamb's lettuce, two pounds of carrots, and four beets," he decided.

"Fantastic choice," smiled Halsin and bagged his order in eco-friendly paper bags. "Anything else? We still have potatoes and apples from the last harvest, pickled pumpkin, some fresh rosemary, and... I think some jars of different berry preserves?"

"We do!" his partner Nettie chimed in. "But only gooseberry and blackberry."

"Can I have a look at them?" Gale asked.

"Of course. Here."

Nettie handed him a jar each, and the cook read the home-made labels. Fruit and preserving sugar. Safe for Astarion to consume. Gale didn't even need to ponder his decision.

"I take a glass each. – Oh, and do I spot your famous olive baguette over there?"

"Indeed," smirked Halsin. "Would you like one?"

"Yes, please!"

Looking at the bread alone had Gale salivating. He stacked all his groceries in his cooling bag, said his goodbye, and then toddled off with Astarion in tow.

"I'm sorry about the bread," the cook apologised. "I'd offer you some if it wouldn't make you ill."

"It's fine, I'm used to it," sighed Astarion. "That's the hardest part actually, you know? The bread." He barked a sharp, humourless laugh. "I stopped eating bread fifteen years ago, but I still crave it, every single day. There's no greater torture than knowing how real food tastes like and not being able to eat it any longer." He shot Gale a small, sad smile. "It gets easier over time, of course, but... I don't know... It's still difficult to accept my fate."

Gale hummed thoughtfully, gnawing on his bottom lip.

"I can't say that I know how it feels, because that would be a lie, but... I understand how difficult this is for you. I can't even imagine not being able to eat anything I want, and creating dishes using all kinds of foods without restriction."

"My condition would probably be the death of most chefs," Astarion retorted, huffing a laugh.

"Well," Gale quipped, "but I'm not most chefs! I'd see it as a challenge."

"Of course, you would," snickered the lawyer amused, and a warm feelings started spreading through Gale's chest.

"Actually, I do see it as a challenge," he added seriously. "I want to create amazing dishes for you that are pleasing for the eye and the palate."

Once more, Astarion had a look of disbelief and bafflement on his face, as if no one had ever cared about his food allergies before. And Gale realised with anguish that this was most likely the case.

"That's... very sweet of you," the lawyer finally got out, and Gale wished he could squeeze Astarion's hand and pull him into a hug.

"I... well..." Gale cleared his throat. "I care about you. A lot, actually. And I want to –"

He was interrupted by a sudden downpour. Astarion let out an undignified squeak, and Gale forgot himself and took him by the hand.

"Come!" shouted the cook, and together, they ran to the parking lot. Gale quickly unlocked his car and they hid inside. Huffing and puffing, both men got rid of their wet jackets, shaking water droplets from their hair and hands. Then, they locked eyes, both of them looking like drowned rats, and burst out into laughter.

"What a day," chuckled Astarion and Gale grinned.

"I actually planned to invite you to a picnic, but the invitation's literally rained off."

"A picnic? That almost sounds like another date," teased Astarion. Gale glanced at him, slightly anxious, before admitting: "I hoped it would be."

Astarion's sharp, grey eyes landed on him, boring themselves straight into Gale's soul, as if trying to pry the truth out of his chest. The cook's heart hammered painfully against his ribcage.

"Mh, I rather like that, you know?" the lawyer mused with a soft smile. "I can't stop thinking about the delicious food you made me."

"That's... that's great! Because I made you more."

Suddenly giddy with excitement, Gale kicked off his shoes, turned around on his seat, and got his knees under him as he leaned towards the backseats to grab a big cooling bag. A bit clumsily, he manoeuvred it to the front and unzipped it.

"I made sushi," Gale explained, "and before you say anything; I know you can't eat fish, seafood, tofu, and sesame. I used fillings that are safe for you." He handed two glass containers to Astarion, who stared at the food. "Additionally, I made an appetiser. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a picnic, would it?" With a bashful chuckle, he offered another container – this time from a hot box – to the lawyer. "I also brought some water and hot tea. I thought the latter would go well with the sushi and warm us up nicely."

