#merry Christmas. happy new year. life's about to change for us. bring it on then bitch!!!

[douubles]

2024 is gonna be big. scary. but big

[j0kers-light]

His Lighthouse: Joker’s Bunny (LedgerJoker x f!reader)

Joker’s Bunny - Oneshot

KEEP IN MIND THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER UPDATE!

Wow... I edged everybody for an year.. anyhooooo its high time I completed this oneshot. Here's the original ask.

Imagine y/n shows up to joker wearing a playboy bunny suit and ears and fluffy tail with rope in her hands.

This oneshot took so much out of me but I’m happy it did. The end of November and early December was not kind to me mentally or emotionally so this proved to be a much needed distraction. It also served as a crash course back into writing! Writers block is somethin' tough. So! If there’s mistakes: no there isn’t. 👀

Hehe.... Merry early Christmas? 🤷🏾‍♀️🤔

Thank you all so much for patiently waiting! As always, If you wish to be a part of the His Lighthouse taglist, do let me know via comment, ask, or a quick direct message! 💖✨

It was only supposed to be a nickname, an inside joke to use however (and whenever) Joker saw fit. He gave you so many names, it was hard to keep up with them all— yet this one in particular stuck. 

You were naturally curious, a timid little thing, simply overly cautious by default. 

You always weighed out the options presented to you before jumping into a situation. Joker said it as a joke all those months ago but overtime, it became something more.  

You would tilt your head and scrunch your nose, really bringing the nickname to life. One random day, you found yourself accepting the name when you used the emoji to refer to yourself. These days, you responded to it without fuss and rarely rolled your eyes whenever J did use it. 

You were without a doubt, Joker’s Bunny. He never thought you would take the title this seriously. 

Joker groaned to himself. 

Whhhhhy didn’t he stay at home with you tonight? You practically begged him to stay with those e/c eyes of yours, but he stood firm on his ‘I have to go, it's im-port-ant’ spiel. You pouted but sent him off with a kiss.  

Now Joker regretted his decision as each boring minute dragged on during this briefing. To be fair, it was important. The sad reality was—Joker was not listening. He spent his time staring off into space, daydreaming about you. 

He wondered what you cooked tonight. Was it that new recipe you’ve been dying to try, or did you play it safe and fix one of his favorites? He loved your cooking and could really go for a hearty meal after sitting through this snoozefest. 

Joker’s thoughts were plenty and quickly changed narratives in a split second. Did you take a bubble bath with that new bath bomb he got you? Joker saw it in passing and immediately thought of his Bunny after seeing the display pyramid of shimmery spheres in the store. 

They had your name written all over it. So what if he stole you a few? He’d do anything for his Bunny! Besides, it was nothing compared to the other flasher gifts he showered you with on a daily basis.  

Joker was still envisioning your gorgeous body soaking in pink tinted water when his phone chimed, startling him out of the fantasy. He fished it out of his coat pocket and arched an eyebrow when he saw your message come through. Speak of an angel, and you appear. 

you coming home? 

J smirked to himself reading the word home. 

It stirred up a flurry of emotions within him every time you used it. Joker thought he had no need for a home until you entered his life and proved him wrong. Every person needs a home; his just so happened to be in the form of you. And right now, Joker was feeling rather homesick.  

His first instinct was to rush back, but he found your message a bit odd since you knew he was overseeing a meeting tonight. Did something happen or were you just as needy as he was? He really should’ve stayed at home tonight. Joker sighed as he scanned the room. 

The team was still talking amongst themselves on how to pull off the hit without gaining the authorities’ attention. Joker drowned them out thirty minutes ago. He was only here for appearance’s sake and could care less if they succeeded or not. 

They could iron out the details without him present and that became the determining factor to answer your text. With a roll of his green eyes, J replied. 

What’s in it 4 me? 

Joker watched three tiny dots appear and fade multiple times over a course of several minutes. Whatever you wanted to say was deleted over and over until Joker finally got a vague response. 

Come and find out 🐰 

You were a sassy little thing tonight. To prove his point, just a few seconds later, Joker received an attachment pic from you. He took one glance at it and inwardly moaned. Screw this meeting. It was obvious he was needed at home.  

“Oi! Where you going, Boss?” A henchman called out. 

Joker was busy storming out the door to even notice that he scared everyone with his abrupt exit. They were waiting for Joker to voice his opinion and he just up and left. The small group began to panic and scrambled to find a way to revise the plans to meet Joker’s high expectations. 

They could all die trying to rob the bank for all he cared.  

Joker’s mind was elsewhere, solely on you in fact. His Bunny was asking for it. It was the only explanation as to why the fading sun captured your sexy silhouette oh so perfectly. When Joker got home, he was gonna ruin you. 

Joker didn’t notice Frost walking down the hall in his mad dash to the elevator. Frost noticed his boss’s urgency and promptly scoffed. “Let me guess. It’s either something the idiots said in the meeting or something B did.”  

He ignored Joker’s venomous glare; his lack of response spoke volumes. “Are you coming back after you fix her attitude?” Frost sighed softly. 

The elevator door dinged open, and Joker walked backwards inside. He locked eyes with Frost, voicing his demands. “Don’t bother us unless it’s raining.. uhh.. cats and dogs!”  

J wasn’t coming back, they both knew it. Frost spoke to his own reflection as the doors slid closed. “I don’t get paid enough for this.” 

There really should be a written guide to this sort of things. How To Look Sexy for Your Lover While Wearing a Ridiculous Outfit. 

Perhaps you could write one yourself; it beat psyching yourself up in the mirror until Joker came home. You planned this surprise for weeks and now the day finally came to act on it, you were having second thoughts. The last component for your outfit arrived after Joker left for the night and you just couldn’t wait another second to show him the final product. 

It was now or never. You wouldn’t have the confidence to do this after today. Just looking in the mirror you felt silly all over again. The fact that Joker left you on read after giving him a sneak peek didn’t help boost your confidence. 

It wasn’t that disappointing– nine times out of ten Joker left you on read, the problem was that he left you hanging after you sent him a risqué picture when you were expecting an instant reaction to it. 

It took you ages to get the right angle, the perfect lighting, and to eventually find a pic that you genuinely liked, before sending it to the clown, and he didn’t acknowledge any of it. 

You checked yourself out again and sighed as your heels scraped the hardwood.  

You thought you looked cute, hot even! but your opinion was irrelevant if Joker didn’t approve. Maybe he opened the message and became busy before he could respond? Or perhaps his phone died? You told yourself anything except the truth. 

He probably hated it and didn’t want to hurt your feelings. 

That seemed to be a valid explanation coming from your cold, heartless clown. Joker was unpredictable like the wind. It was hard to please his shifty moods.  

There was no sense in keeping the outfit on if nothing would result from it. You pouted as you fumbled behind your back for the zipper— until you heard keys turning in the front door. 

Joker was back in record time. It made you wonder how he got here so fast, but that was a problem for another day. J was home and your stomach was in knots.  

Why did the zipper wanna act up now of all times?! How did it get stuck anyway? There was no time to change! You grabbed Joker’s first surprise off of the dresser right as the bedroom door slammed into the wall.  

He was going to leave a permanent dent if he kept doing that. You told him numerous times to stop. You were about to scold him about it for the nth time, but the green tinted flames in his eyes took your breath away. 

Joker was a raging bull, just shy of steam blowing out his nose and his target was poor ol’ you shifting your weight from heel to heel. You hid his surprise further behind your back and of course, he noticed. His Glasgow smile slowly stretched along his face.  

“Whatcha got there, Bunny.” Joker stressed the endearment more so than usual since you were dressed the part. 

You wore your tallest pumps and donned a fresh pair of fishnets to go nicely with your patent pink bunny suit. It clung to your figure in all the best ways to go with the white cuff links you had on your wrists.  

You looked straight out of Playboy magazine in Joker’s eyes. He admired the bunny ears atop your head; one bent, the other straight and the crisp white debonair tie fastened around your neck. He loved your attention to detail; you saw to it that every element shined individually. 

And just like a bunny, you were skittish as Joker slowly stalked his way towards you.  

You couldn’t stop the smile that lit up your face as Joker tilted his head in that intimidating way of his. “I saiiiiid... whatcha goT behind your back, Bunny? Is it a uh, surprise?” 

You nodded demurely in response. So that’s how you wanted to play huh? Joker grinned. 

“Yeah? Is it…. for me?” You giggled when he tried to steal a peek, if not for you blocking his attempts at the last second. Your heels clicked loudly in the room as you darted away.  

Joker was enjoying your playful mood tonight and he growled seeing you smirk. You were matching J’s energy, although he had to stop and admire you more closely.  

He could tell you planned this for quite some time. You did your makeup so prettily, and he was over the moon seeing your plump lips shimmering in the setting sun. You wore the shade he recently stole.. ahem bought. The one that tasted like strawberries when he kissed you long enough.  

He licked his own lips, reminiscing the taste. You were a walking temptation. 

J’s green eyes roamed from your beautiful face down to your neck for him that begged him to nibble and mark up, to your breasts that were practically bursting out of your bunny costume. 

He wouldn’t be surprised if you bought it two sizes too small with how your curves spilled out over the leather confines. Joker wanted to lay you down, knead your soft flesh, and ruin you. 

You looked so good and Joker knew you tasted far better; he couldn’t help but objectify you. There was so much he wanted to do in such a limited time! Your sweet giggles were cute, but he was tired of playfully chasing you around the bedroom. He growled as he caught you by the waist.  

“Gotcha! Now… let’s uh, seeeeee what my sweet girl is, oh..” Joker audibly swallowed as you bit your lip, looking away.  

Joker stared at the bundle of rope in your hands—and for once in his life, he was at a loss for words.  

The soft hue would look heavenly against your complexion, and the possibilities of what tonight could bring made blood rush to his cock. Joker had been wanting to tie you up for months now and he wasn’t shy about introducing the idea in small doses. He took you by surprise one night by binding your hands with one of his ties. 

He saw how your breath hitched, the way your eyes widened in intrigue, or how you bit your lip as you answered his check-in with a lustful, ‘I-I like it.’  

The feeling of being helpless, at the mercy of a man like Joker, it excited you and drove him feral. Yes, you were his sweet girl so precious and silly, but taking things a step further and being an actual Bunny in bed? He wasn’t so sure if you could handle that darker side of him just yet, but this rope was a sign that you were.  

He had to make sure you were 100% okay with this before going forward. 

Joker toyed with the rope as he met your gaze. Both were soft and pliable, so easy to destroy.. “Y/n… are ya sure?” he asked.  

He was asking for a lot. If you said yes, you would surrender yourself completely to Joker. It was scary, Joker was scary.  

You would be fool to turn a blind eye to his true nature. He enjoyed severe power imbalances, and he reveled in torturing others. Joker was a man to fear and yet here you are, virtually begging him to have his way with you.  

It was like making a deal with the devil. However, you trusted Joker not to get too carried away.  

You nodded and leaned up (even with high heels on, J towered over you) and kissed his scarred cheek but Joker required a verbal agreement. It was a firm rule he enforced for serious moments like this.  

“Aht aht, I need to hear you say it, Bunny.”  

You nodded again but Joker grabbed your throat, clearly not in the mood for your antics. “Use. Your. Words. Y/n.” His eyes narrowed, “I won’t re-peaT myself.” 

Your eyes fluttered closed hearing Joker’s assertive tone. This was The Joker that Gotham City feared. He oozed dominance and demanded order, if only to destroy it the second he got it.  

You felt compelled to obey his commands. “B-Bunnies don’t t-talk.” You rasped as you broke free to sashay over to the bed.  

With Joker eyeing your every move, you bent at the waist and wiggled your buns so the fake cotton tail on the outfit could move enticingly.  

His breath was shaky as he unraveled the colored rope in his hands. A mocking tsk tsk fell from his lips. “What a naughty, naughty girl I have. She neverrrrrr listens to my rules.”  

Ugh rules... how could you think about rigid rules at a time like this?! Just hearing Joker’s voice gave you insight to your fate. You definitely weren’t walking tomorrow morning.  

Your heart was pounding as Joker stopped short behind you. You could feel the heat radiating from his body and when his hand traced your skin—searching for a way to take your costume off, you moaned. He loved how pent up you were. It solidified your desire for this. You wanted him.  

Joker hummed once he found the pesky zipper and he dragged it down inch by inch, teasing the both of you. “I need ya to tell me, Y/n. Are you gonna be my rope bunny for the night?” J said when the zipper reached your lower back. Of course it worked just fine for him. 

God, you loved this psychotic clown. You could hear just how much Joker was holding himself back and yet he took the time to make sure you were okay with this.  

He’d jump your bones once he got consent. Your safety always came first.  

He was thinking of the best knots to restrict you with when you broke character. Joker’s eyes caught yours melting in the setting sun as you turned toward him. “Yes, please I want this. I’ll be good J, I promise.” you whispered. 

A single kiss to the center of your back sealed your fate. “I know ya will, Princess. Arch ya back for me.”  

You whimpered but leaned forward so your head rested gently on the pillows with your bottom in the air. There was no turning back now. Once Joker fully removed your costume, he would see just how devoted you were to your nickname. 

The tight costume highlighted all of your so-called imperfections and Joker took great care to rub your skin where indents formed due to the stiff leather. Just as he expected, you did purchase it a size smaller than your norm. How cute.  

Joker kissed his way down your spine as he helped you escape the material. You knew he found his final surprise when a sharp crackle was heard inside the room, followed by a blooming sting on your backside.  

“Y/n. Are ya try-ing to kill me?” Joker genuinely sounded in pain as he kneaded your flesh while admiring your cotton tail.** “My sweet, sweet Bunny girl.. just whaT am I ta do with ya?”  

Joker flung the costume somewhere in the bedroom as he took up the rope.  

He wanted to take his time tonight; to create intricate patterns against your skin, to make lasting memories that would fade days later.... but now his twisted mind was spiraling. Was it too much, too soon to suspend you from the ceiling? It could bear your weight.. right?  

No. No. Baby steps. There was always a chance for extremes next time.  

IF you survived tonight that is. You were still lying on the bed waiting for Joker’s instructions that would never come.  

You yelped when Joker yanked your hands behind your back to bind your arms to your waist via a series of knots and loops. And he didn’t stop there. Somehow he secured your ankles to your plushy thighs, effectively hogtying you face down on the mattress. You were made vulnerable before you could even muster up the thought of backing out.  

The cold air in the room hit your cunt and you knew Joker enjoyed the view of your walls clenching around nothing in want. “Such a needy little Bunny! Don’t worry. If ya bee~haaaave, you’ll get what you want." 

In defiance, you tried to move but the fibers of the rope restricted your mobility a little too well. Panic alarms went off in your head and Joker instantly noticed the change in your body language.  

He was right there by your ear to calm you down. “Wiggle your fingers. That’s it.”  

You gasped after finding you could move your fingers as well as your toes—just nothing else. A temporary freedom to pacify the reality you signed up for.  

Joker kissed your ankle, chuckling, “See? You can move, Bun. Tell that err, silly brain of yours I won’t hurt ya.” 

J didn’t warn you in the slightest when he gathered up the slick dripping from your folds with two thick fingers and began to scissor your pussy with them.  

You screamed from the stretch, yet J didn’t pay you any mind. “Shhhh, Bunny. Alll ya gotta do is feel.” Joker knew that was absolute torture for you.  

Funny, how you desired to be restrained when physical touch was your love language. You loved holding onto J in some form of capacity. He could tell you were going through it with how your tiny fists kept clenching on your lower back.  

It was so exhilarating to see you squirm as he worked you to your peak in record time. It was cruel but since when was Joker nice? 

He curled his fingers upward in a come-hither motion to stroke the spongy spot in your pussy that drive you wild and it was a success judging by your squeals. You were listening to his instructions well, as much as your moans sounded awfully like the first syllables of his name. You didn’t break character to speak; maybe you deserved a reward.  

You didn’t see it that way when Joker bent down to start eating you out.  

He was a man starved using that devilish tongue of his to good use. You felt every lick and subsequent suck as Joker made out with your pussy.  

Every lap had your hips backing up onto his tongue till you were practically grinding onto his face. Not like Joker minded, being suffocated by your cunt was a great way to go. However his hands weren’t idle as you sought out your pleasure.  

He kept you spread wide open with his thumb that every now and then, rubbed maddening shapes on your clit. There was so much stimuli, your brain could not keep up.  

You buried your face into the sheets and cried out as your orgasm flooded your senses.  

Joker hummed his approval and didn’t let up his feast.  

So what if your thighs shook as another orgasm hit you or was it simply a continuation of the first? The logistics didn’t matter.  

He knew it felt good given the whimpers not even your fancy pillow thread count could stifle. Joker was enjoying himself too although he couldn’t ignore the reason for your oversensitivity. It was right in front of his face after all.  

He couldn’t believe you were this serious about your nickname.  

Something about seeing your cotton tail swaying in sync with your pleasure stirred his own. He tore himself away from your pussy to speak on it.  

“How long have ya waited for this, hm?”  

He eased a third finger into your pussy as his tongue honed in on your clit. He wished for a way to bottle your high-pitched whines for a later use. It sure would come in handy for those long, lonely nights at the hideout when he ached for his pretty girl.  

He wondered how long you had been horny. Judging by the never ending slick coating your thighs, it had to be hours.  

That meant you were needy well before he left. Granted it was his idea to leave you all alone tonight to attend that dumb briefing, you still lured him back home with your gorgeous body and coy attitude.  

Interrupting him at work was a big no no. That had to be a good enough reason to punish you right? It was in Joker’s mind.  

His hand landed on your skin like a crackle of thunder. “Sendin’ pretty pictures knowing I’m busy. How loooong did ya wait Bunny? Answer me!” he struck your behind more and more as your silence filled the air. .  

Wet sobs collected in your throat with the strain of keeping quiet but you couldn’t endure this delicious torture for long.  

Finally, you caved in and your head shot up on command, “I-I waited—!” 

Joker shoved his wet fingers down your throat, sighing like a disapproving parent. “Ya really fell for that huh? Whaddya say earlier? That bunnies uhh, Don’t. Talk? Suck em clean… there ya go.” 

He tested your gag reflex with each pump of his fingers. You did as you were told and sucked your juices just like you would from his dick. Maybe if you did well enough, J would take pity on you and let you have it. Your cunt was aching with the overstimulation Joker assaulted it with. You craved him like no other.  

Unfortunately Joker knew exactly what you were up to when you started bobbing your head. He yanked his fingers away and pushed your head back down. “Bunny.. I thoughT I told ya to behave?”  

You heard the sound of his belt buckle coming undone and knew that you messed up.  

You couldn’t plead or squirm away from the inevitable. Joker had you right where he wanted you.  

The first impact from his belt startled you and leave it to J to not give you any breathing room. He gladly spanked you until more of your juices squirted onto the bed.  

“Haha, my sick little Bunny. I knew ya like this!” he mocked. Your body trembled with a mix of satisfaction and embarrassment. You were so adorable fighting with your emotions.  

He cooed at the heat from your skin turning it colors. He took to kneading your flesh to work the sting out. Although there were other ways of doing that.. 

J grinned when his fingers took a detour and toyed with your sloppy wet pussy. You definitely enjoyed a little pain with your pleasure. The evidence coated his wrists. 

You were the perfect Bunny. The best girl. How did he get so lucky to have you? 

Joker sighed to himself as he edged you again with his fingers. “I can do annnny~thing to ya and you’d let me, would ya sweet thing? Aht. Aht. Nod, no talkin.” 

You rocked your hips to Joker’s fingers—wanting nothing more than his cock. Your cunt was begging to be filled, to finally get a taste of your favorite drug. But you knew disobeying J would ruin your chances so you weakly nodded instead of pleading with words.  

You doubted you could string up a coherent sentence with your current brain cells anyway.  

Joker must’ve noticed and took pity on you. He saw the wrecked state you were in and wanted to ruin you further. You brought this upon yourself dressing up like a slut. He glared at your tail as he undid his pants.  

F__k, he was hard.  

There was no time to remove pesky clothes or anything else for that matter. Joker would die if he didn’t sink his cock deep into your gummy walls so he didn’t waste any more time.   

His leaking tip brushed your clit almost as an apology before all the air in your lungs got pushed out.  

He felt bigger than ever. Why did you agree to this? Both of your holes were stuffed full and with your limbs tied up and useless, it was only fair that your mind followed suit. Your jaw hung open in a silent moan the deeper Joker sank into your guts.  

“So f__king tight!! Awww Bunny. Ya still with me?” He asked when you got too quiet. J finally bottomed out with a demonic growl that ended in an equally sinister laugh. “I honestly don’t care. You’re. All. Mine.”  

He pulled back with a hiss, only to shove his dick right back in with teeth rattling force. Joker made deep, meticulous thrusts to really get a feel of your depth, as if this were the first time he explored your pussy. As he didn’t carve out the shape of his dick into your cunt ages ago. The loud wet squelches she made would’ve made you blush on a normal day.  

Tonight, your only objective was to keep breathing.  

Joker grabbed your bound arms and used them as leverage for his brutal pace in and out of your pussy.  

He spanked, he clawed, he kissed every inch of your skin at his disposal. You were a mere fleshlight for Joker to use and he loved every minute of it.  

