#next to a giant slice of chocolate cake

[luffington]

AAAA I LOVEDDD your Sanji fic smmm 🥺🥺 could you please hear me out on food play with Sanji

Like him licking cake batter off the reader’s chest

Please and thank you 🙏🥺 (I hope your having an amazing day)

➤ pairing: vinsmoke sanji x afab!reader

➤ word count: 1.6k

➤ warnings: dom!sanji, bratty!reader, food play, nipple play, praise kink, oral (f receiving), established relationship, fluff, fem reader

i'm so glad i got this ask while i was watching sanji bake big mom's wedding cake.... it did something to me. (and now i'm craving strawberry shortcake)

sanji's a giant tease in this hehe (⁄⁄ω⁄⁄)♡

NSFW under the break! minors dni thank uuu

Thick strawberry jam coated your lips like gloss and tinted them carmine. Swirls of whipped cream decorated your bare skin in a pattern of curves and dots, starting on your collarbones and trailing down to your hips and upper thighs. This design was interwoven with sliced strawberries and intricate designs made of pastel pink buttercream frosting. Two perfectly ripe berries and a generous coating of cold whipped cream topped your peaked nipples.

When your boyfriend told you he was going to try out a new strawberry shortcake recipe, you eagerly joined him. Watching him bake was mesmerizing, and he always let you lick the bowl. You did not expect to end up naked and sprawled across the kitchen table.

“Sanji…” You whined and shifted your body slightly. The first dollops of whipped cream he applied were beginning to melt, leaving uncomfortable sticky patches on your skin. 

The blonde gently shushed you from across the room, occupied with putting the actual cake in the oven and hardly sparing you a glance. “Don’t move around too much, darling, you’ll ruin the design.” You wished he had secured you to the table with his silk necktie – your willpower wasn’t strong enough to stay still on your own. 

Sanji set a timer for twenty minutes then slowly sauntered over to the table, setting down a cream-filled piping bag and a bowl of extra strawberries next to you. The cook appeared ravenous, his visible eye turned dark with lust as it raked over your sugar-covered body. He murmured about how delicious you looked as he leaned down to lick the jam clean off your lips. You moaned quietly when he slipped his tongue into you, noticing that his normal taste of cigarettes had been diluted by the fruity substance. 

“Didn’t know my sweet girl could get even sweeter,” your boyfriend chuckled in satisfaction. He collected some leftover jam clinging to the sides of the bowl and brought his fingers to your mouth. “Taste?”

You gladly accepted, lapping at his digits and moaning in delight. The jam was a perfect balance of sweet and tart, expertly blended to the proper texture. His cooking never failed to amaze you. “Oh, Sanji, that’s incredible.” 

A giant grin spread across his face and his chest swelled with pride. Coating his tongue with more jam, he pulled you into a passionate, strawberry-flavored kiss, letting you savor the saccharine substance.

Sticky lips slowly made their way down your jaw and neck until they reached where the sugary decorations began. Sanji paused and pulled away, sighing in mock disappointment. “This might be my best design yet. I would hate to ruin it.” 

“I can’t stay like this forever,” you pouted cutely, causing him to coo and kiss your pretty lips. “What happened to never wasting food?”

“Don’t worry, I always stay true to my word.” 

So he got to work devouring you, taking his sweet time to lick up the drops of sugar coating your body. You shuddered when the tip of his tongue swirled across your collarbones, carefully following a trail of buttercream. Gentle lips trailed down your sternum as they kissed and nibbled at every inch of skin he lapped clean. Sanji intentionally left your breasts alone so he could admire your cream-covered nipples in perverted pleasure. 

This wasn’t your first instance of food play – Sanji was a big fan of dripping melted chocolate on both of you – but this felt the most complete. He had taken the time to elegantly decorate you, telling you how amazing his ‘dessert’ looked while he worked, and now he was putting in even more effort to consume you. Your pussy was completely untouched yet it was already dripping. You wiggled your hips to try to get some friction from the blonde positioned between your legs. Sanji tutted and nipped at your waist, reminding you to stay still. 

Once your lower torso was licked clean of berries and cream, Sanji made his way to your chest. He was obsessed with your tits – he could play with them for hours if you let him (and you often did). Eating sweets off of them was a dream come true. He plucked off a strawberry with his teeth and hummed happily as he chewed it, then opened his mouth wide to engulf the big heap of whipped cream and your nipple all in one go. A cry spilled from your lips, and you tried your best to stay still but his warm mouth suctioned around your peaked nipple and sucking hard was driving you insane. 

Sanji was in ecstasy, making lewd slurping noises and kneading the base of your breast before giving your other nipple the same tantalizing treatment. You braced yourself, expecting him to move between your legs next. Instead, he grabbed the piping bag to coat your tits with a second layer of cream, gladly swallowing all of it. Repeating the process until the bag was half-empty and you were shaking with delight, whining out his name and making his heavy cock strain against his pants. 

His stubble tickled your breast as he whispered soft praise and smugly complimented his own whipped cream recipe for making your nipples even more addicting to suck. Then his hands moved further down, creeping closer and closer to your pussy until he nudged the tip of your clit –

The timer went off. 

“Oops, gotta get that,” Sanji clicked his tongue and your eyes widened. 

“You’re not really gonna leave me like this, are you?” Your cunt was drenched and one of your tits was still half-covered in whipped cream. He calmly strolled across the room like nothing was happening. “Sanjiiiii, I’m so wet for you.”

“Be patient, my love. I’m enjoying my dessert right now, but I want you to have the perfect slice of shortcake when we’re done. I can’t let it overbake for even a minute.” His voice had a teasing lilt – he knew exactly what he was doing to you. Loved seeing you desperate for him the way he was desperate for you. 

While he carefully took out each layer of vanilla cake from the oven, you decided to take matters into your own hands. “Just a few more seconds,” he snickered, stopping you moments before you could touch your cunt. Damn Observation Haki.

When the cakes were finally resting on cooling racks, the blonde stalked back to you like a predator about to consume its willing prey. Rather than continuing where he left off, Sanji coated your inner thighs with swirls of cream and slurped them up. Pushing your patience to the limit as he slowly inched closer to where you needed him the most.

“You’re so cute when you’re needy for me.” Your boyfriend paused to grab a plump strawberry, pressing the larger end between your lips. His dick twitched at the sight of you so pretty and pliant. “Be a good girl and keep it in your mouth.” Great, another test of your willpower.

Sanji’s soft strands of hair tickled your inner thighs as he spread your folds wide, licking his lips and admiring you without making a move. You wanted to complain about him being a tease, but you settled for rolling your eyes in order to keep the strawberry intact. The blonde smirked at your brattiness yet indulged you, licking a languid stripe from the bottom of your dripping folds to your clit.

“Fuck, you’re soaked.” He thumbed at the bundle of nerves which made your legs twitch around his head. “And so fucking delicious.” Swearing at a lady went against his gentlemanly code, but that self-imposed rule fell away the moment you took your clothes off. You were too fucking gorgeous for him to hold back.

Not wasting any more time, he lapped at your cunt like a starved man, coating his lips and chin in your delicious juices. The lingering taste of cream and sugar on his tongue only added to the experience. Tangling your fingers in his blonde locks and locking your calves around his back, you pulled him impossibly closer to your pussy. Sanji only moaned in encouragement, his nose firmly rubbing against your clit as his wet muscle wormed its way inside your walls and licked everywhere it could reach. He unzipped his slacks to palm his rock-hard cock through his precum-stained boxers.

You were embarrassingly close to cumming after just a few minutes, but nearly a half hour of licking sweets off your body did a lot. Sanji was also a god at eating pussy – though he was sexually inexperienced when you began dating, his enthusiasm and desperation overrode his lack of skill. When his tongue prodded against the sensitive bundle of nerves inside you, your grip on his scalp tightened and you threw your head back against the table, unable to stop yourself from biting down on your makeshift gag. Sweet strawberry juice flowed into your mouth as your own juices gushed over your boyfriend’s face. He gladly let them soak his skin and stain the collar of his shirt.

“Holy shit,” you gasped, chest heaving from the mind-blowing orgasm. “Fuck, that was amazing.” Sanji giggled at the praise as he stood and caressed your cheek, once again telling you how beautiful and perfect you were. But your heart sank when he took a step away from you. “Don’t tell me you have to frost the cake now. That’s too mean.”

Your boyfriend laughed, his bright smile never failing to fill your stomach with butterflies. “I’m just putting it in the fridge. Trust me, I’m not done with you.” The obvious tent in his boxers was proof of that. “We still have a ton of cream and berries left, and I plan on using all of it.”

[echantedtoon]

A Lovers' Circle (Poly Haishira x Reader) Ch6 Date Weekend: Saturday

(Warning for some nudity mentioned in the boys part but absolutely nothing rude or nsfw!! Also it's cannon Hinatsuru and Makio can cook like really good in Kimetsu Gauken and Mitsuri.knows ballet from what we saw in s4 with flexibility training. My own headcannons are being slapped into here! AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME!)

Taglist: @shadyd3ar @jcrml @tengensangel

@miniverse-zen

Remember if you want to be added to the taglist lemme know

The colorful assortment of delightful sweets filled the eyes with childlike wonder. Cream and icing. Glaze and powdered sugar. Milky chocolate and sweet vanilla. All of which melted in the mouth and shook the senses with sweet dreams of sugary delight.

In in Mitsuri's case starting to stock up on food.

You sat down at the table with the other girls after the fun game of push ups. Taking your time to look around at the big but nice looking kitchen. Kyojuro must've had a good paying job if he could afford this. The nicely furnished space had pretty much a top of the line appliance set up complete with a nicely polished giant cherry wood table. Of which was stuffed to the brim with food. Three boxes of extra large pizzas took up the far left right corner, next to it was a box of hot wings, and a few six packs of different sodas and what was left of the canned coffee after Sanemi ravished through Obinai's gift. Two pink boxes filled up with day old sweets like donuts and mini cakes, what was left of the ohagi you made, and a few burgers Giyuu picked up. And a small pot of something you couldn't make out but it smelt like beef broth. Maybe a beef soup or hot pot?

It certainly was a lot of food but considering how many people there and how big Gyomei and Tengen were.

"Let me get you some food," Hinatsuru offered gesturing to the boxes of pizza stacked on the table. "We have pizza, burgers, cake- What would you like?"

A hand held up to her. "Oh no. It's ok. I can get it myself."

"Nonsense. You're our guest so I'll get it for you."

"Well alright then. Some pizza please."

"Sure! Pepperoni, sausage and mushroom, or meatlovers?" Hinatsuru was already shuffling towards the boxes Mitsuri was already rummaging through. 

"Pepperoni is fine. Thank you!'

You only smiled politely as the others say down or most of them grabbed ahold of whatever food was available for them, but you noticed only one of them had a tray instead of a plate. Mitsuri had taken out a large tray, the kind you'd use to carry breakfast in bed to someone, and just started piling on food after food item onto it. There must've been at least two or three slices of every kind of pizza they had, three small cakes you could make out including a fourth one just added to it, a few burgers peeking out from just under the pizza, and right now her main target was the pot.

The smells of beef filled the air with a snack of her lips looking inside excitedly. Producing a bowl from no where she proceeded to just scoop out boiled eggs, mushrooms, chunks of beef- Oh. So someone did bring a hot pot. But she wasn't done yet. She practically pulled two bottles of the soda to herself as a can of coffee got caught up also in her grasp and your poor ohagi was her next victims. Three ending up on top of their fallen pizza brethren. She plopped down right across from you as you continued to stare wide eyed. You didn't even notice Hinatsuru placing down a plate and cup of more soda in front of you.

"Here you go!" She smiled at you but slowly blinked noticing your wide eyed surprised look. "Miss Y/n?" Her face followed your direction and froze as she and everyone else saw the massive pile of food Mitsuri had in front of her and the fact that she was already shoveling a whole mini strawberry shortcake into her mouth. "M-Mitsuri!"

"Hm?" 

She happily looked up at the half horrified half worried faces around her, cheeks puffed up like a chipmunks. Huh? What was with those looks? She made sure not to take everything this time. It was only when green orbs caught the state of the girl in front of her. It was then that the before mentioned talk about everyone being on their best behavior and ensuring that they made a good first impression for Gyomei punched her brain in the memory bank. She sat there quietly and wide eyed, cheeks puffed up, and some strawberry syrup on her chin. Somewhere to the far right Makio groaned and facepalmed loud enough to a smack sound to be heard.

You blinked and that motion seemed to spur Mitsuri's panic as she quickly swallowed and held up her hands. "Um- Uh- ...HEY! No one touch this food!" She nervously laughed before pushing the tray away from her nervously smiling self to the middle of the table, a few boxes getting pushed aside as she did so. "Y-You know that I-..Uh! I-I always make sure there's a nice healthy serving out aside for the guys! Haha! Hmm!" She tapped her chin in thought glaring at the stacked up tray in pretend scrutiny. "Yep! Th-This will definitely be enough for all of them! Haha!"

She froze as a couple hot wings wobbled and fell lower on the pile of food she had created. Someone mumbled a 'nice save' somewhere as your eyes slowly looked away from her and down at the pile of food in front of everyone... before your face scrunched up into a funny looking face before you opened your mouth and-..

Started to laugh??

A series of giggles enveloped from her mouth and a hand reached out to cover those giggles to no avail as everyone stared at her.

"....Ok. Did we already break her or is she making fun of us?"

Your head shook as a hand waved. "N-No. It's just that-..Well, It's nice you're all going through all this effort to make me comfortable but Gyomei's already mentioned about this." To her surprise the tray was slid back over in front of Mitsuri who looked widely at you. "As I said before I want you all to be yourselves around me since I genuinely want to meet Gyomei's friends, so please don't hesitate to eat."

