#my heart is so full of blessings I can’t even list them all but I want to try anyway so maybe I’ll find the post where people were listing

[flickeringflame216]

📖

[frehyun]

Mistletoe

non-idol!Felix x gn!Reader

warnings: none!

genre: fluff

word count: around 700

author's note: it's november but the first christmas markets are gonna go up at the end of the month in my country and it's already affecting me. hope you enjoy this, it's just a quick silly one! <3

masterlist

divider by @firefly-graphics

You couldn’t take your eyes off him. The way the lights reflected off his eyes, making them sparkle and glitter in the dark. His freckles like little galaxies dancing around on his cheeks, painted a cute soft red by the cold. Surrounded by countless flickering lights and beautiful decorations, your focus was always drawn to the prettiest thing around you: your boyfriend Felix.

His smile was infectious as he sipped on his hot chocolate, yapping away about something where you realised you tapped out of the conversation a while ago, mesmerised by how beautiful he looked even while doing the mundanest things like sitting at the corner of a Christmas market with you.

“-and I already have an idea of what to get Seungmin for Christmas.”

“It can’t be worse than whatever Minho has planned to torment everyone with, so I think you’re safe. You’re a great gift giver, Lixie” – you told him, hoping that it wasn’t too obvious you didn’t catch half of his sentence.

You leaned more into his side, trying your best to initiate some form of physical contact. With you and Felix both bundled up in several layers, both sporting thick gloves and fitting beanies, it was as good as impossible to get any skinship while you were out and about, so this would have to do.

“You think they have a mistletoe somewhere around here?” – he suddenly quips, looking around the plaza.

“Are you that eager to kiss me in public?” – you giggle and take his gloved hand awkwardly into yours, intertwining your fingers to the best of your ability.

“So what if I am?” – he playfully pouts in return and squeezes your hand.

You bumped your shoulder into his and moved to get up from the little bench the two of you were situated on.

Realising that you were going to indulge his request, Felix beamed up at you, smiling that bright teethy smile of his that almost triggered your cuteness aggression into overdrive.

Hand in hand the two of you wandered around the plaza before finally spotting a stand that had a mistletoe hanging from a wooden beam. With a hop in your step, Felix and you skipped towards the little wooden hut full of giggles, excitement bubbling up in your chests.

It was silly to get this excited over a simple mistletoe kiss but with Felix by your side, even the smallest things seemed to spark unbridled joy in your heart, which was thumping happily in anticipation.

As you stood on either side of the mistletoe, grinning from ear to ear, his arms found their way around your waist, pulling you closer to him. His soft lips found yours in an instant, kissing you like it was the last kiss he was going to get in a while.

Little fireworks exploded in your chest as they always do when you get to kiss your sunshine and you smile against his lips before the two of you parted, your forehead leaned against his.

“People are staring” – you giggled and poked his side, which in turn made him giggle and twist his body away from your attack.

“They’re just jealous.”

“Jealous of me, maybe.”

“Hey! Do you want me to start listing all the things I love about you again?”

“And have me cry in the middle of a Christmas market?”

“You know I’ll do it. So! First thing-“

“Alright! I get it! You can stop!” – you hastily placed your hand over his mouth before he could make you cry of happiness and love for real, laughing over his competitiveness at who loves the other more.

It was getting awkward with all the people looking in your direction, so you decided to call it a day and trudge home.

Soft, joyful days like these were always a blessing with Felix and made you wonder what you did in your previous life to deserve him. He could always manage to make you laugh, smiling brighter than all the Christmas lights combined.

You were sure that as long as you had him, you never needed another Christmas present again if it meant you could spend your days with him.

[thetriplets3]

can u do prompt 17(i think) from the needing comfort list — ‘you bought me chocolate/flowers’ — with matt plz !! its okay if not ! have a great dayy 🩵

haven't written in a while so hopefully this is good thank you for your request. send some more in

key to my heart

One thing I’ve always loved about Matt is how he will go lengths to make sure feel better and brighten up your darkest days.

Matt’s been by my side for a few years now, he’s the first person I want to tell anything to, a shoulder to cry on, and a comforting presence. When life gets hectic and things gets flipped over Matt is always the one to come and turn your world back around. I never know where I stand with Matt. He does things a boyfriend would do but we’ve never discussed our feeling with each other.

This week was exhausting to say the least. I’ve become the therapist amongst my friends, it’s a blessing and a curse to feel things so deeply. I give my undivided attention to anyone who needs an ear to listen to their problems and give my best advice but at the same time I absorb all their negative energy and I carry their problems. They pass the weight holding them down onto me, quickly slowing me down. That’s the downside to being the one who listens because no one thinks to listen to the listener. They don’t think how heavy it is for one person to hold all that.

I can’t take it anymore, I only have so much room to carry things and it’s filling up quickly. My space is full of others problems and there’s no room for my own thoughts or feeling. So that’s where I am now, curled up under the covers in the dark trying to feel something, anything but everyone’s problems. Turning my phone on do not disturb I see a few messages from Chris covering the ones from Matt.

chris 🍊

please answer us

helloooo??

i know you hate notifications so i know for a fact you’ve seen this

don’t ignore

at least message matt pls he’s worried

love you kid we’re here whatever it is

matt 🥤

y/n

what’s wrong why aren’t you answering any of us?

are you okay? i need to know you’re okay i’m worried

no one has heard or seen you in a few days

i know somethings up this isn’t like you

let me in let me help you

Flipping my phone face down so I don’t have to look at it, I let out a shaky breathe. The silence becomes too much all the stories and problems are all coming forth, shouting and talking over each other. Not knowing how to make it stop I let out a desperate sob wanting nothing more than for someone to listen to me like I do for them. Both mentally and physically exhausted I drifted off into a much needed nap.

My eyes squint open looking at my clock. Only a 40 minute nap. The dryness in my mouth makes me get up to go grab a drink from the kitchen, but not before wrapping a blanket around me.

Slowly and heavy lidded I trudge down the stairs, halting when my eyes meet the island. Flowers. No one’s ever given me flowers before. The thought of how they got in here escapes you, being drawn towards the yellow flowers, my favorite color. Attached to the bouquet is a little note in chicken scratch I could recognize anywhere.

My heart flutters as a pout replaces the empty look on my face. “My favorite” I gasp. A happy sigh leave my lips as I bring the bouquet to my nose to give them a sniff.

“I knew you’d love them” you voice full of love and softness.

“Matt! Holy shit you can’t do that to me” I pant with a hand over my chest.

“Sorry” you say sheepishly.

“You bought me flowers?” I ask softly.

“You told me tulips were your favorite and I thought yellow ones would make you even happier”

“That was 2 years ago I didn’t think you’d remember. I don’t think anyone would remember that” I scoff.

“When you care, you remember. If it’s important to you it’s worth remembering” You say. “You’re worth it”

Placing the flowers on the table I walk towards you. Sensing an impending hug you open your arms and pull me into your chest.

“I know you’re always there for everyone else to let their guard down but you need someone to be there for you. Stop putting up walls let me be that person. Let me in okay I love you and you don't have to feel alone” you say as your one hand rubs circles on my back and the other cradling my head to your chest, immediately bringing me comfort I didn't know I was missing.

“I know. I'll let you in might take a while. I love you Matty" I whisper into your neck.

"We'll work on it I'm here for you"

taglist: @antisocialties @iluvmatt @dwntwn-strnlo @fake-coolbeans @opheliaofficial07 @angelcake-222 @oneirophobic @strniolo @lollibumblebee @ssturniolo @20nugs

[batsplat]

have you ever done a ranking of your fav vale podium celebrations (or celebrations in general)? Would love to hear your thoughts <3

I love ranking dumb things so I HAVE done this, years ago actually, but I've not posted it on here! going over my list and I stand by the order with two minor alterations. I won't just limit my picks to podium celebrations but WILL exclude all his title-winning celebrations, because that feels like its own thing. so here goes

next off list *deep breath*: first win, brno '96 (so thrilled he almost rode into the wall, bless); playing the violin, donington '05 (just slaps idk man); bowling, jerez '07 (cute but also kinda funny in hindsight given how the rest of the season played out); hazing your baby teammate, catalunya '09 (like it's not even anything specific it's just SO hammy); superman, assen '97 (jorge martinez saw that shit and was like ENOUGH I need to retire NOW); bike medical check, catalunya '04 (endearingly corny and quietly ominous); 46 yamaha wins, sepang 2010 (delightfully stupid dick measuring contest with jorge); serving the champagne, brno '05 (it's silly and it's sweet, especially uccio correcting valentino's tea towel placement); beachwear, mugello '98 (this one HURT to leave out, not least because of the poor veteran valentino was upstaging)

and here's my actual top ten:

10. empty grandstands, andalusia 2020

idk this one's just so quintessentially valentino to me; I'm glad he had something fun like this for his very last podium. he parks the bike on the side of the track, gets up on... whatever you call those things, barriers? and then he wildly gesticulates in celebration at an entirely empty grandstand at the height of the pandemic as if he's being serenaded by fans. I like that it was at jerez too, feels like a full circle moment for a celebration featured later on the list - one that's also about like... subverting expectations in 'communicating' with the 'crowd'. it's just so FUN, the vibes were incredibly off back then (to put it mildly) but he did his thing and it did low key cheer me up at the time. which is the classic valentino magic, isn't it