Your pathetic moans in between gasps for air spurred him on.  

“Yes! Yes yes yes yes atta girl, take it Bunny. Arch it for me, c’mon.” Another hard slap to your buns echoed off the walls, a signal to correct your posture. “So good!” he groaned.  

At one point you felt J lay down on top of you. His lustful groans rang in your ears but his cock and his heavy thrusts, shook your soul. Joker set all of his weight on you, prone boning you deeper into the mattress.  

His teeth scraped your ear, “You’re so goood for meee.” Joker’s praise washed over you as his thrusts slowed down to reflect the change in the air. A mere moment’s reprieve you quickly took advantage of.  

You turned your head, catching his lips in a tangle of teeth and tongue.  

Joker drank in your airy moans as well as your features plagued by pleasure. Your mascara ran down your face and your blissful smile made Joker’s cock throb. There was not a single thought to be found behind your pretty eyes.  

You were so far gone that nothing else mattered but him. Joker uttered your name like a curse as he pulled out. You snapped out of your fog to whine but Joker was leagues ahead of you.  

“Shhh, calm down Bunny. It’s uh only for a… fuuuuu.. for a moment.” Joker gasped as he rolled you over onto your side. He wanted to see your face when he spilled himself inside of you.  

He just wasn’t expecting your pussy to squeeze him like a vice when he slid back inside. You were sucking him in and pushing him out and the conflicting sensations made Joker fall onto his knees straddling you.  

“Ya killin’ me doll.” Joker panted.  

He kept his balance on his hands to resume pounding into you. He fixed your bunny ears back straight and brushed a curl out of your face mid thrusts.  

He wanted a clear view when your eyes rolled back in ecstasy. You were almost there given the cute hiccups you were making.  

All this time you managed to keep quiet, somehow. He wanted this final orgasm to be catastrophic. He wanted you die and come back to life in ecstasy.  

You locked eyes with Joker right as white hot static started to creep up your spine. The room got hot and your nose tingled as the pressure that built up ever since J walked into the room, reached its precipice.  

You had nothing to hold onto. There was no slack to try escaping the intense pleasure Joker subjected you to. All you could do was lie back and cry out J’s name.  

The rope bit into your skin as you twitched and moaned wantonly. Joker steadied you the best he could while still ramming into your pussy. The world could end and he would not stop.  

You were the prettiest when you came and he would have been a fool to not follow you over the edge. 

Joker gasped as your cunt clamped down and wrangled his dick with each passing wave of pleasure. He wanted to wait, to drag out this moment until forever, yet he was a slave to your will.  

He buried his face in your chest and groaned as his dick pumped once, twice, and finally spilled rope after rope of cum into your womb. It was agony to let go. There was always more to experience; more to take. If there was a way to fuse himself with your body, he’d give it a try just to savor this moment with you for eternity.  

Joker didn’t know he was talking aloud until he heard your bumbling attempts to reply.  

“You’re never gonna be better than this my sweet girl. Accept. It. Thisss is who you are.” His hips bucked forward—still craving the warmth only you could provide, but pain had crept in ruining the night.  

You tried your best to utter a single word but Joker silenced it with a smoldering kiss. He pulled away holding your gaze intently.  

“I mean it. You’ll always be my pretty Bunny, mkay? Ohhh, look at you!! Was I too rough?” Joker teased when you winced in pain. Your shoulder was at an odd angle ever since he rolled you over. In the throes of passion, it didn’t register but now.. 

Joker tossed you a look, “You can talk now, doll.”  

He sat up and with great regret, pulled out of your pussy. She mourned the loss as J’s cum began to leak out onto the sheets.  

You’d have to do laundry again but Joker seemed preoccupied at the moment to notice your annoyed pout. He was busy undoing the sturdy knots he made around your limbs.  

One by one, you felt the pressure release… and then came the pain. “Ow..” you mumbled.  

Joker snorted but did his best to massage the blood flow back into your arms and legs. He eyed the rope burn on your skin (why did that rouse his dick back to life?) and sighed. “M’sorry Y/n. I uh.. tied it too tighT hehe.”  

He freed you so he could gather you up in his arms. The both of you fell back onto the pillows a pile of giggles and pleased sighs.  

Joker caressed your back as he stared up at the ceiling. Once you got comfortable on his chest, you tucked your head under his chin, fully prepared to be doted on. J was the best at post sex cuddles even if he denied it up and down.  

He looked so.. normal afterwards with his green hair all askew and his clown makeup smudged to high heaven. Only you got to see a Joker laid bare and relaxed.  

He did so much to look after you before, during, and now after; it became your responsibility to reassure him that you were okay.  

“It’s okay… um I.. I l-liked it so..” You paused tracing hearts onto this chest. “Um, J?” He hummed, knowing something was on your mind based on your stutter. “Yeah Bun?” 

Oh this was embarrassing. How were you gonna tell him? 

“I um.. m-my tail..” you wiggled on top of him now you could feel that dull ache growing. You wondered how he missed it.. 

Or maybe he didn’t. Joker snorted softly. “What about it?” He cracked an eye open to watch the realization hit you. “You ahh, better get used to it. You’re my Bunny now, re-mem-ber?”  

Joker kissed you before adding, “Get some rest. You miiiiight need it in a few.” 

Then he shut his eyes automatically dozing off—leaving you staring at him in horror. This was only supposed to be a nickname, an inside joke at best. Now you opened a door that you couldn’t escape from.  

You were Joker’s Bunny whether you liked it or not.

[binah-beloved]

Hello, thanks you for anwer my question from last time. Could you consider to write headcanons about the 5 love language. If only you want to of course :)

May many happy things come to those who love Binah. Merry Christmas and happy New year. Your posts always make my day better so thanks you.

don't worry, i want to

~ * ~ The Love Languages of an Arbiter Acts of Service:

Giving: -One of the main ways Binah expresses affection. Whether it’s during her time at Lobotomy Corporation or when the Library opens its doors, she strives for ways to make your life easier.-Listen, she was forced to become the Extraction Sephirah, she knows how difficult and tedious your job could be and it didn’t get much easier in the Library. -Plus, acts of service mean that she can show she cares while being subtle about it- and that’s really what Binah’s love is all about, subtlety. She’s not one for grand romantic gestures, preferring smaller, quieter things that accumulate over time. It makes for a more constant show of appreciation, she thinks. -Sometimes you’ll wake up and find that your paperwork has been sorted in alphabetical order. Or maybe the books Angela wanted you to put away have already been shelved. Or, most commonly, you’ll find a cup of steaming hot tea waiting for you after a long day, Binah sitting across from you and holding whatever novel you’ve been flipping through lately, so she can join you in reading.

Receiving: -Binah’s very appreciative of anything you do for her- she’s ranked higher than you, both as a Sephirah and a Patron Librarian, so the thought of you trying to make her life a little easier or just doing things out of goodwill makes her heart warm a little bit. -Unfortunately you can’t help her with much of her work unless it’s just sorting some things, since you’re not qualified for it, so you settle for tasks that don’t involve papers and books. -One of your favorite acts of service is restocking her tea when she runs out. She’s not sure how you procure it so quickly and so quietly, but often enough she’ll be out of a blend one day only for a full box to magically appear the next day. -You’ll know she found out when she comes up behind you and pats your head, murmuring a small “Thank you” in your ears.

Quality Time:

Giving:-Speaking of reading together, Binah spends time with you as often as possible, which unfortunately isn’t very often in Lobotomy Corporation. It gets much better in the Library, since she can easily steal you away for a tea party if you’re not actively in a Reception. -She’s gotten into this habit of simply picking you up and carrying you away when she wants to see you, and if you protest she just shushes you with a kiss. -All the invites she extends to the other Librarians for tea? Yeah, you’re the one she wants to accept the most, and her demeanor is just a little bit brighter if you do find the time to attend- it might not seem like much, but it’s a big change for someone as calm and mysterious as Binah. -But unlike the others, she also puts aside time for just the two of you, time where you’re the only two people in the world and that’s all that matters. If there are areas of the Library that are outdoors, she’ll gladly bring some treats so you can have a little picnic together. Or if you just want to indulge in one of your hobbies, Binah will be by your side to keep you company, watching calmly and asking questions here and there, because she loves watching you do anything.

Receiving: -If you go out of your way to spend time with her, Binah might actually cry. -Not much, mind you, just a tear or two, but it means the world to her. Although she tries to deny it, Binah is incredibly lonely, being locked away in the Extraction Department during each cycle, then being confined to the Floor of Philosophy and surrounded by people who fear her. Yes, she wears solitude wonderfully well, but she despises it, too. -She’s used to being the one inviting others, setting up gatherings and chats with the other Librarians, so when you extend a hand to her instead she’s both surprised and touched, even if she doesn’t show it outwardly. And you do it so casually, like you’re asking her how the weather is instead of inviting an ex-Arbiter to spend time with you. -Yes, she knows you do it because you love her and want to be by her side, but it’s such a foreign concept that she can’t help but pause, blinking a few times as your words set in. -Then a small smile blooms across Binah’s face, her hand slipping into yours as she asks you to lead the way. She doesn’t care what you’re doing- it can be anything- as long as she gets to spend time with you; it’s like the hollow emptiness that was so present in her life is mended whenever you’re nearby. -To her, it doesn’t matter what you want to do. As long as you’re there with her, she’ll enjoy herself. -Sidenote, Binah has a softer smile that she only uses around you, and her features subtly light up when she does, it’s beautiful.

Physical Touch:

Giving: -Binah doesn’t initiate physical touch very often, not because she doesn’t want to! It’s partially because she doesn’t want to hurt you by mistake and also because she simply forgets that physical touch is an option. Most of her years were spent killing and torturing people, she’s not used to touching someone out of love. -When she does remember, it’s the gentlest, most delicate touch you’ve ever felt. She’s very hesitant at the beginning, since she’s very aware of her strength, so most of the time it’s a simple hand on your shoulder before she slowly upgrades to patting your head. -The first time Binah holds your hand, she’s surprised at how much warmer you are than her- she tends to run a bit cold- and immediately moves to lace her fingers with yours. -She’s very fond of curling her little finger around yours when you stand next to each other. It’s a subtle way of saying that she’s there for you and that you’re safe. -Likes kissing you on the forehead, because when she pulls back she can get lost in the loving way you look at her.

Receiving: -There’s no beating around the bush, Binah is touch-starved. -Not in the sense that she’s clingy, but in the way that occurs because she’s never been hugged or held gently in her life. -So the first time you hug her she stiffens, immediately wanting to defend herself. But then she registers what you’re doing and the warmth of your arms and how securely you’re holding her, and she just absolutely melts. -To anyone else she looks the exact same, but you can feel her slump a little before she returns the gesture, a small sigh escaping her as she leans against you. She’s going to want a hug every day after that, and she will stare at you from across the room if you forget. Whenever you finish a Reception she always whisks you away for a quick hug if you’re not too injured. -Binah loves snuggling with you, no questions asked. The most common way is for you to be on her lap as she sits in her favorite armchair, gazing down at you as you lean your head against her shoulder. Occasionally you reach up to cup her cheeks in your hands, feeling her soft skin under your fingertips and watching her eyes shut briefly, her normally stoic expression softening just a tad. She’ll also let you braid her hair, if you know how. -She’s the big spoon when you’re sleeping, it makes her feel like she’s protecting you even when you’re both unconscious. Plus, the sight of your sleeping face when she wakes up is enough to energize her for the entire day, without drinking even a single cup of tea.

Gifts:

Giving: -Binah’s not a big gift-giver, it makes her feel like she’s trying to buy your affection, which she most certainly isn’t. That being said, she’s not completely opposed to it, she simply doesn’t shower you with gifts (and frankly neither do you). -The things she does give you are usually small and fall into at least one of two categories: having a practical use, or having a deeper meaning. -For example, she gifted you a notebook when she noticed you liked jotting things down on scraps of paper you came across, as well as a good, sturdy pen. Just for fun, she made sure it was black and gold to remind you of her, and you carry the notebook everywhere you go. -Perhaps the sweetest gift she’s given you was the matching earring to the one she wore as a Sephirah- she gave it to you as a way of confessing her affections. You don’t wear it that often anymore, since she swapped her own out for the small gold pair, but occasionally you’ll both wear the matching pair for fun. It makes her smile when she sees you wearing it in the hallway. -One day she swears she’ll give you one of her rings. One day.

Receiving: -She’s rather neutral on being gifted things, except if, again, they’re practical or have some sweetness put into them. If you like hand making small crafts, she’ll absolutely accept one as a gift. For example if you make her a bookmark or a coaster for her teacup, she’ll internally melt. -Another thing she’ll always accept is matching jewelry. Just like her own rings and earrings, if you gift her one half of a pair, she’ll make sure to wear hers whenever you wear yours. -But Binah really doesn’t need you to give her gifts to know that you love her, and if you worry about it, she’ll just tell you that you are the best gift the world has ever given her, and nothing could ever be lovelier.

Words of Affirmation:

Giving: -Probably the weakest of the love languages for Binah, in terms of giving it. She’s just not a very openly lovey-dovey person, and while she’s good at going off on cryptic tangents, she’s not very good at verbally expressing herself. -It’s mostly because she finds little need for words when in your presence- you seem to bring out this blanket of calm and peace whenever you’re nearby, and she wants nothing more than to quietly relish the feeling with you by her side. -Occasionally you’ll hear her whisper “I love you” when you’re in her arms, or a soft pet name, but for the most part you’re both content just existing with each other. -She does try to tell you that you did well after a particularly difficult Reception, and even back in L Corp she would always give you a small pat on the head after suppressing an Abnormality- she’s trying her best. -But once in a while, you’ll catch her watching you from across the table, and when you pipe up and ask about it she’ll flatter you with a long and eloquent compliment, a faint smile on her face as she watches you stumble over your words in response. It’s almost like a surprise, and she does like surprising you.

Receiving: -All her life, Binah has been complimented mainly about how good she was at her job, at maiming, slaughtering. And every time, the praise brought nothing to the emptiness she felt, they were just meaningless words to fill the air. -But when you compliment her, it’s so… genuine. You compare her to stars and flowers and the moon, because you truly think that she’s beautiful, that she’s intelligent, that she’s strong and elegant and incredible. And when you say it, she does feel like all the things you praise her to be. -It surprises her when you tell her she’s gentle and kind. She was Garion, and now she’s Binah, and both are known for their cold, sadistic tendencies- and yet here you are, with the brightest smile on your face, complimenting her to the Head and back. -Her favorite phrase, though, is simple and a little cliche. It’s when you lean your head back to look at her and say “I love you” for all the world to hear. There’s no hesitation in your voice, no doubts in your mind. If there’s anything that flusters her even slightly, it’s that.

[nancypullen]

Last Days of 2025

I took a month off from the ol' blog. A MONTH. I haven't done that since I started this nonsense in 2007. I just wasn't feeling particularly chatty. I've been caught up in making merry and decking the halls, but I also feel an impending sense of doom. We all know what (or who) 2025 will bring, and it's not good. Not good at all. BUT, this space on the magical interwebs is not for doom and gloom. This space is about finding joy, laughing together, and cheering you on in this crazy life. So that's what I intend to continue doing here. Let's walk into this new year with cautious hope, but fully prepared to do battle if necessary. Here at the Pullen home I have been the busiest elf Santa ever sent into the world.

THose of you who know me will remember that my hometown really IS North Pole, Alaska. If you visit, you'll find candy cane streetlights, street names like Mistletoe Lane, Snowman Lane, and of course, Santa Claus Lane. Santa's house is there, and I went to high school with Santa's daughter. Her name is Merry Christmas Miller, though I'm sure that has probably changed over the years due to marriage. She was a beauty. Quite often, after school, we'd go to Santa's house and feed snacks to the reindeer. We ate pizza at a restaurant called The Elf's Den. This was all perfectly normal to us, and a delightfully wholesome way to grow up. Here's a peek at Santa's house.

So, having said all of that, it's probably no surprise that I like to decorate for Christmas. It makes me a bit nostalgic, and it's almost impossible to be unhappy in a house filled with jingle bells and holiday cheer. Knowing that, I decked the dang halls and I wrapped (and wrapped and wrapped and wrapped) gifts to tuck under the tree. I've placed bits and bobs downstairs and upstairs, spreading the holiday vibe. So many of my little window sill sitters are quite old -gifts from students more than twenty years ago. Little guys like these look just fine if I snip some greenery from the yews in the front yard.

Other knick knacks I've collected over the years. These two are favorites. I enjoy sliding Santa's sleigh closer to Christmas each day.

And this one speaks to the child that still lives in my heart every December.

Stuff like that is scattered all over the house, with most of it a nod to the big guy.

I picked up the HoHoHo piece at Kirkland's for about $14. It makes me smile.

Throw pillows that I've had for several years make the sofa cheerful.

The tv cabinet just has a couple of candles and trees -nothing special, but it's pretty at night when we're cozy and watching television. It really brings a warm glow to the room.

I love candles and twinkle lights this time of year. One new addition is a strand of pre-lit garland wrapped around a tension (curtain) rod and placed at the end of the entry hall. Nothing fancy but it's a nice little holiday boost to the house.

I have a love/hate relationship with that table. When we moved here two and a half years ago we were busy renovating this house. It was during supply chain issues and we live on Maryland's Eastern Shore which can feel like Timbuktu when you want some pretty basic things. Anywayyyy...we were working on the house, our kids were arriving for July 4th and I had nowhere for anyone to sit. We bought that dining set on Facebook marketplace for $50 as a place holder. I had visions of a gorgeous, chippy, french country dining set to fill that spot. Fast forward a couple of years and every time I mention getting rid of it the family protests because they swear the chairs are SO comfortable. Apparently they cup the bum and support the back just right. I hate it, but it makes everyone else happy. I'll just keep hating it, I guess. I keep my Xmas table really simple. No giant centerpiece, no candelabra. White plates, red napkins, and green goblets are festive enough. Time to dress the table!

And, of course, the tree. This may be the last year for the old gal. Or maybe not. If I can keep fluffing her out and filling the holes with ornaments and foofoo we can get a couple more seasons out of her.

The bow on top is a tad floppy, but by the time she was crowned I was so ready to be finished that I deemed it just fine. It's not like we're on the HGTV home tour.

So, the house is festive, and our hearts are festive...but Denton doesn't offer much in the way of holiday fun. That's why we hopped on the Metro last Thursday and headed into D.C. to roam the Christmas markets. The Dupont Circle market was just so-so, but the market at Gallery Place (F Street between 7th and 9th?) was wonderful! It's right at the Gallery Place/ChinaTown stop so you walk right into it when you exit the Metro.

Those last few pic were snapped by Mickey. I was too busy shopping. It was a fabulous way to spend the day. Prior to hitting the markets we visited the Harry Benson Gallery - incredible! If you get the chance, go. What an amazing life.

There you have it. A tiresome post to catch you up on our comings and goings. Mickey made a fast trip down to Atlanta to celebrate his mother's 90th birthday. I've been keeping the home fires burning and preparing for the holidays and the coming year. Here's some fun that you can join in. Yesterday, on the solstice, I wrote down ten intentions/goals for 2025 on strips of paper. I folded them up and placed them in this little jar.

Starting today, and each day through New Year's Eve, I will take one out (no peeking!) and burn it without opening it. On the 31st, when I take the last one out, I'll open it and read it. THAT is the one that the universe is telling me to focus on. Sure, you can still work on everything else - maybe your list includes stuff like getting in shape, changing jobs, traveling more, setting boundaries with people, or mending relationships. You can still do all of that and more. But if you enjoy woo-woo stuff (I do), and prefer paganism over hypocritical puritanism (ohh, too harsh?), this is a fun way to ask the universe for a sign and direct your focus there. It's certainly not going to hurt, although I'm going to be ticked off if my last slip is the one that says "lose weight" and not "prioritize your happiness". Just my luck. Alright, my darlings. That's enough rambling from me. Sorry for the unexpected break, I plan to do much better in 2025. Matt arrived yesterday, Tyler and his crew will arrive soon, so until January this space will be hit or miss. But know that I am sending out huge amounts of love, wishing you peace in your hearts and homes, and always, always expecting the very best for all of us. I hope that your dearest wishes come true and the coming year surprises you with so much joy. Now get out there and spread some Christmas cheer! Stay safe, stay well, jingle all the way~~~ XOXO, Nancy

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2024–Day 4: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1/3)

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Word Count: 2169

Other chapters: 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Chapter 1: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Notes: This story was originally written in 2014. Killian is perplexed by all the lights and music and hustle and bustle that starts to appear around Storybrooke just after Thanksgiving, but luckily Henry helps him figure out what this “Christmas” is all about. He makes it his mission to help Emma overcome the pain of her past so she can truly get into the spirit of the season.

It all began to appear at the end of November, as far as Killian could tell. Last Thursday, Swan had invited him to join her and her family for the celebration of something called “Thanksgiving,�� a holiday, as best he could tell, which consisted of gorging oneself on exorbitant amounts of food and then watching a sporting event called “football.”