Gale placed the cooling bag and hot box in the back and grabbed the beverages instead. Astarion looked surprised, shocked, and overwhelmed in equal measure.

"Is that... is that all for me?" he asked lowly. The lawyer opened the containers and inspected the food with an expression between awe and mistrust. Gale immediately felt the need to explain himself.

"Yes. Of course. It's all safe for you. For the appetiser, I rolled bacon around dates and then fried them until crispy. They're best eaten when hot, so that's why I put them in the hot box. The sushi mostly contains of vegetable fillings: avocado, cooked carrots, cucumber, pickled daikon radish, and pickled pumpkin. I rounded it off with chicken breast and smoked, rolled, cured pork loin. The latter's texture and taste are similar to lox." When Astarion used the provided chopsticks to pick up a nigiri and squinted at the black seeds, Gale added: "Those are poppy seeds not toasted sesame seeds."

"Hmm..." Astarion looked torn, almost afraid, before he took a deep breath and placed the piece of sushi elegantly in his mouth. As he chewed, Gale observed him anxiously. Hopefully, Astarion liked it. The cook sighed in relief when the lawyer's grey eyes sparked with joy and his entire body perked up.

"It's delicious! Thank you, Gale, this is..." He trailed off, waving the chopsticks around, "amazing."

Gale couldn't help but beam at him when he replied: "I'm glad you like it."

They started eating, and Gale described every variation and how he'd prepared it. He couldn't ignore the warm, fuzzy feeling spreading in his belly when he realised how intently Astarion was listening. Mystra had had long lost interest in his ramblings about his favourite topic, always looking bored or scrolling on her phone, meanwhile, his mothers and uncle indulged him good-naturedly, but that didn't really count. It was a novel experience to have someone who seemed to actually enjoy his infodumping instead of getting annoyed by it. It did funny things to Gale's fluttering heart.

As they sat in the car – both cross-legged and in their socks – eating and talking, the rain kept pattering against the windows. Gale's car faced the hedge that surrounded the parking area, giving the illusion of privacy and calmness despite the busy street right behind it. All things considered, it was a cosy picnic – romantic, almost. Gale watched how Astarion ate the last lukewarm, bacon-wrapped date, a content look on his face as he chewed it thoroughly, savouring the taste. Gale's heart fluttered once more, and it made him happy that Astarion enjoyed the food so much. The cook had finally found his passion for his profession again after the five-month-long dry spell that had left him with zero energy and motivation to work his magic in the kitchen. He was grateful for meeting the lawyer. It truly felt like a sign from above. Gale shifted, stretching his left leg out into the footwell, and shoved the third last piece of sushi into his mouth. Cucumber. Crunchy, with a kick of freshness. Lovely.

"Say, did you try any of the experiments I gave you yet? I'm tremendously curious about the outcome."

"Well, I have to confess that I haven't tried much yet. I've planned to do so on the weekends, so, if I get a reaction, I have enough time to get well again. Thankfully, your little 'experiments' will only make me bloated and gassy and nothing worse, but still... I don't want to rock up on Monday, looking like I'm seven months pregnant and gas my colleagues into comas." Gale couldn't help but burst into laughter. "What? It's true! It would be rude to inconvenience them and our clients."

"Okay, okay, I get it," snickered Gale. "But did you try something?"

"You are incorrigible," snorted Astarion. "Yes, I tried the chicken soup because that would have gone bad first. I ate it the day after our last date. It was delicious, and despite the strong, garlicy smell, I had no reaction to it. I guess you were right about the long cooking time."

"So, that means you can eat garlic when it's cooked for at least three hours," Gale pondered. "I take that into consideration when I'll come up with new recipes."

Astarion gave him a consternated look, retorting: "Who cooks it that long anyway? Doesn't make sense..."

"It does, actually," Gale babbled. "In haute cuisine, it's often used to change the garlic's flavour, especially for pre-prepared spreads and soups."