9. tricked them all, welkom 2004

another one of the simpler, more spontaneous celebrations - valentino stopping at the side of the track after winning his first ever race with yamaha. he kisses the bike, he briefly sits down and buries his head in his hands. the commentary thinks he is crying, overcome by the magnitude of what he achieved - but in his autobiography he says he was laughing (x)

“So I was right!” I thought to myself. “I can’t believe it, I tricked them all, what a show!” I kept repeating.

it's just such a pivotal valentino moment... and in its own way, it's a very memorable celebration. an intimate *cough* moment with the bike, a genuine outpouring of emotion from a man who had won pretty much everything there was to win the last few years... but was now attempting to achieve something almost nobody thought he'd be capable of. he WAS right, he DID trick them all - and he certainly put on a show

8. robin hood, donington 1998

listen. I'm a lesbian. this gets as high up the list as it does on sheer concentrated power of lesbianism. I don't even have a lot to say about this one, I just think it's neat how he was winning everything and also winning everyone over while swanning around like THAT. valentino charmed his way into the hearts of the british to such an extent that they would terrorise anyone who looked at him wrong for the next decade plus, and it all started with some remarkably dyke-coded behaviour. look at him with his cap and his bow and his arrow. no wonder he had them all eating out of his hand

7. chicken, catalunya 1998

redefined commitment to the bit. everything about his whole 'inventing a fake sponsor to fuck with the press' saga is obviously just. excellent. all the comedy hijinks where they're getting someone to act as osvaldo and trying to continue stringing the sceptical press along... something about how he managed to still treat the whole thing as a game, still had fun with his friends, didn't take himself too seriously. obviously this celebration is a culmination of sorts of that whole ploy - valentino riding around with his imaginary chicken sponsor to the delight of the crowds. I'm always a fan of a recurring bit, so I also like the continued chicken-themed celebrations over the years. let him be a silly little guy y'know

6. speeding ticket, mugello 2002

this one is just pure camp. what can you even say. like it's such an annoying lame bit that crosses the line again to be incredibly funny, classic valentino style. this race set off valentino's mugello streak after he'd crashed out of his home race in 2001... also low key the speeding ticket was a good idea, given it kept valentino away from a rather dangerous track invasion where one rider was dragged off his bike. so he just stayed out of trouble, did his silly camp theatrics and continued to rack up wins at the circuit for the next six years. so deeply lame. bless

5. portaloo, jerez 1999

this one I confess I didn't really Get when I read about it the first time. kinda went... okay, that's cute, but I also don't really know what the point is. so it's been a bit of a slow burn for me. think it's one that helps to actually watch and then read a bit about the crowd reaction... it's just a classic case of subverting expectations, right. this entire crowd is going nuts at your victory, you're known for your zany post-race celebrations, and then you just... dive into the portaloo. he has to sell it too, I reckon, like it just wouldn't work the same way without his earnest little dash. and so the crowd goes quiet - until erupting with even more volume once he emerges. just that feel for engaging the crowd... for toying with them and winning them over all the more as a result

4. donkey ears, misano 2009

huh, this one really has snuck up the order for me. idk I just find everything about it annoyingly endearing. I like how valentino was willing to take the piss out of himself after his indy crash (which he very much should because it was extremely stupid). I like how he showed up to his home race with a donkey helmet because he'd been such an idiot. it's a tense moment in the championship given that the indy crash having very much reopened the contest. so you've got valentino really committing to this playful way of bouncing back from an embarrassing failure... smart too! it takes the sting out of things, right, just defuses the optics of his big error by gently mocking himself

The donkey is because I was stupid to crash at Indy. [...] [In this race] I was in trouble, I found myself fourth and I didn't feel confident with a full tank. So I took my time to put some more temperature in the tyres and then I attacked. Today, I was the flying donkey!"

I like how he gets his crew to wear donkey ears to greet him in parc fermé. I LOVE him mock-formally shaking the hands of his team - including obviously with luca - before giving them all a proper hug. unfortunately just unavoidably very sweet. and I like him imitating donkey ears to the camera

and OBVIOUSLY I love him putting on those bloody donkey ears for the actual podium. the way he gets down onto his knees in front of the adoring crowd. wonderfully annoying

just something about these later celebrations, when he wasn't doing them as often anymore,,, it's almost strategically recapturing that sense of whimsy, right - using this old part of his repertoire to regain a measure of authorial control. helps bring to the forefront what the celebrations are actually doing for him in practical competitive terms, what he's getting out of them beyond just having a laff. and of course I love how big a fan of these celebrations jorge is (x, x):

Rossi's donkey. At Misano my Captain America was replaced on track by Rossi’s donkey - the one he put on his helmet and the ears he wore onto the podium. It is one of the funniest celebrations I have seen Valentino do and I laughed when I saw him get the helmet out. He is an expert at turning things around, and that wasn’t the only occasion he put that talent to good use this weekend. On the podium he tried to hush the fans who were whistling at me. Personally I saw their reaction as normal because they were defending one of their own. 

one of THE key moments you need to get their dynamic imo. jorge understands exactly what valentino is doing here and they're in the middle of a title fight and jorge really does think it's GREAT. it's sort of the precursor to the misano fish helmet to aragon shark fin 2015 dynamic, right, where jorge is such a keen student of valentino's... and he also is so determined to be magnanimous and honourable and all that other stuff - which is why him glazing the celebrations makes it all the way to his biography. and the helmet makes him laugh, because it's funny! jorge might know what valentino's game is, might be taking notes on exactly what he's doing - but nobody's completely immune

and now *drum roll* my top three in just. a little more detail:

3. kissing the corkscrew, laguna seca 2008

okay, picture this. you are currently leading the championship, but your main rival (who kicked your arse the previous year) has won three races in a row and is steadily closing in on your points tally. he's doing his thing again all weekend, looks ridiculously dominant to the point pretty much everyone is framing this race as a fight for second place. you spend the night before the race plotting and scheming how to make up the difference, and you tell your best friend you will not let your rival win the race whatever happens - even if the both of you have to crash. you go out there and - with all your cunning and guile and ruthlessness - somehow prove yourself capable of hanging with your rival as you gradually infuriate him. on lap four, you plunge down a terrifying blind corner and go off-track as you make an overtake, bumping into your rival and only by some miracle keeping the bike upright. around twenty laps later, you finally break your rival and manage to tease an error out of him that makes him tip the bike into the gravel. you ride the remaining laps in utter tranquillity - not only are you under no threat, but the two of you ran so ferocious a pace that your rival can finish in second even after crashing. you win the race. the championship momentum is back on your side and you have finally managed to drag down your toughest rival down to your level. you know just how much he will have hated that. so, what do you do to commemorate this moment? well, of course you go back to said terrifying blind corner where you almost crashed on lap four of 32. you get off your bike. and you kiss the ground

idk, there's just something beautiful about the presence of mind valentino had to have in order to know that this overtake would be the defining image of the race - to pay tribute to it immediately and reinforce the memorability of that moment in everyone's heads. was he thinking about doing this while cruising home to victory? planning it out while the laps pass by? or was it really just a spur of the moment thing? it's my favourite of the spontaneous celebrations - because of course it could only ever be spontaneous, because he never could have expected to win that race, and certainly not in such a memorable fashion

and then the second part of the celebrations: how valentino decides to really, really, really rub it in. these are for my money quite possibly the most triumphalist celebrations of valentino's premier class career (catalunya 2009 is the only one in the same league), to the point where the eurosport commentators commented on how unusual it was for valentino. back in the day, during his prime, he really did go for a bit more of a cheery but cool tone for his celebrations - almost as if minimising the effort it took to take the win. all just a bit of a laugh, right? no ecstatic fist pumping on the bike, no sign that the victory had ever been in doubt... but here, valentino goes all in. he makes no secret of how delighted he is, no secret of just how much he loved beating casey. interrupts casey during his post-race tv interview in front of lurking cameras and microphone, grins his way through parc fermé and the podium. no playing sly here - he's making a point to savour it. and in commemorating the most memorable moment of the race, in getting a rise out of casey, valentino has gotten exactly what he wanted. together with the race itself, it is this post-race theatre that changes the complexion of the season, that has helped immortalise the episode

which very much includes all the ways valentino interacts with casey directly! the way valentino just REFUSES to leave well enough alone and keeps nagging casey while casey is trying so, so, so hard to not say something he will come to regret in the coming weeks. a task he is ultimately unsuccessful at, but my god is it a brave effort to not strangle valentino then and there. it's fantastic stuff because it's also a pattern of behaviour reserved entirely for casey - latching onto his defeated rival is NOT actually part of the valentino rossi playbook. the closest he gets is interrupting jorge's tv interview too in catalunya 2009 (which is how you know it's a deliberate ploy lol), but after that if anything it's jorge who is initiating communication...