The next day, the entire feel and tenor of Storybrooke changed in an instant—brightly colored lights adorning every conceivable surface, evergreen wreaths twined with ribbons, gracing doors and walls, portraits and figurines of a rather portly man with a long white beard and a red coat wherever one looked. Most mystifying of all, the fairies, who Regina had managed to free from the sorcerer’s hat, had erected a replica of a stable in which a woman, several men, cows, horses and a donkey knelt before a tiny baby lying in what looked like a manger. 

Even the music that blared from every shop and eating establishment had changed. It appeared a holiday entitled “Christmas” was fast approaching.  Judging by the songs of the season, Christmas involved a jolly man who drove a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer (one of which had a red, glowing nose), a deity who came to earth as an infant born of a virgin, families and loved ones spending time together, peace and goodwill among all, and gift giving.

It was utterly bewildering.

Killian sat in his booth in the diner, sipping his coffee and waiting for Swan’s lad to join him for breakfast when the most perplexing sight of all met his eyes.

The bell above the door chimed, and Killian’s eyes widened as he watched a very bad-tempered Leroy step inside dragging a gigantic fir tree behind him. A generous coat of snow covered the dwarf from head to foot and fell from the tree in clumps.

“Leroy!” Granny bellowed. “You’re tracking snow all over my diner.  What do you think you’re doing?”

“Sorry, sister,” Leroy muttered in a voice which proved he was anything but. “You asked me to bring you a Christmas tree, and a Christmas tree I brought.  Ain’t my fault Mother Nature chose today to dump on us.”

“You couldn’t have shaken the damn thing off before you came in?” Granny continued, her hands planted on her generous hips.

Leroy glared. “Look, you don’t like the way I do the job you gave me?  Do it yourself.”

Granny rolled her eyes, and then threw up her hands. “Fine, just put it in the corner, get it decorated and stop blocking my doorway.”

Christmas involved bringing trees indoors and decorating them? What an odd custom.

Leroy grumbled under his breath as he hoisted the massive fir onto his shoulder and crept laboriously toward the corner Granny indicated. He fought with the tree for some time, cursing under his breath as he tried…and failed…to hold it steady while simultaneously securing it in the stand Granny had placed in the far corner.

“Hey pirate!” Leroy called from beneath the tree’s boughs. “I could use a hand or two.”

Killian grinned, set his coffee back upon the table and got to his feet. “Alas, dwarf, I have but one to lend.”

Leroy emerged from the tree and fixed a surly scowl on Killian. “Not in the mood for jokes.  Just get your leather clad ass over here!”

Killian sketched a mocking bow and ambled in the dwarf’s direction. “As you’ve deigned to ask so politely, I’m at your service.  What precisely do you need of me?”

“Just hold the damn thing steady while I get it screwed in.”

Killian complied, holding the tree still, while Leroy tightened screws fastening the trunk into a stand of sorts.

“Now, next job: untangle the lights and string them on the tree,” Leroy commanded.

“Er…” Killian said, scratching behind his ear, “what the bloody hell does that mean?”

Leroy glared for a moment before rolling his eyes. “Don’t you know anything about Christmas?  Grab that string of lights over there, untangle it, and wrap it around the tree.”

The bell over the door chimed once more, and Killian looked up to see Henry, rosy cheeked from the cold and bundled within an inch of his life, walk in. Mentally heaving a sigh of relief, he turned to Leroy.  “Sorry, mate,” he said, “I’ve plans to dine with Swan’s lad.  I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else to assist you.”

Leroy continued to mutter as Killian made his way back to his booth, but otherwise, mercifully, kept his opinions to himself.

“Hey Killian!” Henry called as he peeled off his hat, scarf, gloves and coat and plopped down in the booth.

“Good morning lad,” Killian greeted with an affectionate ruffle of the boy’s hair, “how are you this frigid morning?”

“Starving,” Henry said, grabbing a menu. “I could eat an elephant.”

Killian laughed. Such was the lot of a pre-teen boy.  Swan had complained just last night that her lad was eating her out of house and home.  “I’ve yet to see elephant on Granny’s menu.  Suppose we settle for pancakes and bacon?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Killian flagged down Ruby, who appeared with the lad’s usual hot cocoa with cinnamon.   He placed their orders, and then sat back in his seat, watching with amusement as Henry swiped a generous dollop of cream from the top of his beverage with one finger and then happily licked it clean.

“So why’d you ask me to have breakfast with you?” Henry asked after taking his first sip and sighing with contentment.

Killian grinned. “Does a man need a reason to ask his mate to dine with him?”

“Well, no,” Henry said, “but when you called last night, you said you had things you wanted to discuss.”

“True enough,” Killian remarked after taking another swig of his coffee. “As the days pass, it becomes increasingly evident to me that I need to ascertain just what this ‘Christmas’ holiday entails.  I asked you mum about it, but she seemed unwilling to discuss the matter.”

A shadow passed across the lads face. Killian watched him closely.

“Yeah,” Henry said, uncomfortably, “she doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with Christmas. I was hoping now that she’s gotten settled in her new apartment, she’d let me help her decorate, but she doesn’t want to put up a tree or stockings or make cookies or anything.”

“These are traditions of the holiday?”

“Yeah, and Mom wouldn’t even discuss any of it,” Henry took another sip and frowned. “It was kind of like that last year too.  She finally put up a tree for me, but she really didn’t want to.”

“And it’s important to you to observe these traditions?” Killian asked carefully, trying to assess the root of the lad’s obvious unhappiness.

Henry shrugged. “Yeah, but, I mean, it’s not that.  My other mom is doing all the Christmas stuff and so are Grandma and Grandpa.  It’s just that I’m worried about Mom.  It doesn’t seem like she’s just being a Grinch or something; Christmas seems to really upset her.”

What precisely was a “Grinch?” No matter.  The import of the lad’s words was clear enough.  “Would you like me to talk to your mum?”

“I was hoping you would,” Henry admitted. “If anyone can make her feel better it’s you.”

Killian grinned. “It would be my pleasure, Henry.  I’ve plans to meet your mother for lunch.  I’ll broach the subject then.”

“Thanks, I’m really glad she has you.” Henry looked away uncomfortably.  “Look, Killian, about what I said back when the Shattered Sight spell hit…”

Killian waved the lad’s words away with a negligent move of his hook. “Don’t concern yourself mate.  You were cursed; I’d hardly take your words to heart.”

“Still,” Henry said, “I just, you know, wanted you to know that I didn’t mean it. I do like you, and, well, I like how happy you make my mom.  I never saw her this happy, even when she was just about engaged to Walsh.”

Killian clapped Henry on the shoulder. “It’s mutual lad.  I enjoy the time we spend together, and I love your mother more than life itself.  I must say it’s heartening to hear that I make her happier than a charlatan in simian form.”

The wolf girl returned with two steaming plates of pancakes. Killian grinned in amusement as he watched Henry tuck into his breakfast with the gusto of one who hadn’t eaten in a week.  When the lad’s worst pangs of hunger were apparently sated, Killian returned to the subject at hand.

“Now, to return to the original topic of this discussion. I was content to merely watch the town’s dealings with regard to Christmas until I received your grandmother’s invitation to the town Christmas party.  Now I find it incumbent upon myself to learn what is expected of me with regard to this holiday.  For example, what precisely does a ‘dirty Santa gift exchange’ entail?”

Mary Margaret, as the current mayor of Storybrooke, had evidently decided that the best way to foster town unity and holiday spirit was to throw a party upon the occasion of Christmas. It was to be held on the eve of Christmas itself, and Swan’s mum had assured him that it would be an evening filled with joy and laughter.  She’d further assured him that he was free to spike his cup of eggnog with as much rum as he pleased.

“It’s awesome,” Henry said around a mouthful of bacon. “It’s kind of like a gift exchange and a game all wrapped up together.  Everybody brings a wrapped present, and then…”

The lad went on to describe a game worthy of a pirate—full of theft, strategy and the winning of loot.

“So, it would seem gift giving is an important part of this holiday?” Killian asked.

“Yeah,” Henry said, drawing out the syllable. “It’s not, like, the most important part of Christmas, but people like to give each other gifts at this time of year.  It’s a way to show people that you care about them.”

“Aye,” Killian said, nodding his head, “but that leads me to my next question. What precisely is a man expected to give to the woman he loves?  I’ve heard multiple renditions of a song which seems to provide a roadmap, but I find it difficult to believe that Swan would wish me to gift her with drummers and pipers and lords and dancers and multiple aviary creatures.  And what use could she possibly have for eight maids a-milking?”

Henry chuckled. “That’s just a song; no one actually gives their true love that kind of stuff!  But can I be there if you decide to give my mom eleven pipers piping?  Please?”

Killian took a bite of his breakfast and grinned. “I think I’ll avoid that particular spectacle.  I must say, I’m much relieved.  I hadn’t a clue where I was to find ten lords a-leaping.  If that quite motley list is not an example of the proper Christmas gifts for a man to give his true love, what is?”

Henry shrugged. “Nothing in particular, I don’t think.  Just give her something heartfelt—something that shows her how you feel about her.”

“That, I believe I can manage.”

Henry shook his head in evident disgust. “I’m sure you can.  You and mom are so sappy together it’s kind of sickening.”

Killian ruffled the lad’s hair again. “Just wait, Henry.  Your day will come.  One day you’ll find true love, and then you’ll be as ‘sappy’ as anyone.”

“Maybe,” Henry said skeptically. “So is that all you wanted to know?”

“I have but one more question to ask,” Killian said, dragging his last bite of pancake through his remaining syrup. He took his bite, chewed thoughtfully, and then looked at the lad.  “It seems mistletoe is quite important given its prominence in the music I’ve heard during the past week.  To my knowledge, it’s nothing but a weed, something of a nuisance.  Might I inquire what its purpose is during Christmastime?”

Henry groaned, and then buried his face within his hands. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise you’ll never use it with mom when I’m around.”

–Up next, Killian takes Emma to lunch (and for a walk in the snowy woods), and gets to the bottom of just why she’s so resistant to anything related to Christmas. In true Killian fashion, he helps lift her spirits and get over some wounds from her past.

NEXT CHAPTER->

[uupdirector]

The Eve Cometh Again

"Another day, another Christmas" is what I would be saying if I hadn't been doing all I could to bring my life to a point where I'm not only working hard at bringing the best possible life for myself, but also slowly but surely regaining the love I had for all the hobbies that kept me sound enough to enjoy said life. It's been a long journey to reach this point, and while I'm still fairly nervous about what the future beholds, I'm not going to let that hold me back on reaching the goals I have laid out for me. There's far more excitement than anxiousness, and sometimes I have to tell myself that so I don't end up getting pulled back into the gutter, but it's because of that excitement that I'm fairly happy this Christmastime.

I have something big planned not just for myself, but to everyone that's continued to see my journey and enjoy all the stories and goofs I've had to share. But today, I want to take the time to provide some letter-like notes to a few of my closest friends that have continued to help me smile over the years.

Let's start with my chums from the Joy Charged Gamerz Crew - first of all, sorry again for not being active on the channel this year xD I know the channel is meant to be more laid back and should only be obliged when we feel comfortable enough to do so. It doesn't change the fact that even now, I'm forever thankful to have been granted the opportunity to not only help and see the channel grow, but also create some fantastic memories with great friends. With the new year on the horizon, I hope we get the chance to create some more memories, and since I've been taking some time to play more games again, I hope that this spark will give me the chance to continue charging others with joy. Merry Christmas, lads, and love ya'll 💛

To many of the new friends that I've had the joy of hanging with a TON this year - @soybeanzoffical, @onyxcolonyart, Slime Guy/mrmendezgamer1, Rambles, Namor, @sparxsiris, Nate, @rubyshimmer0x, and many others, thank you all for being a supportive bunch of lads. Even though we've had a lot of bullying escapades in the past year, I can look back and get a little chuckle out of 'em x3 Much love to ya'll, and here's to another year of my dumbass shenanigans! Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays, buds :'3 🩷

To one of my good buds in animation, TheInvertedShadow (@asktheshadows), I know we've not spent as much time together, and we've both been going through our own fair share of down moments, but I just wanna leave another reminder for ya; you are always loved and cared for by thousands - if not millions of people, and as one of them, I'm glad to have seen your talent grow since I first laid eyes on your EoI video 10 years back. And if I knew we were going to be a chaotic duo of friendship back then, I'd probably call myself crazy xD But to be serious - you've always been such a supportive friend since we first spoke together back in 2016, and for that, I can't thank you enough, and I'm happy to call ya one of my best friends. Thank you so much for all the great memories, and here's to many more in the future - we both got a lot ahead of us, for sure ;) Merry Christmas, lad ❤️

And speaking of which, to another one of my best buds; Will Ryan (DAGames). Man - what a year it's been, hasn't it? Since the start, you've been constantly moving yourself up higher and higher, and being along with ya for the ride has been nothing short of a blast. I'm legitimately proud of you for all the accomplishments you've made - from the release of HOAA:R (btw to everyone else, bls stream Castle that Burns, kthxbai xD ), the launch of Solitude: Subject Placement, and all the conventions you attended. On that note, it was fucking amazing to be able to see ya again at MomoCon this year, and not just for a day, at that! The experience itself was already amazing as it was, but to be able to hang out with you, the crew, and some of our other friends was probably one of the best memories from this year. I still get choked up thinking back to the concert when Living Life Without The Cord and Gold: SSD played, and I'm so happy that it turned out so well. I know the year hasn't come without it's downsides either, but the fact you persevered regardless and brought some great times with it is something you can't knock. On that note, I also have my own share of thanks to give. I'm wholeheartedly grateful of all the support you've given me during the production of Scarlet Combine leading up to the launch of Storm Before The Calm. To be in a similar pair of shoes that you've worn, it's given me some semblance to the feelings and experiences you've had when you first released HOAA. It can't entirely be compared - that much I know, but to have made something of this calibur has shown me that the work of an artist of any kind isn't to be taken lightly, and while I too wish there were things I could have done better with my album, it doesn't change the fact that I'm proud to have made it possible regardless, and I have you to thank as one of my pillars of inspiration. And even though we may not have had the same experiences with our projects, one thing I can say is that it's helped me understand enough to have your back even more than I have before. It may be difficult to push out the negative thoughts that came from releasing Resurrection, but once you understand the obstacles in your Pursuit of Hope are meant to guide you to the joy you're seeking, it all comes slightly more naturally. I haven't given up on my own pursuit, so don't give up on yours. Thank you for everything, Will, and I love ya to fuckin bits. Merry Christmas, bud 💚

Now, to all the fans that have kept up with my bullshit for so long (sorry by the way xD ), thank you all for being so supportive and patient with me as I work towards the new year - a lot has been on my mind during this long break, and thankfully I'm pushing ever closer to a brighter end where I can be happy with the things I've enjoyed doing for years. There's a lot to look forward to, and I can't wait to talk about some of it when the Resolution of 2024 rolls in on January 15th. I love you all, and I hope you all enjoy the holiday season leading up to the new year.💙

And finally, I have one last person I'd like to speak to; my love, @aspennightray (Shut up, I know it's gay xDD). Words can't express how happy I am to have you in my life. I know this year has had it's struggles for the both of us, and I know that my dumbassery has caused its fair share of frustration with you in fixing some of those things, but this year has also brought some great memories as well. When we first met face-to-face for MomoCon, it was admittedly weird to continue from there like it was just another Discord call, but if anything, it helped make the transition to our time spent in the following 2 weeks all the more comfortable. I won't beat around the bush, but that was by far the best time of my life in such a long while, and has made me confident enough that you are the one I want to be with. While there's been quite a few potholes making the journey to that point fairly difficult, I still haven't given up yet, and I don't plan to anytime soon. You've done so much for me in the past year we've been together for, and while I know many of them were things I could have done myself or many other friends could have done for me, but I suppose it just has more meaning to me knowing it comes from you, especially with how much it's helped me get off my ass and take care of myself. Despite the tail end of this year feeling a bit off for a multitude of reasons, none of that overshadows the fact that it's been an amazing one, and i can't thank you enough for it. I also can't thank you enough for all you've done to bring my ideas to life - no matter how beautiful they've turned out (and they certainly ARE beautiful <3 ), none of that matters as much as the fact that you made it possible. Sure, they may have been "jobs" at the end of the day, but your fascination, interest, and support for Scarlet Combine has been a core spark in ensuring that I completed it, and that means so much to me. Despite the jokes, bullying, and a few moments of irritation, I know you've always believed in my ability to create this new world of mine, and though it will take a good while before I continue it again, I'm excited for what we'll do with it together. Thank you so much for everything, hon, and I hope this Christmas turns out well for you. Even if it doesn't, know that I'll still be here to help make it just a little bit brighter. I love you so much 💜

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here's to an even Happier New Year to you all 🎄

[padfootagain]

Masterlist - Requests are closed - The tag list is open!

Hello!!

I hope all of you have a wonderful time for the end of this crazy year! Here is the posting schedule for the upcoming three weeks, I'll have some time to write during the holidays, right before exam season strikes in January, so hopefully we can keep this rhythm up through January and February!

We're also welcoming a new character that I'll be adding to the masterlist! Because I have no self-control, and am going to hell for this... hope you like it! :D

Wishing all of you a merry Christmas for those who celebrate, and a happy new year! Hope you like the new fics!

19/12/2023 - The Car Trap

Hozier x Reader, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, angst with a happy ending, friends to lovers, oneshot

Summary: You're offered a job in Switzerland, and you're ready to accept it. It would offer you a new beginning, a way to forget about the love you have for your best friend. But a trip through a snowstorm with Andrew might change everything...

22/12/2023 - Chapter 23 for Something Good

Ben Barnes x Reader, Professor AU!, angst, fluff, slow-burn, enemies to lovers, on-going series

Summary: Coming out of a divorce and trying to get used to being a single mom, while teaching your classes at University, you thought your life could not get more complicated than it already iss. But when you are asked to take care of the theatre club with the colleague that you really can’t get along with, you realize that everything can still get ten times more complicated in your life. And when you start actually liking Professor Barnes, the troubles only grow exponentially…

25/12/2023 - Home For Christmas

Hozier x Reader, fluff, nothing but fluff, oneshot

Summary: Andrew is on tour during the Christmas season. Unless... he's got a surprise for you on Christmas Eve!

28/12/2023 - Black Dog Neighbour

Sirius Black x reader, enemies to lovers, fluff, requested by @nobodyshomearchive for my 6k event, oneshot

Summary: God, you hate that guy next door. Bloody annoying neighbour with his noisy motorcycle, his loud friends, his annoying laugh, his charming smile, his amazing hair, his effortless way to sport sexy leather jackets. He’s insufferable, you hate him to bits. The fact that he’s a talented wizard who can magically change into a dog to guard your door when your ex comes bothering you again will not change your first impression in the slightest, by the way. You still hate him to guts. Probably…

31/12/2023 - Chapter 4 for The Last Ones on Earth

The Darkling x reader, angst, fluff, on-going series

Summary: You and the Darkling are a team, even if no one knows it. Beyond being a team, you are the only one he trusts, and he's the only one you care about, and you're each other's true love. But if you've kept your secrets hidden for a long time, now that the Sun Summoner is fighting against you, it's time to reveal who you are, and what you are capable of...

03/01/2024 - Pink Helmet

Sirius Black x reader, friends to lovers, angst, fluff, requested by @wolfmoonmusic for my 6k event, oneshot

Summary: You get jealous on a night out with your friends, because Sirius is flirting with some random girl at the bar. Your anger is about to cause a chain reaction that will bring unsuspected consequences… for the better.

06/01/2024 - When We Were Lying

Hozier x Reader, angst, friends to lovers, fake dating AU, angst to fluff, oneshot

Summary: Your ex is attending your family gathering for Christmas and there is no way you're going to face that alone. Of course, you drag your best friend into this, and he's too smitten with you to say no when you ask him to pretend to be your boyfriend. Although, the fact that you both have feelings for each other might end up being a problem...

09/01/2024 - Chapter 6 for You and the King

Caspian x reader, Sequel to The King and You, angst, fluff, on-going series

Summary : After meeting Caspian in your own world, you decide to follow him to Narnia, your love for him too strong for you to keep your old life. But as you discover the magic of Narnia, you soon realise that this extraordinary world is as dangerous as it is magnificent. Will your love for Caspian be enough to defeat your new enemies?

12/01/2024 - Bookshelves

Ben Barnes x reader, fluff, domestic bliss, requested for my 6k event, oneshot

Summary: Nothing’s better than reorganizing your bookshelves with the love of your life on a crispy autumnal afternoon…

[oldsalempost-blog]

The Old Salem Post

                   Our  Local Tamassee-Salem SC Area News each Monday except holidays                                         

Contact: theoldsalempost@gmail.com                 

Distributed to local businesses, town hall, library.                            Volume 8 Issue 4                                                                                 

Week of December 16,  2024                https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/oldsalempost-blog                         Lynne Martin Publishing                                                                                                                                                          

EDITOR:  This will be the end of the year issue of The Old Salem Post until after the New Year. Although I have already been preparing my heart during this joyful Advent Season, I need to prepare my home for Christmas.   As we all prepare our homes with delicious meals, goodies, and fun festivities to make precious memories with loved ones and friends, let us share most of all the Joy that Christ brings to us through all the holidays of Christmas and every day of our lives. Lynne R Martin      Quote this week by Mother Teresa:  “ It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you...yes it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand. It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing. If we were humble, nothing would change us-neither praise nor discouragement.”                                          

TOWN of SALEM: 5 Park Avenue  Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM. Closed 12-1 for lunch.  864-944-2819 We will be closed Dec 23 thru 27. Will return Dec 30,31 then off New Year’s Day.  We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Salem Library:  5 Park Avenue Monday 10AM-6PM, Tuesday-Friday 9AM-5PM.  Closed 12-1 each day for lunch. Will close Dec 24-26 for Christmas and on New Year’s Day. Call 864-944-0912

Jottings from Miz Jeannie  by Jeannie Barnwell   How Do You Get From Tamassee to Seneca?   If you were my package, YOU DON'T!!   On 12/2, my package traveled to Charlotte.  Then it globetrotted to Greenville, where it sailed off to Seneca.  On 12/6 the limp PACKAGE (without its contents) arrived at the home of my friend, Peg.  She immediately contacted me. Upon visiting the local P.O., I informed the agent that I WAS P.IFFED.