Mitsuri stared stunned by your smile, looking you up and down.... before just smiling back to her food and a second later she literally bit a burger clean in half as she hummed contently. Her happy face and bloated cheeks made more giggles escape her mouth. 

"That's quite the appetite you have there," you pointed out without being rude, "Do you like sweet, savoury, or spicy things better?"

She swallowed what was left of her first burger quickly before answering. "SWEETS! But I don't mind others things either! Bitter and sour things are good too if you make them right!" As if to hammer home her point, she practically devoured an entire hot sauce covered chicken leg minus the bone. The hotness didn't even seem to bother her because a slice of blueberry cheesecake was next. "Shoo yummy!~" She gushed between snacking.

Despite it you still smiled at her completely unfazed. Her eating was fast and not normal by any normal person's standards but unlike Jake's she wasn't rude about it at all. She wasn't chewing loudly or open mouthed, she didn't try to hog everything, and she DEFINITELY wasn't trying to get anyone's else's foods or getting food anywhere. ..Well except for the traces of said food on her mouth which you handed over a couple napkins she thanked you for. The others seemed completely unfazed by her appetite so this was probably a usual occurrence for them.

"So you aren't like grossed out or anything by..?" Makio gestured towards the pink haired girl like it was obvious.

"Not really. Why would I be?" You shrugged before picking up a piece of your own pizza. "She's not being rude about it so why should I care? Although I am a bit surprised at how much she eats. When Gyomei told she she had a big appetite I wasn't expecting it to be so literally. Not that it's a bad thing of course!"

Surprised looks land silence was what everyone gave you minus Mitsuri still eating the quickly shrinking pile of food. Eventually Shinobu broke the silence with her brows raised high. 

"Holy shit...Gyomei found a dam unicorn!"

"Shinobu!"

"He did.' shinobu rolled her eyes at her sister's scowl. "She said to be ourselves around her right? How is she supposed to know us if we aren't?'

"But the cussing? Really? First Nemi and now you."

"I really don't mind," you smiled at her. "I'm not offended at all. Really."

Kanae blinked but frowned at Shinobu's wide smile. 

"Subject change!" The blue eyed girl, Suma if you remembered right, shot up a hand and waved around her full arm. "This entire thing was to get to know her better! So let's do that instead!"

"Good idea, Suma!" She quickly changed the entire subject probably to avoid any awkwardness. "So. Y/n, how did you meet Gyomei? He told us briefly but I don't think he explained the entire thing." 

You paused a moment staring off into nothing. You smile had turned to a thin line and you turned to her so slowly that she thought she might've said something to offend you. "....Have you ever had a really bad date?"

Her pink eyes blinked. "I-...Well, it did rain once when I was on a double date with Kyo and Makio. We didn't get to do anything we planned."

"Oh. Well trust me. You haven't heard nothing yet. Let me tell you EXACTLY how I met the most kindest man of my life...after meeting the worst most vile human. It all started when this rat's parents paid my Auntie to set him up on a date. She's a REALLY good matchmaker you know and that's why they paid her and she needed the extra money because her car broke down, so she asked me to go out with him. I figured it was just a free dinner so what did I have to lose? BOY was I surprised!"

You told them the entire story. Starting from the very beginning from before you even met Jake the Snake to how he late he was to how Gyomei.actually noticed you first to how he acted and on and on. Most looked on in pity or disgust but Shinobu never lost that small smile. You nearly lost your appetite again remembering that night but the memory of Gyomei's smiling helpful being brightened up your entire outlook. 

"So one thing led to another and we ended up going on a coffee date." You shrugged drinking a little bit of the soda Hinatsuru was nice enough to get you. 

"That's so mean! How could a man be so cruel and rude?!," Mitsuri loudly protested. 

You shrugged again. "Spoiled too much by his parents I guess. But that's all in the past now." You smiled Brightly. "Gyomei is much more better than most of the men I've dated. Tonight is our third date actually."

"AW!! THAT'S SO SWEET! IT'S LIKE YOU BOTH MET OUTTA A FAIRYTALE!!" 

"How did you guys meet anyways?" You were curious about how these people met and got together especially when they were all polyamourus. You've never heard of twelve people in a relationship before but you guessed there was a first time for everything.

"Most of us are actually childhood friends and we met way back in elementary school!," Suma piped up and bit down into a pizza slice. 

"Yeah..most of them. A few of us didn't meet until like nearly graduated from highschool..." Makio shrugged. "But it is what it is."

"That reminds me. How did you three end up marrying Mr. Uzui? I've heard of having more than one partner but this is the first time I've ever seen someone be married to three people at once before. Um..no offense."

"None taken." Makio waved you off with a bored look to her face. "It was arranged between our parents a long time ago, I don't think Tengen's old man was too happy at the idea of him dating Kyo back in highschool and decided to give him a few beautiful ladies to change his mind."

"Oh that's awful." A hand covered your mouth. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It all worked out in the end."

"Really? He just agreed to it?"

"Yeah. He figured just going through with it would be easier, and we all got married right out of highschool..." Her gaze looked far away from the table as if gazing of into nothing. "..You know he offered all of us to divorce the day after? Said he wasn't going to force any of us to stay if we didn't want to."

Your brow rose at her. "But..you didn't?"

"No. I could've though. I could've divorced him and then left. Maybe I'd be somewhere studying something like cooking or maybe I'd be married again to a really, really handsome rich guy who's a renowned millionaire complete with little kids and a nice big dog. ...I could've had that, or I could stay with a guy who's 'flamboyant' butt cried when I said I loved him for the first time."

"Aw!" She was lightly surprised when you gushed. "Did he really cry?"

"Oh yes. I remember that." Hinatsuru finally got a cheeky look on her face looking at her other wives. "You two remember that right? He was so worried that Kyo would be mad at him for falling for us and he was so scared that we hated him from the start that he cried for a whole hour."

"I REMEMBER THAT!! HE'S SO CUTE!!"

"Yeah. Besides, where else are we gonna get a free portrait?"

Her joke wasn't lost on you either and a giggle escaped you. So they all grew up together? That's a cute love story! Well you guessed minus Tengan's wives who everyone met in highschool technically but you still were curious about one thing in particular.

"I do hope you don't mind me asking this but I'm curious about something," you slowly spoke catching most everyone's attention other than Mitsuri who was almost done with her giant tray. "If you don't want to answer it's fine, but how did you all.. Y'know. Well-.." You were trying to try to find a way to word it without sounding rude. So you made a half circle motion around the table gesturing to everyone.

"Find out we were all poly?," Kanae asked answering you.

"YYYes. I'm sorry if that's a sensitive topic."

She shook her head, pretty hair swaying. "Not at all. You've been nothing but respectful this entire time and honestly you're one of the few people who didn't make it weird." She shrugged her shoulders holding up her hands. "To be perfectly honest with you, it just sort of happened. Mitsuri used to date my sister back in middle school but they broke up and then she started dating Sanemi-" She gestured to Mitsuri. "-and she dated Obanai for a little bit before we all just shifted to who we wanted to have our main love be!"

"Oh..I see. So how did the whole main partner thing was figured out?"

"Simple. While I love all my partners, Sanemi is the only one I want to officially marry and start a family with." Her head tilted at you with a worried brow. "Do you think that's strange?"

A him escaped her throat as her eyes glanced over in thought. "...Well I can't say no because I guess to someone like me who isn't in a relationship like yours it would be weird. But-" orbs looked directly back to her pink ones. "I can't really judge you. Mostly because your relationship isn't any of my business so I shouldn't stick my nose where it doesn't belong, but also because it's really incredible."

"Hm?" Pink eyes blinked confused. "Incredible how so?"

"You guys have the healthiest relationship I've ever seen!" 

Kanae. Blinked. "What?"

You nodded. "I mean I've seen arguments but if-.. Sanemi, I think was his name, really wanted to punish Tengen I think he would've punched him square in the face. But it just looked like one big couples fight to me..Not the really bad kind but I don't think-" You stopped seeing everyone stared at you again. "Um..Was it something I said?"

"I told you. A dam unicorn."

Kanae shot her sister another glare before sighing. "Well to answer your question, we really just sorta melded together once we realized that there was more than mutual feelings. It took some time for everyone to come to terms with it especially Nemi and Obi but it works out for us."

"And your families?"

Clink-

You blinked as Hinatsuru suddenly placed her fork down and went quiet, a sad look suddenly found on her face making you blink and then noticed that everyone else had similar looks either looking away uncomfortable or sad. Mitsuri's eating had also ceased leaving her holding up an empty burger wrapper. Eventually Shinobu sighed.

"Some of our families have...Not been very nice hearing about it let's just say. My folks for example were pretty shocked but now they're the most supportive people on the planet. However... People like Tengen's dad or Obinai's family.." A grimace and 'yeesh' sound escaped her. "You'd think a guy who's entire family was mostly women wouldn't care if he dated girls-'

"I think I get the picture." You politely held up your hand and looked around feeling suddenly guilty about the mood dropping. "...You guys said you're studying to become teachers right?" You perked back up and changing the subject to a lighter tone. "What kind of subject do you want to teach, Mitsuri?" You asked the most cheerful person hopefully her bright happy attitude would help the situation.

Like you hoped she immediately lit up in a smile. "DANCE! Specifically ballet!"

"I didn't know you knew ballet!"

She nodded. "Mm hm! I love it!"

"And what about you two?"

"I'm focusing on biology and Shinobu is taking classes for becoming a health teacher," Kanae answered with a new smile. 

"Hina n' I are working through the thought of culinary schooling."

"OH! OH! I WANNA BE A PRESCHOOL TEACHER!!'

"You'd certainly fit right in."

"Makio! Don't be so mean to me!"

"Guys please."

You couldn't help but giggle at the lot of them in the end and went back to eating your pizza and waiting for Gyomei's return. 

"Hey. We're all going to the beach tomorrow!" You paused mid bite of your pizza before looking at Mitsuri who smiled widely and hopefully at you. "It's one of the few times we can go before it gets too cold. Why don't you come with us?"

"Oh. I'd really like to..but I can't." Your hand was held up. "I have a project to take care of before I can turn it in Monday and I have to clean. But I appreciate the offer. Are you guys going out the entire weekend together?"

"Oh absolutely! Tonight's just a big sleepover with a movie!" Mitsuri started quickly motioning with her hands with excitement. "Then tomorrow we're going to spend all day on the beach together and then Sunday it's just gonna be the boys hanging out with each other and we're all going SHOPPING!~" She sang out that last part throwing up her hands. "And then we're gonna go to the spa and get massages, and have our nails done and a whole bunch of stuff between those things! Then we're all going to meet up with the boys for a sauna and public hot springs!" She then gasped hands smacking her cheeks. "OH MY GOSH!! YOU SHOULD TOTALLY COME WITH US!!"

You blinked leaning back a little bit. "What?"

"ARE YOU BUSY SUNDAY?! IT'S PERFECT!! YOU CAN COME WITH US AND WE ALL CAN HAVE FUN TOGETHER!"

"I don't want to intrude on your guys' date and besides as much as I would like to, I'd only be a third wheel for the entire thing. On top of that I don't have much money for me to spend."

"Uh.. Didn't Gyomei literally win you three hundred fifty dollars?" 

You paused staring at them blinking.

"THAT'S RIGHT! You can totally still come with us then! Please say you will! You really didn't get a chance to really meet the guys yet and I promise it'll be so much fun!"

"Well I -.." You let out a light sigh. "Well I guess so. It might be fun."

"Oh this is going to be so much fun! I can't wait for you to see my favorite cat cafe! I'm sure the guys are just as excited!"

"You think so?"

"Absolutely! Why I bet they're thinking of fun things to do together right now!"

SMACK-

"OW! WHAT THE HELL, SANEMI?!"

Warmth spread off the tiles lining up the walls and floors. Most rising to coat their bodies like fog which was probably a good thing considering that most of them were completely in the nu- A loud smack loud disturbed the peaceful sounds of running shower heads and scents of men's brand soap and shampoo. The snack itself stopped Obanai from helping Gyomei get his back and the blind man tilt his head-

Buuuutt the very girly sounding squeal that left Tengen's throat had caused the rest of them to peer over. A stinging sensation throbbed from the side of Tengen's behind from where he was struck by something fast, and instinctively his hand clutched onto the now reddened skin. Magenta eyes narrowed with a snap of his neck and immediately found the culprit with a wet wring up towel in his hands. 

"OW! WHAT THE HELL, SANEMI?!", Tengen's voice angrily echoed off the walls.

The smaller white haired man gave Tengen one of those evil grins he always gave when annoyed and his fists squeezed around the towel harder making it creak in her hands. "Consider it payback for the stunt you pulled! I would've won if you hadn't distracted me!"

"Oh please. I would've won if you hadn't twisted the rules and tricked my wife." Tengen hissed rubbing at his bottom. "Fuck that hurt. Y'know if you wanted to smack my butt that badly-"

"SHUT UP YOU SHINY MEATBALL!!"

"Are those two still going on about that? I thought we all agreed Gyomei won fair and square."

Gyomei only sighed at Giyuu's words deciding not to engage with the argument other than shaking his head and sinking further down into the tub of comforting warm water. Those two would normally fight like cats and dogs if it wasn't with Obinai. He knew the routine of these fights. They'd be angry anywhere between a few hours to a day and then either forget about it or make up somehow. Even if the current cussing at one another over 'distracting him and making him lose' or 'sanemi didn't have to attack him with a towel' was starting to give him a bit of anxiety. He sure hoped they weren't loud enough for the girls to hear them.

"YOU WANT TO KISS ME SO BAD IT MAKES YOU LOOK STUPID!!"