whereas at laguna, obviously casey has less than zero desire to talk to valentino. and obviously valentino is 100% aware of this. valentino usually isn't the sort to get in someone's face like this when he knows they're pissed off at him - he's more the avoidant type - but he makes an exception for casey. partly it'll be because he knows casey isn't doing himself any favours with his on-camera behaviour, partly because it's his chance to twist in the knife and make the experience as hellish as possible for casey - but partly I reckon he's just getting a genuine kick out of casey's reactions. beautiful, isn't it

hell. hell! hell <3

2. prisoner of your own success, brno 2003

look, I've yapped extensively enough about this celebration by now that there's probably not much new for me to say. to make an analogy circa two people reading this will appreciate, you know that episode in revolutionary girl utena where a flashing pointing finger directing the viewer's attention to the symbolically important objects on screen? this is valentino's in-universe equivalent. flexing those authorial muscles to make everyone aware of The Themes. something charming about how it's like. zero subtlety. just valentino turning to the camera and explaining to you, the audience, what character arc he's currently undergoing. you see, he's unhappy at honda - he's feeling trapped, if you will. like his individuality is being suppressed. he had a big cock-up at the sachsenring that made him reevaluate how he tactically approached races - from now on he'd be "taking no prisoners". he feels the media is being too harsh on him, almost as if they're punishing him for how dominant he was the past. which would make him a 'prisoner of his own success'. if you will

here's a post that just like,, has a few relevant quotes from the commentary and the autobiography and all that. key detail about that weekend is that after sulking/partying with his title rival on ibiza during the summer break, valentino shows up to the paddock with his snazzy new hairdo. which obviously the commentators speculate during the race is a form of mind games

dyeing my hair red to psych out the competition. like a pro. the race itself is obviously fantastic, but I love that he had celebrations this elaborate planned out for a race he won by *checks notes* .042 seconds. I mean. come on, could've easily gone wrong. in the end, however, valentino plot armoured his way to reversing the defeat from a few weeks prior - and immediately does this whole chain gang routine, which is just another elite camp bit. and crucially it's also a bit of a throwback! the planned celebrations had petered out a little at this stage of his career, as if he'd grown out of them... both the hair and the celebrations are recapturing his wild lesbian youth from the days before he became a honda factory man

he's got to break free, you see, got to express his identity again. and "prisoner of my own success" is just. such a funny phrase. deeply insufferable. the way he carries that stupid ball and chain around with him, on the bike and off it... how sete has a kick at it during the podium ceremony... how valentino's still holding that blasted thing mid-champagne spray...

open wide

valentino brings back the celebrations later that year when he seals the title - carried aloft by fans dressed in convicts' garb while sporting a massive novelty lock and key. back in brno, he had told yamaha under the cover of night that he would sign for them. when he seals the title, his last for honda, he is freed from the expectations of the press and the fans that had been weighing on him all year. he is about to liberate himself from honda. the novelty lock is now open... whatever that might symbolise. and the following year is about truly embracing his own identity, for better and for worse. beyond being a fun celebration, it functions as a neat little thematic road map for what's to come. plot significant celebration. imagine having plot significant celebrations

1. sweeping the grid, sepang 2004

sue me, I'm horrible, but this one will always come top of the pile for me. this is another one I've talked about way too much by this point - but to me it really is the definitive marriage of joy and cruelty that valentino so thoroughly embodies. he's having fun! coming up with a little joke with his team :) but of course the whole thing is also incredibly, shamelessly malicious. valentino is obviously on one that entire weekend... or, well, he's on one that entire month tbh. he's already exhibited some generational malice in the press conference that started off proceedings, he's doing his thing that entire weekend to unsettle poor sete as much as possible - and eventually he wins the race in reasonably straightforward fashion

which in itself is already enough to swing the title fight back to being basically wrapped up (though I'd still advise keeping the risky last lap phillip island lunges to a minimum, but you do you), so you'd think that'd be job done. except valentino is still feeling furious and vengeful towards both sete and honda. so after blatantly ignoring sete's outstretched hand on the cooldown lap (to the surprise of one of the commentators, who said such unsportsmanlike behaviour was unlike valentino - which... buddy), valentino then stops at the side of the road for another one of his fun little celebrations. this time, it's reenacting the sweeping of the grid that had given him that nasty back-of-the-grid penalty the week before

similarly to misano 2009, what valentino's doing is defanging his own mistake from the previous week - he's reducing its power, drawing attention away from the self-inflicted nature of his precarious championship situation, making his setbacks into jokes better than anyone else can. except unlike in 2009, valentino does not primarily blame himself for his recent humiliation. valentino's pre-planned celebrations are generally about himself, not his rivals - but he makes an exception here to mock sete and honda. to show them that nothing is forgiven. the sete rivalry is about valentino gaining more agency in his story, including in torturing his rivals, so it feels right that this gleeful malice really comes to the fore here too. I didn't include jerez 2005 in this post because that's more... valentino reacting to the crowd in his celebrations rather than doing his own thing (though obviously I'm also a massive massive fan of that energy and dearly wish valentino had been booed more often). and well, that's the same vibe of valentino just relishing how much torment he was causing sete, the spanish crowd... the fourth wall break when he's mocking sete's injury, just properly embracing the nastier side of his celebrations. joy and cruelty, cruelty and joy - these two things were never really in opposition to each other for valentino

and just to mention my favourite detail, the cleaning company valentino and co invent to 'eliminate dirt from the world championship':

as in, they're cleaning starting grids... but they're also taking action against dirty rats. naming no names. lovely, isn't it

the whole thing's mean-spirited to a somewhat cartoonish extent - especially when you consider what a tight timeline they were on here. seven days between qatar and sepang, both flyaway races, like logistically it's honestly kinda impressive they made this happen. what the power of spite will do for you, I suppose. I also love that jb has one of these shirts. I love jb being completely ride-or-die in getting revenge on sete, helpfully commenting that it's dangerous to piss valentino off. watch out :) get yourself a crew chief who will enable you in psychologically torturing your opponents

and, remember, all this came in the third-to-last round of a tight title fight!! with a slender fourteen point lead in the championship, a mere week in between races including quickly nipping back to italy to attempt to address the hole in his finger... and valentino's spending his time coming up with custom shirts to take the piss out of his enemies? fantastic sense of priorities, 10/10 no notes

[seaside-writings]

Hello, and Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all you wonderful, holly jolly people! Today is Christmas and it is also the last day of my "12 Days of Prompts!"

For the last day of this little prompt marathon, I've made a dialogue prompt list of my absolute favorite Christmas movie, which has always been "Barbie and The Nutcracker!"

This movie is what first exposed me to, of course, "The Nutcracker" and Ballet, it's also what created the tradition in my family that every year we get dressed up and try to go to a performance of "The Nutcracker." We've done this since I was eight, and yes, I was a little shocked by the difference when I first saw it, lol.

Either way "Barbie and The Nutcracker" and "The Nutcracker" are both beautiful and hold a dear place in my heart so I hope you enjoy this dialogue prompt list!

I hope you all stay blessed and safe throughout your day.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays: Celia ❤💚❄⛄🎄🩰

“You're at least a head taller!

“I thought you weren't coming this year!”

“And miss a chance to visit you and vex my uncle?”

-

“Some people never change, but we can always hope,”

-

“You just need to find the courage to try,”

-

“Where did you go this time? I want to hear all about it,”

“Well, let's see. I met an Emperor, I sailed on a junk, I had my first rickshaw ride, and I hiked the Great Wall of China,”

-

“A young girl needs to be responsible and practical!”

“She is responsible. You raised her well, Uncle. It’s time you trusted her to grow up and make her own choices,”

-

“From the ballet?”

-

“You're already conspiring against me,”

“Don't worry. I'll wait until your party's over before I perform any mischief,”

-

“If we keep practicing, you will,”

“But what if I freeze out there? In front of everybody?!”

-

“I'd appreciate it if you'd stop filling her head with your stories. Just because you go traipsing all over the globe rather than stay put like a sensible person-”

“There's a world full of wonders out there, Uncle, and she deserves to experience them,”

-

“He loved them, but he was very stern,”

-

“Thank you for saving my life, and for your superior nursing skills,”

-

“Look after him. He's a little rough around the edges,”

“You want me to babysit a rock?”

-

“Maybe next time you can come with me,”

“Grandfather would never allow it,”

-

“Please. No more daydreaming! We have to finish decorating before our guests arrive!”

-

“It’s time we wake her,”

“And spoil a beautiful dream? No, let her sleep,”

-

“Twenty-two minutes early, such bad manners,”

-

“You might want to wash off that frosting before the mice take a bite out of you,”

“You can’t tell me what to do!”

“No, but I’m sure Grandfather will insist on a bath,

-

“Mother gave this to me the Christmas I saw my first ballet,”

-

“The mice have found their way into the Christmas boxes!”

-

“You’re impossible!”

-

“Then he bowed and asked me to dance,”

“Did you?”

“I couldn’t say no to the king!”

“You must have felt like a princess! I wish I could have been there,”

“On the outside, maybe but inside beats the heart of a prince,”

-

“Insolent mice!”

-

“Can you make it up to the mantle?”

-

“She’s not a child anymore, she deserves the chance to follow her dreams,”

-

“I must be dreaming!”

-

“It’s late. I’ll see you in the morning,”

-

“It’s time I turned you, into something more useful! Like kindling!”

-

“Please don’t be too angry with him, I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you,”

-

“Even as a nutcracker, you’re a thorn in my side!”

“And a thorn to you, I shall remain!”

-

“Meddling human towering tall, let my scepter shrink you small!”

“Look out!”

-

“Not in my house!”

-

“This is not good,”

“Not so fearless now, hmm?”

-

“You’re not going to get away from me this time unless you’d like to feed the fire,”

-

“This has to be a dream,”

“I’m afraid it’s all too real,”

-

“You mean you used to be?”

“Not a Nutcracker,”

-

“It’s dangerous, yes, but not impossible,”

-

“Well? Are you coming?”

“Me? With you? In there? I don’t think so,”

-

“Once you’ve found the Sugar Plum Princess, open the locket, and you will return home to your normal size,”

-

“Well then, would you mind changing me back before you go? Remember? I used to be taller,”

“I’m afraid only the Sugar Plum Princess can reverse the Mouse King’s spell,”

“The Sugar Plum Princess?”