Astarion didn't look convinced.

"Sounds like you're making it up to salve my conscience."

"I'm not!" squawked the cook, indignantly. Astarion laughed, gently shoving Gale's thigh with his besocked foot.

"Calm down, darling, I'm joking."

The addressed huffed, distinctly aware of the lawyer's cold toes against his leg. Before his confused brain could categorise his feelings, Astarion removed his foot, and rubbed his arms, shuddering.

"Are you cold?" Gale asked.

"A bit," admitted the addressed, and the cook immediately half-crawled between the front seats to grab the blanket from the back.

"Since the weather doesn't cooperate and we couldn't do a proper picnic, the blanket can be useful in a different way," Gale explained, wrapping it around Astarion's shoulders without thinking. It hit him how uncalled-for his action was immediately after. He recoiled in his seat, placing his traitorous hands between his legs to keep them from doing another stupid thing. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Actually –" Smiling softly, Astarion pulled the blanket tighter around his slender frame, " – I rather like it. Knight in shining armour, or what not."

Chuckling, Gale busied himself by packing up the food containers and conjuring forth the dessert. He'd baked apple crumbles in two ramekins and had kept them warm in the hot box, together with the dates. Gale handed one of the desserts and a spoon to Astarion. They started digging in immediately, and Gale preened when Astarion made some delightful noises. Only then, did he took his first bite. The apples were soft, sweet, and cinnamony. The gluten-free crumbles made of grated almonds, corn starch, sugar, and lard had the right texture and flavour (It had taken Gale six attempts to get it right). It was a rather simple dish, but he thought it was fitting for a picnic, plus, Astarion didn't seem to enjoy fancy foods despite being so posh.

"You have outdone yourself again," praised the lawyer, happily spooning the last crumbles from the ramekin and licking them off. "But I must confess, I liked the tiramisu better."

"Noted," chuckled Gale. "It'll go on the 'Astarion's favourites' list."

"You keep a list?" the lawyer asked, dumbstruck.

"Of course!"

Astarion's face went through a handful of complicated expressions before settling on an easy smile.

"Well... thank you, darling. No one had ever done something like this for me. I'm honoured and appreciate it."

"The pleasure's mine."

Smiling back, Gale deposited the ramekins and spoons in the hot box, and placed the latter behind his seat in the footwell. Then, he stretched as well as he could in his seat with a small grunt. His lower back started to hurt.

"Allow me to drive you home," he told Astarion. "It would be ungentlemanly of me to let you get drenched in the rain a second time."

For a moment, Astarion hesitated, then, he nodded.

"Okay. I live in the Sea Ward, near the Heroes' Garden."

Gale whistled. He'd suspected Astarion to do well as a lawyer, but it still came as a surprise that he lived in Waterdeep's wealthiest neighbourhood. It was no wonder, they'd met at the park. Astarion had probably been on his way home from work. Quite a quaint thought though... Despite living in the poshest neighbourhood, the lawyer went to work by foot and to the market by bus, instead of calling a taxi. Astarion was an enigma.

While driving to Astarion's apartment, they kept chatting about food and meal ideas. Gale happily rambled on about his experiences as a head chef, revealing entertaining details about his failures and successes when coming up with new recipes.

When they've almost reached their destination, Gale was told to turn off into a side street to park in the building's open garage area on the ground floor. The cook stopped his car in Astarion's private parking lot and was a tad confused.

"So, you pay for your own parking space despite not having a car?"

"Yes." Astarion chuckled, seemingly a little bit embarrassed. "You see, when I moved to Waterdeep, I planned to buy a car, but, somehow, I never got to it. I didn't find the time to go to a car dealer, and all the second-hand cars I saw online were not what I'm looking for. I have very specific taste."

"I'm not surprised," smirked Gale. "Just one look at you, and everyone can tell that your fashion sense is expensive."