"STOP BEING SO FUCKING PRETTY!!..PETTY!! I MEANT PETTY!!"

"Uh huh. Sure.~"

"RRRRRRAAHH!! FUCKING STOP IT!!"

"THEN MAKE ME, SHINAZUGAWA!!"

There was a small silence other than the sounds of the others ignoring their friends' usually arguments and continuing to finish up and then sounds of running water...but after a moment of nothing his head did turn in question towards the nearest person.

"Are they quite finished?"

"Yep. They're hate kissing again."

Even though he couldn't see Obinai, he knew the man was rolling his eyes. "I see. Well at least perhaps now they'll stop clawing at one another's throats." Water rippled in his wake as he moved to stand back up. "And I have to be seeing off Y/n soon. It's very impolite to keep her waiting for me on a date twice on a date."

"Relax, Mei. You brought her here for the sole purpose of meeting us. Let her get to know them. I'm sure Mitsuri's already talking about her cats or Suma's talking her head off. She'll be fine."

"Well..I should at least make sure it's going well."

"*sigh* If you say so. And will you two get a room?!"

Sanemi's answer was to chuck the clean but wet towel he had been holding and expertly nailing Obanai in the face without even looking up from where he was gripping Tengen's head to make him lean down enough to kiss. A loud smack sound again echoed beside him and a moment later Obanai fell into the tub with a splash. ...Gyomei only groaned rubbing his face. 

[belokhvostikova]

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | Swearing and smoking.

It was Steve Harrington’s twenty-ninth big birthday palooza.

Well, at least that’s what the giant, colorful banner called it, that hung across the foyer of his home. That’s what happens when Dustin Henderson plans your party. But the kid—who was beyond the definition of a kid now—had told Steve he had no right to complain about it being childish. Steve did shoot down the first option of “Big Birthday Bash,” terribly unaware that palooza was the next best thing for Henderson.

Had he known, he surely would have stuck with the first option.

Steve was correct, though. The banner was childish, and it had garnered all the fascination from the mini Munson that walked in with a gaping mouth of pure awe at the bright sign. At the very least, the actual kid would enjoy it.

And “palooza” was really selling it out. It was merely a group of adult friends simply hanging out like old times. Only the new addition was the three-year-old hanging off your leg, who adorably looked a lot like your husband.

Not fair. You did most of the work.

But it was worth it, staring into those baby cow eyes every time you crouched down to your kid. And once you stood up, you’d find them again from Eddie Munson, himself, who peered at you lovingly.

Of course, you had to show off your baby and bring him to the party. He was already a crowd favorite. Being the first baby born into Hawkins’ infamous clan of misfits gave you that right. And they all loved that tiny Munson.

Especially after that “Happy Birtday, Uncle Steeb!” It was enough to make icebergs melt.

And having a child at an adult hangout wasn’t all bad. Keeping the beers separated from the juice boxes, and having a yard big enough for the child to run was sufficient enough. Bonus points for Steve Harrington’s dog, Rufus, who took up all your kid’s attention.

By the end of the night, the group had naturally separated into two; the men left smoking outside, while the women conversed in the comfort of the living room. This had come after the cake celebration. Once the candles were blown out, Steve had joked that he wished to keep all his hair throughout his thirties. In reality, he’d wished to start a family as loving as the one his friend had.

He would end up confiding this to Eddie during the relaxed smoking session. That he wanted the whole package; a wife and kid. In fact, he dreamed of having many of them. Eddie blew out the smoke from his cigarette and smiled. “It’s the greatest fucking feeling ever, man.”

Because when Eddie looked back through the glass doors of the patio, he saw you. Sitting and chatting, beautiful as ever. But the cherry on top was seeing his tiny kid straddling your lap. His curly head of hair buried into your neck calmly asleep, as Eddie’s leather jacket draped over as a comforting blanket.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Eddie beamed, as he stomped out his cigarette.

One day Steve would get that. Whether it was with the pretty lady he was currently seeing or a future soulmate, he’d get that.

Eddie had walked in, strutting over to the quarter of cake that was left after everyone had gotten a slice. Not you, though. You were busy cheering on Steve from the couch, as your baby used your chest as a bed. Cutting a slice, and plonking it onto a paper plate, Eddie meandered his way next to you on the couch.

“You deserve a piece.” He forked a triple chocolate portion into your mouth, where he smiled, as your face contorted into delight. “Good?” He knew it was, he devoured two slices earlier. You could only hum with pleasure, before he leaned in and whispered. “Should we feed the monster?”

It was a risky move. One taste of sugar, and your three-year-old would turn into the Hulk. But it was a risk worth taking, your baby was too cute not to feed treats to.

Eddie managed to slowly insert a small piece between his tiny puckered lips, as he slept. And in true Munson fashion, your baby chewed in his sleep, eyes closed but mouth surely moving.

Then, those baby cow eyes tiredly opened at the sudden sweetness. “Choclat?”

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 | I don’t know why I keep making Dad!Eddie blurbs. It’s an addiction that can’t be stopped.

[lilacmingi]

ELF IN TRAINING

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works

Pairing: Elf!Mingi x elf!fem reader

Word count: 3,430

Note: THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVES! Yunho, Yeosang, Mingi, and Wooyoung’s are my absolute favorites. They’re the ones I really got immersed in while writing them and I just love the plots. I’m very proud of them 🥹

The North Pole was covered in snow, the usual weather for Santa's Headquarters. Large, fluffy snowflakes came down in a flurry, adding to the inches of white snow that blanketed the ground.

You were hard at work in the workshop, painting and assembling toys. Christmas was only a month away and it was crunch-time at Santa's workshop. Every elf was hard at work preparing for the upcoming holiday. The sound of hammers tapping and the low hum of the assembly line machines were the only thing that could be heard in the building as every elf stayed laser focused on their job.

Mingi, a new elf in training, walked across the workshop with a box of completed toys in his hands. He was heading to the room next door where the toys were being collected. As he proceeded towards his destination, his head collidided with the top of the doorframe, a thud sound following after. You instinctively winced at the sight. Mingi was always bumping his head on the doorway. Unlike other elves, he was rather tall and towered over everyone. The average height of elves was around five feet, Mingi was six feet tall.

You hated seeing him always hurting himself on the doorframe and wondered why no one had done anything about it. At this rate he would give himself a concussion if nothing was done about the low doorframe.

A chorus of chuckles from nearby elves could be heard after Mingi's little incident. You abruptly abandoned your work station and hurried after Mingi, calling for him. He turned around, looking down at you with bright eyes and an expectant expression.

"Are you okay?" You asked.

A soft smile spread across his face.

"I'm fine. Thanks, Y/n."

"You don't need an ice pack or something?"

He shook his head. "I'm kinda used to it."

You gave him a sympathetic look.

"You should get back to work. Christmas is coming soon." He told you.

“What about you?”

“I’ll be just fine.”

As much as you didn't want to, you turned around and hesitantly made your way back to your station, picking up where you left off.

It was difficult to focus. All you could think about was Mingi and the way everyone always laughed at him. It made you angry. There was no reason for it. He's an elf just like the rest of you.

Lunch was called and you were able to step away from your work and take a break. You congregated in the cafeteria with the other elves where you got a slice of extra sweet cake and a mug of hot chocolate. As you made your way to your seat, you overheard a few comments from some of your fellow workers.

"Did you see Mingi?" Chuckled one elf. "He bumped his head on the doorframe again. That klutz."

"He's such a giant, no wonder he's always hitting his head."

"He's a weirdo."

"He's a misfit."

"He doesn't belong here."

"He's not an elf, he's a giant."

The comments angered you immensely. Everything in you screamed to speak up and say something, but you fought it, pushing that urge down deep. You didn't want to start something and cause a scene. However, your temper got the best of you and pushed aside all reason. Your grip tightened on your mug of hot chocolate as you harshly spun around to face the chattering elves.

"That's not very jolly of you to be saying such hateful things about a fellow elf." You punctuated the last word. "Surely, you know Santa is fully aware of what you're saying now."

None of them said a word.

"That's what I thought." You huffed, turning away.

Santa knows everything and they still had the nerve to say such rude things about Mingi. It was shameful, really.

You then spotted Mingi sitting alone at the end of a table, rubbing his forehead. You immediately set your sights on him, making your way over without hesitation.

"Hi." You greeted, taking a seat across from him.

"Hi."

"How's your head?"

"It's okay." He reached up to lightly rub it again. “Hurts a little."

"I'm sure it does. Are you sure you don't want an ice pack?"

"I'm sure. Thank you, though. I appreciate you always checking up on me."

You smiled. "I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Thank you for that. It's nice to know someone cares."

"So, it's been a few weeks since you joined the team. How are things?"

"Good." He nodded with a smile. "Work is easier and more enjoyable than I though. Turns out I'm pretty good at assembling toys. I'm the fastest elf in my group." He beamed proudly.

"That's great to hear. It seems you're fitting in just fine."

"Well, almost."

"Almost?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a whole foot taller than everyone here." He stated.

"I have noticed, but it doesn't bother me."

"It seems to bother everyone else. They all stare at me and whisper things."

"You just need to ignore them. They're not worth your time. Santa should give them more work since they seem to have time to make hateful comments about you for no reason." You huffed, feeling your temper rising again.

"What if I'm not a real elf?" Mingi asked unexpectedly, his tone weaker than before.

"What? That's nonsense. Of course you're a real elf."

"But what if I'm not? I clearly don't fit in."

You abruptly reached over and grabbed hold of his ear, giving it a good tug.

"Ow!" He yelped.

"Is that proof enough?" You inquired, quirking a brow.

"I guess so." He muttered, rubbing his ear with a pout.

"Mingi, you need to stop doubting yourself. You're an elf just like the rest of us."

"But I'm different."

"Unique." You corrected. "I think your height is your charming point."

"My charming point?" He asked, looking at you with round, glittering eyes.

"Yes. It's what makes you, you."

His face seemed to soften a bit after you told him that. He appreciated your words greatly, more than you would know. You and Santa seemed to be the only ones who treated him as an equal and not as some freak.

You stayed and kept Mingi company throughout lunch, sharing funny stories about past mishaps at the workshop. His heart fluttered in his chest whenever you laughed at your own story. The giggles spilling from your lips made Mingi feel light as air, and the way your eyes crinkled up when you smiled made him grin himself. Your happiness was contagious.

He was a bit of a slow eater and yet you stayed with him the whole time, which only made his growing attraction towards you bloom even more.

That night, you laid in bed staring at the ceiling. You really needed to get some rest, as you knew you'd need the energy for work the next day. Christmas was quickly approaching and everyone needed to be at peak performance, but you couldn't seem to stop thinking about Mingi. Yes, he could just duck to get through the doorway, but that's an inconvenience, plus he seems to forget how short the doorways are.

Unable to sleep, you threw the covers off and changed into your uniform, hurrying out of your room. With a mission on your mind, you trekked through the snow and to the workshop, making your way up the large staircase that led to Santa's office. You gave a soft knock on the oak wood doors and waited for an answer.

"Come in." A voice bellowed from the other side.

You slowly twisted the doorknob and stepped into the room.

"Y/n, what on earth are you doing here? It's nearly 1 AM.”

"I could ask you same thing." You chuckled.

"Oh, you know, checking it once, checking it twice." He responded with a smile as he glanced down at the long list that stretched across his desk and spilled onto floor. "But seriously, what are you doing awake at this hour?”

"I couldn't sleep, sir." You answered honestly.

"Why is that?" He inquired, concern lacing his warm voice.

"It's Mingi. He's always bumping his head on the doorframe in the workshop that leads to the stock room." You informed him.

"Oh no." He frowned.

"It pains me to keep seeing him hit his head, so I was wondering if I could make some adjustments to the doorframe."

"I'm sure I could make time to do it. You don't have to take that on all by yourself."

"Sir, with all due respect, I want to do it on my own. Plus, you're already very busy."

"Are you sure?" Santa asked.

"Yes. I can handle this."

"Very well."

"Thank you, sir."

"Of course. This is very nice of you, Y/n."

You gave him a soft smile before exiting his office, bounding down the stairs, and hurrying over to your work station, grabbing an armful of tools. There was no time to waste.

Mingi got out of his bed that was thankfully the right size for him. Santa was kind enough to make some accommodations for him like getting a larger bed and furniture so he could. The elf stretched his stiff muscles before shuffling over to his closet to grab his uniform.

He made his short commute across the small North Pole village, trudging through the large amount of snow that was constantly covering the ground. He stepped into the workshop, ready to start his day. To his surprise, the shop was completely empty. Mingi simply brushed it off, going to his work station where he found a box of toys that he forgot to put into the stock room the day before. He lifted the box and carried it across the shop. As he passed the entryway to the stock room, he instinctively flinched, his head being thrust backwards by a phantom force.

The pain he had anticipated never arrived, causing him to stop for a moment and turn around to look at the doorway he just walked through. To his surprise, it appeared to be reconstructed and there was now a circular head shape at the top of the doorway.

Mingi was quick to set the box of toys down, hurrying back into the workshop where elves were starting to come in to begin their work day. His eyes searched desperately, wanting to find out who had done this. His first thought was Santa. He was about to head up to the big man's office when he spotted you asleep at your work station, tools strewn across the desk. As he moved closer, he noticed sawdust all over your work space, your clothes, and even stuck in your hair.

A fond smile painted Mingi's features as he gazed down at you, a warm and fuzzy feeling blossoming in his chest.

You did that for him?

You began to stir, which caused Mingi to scurry off, not wanting you to see him. Once he got to his work station, he watched you lift your head, your eyes going wide at the mess in front of you. He tried to hold back a chuckle as you scrambled to clean the sawdust off the tabletop, clearing your workspace of any tools and powdery wood particles.