I was extremely  PIFFED!     (Background information) I am a refined Southern woman.  I detest hearing that common expressed "Pi_ _ed Off!   Straight-laced Southern women (who never sweat-- WE GLISTEN) prefer to be PIFFED OFF! The agent informed me that it was all my fault for not using Turbo-Maxed- to the 10th Power Tape.  I don't know why she did not inform me of such when she accepted my $5.45 postage fee.  She provided me with a list of phone numbers for all the post offices where the package had sojourned.  "Call them, but be patient.  They rarely answer their phones," says she.   My Parting Request  to her:," Please refund my postage charge." To which she declared: "I am only too happy to do that, as soon as you fill out  #29HE686LP  FORMS in triplicate.  Unfortunately, we are out of them at this time."  By the way, the book I sent to my friend Peg was entitled "Lord, Teach Me Patience, BUT HURRY."  Gentle Readers:  I wish you a very Merry Christmas! I'll love you forever and Like You for ALWAYS!  Miz Jeannie

ASHTON RECALLS by Ashton Hester     LIFE IN 1850s RECALLED IN 1924 LETTER TO THE EDITOR— (The following letter to the editor from Wm. E. Emery of Galloway, Ohio was in the October 8, 1924 Keowee Courier). . .Editor Keowee Courier. . .As a reader of your paper I will drop you a few lines, and if you think they will interest your readers you can insert them; if not, I know that you have an ample waste-basket for all unacceptable manuscripts. . .I was reading in the "News from Bounty Land" and it made me think about by-gone days. I went to school at Bounty Land when I was quite a small boy (I think it was in the year 1856). I will mention a few families from whose homes children attended school at that time: The Striblings, Bowers, Halls, Doyles, McCrarys, and a great many others that I could mention. . .An old gentleman, Mr. Penney, was the teacher. Sam Dendy attended the school at that time. He was quite a nice young man. He was a favorite with the small boys. . .The writer from Bounty Land mentioned in her news items about visiting Oconee Station and the buildings at Tamassee. I wondered if those buildings are on the old Tamassee farm? I was partly raised on the Tamassee farm. My father moved on that farm in the year 1847. Elam Sharp owned the farm at that time. He employed my father as overseer. We lived in what was called the red house. It was a big two-story house on the west side of Little river. Mr. Sharp built a brick house on the east side of the river afterward. . .The first school I attended was at the old Cheohee church. An old Mr. Cowan was the teacher in the summer and old Mr. Sheppard taught the winter session. . .   TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT YEAR!   

JOCASSEE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY,(JVBC) & COFFEE SHOP* 13412 N Hwy 11  Hours:    Wed–Sat 9am-9pm & Sunday 12pm-7pm.  Events this week:  Wed:   BLUE GRASS JAM 7PM    Thurs:  Bring something to share for a CONSERVATION CHRISTMAS  6:00PM    Fri: Food:  BLUE RIDGE GRILL 4PM  Music: JAZZY TRINITY CHRISTMAS 6:30PM  Sat:  Food:   Dogs & More Catering  Music:  Freddie Vanderford  & Brandon Turner at 6:30PM   Sun: 12pm-7pm  Music:  Marshall Goers & Lucy Allen Christmas at 4PM.  Pot Luck Dinner.

EAGLES NEST ART CENTER 2024 UPCOMING EVENTS                                                                                                                                 Christmas at Eagles Nest Art Center:  View the Tamassee-Salem Elementary Christmas Art in the auditorium hall.   

The Christmas Talent Showcase on December 14 at 6:00 p.m. can be viewed on Sony 107.9 wfbs website. A huge thank you to Jeff Bright for being a wonderful Master of Ceremonies! The program will air again Sony 107.9 on Christmas Eve 7PM .

December 21 at 7:00 p.m. features the Johnson Edition Christmas Show- bring the whole family out for a wonderful Christmas evening.  Tickets$10 online at eaglesnestartcenter.org or at the door.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Come early to enjoy refreshments and shopping our Treasure Store.                            

Eagles Nest Senior Exercise Program:  The week of Dec 23 thru Dec 30th the exercise group will break for Christmas.                                 Join friends to exercise at the Eagles Nest Art Center!  Classes  each Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30AM –10:30AM with Stretching and walking geared for 55 plus.  Cost $2.50  each class you attend.    For information call 864-280-1258                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

CHURCH NEWS    Find a wonderful Christmas service to attend.

Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCUSA),  580 Bethel Church Rd Walhalla, 29691. Worship at 10:30 a.m.  Mel Davis will give the Message 12/22 We will have a Candlelight service Christmas Eve at 7:00 PM                                                                      Boones Creek Baptist Church, 264 Boones Creek Road, Salem invites you to join us for regular worship service on Sunday morning with Sunday School at 10am and followed by worship at 11am                    Calvary Baptist Church, 235 East Main Street, Salem, SC 29676   Sunday School at 10AM and Worship at 11AM                        MOUNTAIN VIEW WESLEYAN CHURCH, 129 Mountain View Road, Salem SC.  Call for more information 864-280-5663     Salem Baptist Church 151 Crestwood Dr, Salem, SC 29676  864-944-7200

Salem Seventh-Day Adventist Church, located 240 W Main St , Salem,  cordially invites you to join us every Saturday at 9:30am

Salem Methodist Church: 520 Church Street, Salem.  9am for breakfast, 9:30am for Sunday School, and 10:30am for Worship.  You may tune in to our live service on Facebook or view it later on our website.                                                                The 3rd Advent candle was lit on Sunday to represent Joy. Next Sunday the 4th candle of  Love will be lit.  The center white Christ candle will be lit at our Christmas Eve service at 6PM as we welcome Baby Jesus to our world. Please bring your family and join us.

Church Prayer Group  It is imperative we continue asking - pleading - with God that He be Glorified and turn more hearts to His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.  Linda Springstead (our pianist) has agreed to facilitate our prayer group while I am away.  She has such a heart for the Lord and a desire to serve Him.  Prayer group will resume in January and will occur at 11:15 - 12:00 noon following Bible Study on Monday mornings at Salem Methodist Church.   ALL are welcome even if you don't attend Salem Methodist Church.  Prayer is a blessing from God for everyone. Blessings,  Sandy Steblin

MOBILE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE thru the Clemson Rural Health Mobile Unit  Offering primary  and care that includes chronic disease management. Call  864-656-3076 for January dates in the New Year.                                                                                                                                   May you find Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love as we find Christ in Christmas!  LRM                                                                         

[haza8877]

Hi there

May i have a reading please? I'm mb, sag sun and sag moon. I wanna ask what changes should i prepare for 2024? Thank you for your time and energy.

Merry christmas and happy new year!

Hello MB 🤗🤗 

How are u? Happy New Year🎆🎆🎆🎇🎇🎇🎉 

Tarot card

(judgment, temperance, 2 of pen, 6 of pen, kinght of wands)

Hmmm, what I sense most in your energy is a noticeable imbalance. I'm not sure what you've been through in life, but I sense that you're still self-evaluating and reminiscing about past actions—a form of self-torment and internal turmoil. You may wish for everything to be balanced by trying to harmonize everything. However, the advice is that there are issues that cannot be harmonized, forcing you to make decisions. You can imagine yourself as a juggler, with the juggling balls representing the problems you'll encounter in life. There will be times when you catch one ball with one hand, and simultaneously you have to toss another ball. Be flexible in your choices rather than trying to force everything to harmonize. Additionally, reflecting on your actions is good, but don't get too immersed in it and torment yourself. We reflect on the past to do better in the present and future. 

 I also see that you want to help and support others in 2024, engaging in charitable activities or simply assisting those around you within your capabilities. I see that 2024 will bring you a lot of energy for action, creativity, and enthusiasm. Don't worry too much. Believe that 2024 will be absolutely wonderful for all of us.✨✨🎉 

Thank you for participating in my mini tarot game. 💖💖💖Take these messages openly and consider them as a gentle form of entertainment. 🌸🌸🌸💐💐💐💐 

[seetangus]

Merry Christmas!!! It’s been quite awhile, but I’m here now! Work has been sooo busy with the Christmas season. I barely have any time for myself. But here we are! Still glad to have you around. While Christmas is about family and friends being together (and getting ((even though I’m really awkward at getting gifts)) and giving gifts), but for me it’s also important religiously:

”For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

”And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”“

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Idk if you’re religious, but since we are getting to know each other a little bit, being a Christian is part of who I am. The Lord has given me many blessings, from a good job to a house that has heat during the winter to good family and friends. And the blessing of “meeting” you.

Have a Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year (in case I don’t send something) - 🌹

Merry Christmas!! It’s so nice to hear from you again :) I’m happy you are able to spend time around Christmas with friends and family, even if time fell short during Advent. I hope Christmas evening was good and you can relax during the days of Christmas. Is there a holiday in the US for this?

And you chose beautiful verses to send to me, allow me to return the favour:

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the clarity of the Lord shone around them; and they were very afraid. And the angel said unto them: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”“

Luke 2; 9-10

I just love this verse. But since my absolutely favourite word in it is translated differently in English than in my language, I took the freedom of changing it I, hope you don’t mind 💀

I am also Christian so I fully understand what you mean when you say it’s a part of you. Recently, my ‘religious life’ has been as great as never before, and I have found some priests who give good sermons in my city. Also, listening to Bach’s Christmas oratorio or Händel’s Messiah that incorporate the verses from Luke 2 is simply “heavenly” (metaphorically and literally lol).

Merry Christmas to you too and Happy New Year! It’s always refreshing to answer your messages. ^^

- Seetang

[subtletruamadumping]

Family Group Chat

______________________________________________________________

This is a formatting-based poem, so it doesn't translate too well to Tumblr. I did my best to convey the same feeling using colors, spacing, and the limited amount of formatting that I can change. Some of these "texts" are lifted directly from real-life texts, calls, emails, and letters from my family.

TW: Religious imagery, homophobia

Date Written: January 16, 2022

______________________________________________________________

Dec 13, 2020

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Aww, look at this cute Puppy! Such a sweet doggie!

So sweet! What’s his name?

Grace! Punk cats are Rhett him. >:C

Cats are good at being punks.

Dane are Hannable

Cute

Dec 22, 2020

MERRRY CHRISTMAS!!

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN THIS YEAR

Dec 23, 2020

Sorry, we have to quarantine since everyone’s back from school over the holidays.

I have to work and can’t get any time off. Have a  great time!

PLEASE let me KNow if you are coming down for CHRISTmas.

I have the presents under tree alreaft!

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I can’t get time off so I won’t be able to come

Uuuhhhh, that suks! D:

Dec 25, 2020

MERRRY CHIRSTMAS!!

Your cousins were GOOD grandchilden and came to visitm e! Look at  all the fun they had!

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Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas

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WHEn are you visiting? Wehn is school out? Come visit!

Still in quartineten. 

We’ll let you know when we are available. 

Jan 1, 2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Feb 2, 2021

Wish your mother a happy birthday

Apr 6, 2021

Mom said you wanted to know my new address.

[Download Image]

Tnank you!

Tell me what you need and I’ll send it to you!

May 15, 2021

:C

I haven’t heard from you for a while.

Wish your sister a hapy birthday. 

I work a lot. Sorry.

OK well let me know wne to visit!

Aug 18, 2021

HaPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday!

It’s your birthday.

Thanks

Oct 3, 2021

Call me.

Oct 5, 2021

Call me.

Oct 6, 2021

Call your mom.

Oct 10, 2021

Have your mom call me.

Oct 11, 2021

Call me.

Why are you ignoring me?

I’ve done so much for you.

Oct 13, 2021

Call me.

Call me.

Oct 17, 2021

Call me.

You’re so ungrateful for eveyrthign I’ve done for you.

I sent you a card on your birthday and you can’t return my call?

Oct 18, 2021

Why won’t you call me?

I work at night and sleep during the day. You know this.

Then why are you wasting your time texting me now?

Oct 19, 2021

I see how it is. Nothing to say to me?

Nov 2, 2021

Still refusing to speak to me?

Nov 2, 2021

Is there something you need to talk about?

I miss you and there’s no reason for us to go months without communication. That’s crazy. I may not agree with your decisions but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a part of your life. I don’t want you to turn out like your older sister. She didn’t like what I had to say so she just abandoned me and spread lies behind my back. She’s kinda a turd to be honest. I  don’t want you to act like that.

Just get in touch.

You disagree with who I am as a person. Not my “decisions”. Being bi isn’t a decision. It’s just me. Comparing me to her is hurtful. I don’t keep in touch because you’ve shown over and over that you don’t respect me. You can’t bring yourself to accept me for who i am and that is not unconditional love. i won’t change or pretend to be different just to make you happy.

You’re the one that cut off communication and won’t let me explain myself. You’re the one that judged and blamed me. I never compared you to her, I said I didn’t want to be like her. I have every right to my own lifestyle just like you do.

Who’s really being unaccepting?

Do you accept that I’m gay?

It’s not like I’m living in denial that you’re not. You can choose that for your life and be gay all you want. I’m still your mom. Does that mean I’ll let you bring home a girlfriend? Nope. Does that mean I’m going to stop being Catholic or vote for LGBT issues? Nope. That’s my right just like how you have yours. I still respect you but I will always vote against liberal bills for LGBT rights. People like that are ruining society and shouldn't be allowed that kind of stuff.

God sent you to me as a gift. Even if you don’t agree with my beliefs, God and I will always be ready when you’re ready to come back. We can still have a relationship even if we have our differences. When you're done being mad at God and spending your life in sin, let me know.

You harp on me for not communicating but you aren’t doing it either. The last time you called, i  answered. Working on a few differences is fine but this is more than that. It’s our very morals that are different. 

But does that mean that you should just hide and not even speak to the other person? Isn’t that why the world is so angry? Because people with different ideals and different morals refuse to speak lovingly to one another? I can still respect you despite being morally different. Why can’t you? If you continue down this path, don't expect to ever be able to talk to your siblings again.

I said we could talk. I just said that you also have to put in some effort. The last time you called, I answered. You know I work 3rd shift. Even if you didn’t mean it, it felt like you were comparing us. If you are confused about why I’m upset, look back at your texts.

Nov 6, 2021

Pray for me.

Nov 14, 2021

Love you and miss u!

Nov 25, 2021

HAPPY THNAKS GIVING!

Happy Turkey Day! :)

Nov 27, 2021

Call me.

Nov 28, 2021

Call me.

Dec 1, 2021

Call me.

You on’t gert any christmas presents if you don’t.

Dec 4, 2021

Call me.

Dec 6, 2021

Pray for me.

Dec 8, 2021

Pray for me.

Pray for forgiveness for your sins.

Dec 9, 2021

Pray for me.

Dec 12, 2021

Are you coming for christmas???

Your grandgaper and uncle I really miss you :(

I have work.

Are yous ure?

Dec 15, 2021

Pray for me.

Dec 17, 2021

Pray for me.

[Download Image]

Look this prayer is specifically for grandparents! :D

Dec 19, 2021

[Download Image]

Look this prayer is specifically for grandparents! :D

Dec 20, 2021

Look this prayer is specifically for grandparents! :D

Dec 21, 2021

Pray for me.

[Download Image]

Look this prayer is specifically for grandparents! :D

Dec 22, 2021

Please let me know if your coming for christmad! If not  giveme a call!

I don’t want to talk and  I’ll be working over Christmas.

:(

OK Such a shame.

I guess you won’t be getting any money from me anytime soon.

Dec 25, 2021

MERRY CHURHMAS!!

Merry christmas!

Dec 27, 2021

Here’s a prayer I think you need.

[Download Image]

Dec 28, 2021

Look at all the fun the good grandchildren had! Your cousins sure know how to pary!

[Download Image]

[Download Image]

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[Download Image]

Jan 1, 2021

You have turned your back on God and your family, my dear.

Your actions have consequences.

Auld Lang Syne

[mander3-swish]

Where's My Love?

Summary: What if Michael and Alex have a collective nightmare where their lives look so very different without each other?

Notes: For @jule1122, Written for the @malexsanta Exchange 2022! Merry Christmas Jule!

Prompts: Future fic dealing with nightmares. Also borrowed some lyrics from a few of the songs left as prompts.

A/N: All mistakes are my own, and there's probably a lot. Deepest apologies. Otherwise, hope you enjoy this discombobulated dreamscape nightmare of Michael and Alex finding their way back to each other.

Read on Ao3 or below.

---

What if Michael and Alex didn't get married? What if Alex didn't attend their 10 year high school reunion? What if Michael had never stolen Alex's guitar from the music room?

What if Michael and Alex have a collective nightmare where their lives look so very different without each other? Usually dreams like these are meant to teach us a lesson. But Alex and Michael have each other and pretty much more than either had ever dreamed their lives could be.

Maybe Alex escaped the clutches of his father and he and Liz and Rosa sought their dreams in California? Maybe Michael became a successful agricultural engineer? Even though on paper, they should be happy with these alternate realities, it wasn't the same, not without each other.

---

Alex woke up slowly, pulling the comforter around him tighter, more chilled than he usually was in the mornings. And then he connected two dots, rolled over, and saw that Michael wasn't in bed with him. By the look of his side of the bed it seemed that he was never there, but Alex distinctly remembered giving Michael one hell of a blow job, with Michael returning the favor enthusiastically before passing out in a tangle of limbs.

Once he finished reveling in those memories, he noticed some other changes in the bedroom, mostly that his surroundings were unfamiliar.

"What the actual fuck," he said, sitting up quickly in the bed. He was not in his own bed, not in his house, and with a quick look out the window it appeared that he was no longer in Roswell, let alone New Mexico.

Luckily, his prosthetic was leaning against the bedside table, so he quickly rolled on the sock and slipped everything else into place. The thing was though, the prosthetic was not his new one. It seemed to be one he'd had a year ago, before Michael had made some custom upgrades with Oasian glass.

As he moved around the house from room to room, he deduced that he did not in fact live alone, but shared it with two others, likely girls from all the products in the bathroom. And he figured one of them must be Rosa, what with all the custom artwork lining the walls.

The more he tried to figure out what was going on, memories of another life swirled around his mind. In his head it was as if two timelines of experience co-existed - one where he and Michael just got back from their honeymoon, and the other was whatever this was where he was roommates with the Ortecho sisters in Los Angeles. But there were no parallel memories with him and Michael here, and that made him ten times more worried about what the hell was going on. He had no idea where Michael was or what he could be doing. He hoped he might still be in Roswell after all these years, but he wasn't sure if he should call anyone out of the blue to ask about him. Calling Sanders at the junkyard or Arturo at the Crashdown, or hell even Mimi at the Wild Pony would likely be his best options. And since he didn't think he really knew Sanders in this timeline and he likely hasn't been back to visit Roswell in all the years since high school, Mimi and Maria probably would be pissed at him for calling them out of the blue asking about Michael - and rightly so.

So Arturo it would be, but he decided to wait until at least Liz or Rosa returned home from work, just in case.

---

How do they find each within this bizzaro new reality? Can Michael tune into his powers to reach out to find Alex? Should he bring this up to Isobel, or will she call him crazy and go back to her perfect life.

He scrunched up his face and tried to make a mindscape connection to Alex. When that didn't work he tried to see if he could tap into those frequencies like Rosa was able to, but nothing worked. He was either too far away or that wasn't a thing he could actually do with his magical alien powers.

And this was when his other super power, his brain, kicked in and he realized he should check with Arturo at the Crashdown as he might know things - since he was vaguely recollecting that Alex had left with Rosa and Liz.

Michael snagged an empty stool at the counter, hoping he could easily get Arturo's attention. It was so busy in the Crashdown, busier than he'd ever seen it in real life outside of CrashCon week. But this was just a sleepy Wednesday in December, nothing special going on except that it was the week before Christmas. And then it dawned on Michael, regret tugging at his guts thinking about how his and Max's decisions on that night years ago had forever hurt the Ortecho family.

"Hola Michael, what can I get for you, your usual?" Arturo asked, his demeanor happy and boisterous like always, no matter what was going on.

"Actually, I came for a bit of help, but I would love a Chocolate Nebula Swirl milkshake, to go, muchas gracias." While he waited for the drink to be ready, Michael ran through in his head the best way to ask Arturo about Alex. He didn't really know what the whole situation was with the Ortecho sisters, but maybe that was the best course of action?

"Here you go," Arturo said, sliding the shake over.