"Well, I have standards," the lawyer quipped cheekily. With an amused laugh, Gale exited the car, quickly moved around it, and opened the door for Astarion. Smiling, the latter took the offered hand and elegantly got onto his feet.

"What a gentleman. Thanks, darling."

"You're welcome. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm alright. Thank you for today, Gale. It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious. I really appreciate how much thought you put into cooking for me. And picnicking in your car, accompanied by the sound of the rain, was rather... romantic."

"Oh." The slightest blush spread across Gale's cheeks. "Anything for you."

He immediately bit his lips. That had been a bit too forthcoming, hadn't it? He didn't want to sound demanding, or like he expected something from Astarion. No matter what kind of filthy images his traitorous mind produced, Gale understood Astarion's dilemma and didn't want to make things awkward. On the other hand... he knew he'd fallen fast and hard for his lawyer.

Gale was brought out of his thoughts when Astarion kissed him. With a surprised gasp, his hand slipped to the lawyer's neck and they deepened their kiss. With a breathy, little sound, Astarion pushed Gale against the nearest supporting pillar, the air leaving the latter's lungs in a rush. But the cook melted right back into the lawyer's embrace and kiss as he was trapped against the hard concrete behind him. Gale moaned when Astarion rolled his hips against his, rubbing up on him. What had started as a nudge of arousal, morphed into an all-consuming need, and Gale couldn't help but pull Astarion closer by the waist. In a fevered clash of tongue and teeth, the hand upon Gale's bicep trailed down to his hip before sliding to the front of his trousers and giving his erection a teasing squeeze that made him moan in surprise. Astarion chuckled darkly, his nimble fingers unzipping the cook's pants and freeing his straining dick. For a moment, Gale worried how exposed they were and that someone could walk in on them, but his thoughts got scrambled when Astarion took them both in hand and started stroking.

"Oh, God!" gasped Gale before he got shut up by another messy kiss. He groaned into Astarion's mouth as they thrusted against each other, the lawyer's fingers toying with his foreskin. Gale could barely whisper a warning before coming between them, his release coating their dicks and Astarion's hand. Panting heavily, he slumped against the pillar, grateful for its support, his forehead falling onto the lawyer's shoulder, who purred: "That's it, darling." With that, Astarion resumed his motions along his own cock, picking up a faster rhythm and giving special attention to the tip. Gale watched, dazed, how the lawyer's thumb ran along the slit from which pearlescent beads were streaming down, covering the rest of his dick and fingers. Astarion's movements almost seemed violent with the way he was jerking himself off, breath ragged and shallow, and when Gale lifted his head up, he saw tears gathering on the other man's dark lashes.

"What's wrong? Does it not feel good?" Gale worried.

"No, it's not –  ngh – it's not that," panted Astarion. "It's just – Sometimes, I can't –"

His frown deepened as he bit his lip, the tears of frustration finally spilled down his cheeks. Gale felt compassion, kissed the lawyer's temple and murmured: "Don't worry, I've got you."

Without further ado, he dropped to his knees, grabbed both of Astarion's butt cheeks, and swallowed his dick down to the root. Astarion shouted as if he was in pain and tried to draw back, but Gale pulled him closer by the hips, holding him there, flush against his nose. The cook inhaled deeply, utterly turned on by the musky, citrusy smell with a faint hint of clean sweat.

"Ooh!"

The lawyer sounded like he was about to cry, and his hips bucked when Gale swallowed around him and gently kneaded his ass.

"Fuck!"

Astarion shouted and came hard, shooting an impressive load into Gale's throat. The latter drank it all down, humming happily. He'd missed the taste of cum and sucking cock. Astarion held himself up against the pillar with both hands, his shaking legs threatened to give out. Licking his lips, Gale got up and pulled the lawyer into a hug, carrying his weight with ease.

"That... that wicked mouth's wasted on a woman," mumbled Astarion. "God, have you no gag reflex?"

"Not really," admitted Gale bashfully, and the other man huffed an incredulous laugh.

"Everyone who's ever had your mouth on them, should count themselves lucky."