“Yes, I’ve been trying to find her since the Mouse King turned me into a nutcracker,”

-

“A firefly?

“No, a snow fairy!”

-

“Where’d they go?”

“Probably off to make a blizzard somewhere,”

-

“It’s alright they’re just children. With very good aim!”

-

“That would be a shame, then I couldn’t tell you the juicy bit of gossip I overheard!”

-

“Soon it’ll all be a memory if the Mouse King has his way,”

“And you’re sure the Sugar Plum Princess can help?”

-

“She’s our only hope of defeating him,”

-

“Let me guess the mouse decided that he liked being king,”

-

“You insolent little bat! I should turn you into a ceiling fan!”

-

“It’s what’s left of the gingerbread village. The Mouse King’s work, no doubt.: I didn’t know things had gotten this bad,”

-

“It’s dangerous here, we’ll travel together until we can find you a safe home,”

-

“Prince?”

“The son of the king who ruled before the mouse took over,”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t much of a prince!

“The king left his throne and the golden scepter to his royal advisor-”

“The mouse,”

“Until the prince could prove himself worthy,”

-

“Wait, they may be telling the truth, I once overheard the King telling the Prince about this powerful princess. The king himself believed in her magic and we’ve tried everything else to defeat the mouse,”

-

“I had high hopes for that boy, no matter, I’ve got more important things to think about, like keeping what’s left of our subjects safe from the Mouse King,”

-

“The Prince!? He’s the reason we’re in this mess! If it weren’t for that reckless boy, the Mouse King wouldn’t be turning everyone into knick-knacks!

“You make the prince sound pretty awful,”

“Awful? That’s a compliment! He was useless, lazy, and irresponsible!”

-

“So, you’re telling me that the Nutcracker, a wooden utensil, managed to escape a well-armed fighting squadron unharmed? And, instead of fleeing into the hills, you chose to return to me and report your incompetence?!”

-

“Here it is the Sugar Plum Princess. Kind, clever, and brave!”

-

“What does one create for the palace that has everything?”

“How ‘bout bookends, since there’s two of ‘em?”

-

“I suppose I’ll just have to reduce the Nutcracker to a pile of splinters before he can find her!”

-

“Why haven’t you told anyone?”

“I… I didn’t want to be the prince when I had the chance, now I don’t deserve to be,”

“That’s not true! You’re risking your life to save your kingdom! Isn’t that what princes do?

“But my subjects think less of me than they do the Mouse King! My only hope is to find the Sugar Plum Princess so she can help me restore my people’s happiness… I owe them that.”

-

“That was very noble of you,”

“Heh, least I could do for an old friend,”

-

“I’m a nutcracker, sleep seems kind of pointless,”

-

“Perhaps we should find a safer place to cross?”

“Perhaps you should remember who’s in charge of this expedition!”

-

“I should never have come. What was I thinking? That I was going to find a magical princess? I could always go back home, I’m sure I’ve got some doll clothes that would fit. What am I saying?! I can’t leave! I’m their only hope! If I could just get off this island,”

-

“What?”

“They say you’re beautiful,”

-

“Oh, what’s she carrying on about now, probably saw a snake or a spider or-”

“Rock giant!

-

“I want every last villager, fairy, and general troublemaker rounded up to witness this display of my absolute power!”

-

“She’s a fantasy! But if Nutcracker wants to believe in fairytales…he’s about to find out: this one doesn’t have a happy ending,”

-

“Don’t worry, wood floats and rock doesn’t!”

-

“And if we don’t? You battled the Mouse King’s army, rescued Captain Candy, and saved us from a vicious pile of rocks! All without the Sugar Plum Princess,”

“We’ve got to find the princess if you’re to return home your true size,”

“That is what you want, isn’t it?”

“… Of course,”

-

“It seems your subjects are planning an uh…uprising,”

“What?!”

-

“You’re nothing but a coward, hiding behind a magic wand!”

-

“Of course, the princess has been with us all along!”

“What?”

“It’s you! You are the Sugar Plum Princess!”

-

“Sugar Plum Princess or no Sugar Plum Princess, that rat has got to be stopped!”

-

“We’ve got to get out of here! The Mouse King is building a bonfire!”

“I doubt it’s to warm up the palace,”

-

“There’s more to being a king than having a crown!”

“Oh? Suddenly you’re an expert?”

“You’ll never gain their loyalty until you’ve earned their respect!”

“I don’t need their loyalty! I don’t even need them!”

-

“Don’t worry… I’m just… wood, remember?”

“You and I know you’re much more than that,”

-

“It all makes sense! You saved me from the Mouse King in your parlor, you rescued us from his dungeon, your bravery led to his defeat and your kiss has broken his spell! You are the Sugar Plum Princess!”

-

“And now you’re free to take your rightful place as king,”

“Well, that’s for the people to decide,”

-

“This locket was supposed to take me home, but in my heart, I feel I’m already there,”

-

“None of this would have been possible without you. Will you stay and be my queen?”

-

“I absolutely despise happy endings!”

-

“It wasn’t a party, it was a war! The Nutcracker was fighting the Mouse King, who shrunk me with his golden scepter!”

“I’ve never heard such a story even from your aunt!

“It’s not a story! it really happened!”

-

“May I have this dance?”

“I couldn’t say no to a king,”

-

“If she hadn’t been brave, she would have never found out she was a princess!”

[crossbackpoke-check]

favourite tag novel, you said? well, i have a few but there are a couple i really love (i'm on anon bc this is a sideblog so i can't post links smh) but anyway:

the little juraj/arber locker room vid. you wrote it like a mix of domestic fluff/romcom and pointing out the size difference even though they're both pretty big guys?? be still my heart. also juraj gives off so many giant puppy vibes and i love him for it

the mcdrai moment after connor gets injured. i've only been in this fandom a short time but i already know mcdrai are pretty popular (one of the reasons i didn't pay much attention as i'm more of a rarepair girlie) but that set and your tags have actually gotten me invested in them?! like, the tenderness? and the way connor seems so stunned by it? plus the oilers video coach thirdwheeling in the bg hehe (anyway, i have a potential new ship thank you)

i'll stop now but if you ever see your tags added onto any rbs of mine (with credit ofc) that's because they're amazing and everyone else should see them too. (ps, i hope the change in your life goes smoothly for you and you feel better soon!)

- @softvikings

i had to just sit down and look at this ask for like. three hours i’m not even kidding and this response still does not convey how deeply touched i am 🥹😭 it’s going in a bulleted list because looking back at all of them made ME feel feral all over again

juraj/arber is such a sleeper pairing to me as in I forget that the montreal canadiens exist (sorry) and then i see everyone on their team and get activated (screaming about juraj paying arber back with dinner for PROTECTING HIM)

as someone who also initially had no mcdrai emotions (rip dylan strome i still love your narrative deeply) i think the experience is universal… they’re so deeply unhinged about each other that i can’t even put it into words but My God Are There Narrative Implications

kissing you (with consent) full on the mouth and blessing you to be in my tags any time you want!!!! peer review and collaboration at its finest 🥰💕🥹

[sillygooseassociation]

Absolutely OBSESSED with the idea of Ted being a dad to a baby girl.

She’s a daddy’s girl from day one. She’s particularly fussy one night because her dad isn’t there. There’s a game happening which you have playing on the television screen. Henry is conflicted because he wants to watch the game and support his dad’s team but he’s also trying to be in big brother mode and keep an eye on his sister at the same time.

You’re holding your daughter against your chest. When the TV pans over to Ted on the screen, she makes grabby hands towards the screen and saying “dada!” You smile down at her, “yeah that’s your dad. I know you miss him, but he’ll be home soon, I promise.”

When he finally does make it home, Henry runs to the door first to greet him.

“Hey little man!” Picking his son up and giving him a quick spin around the room, to which he giggles delightfully.

Sitting his son back down and focusing on taking off his puffer jacket and he glances up to see Henry looking at him.

“What’s up kiddo? Everything alright?”

Henry shakes his head and leans in closer to his dad. “It’s sissy.”

Ted’s stomach drops to the tops of his shoes at the thought of his baby girl being hurt.

He tries not to panic. He doesn’t know the full story and he’s sure if something were truly and severely wrong, you would have called. But he’s a father - and that feeling of ‘oh my god, if anything happens to my child, I think I might die’ naturally kicks in.

“Wh-what’s wrong? Is she hurt?”

“No. I think she just really missed you.” Henry’s already dashing into the other room and ted’s fear dissipates. He’s following his son’s footsteps, peaking his head around the corner and sure enough, there’s his little girl making grabby hands towards him and squealing “dada!”

“Hey there sweet pea!” He’s grabbing her off her chest while leaning down to give you a kiss. You lean into his ear, “I’m gonna spend some time with Henry. I think the two of you need some daddy-daughter time.”

“What do you say angel, you wanna hang out with daddy? I can make you some chocolate milk, just how you like it, heavy on the chocolate and light on the milk.”