As Michael laid the bills down on the counter to pay, he asked, "Soooo… when are Liz and Rosa headed home for Christmas?"

"Oh they won't be coming, unfortunately. My girls are off being too busy and successful to make it home very often. But at least Carlos can take care of everything for me - I'm headed to the beach for Christmas to visit!" Arturo's eyes gleamed with happiness. "It's not very often I'm able to visit them either, so this year will be very special."

"If you're driving, mind if I tag along? I can pay for gas." Michael hoped that Arturo hadn't planned on flying out.

"Why Michael, that is great of you to offer, actually. I would love the company," Arturo replied. While he didn't ask why Michael needed a last minute trip to California, the story would likely come out on the long, shared car ride. "I'll bring the snacks, of course," he offered.

"When should I be ready?" Michael asked. The sooner he could find Alex, the better.

"I'm leaving in the morning, first thing. Alex has a gig in a couple of days that the girls want me to attend, although, to be honest, I think I'm too old for the LA music scene…" Arturo rambled on about his plans with Liz and Rosa, but Michael's attention stopped and spiraled at his mention of Alex. It was as if he had two thought processes going at once - fucking happy that he would be able to see Alex and talk to him and help him figure out what the fuck was going on, and then at the same time his stomach was in knots, as if a whole herd of butterflies were doing loop de loops in his belly. It was a feeling he didn't think he'd had since high school, since before he kissed Alex in the UFO Emporium.

Over the following days, the trip west went by quicker than Michael expected it to, and in no time they were winding their way through the streets of LA, destination: Alex.

---

Alex never made that call to Arturo, getting wrapped up Christmas preparations and rehearsing for his show over the next few days. The show wasn't anything major or groundbreaking, just a few short sets at an art sale a group of Rosa's friends were hosting. It was just an opportunity for Alex to get back out there and perform. Every now and again, he came back to himself, realizing he'd gotten lost in this other Alex's life, nearly forgetting all about his own, about Michael. It wasn't as though this life made him happier or more fulfilled creatively, but it managed to fit in a comfortable way that was much too easy to get lost in.

He was in the makeshift green room, pacing back and forth, nervous because he would be hitting the stage next. His setlist was all sorted, a mix of his songs and a few versions of some Christmas songs that he was able to tolerate putting his own spin on. And then the scent of rain filled Alex's nostrils and his memories of Michael flooded back in.

There standing in the doorway was Michael, quietly watching him with a tilt to his head and a smirk on his lips.

"Nostalgia's a bitch." Michael couldn't help saying that line, as if the other Michael had hoped to say that to Alex in this other life.

Alex shuddered with a sudden jolt, and rushed over to Michael, crowding him against the doorframe, placing a tender kiss against Michael's lips. "I was stuck in my own head, or in the head of the Alex in this reality, but you pulled me out," Alex said, leaning back slightly, relieved that Michael was here. "Any idea what's going on?"

"Not exactly, but we might be caught up in each other's dream or nightmare, depending on how this all goes," Michael reasoned. "I'm hoping at some point we'll just wake up."

"Or is it like a Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie where we have to have some grand realization before that happens?" Alex had been suckered into a few movie nights recently with Kyle and Isobel where these types of movies had been the oeuvre of choice. And while he hated that his mind had twisted one all around and got him stuck in his own alternate reality dream, at least this wasn't the hot pocket dimension again.

---

They made it through the evening, Alex going through the motions of his performance, Michael mingling through the crowd and looking at the art and 'catching' up with Liz and Rosa, which was a weird bit of mindfuckery, since to them he hadn't seen them really at all since high school.

As the night wore on, so did Alex and Michael's unease. Something was still missing. They both wanted so desperately to wake up from this alternate reality dreamscape before something terrible happened to turn it truly nightmarish. And then as Alex was packing up after his last set, Michael picked up Alex's guitar, and after strumming a few chords, it all seemed to click.

Michael remembered telling Flint, of all people, about his dreams of a Dad Band with Alex. Was that what was missing? Them making music together?

"Alex?" Michael asked. Alex looked up from the keyboard case he was packing, but then everything faded away.

---

Michael and Alex woke up, their arms and legs tangled with each other and the bed sheets, reality slowly creeping back in after such a vivid dream.

Maybe it was time to start that band Michael had always dreamed about. But what about the dad part? Were they ready? How would they acquire children that would turn them into legit dads? Alex affectionately called Michael 'Plant Daddy' when he learned about his tender affection for his garden and his crop of sunflowers. But an actual dad to kids?

It seemed like it was time to have those conversations couples usually have long before their wedding. Even though they'd been dating and nearly living together for almost a year, not all the deep and long-term planning discussions happened. There was too much other lost time to make up for, and thinking about further into the future was put on the backburner.

After a long, very hot shower together to wash off the weirdness of that dream, they cuddled up on the sofa with cups of coffee to talk about what had happened in their dream.

"So, whatever that co-nightmare/mindscape we woke up from was, I think we need to hash out some goals for our life together," Michael started, which, starting conversations like this was definitely not in his wheelhouse. "I'm only saying this so that life doesn't pass us by and with only a blink of an eye, we're as old as Sanders, but without all of the things we maybe dreamed our lives could be."

"Is this about that Dad Band you joked about at our wedding reception?" Alex asked.

"Partially."

"Or is it more the kids part because I think I'd definitely be into having conversations and planning for that, as long as that was something you wanted too," Alex said, realizing as he was saying that that it was something he had only ever had an outside chance of ever being able to realize. "What were you thinking, adoption?"

"We could start by practicing baby-making?" Michael said, only half joking.

"I don't think it works that way," Alex replied with a grin, "but I'd be down for trying. You are an alien after all." Michael just countered with a tickle attack, the room filled with shrieks of laughter.

The end!

[fangirleaconmigo]

Happy holidays and, to those who celebrate, Merry Christmas Eve!

My gift to you, Jaskel nation, (and to @vix-spes who I actually wrote this for) a Jaskier x Eskel modern AU. Explicit because sex scene but it isn't that explicit.

Eskel owns a children's bookshop. It has been a year since the accident, and he is still working on his new normal. Jaskier visits the shop once a week to lead singalongs for the children. This is the story of how Eskel takes a chance on a flirtatious, nerd of a children's musician on Christmas Eve.

Try Me (also on AO3)

Eskel

The cozy bookshop glittered merrily. Twinkling lights encircled the windows and hung from the ceiling like icicles. Tinsel curled carefully around the staircase banister and the counter. Holly hung above the mantle. A little abominable snowman stood guarding the register.

The Holler Children's Bookshop was at the ready, poised to welcome the kids for a holiday storytime and sing-along.

Eskel, the bookshop owner, stepped back from his goodie platter and eyed it judgmentally. The lemon bars were a little squished. He dropped the tupperware on the way in, but thankfully the lid had been on securely. He readjusted the mint sprig, centering it perfectly in the middle.

He checked his sweater for lint and ran his fingers through his hair, patting down the unruly bit in the middle.

Shit.

He’d better wash his hands again. He still had to plate the cookies. He arranged a second platter with three kinds of cookies and hummed to himself. He changed the arrangement three times before he stepped back and sighed.

In one hour, various children hopped up on candy canes and holiday cheer were going to descend upon his shop.

That wasn’t why he felt nervous.

Eskel was comfortable around children. You always knew where you stood with them.

No. It wasn’t the children.

Eskel was nervous because his favorite volunteer was on his way. At any minute, Jaskier would traipse in with his doe eyes and wire rim glasses. He would probably be wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, which would somehow be adorable on him, and he would definitely have a guitar slung over his shoulder.

Jaskier was the musician that came in weekly to lead the children in a sing-along. Eskel always felt like a wreck around him. It was stupid. Charming, gregarious, handsome men were just like that. They flirted and piled on compliments, and when they talked to you, they made you feel like the only person in the world. He shouldn’t take it to heart.

But he couldn’t help it. Every time Jaskier turned his brilliant light on him and called him darling or gorgeous, he melted into a puddle.

Hell, the treat platter wasn’t even for the kids. Eskel supposedly spent his Thursday nights baking new treats for sing-along day. But really, he just liked to see Jaskier squeeze his eyes shut to savor his baking.

He always put them out an hour ahead of time, because Jaskier always arrived early. They spent a quiet hour chatting about anything and everything while Eskel restocked the shelves and Jaskier set up the chairs. They’d actually become quite close, so you would think Eskel would be used to it. That he wouldn’t get these damnable butterflies. And yet, they just got worse by the day.

His phone chimed. It was Geralt.

Hey don’t forget. Dinner at 7. Bring a guest if you want.

Eskel snorted and texted back

I’ll be there. Just me.

He stuck his phone in a drawer.

He hadn’t dated since the accident. The trauma of it and the remaining scars had demolished his confidence in that aspect. He felt perfectly at ease around the kids, or his family. They didn’t care how he looked. They only cared that he was Eskel. But just the thought of trying to be sexually appealing or the mere the prospect of braving rejection sent him into a panic.

He was much calmer and happier without the stress of anything romantic intruding on his life. Sure, he was a bit frustrated physically. But that was what his right hand was for. It was fine.

But then Jaskier had walked into his shop with a tweed jacket and stupidly kissable lips, talking about the importance of supporting your local independent bookstores. He asked whether he could do a weekly sing-along. Eskel agreed, and combined the singalongs with his weekly storytime. That was when it all had gone to hell.

Eskel decided to nurse his ridiculous crush silently until Jaskier quit. He expected it to be soon. One of his performances went viral a month or so ago and his following exploded. He wasn’t going to stay in this small town for long.

The bell above the front door jingled.

“Hello!” Jaskier’s voice rang out through the shop. Even his speaking voice had a musical quality to it. “Oh, wow, it smells delicious in here.”

Eskel’s stomach fluttered. He emerged from the office and stopped in his tracks. It was sprinkling outside and he hadn't even noticed. Jaskier was standing inside the shop, brushing water from the ugliest Christmas sweater he had ever seen. It was orange and had tassels. Why would a Christmas sweater be orange? Jaskier looked up as he stamped his boots on the mat. When he saw Eskel, his eyes crinkled with affection.

“Well, hello, handsome. I think you may even have me beat in the ugly sweater department.”

Eskel reflexively looked down at his sweater, as though he wasn’t the one who had put it on that morning. It was a vivid, almost fluorescent green Grinch sweater. The original animation, of course. None of this Jim Carrey or Benedict Cumberbatch mediocrity.

“What do you mean, ‘ugly’? Mine is amazing.” Eskel self-consciously smoothed his sweater down.

“Of course it is. It’s on you.” While Eskel flushed, Jaskier’s eyes dropped to the platter. “Ohhhhh, hello, my lovelies.” He swiped a lemon bar with impressive speed.

The sounds of the rain grew heavier.

It was only then that Eskel saw the long line of children outside the shop, huddled under the overhang with their parents.

“The line wraps around the building.” Jaskier said tentatively with what may have been pride. “I posted about it on my instagram.” He took a bite of the pastry and his eyes squeezed closed in bliss. “Aaaaaah, your lemon bars are orgasmic. You are a king among men.”

Eskel, predictably, fluttered.

Jaskier nodded towards the door. “But we should probably let them in. If you're cold, they're cold, you know what they say.”

“Right, right.” Eskel put the tray out of sight and opened up early. The children poured in, giggling and shouting, bundled in coats and scarves. There were so many of them that they had to do four separate story times to accommodate everyone.

Each session was the same. Eskel and Jaskier sat next to each other on low stools, and the kids sat in a semicircle at their feet.

Today it would be a holiday-themed reading and sing-along. Eskel had chosen The Polar Express as his first book. When he read, he tried to do all the voices, plus some sound effects. Jaskier watched attentively and reacted right along with the children. He laughed and yelped and applauded with delight.

Eskel almost didn’t know what to do with himself. It made him feel slightly pleasantly embarrassed, but it also made him feel like the best storyteller to ever pick up a book.

Jaskier’s first song was ‘Winter Wonderland’. Eskel tapped his feet in time and watched intently. It was a relief to be able to stare without it being weird. Jaskier was just so expressive. He connected with the kids flawlessly. And his voice. Oh, his voice. It made Eskel feel things he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

They would trade off like that, a story and a song, for about twenty minutes. Then they let that group out into the store and began with the next group.

Since there were so many new children he didn’t know, someone in each group had questions about his face.

Kids asked if it hurt, how it happened, and whether he liked his scars. He answered that no, they didn’t hurt anymore, he had been in an accident, and that he neither liked nor disliked them. They were just another part of him.

The questions didn’t make him uncomfortable. It was actually why he preferred working with children. There was no weird tension while people tried to act like they didn’t notice. Kids were just open about things. It made him feel more comfortable and less self-conscious.

One little girl announced that her dad had told her what being gay is, and asked if Eskel and Jaskier were boyfriends.

Jaskier cheerily told her “From your lips to god's ears, my child.”

Why did he have to be so gallant? It was physically painful at this point. Eskel explained that they were just colleagues.

Between readings, Eskel spent all day running back and forth to the register. Jaskier helped without being asked. He ushered people around the store looking for books. He always sounded so confident, even though Eskel knew for a fact he had no idea where he shelved the Curious George hardbacks or that one book with a red cover. Yet somehow, he always faked it until he managed.

The hours flew by, and before Eskel could think about the time, the children were gone. Eskel closed the door with a jingle behind the last customer. He turned the key in the lock. It clicked decisively.

He hung the key on a hook, and pulled in a deep breath, turning around to take in the mess of the shop. His eyes fell on Jaskier and he exhaled. Jaskier was leaning against the counter across from the register, watching Eskel. His hair, which was fluffy on a good day, was haphazardly ruffled. He sipped a cup of cider, god knows where he had found it, since Eskel had forgotten to take it out of the office. He always made himself at home, and it always made Eskel feel good. Like they were close.

He was suddenly acutely aware that he was alone with Jaskier. He cleared his throat. “Thank you for staying late. For helping. I really appreciate it.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked back to the register.

“It was my fault it was so crowded. I should have warned you. But if I warned you, and nobody showed up, I would have been mortified.”

Jaskier straightened up as Eskel drew closer. He looked as though he was considering something.

“What?” Eskel asked. He leaned against the counter across from him. The rain still pattered against the glass storefront.

Jaskier glanced out the window then back at Eskel. He leaned in conspiratorially. “But if you insist,” he drew out the word ‘insist’. “I do know how you could thank me.”

Eskel blinked. With Jaskier standing so close that he could see the little brown flecks in his eyes, the question took on an intimate hue.

Eskel had sudden visions of different ways they could both thank each other. He scolded himself and dragged his mind out of the gutter. This was what happened to people who stopped dating, who went ages without sex, and who a had a beautiful man with messy hair talk to them about thanking people.

He cleared his throat again to make sure it didn’t squeak. “How?”

Jaskier tapped the counter softly with his fingers. “Would you read to me?”

“Read to you?” It was so sweet a request that Eskel wasn’t sure how to respond. Reading to someone was intimate in a comfortable way, though with Jaskier he worried it would feel like a different kind of intimacy. He was trying to control this crush. Not make it worse.

Jaskier looked at him with soft wistful eyes. “Yes. A book of my choosing. Think of it as my Christmas present.”

Eskel knew he should make some excuse. He had a family dinner in two hours. That was a real excuse, and it was sitting right there.

But when he opened his mouth only two words came out. “Right now?”

Jaskier shrugged. “If you have time.”

“I do have time,” Eskel stammered. He had two whole hours. “Where should we go?”

Jaskier’s eyes darted upwards. There was a flight of wooden stairs up to the reading room. The reading room was an exposed balcony with two overstuffed sofas and a recliner.

A flash of inspiration hit Eskel. It was accompanied by a shot of courage. “But for my present, you have to sing for me.”

Jaskier’s eyes sparkled. “A private storytime sing-along. I love it. It’s a deal.”

“But first, tea.”

They made tea in the kitchenette and carried it upstairs with a plate of brownies. Jaskier chose The Hobbit, and tucked it under his arm.

“I know it’s long, but you can just read the first chapter.” He mumbled something that sounded like this time.

They got all of it, plus Jaskier’s guitar, upstairs. Jaskier sat on the blue sofa. Eskel sat across from him on the green one. Jaskier opened his guitar case.

“And what is your request, good sir?” asked Jaskier as he picked it up, plucking at the strings and adjusting the little knobs on the side.

Eskel thought for a moment, warming his hands on his cup of tea.

When he didn’t answer, Jaskier gave him an assist. “Narrow it down by genre."

“Classic R&B,” said Eskel. “Soul. You pick.”

Jaskier’s face lit up. “I know just the song.” He plucked a few chords and Eskel instantly recognized it. His eyes widened in anticipation. Jaskier began to sing slowly, coaxing out each sound, dragging it across the pleading notes.

Try me

Try me

It was an old James Brown song. It was one of Eskel’s favorites. It was also full-to-bursting with yearning. Eskel didn’t know how he was going to survive this.

Darlin tell me

I need you

Jaskier stole a glance at Eskel from under his lashes, and Eskel had to put down tea. Hearing Jaskier sing like this was a revelation. When he sang for the kids, he had a cheery voice. Now it was soulful. Sultry. Raw. He was transformed.

Hold me

Hold me

I want you right here

By my side

It felt like a dream, having Jaskier’s voice all to himself. Having it sound like this, saturated with yearning, and only an arm’s reach away. Eskel had to consciously focus on his breathing. He didn’t notice he was clutching the cushions just a little too tightly.

Oh

I need you

He strummed the last cord, then put his hand on the strings to silence them. He looked up at Eskel. All of his frenetic charming energy had fallen away.

He looked vulnerable. Anxious even.

Eskel swallowed and hoped his voice wouldn’t break when he used it. “That was beautiful. I mean. I knew you could sing. But. Fuck.”

Jaskier’s face spread into a relieved smile. “You are always so sweet.”

Eskel slowly released the couch cushions from his iron grip.

“Now it’s your turn,” said Jaskier softly, as if he were trying not to break a spell.

Eskel looked down at the book as if waking up from a dream. He picked it up. “Chapter one?”

Jaskier nodded. “Chapter one.”

It was actually his personal copy of The Hobbit, and he opened it to the first page. He began. “‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’”

As he read, out of his peripheral vision, he could see Jaskier set down his guitar. And then saw him get up.

Eskel’s heart thudded in his chest as Jaskier crossed the space between them. He felt the cushion next to him press down as Jaskier sat almost right up against him.

He knew that something had changed, that something electric was happening between them, but he didn’t know what, and he didn’t know where it would go. He was afraid that if he called attention to it, it would dissipate. So, Eskel kept reading, as his pulse quickened.

“‘Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.’”

He felt Jaskier lean towards him. Then Jaskier’s head was laying warm in his lap, gazing up at his face. Eskel had never had someone quite so beautiful admire him so lovingly.

He stuttered and paused.

“Is this ok?” whispered Jaskier.

In answer, Eskel reached for him. He stroked his hair, then combed it away from his face. Jaskier’s face slackened in bliss and he closed his eyes and smiled.

Then he nuzzled and nestled until he was comfortable.

“Go on,” he said, the contented smile still playing on his face. Eskel stopped gaping and kept reading. He read through the whole chapter, watching Jaskier’s chest rise and fall. Playing with his hair. Resting his hand carefully on his chest. Jaskier covered it with his own. It took every bit of composure he could summon to keep reading.

When he was done, he put the book down. It was silent as Jaskier opened his eyes and sat up.

He looked sleepy and relaxed. And Eskel knew just what to do. He touched Jaskier’s neck, sliding his fingers to cradle it. Jaskier sighed and leaned into his caress.

Eskel pulled him close and kissed him. They kissed tenderly, with heat, with long-suppressed desire, finally being freed. Eskel reached for his hips, hefting him up to straddle his lap.

He felt the weight of Jaskier on his hips and he could barely believe it was happening, that it was real.

Jaskier was solid and very real. His thighs pressed against Eskel’s side and he clung to him. He ran his hands greedily along his shoulders, across his chest, down his arms, anywhere his hands could reach, as though he had been waiting to do it for some time.

They kissed and grabbed and pulled at each other until Eskel could feel Jaskier hard and pressed against his stomach.

They finally pulled apart to take a breath.

Jaskier looked at him hungrily. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.”

Eskel smiled, panting. “I had no idea you felt that way,” he teased.

Jaskier scoffed. “I flirt with you fucking relentlessly, Eskel.” He kissed Eskel’s forehead and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

He hummed. “I just thought you were a charming flirt.”

“I am,” protested Jaskier, pausing to kiss his cheek, trailing another kiss down his neck. “I can be both.” Then he pulled back and grinned. “I have layers.”

Eskel’s phone buzzed and he groaned. “Fuck, I forgot.”

“What?”

“I have an early Christmas dinner with my brothers tonight. I’m late. I’m erect as fuck, and I’m late.”

Jaskier laughed. “Only one of those things is a problem.”

Eskel chewed his lip and remembered something. “My brother said I can bring someone. Do you want to come? I know that it’s pretty soon to—“

“I’m in,” Jaskier blurted.

“Really?”

Jaskier nodded enthusiastically. “I would absolutely love to meet your family.”

“Great!”

“Now, about that second problem...”