He found it amusing how you went about your business after you tidied up, pretending that you weren't just snoozing at your work table amongst tools and sawdust.

His gaze drifted to the doorway that seemed to be attracting attention from some of the elves. Mingi could feel his cheeks warm as he looked at the newly-shaped doorway that was exactly the same size as him.

He would make sure to thank you later.

You yawned as you tinkered away on a toy. Running on little to no sleep had you working a little slower than usual, but knowing Mingi would no longer hurt himself put you at ease and, in a way, kept you going.

You worked until you felt someone's presence near you. Glancing up, you saw Mingi who stood by your station.

"Oh. Hi Mingi." You greeted with a smile.

"Do you have a minute?" He asked.

"Sure. Is something wrong?"

"I just wanna talk to you for a moment. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Mingi led you outside to a nearby bench where the two of you could talk alone.

"I saw what you did for me." He said.

"Hm?" You furrowed your brows. "What do you mean?"

"The doorway. I know it was you."

"Me? No. I didn't do that."

"Y/n." Chuckled Mingi. "I saw you asleep at your workstation with sawdust all over you and tools everywhere."

You started to make up another excuse, but snapped your mouth shut after processing what Mingi said. You meant to clean up your workstation, but you were so tired you accidentally fell asleep.

"You don't have to pretend it wasn't you." He spoke softly.

"I wanted to stay anonymous."

"I would have figured out it was you, anyway. No one else would do that for me except you and Santa."

"Did you like it?" You asked.

He nodded with a smile. "It was really nice to be able to walk through a doorway normally."

"I'm glad. I hated seeing you hit your head all the time and it seemed like no one was going to do anything about it."

"I hated hitting my head too, and I always seem to forget to crouch down."

"Crouching down seems like an inconvenience."

"It is. I don't feel like I'm getting work done fast enough."

You nodded in understanding.

As the two of you sat, snow began to fall from the overcast sky above. You looked up, watching as the flakes got bigger.

"I still can't believe you worked all night to alter one doorframe for me." Mingi spoke up suddenly.

"You deserve it, Mingi." You told him.

"You have such a kind soul."

You couldn't stop the warmth that ticked your cheeks at his words. “I would change all the other doorframes for you in a heartbeat."

The elf beside you seemed to get flustered as he avoided eye contact with you for a moment. When he looked back at you, a heartwarming grin spread across his face.

"You're getting covered in snow." Mingi giggled.

"You are too."

"Why don't we go somewhere else? How about that gazebo over there?" He pointed to a nearby wooden pavilion with lights wrapped around the roof and railing.

"Good idea."

The two of you hurried through the flurries and under the gazebo, but as you stepped underneath the shelter, you heard a loud thud. Turning around, you saw Mingi wincing with his hand pressed to his forehead.

"Oh no." You frowned, watching as he ducked to get underneath the gazebo.

Thankfully, the roof was a hollow cone shape, so he was able to stand up properly when he got inside.

"I forgot." He muttered.

"Come here." You held your palms up towards Mingi's face, gesturing for him to move closer.

He bent down a little, allowing you to get on your tiptoes and grab his cheeks, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

His eyes widened, as his cheeks tinted pink, even the tips of his pointed ears held a blush-colored hue.

"Ah." You turned your head away. "Sorry. I don't know why—"

"It's okay." Mingi cut you off. "I... liked it."

"You did?"

He nodded, shyly.

You couldn't deny the fact that Mingi was a good-looking guy. In fact, he's the only elf that ever caught your eye, and it wasn't because of his height. He was stunning. You loved his eyes. They could be sharp at times, almost intimidating, but also innocent, big, and bright. You loved his lips too. They were full, pink, and when he concentrated really hard, very pouty. You'd be lying if you said you didn't think about how it would feel to kiss them.

Did he feel the same as you?

"So..." You trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

"I like you." Mingi blurted.

Your brows raised, not expecting him to come out with it so quickly.

"You're the only elf that's shown me kindness. Ever since I first showed up here, you made sure I was getting the hang of things and constantly asked if I needed help. Despite me being different, you still spoke to me and treated me like everyone else."

"That's because you are like everyone else. To me, you're not different. You're you."

Mingi's glossy eyes twinkled a bit when you said that. His large hands found yours, clasping onto them; you could feel them shaking—or maybe it was your own. You glanced down, seeing the way his hands swallowed yours whole. It made your heart leap in your chest.

"Can I kiss you?" Mingi asked tentatively.

"I thought you'd never ask." You chuckled.

Mingi bent down to get closer to your height as you stood straighter to get closer to his. Your hands rested on the sides of his face as the two of you leaned in, closing the space between you.

Mingi's lips felt exactly the way you thought they would, only 10 times better. They were pliant, soft, and oh-so gentle. He was kissing you so delicately, it made your heart swell. You could tell he was a little nervous about what he was doing, but so were you.

One of Mingi's large hands moved to cup the back of your neck, holding you in place as he  began to deepen the kiss.

You could feel your whole body heat up like fresh hot cocoa. The warmth sent a rush through you from head to toe as your hands moved to clutch onto the collar of Mingi's uniform, pulling him even closer. You couldn't get enough, you were desperate for more.

Mingi seemed to get the hint as he straightened his posture, not once disconnecting the kiss. You stood up on your tiptoes to keep the contact as his free hand slid around your waist, his arm wrapping around your torso, holding you flush against him. He paused for a moment, relocating the hand that cupped the back of your neck to your waist. He held onto you tightly as he stood up fully. You gasped against his lips as the tips of your shoes lost contact with the wooden flooring of the gazebo.

He only pulled away long enough to mutter,

"I got you."

You trusted him, closing your eyes once again as you allowed his full lips to fully encase yours, sending another rush of heat throughout your body.

Unfortunately, breathing was something you needed to do to survive, so you had to pull away, ultimately ending the blissful moment. Mingi slowly lowered you to where your feet touched the ground again. The two of you huffed, your breaths coming out in puffs thanks to the wintry weather.

"As much as I'd like to stay out here and kiss you, we've got work to do." You reminded him.

"I know." His shoulders drooped a bit.

"We can always hang out later."

He smiled after hearing that.

The two of you stepped back out into the open and headed back towards the workshop hand-in-hand.

"I have a question." Mingi spoke up.

"Yes?"

"What now?"

"What now?" You parroted.

"Yeah. What are we?"

You didn't wanna get ahead of yourself, so you turned the question on him. "What do you want us to be?"

"Honestly... I'd love to be able to call you my girlfriend."

You smiled at his answer. "Good. Because I'd like to call you my boyfriend."

"Really?"

The fact that he was still surprised after the two of you had just kissed was adorable.

"You won't be ashamed to be seen with me?"

"When have I ever been ashamed to be seen with you?" You questioned.

"Touché." He chuckled.

You came to a stop at the large workshop doors, turning to Mingi.

"I'll see you after work." You told him, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his hand.

He grinned bashfully in response as he opened the doors. You both kept your hands clasped together, parting ways to go to your respective stations. As you separated, you gave Mingi a small smile and a wave.

Your entrance attracted quite a bit of attention, but you didn't care. The only thing you cared about was getting toys finished so you could spend more time with Mingi... and kiss him some more, of course.

Hongjoong ❄︎ Seonghwa ❄︎ Yunho ❄︎ Yeosang ❄︎ San ❄︎ Wooyoung ❄︎ Jongho

Masterlist ᝰ — enjoyed this imagine? reblogs & comments are very much appreciated!

DO NOT steal, plagiarize, copy, repost, alter, or translate my works in any way

🏷 @h3arteyes4mingi

[i-have-a-wonky-eye-too]

How Ari met Pretty girl...

Ari Levinson x reader

Warnings: 18+ readers only, swearing, innuendos, angry!reader, enemies to lovers kinda, grumpy!Ari (let me know if you want to be added to taglist)

<Part 1<

Ari was not in a good mood. Some might say that was nothing new for him. But his morning so far had been a shit show. He was woken up earlier than he'd have liked by his neighbors arguing and slamming doors. Then on his morning run, he ran through a puddle much deeper than he had expected, soaking his feet and legs. His shower wouldn't work properly so he had to settle for a cold one. He then burnt his breakfast and to top it off as he left his apartment building, it once again started pissing it down. And of course, traffic was a nightmare as he made his way to the coffee shop he favoured before heading into work.

His large hands gripped the steering wheel as he grumbled to himself  barely paying his surroundings any attention as he drove down the street. If he had, he'd have spotted the pretty girl as she put her umbrella down and shook it off, stood beside the parking spot he'd sped up to snatch just outside the coffee shop. The one that had a giant puddle in the middle of it.

Ari's eyes widened as he watched the entirety of the puddle cover the poor young woman head to toe. "Fuck." He pushed open his door quickly and called out, "Miss, I am so sorry that happened. I didn’t see you-"

"You didn’t see me?" You snapped at him. "How the fuck couldn't you see me? I'm stood right next to your damn car, asshole."

Ari's mouth hung open, not expecting you to speak to him like that. "I-I, wasn't paying attention, I'm sorry... I've had a terrible morning and-"

"Oh, you've had a bad morning. Did you get soaked through by some jerk too?" You glared at him.

Ari gulped and shook his head, "Uh, no... Just, got my feet wet." He chuckled to himself as he ran his hand over the back of his neck.

You scowled at him before huffing. "Y'know what," You drew in a deep breath. "Eat shit." You turned around to head inside the coffee shop.

"Hang on!" Ari quickly moved in front of you and put his hand on the door handle, stopping you from going inside. "I'm trying to apologize here, lady, you can't speak to me like that." Ari frowned at you.

"Oh, forgive me. But when some asshole, who doesn't pay attention to what he's doing and ends up soaking you through with cold, muddy water and then laughs at you, you kinda can't stop yourself from being pissed off and angry with him."

Ari lowered his head with a heavy sigh. "Your right. I'm sorry. "

"You've said." You rolled your eyes.

Ari couldn't stop the smile growing on his lips. "Let me buy you a drink... And some cake or something. To apologize. Please. I really didn't mean for this to happen." Ari pleaded with you.

You huffed but nodded. "Okay but only because I'm cold."

Ari nodded and opened the door, letting you enter first as he smiled to himself. He quite enjoyed the bite you had. Ari watched as the elderly owner of the coffee shop greeted you and handed you a towel before sending you off into the back. Ari felt his cheeks blush as the woman frowned at him.

"What were you thinking, Ari?" She scolded him.

Ari sighed, "I didn't mean for that to happen, Sarah."

"I should hope not." She tutted. "That poor girl is soaked to the bone." She shook her head with a sigh as she walked behind the counter.

Ari nodded. "That's why I'm buying her a drink as an apology." Ari smiled.

Sarah frowned at him. "You should be buying her a lot more than that, Ari."

"And a slice of cake." Ari added.

Sarah shook her head with a soft chuckle. "Your usual?"

Ari nodded. "And whatever-" Ari pointed to where you'd disappeared. "Uh... The pretty girl, wants."

Sarah chuckled. "Y/n... And she'll have a large slice of chocolate cake too."

Ari nodded. "Of course."

You looked at yourself in the small mirror with a huff. At least you didn’t look like a complete mess. And luckily your job required you to have spare clothes with you on rainy days like today, so not all was a loss. As you thought back to the giant bear of man you'd been so rude to, you cringe, knowing your mother would not be please with you. You don't speak to people like that, Y/n. No matter how much of a jerk they've been.

With a deep breath you opened the door and headed back out into the coffee shop, sending a thankful smile to Sarah. She nodded over to the back corner that you preferred to sit in with her own smile. There sat the grizzly bear himself, looking even larger thanks to the small table and chairs he was occupying.

You cleared your throat as you stood beside him.

Ari looked up before standing up, towering over you. "I got your favorite... Or, it's what Sarah, said was, your favorite." He cleared his throat.

You nodded. "Thank you." You offered a shy smile as you sat opposite him.

"No need to thank me. It's the least I could do." Ari sat down, feeling his face heat up as you smiled at him.

"I should apologise, for the way I spoke to you."

He shook his head with a frown. "Please. I was a jerk, I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. If my mother had heard me, she'd have kicked my ass." You joked making Ari grin.

He nodded, "Yeah. If mine had seen me she'd definitely have given me a smack up the side of the head." He chuckled, making you giggle. "I'm, Ari, by the way." He held his hand out to you.

"Y/n." You smiled as you took his hand in yours, biting your bottom lip as you noted how much bigger his hand was than yours.

"Yeah, I know." Ari nodded.

"You do?" You raised your eyebrow at him.

"Sarah told me... Not because I asked or anything creepy. I just, referred to you as, Pretty girl and then she told me." Ari closed his eyes with a defeated sigh, making you smile. "I suck at this." He groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

"Trust me, I suck too." You smirked to yourself, waiting for Ari's reaction.

He lifted his head with a grin. "I see what you did there."

"Too easy." You smiled. "So, tell me what made you so grumpy this morning. Apart from your wet feet, of course."

Ari rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Okay... Neighbors from hell at five in the morning, making all kinds of racket. We've covered the wet feet. Shower wouldn't work, so had to have a cold one. Burnt breakfast. Walking from my apartment to my car soaked me... And, traffic was nightmare... Then, there's soaking you through." Ari  sat back in his chair. "Again, I apologise."

You chuckled, "Stop apologising... Just don't do it again."

Ari shook his head as he held his hands up. "I promise, it's not a habit of mine to make pretty girls soaked." He closed his eyes with a groan.

Your head fell back with laughter. "Oh, my god. Tell me, you meant to say that." Ari shook his head, making you laugh even more.

"Changing the subject," Ari cleared his throat. "What's the reason for you having spare clothes?"