When you peak your head in later to check on them, there’s Ted and your daughter, chocolate milk in hand, giggling away like best of friends.

i don’t know which of you MOTHERFUCKERS keeps putting absolute gut punching fics in my inbox…

but please, for the love of god, keep them coming

i love the idea of jason with a baby, especially a baby girl (which we may or may not see in the coming JRU fic 👀)

but the idea of TED with a baby girl?? be still my fucking heart. i really want to have a mini me daughter. i’m a mini me of my mom and we’re super close, i really want that with a daughter of my own. but what i wouldn’t give to see ted lasso and a daddy’s girl. like, yes, please make me the chopped liver second choice if he’s the first choice.

and of course henry is just the best big brother ever because duh. he really is becoming his father and i just love it so much (shout out to @calzone-d’s most recent fic that perfectly captures this). henry, bless his little heart, had no clue the fear he put in his dad when saying something was wrong with his sister. ted would give up his entire annual salary to never feel that way again but let’s be honest, he feels that way at least two times a week because he’s so nervous about something happening to either of his kiddos.

the idea of watching ted coach with henry and our baby girl makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (i think it may need to be added to my wip list). god, she just wants her daddy and he’s so close! she can see him right there on the screen! yet somehow he can’t hear her yelling for him and just like, rude.

he’s so happy to spend some time with his little girl when he gets home. he missed you all so much but he worries so much about missing any of her big milestones at work (even when he’s at nelson road, not even gone for an away game (but let’s be honest, ever since baby girl came, he tries to bring y’all with for every away game because he just can’t be away from his family)). he’s also always worried about her because she’s so young, she can’t understand why he’s away so often like henry can. keep in mind, he’s not actually away that often, it’s the same as really any job, she just has over a dozen extra protective big brothers, yet he’s still so worried that his absence will effect her. so when he comes back, he’s excited to see you all, but he loves that girl up so much.

[alwaysrememberjesus]

Praying For Others

Ephesians 1:15–23. I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (v. 16)

Have you ever had someone ask how they can pray for you? Sometimes this question is hard to answer because there are so many things, we cannot list them all. At other times we can’t think of any pressing need. It can be even harder when we are praying for someone else.

In Ephesians 1:15–23 Paul provides us with a template we can use when praying for others. Paul begins by giving thanks to God for the Ephesians (v. 15). When praying for others, we should not pray mechanically; we should give some thought to their life and circumstances beforehand.

Next, Paul asks God to increase their understanding. The Holy Spirit had already sealed the Ephesians (v. 13). But Paul prayed that the Holy Spirit would continue to give them wisdom and understanding so they would know Christ better. We can pray for the salvation of others. We can also pray that those who have already trusted in Christ would know Christ better. This involves more than knowing the truths of the Christian faith. The kind of understanding Paul prayed for affects the heart and produces hope. What is the nature of this hope? It is that those who belong to Christ are regarded as God’s inheritance (v. 18).

The Christian’s hope is the expectation that we will experience the power of God. This “incomparably great power for us who believe” is the same that “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realm” (vv. 19–20). We know Christ both by faith and by experience. Pray that they will experience Christ’s resurrection power as they face today’s challenges. Ask God to show how Jesus is “head over everything for the church” and we are “the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (vv. 22–23).

Father, please bless those who read this with the Spirit of wisdom and a growing relationship with You. Reveal to them Your great power as they face today’s gifts and challenges. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

[hiccanna-tidbits]

@jackunzel-time

Jackunzel Month Bonus Week Day 1 - Holiday Lanterns

***

...so here I was, minding my business, fully believing I could use the bonus Jackunzel month week to catch up on all the prompts I got behind on, but the bonus prompts are jUST SO GOOD??? UNFAIR I TELL YOU, UNFAIR!!! At least I got to use some leftover pics from past moodboards that I couldn’t fit in anywhere??? They may finally see the light of day!!! Bless!!! Special mention goes to the ice lanterns, the funky little snowy village street with a quaint little lamp, and Rapunzel being a shameless Basic White Girl in front of a christmas tree. I’ve always dreamed of being able to find a moodboard that required the services of these pcitures, and...well, dreams really do come true, I guess XD

ALSO very very VERY happy I found that Christmas-tree-with-lanterns pic like??? Accidentally fucking perfect for this moodboard??? The moodboard gods have smiled upon me this fine evening.

ANYWAYS I have a headcanon that these two are just. Unhealthily obsessed with christmas lights--and really holiday lights of any flavor. Like I’m betting every year around the winter holidays they make a full 3-page “Christmas lights displays we MUST see or we will COMBUST!!!” list. And honestly??? Good for them. They hit every last gotdang place on that list, while I, meanwhile, have to nag my own ass to go out and see one (1) nice christmas lights display in my city XD Listen I can’t help it, I’m a procrastinator at heart ^^;

Also, Rapunzel feels a deep and compulsive desire to try every single Starbucks winter holiday flavor available, and I will swear to that. Just thought it was important that y’all were aware.

Pic credits available upon request!

[kimchokejin]

music tag games 🎶

is it cheating to put them all in one post when everyone’s doing it?

thank you to everyone who tagged me i had a full day’s worth of music recs to listen to and bts songs to revisit happy hondadays to ME!

game #1: using your spotify top 100 playlist, shuffle 10 songs and tag 10 people.

thank you @cordiallyfuturedwight @wistfulocean and @seoksao​ for the tag! 💕

i will give the number they were on my list as well

99. Jackie Onassis by Sammy Rae & The Friends

51. Wild Roses by Jack Van Cleaf

73. Stick Season by Noah Kahan

92. New Shapes (feat. Christine and the Queens and Carolin Polachek) by Charli XCX

80. First Thing to Go by Hayley Williams

70. Mic Drop (Steve Aoki Remix) - Full Length Edition by BTS

88. religion (u can lay your hands on me) by Shura

63. No Blueberries by DPR IAN, DPR LIVE, CL

89. Lights by BTS

8. Vibez by ZAYN

game #2 (sponsored by kim taehyung): 💛 choose an artist you like and use the name of their songs to answer this as close to the truth as possible!

tagged by @cordiallyfuturedwight @jiminsproof @blueside-hobi @wistfulocean @seoksao​ thank you you guys are so creative these were so fun to read!

name of the artist: Halsey (it was working too well i had to go for it)

what is your gender: I am not a woman, I’m a god (“i’m god” - kim taehyung)

describe yourself: Ashley (you don’t need to be entertained. i’m entertaining myself)

how do you feel: Alone (but in a good way, an “i needed this” way 😌)

if you could go anywhere, where would it be: Roman Holiday

describe your best friend: Darling 🥰

your favourite time of day: 3am

if your life was a tv show, what would it be called: Still Learning

what is life to you: Hurricane, Heaven in Hiding

relationship status: Bad at Love 😬

what do you fear: Strangers (”i’m a little shy” - kim taehyung), Devil in Me (”i’m a bad boy” - kim taehyung)

game #3: share your top 5 current songs

tagged by @clutterbugs thank you emma!!! i feel like i get to use the free space in scrabble

1. Kiss in My Heart by Junk Fujiyama

i discovered this song a while back on a city pop playlist i think? and it’s been stuck in my head recently (even before indigo!) so i’ve been playing it. it’s just a fun happy song, it sounds like the artist is smiling as he’s singing it

2. ILLELLA by MAMAMOO

another super fun song and i didn’t think it was possible but i am gayer because of it. i have so many feelings about this i will have to hold myself back but i am v i b r a t i n g something’s about to break

3. girl like me by Blessing

this song is acoustic but i think also r&b influenced? i like how the lyrics are somewhat specific but the insecurity is she’s talking about is still super relatable to a lot of people and the singer’s voice is kind of unique

4. complex (demo) by Katie Gregson-MacLeod

this song is just kinda heartbreaking tbh at the end of the day it’s your typical woman trying to “save” a man who's too far gone to spare her a second thought story but the vocals really carry the emotion across in a way i don’t hear all the time so i think it’s worth a listen if you...want to feel sad

5. Ketchum, ID by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus

i have been in a folksy mood lately and i think a few julien baker/phoebe bridgers/lucy daucus songs came up in my listening and that reminded me about this album. this is my favorite song from it. i think the line “i am never anywhere anywhere i go, when i’m home i’m never there long enough to know” is just really hitting for me rn? i also can’t get over how this is the last song on the album they ended the whole album with

BONUS GAME! i wasn’t tagged in this but i wanted to share this while i’m here in case anyone was interested in doing this for themselves. if you have spotify this bot will judge you for your music taste. it’s like the anti-spotify wrapped. this is what they had to say about mine:

i will tag @joon-rkive, @cheekyquokka, @mutedstring​, @jinsquishes​, @senor-hoberto​ and anyone who tagged me in one game but hasn’t been tagged in one of the others (does that make sense?). no pressure just if any of the games interest you 💕 feel free to ignore me!!!

[writing-for-marvel]

Carly thank you so much for your kind words, you've got me bawling my eyes out here 🥹🥹😭😭

I’m always up for spreading the love! Here is a non exhaustive list of some amazing writers I admire so much 💜💜

@drabblewithfrannybarnes Carly's Lucky Charms Hockey AU is so extensive and intricate, each of the boys stories are so unique. I'm blown away by the level of detail in this AU and how attached I am to each pairing so far. I haven't made my way through all of them yet, but so far my favourite has been Coach B and his sweetheart! Another one of my absolute favourites from Carly is My Best Friend, Jensen. Adore the angst of will they, won't they!