Jaskier hooked a finger around one of the loops of Eskel’s belt.

When he tugged it, Eskel was suddenly gripped with panic. It descended on him out of nowhere. He put his hand on Jaskier’s wrist gently but firmly and held it still.

Jaskier froze and sought out his eyes. “Is this...ok? Are you ok?”

Eskel avoided his eyes for a moment. All of his anxiety roared back with a vengeance. Everything he had been holding in his heart, all the fears that had kept him from reaching out, came back to him. He looked back at Jaskier. He didn’t know if it was the concern in Jaskier’s eyes, the pink on his face from rubbing against Eskel’s stubble, or the hideous orange sweater.

But somehow his vulnerability encouraged him to offer his own.

“Are you sure?” he asked. It was quite clear that Jaskier wanted him. He was straddling him. But he needed more reassurance. He just did. The rain pattered, and the distant sounds of a Christmas song filled his long pause. He swallowed and decided to just say it. “You sure you want this,” he pointed at his face,” sucking your cock?”

He had meant for it to sound funny. A joke. A way to make his vulnerability more palatable. To his horror, he sounded completely honest.

Jaskier’s eyes did something very complicated and he let his breath out like a tire. “Oh. Oh, darling.” He let his hands fall back into his lap. “You haven’t dated since your accident.”

Eskel felt a lump forming in his throat. He shook his head.

Jaskier inhaled slowly, then let out the breath. “Oh, Eskel.”

Eskel chewed on his own lower lip and tried to keep it together.

“Eskel,” said Jaskier, and he sounded unbearably sincere. “I can’t tell you how to feel about your own face. I know I can’t. However you feel, you are entitled to feel. I can’t change that. I wouldn’t try.” He paused for a moment, and continued at an even slower pace, thinking each word before he said it. “But if your question is how do I feel?” He reached for Eskel’s hands and squeezed them. “I’ve never been more attracted to anyone. I’ve never thought anyone more gorgeous.”

He waited for his words to land before he continued. “And if you want to try to separate out how you feel and how I feel, and give this a go, I would be honored. If that is something you want.”

Eskel did want. “Really?”

Jaskier nodded emphatically. “Eskel, with god as my witness, I want nothing more on earth, in this moment, than for you to bang me like a screen door in a hurricane.”

Eskel’s head dropped back on the sofa and he laughed. Jaskier joined him, chuckling. “I can only speak my truth. And if you want to meet me here, I’m waiting with open arms.”

“Alright,” said Eskel. He shifted a bit and rearranged Jaskier a little further back. “But just so you know—” it was time for a bit more honesty. The longer Eskel lived, the more he learned that it didn’t do any good to pretend you were something you were not. It didn’t serve you to pretend that you didn’t feel what you felt. “That isn’t all I want. With you. I want more.”

Jaskier, nodded decisively. “Me too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You can have whatever you want, for as long as you want.”

“Ah. I just assumed...I assumed now that you’re famous, you’d move to the city.”

Jaskier silently chuckled.

“What?”

“I live in the city.”

Eskel tilted his head. “You told me you live closeby."

"I like to be mysterious."

"But that’s like an hour and a half away.”

Jaskier nodded again, as though urging him to follow his train of thought. “Yes. And why do you think I come out here? Do you think we don’t have children in the city?”

Eskel nodded slowly along with him. “You do.”

“We do. We just don’t have Eskels. I’m here for you. I always will be.”

“Ah. Good,” said Eskel, his heart full to cracking. “Good.” He hitched Jaskier close again and leaned in.

Jaskier touched his shoulders, holding him in place. He looked carefully into his eyes. “Yeah? You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

Eskel slid his fingers around Jaskier’s lower back, and pulled him forward. Jaskier leaned in and tipped Eskel’s chin up with his finger. He looked at him for a moment, in the dim room, with Christmas lights gleaming against his skin. And he kissed him.

They kissed softly at first, With each kiss, their touch grew more urgent. The heat burgeoned between them. It was precious, and Eskel was emotional. But it had also been a very long time since someone had kissed him that way. And no one he had wanted this much had ever kissed him this way. He had never wanted someone this much. This was special. Eskel felt a primal, predatory desire roar to life in him. He stood up carefully, Jaskier still wrapped around him. Then, he turned, and laid him down on his back.

Jaskier looked up at him like he was the firmament. Eskel willed himself to let his fear slip away. Just for now. Just for today.

They pulled off their clothes, and Eskel feasted his eyes. Jaskier was much more muscular than he seemed under all those sweaters. He was strong and gorgeous and his back arched hungrily. He begged Eskel to touch him. To be inside him.

Eskel knew that he wouldn’t last long once he did that. So he took his time, tending to Jaskier. He crawled up his body, thrilling in the warmth. In the touch. Jaskier writhed under his tongue. Under his kisses. Eskel took him entirely into his mouth and watched his eyes roll back in his head.

Jaskier incited him. He moaned obscenely. He made filthy requests and called Eskel tender names. He caressed him and whispered how much he needed him. He babbled about how gorgeous his body was. How thick it was. How strong. How soft. He dragged his fingers along his back.

He had lube with him because apparently this had been his hope all along. For Eskel to fuck him in the bookstore. In that moment, it seemed like the best reason of all to own a bookstore. Best decision he’d ever made, in retrospect.

By the time they came, shouting and moaning, they fell into each other’s arms, eyes wet, sated and satisfied. The entire length of their bodies was pressed together or tangled together.

Jaskier was still panting when he flopped onto his side to face Eskel. His full lips were bitten pink and sweat was beaded on his forehead. He slung his arm heavily over Eskel’s side. “How are you? Was that ok?”

Eskel ran a finger down Jaskier’s bare arm, tracing a line with his finger. “I’m good. Perfect. It was amazing.”

Jaskier broke into a smile. “Oh, good. Me too.”

“Good.”

“Good. Now come here.”

Jaskier nuzzled back into Eskel’s chest, as he wrapped his arms around him.

“Have I mentioned before that I love your chest?” Jaskier asked rhetorically. “I could just rest here forever on your spectacular fuzzy pecs.” Eskel chuckled, and Jaskier hummed. “Mmmmm, rumbly.”

They laid there, under the twinkling lights strung across the ceiling, quietly savoring the moment.

——

Later That Night

“What I can’t figure out,” said Lambert as he dug into the remnants of his pecan pie, “is how this happened,” he nodded at Eskel and then Jaskier, “between two people wearing such hideous sweaters.” His Santa hat fell over his eye and he flicked it backwards with a jerk of his head.

They all cackled, Geralt with his wine, and Coën with his beer. Eskel and Jaskier sat across from them at Geralt’s table. It was a long wooden table with extended eaves. They’d set up a card table next to it, and covered them both with red and green tablecloths. Mismatched candles ran down the length of both tables. Half of them were lit and half of them were burned down.

The tables were crammed into a small dining room decorated only by an antique hutch and some paintings of horses and barns. There was a record player on the hutch playing Nat King Cole.

The rest of the family was bustling in the kitchen, or setting up the next movie. The Nightmare Before Christmas was up next.

“Well,” said Jaskier theatrically, “Eskel was very insistent. Aggressive even. He seduced me with his lemon bars.”

Eskel gasped.

Coën cackled and slapped the table.

“You!” Eskel protested. “You sang to me! Seductively!”

Jaskier nodded, and waved in surrender. “Yes, yes, alright, I admit it. It was all me. Eskel is so sweet and trusting, that he still thinks I got into playing children’s music because I Iike kids.”

Eskel swiveled to face him. His hand rested on Jaskier’s thigh. “What? Why else would you get into children’s music?”

Jaskier took a dramatic sip of his wine and chuckled to himself before he answered. “I got into children’s music because you are very, very, hot.”

Eskel’s mind blanked out. “Wait. What? No. What? No.”

His brothers watched them, amused.

Jaskier squinted and looked into the distance as though he was recalling some fond memory. “It was a Saturday and I happened to be walking past his shop.” He told the story like it was a fairy tale of old. “I caught a glimpse of a man inside, all burly and broad, crammed onto a little stool, acting out Green Eggs and Ham for one single, tiny little boy. It was unbelievably endearing. And, as I said,” Jaskier glanced at him, “he is very hot.”

Eskel could feel his cheeks heating up.

“So, I went in to check him out.”

Eskel’s jaw dropped. “That’s why you came into my store?”

“Ah, now the truth comes out,” laughed Coën.

“But! But!” Eskel remembered that day. He remembered what Jaskier had told him. “You said you came in because you needed a present for your niece.”

Jaskier shrugged. “I lied. I have no niece.”

Eskel stared. “I sold you A Wrinkle in Time!” He sounded aggrieved.

Lambert threw back his head and laughed. Geralt chuckled into his beer.

“This relationship is built on a lie.” Jaskier shrugged. “But I did read it, I want to be clear. It didn’t go to waste. I loved that Meg learned that her anger was a strength and that she could use it for good.” he said haughtily.

Eskel lifted his eyebrows.

“Anyway, as you were ringing me up, I had to come up with an excuse to come back. So that’s when it occurred to me. A sing-along.”

“Really?”

“Really. I don’t just believe in the importance of local independent bookstores. I also believe in the importance of handsome booksellers.”

“So, this is all because I’m so extremely good looking.” Eskel clutched his chest in mock offense. “You just want me for my body.”

Jaskier looked at him severely, wine glass dangling from his fingers. “Did I not mention the lemon bars?”

Coën’s eyes lit up. “Did you bring any extra?”

Eskel bent down and brought the Tupperware out of his bag.

“Ahhhhh, there they are.” Coën snatched them out of his hands. “Come to me, my precious.”

“Also,” said Jaskier. He grew serious and looked at him, patting his hand under the table, “you are kind, and brilliant, and I loved that you never talk down to the kids.”

Eskel knew his ears must be burning red. But he loved it. And the fact that his brothers weren’t interrupting to tease him meant they had been more worried about him than he had known.

“Oh,” said Jaskier, “and you have the soul of a crusty old man, which, to be honest,” he looked at him assessingly, “pretty much does it for me.”

Geralt barked out a laugh and lifted his beer. “Well, that settles it. My brother is in good hands. Welcome to the family, Jaskier.”

“You’re going to fit right in,” said Lambert.

“Good,” said Jaskier, “because I’m here to stay.”

“Well, hell," said Eskel. "Merry Christmas to me." He settled his arm around Jaskier’s shoulder, and pulled him close.

[puppypeter]

✨ All fics are complete! ✨

He Loves Me Cause I’m Cute, He Thinks I’m Pretty Funny | 2588 words 📱

He watches it back one more time after it posts, checking for typos in his subtitles and captions, and has to laugh again.

Steve fucking Rogers? His brain thought he could pull Captain America, literal superhero and America’s favorite sweetheart?

“Hello I’m a 35 year old amputee living in New York and I think that I could get Steve Rogers.”

OR

the one where bucky posts a tiktok and steve is utterly smitten.

Summer Slipped Us Underneath Her Tongue | 10712 words 🧳

Bucky is a tour guide who enjoys sharing the rich history and culture of each city they pass through with a bunch of early-20's college students who just want to know the cheapest place to get drunk.

Except for Steve, who asks Bucky for a personal tour around his hometown.

The rest is, as they say, history.

You Make My Heart Skip A Beet | 3853 words 🧑🏼‍🍳

“I made soda bread.” Steve lets out the 6’2” supersoldier equivalent of a squeak. “Oh, I love soda bread,” he says eagerly, rolling forward on the balls of his feet like he does when he gets excited. “My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up.” The tips of Barnes’s ears turn red, and he mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, “I know.”

Ollie Meets Bagel | 5517 words 🥯

He was a skater boy, Steve said let's get bagels, boy.

Steve wants to start doing this twenty-first century thing properly. He gets help in the form of skateboarding, skateboarders, bagels, and Sam Wilson.

Taxi | 5113 words 🚕

Bucky Barnes was, he hoped, a good taxi driver.

He's so good, he actually tries to return lost property that ends up left in his car and... well. It has some unexpected consequences involving a National Icon.

Enough said.

Leg Day | 12157 words 🏋️‍♂️

“So talk to him,” Sam says.

“I can’t,” Bucky groans. “I can’t, Sam, I. He just.” He fluffs his hair up and stares at Sam, distraught. “I want him to bench press me.”

“Okay, so it’s serious,” Sam interprets. “Got it."

(Or: The one where Sam is Bucky's long-suffering roommate, Bucky is a hot mess of a millennial, and Hot Steve spends far too much time on the Lat Pull-Down machine.)

Love In Aisle Four | 2127 words 🛍️

When Bucky needs to swing by the supermarket after a long, hard day of work, the last thing he expects is to meet a cute grocery clerk named Steve…

Coming Up Easy | 45515 words ✍🏻

“Listen, I was just thinking,” Steve says, his face open, eyebrows raised in a tentatively hopeful expression. “Why don’t you come stay at my place for a while? I’ve got an office that I barely use, and a change of scenery might do you good, right? Help you beat that writer’s block?” With a crooked smile, he adds, “I promise I’m not a serial killer.”

While Bucky would normally crack a joke about how that’s exactly what a serial killer would say, right now, all he can do is blink at Steve in surprise, heart tripping over itself in his chest. Steve wants him to come and stay at his place. In Massachusetts. Just the two of them.

"Oh," Bucky croaks. "I- Wow."

“I mean, no pressure,” Steve says hastily. “Totally fine if you don’t wanna. I just thought I’d offer, in case it might help, y’know?”

“Yeah.” Bucky ignores the little voice in his head that sounds an awful lot Nat and Becca, telling him he’s setting himself up for heartbreak. “I mean, if you’re sure, that would be amazing.”

Anywhere The Wind Blows | 8845 words 👨‍🚒🎖️

After a catastrophic fire that shakes him to his core, Steve Rogers quits his job as a Brooklyn firefighter and relocates to a cabin in the remote Canadian wilderness, wanting quiet and solitude and to maybe never have to speak to another human being ever again. He gets his wish, more or less, until a recently injured Bucky Barnes is discharged from the Army and rents the cabin next door.

The Safer Course | 7918 words | Part 1 of Won’t You Be My Neighbor 🏡

When Steve moves to the suburbs in 2033, he intends to retire from superhero life.

He does not intend to fall in love with his pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

Every Year I Have You | 7064 words | Part 2 of Won’t You Be My Neighbor 🏡

Steve set the bar pretty high, as birthday presents go.

Bucky is determined to outdo him when July 4th comes around.

Beneath The Mistletoe | 21203 words 🎄

Bucky had a bet with his sister that if he didn’t have a boyfriend to bring home for Christmas by the time he was 25, he had to give her $200 and go blonde for a year. But now he's 25, it’s nearing December, and not only is Bucky as single as ever, but he’s also running low on cash. He doesn’t exactly want to bleach his hair, either.

At least Steve is willing to upgrade their relationship from best friends to fake boyfriends.

The Settler | 52203 words 🍞

“What do you want to do?”

Steve pauses and looks at them.

What he wants is to stay with them. He doesn't have any family left, they all died before he even joined the war and became... this. Captain America turned whatever he is now. But Natasha and Sam have become his family over the years. Not just because they're on the run together, fugitives and vigilantes, but way before that too.

He doesn't want to leave that.

But he knows that, realistically, he can't stay with them and they can't stay with him.

So he looks at them with a smile and lies. “I don't know.”

OR; In which Steve retires and finally finds a place to call home.

You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory | 1148 words 🐈

"Alright, Bucky," Steve slows his steps, watches his neighbour stop at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. There's a canvas bag in his hand that Steve didn't notice earlier, cream coloured with the figure of a sleeping, black cat painted on it. "Have a good day."

He thinks Bucky's cheeks pink up a bit right then and there, but Steve can't tell. He's too distracted by his pounding, foolish heart, by the way Bucky smiles bashfully, and ducks his head. The way he seems like he wants to stay.

To Believe In Tomorrow | 3959 words 👨🏻‍🌾

Bucky's mornings at the community garden get a little more interesting when the new guy shows up.

Maybe This Christmas | 24873 words | Part 1 of Maybe ❄️

Bucky’s not going home for Christmas. But it’s fine. He’s spending Christmas alone in his apartment, but it’s cool. He’s not feeling up to seeing his family after his accident anyway, plus he has to work. He’s totally fine with it. But then he runs into Steve, literally, and suddenly his Christmas isn’t looking so empty after all.

-----

Hurrying was a bad idea. Bucky’s foot hits a patch of ice and slides out from under him in what would have been a comical cartoon banana-peel-like trip, if it wasn’t happening to him, and he braces himself to hit the ground. This is going to hurt.

“Fuck,” Bucky screeches, but as he lands on his back, it’s not the cold hard concrete he expected, but a solid mass beneath him. Oh god, Bucky thinks as he realises he smacked into the person behind him and took them down with him.

Maybe This Year (Will Be Better Than Last) | 133868 words | Part 2 of Maybe ❄️

Last year, Bucky Barnes met Steve Rogers. Well actually, he slipped and fell on him. What followed was the best Christmas either of them had ever had. But what happens when Christmas is over and life returns to normal? What happens after the Christmas miracle?

-----

Bucky should have known. He did know. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are. And Steve is the best thing that has happened to him in a long time, possibly ever, so of course it couldn’t last.

Maybe This Time (I Hope I Get The Chance To Say Goodbye) | 34561 words | Part 3 of Maybe ❄️

Steve and Bucky Barnes are happily married. They've made it through some hard times and come out stronger and happier, together. Then Steve gets called on to come out of retirement for the most important mission of his life and everything changes. Everything.

-----

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas…” Steve starts singing along softly, and Bucky chuckles, before leaning his head onto Steve’s shoulder, always happy when he’s in Steve’s arms.

“From now on, our troubles will be miles away…” Bucky joins in.

Dancing round their living room, just as in love as ever, their troubles seem light-years away, if not non-existent.

Sadly, they’re closer than they think.

The Unexpected Gift | 9504 words | Part 1 of When Winter Comes 🐕

Steve Rogers is fine.

After ending a long-term relationship with Sam Wilson, Steve moves back to New York. He's tired and lonely but depressed? No. At least, that's what he thinks.

From the window of his apartment, he watches a dark-haired man and his service dog sitting in the park, wondering what his story is.

The Winter Storm | 2218 words | Part 2 of When Winter Comes 🐕

"If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability you see yourself through my eyes, only then would you realize how special you are to me."

After Bucky and Steve confessed their feelings for each other, life has its own twisted way to challenge the most profound love.

One January Night | 4213 words | Part 3 of When Winter Comes 🐕

Before going back to work, Steve Rogers still has things to learn: 1- Depression is a bitch and the battle against it isn't an easy one. 2- Dating a person with disabilities comes with its share of challenges.

Bucky Barnes Has His Shit Together (And Other Lies He Tells Himself) | 14159 words 🔒

You’d think a guy who owns one of the most successful bakeries in Brooklyn, has a million-dollar smile and that antiquated good ol’ boy charm, blond hair and blue eyes and biceps for days, would know what’s what.

But don’t let that fool you: Steve Rogers is a mess.

Obvious | 917 words ☕

"Oh, I have a prompt! So, it makes me laugh how painfully obvious Steve and Bucky's feelings are to everyone when they're in that pining, slowburn, does-he-doesn't-he phase. But imagine Steve and Bucky working in a coffee shop together and constantly bickering, nudging and playfully flirting with each other. And all the employees and patrons are so invested in their relationship and just want them to kiss already but no one realizes that Steve and Bucky have been married since they got out of HS."

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2023 Day 8: Have Yourself a merry Little Christmas (1/3)

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Word Count: 2166

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Note: This story was first posted in 2014

Chapter 1: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Notes: This story was originally written in 2014. Killian is perplexed by all the lights and music and hustle and bustle that starts to appear around Storybrooke just after Thanksgiving, but luckily Henry helps him figure out what this “Christmas” is all about. He makes it his mission to help Emma overcome the pain of her past so she can truly get into the spirit of the season.

It all began to appear at the end of November, as far as Killian could tell. Last Thursday, Swan had invited him to join her and her family for the celebration of something called “Thanksgiving,” a holiday, as best he could tell, which consisted of gorging oneself on exorbitant amounts of food and then watching a sporting event called “football.”

The next day, the entire feel and tenor of Storybrooke changed in an instant—brightly colored lights adorning every conceivable surface, evergreen wreaths twined with ribbons, gracing doors and walls, portraits and figurines of a rather portly man with a long white beard and a red coat wherever one looked. Most mystifying of all, the fairies, who Regina had managed to free from the sorcerer’s hat, had erected a replica of a stable in which a woman, several men, cows, horses and a donkey knelt before a tiny baby lying in what looked like a manger. 

Even the music that blared from every shop and eating establishment had changed. It appeared a holiday entitled “Christmas” was fast approaching.  Judging by the songs of the season, Christmas involved a jolly man who drove a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer (one of which had a red, glowing nose), a deity who came to earth as an infant born of a virgin, families and loved ones spending time together, peace and goodwill among all, and gift giving.

It was utterly bewildering.

Killian sat in his booth in the diner, sipping his coffee and waiting for Swan’s lad to join him for breakfast when the most perplexing sight of all met his eyes.