"Work." You smiled. "I usually get pretty muddy when it's rains."

Ari raised his eyebrow at you. "What the hell do you do?"

"I work at an animal shelter not far from here." You smiled at him. "I like to volunteer to walk the dogs in this weather. Besides, no one else enjoys it." You grinned. "I just love to watch them run around in the rain, having the time of their life."

Ari grinned to himself as he listened to you talk with so much passion. "You must really love your work?"

You nodded. "I do. It's not always easy, but it's rewarding y'know. Besides, dogs are awesome. Much better than people." You smiled making him laugh.

"I bet."

"What do you do?" You asked.

Ari drew in a deep breath. "Nothing as fun as what you do... I work for a government agency."

Your eyes widened a little. "Oh... Okay... Sounds boring."

Ari nodded with a chuckle. "Sometimes." He groaned as he looked down at his watch. "Speaking of which, I've gotta go. I was running late already."

"Oh, no. I'm sorry I've kept you."

"No, don't be." He smiled at you as he placed his hand over yours. "Talking to you has actually relieved some of my stress." He smiled. "But, uh, I don't quite feel like I've made up for being a jerk." He smiled. "Could, I maybe, take you to dinner?"

Your eyes widened. No, freakin', way. You gulped, nodding. "I'd, like that." You smiled. You reached into your bag and pulled out a pen. You grabbed the napkin that sat on the table and wrote your number down. "Call me when you're less grumpy." You teased making Ari grin.

He nodded. "I will... Enjoy your cake." He sent you a wink as he got up making you blush. "Bye, Sarah..." He waved over to her as he pushed his chair in. "Bye, pretty girl." He whispered as he walked past you making you blush even more.

As the door shut and you watched him walk back to his car you felt a hand on your shoulder.

"I better get an invite to the wedding." Sarah teased making you roll your eyes.

Tags: @hawkeyes-queen @boringandbored @lewisroscoelove @fangirlfree @am-i-rite-ladies @calimoi @wintasssoldier @gh0stgurl @chrisevanseagletattoo @hcaldwell016 @coffeebooksandfandom @tenaciousperfectionunknown @talesofadragon @sebsgirl71479 @summersong69 @montycantsin-blog @moonlover-tobefree @mm677 @hereforthemarvelidiots @samyess @mischiefmanaged21 @yiiiikesmish @marigoldreamer @rediscoverd1-23-blog @like45 @shoegal73 @gmintchoco @hufflepufftruffle @buckybarnessimpp @ihavemyhusbandfandoms @imaginelover88 @innersublimefurry @mjey12 @thorinsmistress13 @fuckyouwithkindness @angelmather1 @aprilspage @g-c-e @multifandomgirl2018 @shamalamadingdong @stillthatbetch @coochieslut @evieshifts777 @ndover425 @dontbescaredtosingalong

NAMES WITH A LINE THROUGH MEAN I'M UNABLE TO TAG THEM!!

[hungergamesheadcanons]

Christmas In Panem

Christmas in the Capitol was loud.

Everyone met up with family and friends in the morning, exchanging presents and having a big heavy lunch to last them through to the evening. Parents with children would play with them til the evening, when they were put to bed. Other adults headed to parties in the afternoon, while parents would join the festivities later on, and they would party til the early hours of the morning.

In more elite circles, the elite would have one long party, lasting from lunch til 2am or later. If they were especially elite, you may have a Victor or two there for entertainment - Finnick Odair was always a popular choice, as we're Cashmere and Gloss, but since their schedules always blocked off Christmas Day due to their impressive popularity, you'd take what you could get depending on when you arranged the for.

This year's Christmas Party, the year before the 74th Annual Hunger Games, President Snow's get together was in full throttle. Harold Galloway, the District 1 Victor of the 73rd Games, had the honour of being this year's entertainment, the citizens around him oohing and aahing appropriately as he recalled how he slaughtered other children. President Snow was sipping from a glass of wine, a white napkin held loosely in his hands. The red stains upon it could have been from the wine, or maybe the blood he was coughing up when he thought he could get away with it.

It wasn't necessarily fun. It was expected, and Snow watched dispassionately as the Capitol roared with excitement as Avoxes brought out more refreshments.

Only a couple more hours to go.

*****

Christmas in District 1 was luxurious.

Everyone in the Districts got the day off, as the Capitol would riot if they didn't. Snow blanketed the beautiful gardens in 1, falling gently to the floor as small children laughed and played in it.

In one large house, beautifully furnished, a large spread covered a table. Meat wasn't always eaten, but Christmas demanded it, and a blonde girl sat at the table with her family, happily eating her Christmas dinner.

Glimmer watched as her mother and father playfully bickered, her mother 'aggressively' rubbing the gravy off his white shirt with a wet cloth. All 3 were dressed in their best finery, as they'd be taking photos for the Capitol cards later that day.

It was a good day. Glimmer had just been told she was to be the volunteer for next year's games, and she looked forward to next year's Christmas party, with Glimmer a Victor. Her mother had placed an order for a new dress, silver with shimmers, beautiful stitching making up most of the bodice. She was excited to wear it on her victory tour.

Only one year to go.

*****

District 2 didn't observe Christmas as closely as the Capitol did, but they still parties.

Most Christmas parties were filled with cakes and sweet treats, a rarity even for the richer people, and children would gorge on them until they felt sick. Cato watched his two younger siblings do just that, laughing as they fell to the ground, stomachs swollen from the rich food.

Their family friend, Clove, sat nearby, conversing with his mother as she ate a slice of chocolate cake. Clove didn't have a family, having been orphaned at a young age, so Cato's had practically taken her in, raising her to be every bit as ferocious as Cato himself.

He expected that they'd be the next Cashmere-Gloss duo, winning consecutive games. He was excited, so excited, to see what the future held for them.

*****

District 3's Christmas was full of light.

Everyone worked together to create a light show on drones, starting with simpler ones made by school children to incredibly intricate ones worked on through the year by people in work.

Beetee and Wiress, who had programmed the grand finale for this year's display, watched with pride as the drones in the sky created a series of fireworks, each exploding into multiple presents which opened to form a giant Santa Claus. The children oohed and aahed, before squealing in joy as the drones started circling the crowd, dropping little sweets into each child's palm.

Next year, they'd create something bigger and better.

And maybe the year after that, they'd have more people to work with.

*****

District 4 all gathered together for Christmas.

Multiple large tables were unfolded on the beach, with the older people cooking various kinds of food that ended up placed in the middle of the tables. Buffet style, which was incredibly popular in the Capitol, but originated in 4.

They'd all eat together, an incredible show of community and togetherness, raucous laughter and joyous screaming drowning out the sound of gulls. After the food was done, as the sun was setting and the tide rolled in, they'd sing together, everything from carols to shanties, and when the sun finally set and the waves lapped at their toes, they'd head inside, content with another Christmas well spent.

Finnick stumbled into his house, a massive grin splitting his face even though there were no alcohol or drugs running through his system for once. Annie stumbled behind him, still quietly humming along to We Wish You A Merry Christmas, the two falling onto a couch and hugging each other close as they sang together, interspersed with the occasional giggle. Mags laughed silently as she headed to the kitchen, making some hot chocolate as the younger two had splashed through the ocean with no shoes on, and would undoubtedly end up sick the next day.

*****

District 5's Christmas celebrations were filled with fireworks.

All different colours, red, green, blue, yellow lit up the sky. Children screamed in joy, while adults gave out fresh fruit for them to enjoy.

They all went to bed early that night, as they had to be back to work the next day.

District's 6, 7 and 8 were much the same, one Johanna Mason mused. She was in the Capitol, watching the Districts celebrations on TV. She had been reluctantly glad to see Finnick enjoying his celebrations, for once covered up and genuinely smiling as Annie hung off his arm and Mags plied the two with more food.

Even 9 wasn't too dissimilar, she sighed as she took a drink, except instead of fireworks they released lanterns, multiple colours lighting up the sky in a beautiful display. 10 and 11 shared the same tradition, except with plain white lanterns, and Johanna watched them rise into the sky, bored.

Maybe there was something else on...

*****

District 12's Christmas... well, they didn't really celebrate.

The mines were too dangerous, and even though they got the day off, there were no food handouts or communal events.

But some people did celebrate in their homes.

An eleven year old Primrose Everdeen was dancing around in her new outfit, bought for her first reaping next year. It tugged at Katniss's heartstrings, even as her mother smiled indulgently.

She hated the Hunger Games, and what everything stood for. But it was fine.

Prim was only in there once next year. And Katniss would just take more tesserae as she got older, to make sure that Prim had the smallest chance of being reaped possible.

It was the least she deserved.

[abyssmalice]

How could he forfeit to make something grand for his beloved sister's birthday? Absolutely not. Today, he is going full roundhouse with his birthday surprise.

Said surprise being a giant chocolate cake, covered in fruits of different kinds―but it is not just any simple cake: it dubs also as a giant chocolate fountain, spilling down the slopes and covering some of the fruit along it, impregnating the air with the scent of sweet cocoa.

Next to it there is a pack of sticks ready to be used for dipping fruits and cake into the melted chocolate. And right before it there's a little scribbled note, surrounded by familiar slime doodles in the fashion of her brother's artstyle:

"I hope you like this little experimental idea I commissioned to one of the local bakeries. Happy Birthday, Princess! I love you.

P.d: Once I'm done with my work, would you like to go have fun somewhere in the city? Think about it, and find me in my office once you're done with your cake. I finished all your work for you today, so feel free to take all the time for yourself."

IT'S STILL FEB 19TH 2K24 I PWOMISE / Not Accepting (ofc)

When Tonia wakes up, she immediately keys in on the faintest whisper of cocoa.

It catches her attention just as much as it makes her forgo the usual morning priorities of rolling around in bed, sleeping in, rolling around some more, squishing her toys, reluctantly getting out of bed, even more reluctantly brushing her teeth, or changing out of her nightdress. Instead, she practically bounces out of her blankets, bare feet quickly tapping out of the room and blindly honing in on the sweet smell and sweeter promise of sweet—!!

When she finally blinks, she's in a room with a cake. A giant cake. Made of chocolate, just as she hoped. But it was not just giant and chocolate - it was streaming chocolate, like some endless, magical, miraculous little cocoa volcano. Little smooth rivers of milk chocolate, the river banks occasionally splashing a tiny bit to fleck the strawberries and banana slices decorating the cake.

Truly, a chocolate and cake and sweet lover's dream come true. Tonia discreetly takes a second to pinch the skin of her cheek, feeling it pull too realistically to be anything but real, and she's half a second away from immediately pouncing on the cake in a figurative and potentially even literal way - not like anyone else's name is written on it! Her cake now!!! - before she notices the note on the side.

...She's half inclined to ignore said note frankly. But - there are slimes doodled on it...

Slimes are just as important as this amazing cake, her just-woken-up brain fuzzily determines. So, while one hand grabs one of the dipping sticks to make a little fruit and cake kebab for dipping into the chocolate, the other grabs the note for her to skim and keep in mind and then attend to whatever later.

Or well, she planned to skim it, assuming it wouldn't be anything too important beyond a quick read. Turns out, no, quite important. Just as important as cake and slimes. Maybe a smidge more important than those two things, actually.

Well, it's not like Tonia forgot her birthday was a thing - she had been incessantly badgering and being particularly annoying in the days leading up to it, in some roundabout logic of celebration = permission to be bothersome. So, she's not very fazed to find that the cake was one of her brother's absurdly lavish gifts for the year.

Just... Tonia squints at the note a bit, thinking, before she huffs and puffs her cheeks.

"I don't need to do any of that, you big dummy," she mutters to herself, before turning back to her in-process choco-kebab. She makes sure to skewer the smaller fruits along with a semi-misshapen chunk of cake before carefully dipping the whole thing into the streaming chocolate. Admiring her handiwork for a second, Tonia then turns sharply on her heel and rushes out.

The end result is that there's a slight mess of chocolate trailing down the corridors, and it's dripping over her nightdress, but she could care less when she has something super duper wooper important to do right now!!

Which is to slam the door to her brother's office open, walk in, ignore whatever her brother's reaction is to her sudden appearance, and shove the chocolate skewer into his mouth.

Once it's securely in said mouth, Tonia determinedly sets her hands on her hips - oh, wait, no, gotta rub some of the chocolate off her fingers first; her dress is looking even more of a mess but that's what laundry is for - okay, now she sets her hands on her hips, not quite frowning, but not exactly all smiles either.

"Dummmmmmmy!" She starts, loudly. "You can't just give me a giant cake like that and then expect me to just sit there quietly and make plans all by myself! That's so boring! And lame! Who wants to think that much on their birthday?"

"So, since it's my birthday, I've decided that we're not going to do much thinking at all." She wiggles a finger at him, slight smears of chocolate still on it. "We're just going to eat the cake. Yes, we. I've just decided now that I'm going to share it with you. We're going to finish all of the cake today itself! And you're not going to do aaaaany work, because that's lame, and it's my birthday, and I said so. And even if we have time after finishing the cake, you're still not going to do any work. We're going to have fun in the city, like you suggested. Maybe we can go buy a bakery together, or something."

She finally pokes his nose with the same finger, leaving a small dab of chocolate there. Tonia briefly feels her lips curling into a snort at the sight of Ayaks with chocolate on his face, but focuses hard to keep her you must listen to me I am being very serious big brother so don't laugh expression. "That is going to be the agenda for today, no changes or questions asked! And you can't regret this, because you allowed for this to happen, if you ask me.

"Especially with that dumb note of yours. Why write all that sappy stuff down when you could just say it to my face? Wish me a happy birthday when I'm awake, not when I'm still sleeping!"