@flordeamatista my dearest friend, the Queen of poetic writing, as well as of Andy & Ari fics! I’m always floored by your beautiful ideas and all the twists and turns you manage to always surprise me with! There are so many of your fics I’m in love with, and some of which I’m honoured to have helped beta, but some of my favourites are Under the Blue (Park Ranger!Ari) and I Am His And He Is Mine (Andy Barber)

@intrepidacious Nika I love you and your writing so much, I treasure your friendship beyond words! I know Time After Time is your baby, and I’m so proud of how much love and effort you’ve put into that series. I love what I’ve read of it so far and can’t wait for you to break my heart with all the angst and then stitch it back together! Another favourite of mine is A Million Summers, the amount of emotion you convey in this fic and all your writing is glorious!

@crazyunsexycool there are so many of Val’s stories that I’m so utterly in love with! There’s something so sweet and comforting about the way you write your characters in love, like they find their home in each other and it gets me emotional every time! My absolute favourite is A Loving Sacrifice, I will never get over just how much I adore that story! A close runner up is Is It A Crime?

@jadedvibes little miss doesn’t think you can write angst but masterfully crushed my heart into a million pieces with your series Always! Your writing feels so sophisticated and polished, it’s like I’ve picked up a published book that I cannot put down. You have so many wonderful stories I could choose from to shoutout, but another favourite of mine is Happy When It Rains

@jobean12-blog sweet Jo there’s so much to say about your beautiful writing, but I think the thing that always makes me come back to your stories is the warm, fuzzy feeling I get in my chest whenever I read any of your fluff! Your stories always just make me feel so incredibly happy. I could name so many fics of yours I love, but a couple of my favourites are Nook of Love (Joel Miller) and Protecting What’s His (Beefy!Bodyguard!Bucky)

@holacia3 Cia I love you! You’re always so supportive and kind, but then also bless us with the best Joel fics! If you didn’t know already, my favourite is your Roommate Joel Collection (when I was grabbing the link I noticed I’ve missed a few instalments so I’m now super excited to catch up!) Another of your fics that I think shows your beautiful versatility as a writer is Interrupted

@slyyywriting I’ve had such a wonderful time starting your In The Circuit F1 AU, I adore the variation in all the couples dynamics, as well the threads you weave in each story that show they’re all connected. I can’t wait to read even more of this AU! Another story I adored from you is Might Even Be

@real-jane Kate you genuinely have some of the most immaculate writing I think I’ve ever read. When I read the first part of Detectives In Love, I knew that there was something so special about your writing talent, and every fic I have read of yours has absolutely blown me away, including Poet Laureate

@targaryenvampireslayer Suz I look up to you so much as a writer and person, you’re so full of talent and have written so many gems (like On My Mind and Surprise, that Sam fic continues to be such a comforting favourite!), but always ensure you are supporting writers and lifting others up!

Let's spread some positivity! Tag some of your fellow content creators here and let them know why they are absolutely amazing!❤️

I love it. Let's do this! In no particular order (since I'm going to answer this before attempting writing for a while), we have:

@drabblewithfrannybarnes probably doesn't know how long I've been reading her hockey series, but she also cannot fathom my excitement that she read and reviewed a single thing I've written, much less dozens. I tear up every time, and the acceptance it makes me feel as a fic writer is...indescribable.

@navybrat817 and @darkficsyouneveraskedfor --Navy and Roo have been doing amazing things with their Sleepover efforts. The support and encouragement they've been providing to so many in our community is just fantastic, and while I'm sad I haven't been up to participating more, they deserve every shoutout and accolade. Trophies for you lovelies!

🏆🏆

@peyton--warren works so f--king hard on each and every posted work that I'm inspired to always rethink and be better. She considers so many facets of characters and plot that I know I'm getting a treat of a read!

@jamneuromain --where to start?? The RANGE on this lovely's writing is phenomenal. So many universes in one head; I don't know how to keep up! I could never imagine half of those scenarios, but I hope to one day come close. 💜

@darsynia is my personal convert to a Steve Rogers fan lol, and she's nipping at my heels to overtake me. I can hear her loving screams in comments now! But in all sincerity, everyone should know that I would not be here or writing today without her. She's my rock and her talent is off the charts. 🔥😘

@anika-ann feels like a long-lost sister. We love the same aspects of Steve (+other characters), and I know we both work tirelessly to bring that to the page in a bunch of different ways. She's PROLIFIC, too, and I bow down to how fast she whips out her quality fics. Again, a complete inspiration!

@sweater-daddiesdumbdork is a sweetheart who writes us as humans and I adore every word. Her Curtis series is my happy place, and I am forever grateful. It's a real-life boost of worth and encouragement.

Thank you for asking!

a/n: This is by no means an extensive and complete list of those who whose work I adore on this and other platforms. If you feel I missed you or someone else, I will happily add and correct!

[copperbadge]

You know, thinking about it, I imagine the Leverage crew are pretty philanthropic. Parker might have had to be introduced to the concept (”You just give them money and they go away with it? How does that work?”) but probably once she got her head around it she’d be into it. 

What gets me is how god damned frustrating it would be to work somewhere that one of the Leverage crew supports. Nate would be okay, he’d just make small monthly gifts to ten million different organizations so that nobody thinks he’s worth very much (he doesn’t own his home and he gives such small amounts monthly that Development writes him off as an earnest but low-capacity donor who should get a thank-you card around the holidays). It’s probably a bigger inconvenience to him because he’s on every nonprofit mailing list known to man. He has so many address labels, guys. (I don’t want to be Nate but I am Nate. I have so many address labels.)

Sophie I imagine has an extravagant alias for every charity she supports; she gives outrageous amounts and in return demands only attention and adulation, tickets to all the galas, and to be in at least one photo in every annual report. We have a donor like this -- she’s genuinely invested in our work, gives generously of her time and money, is never rude or demanding, but if she’s in the room all eyes must be on her at all times. I actually really like her but constant exposure could get...tiring. 

Eliot just sends enormous, anonymous checks once a year through a shell company or DAF, which while not unusual would be irritating in that they can’t ever reach out to thank him and/or steward him into a larger gift appealing to his interests. They can’t even send him dumb swag! He deserves a charity-branded bottle opener and keychain flashlight! (He has stolen all of Nate’s, but they don’t know that.) Still, they’ve probably got a fun nickname for him; I have a few people in my research files who are simply named after characters from Greek mythology because that’s all the data I have or am allowed to store. 

For a long time Hardison just dumped money into the bank accounts of his charities of choice, seamlessly, invisibly -- it just APPEARED in the account, and he was cool with that until he checked back after a few years and found none of his money was being used because they couldn’t figure out where it was coming from and were worried it was a clerical error despite the bank assuring them otherwise. Now he still dumps money into the accounts but he entertains himself building an elaborate digital paper trail so that the accounting all works. Have you ever watched a Gift Processing office try to balance a nonprofit’s books? Sometimes they cry! Don’t be mean to them, Hardison. 

Parker, bless her heart, just leaves bags of money on the doorsteps of random employees with notes directing how, in general terms, it should be spent. If she’s particularly pleased with the climbability of their home, she leaves a donut for them, too. Generally if she mentions she’s done this to the crew, Eliot calls up the charity to assure them that the large bag of cash was a legitimate donation and is not some kind of money-laundering scam. (That was ONE TIME Eliot, and the IRS didn’t even NOTICE.) This happened to me once. A tiny old lady in a Cubs jacket showed up to our office with a backpack full of money and it was a very intense morning. 

Anyway, what I’m saying is that every year, across the span of roughly two weeks, Hardison’s Nana’s church gets their regular $25 check from that nice Mr. Ford, a visit from the very devout but slightly weird Madam Sofia who wants a private choir recital, an enormous check from a bank in the Bahamas with no name attached, a large direct deposit from a heretofore-undiscovered bond the church invested in a decade ago, and a large bag of cash with a dozen donuts on it and a note reading THANK YOU FOR THE NEW ROOF IT WAS VERY SLIPPERY AND FUN. PLEASE BUY STUFFED ANIMALS FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED STUFFED ANIMALS. 

[theinternetisfulloftrash]

Dylan Couch Drabble ? Thing? ?

Unedited and haven’t written in a couple months so it’s a bit rusty but had the inspo so, enjoy I hope? ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU FOR THIS!

Anon is continuing what they submitted HERE, so I will add it on the beginning to keep it all together.

I am truly blessed that this lovely human would write something so yummy to appease my ridiculous interview kink ;) So for you? I made a GIF <3

Blessssss!

- Trashy xoxox

After a long day of press interviews Dylan slides his laptop back on the table and leans back on the couch, head tilted back and watches out from under his lashes as you walk out of your bedroom across the living space toward the kitchen.

He catches your eyes and just lifts his arms up in a silent request, holds them out until your settle yourself down into his lap, your head in the curve of his neck and your hands resting on the broad span of his chest

“Hi.” Your voice is a whisper in Dylan’s neck and you lower your body down until you’re seated in his lap. The soft loose fabric of his sweatpants drags against your bare thighs and you shiver at the warmth of him. You had been cosy under the covers of your bed just moments prior where you’d tucked away for the afternoon with your book.

With Dylan doing press most of the day you had made use of the day getting through your to-do list that would no doubt be full again by your next day off. With the evening approaching, the home clean and Dylan needing silence for his zoom calls, curling up with a book had been an easy choice.

The hours had slipped by and it wasn’t till you heard the break of the gentle lilt of Dylan’s low voice through the walls that you realised he must be done for the day. It had been hours since you’d seen him, well, had his attention and you were on your feet before you realised to go see him.