"Ah, well..." The addressed blushed, not knowing how to respond to such a statement. It had been a compliment, right?

Astarion straightened up, pulled his pants up, and smoothed his hair back.

"That was amazing, darling," he drawled. "Thanks for the lovely date. See you soon."

Astarion kissed him before sauntering off towards the building's entrance, leaving a rather dumbstruck Gale behind. The full one-eighty of the lawyer's behaviour left him confused and with a headache. With a deep sigh, Gale shook his head, tucked himself back into his trousers, and drove home. All he could think of for the next forty-four hours was how Astarion had felt against him and how he'd tasted on his tongue.

[fruitsbasketmondays]

Fruits Basket Mondays: Summer 2024 Prompts

Announcing the prompts for Fruits Basket Mondays Summer 2024! The prompts are completely optional and only serve to give inspiration. Below we suggest even more specific inspiration for those that prefer it!

June 24th: Missing Scene

in between the breaking of the curse and meeting with Akito

Kyo in the mountains

July 1st: Crossover

Ouran Highschool Host Club: Tohru Honda and Haruhi Fujioka switch bodies

Revolutionary Girl Utena: Fruits Basket characters in the world of Revolutionary Girl Utena

July 8th: Siblings

Ayame and Yuki post-graduation

Momiji and Momo getting to know each other

July 15th: Music-Inspired

The Tortured Sohma Family Department

I'm a Believer by The Monkees

July 22nd: Adulting

College

Jobs

July 29th: What if?

What if Akito never released the curse?

What if Yuki was taken in by Ayame instead of Shigure?

August 5th: Your Favorite Ship

Cooking Together

On a Picnic

August 12th: Moving Forward

Changing attitudes towards Akito

PTSD recovery

August 19th: Pre-Canon

Kyo and Kagura's early friendship

Tohru and Kyoko's home life

August 26th: Magic

Magical Girls (and boys and etc.)

Other Curses

September 2nd: Friends

Sports

Camping

September 9th: Alternate Universe

Theater Troupe AU

Ghost Hunter AU

September 16th: Decades Later

Final New Years Together

Characters as Grandparents

credit to @fuckyeahfurubacaps for the manga caps used in the header!

[belle--ofthebrawl]

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Mountain/Aeon/Aether

Tags: Blowjobs, Anal Sex, Brief Voyeurism, Mind Magic

Summary: Mountain probably should have looked at his phone sooner.

Author's Note: This barely counts as today's Kinktober entry but there's still three hours left of Mountain Monday in my time zone, so. That's got to count for something. Not sure what though.

[pocket-aces]

Argost headcanons Please!!!!😍😍😍

Finally getting around to answer some of these asks, granted Argost is one I don’t have a huge amount of headcanons for 🤔

*other than being vain, greedy and petty, Argost definitely tries to fit in with the ‘old money’ crowd but I think 99% of the rich crowd he tries to mingle with know there’s something not quite right with him.

* I wish we got to see more of him exploiting his cult like following in the series, weaponising them against the saturdays etc.

* personal HC that Weird world is in Romania in the Carpathian mountains, I was jumping back and forth between Canada, France and Eastern Europe for a location and Argost is def a fangirl for gothic literature like Dracula so Romania it is

* this is not my headcanon and I can’t remember who’s it was but please correct me if you know because I really like it: Argost only calls people by name if he respected them at some point in time. He never uses Doc, Drew or Zak’s first/full names but he does with Doyle, Van Rook, Baron Finster etc.

*His body count is so high. Like holy shit. Canonically we know he’s killed 48 people directly/indirectly (43 secret scientists, Zak Monday, Baron Finster, Ulraj’s dad and Drew and Doyle’s parents if I’ve not missed any). its more like 80+ probably considering how many people he murdered in the himilayas and how many he probably had offed for disagreeing with him.

*although the mask and cape have some magical effects, he is still smaller than made out to be in the flashbacks which are, imo, kid Doyle remembering him looking bigger/shadowier/scarier