The bell above the door chimed, and Killian’s eyes widened as he watched a very bad-tempered Leroy step inside dragging a gigantic fir tree behind him. A generous coat of snow covered the dwarf from head to foot and fell from the tree in clumps.

“Leroy!” Granny bellowed. “You’re tracking snow all over my diner.  What do you think you’re doing?”

“Sorry, sister,” Leroy muttered in a voice which proved he was anything but. “You asked me to bring you a Christmas tree, and a Christmas tree I brought.  Ain’t my fault Mother Nature chose today to dump on us.”

“You couldn’t have shaken the damn thing off before you came in?” Granny continued, her hands planted on her generous hips.

Leroy glared. “Look, you don’t like the way I do the job you gave me?  Do it yourself.”

Granny rolled her eyes, and then threw up her hands. “Fine, just put it in the corner, get it decorated and stop blocking my doorway.”

Christmas involved bringing trees indoors and decorating them? What an odd custom.

Leroy grumbled under his breath as he hoisted the massive fir onto his shoulder and crept laboriously toward the corner Granny indicated. He fought with the tree for some time, cursing under his breath as he tried…and failed…to hold it steady while simultaneously securing it in the stand Granny had placed in the far corner.

“Hey pirate!” Leroy called from beneath the tree’s boughs. “I could use a hand or two.”

Killian grinned, set his coffee back upon the table and got to his feet. “Alas, dwarf, I have but one to lend.”

Leroy emerged from the tree and fixed a surly scowl on Killian. “Not in the mood for jokes.  Just get your leather clad ass over here!”

Killian sketched a mocking bow and ambled in the dwarf’s direction. “As you’ve deigned to ask so politely, I’m at your service.  What precisely do you need of me?”

“Just hold the damn thing steady while I get it screwed in.”

Killian complied, holding the tree still, while Leroy tightened screws fastening the trunk into a stand of sorts.

“Now, next job: untangle the lights and string them on the tree,” Leroy commanded.

“Er…” Killian said, scratching behind his ear, “what the bloody hell does that mean?”

Leroy glared for a moment before rolling his eyes. “Don’t you know anything about Christmas?  Grab that string of lights over there, untangle it, and wrap it around the tree.”

The bell over the door chimed once more, and Killian looked up to see Henry, rosy cheeked from the cold and bundled within an inch of his life, walk in. Mentally heaving a sigh of relief, he turned to Leroy.  “Sorry, mate,” he said, “I’ve plans to dine with Swan’s lad.  I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else to assist you.”

Leroy continued to mutter as Killian made his way back to his booth, but otherwise, mercifully, kept his opinions to himself.

“Hey Killian!” Henry called as he peeled off his hat, scarf, gloves and coat and plopped down in the booth.

“Good morning lad,” Killian greeted with an affectionate ruffle of the boy’s hair, “how are you this frigid morning?”

“Starving,” Henry said, grabbing a menu. “I could eat an elephant.”

Killian laughed. Such was the lot of a pre-teen boy.  Swan had complained just last night that her lad was eating her out of house and home.  “I’ve yet to see elephant on Granny’s menu.  Suppose we settle for pancakes and bacon?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Killian flagged down Ruby, who appeared with the lad’s usual hot cocoa with cinnamon.   He placed their orders, and then sat back in his seat, watching with amusement as Henry swiped a generous dollop of cream from the top of his beverage with one finger and then happily licked it clean.

“So why’d you ask me to have breakfast with you?” Henry asked after taking his first sip and sighing with contentment.

Killian grinned. “Does a man need a reason to ask his mate to dine with him?”

“Well, no,” Henry said, “but when you called last night, you said you had things you wanted to discuss.”

“True enough,” Killian remarked after taking another swig of his coffee. “As the days pass, it becomes increasingly evident to me that I need to ascertain just what this ‘Christmas’ holiday entails.  I asked you mum about it, but she seemed unwilling to discuss the matter.”

A shadow passed across the lads face. Killian watched him closely.

“Yeah,” Henry said, uncomfortably, “she doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with Christmas. I was hoping now that she’s gotten settled in her new apartment, she’d let me help her decorate, but she doesn’t want to put up a tree or stockings or make cookies or anything.”

“These are traditions of the holiday?”

“Yeah, and Mom wouldn’t even discuss any of it,” Henry took another sip and frowned. “It was kind of like that last year too.  She finally put up a tree for me, but she really didn’t want to.”

“And it’s important to you to observe these traditions?” Killian asked carefully, trying to assess the root of the lad’s obvious unhappiness.

Henry shrugged. “Yeah, but, I mean, it’s not that.  My other mom is doing all the Christmas stuff and so are Grandma and Grandpa.  It’s just that I’m worried about Mom.  It doesn’t seem like she’s just being a Grinch or something; Christmas seems to really upset her.”

What precisely was a “Grinch?” No matter.  The import of the lad’s words was clear enough.  “Would you like me to talk to your mum?”

“I was hoping you would,” Henry admitted. “If anyone can make her feel better it’s you.”

Killian grinned. “It would be my pleasure, Henry.  I’ve plans to meet your mother for lunch.  I’ll broach the subject then.”

“Thanks, I’m really glad she has you.” Henry looked away uncomfortably.  “Look, Killian, about what I said back when the Shattered Sight spell hit…”

Killian waved the lad’s words away with a negligent move of his hook. “Don’t concern yourself mate.  You were cursed; I’d hardly take your words to heart.”

“Still,” Henry said, “I just, you know, wanted you to know that I didn’t mean it. I do like you, and, well, I like how happy you make my mom.  I never saw her this happy, even when she was just about engaged to Walsh.”

Killian clapped Henry on the shoulder. “It’s mutual lad.  I enjoy the time we spend together, and I love your mother more than life itself.  I must say it’s heartening to hear that I make her happier than a charlatan in simian form.”

The wolf girl returned with two steaming plates of pancakes. Killian grinned in amusement as he watched Henry tuck into his breakfast with the gusto of one who hadn’t eaten in a week.  When the lad’s worst pangs of hunger were apparently sated, Killian returned to the subject at hand.

“Now, to return to the original topic of this discussion. I was content to merely watch the town’s dealings with regard to Christmas until I received your grandmother’s invitation to the town Christmas party.  Now I find it incumbent upon myself to learn what is expected of me with regard to this holiday.  For example, what precisely does a ‘dirty Santa gift exchange’ entail?”

Mary Margaret, as the current mayor of Storybrooke, had evidently decided that the best way to foster town unity and holiday spirit was to throw a party upon the occasion of Christmas. It was to be held on the eve of Christmas itself, and Swan’s mum had assured him that it would be an evening filled with joy and laughter.  She’d further assured him that he was free to spike his cup of eggnog with as much rum as he pleased.

“It’s awesome,” Henry said around a mouthful of bacon. “It’s kind of like a gift exchange and a game all wrapped up together.  Everybody brings a wrapped present, and then…”

The lad went on to describe a game worthy of a pirate—full of theft, strategy and the winning of loot.

“So, it would seem gift giving is an important part of this holiday?” Killian asked.

“Yeah,” Henry said, drawing out the syllable. “It’s not, like, the most important part of Christmas, but people like to give each other gifts at this time of year.  It’s a way to show people that you care about them.”

“Aye,” Killian said, nodding his head, “but that leads me to my next question. What precisely is a man expected to give to the woman he loves?  I’ve heard multiple renditions of a song which seems to provide a roadmap, but I find it difficult to believe that Swan would wish me to gift her with drummers and pipers and lords and dancers and multiple aviary creatures.  And what use could she possibly have for eight maids a-milking?”

Henry chuckled. “That’s just a song; no one actually gives their true love that kind of stuff!  But can I be there if you decide to give my mom eleven pipers piping?  Please?”

Killian took a bite of his breakfast and grinned. “I think I’ll avoid that particular spectacle.  I must say, I’m much relieved.  I hadn’t a clue where I was to find ten lords a-leaping.  If that quite motley list is not an example of the proper Christmas gifts for a man to give his true love, what is?”

Henry shrugged. “Nothing in particular, I don’t think.  Just give her something heartfelt—something that shows her how you feel about her.”

“That, I believe I can manage.”

Henry shook his head in evident disgust. “I’m sure you can.  You and mom are so sappy together it’s kind of sickening.”

Killian ruffled the lad’s hair again. “Just wait, Henry.  Your day will come.  One day you’ll find true love, and then you’ll be as ‘sappy’ as anyone.”

“Maybe,” Henry said skeptically. “So is that all you wanted to know?”

“I have but one more question to ask,” Killian said, dragging his last bite of pancake through his remaining syrup. He took his bite, chewed thoughtfully, and then looked at the lad.  “It seems mistletoe is quite important given its prominence in the music I’ve heard during the past week.  To my knowledge, it’s nothing but a weed, something of a nuisance.  Might I inquire what its purpose is during Christmastime?”

Henry groaned, and then buried his face within his hands. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise you’ll never use it with mom when I’m around.”

–Up next, Killian takes Emma to lunch (and for a walk in the snowy woods), and gets to the bottom of just why she’s so resistant to anything related to Christmas. In true Killian fashion, he helps lift her spirits and get over some wounds from her past.

NEXT CHAPTER->

[jeonggukkiepabo]

CRYSTAL SNOW ❄ MYG

SUMMARY: Christmas has always been a stressful time for Yoongi: buying presents, decorating the tree, baking cookies, you name it-Yoongi does it. It wouldn't be so difficult if Yoongi had someone to help him, but all he has left in his life is his beautiful daughter Ara.But maybe this year, he won't be all alone.

GENRE: christmas fluff  ❄ a bit of smut

WORD COUNT: 7,3k

WARNINGS: f l u f f, single parent yoongi, kindergarten teacher y/n, oral, satoori, domestic christmas vibes :(, mentions of death

AUTHOR’S NOTE: the secret collab is finally here! thanks @kimtaehyunq​ for letting me join💞 i’m so excited to read the other fics as well! & thank you Mags for doing this amazing banner I think this is the prettiest banner I've ever had. 🤧 Tysm love💞

MERRY CHRISTMAS

People usually say she looks a lot like her father, but all Yoongi sees in Ara is his wife. Wherever his daughter goes, his wife's ghost follows, the memory of his teenage love and the wonderful years they spent together until she left their lives.

Min Dasom died almost one year after Ara was born, her death coming too sudden for anyone to bid their last goodbyes-leaving her husband and baby heartbroken and alone.

It was awful, Yoongi won't be able to forget that one night the police called him, telling him that his precious wife drowned in the ocean during her monthly trip to the beach with her friends. 

Ever since that call, Yoongi has never stepped near a beach again, never felt hot sand between his toes again, never went swimming again.

It was hard, being a single parent and Yoongi was tempted to give up many times, but seeing Ara grow and bloom into the beautiful girl she is now, Yoongi is beyond thankful that he survived the pain and sorrow.  

He never drowned his thoughts in alcohol because his sunshine always looked at him with her sad little eyes, almost as if she knew what he wanted to do and hugged his legs tightly until Yoongi set the bottle away and picked Ara up and spent the night cuddling her.

Things got easier as soon as Ara was old enough to finally go to kindergarten, allowing Yoongi to work more hours and on a daily basis again. It's not like he needed a lot of money, it's just that Yoongi needs to work. 

He's used to working all the time, he's always been-because working doesn't give him time to think about the tragedy that is his life.

Money wasn't an issue for the Min family, Yoongi used to be one of the most successful pianists and producers in South Korea, but he gave up on that as soon as Ara was born, just to have time for his family.

His friend Hyunjin offered him a job as a songwriter and composer at his own label JinHit Entertainment. 

Yoongi could work from home whenever he wanted and needed to, but the studio Hyunjin set him up was way better and filled with new technology that Yoongi loved playing and experimenting with.

The acclimatization to her new daily routine wasn't easy for Ara because she wasn't used to having women in her life-until now, it has always been Yoongi and Ara. They ended up switching kindergarten two times before Ara came into the one that you've been working at for a while now-instantly falling in love with you.

The first few days with your new reference child we're quite… interesting because the little girl was full of action and so curious about every little thing in the room that you couldn't sit still and talk to her father for a while because Ara grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the next game she wanted to play.

Her father, Min Yoongi, sent you an apologetic smile as he watched you play with his daughter from a distance, giving you time to get used to each other and build a bond. You winked at him as you took a seat next to Ara and started to explain the rules of the board game to her-impressed about how well she was understanding them.

It didn't take Ara a long time to send Yoongi home, waving him goodbye and pressing a loud kiss onto his lips. "Go and work, Appa! Uncle Hyunjinnie waits for you to make good music!"

Yoongi looked at her with a pout, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're telling me to leave? Just to go and work? That is rude, princess."

You giggled and hugged Ara as she ran over to you, Yoongi long forgotten.

"Would you like to bring your dad to the door, Ara? I think he might be sad if you won't. Remember: he won’t see you for a few hours and you don’t want your dad to be sad during lunch, right?"

Ara giggled but nodded nonetheless and grabbed Yoongi by the hand. "Hurry!"

Yoongi looked at you in shock, desperately trying to hold in his laugh. "I think you gave me Ara's evil twin instead of my sweet little princess! Where is my nice girl that always kisses Appa goodbye?"

You shrugged your shoulders playfully as one of the other kids asked for you to help him with building a big tower out of building blocks. "Have a nice day, Mr Min. Oh and make sure you won't forget about our appointment on Thursday! I don't think it'll take longer than an hour, it's just to talk about Ara's development so far."

Yoongi was one of the few parents that were always punctual, not even a minute too late-and the only parent you've never felt any kind of rage towards. Not only that, but he attended every kindergarten fest, always prepared little cupcakes for Ara's birthday to bring with her to kindergarten and share with her friends.

May was rolling around quickly and you were as eager as always to craft some little gifts for the children to give their mothers. 

You prepared some candle wax and melted it so the kids could fill it in plastic forms and add glitter and scent to their preference, just to have a nice little gift to give. 

Most of the kids had fun, some of them were a bit grumpy because they got glitter all over themselves, but there is one little girl pouting and trying not to cry in front of them, not even touching the wax.

Ara.

It breaks your heart every time, knowing that Ara's mother died years ago and that she probably had no other woman in her life because you’ve already heard that her father works quite a lot. 

Squatting down next to the little girl, you gently pinch her stomach just to hear her little giggles. 

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Don't you want to make a nice candle?"

Ara looks up at you, one single tear slipping out of her eye. "I don't have a mom, so no candle for me."

You coo, playing with Ara's hair as you stand up again, leading her towards the crafting table.

"That doesn't matter, Ara. I think your dad will be happy to get a candle too! We can pick a different color than pink, what do you think does he like the most? I’m sure we will find something!"

Ara taps her chin, smiling slightly as she thinks about Yoongi's favorite color. "Black! He wears black clothes! Always! Do we have black glitter, Y/N?" 

She scrunches her nose at the first few oils, but one scent really lights up her face. "This smells like Appa! Can we use this?" 

"We do, I didn't put it on the table because usually nobody wants it so it sits on the shelf, all by itself. I think the glitter finally deserves to be used!" You smile at the kid, grabbing the small container of glitter from the shelf and handing it over to Ara.

"We do have a few scents, would you like to smell them? Choose whichever you think smells the best and we can put a few drops in the wax,' you offer the bowl of different oils to Ara and help her open the lids.

Ara holds up the little bottle of rose oil and you smile to yourself. Black roses, that really seems to fit the impression you have of Mr. Min.

"Of course. Now, let's mix the glitter with the wax and we can put it into the mold. Alright, now stir it while i put in a few drops of the rose oil, okay?"

You guide her through the process, talking to her and listening to her rambling about the piano lessons Mr. Min gives her on a regular basis, just because Ara wants to be like her favorite man in the world.

"He is a great dad, Ara. You're so lucky to have him, I know that he must be sad sometimes too, but you're such a sunshine and help him as much as he helps you," you hug her from the side, enjoying the way Ara leans into the hug as well.

"I want a mom, but Appa is almost like a mom! He lets me paint his nails, goes to ballet with me and always bakes princess cookies for our tea parties!"

Ara giggles as she dips the wick into the liquid wax.

"Appa needs a woman to love, the only dates he goes to are work-dates with uncle Hyunjin," she says.

And yes, you think so as well.

One day around September, you decide that it’s definitely hot enough to prepare the blow-up outside pool for the kids, allowing them to change into their swimsuits and let them play around, even adding some bubbles to the water to let them experiment.

Mr. Min smiles at you, his gums fully showing and you can’t help but smile as well as you hear his words.

“And I think there’s no job that you could do better than this one.”

You’re sitting next to the pool on a bench in the shadow, reading some books to those few kids that don’t want to hop into the water as Ara jumps out of the pool.

“Y/N, come inside as well, it’s so nice!” She jumps up and down, her wet ponytail dripping onto her shoulders.

You pout, pointing to the kids next to you. “I can’t, you know that some of the kids are still afraid to go into the water with so many other children around. Maybe next time. Now, go and enjoy it, it’s super hot and I don’t know when autumn will come around and surprise us with bad weather!”

Ara nods quickly, hopping back into the water and continues splashing some water around with her friends, but she glances at you every few seconds. Then, she whispers with her two best friends before all three of them nod as they look at you.

Suddenly, they run towards you, surprising you with wet hugs and loud giggles, leaving your white summer dress almost see through.

Suddenly, there’s someone clearing his throat right behind you and you wish you could sink deep down into the pool once you see that it’s Mr. Min. 

“Girls!,” you can’t help but yelp, the cold water causing you to jump up from the bench. Yet, you laugh with them, the cooling really helping you with the heat.

“You can’t just do that, Ara. Look at my dress now, you can almost see through it, you’re lucky that the parents won’t come in within the next two hours, otherwise they would see me like this,” you try to look stern, but to be honest: you would have done the same if you were Ara.

“Ara, why did you do that?,” he asks with his calm voice and tries his best not to look at your hardening nipples under the dress. 

Ara’s bottom lip trembles as she looks at you with sad eyes. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I just thought it would be funny…”

Mr. Min turns to you and bows slightly. “I’m sorry, she shouldn’t have done that. And well, I came to pick her up earlier because we will visit her grandparents over the weekend. I should’ve informed you earlier. Is there any way I can help you with your… erm, dress?”

Mr. Min nods at you, picking up his-still wet-daughter as he looks you up and down slow enough to leave goosebumps all over your skin once again. 

You blush, shaking your head as you grab Ara’s clothes and hand her to her father.

“It’s alright, Mr. Min, it’s not your fault-and a water fight is too much fun to just not do it, right, Ara? It’s sunny enough so I’ll just bring the bench into the sun and I’ll be dry soon enough! I hope you’re having fun with your grandparents, Ara! Have a nice weekend, Mr. Min.”

“It’s alright, Mr. Min, really. You don’t know how many children happen to call one of us mom without realizing it. It’s nothing too wild, I’ve gotten used to it and I think especially in Ara’s case… It was supposed to happen, you know? I mean, I don’t want to intrude on your private life, but I suppose you’re not seeing another person and Ara isn’t growing up with other females, so she takes those she sees here as a female person to bond with, you know?”

“Thank you, mommy! Oh… I mean Y/N..,” Ara quirps as he turns around in her father’s arms, even though it doesn’t look like she’s really sorry at all.

“Ara!” Mr. Min gasps as he looks at his daughter. 

Yoongi shakes his head. “I haven’t seen another woman ever since my wife died. Ara is the only woman in my life, the only one I give all my love to. She deserves it,” he sighs. “But you’re right, I think another female person would really help her with growing up. I just don’t want to introduce her to some random woman I might not even want to spend the rest of my life with. Is this egoistic?”

His honest words hit you, knowing how lonely he must be, all alone with his little girl and a bunch of work he has to do. “It’s not, Mr. Min. You don’t have to date just because you think it would be the best for Ara. There are many single fathers that raise their kids perfectly fine and I think you’re one of them! Ara never tells bad stories about you and I think you’re doing a really good job, spending all of your free time with her and allowing her to experience so many fun things. I’ve met so many ‘happy’ families that didn’t even manage to pack breakfast for their kids, so really, don’t break your head over something like this! I’m happy that Ara accepted me so much and that she always comes to me whenever she has a problem. This is why I chose my job.”

Over the next few months, Mr. Min is all that’s on your mind, even though you know how unprofessional it is, but he’s even kinder to you than he’s been before. You usually have a small chat with every parent whenever they bring or pick up their children, but Mr. Min makes sure to always catch you and ask you about your day, if there’s anything new in your life and you can’t help but ask him about his work and the songs he’s been working on as well.

“Ah, it’s really stressful right now. I’m working with this band that’s debuting soon and we have to prepare and finish the entire album I wrote about five songs for. They’re really good but still so young, I think the oldest is 16? Or was it 17? Whatever, that’s like ten years younger than me! I think I’ll grow grey hair soon when I keep on working with such young idols,” he sighs playfully as he helps Ara to put on her shoes and jacket. 

“I mean, you’re not that old, Mr. Min. Don’t worry-as long as you keep that handful smile you will look like you’re straight out of some perfume poster. But I’d love to listen to one of your songs! I mean, if you’d let me,” you smile with honesty as you hand Ara her backpack. 

Mr. Min shrugs, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he opens his Spotify account. He types something in and turns the screen towards you. AGUST D, it says. You scrunch your eyes at the name, trying to remember where you’ve known it from, but it doesn’t ring a bell right now. 