Tonia looks on insistently for a few trailing seconds, awaiting the very words that she mentioned, but then remembers the choco-kebab she put into his mouth. Something sheepish twitches its way across her face before she huffs - "W-Well, afterwards! You can say all the stuff in your note to me afterwards. Is the chocolate good enough for me to eat first?"

[dottielovegood]

Dottie’s Solstice Prompts 🎄

Secret Santa Elriel 🎅🏽❤️

Thank you for the prompt!

Tags: office romance, modern AU, Secret Santa and a little nod to Solstice and the necklace. Rating: Explicit Word count: 9059

I hope you like it! <3

───── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

Secret Santa

Elain walked around the office with a giant burlap bag, collecting all of the Secret Santa presents for the office party that evening. Since it was her last week at Shadosinger Records, she made sure to stop at every desk and make small talk with her soon-to-be-former colleagues. She would miss most of them a lot, but it was time for her to leave. Working as a personal assistant had never been her plan and she had stayed here long enough.

After graduating culinary school, Elain had been in desperate need of a well paying job. She had just broken up with her boyfriend and moved into her own apartment. She had applied for a few jobs at a few bakeries but none of them paid well enough. So when she found the listing for a PA position at Shadowsinger Records, she had sent in her application without really expecting to hear back. She had no experience as a PA, and she knew nothing about music or the music industry. She knew that Shadowsinger was a small music label with a great reputation though, and when she googled them she actually recognized a few of the artists that they represented. That only made her doubt herself even more, but to her surprise, they called her in for an interview just a few days later. Apparently, they really needed someone to begin as soon as possible and they didn’t care about her nonexistent music knowledge since they just needed someone who was very organized and wouldn’t mind working long hours. 

Elain got the job after a second interview and started that very next day. She had been told that the job consisted mostly of answering emails, planning meetings and keeping track of her new boss’s schedule. It sounded easy enough, and Elain was just happy to be able to pay her bills while also being able to save some money each month. 

Elain hadn’t expected that she would end up actually liking the job, but she did. A lot. Mainly because she really liked her co-workers. She especially liked the marketing managers Cerridwen and Nuala who had become Elain’s best friends during these years. But it was time to leave. She couldn’t stay here. Not only because she needed to actually follow her own path in life, but because she couldn’t stand seeing him every single day. 

It was such a cliché. How many movies and romance novels had she read about a young personal assistant with a crush on her older boss? Not that Azriel was much older – he was only 32; only five years older than Elain. But still, it was embarrassing. It was embarrassing how his voice made her melt and how she always worked extra hard just to get his approval. At first, she had just found him ridiculously attractive. Most women would. He was very handsome and at first glance, he looked a bit dangerous. He was tall and muscular and only dressed in well-tailored suits that hugged his body in just the right way. But that’s not why Elain liked him so much. No, that came later. 

As his personal assistant, they obviously had to spend quite a lot of time together. At first, it hadn’t been a problem. Sure, his appearance had always been a bit distracting but Elain could handle that. But then he started asking her about herself. When they were going through his schedule, he would ask her about her plans for the weekend. After telling him that she usually spent the weekends in her kitchen, he had asked her to bring something for him. And she did. Of course, she did. She brought him a slice of her favorite chocolate cake. She hadn’t imagined that he would eat it in front of her, but he did. 

Oh, he did. 

Elain had watched his lips close around the fork. Had watched his throat as he swallowed. Had watched him close his eyes to savor that first bite. And then, he had looked straight at her and told her that it was the best thing he had ever tasted. 

No. Those were not the words he used. 

“This is the best thing I have ever had in my mouth.”

That’s what he said. And that made Elain focus on his mouth once more. On his lips. And she thought about all the things those lips could do. Was he a gentle kisser? Did he like to tease his lovers with his mouth until they were asking for more? She really shouldn’t think about her boss like that, but she couldn’t help it. Looking back, she probably should have quit that very day. 

But she didn’t. Instead, Elain brought him a sweet treat every single Monday. They would start their weeks in his office, going through the schedule for the coming week while eating whatever she brought that day. And in between all their talk about work, he asked her about herself. And once or twice, he even answered some of her questions about himself. And with each passing day, Elain grew a little bit more in love with Azriel. 

Azriel. That’s what he asked her to call him. It was odd, at first. It felt very disrespectful to not use his last name when talking to him, but everytime she slipped up, he corrected her. “Please, call me Azriel.” And so she did. 

She even called him Azriel late at night when she touched herself to images of his lips exploring her body. She called him Azriel when she imagined what those scarred hands could do to make her come undone. She called him Azriel when she fantasized about the way he would praise her when she came for him. 

And that was exactly why she had to quit. The more she got to know him, the more she liked him. Sometimes, she even imagined that his eyes lingered on her when she walked past him. Sometimes, his hands accidentally grazed hers when they reached for the same paper on the desk and she could feel shivers run down her spine at those small touches. And when he told her that she was a great asset to his company and that she was doing a good job, she knew without a doubt that she really had to get another job. Praise from her boss shouldn’t make her press her thighs together to relieve the ache there. 

It was wrong. It was so wrong and she couldn’t continue like this. So when her friend from culinary school had messaged her to ask if she wanted to work as a pastry chef at his new restaurant, she had decided to just go for it. This was the opportunity she had waited for and even though she would miss working at Shadowsinger Records, it was time. With some time and distance, she hoped that she would forget all about Azriel and the feelings he invoked in her. 

He hadn’t seemed surprised when she handed in her two weeks notice, nor had he seemed particularly upset. He had just taken her letter of resignation and nodded when he finished reading. There hadn’t been a single emotion on his face. 

“I’m glad you’re putting your talents to good use,” he said when she told him about her new job, and that was that. She was leaving and she would probably never see him again. It was for the best. 

–----

She had organized this small Christmas party as a way to say goodbye to everyone, and she had been slightly surprised when Azriel had told her that he would join in on Secret Santa this year. Azriel never joined them for After Work Fridays and he seemed to only go to parties if they were a requirement. She had no idea why he wanted to come to this silly little party, but she was very happy that he would. 

They were planning a big party for all the employees, artists and other important people in the industry next week, but Elain would be gone by then. And in all honesty, she didn’t care that much about hanging out with celebrities. She just wanted to spend a lovely evening with the people she had worked with for the past couple of years. When she had collected everyone’s gifts, she made her way over to Azriel’s office. She smoothed her hand over the red velvet fabric of her dress. Elain had decided to dress up for the occasion. She was wearing a short red dress with a white fake fur trim. She had matched it with white tights and a cute little santa’s hat. 

Nuala had given her a once over when she stepped out from the bathroom. “You look like a sexy Mrs. Claus.” 

Elain had blushed at the comment. She wasn’t used to being called sexy. Cute, pretty and beautiful, yes. But sexy? No, that wasn’t her. As someone who mostly wore circle skirts and cardigans with floral prints, she definitely identified more with being called cute. But she appreciated the comment nonetheless. 

Elain raised her hand and knocked on the door. Three knocks, just to let him know that it was her. It was their secret message. 

“Come in,” his deep voice called from behind the door. Elain let herself in. 

Azriel was sitting behind his desk and the room was as immaculate as always. There wasn’t a single pen out of place and Elain wondered if he kept his own home just as tidy. 

She shouldn’t be thinking about his home. She shouldn’t be thinking about him at all.

With a small smile on her lips, she walked up to his desk and held up the bag. “Just collecting the gifts for Secret Santa,” she said. His eyes were still glued on the computer in front of him. 

“Hmm?” he asked, and she knew that he hadn’t heard a single word. 

Elain bit her lip to keep herself from laughing at his intense focus. 

What would it feel like if he was that focused on me? 

She shook her head as soon as the thought entered her brain. Stupid, stupid brain. And stupid, stupid heart. You shouldn’t want things you can’t have. 

She put the bag on his desk and that finally got his attention. His eyes met hers and then they traveled lower. Elain felt hot all over. 

“Elain,” he said and she was certain that he was taking in her ridiculous outfit. “What are you wearing?”

She shrugged as if she wore this every day. “A festive dress.”

“Festive,” he murmured under his breath as if that was the last word he would use to describe it. 

Elain patted the burlap bag on his desk. “I’m just here for your Secret Santa gift.”

Elain could have sworn that he looked at his desk drawer for a split second before his eyes returned to her. “Shit,” he said and scratched his neck just the way he always did when he was uncomfortable. “The Christmas party. That’s today?” 

“It is,” she laughed. “Did you forget to buy a gift?” 

“Something like that,” he muttered. He still held her gaze and Elain could barely breathe. “I’ve been a bit busy. I’m sorry.”

Luckily for Azriel, Elain was the greatest personal assistant in the world and she had a feeling that he might forget, which is why she had bought two Secret Santa presents. One from her, and one from him. She obviously had no idea who he had gotten, so she had bought something gender neutral that most people could appreciate. She pulled out the gift she had been hiding behind her back. 

“No worries,” she smiled and gave him a playful wink. She regretted it as soon as she did it. “I– I got one from you. You can just write the name of the person the gift is for on the label, and no one will know. It will be our little secret.”

Why did it sound like she was flirting with her boss? Was she flirting with her boss? Maybe that single glass of prosecco Cerridwen had given her earlier had gone straight to her head? 

Azriel made no move to reach for the gift. “Our little secret, huh?” He gave her that little smile she loved so much and leaned back in his chair. Elain was definitely not looking at his chest and the way his shirt stretched over the muscles there. “How do I know that you didn’t buy something ridiculous just to make a fool out of me?”

Elain put her hand over her heart and feigned a hurt expression. “I would never.”

“Uh, huh. So when the person I should have bought a gift for opens that gift,” he nodded to the present she was holding. “They won’t be horrified?” 

Elain shook her head. “Nope. It’s actually a pretty nice gift, if I might say so myself.”

“Will you tell me what it is?”

“I think your punishment for not remembering to buy a gift is to not know what’s in here.” She handed him the gift. “Just write the name on it.”

“You’re punishing me?” He was grinning when he reached for a pen and his eyes never left hers. There was a playfulness to his tone that Elain loved and she wanted more. More, more, more.

She had no idea what to answer though, so she stayed quiet and motioned for him to write. Azriel cupped his hand over the label so she couldn’t see the name he wrote down before putting the small gift in the bag. Elain followed his every move, her eyes transfixed on his hands. They were covered in scars and Elain had no idea why, but she knew that whatever had happened must have been painful. But even with the scars, his hands were graceful. Beautiful. 

She wanted them on her. 

“Elain?” 

She cleared her throat and met his gaze again. She forced a fake smile and prayed that he hadn’t noticed her staring. “Yes?”

“Was there anything else?” 

She picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder. “No, that’s it. See you at six.” And with that, she hurried out of his office. His stupid office that smelled like cedar and night-chilled mist and him. 

God, she was pathetic. 

–-------

The party was a success. Azriel had been 30 minutes late but Elain had barely noticed. Everyone was having fun and most people were a little bit tipsy, which was perfect. Nuala and Cerridwen had arranged a music quiz and Elain didn’t stand a chance when most people in the room actually lived for music. But she did win the gingerbread decorating contest. 

When it was time for the secret santa gift exchange, everyone gathered around the tree, excited to see what they would get, and equally excited to find out who their secret santa was. When Elain picked up the bag from underneath the tree and started to hand out the presents, Nuala changed the music to “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt. Elain glared at her but Nuala just smiled at her and wiggled her eyebrows. “Sexy Santa,” she mouthed and Elain rolled her eyes at her friend. God, she would miss her friends. She would miss hanging out with them everyday. 

“And this one is for you, Varian.” Elain handed him a gift wrapped in red paper with a green bow on it. Varian took it and started to unwrap it and Elain couldn’t help but glance at Amren, who had been his secret santa. They had some sort of weird relationship going on. Everyone knew that they were having sex, but Amren still acted as if he didn’t exist half of the time. And oddly enough, Varian seemed to like it. 

Elain wasn’t one to judge, but it was weird. It was also a bit weird that Amren had bought him an electric toothbrush. “Eh, thanks,” he said, but there was no hiding the confusion on his face. “Sorry if my breath stinks.” Everyone laughed at that comment. Everyone, except Amren. 

“It’s from me,” she sighed. “You can keep it at my place. I know that you are particular about cleaning your teeth.” 

“Aren’t those more than 20 bucks?” Balthazar asked. “I think you might have gone over budget, Amren.”

She shrugged. “I was getting him a gift anyway. It felt unnecessary to get him something he didn’t need.”

“Always so practical, Amren,” Mor laughed. 

Elain reached into the bag again and pulled out one of the biggest presents in there. “A big one for you, Cerr. I guess you’ve been very nice this year.”

Without missing a beat, Nuala chimed in, “It’s probably just a big box of coal.”

Cerridwen narrowed her eyes. “If you’ve given me coal again I might murder you.” 

“Don’t worry,” Nuala laughed. “I didn’t get you.”

Cerridwen unwrapped the gift quickly and beamed at the puzzle she was now holding. “A puzzle! I love puzzles. Thank you.”

“I know,” someone in the back said. “Other people show pictures of their babies or cats, you show people pictures of your puzzles.” Apparently, Eris had been Cerridwen’s secret santa. 

“Puzzles are way cooler than children,” she said and smiled at him brightly. “I’ll make sure to send you progress photos.”

“Please don’t,” he muttered, which only made Cerridwen smile even more. 

Nuala received a book from Mor. “Is this the book you told me about last week?” she asked, a big grin spreading across her face. 

“Perhaps,” Mor answered with a little wink. 

Cerridwen reached for the book. “What is it about?”

Nuala handed the book to her sister so she could read the blurb. “Oh, it’s just lesbian smut.”