Dylan’s hands are quick to find the shape of you, palms resting flat on your bare thighs where you’d forgone pants hours earlier while doing laundry. His body is broad and hot against the line of your couch, and his touch is warm on your cool skin. You listen to his slow pattern of breathing, the fog of sirens sounding in the distance, and the low patter of rain that has been at the tall windows all day.

Your eyes dip closed and your fingers make lazy patterns on his chest against the light grey of his long sleeve. You can’t help but to touch.

Dylan’s smile presses into your hair after a few more breaths, and he pauses there before his mouth finds the shell of your ear. “Hey you,” he mutters, an intimate greeting more suited in a crowded room than the empty living space, with only Tony in attendance, happily asleep in the corner.

“All done, hotshot?” you asked and feel the gentle shake of Dylan’s chest in answering laughter.

“You’re stupid,” he huffs back and his fingers slip up under the edge of the jumper that’s sitting at your thighs.

“Don’t worry, kid, one of these days you’ll make it big and you won’t have to work all these long excruciating hours,” you tease back, your own fingers searching up to find the neckline of Dylan’s shirt and curling around it.

“Oh my god.” Dylan’s voice is a rasp and you push closer to hide your grin in the line of his throat. Your tilt your head to draw your lips over the vein that outlines his Adam’s apple, more pronounced now from his hours of talking and laughter.

You listen to his slow pattern of breathing, the fog of sirens sounding in the distance, and the low patter of rain that has been at the tall windows all day. Your eyes dip closed and your fingers make lazy patterns on his chest against the light grey of his long sleeve. You can’t help but to touch.

You tilt your head to draw your lips over the vein that outlines his Adam’s apple, more pronounced now from his hours of talking and laughter. You listen to his heart steady under your ear and sigh, push yourself up on your knees ever so slightly to sit your hips back and tuck your body in closer to him, knees pressed to the back of the couches, bodies pressed as close as possible.

Dylan lets out a happy grunt at the movement and one hand leaves one of your thighs to wrap around your waist, as if you could get closer. “Miss me?” he asks. You don’t need to look at him to know the smug smile on his face, the light in his eyes.

“You just make this place so cold,” you huff, your actions betray you as you wrap an arm around Dylan’s neck now, the other slinging over his shoulders to gently scratch your nails of the bulk of muscle of his shoulder.

“And you don’t wear pants,” he replies, his hand has finally found its way from your thigh to the curve of your ass, holding the weight of it in his palm.

“Might have to start if you keep it this cool.” It’s an empty threat but he lets out a noise of objection nonetheless, squeezes you closer still.

“You been like this all day?“ he asked and you know what he means by the way his fingers are drifting up from your ass to your lower back and down again, the fabric of your jumper gathering up with the motion of his wrist.

“Had to wash my jeans I had on, so yeah, after laundry,” you answer and press a few lazy kisses on the warm curve of his neck.

“Mmm...and all this time I was out here working hard and you were just in there looking like that,” Dylan sighs as though he’s undergone some great injustice, as though he didn’t wake up to you naked in his arms this morning before following you into the shower.

“That’s showbiz, baby,” you mumble, do some abstract display of jazz hands against his back, and laugh when his hand comes down against your ass in an open-palmed smack.

“Behave,” he huffs.

You giggle open and bright into his throat, and mumble, 'naughty' into his skin as his hand weaves through your hair to cradle your head.

“Your favourite thing to be,” he replies and eases you away from his neck so he can look at you properly in the low dimming light of the early evening.

When you pull back and look at him you can see the tiredness around his eyes, and as much as you tease him, he does exhaust himself doing these. Dylan is genuine to a fault, he engages in all interviews and conversations and gives them his energy and focus and you know he gets anxious at times about more private topics being bought up. You smile at him then, and reach your hand to cup his cheek, rub your fingers gently over his jaw and chin, soft touches that he leans into.

Dylan hums and his eyes fall shut and you love how he loves affection like this, how he always wants you right there close to him. He smells like hair product and your moisturiser he used this morning, and he’s looking down at you in slow blinks of dark eyes and long lashes before his hand gathers under your chin to tug you in.

Dylan kisses like he talks with intent focus and passion, licks into your mouth like his home is behind your teeth. You kiss hot and slow until you pull away with fluttery breaths, and he chases your mouth with a few small pecks, to the top and bottom lip, to your teeth when you let out a small laugh.

He groans and ducks his head for your neck, hand still petting at your ass and waist as he kisses at your throat, the other slid down from your chin to just below where his mouth is on you now.

Your hands smooth down Dylan’s back, the soft cotton under touch the shape of lines of his broad frame that taper to his waist, the way his body is strong under you with every breath. You feel Dylan pause and your hand goes to his hair, scratching through lazily as you decide to nudge your hips closer, a silent ask for him to keep going so you can both get what you want.

Dylan hums and the hand on your ass grips to keep the heat of you pressed to his lap, but the other reaches to your jaw and turns your head to look back at the computer that’s propped up on the table still. “Mm should do my interviews like this,” he breaths as your eyes focus on the picture you and Dylan make in the reflection of the screen.

It looks dirty and makes you pulse with want. The idea of anyone else seeing the way he’s got you now, bundled up like a wanting little present on his crotch, a hand slipped up under your jumper enough to lift it and show the curve of your bare ass where you can’t see the line of your thong, the other hand wrapped around your jaw, making you look.

“Mmm...that’s an exclusive Mr. O’Brien,” you whisper as you turn into his kiss.

[caswellmendes]

my not-so-lil rant

disclaimer—this is no hate to any of the characters or actors. just me ranting about the writing of this show.

*sigh*

hi friends. it me.

i know i’m probably the 100th post you’ve seen today discussing the finale, but i just gotta get some things off my chest. 

first, i will say this. i love this show with my whole heart. and y’all know how much i love portwell. i’ve been in this ship since s1. 

but... (i’m gritting my teeth as i type this) i will gladly go into s4 excited to see rina’s story unfold like i have all the rest. if a new chapter is ahead for both of these characters, then i’ll welcome it with open arms.

but i just have an issue with how it all went down.

in what world could no one, except val, (bless you val, we love you), be there for ej when his world was upside down. 

imagine planning on spending this last summer before adulthood with your childhood friends. dreaming of summer nights at a summer camp you’d been dying to show them and the chance to just being a kid one last time.

but then, you’re not asked, but you’re literally backed into a corner and obligated to throw that all out the window and direct a full-length musical production.

imagine for a second what it would feel like to lead an entire group of distract-able, dramatic teenagers. but more than that, they’re your best friends. and you don’t want to let them down or do a mediocre job.

imagine that you only had fourteen DAYS to make sure lines were memorized, costumes were ready, sets were prepped, and musical numbers were rehearsed. 

imagine if you had a father who decided for HIMSELF what YOUR future was going to be. because for him you would be a failure doing anything else. never said he was proud of you. never asked where you wanted to go to school. never asked what your dream was. nope. it was all HIS decision and you had to live with that. sorry!

imagine finally opening your heart up again to someone new in your life. and this summer was going to be your time together, away from the drama of high school. away from the drama of home. just you two, finally being the leads and spending the whole summer together.

but too bad, the lead goes to the guy who stole your ex. and has his eyes now on your girlfriend.

then imagine that in your head, the only real hope of you ever staying with your girlfriend, your friends, your literal chosen family, was dependent on how successful this play was. you were doing it for their success and for yours.

oh and just imagine that ALL of it was going to air on TV. FOR THE WORLD TO WATCH AND JUDGE.

so yeah maybe i’d be stressed out of my mind. yeah maybe my world would probably be upside down too. maybe i’d feel every minute of my time was valuable. yeah maybe i’d be terrified out of my mind to show my girlfriend a letter determining my fate, my fate that i MYSELF wasn’t even ready or willing to accept.

but who cares right? you’re the villain. you’ve got to “take it down a notch” cause you’re ignoring your friends, you’re not allowed to try and be in two places at once, you’re lame for skipping out on hikes in the woods, you’re missing bucket-list shenanigans, you’re just too stressed.

and all your efforts were for nothing. because guess who didn’t show up for you? everyone you’re doing this for. your dad. your ex-girlfriend. your cousin. your friends. 

because apparently people think it’s justifiable to give up on others during the span of two weeks when they’re going through anxiety. pressure they didn’t ask for. stress they were trying to cope with so that you could all be successful and be TOGETHER.

oh but you’re just being your 1.0 self.

again—no hate to any characters. i just hate the way ej’s story unfolded. it boils down to the almost universal lack of support he got, and i just can’t wrap my head around it.

i just—UGH.

[dontfeeltoohot]

Your writting is so amazing! If you're still taking request can we pls have a sneezy Eddie indulging snz kink Chrissy?

Walking into the small apartment she and Eddie have in the heart of downtown Hawkins, Chrissy freezes. A mess of brown curls is just barely visible, cascading down the arm rest of their couch, making the twenty four year old wonder if she’s gotten his work schedule wrong for the week. Eddie’s supposed to be working at the garage until six tonight, or so she thought.

Setting her bag down and wiping strawberry blonde hair from her face, the gymnastics coach moves in further, eyes taking in the scene before her. Sprawled out on the couch is her boyfriend, which isn’t entirely unusual; aside from the scheduling question, but there are a few tissues crumpled next to him, and he’s got a blanket they usually keep on the back of the couch draped across him. His mouth is parted, and the noise he’s making on every inhale sounds stuffy.

“Eddie?” She puts a hand on the guitarist's shoulder, crouching down and shaking him gently.