“I’ll make sure to listen to some of your songs, I hope they aren’t too sad though, I prefer my music to be more… pop and rock?”

You cringe at your own words, hoping that the man knows what you were trying to say. 

And fuck, you did like it. Turns out that AGUST D wasn’t some softie that plays guitar lullabies, no. 

Yoongi cracks a grin, then winks at you playfull before he takes Ara’s hand after she said goodbye to you.

“I think you’re going to like it.”

AGUST D seems to be one of the best rappers in the music industry that you’ve ever been listening to. He sounds so aggressive and fast that you needed to listen twice to some of his songs to understand what he was saying, but you ended up adding much more songs into your playlist than you’d like to tell him.

But you did tell him.

“Oh, I’m not doing that crazy rap thing anymore. It was a phase, I guess. By now, I use the name to help smaller musicians and trainees, produce their songs and write their lyrics. It’s better to do so with a bigger name, but AGUST D died a long time ago, I guess I killed him.” Mr. Min says the next day.

"I mean, as long as you keep all of them on Spotify, I'm alright with that. Most of those songs match my aggressive driving vibe and I can't imagine driving to work without it." You try to joke before you realize what it must've sounded like. "Oh lord, I didn't mean it like that!" 

You blush, trying to hide your reddened cheeks in your palms, but Mr. Min just laughs it off.

"Don't worry, I get what you mean. I usually play Love Talk as soon as i leave this building."

He even has the audacity to wink at you before he leaves with a grin, causing Ara to coo.

"Appa really likes you if he teases you!"

And the teasing goes on and on, there’s almost no day without a snarky comment from Mr. Min or a sarcastic comment from you-but neither of you takes those words to heart because that’s what you need in your lives, someone to laugh with, someone to make jokes with.

Even though there are plenty of other children in your group and so many parents you talk to daily, the only one you’re happy to see in the afternoon is Mr. Min.

The summer is long gone and fall said goodbye a few weeks ago, December came around and your little crush on Mr. Min isn’t as little anymore-and you can’t help yourself but wonder if he might be into you as well. You’ve shared a few noons talking about Ara’s development and if she’s ready for school next September, but most of the times you didn’t talk about the girl for more than thirty minutes before one of you switched the topic to something more private as the man leans closer to you and locks his gaze with yours.

You’re not as nervous around him as you were before and you can feel him starting to open up towards you as well. Yet, you’ve never met outside of the kindergarten, knowing it would be way too unprofessional and you’d never want to ruin the wonderful bond you share with Ara just because you’re desperate to jump into her father’s lap and call him Daddy too.

You’re not one of those women to go into a club and have a dirty one night stand with a random stranger, but you’ve been too busy to actually go and meet people, so you’ve kind of gotten used to being alone, even though you’re really missing late night cuddles and Disney marathons.

It’s Saturday afternoon and you’ve been strolling through the mall for a while now, looking for some christmas presents for your friends and family-but also wanting to treat yourself because work has been more than just exhausting lately.

You’ve been handling the entire group alone, having a lot more smaller children because new kids have been coming to kindergarten and having to deal with so many parents alone can be pure hell. Sadly enough you’re living all by yourself, only having a few close friends that don’t understand why you’re even doing this underpaid job and your last relationship crashed almost two years ago.

The mall looks amazing, beautiful christmas ornaments are hanging from the ceiling and there must be someone playing the piano somewhere because the soft melodic tunes fill the entire mall, reminding you of Mr. Min once again.

You just stepped out of a lingerie store, something you’re really passionate about even though nobody but yourself sees you in it, but you love the feeling of lace on your skin, love how beautifully the soft colors compliment your skin and love imagining Mr. Min ripping the soft material off you.

The small paper bag in your hand, you look around for another shop that might hold the next christmas present for one of your friends. 

“Appa, please! I already have a picture but we need you to have one too!”

You know that voice too well to ignore it, searching the area for the small owner of it, giggling as you found her. Ara and Mr. Min are in the Santa area of the mall that gives you the ability to sit on Santa’s lap and take a picture with him as you tell him your biggest christmas wishes.

But the little girl is not sitting on Santa’s lap, she’s trying to push her father towards the man with the fake beard, clearly wanting him to sit down on that lap.

You giggle, walking towards them just to find out what’s going to happen.

“Ara, I’m too old and heavy for poor Santa, I think he prefers girls your age-wait, no not like that. I think he likes boys and girls-ugh. You’re driving me crazy, princess. Look, there’s a few other kids wanting to have their time with Santa as well, why don’t we just leave and try to find some more presents from the giftshop here, hm?” The man tries to talk his daughter into leaving the uncomfortable situation, but Ara is as stubborn as ever-she always gets what she wants, especially from her father.

“But… I want you to have pictures with Santa too!” She pouts, looking over at the confused Santa before she hears your giggle. “Y/N!”

Mr. Min turns around, a shocked expression on his face and a soft pink tint on his cheeks.

“Oh, Ms. Y/L/N. What a surprise.”

You giggle even more, stepping closer towards them. “Hello Ara, good afternoon Mr. Min,” you bow slightly before accepting the little girl’s hug. 

“I see, you really want to sit on Santa’s lap, but Ara doesn’t want to let you because she’d be embarrassed.” 

Yoongi hums in agreement. “Horrible, those children. I mean, I just want a nice christmas picture with Santa, but you know how they are… right before puberty hits them.”

“Y/N, Appa doesn’t want to take a picture with Santa, would you sit on his lap and take a picture for me?” Ara looks up at you with her big eyes and like always, you can’t say no. Instead, you hand Mr. Min your bags-not thinking about the fact that one of them is from the lingerie store-before taking Ara’s hand and walking over to the smiling Santa.

The picture is quickly taken and not even five minutes later, Mr. Min hands you your bags, whispering, so Ara wouldn’t hear you. “I think the peach one will suit you the best.”

Ara nods and rips the bags out of Mr. Min’s hands to show you her cute dresses and bows while the man just stares at you with an open mouth. Did you really just say that to him? 

You gasp, hiding the bags behind your back but who are you to deny the fact that this man is the exact reason you stepped into the store?

“Thank you, I hope someone will get to see them before Christmas. It would be a shame to waste those pretty pieces for some lame mirror selfies,” you smile innocently before squatting down next to Ara. “Did you buy something nice yet?”

“Appa, we wanted to get hot chocolate, can Y/N come too please?”

Yoongi is speechless once more as he quietly follows his daughter and her kindergarten teacher towards the mall’s cafe-realizing that he shouldn’t have chosen his tightest pair of skinny jeans because somehow, they got quite uncomfortable as soon as you arrived.

Yoongi raises an eyebrow at his daughter before he picks up all the dresses that Ara tried to shove back into the bags. “If she wants, she’s welcome to join, but I think you should ask her first, maybe she is busy.”

You blush at the invitation, not sure whether to accept it or not-but you’re not one to decline on hot chocolate. Smiling at Ara, you nod. “Show me where to get the best hot chocolate, I’m craving something sweet and thick down my throat.”

He watches you as Ara grabs your hand and swings them around with a soft giggle, heart warming as he sees your fond smile.

Ara talks about you a lot-hell, Yoongi asks about you a lot whenever Ara doesn't want to talk about you but watch her favorite show.

It's unprofessional and probably not allowed, Yoongi knows, but Ara leaves for school in March anyways, so who cares? 

It's obvious to the both of you that you're interested in each other, the flirting and teasing coming to a point where Yoongi can't wait for another snarky remark of yours.

And now that he has the chance to sit and talk with you outside of your workplace, you just chose to buy a bag full of fucking beautiful lingerie (yes, Yoongi looked inside, no, he doesn't regret it).

Ara leads you into this beautiful cat cafe that apparently has "The best hot chocolate and bubble tea, but it's too cold for bubble tea… Can they make hot bubble tea?" as Ara says, earning a harsh "no" from Yoongi, because that's something he wishes for as well.

"Go find a place with Mr. Y/L/N, Ara. I'll get your order, yeah? What can I order for you?" Yoongi looks at you as he pulls out his wallet, giving you some time to read the menu.

"Oh, the candy cane hot chocolate, please! And please, as long as we are not talking inside the kindergarten, call me Y/N. I mean, you've seen my underwear, I think you deserve to call me by my name."

Yoongi blushes, nodding and rushes towards the cashier to order your drinks. You smile at the man, then at the cats-they look somewhat similar-before you sit down next to Ara who is currently petting four cats on her lap.

"They're adorable," you coo, "Do you have any pets?"

Ara nods with a big smile and hands you one of the cats, a pretty one with orange fur and big eyes. 

"I have a turtle! Gukkie gave it to me and Appa didn't like it first, but I love her!"

You enjoy the cat's purring as you gently stroke her chin. "A turtle sounds lovely, I hope you can show it to me one day."

"Oh, that won't be a problem, I can invite you for dinner and Appa will get shy and red in the face, but he wouldn't say no because he's super soft for-" "ALPACAS! I'm soft for alpacas, haha, here we go, three hot chocolates."

Yoongi appears with a pained expression as he places your hot chocolate right in front of you.

"Thanks, Yoongi," you smile at the man and Yoongi swears that his heart stopped beating for a second. "I'm soft for Alpacas as well."

Right after you all finished your drinks, Ara decides that it’s time to walk through the mall once more, just to make sure that Santa is still there and will take another picture with hot chocolate-filled Ara. 

“Did you enjoy your date with Y/N, Appa?” She looks up at her father as you walk towards the mall. Yoongi trembles, blushing brightly. “I’m pretty sure this wasn’t a date, Ara. Don’t assume things like this, it’s rude,” he mumbles as he gently pets her head to make sure she isn’t hurt by his comment.

You giggle, whispering loud enough for Yoongi to hear. “I really liked it, Ara. Your Appa can be funny if he wants to.”

The picture with Santa comes out pretty, even though the man groaned as two grown adults decided to sit on each of his legs, the bright smiling Ara kneeling in front of them. But it’s really worth it, because Yoongi’s smile never leaves his lips this evening, gums showing beautifully on the picture and you quickly make sure to get a copy of that picture as well.

Yoongi’s eyes widen. “So was this a… you know?” It’s endearing, how shy he suddenly seems to be. You’ve never seen him like this. Stressed, overworked and happy - yes. Shy and blushing? Never.

You nod with a soft smile as you lay your hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, I’d like that to be a ‘you know what’, Yoongi.”

You can't even tell when the two of you officially started dating, but you'll never forget the first kiss you've shared during one of your walks-thanks to Ara for snapping a picture of it. Yoongi's hands wrapped around your waist, eyes clenched shut and lips curled in a soft smile as fresh snow fell down on you.

Seeing Yoongi at work wasn’t as weird as you had expected it to be, it’s quite the opposite. He’s attentive and lovely, bringing you fresh croissants or donuts every morning or puting little chocolate for you and Ara in his daughter’s lunchbox.

He’s caring, picking you up after your shift to invite you to dinners and walks through the forest with Ara, because that little girl just loves walking in the fresh snow that has started to fall recently. She takes pictures of your footprints with Yoongi’s phone and makes him promise to print it for her to hang up.

“Of course I can, Ara. You’re already wearing your sleeping clothes and you’ve brushed your teeth with Appa, so hurry up and pick out the book you want me to read!” 

Ara grows closer and closer to you, until that one day where you stay over the Min’s house for dinner, she asks you to bring her to bed.

“Can she, Appa? I want her to read my favorite bedtime story to me! Please, Y/N,” Ara looks up at you with a pout, her beautiful eyes-that remind you of Yoongi-sparkling with admiration. 

That girl really makes your heart melt, combined with the soft smile that Yoongi gives you. And suddenly, you feel like you’re meant to be here, helping that man that you’ve grown so close to, helping the girl that lost her mother way too early and maybe even helping yourself with accepting that love really comes unexpectedly.

You gently tuck the soft blanket over Ara and place her favorite stuffie next to her as you smile at the girl fondly. "Sleep well, Ara," you whisper quietly, trying not to wake her up.

"Kissies, please," she mumbles sleepily and makes grabby hands towards you.

"Ara, I-" "Please," she whines and opens her eyes, tears starting to build up.

"Okay, it's okay, Ara." You swipe her hair out of her face before you plant a soft little kiss onto the girl's forehead. "Good night, sweetheart."

"Good night, Y/N. Will you be there tomorrow morning?"

Your smile fades, unsure if you really want to tell the little girl the truth. 

"Probably not, I have to get ready for work. You know that I love to wear dresses on Thursdays and I didn't bring mine. But we will see each other in the kindergarten!"

"Okay," she whispers before she falls back into a quiet slumber.

Yoongi has cleaned the kitchen in the meantime and poured more wine for the both of you to enjoy in front of the fireplace.

"She really adores you," he says as you sit down next to him, sipping the rosé Yoongi bought just for you.

"And I adore her. She's an angel. Thank you for allowing me to spend so much time with her, Yoon."

Yoongi blushes again, shaking his head. The greyish blonde hair got messier as the evening passed. "No, Y/N. You're the first mother-figure Ara has, I have to thank you in both mine and Ara's name. I know that dating a single father is a lot, but you're accepting my family so well… I never thought I'd find another woman in my life again. Ever since my wife died, it was hard for me to even look at other women, let alone build up something like a relationship with them because I always felt bad. But that's what she would have wanted for me. To love again, to not waste my last handsome days," his lips curl into a smirk before he shakes again. 

Then, his sharp eyes met yours and soften within seconds. 

"I… I don't know if it's the right time, we've known each other for two years, we've been officially dating for only three weeks, but I think I won't change my mind about it-no I know that I won't change my mind. I love you, Y/N. And I know that Ara loves you too."

You gasp, lips beginning to tremble once your eyes meet Yoongi's. "Yoongi…," you whisper before you place your glass on the table and basically jump onto his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck. 

"I wanted to be the one to tell you first. I love you so much, Yoongi. I've had this stupid crush on you ever since you saw me in that wet dress, ever since you've shown me your music. Ever since I've seen you being the wonderful father you are-and that's so sexy, you can't even imagine."

Yoongi smirks as his hands find their place on the curve of your ass. "Sexy, huh? Me, doing the laundry and cooking dinner? Or me walking Ara to kindergarten with the homemade lunch boxes? That turns you on?"

You laugh, hiding your face in his neck as you lean closer to press your lips against his ear.

"All of that-and the way that you love Ara with all your heart, that's maybe the sexiest thing about you."

The man groans as he grabs you even tighter. "I never thought that sweet talk would turn me on even more than dirty talk," he laughs shakily as he wiggles his hips slightly to get into a more comfortable position that won't suffocate his hardening erection.

You sigh, sit up and run your hands through his hair. "Isn't all of this too early? I always tell myself that I shouldn't fall so fast, but here I am, ready to go every step with you."

Yoongi nods before he presses a peck on your nose. "Same, but we have all the time on earth. Ara wants us to get married by tomorrow, but I'm sure she'll survive it if we decide to postpone it for a few weeks."

You giggle as you look over your shoulder to the fireplace. "Did someone ever suck you off in front of a fireplace? Isn't this the definition of Christmas?"

The man underneath you gasps in shock. "No, but… I mean, I… You don't… have to?"

Laughing, you slide out of his lap and onto the floor, thankful for the soft carpet. "I want to, bubs. I wouldn't do something either of us isn't comfortable with. I assume you're alright with it?"

"Of course, but… I guess nobody ever did it because they wanted to, but because they feel like they had to?"

You raise an eyebrow at him, obviously disappointed in his previous partners. 

"It's as much fun and pleasure for me as it is for you, believe me, Yoon. Now lay back and enjoy, yeah?" You give him a calming smile as you open his pants carefully, then sliding them down his toned legs.

You press kisses all around his thighs to warm him up to the feeling, knowing that it has to be overwhelming to have some that close after all that time. Then, you gently remove his boxer shorts as well, leaving him bare and proud in front of you.

You groan as you start to stroke his cock, earning a low growl from Yoongi. "So beautiful," you whisper, then you take him into your mouth, getting a feeling for the weight on your tongue before you start bopping your head. 

Yoongi tries to contain himself, knowing that Ara could wake up every second, but alone the sight in front of him could make him come with a scream.

Instead, he cups your cheek, feeling the bulge that he causes there. Another groan leaves his lips. 

You look up at him, smirking-or trying to, with a mouth full of cock-and leading his hand into your hair, using it to push you down even more.

Yoongi's eyes lighten up. "Really?"

You almost laugh out, but you're doing your best to contain yourself and nod, placing your hands on his thighs to stop whenever you can't take it anymore. Yoongi is long and thicker than the average you've had before, but it's a challenge that's worth it.

He pushes you down slowly, enjoying the hot warmth of your mouth and then your throat as he pushes in-surprised that you didn't really gag around him.

Spit trickles down your chin as he moves faster, thrusting his hips to meet the movements of his hand and enjoying the gurgling sounds you make.

He comes far to quick for his own liking, shooting his load down your throat with a quiet groan. "Fuck."

You giggle as you swallow what he gives you, standing up to sit back on his lap to kiss him.

"You're welcome." 

Then, before you can grab your wine again, he flips you around and goes on his knees in front of you. "My turn," he smirks, eyes shining dangerously behind his fringe. 

"Yoongi, I-," you try to say, but he shushes you with a sloppy kiss.

"I know that I have to, but believe me: I love giving pleasure more than receiving it."

You pout, hands running through his soft hair.

"I didn't shave…," you whisper, a bit ashamed because you didn't come prepared, not thinking that this would be happening today.

The man in front of you raises an eyebrow.

"Do you think I am a 15 year old, pre puberty fuckboy that cares about shaved pussies? It's natural, love. Even if you can't believe it: I grow hair too, nobody is freshly shaved every day. I don't mind that, okay? Now, stop pouting and let me do my work, will you? Can you be a good girl and do that for me? All you've got to do is lean back, open your legs, throw them around my shoulders and let me devour you."

His shameless words turn you on, you can't even deny it-especially not when your panties are that damp. So, you naturally obey and help him to remove your pants.

"I told you, peach is your color," Yoongi groans in his deep Satoori as he looks at your clothed core. The peach colored lace has darkened from your arousal and the man can't help it but press his face against the material, licking one bold stripe over it.

Nobody has ever done that to you, rather pulled them off in a hurry because they thought that body fluids were disgusting, but Yoongi didn't seem to mind as he gently bites your folds through the lace. 

"God," you moan in pleasure as Yoongi finally pulls your panties to the side and spits onto your pussy, making it even wetter.

You're a whimpering mess as soon as Yoongi's tongue is on you, flicking and playing with your clit, collecting your juices and spreading them all over your pussy. You've read about that before; men eating pussy like they're starving, but Yoongi is somewhat different.

He eats pussy like he wants you to always remind it, to make you obedient and never being able to enjoy anyone else doing that job.

He does it well-of course. His tongue is as fast as he's been spitting rhymes on his mixtape, and you're more than thankful for that.

He doesn't even get to use his fingers before your orgasm approaches you, strong waves of pleasure hitting you as Yoongi keeps on kissing and slowly licking you through your high.

Then, he grins at you. "Round two, here we go."

And this time, it's not only his tongue working wonders, but also his fingers stroking you on the inside until they found your spot. 

You press your hands on your mouth to keep yourself from screaming out loud, hips bucking wildly as you come for a second time within less than ten minutes. And again, Yoongi guides you through it and softly caresses your stomach.

"Fuck, I love you," you pant as he comes back up and steals a kiss from you.

"I can't wait to have you in my bed properly," he whispers and takes a large sip from his wine. 

You can only agree.

You've started to spend the nights at Yoongi's more often, bringing Ara to work with you and helping Yoongi with her and the household whenever you can. Your relationship blooms beautifully and Ara is the happiest little bean when you're around.

Obviously, you spent Christmas with Yoongi and Ara as well, buying little presents and enjoying the comfortable atmosphere with the family.

Yoongi gave you a spare key to his house, so you're always able to visit them, spending the nights there and soon enough, you moved in.

❄❄❄❄

The Christmas after that, you surprised Ara with the adoption papers, telling her that now that she's in school and not one of your kindergarten kids anymore, she'll be able to finally call you Mommy (not that Ara minded before, you just felt weird and guilty about it).

And here you are now, preparing the huge breakfast for your third Christmas around, smiling at the ring that adorns your finger. 

"Smells fabulous, Mama," Ara says as she runs towards you and falls into your arms.

"Do you want me to help you with dessert, Mrs Min?" Yoongi asks as he presses a kiss onto your cheeks. You lean into his touch, shaking your head. "It's almost done. You can go into the living room, I'll be there in a minute to open our presents, bubs."

Yoongi prepares the fireplace, lightens some candles with Ara and lets his daughter hand out the presents. 

"I have one more for you, Yoon," you whisper as you hand him a small box.

"Oh? Can I open this first?" He tilts his head curiously, shaking the light box.

"Open!" Ara squeaks and sits down between her father and you. You nod with a fond smile as Yoongi lifts the top. Then, silence.

"Really?" He whispers with teary eyes.

"Yes, finally," you smile, "Ara, you'll become a big sister!"

Yoongi sniffs, hugging his family tight.

"And she'll be the best sister in the world. Merry Christmas, loves."