“Why am I not surprised?” 

The next gift was for Mor. Elain had bought her a gift set of bath bombs from Lush. “This is perfect, Elain. Thank you so much,” she beamed and smelled the box. “They smell divine.”

Eris’ gift was a small book with the title “500 dick pics” written by Phil McCock. Every single person doubled over with laughter when he held up the gift. “Who the fuck bought me this?” 

Nuala raised her hand, unable to speak through the tears of laughter. 

“You can have it back,” Eris said and tried to hand her the book. She just shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m not into that.”

“And I am?”

“Open it.”

“I’d rather not,” he muttered and looked down at the book with disdain. 

Mor reached over and opened the book for him. “See, it’s blank. It’s just a notebook.” 

Elain dared a glance at Azriel and was surprised to see him smiling. “I dare you to bring that to a meeting,” Azriel said in challenge. 

“You guys are the worst,” Eris sighed when Mor returned the book to him. 

The next gift was for Azriel. Cerridwen had given him blue light blocking glasses, which Elain knew even before he opened his gift. She had helped her friend with that one after Cerridwen told her that she was planning on buying him a pair of festive socks. Elain had helped her find something more suitable, and since he was in front of a screen most of the time, these glasses had seemed perfect. And she wouldn’t mind seeing him in glasses…

“Thank you,” he said and smiled at Cerridwen. “That’s very thoughtful.”

Elain continued handing out gifts until there was only one single gift left in the bag. Her heart sank when she held it up in front of her. It was the gift from Azriel. The gift she had bought because he would forget. 

And it was for her. 

Azriel was her secret santa. 

Or, in this case, she was her own secret santa. It hurt more than it should. It was just a silly game. Elain plastered on a smile as she started to unwrap the present. She didn’t dare look at Azriel so she kept her eyes down as she peeled away the last of the paper.

“A USB coffee mug warmer!” She hoped that her surprised expression seemed genuine. “Thank you.”

There was a beat of silence, and then, “You’re welcome.” 

She could feel Azriel’s eyes on her and she took a deep breath before meeting his gaze. She smiled at him and held up the gift. “This is perfect. I love warm tea.”

I love warm tea? Who the hell said that? Elain wanted to sink through the ground.  

“Don’t you have one of those already?” Nuala asked and Elain wished that her friend could have just kept quiet for once. 

“Yes, but now I can have one at home and one at work.” Elain still smiled. She hoped it was convincing. 

“But you’ll be working in a kitchen after Christmas. You won’t be able to use a…”

“Who wants eggnog?” Mor shouted and Elain could have kissed her right then and there for bringing everyone’s attention away from her. Mor gave her a small nod and a sad smile before walking into the kitchen and Elain hurried after her. She didn’t want to end up alone in a room with Azriel. Someone changed the music to a weird Norwegian Christmas song and within minutes, the cheerful and festive spirit was back. Elain put her gift on a table and decided to not think about it for the rest of the evening. It wasn’t that big of a deal, anyway. Azriel was her boss and he clearly didn’t think about her the way she thought about him, which was a good thing. Anyone could forget to buy a gift. She didn’t care. And she actually really liked warm tea. 

She tried to not notice the fact that Azriel slipped into his office as soon as people started singing along to the music. He didn’t come out until the party was over. 

Not that she cared. She didn’t care at all. 

–-----

“We're going to Rita’s.” Mor draped her arm around Elain’s shoulder. “You’re coming, right?” Mor was already a bit more than tipsy and Elain could smell the alcohol on her breath. 

“Maybe some other time. I’m too tired.” It was true. Elain was tired. And anxious. And she had a restless feeling in the pit of her stomach and she really didn’t want to go to a club right now. She just wanted to go home and stuff her face with chocolate. 

“But it’s your last day,” Mor pouted. “What if we’ll never see you again?”

Elain couldn’t hold back her laughter. “I’m not moving to Mars. I’ll come visit. And you can come and eat at the restaurant any time you want.”

“Will I get a discount?” 

“Anything for you, Mor.”

Mor kissed her cheek and walked away. Elain started to clean the paper plates off the tables. 

“Do you want to get a ride with us?” Nuala asked. “You live pretty close to Rita’s, right?” 

“I’ll be fine,” Elain said and motioned for them to leave. “I’ll just clean up here and then I’ll get an Uber.”

Nuala stared at her. “You are not going to clean up this mess all by yourself.” She had already removed her hat and her gloves when Elain noticed that someone was standing behind her. She knew who it was before he even spoke. 

“I’ll help with the cleaning. You guys can go.” There was a softness in his voice that Elain had never heard before. She had no idea what it meant but she suddenly wanted to beg Nuala to stay. But Nuala had already put her hat back on. She walked over to Elain and hugged her close. “Call me tomorrow, okay?” 

“How about you call me when you wake up?” 

“Deal,” Nuala laughed. “But send me a text when you get home tonight, okay?” 

Elain nodded before saying goodbye to the rest of her former colleagues. She wouldn’t call most of them friends, but she would miss them nonetheless. 

“Don’t be a stranger,” someone shouted before the door slammed shut behind them and Elain waved to the closed door with a silly smile on her face. 

And then she remembered where she was. And who she was with. 

When she turned around, she found Azriel leaning against the wall, his eyes focused on her. Suddenly, she was very aware of her body and the fact that she was still holding a trash bag. Azriel said nothing and Elain couldn’t stand the awkward silence. 

“I’ll take the kitchen if you…”

“The cleaning crew will take care of it.” Azriel made his way over to her and took the black plastic bag from her hands. 

“The cleaning crew doesn’t come in until Monday.” Elain had no idea why she cared. She wouldn’t be there on Monday. She was going to have a long Christmas break before starting her new job. 

Azriel shrugged and put the bag down next to the door that led to the small kitchen. “I called them earlier. They’ll come in tomorrow morning.”

“Oh,” Elain stroked her hands over the soft fabric of her dress again. It soothed her. She tried to ignore the fact that Azriel followed her every move because his intense gaze made her even more nervous. “I guess I should leave then.”

She made to leave but Aziel reached out for her. When his hand wrapped around her wrist she almost forgot how to breathe. “Wait,” he said and it sounded like a demand. And then he said it again, but softer this time. “Wait.”

Elain faced him but didn’t dare to look him in the eye. She kept her gaze focused on his tie. Black, as usual. 

“I’m sorry.” Azriel let go of her wrist and Elain had no idea if she wanted to run away or ask him to touch her again. Maybe both? Elain had no idea why he apologized now. Was it because of the gift? Or because he had touched her? Everything was confusing and she needed to leave. 

“Don’t be.” She tried to get her body to move again but she couldn’t. She just stood there, staring at his stupidly perfect chest. “It was an honest mistake.”

Azriel let out a breath and scratched his neck. “No, it wasn’t.”

“Anyone could forget to buy a gift. I know you’re busy. And I really do like warm tea.”

Hello, universe? Yes, it’s me, Elain. Please open up the ground and swallow me whole. 

Silence stretched between them and Azriel let out another breath. “Come with me.” 

Without another word, he started to walk towards his office and like the lovesick puppy she was, she could do nothing but follow. 

He led her into his office and closed the door behind her, which was odd. There was no one in the building. Elain stopped right inside the door and Azriel walked over to his desk and opened the top drawer. She followed his every move as he took something out. It looked like a small black box. 

“I didn’t forget.”

Elain was staring at the box in his hands, completely oblivious to what he was saying. “What?”

Azriel placed the small box on his desk and used two fingers to push it toward her. “I didn’t forget.”

Elain looked from the box to Azriel and then back at the box. “You–” she took one step closer to the desk. “You got me a gift?”

“I did.” Why was he so good at hiding his emotions? Elain felt as if she was burning up and he was standing there, looking as if he just asked her to go over next week’s schedule. 

“Why?” 

“I was your secret santa, remember?” he smiled at her now, and there was something so careful in the way he looked at her. As if he didn’t want to scare her. She had no idea what to make of this situation. 

Elain held his gaze this time. “Why didn’t you give it to me earlier? Why didn’t you just put it in the bag when I came in here?”

He shrugged and picked up the box again when he realized that Elain wasn’t going to reach for it. “I might have gone a bit over budget.” 

“So did Amren,” Elain blurted out. 

Azriel let out a soundless laugh. “Yeah, well, this isn’t a toothbrush.” 

“Good, because I have one of those too.” 

Azriel winced. “I deserve that.” He walked around his desk until he was standing right in front of her again. Was it warm in here? He held up the box. “Go ahead, open it.”

Elain stood frozen. It looked like a jewelry box and that scared the shit out of her. Why would he buy her jewelry? But then again, it might not be. It could be something else that’s really small. Like a rare coin, or a stamp. But then again, why would he buy her those things? Why would he buy her anything at all? 

When she didn’t move to take the box from him, Azriel reached out and took her hand in his. His touch was so soft, so careful. Like she was something precious. His scars were rough against her skin and the feeling of him was almost too much, yet not enough. He placed the box in her open palm and closed her fingers around it. 

“You shouldn’t touch me like that,” Elain breathed. 

“Why not?” he asked and he sounded almost as breathless as she felt. 

“Because you’re my boss.” You’re my boss and I have a crush on you and you are not making things easy for me. 

“Actually, I’m not. Not anymore.” He looked at his watch. “Your last work day here ended more than four hours ago.”

“Okay?” Elain had no idea why he was telling her this. It’s not like it changed anything. 

He gave her a gentle smile and tapped her hand. “Just open it, Elain.”

God, she loved it when he said her name like that. Her name sounded like poetry on his lips. She closed her eyes for just a second and took a steadying breath before opening the small box. 

Elain held her breath as she took in the content of the little box. It was certainly not a rare coin or a stamp, no. It was a necklace, and a beautiful necklace at that. On a gold chain was a small rose amulet that looked to be made of glass. It shimmered in the light – such a stark contrast to the darkness of the box. 

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, unable to really believe that this was happening. She met Azriel’s gaze again and he regarded her with such carefulness. Her entire body ached with feelings she didn’t understand. “I can’t accept this.”

She tried handing the box back to him but he didn’t reach for it. “I can’t accept this.” The words were barely more than a whisper this time. 

“Yes, you can.” 

She shook her head, suddenly unable to speak. It was too much. Too much and she didn’t understand. “Why?” That small word held so many questions she didn’t dare speak. 

With a gentleness she didn’t know he possessed, he stroked one of her fingers holding the little box. “Because I want you to have it.”

“But,” Elain shook her head in confusion, “Why?” Suddenly, why was the only word in her vocabulary. Why did he get her a gift? And why did he get her something so beautiful. This was the kind of necklace you gave to someone you cared for. A friend. A lover. Not your assistant. 

“I bought it because it reminded me of you,” he gave her a gentle smile. “You always wear those cardigans with the flowers on them, and you told me once that you love roses.”

She did love roses. Especially pink roses, just like the necklace. 

“But, I…”

“Do you like it?” he interrupted before she could even get the words out. 

Elain swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at the glass rose again. It was truly beautiful. A work of art. “Yes, but..”

“So take it. Please.” 

She had never heard that word from him before. Please. It sounded so foreign on his lips and she wanted to hear it again and again and again. 

She had to leave.

She really should leave. 

But when she met Azriel’s eyes again, there was a new kind of warmth there that she hadn’t seen in him before. His entire demeanor right now was so different from the no-nonsense boss she was used to. She had only caught glimpses of this side of him before and she had no idea what to make of it. She wanted it to mean so many things. And maybe she had a weak heart, or maybe it was the eggnog, but she couldn’t say no. Not to him. Not now. If this was the last memory she would ever have of him, she wanted to cherish it forever. With an unsteady hand, she held out the box to him again and for a fraction of a second, she could see something like pain in his eyes. He didn’t reach for the box straight away, so Elain said, “Put it on me?”

Azriel let out a breath he seemed to have been holding. Without another word, he took the necklace from the box and asked her to turn around for him. In this moment, she would have done anything he asked. 

“Hold up your hair for me.” His voice sounded raspy, deeper than usual. Elain twisted her hair in her hands and gave him access to her neck. In the window on the other side of the room she could see their reflection. He was like a dark shadow looming over her, and she shivered at the image. She knew that this moment would plague her for weeks. Months, even. She knew that she would conjure up this very image in her mind in the dead of night when the darkness was her only witness. And then his fingers were on her neck and Elain had to bite her lip to keep herself from whimpering at his touch. His fingers were careful as he fastened the clasp and his fingers seemed to linger there at the nape of her neck, as if he was trying to make sense of this situation too. His touch sent shivers down her spine and she wanted nothing more than to lean into it– lean into him. But she couldn’t, so she just stood there, looking at their reflection in the window. When their eyes met there for a fleeting moment, she realized that he had been doing the same thing. She wondered what he thought of it all. 

As if he could read her mind, he murmured, “I’m glad you decided to quit.”

It was probably the last thing she expected him to say right now and the comment caught her off guard. Hadn’t he been happy with her performance? Why hadn’t he said anything? 

“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that,” he continued, his voice calm and low. He met her eyes in the reflection again. “I’m just glad that you’re following your dreams, and that I won’t be your boss anymore.”

Elain’s hand traveled up to her neck where the necklace now rested between her collarbones. It felt so delicate against her fingertips. “Why?” she asked for the millionth time tonight. God, she should probably wish for a dictionary for Christmas because this was getting ridiculous. 

When Azriel didn’t answer, Elain turned around, unable to stand the tension any longer. His eyes dipped to her neck. “It looks good on you.” 

“Why are you happy that I’m quitting, Azriel?” She needed to know. Needed him to answer. Her mind was currently making up all kinds of answers and she just had to know the truth. She had to understand. 