“Hmm?” Big brown eyes flutter open, a sight she always enjoys- his doe eyes are ranked number two on her ‘hottest things about Eddie’ list she keeps tucked away in her mind.

“Hey baby, I thought you worked till six tonight,” she runs a hand through the twenty five year olds hair, but the movement stills when she notices his nose twitch, nostrils flaring into perfect circles.

“Oh, yeah, I-snf! I was supposed to but I gohhht sehhndt h-hh! hih’GKtSCHuhEW! ihKSCHH! H-hohhme- ehhGIXtchh’EW! snfsnf! SNF! Think I’m coming down with a cold, Chris.”

The entire thing is dramatic and played up and Chrissy feels herself get hot all over. Her cheeks feel on fire, and warmth pools in her stomach. Mouth suddenly dry, she looks at him more carefully. He does look run down, and his eyes have circles under them. His nose is what gets her full attention.

It’s pink and runny, the divot above his upper lip shining and slick. His nostrils, even now, are quivering. As she catalogs everything; trying to take mental photos, she watches the guitarist rub a balled up tissue against his abused nose, watches intently as his nostrils flare again. She can just barely make out a bit more mess leaking down into the white, thin material.

His eyes flutter shut, long dark eyelashes fanning against his pale skin before-

“ihHGihKTschh’UHEW! hah’IgKSHEW!”

Tissue jiggling against his septum, Chrissy watches as the tickle toys with her boyfriend.

“iHhSHHeEw! ikshh!”

A long, soupy blow follows and she feels herself squirm slightly, still on the floor next to the couch. She can’t recall him sounding sick this morning, but she’d had to leave like a bat out of hell this morning so as not to be late after sleeping through her alarm.

“Bless…bless you, baby,” her voice is soft, and she puts a hand on his somewhat flushed cheek. It’s warm but not worryingly slow. “You got sent home? Are you feeling terrible?”

Eddie lets a smile slowly overtake his lips, smirking. Oh, he definitely knows what he’s doing to her. He rubs his nose again then gives a dramatic sniffle.

“Uhh…my throat’s ki’da sore? A’d I’m a little achy…mostly m-my…nose and I keep neehdi’g t-hhH! iHGKShhh’EW! SNF! …do that.”

Almost involuntarily, Chrissy shifts and moves to sit on Eddie, straddling his lap. She leans down and kisses him, making him smirk.

“You’re guhh’da catch my -snf! my cold, babydoll.”

Another nose twitch and then he sneezes against her shoulder, soupy and germy and so ridiculously coldish sounding, and she can’t help the low moan that drops out of her mouth.

“Eddie…”

“Behhdroom?”

“Please, Jesus…”

[tarydarrington]

Veth doesn’t know who she’d expected to be waiting on the other side of the knock at the door, but if she’d had to guess, Essek Thelyss wringing his hands like a worried grandmother would have been near the bottom of her list.

“Oh,” she says. “Hi?”

He bobs his head, almost more a quick bow than a nod, tenting his fingers in front of his chest. “Good afternoon,” he says, with the distinct cadence of someone who has repeated the words to himself in the mirror all morning. “I hope you are well?”

“I’m all right,” Veth answers haltingly.

The two of them stand there for a moment, awkward silence hanging between them. Then, finally, Essek gives her a nervous smile.

“I do not wish to impose, but, ah…” He gestures past her. “May I enter?”

“Yeah. Sure.” She steps aside, and Essek gives her a grateful nod before walking - walking? - past her into the living room. “Take a seat, if you like.”

He takes the invitation, perching gingerly onto the very edge of the armchair they keep for their larger-sized guests. Veth follows him in, shutting the door behind her and wondering if this isn’t all a very strange dream. Essek barely meets her gaze as she circles around to stand before him. She leans forward, narrowing her eyes.

"What is this? Why are you being weird? Did something happen? Did Caleb die?"

"No!" Essek reins in his volume, pressing his palms together in apology. "No, certainly not. It is simply…"

Veth raises her eyebrows to prompt him.

"Well, I, ah…" His fingers draw little circles in the air, as though he can pull the words out like a spell. "I have read that it is custom in the Empire to request the blessing of a guardian if one wishes to…" The pained look on his face stretches even further. "Court."

Veth blinks at him. He’s serious. He has to be. That face, all pinched up towards the middle, reminds her of the way the neighbor boy looked when he admitted to breaking her dining room window. It looks absolutely absurd on the former Shadowhand.

"Well, I'm sure he would be flattered, but even with the slower aging, Luc's a little young for you."

She can practically see the joke fly over his head. "No," Essek blurts hurriedly, eyes blown wide with mortification. Veth might have laughed if she didn't feel a bit guilty. "No, I…" He brings one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezing shut, and she suspects he's rooted out the sarcasm.

"If you're talking about Caleb," she says as a peace offering, "I'm certainly not his mother."

"No." Essek presses his palms together again, this time in his lap. "I have considered ways to make a meaningful gesture regarding his parents, but…"

He shakes his head. Veth can fill in the blanks. She wouldn't want the beginning of a new relationship to be tangled up in past trauma, either.

"So," he continues. "I had thought, perhaps, that as his closest friend, you might be a suitable alternative."

Well, that’s… She isn’t sure if it’s flattering, exactly, but she’ll accept the show of respect. She takes a moment to scrutinize him as he watches her apprehensively. Essek and Caleb. Caleb and Essek. It makes a certain kind of sense. Once, years ago, she might have railed against it; despite his growth, it’s still difficult sometimes to look at Essek and see anything other than her husband’s former jailer.

But lately, these last few years, Veth has been at home. She’s been with her family, the most important people in the world to her, and Caleb… well, he’s been off on his own adventures. And without Veth there to look after him, it’s been on Essek’s shoulders to make sure he comes back from said adventures alive and whole. Which he has, so far, without fail.

And that look Essek is giving her, as though if she says no, it might actually dissuade him?

"First of all," she begins with a sigh, "you’re not at court. You’re not courting. You're dating."

At the look of confusion on Essek's face, she takes a deep breath.

"You'll take him to have a meal together, or to see a play, or to watch a lecture. Don't do the lecture thing, that's a bad idea. That would be a terrible date." She pauses. "Although, with you two, maybe."

She can tell from the look on his face that she's losing him, so she waves her hands. "Nevermind that. Disregard all of that. The point is, you'll take him to nice places and do enjoyable things together."

Essek shifts uncomfortably. “I… don’t know if I can do that,” he admits. “I cannot be seen outside of the confines of his home or areas outside of the Empire.”

Veth frowns. “Well, you’re going to have to take him somewhere. You have disguises, right?”

Essek seems to consider it. “I do,” he says. “I suppose it would be worth a small risk, from time to time.”

“You’re darn right,” Veth agrees. “And don’t skimp, either. Caleb deserves the best.”

Essek nods entirely too seriously, as though he’s filing all this away in his mind. Veth makes a mental note to pester him with a progress report in about six months’ time.

Not one too rigorous, though. It’s hard to imagine prodding at him for entertainment’s sake when he looks so pathetic.

“Is there anything else?” he asks tentatively, when the silence persists.

“Well, let’s see.” She runs a finger over her chin, theatrically deep in thought. She already knows her answer. “Do you care for him?”

“Of course.” The sincerity on his face almost makes her feel bad about this. “More deeply than I have ever cared for anyone.”

She shouldn’t ask. It’s probably not something he’s discussed with Caleb himself, yet, if they’re only just now getting together. It would be prying, even for her. “Do you love him?” she asks, anyway.

A little, lost smile turns up one corner of Essek’s lips, and it’s almost a whisper when he replies, “How could I not?”

A pang of something that has never quite left Veth’s heart smarts for the first time in years, and she looks away with a matching smile.

When she and Caleb had been traveling with the others, people tended to hem and haw when she brought up how amazing Caleb was. They thought he was talented, sure, but it sometimes felt like none of the others could see the unquenchable light in him. But looking at Essek’s face, at the way his eyes are shining, Veth can’t help but think that maybe, finally, somebody gets it.

"Alright." She reaches out, and before he can flinch away, pats his hand. "You've convinced me. You have earned my permission to have regular sex with my adult, human son."

“I…” His brow furrows. “Truly?”

“Yeah, go nuts.” She waves a hand dismissively. “Caleb’s a grown adult. He can make his own choices, and if he’s choosing you, then good for both of you.”

Essek blinks at her like she’s just handed him a full pardon from the Bright Queen.

“I mean, obviously, if you hurt him, you will have all of us to answer to,” she says. “But you’re the guilt guy, so I think you’ll probably have yourself to answer to, first.”

"I…" He clasps his hands together. "I expected more… what is the word? Pushback.”

Veth braces her hands on her hips. “You know what? Fjord and Jester didn’t even tell me they were dating until I literally saw them kissing, and Beau and Yasha were barely better.” She jabs a finger towards Essek’s chest, ignoring the way he startles at the movement. “So you have just made it to the top of the Winter’s Crest card list.”

Essek presses his steepled fingers against his mouth, but not before Veth catches the bashful smile spreading there.

“Thank you,” he says. “Truly, I… This means a great deal.”

“Heck yeah, my blessing’s worth a lot,” she replies with a grin. “You know what? Tell Fjord that. He doesn’t have my blessing. I’m gonna make him work for it.”

This time the joke doesn’t pass him by, and she can read in his small smile that he’s grateful for the show of familiarity.

“I should hope he will rise to the occasion,” he says, and Veth gets the feeling he isn’t just talking about Fjord.