He lifted his gaze again and when he did so, she almost stopped breathing once more. She had no idea how to interpret the heat she found in his eyes, but she knew that she had never seen him look at her like that before. Unless you counted her dream. In her dreams, he had looked at her exactly like that so many times. 

Was this a dream? 

“Because,” he said, and then his hand was on her again, traveling up her arm, “I’ve been wanting to do this since the day you stepped into my office for the first time.” His hand was now resting against her neck and Elain leaned into his touch. There was nothing else she could do. 

“Do what, exactly?” she whispered. 

He took one single step closer and then her body was pressed against his and this was all of her dreams coming true and it was too much and not enough and oh god, what was happening? His thumb stroked her jaw gently before he moved his hand to the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair. She couldn’t have held back the moan that escaped her lips even if she wanted to. 

He said nothing but she could clearly see the question in his eyes, asking for permission. Slowly, as if in slow motion, Elain nodded, just once, but that was all he needed. Before she could even register what was happening, he was leaning down and she stood up on her toes just to get even closer. 

“This,” Azriel murmured and she could taste the word on his breath just before he closed the distance between them. The kiss was tentative at first, his lips just barely grazing hers. Elain closed her eyes and placed her palms on his chest just to keep her balance. She was getting light headed and the soft way he was kissing her right now wasn’t helping. But as soon as her hands were on him, something changed in him. His hand in her hair tightened and his lips became more determined. His kisses were nothing like she had imagined - they were out of this world. When his tongue teased her bottom lip she heard herself whimper and then she was the one asking for more. Elain wrapped her arms around Azriel’s neck and pulled him closer. He groaned when she moved her body against his and she could feel just how much she wanted her. 

She was kissing Azriel. 

She was kissing her boss. 

She was… shit. What was she doing? They shouldn’t… 

“Azriel,” she breathed and placed her hand on his chest again. This time, she pushed him away. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were dark when they met hers. “What are we doing?”

A smirk played on his lips. “I thought it was obvious what we’re doing.” 

“Yes,” she shook her head as if that would help her gather her thoughts. It didn’t. “But, we shouldn’t. You’re my…”

“I’m your what, Elain?”

“My boss.”

He shook his head, his hand still resting on her neck. His touch was driving her crazy. She was going mad – that had to be the explanation for all of this. 

“I’m not, though. Not anymore.”

Elain huffed a breath. “Well, hours ago, you were.”

“And now I’m not.”

She let out a shaky breath. “What does that even mean?”

He angled her face so she was looking up at him. “It means that I no longer have to pretend as if I’m not attracted to you. It means that I don’t have to ask you to bring me cakes or go through my schedule just to spend time with you.” He raised his other hand until he was cupping her face in his palms, holding her as if she was something precious to him. “It means that we can both stop pretending as if there’s nothing between us.”

Elain was speechless. She had lost every single word she had ever known. Was this really happening? Did Azriel really like her back? 

“You– you like me?”

Azriel caressed her cheeks with his thumbs and she could almost feel his answer in the touch. “Yes, Elain. Very much so.”

She couldn’t hold back the smile that lit up her face then. “I like you too. Very much.”

“Good.” And then his lips were on hers again. This time, he wasn’t as gentle. This time, she kissed him back with a hunger she hadn’t known she possessed. He walked her backwards until the back of her thighs hit his desk. “Taste so sweet,” he murmured against her lips. He stepped even closer, forcing her to sit down on the desk. His body moved with hers, never breaking their kiss. She spread her legs for him just to get him even closer. 

One of his big hands grabbed her thigh and she wanted to ask him to put those hands all over her. And his lips, she wanted them everywhere too. 

“You feel so good, Elain,” his hand traveled up her skirt. “Better than I could have ever imagined.” He trailed kisses down her throat and Elain was certain that she was in heaven right now. 

“Don’t stop, Azriel,” she moaned when he kissed that sensitive spot just behind her ear. 

“Fuck, I love hearing you say my name like that.” She could feel him smile against her skin. 

“I say your name all the time,” she laughed but her laughter got stuck in her throat when he moved that hand even further up her skirt. 

“Not like this.” 

And then he kissed her again. Elain pulled on his tie and tried to move her body just to get the friction she so desperately needed. She was more turned on than she thought possible. 

“Do you want…” he began to ask her but she didn’t let him finish. 

“Yes!” 

He chuckled. “You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”

“I want whatever you will give me.” 

He stood up and looked down at her, his eyes dark with arousal. “Good to know.”

And then that hand moved even further up her thigh, his fingers just inches from where she wanted them. “So, you want me to touch you?” he asked, that sinful grin was back on his lips. 

Elain nodded. Yes, yes, yes, touch me. 

He leaned down and kissed her temple before whispering in her ear. “And if I want to taste you, would you let me do that too?”

Another nod. Her entire body was on fire and she just needed more. Whatever he would give her, that’s what she wanted. Needed. 

“I need you to use your words, Elain.” The command in his voice made her want to do whatever it took to please him. 

“Yes,” she breathed. “Please.” 

“So polite,” he murmured and she could hear the smile in his voice. He was teasing her and she loved every second of it. 

“Please,” she said again when his other hand started to make its way up her skirt too. 

With a wicked little smirk, Azriel moved to kneel between her legs. “Can I take these off?” he asked and drew small, teasing circles over her tights. 

“Yes.” She almost said please again. Almost begged him to undress her. 

Azriel kissed her knee and reached for the edge of her tights. Slowly, he started to move them down her legs and Elain could do nothing but stare at his head between her legs and his hands on her thighs. He removed her shoes and tossed the white tights on the floor behind him before kissing his way up her calf. Elain had to place her hands behind her on the desk for support when he reached the inside of her thigh. 

With his other hand, he stroked up her other thigh until he reached the edge of her panties. She knew that he could feel how wet she was but she was too turned on to care. With his thumb, he stroked her over the thin material and Elain had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. 

“Don’t,” he all but growled. “I want to hear you.”

Elain released her bottom lip and watched him kiss his way closer to her aching core. He placed one soft kiss right there. “So sweet for me.” One more kiss, and then another and Elain was panting. She was throbbing with need and she needed him to stop teasing her. 

“Azriel,” she moaned when he licked her through the fabric and that was all the encouragement he needed. Finally, he reached for her panties and started to inch them down her legs. She held her breath as she watched him watch her. She was still wearing her dress but somehow, she had never felt more naked in her life. She wanted this man to devour her. 

And devour her he did. 

His hands reached underneath her and pulled her pussy closer to his face. At first, it was a teasing kiss, a gentle swipe of his tongue. “So fucking good,” he growled and when his lips closed around her clit for the first time, Elain let out a sound she had never heard from her own mouth before. It was heaven and hell and everything she had ever wanted. When he pushed one finger inside, Elain let go of the table with one hand and reached for his head. She threaded her fingers through his soft hair and asked for more. He added a second finger and Elain was seeing stars. He ate her like a man starved, like she was his last meal. He brought her to that sweet edge and kept her there. He was licking and sucking and fucking her and she was so very close. “Please,” she whimpered when he curled his fingers inside her and found just the right spot. “I’m gonna–” 

Before she even had a chance to finish her sentence, her orgasm crashed over her. She threw her head back and grabbed his hair, unsure if she wanted to pull him closer or push him off. She came with his name on her lips and from the growl he let out, it seemed to please him. 

Elain had to lean back on her elbows to catch her breath when Azriel started to kiss his way down her thighs again. He looked up at her from where he sat on his knees, her pleasure still coating his lips. 

“That was…” she started to say but she couldn’t find a single word good enough to explain what she was feeling. 

He raised one eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Very good.”

“Good, huh? Before this night is over, I hope I can get you to use a few more adjectives.” He smirked and stood up again. He was still fully clothed, but Elain could see the bulge straining against his pants. See just how much she wanted him. It pleased her immensely to think that she was doing this to him. 

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before he bent down to kiss her again. She could taste herself on his lips and she had no idea why she liked that so much. With one hand, she reached for his tie and pulled him closer. His cock pressed between her thighs and she stroked her hand over his stomach. She started to undo his belt, but it was an impossible task with one hand. She let out a frustrated sound and Azriel chuckled against her lips. “Greedy little thing.”

“I want to feel you,” she whined, which seemed to have to have the desired effect because Azriel replaced her hand with his, tugging on the leather. 

“I wasn’t planning on fucking you tonight,” he whispered. “I was just going to give you the necklace and ask you on a date.” He laughed at the absurdity of the situation. 

“You still can, you know,” Elain teased. 

Azriel pulled his belt free and started to undo his pants. “Can do what?”

“Ask me on a date.” Elain smiled at him sweetly. 

“Oh, believe me, I will.”

Azriel kissed her again, and reached behind her to rummage through the desk drawer. When he stood back up, he was holding a condom. “You sure you want this?” he asked, and Elain had never been more sure in her life. 

She took the foil packet from him. “Yes, Azriel. I’m sure. Very, very sure. I want you.” She had a feeling that he needed to hear those words. He seemed to let out a sigh of relief and finished unzipping his pants. 

Elain focused on his hand as he reached into his boxers and pulled his cock free. She had never understood why some romance writers called the male appendage beautiful; a dick was a dick and Elain had never felt the need to call one beautiful or pretty or anything of the sort. But now, with Azriel in front of her, she finally understood. All of him was beautiful, and big, and tonight, it was all hers. She reached between their bodies and wrapped her hand around his length. 

“Fuck,” he groaned when she started to move her hand. Her hand looked small around him and Elain had no idea why it pleased her so much. 

“I need to be inside you.”

Elain didn’t need more encouragement than that. She tore the wrapper and started to roll the condom on. He was watching her every move as if it was some sort of religious experience. 

Once more, he cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. She positioned his cock at her entrance and wrapped her legs around his hips. Slowly, so slowly, he pushed inside. Elain gasped at the size of him; at the way he stretched her so completely. 

When he bottomed out, he hugged her close and held her still, even though she was trying to move on him. “You’re perfect,” he whispered. “So fucking perfect for me.” 

“More,” she managed to gasp. “Please, Azriel.”

He kept one hand on her neck, the other moving to hold her hip as he started to move. Elain moaned into his mouth. It was perfect. He was perfect. 

They were perfect. 

Elain moved her hands to his neck and pulled on the dark strands there. He fucked her slowly, at first. His hips moving against hers while telling her how good she felt, how good she was. Elain could probably come from the praise alone. 

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” Elain whimpered when he hit a particularly good spot, and those words seemed to shift something inside Azriel. His hand tightened on her hips and then he was really fucking her. There was nothing soft about it. 

“Such a good fucking girl,” he growled and Elain felt her eyes roll back in her head. She was so close already. So close and so needy and so desperate for anything he would give her. 

Azriel reached between their bodies and pressed his thumb against her clit. “You’re gonna come for me again.” It wasn’t a question; it was a demand. Elain felt herself clench around him. “Be a good girl and come for me.”

He was fucking her so good and his cock was stretching her and he knew exactly how to touch her to make her come undone. 

“Please, please, please” she babbled, completely lost to the pleasure coursing through her veins. Azriel’s mouth was on hers again, drinking up every sound she made. She was so close, so, so…

When he moaned her name, Elain could no longer hold back. Stars danced before her eyes when she came and Azriel fucked her through the most intense orgasm of her life. She had no idea what was real anymore. The only truth she knew was him and the way his hands felt on her body and how his lips tasted hers. She felt him pulse inside her when he came and for just a moment, Elain found herself disappointed that she couldn’t feel him come inside her. She had meant what she said; she wanted everything he could give her. She wanted to feel everything. 

She wanted him to make a mess of her. 

She was very glad he couldn’t read her dirty little mind. 

–---

When Elain’s brain finally started working again, it hit her that she had just fucked her former boss in his office. All of the dirty little fantasies she had about him had somehow come true – and it had been better than she could ever imagine. 

Azriel zipped himself up again and scooped up Elain’s tights and panties from the floor. He handed them to her and she winced when she felt the cold, damp fabric against her legs. 

It didn’t take long to dress, and when they were done, Elain suddenly felt a bit self conscious. She had never done anything like this before. Never been reckless. Never given into that side of herself. 

As if he could see that she was starting to doubt herself, he walked over and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. She felt better instantly. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“For what?”

“For accepting my gift.”

Elain leaned back so she could look at him. “That’s all you’re thanking me for?” she gave him a playful smile. 

“Well, I could thank you for the amazing sex.”

“Amazing, huh?” 

“Amazing, wonderful, spectacular. Take your pick.”

Elain smiled and leaned her head against his chest. “Now you’re just showing off your adjective skills.”

She felt him laugh and it was the greatest feeling in the world. Well, the second greatest. The greatest feeling in the world was probably the two orgasms she just had. 

“Azriel?” 

“Yes?”

“Are you going to ask me on that date?”

He kissed the top of her head again. “I will. Soon.”

“Soon?”

“Yes, but right now, I’m going to ask you to come home with me.”

Elain looked up at him again, her eyebrows raised. “Really?” 

“Do you really think that I would just let you go now that I have you?” 

Smiling, she answered, “I guess not.” She didn’t want to let him go either. 

“Also, if I can make you feel this good when we’re still dressed,” his voice was low, teasing. “Just imagine what I can do when I get you naked.”

[yowyowyaoi]

Can u write more TobiIzu? Obviously no pressure ur SUCH a good writer and I love u :>>>> 💕💕💕

Thank you for saying I’m a good writer 🥰 That makes me happy. I’m sorry I don’t write more TobiIzu; I’m just not as inspired for it as much as I am, say, SasoDei. But for you:

*Izuna walks into Hashirama’s office, to find Tobirama sitting alone at his desk, going over paperwork*

Izuna: There you are! *walks behind him and puts both arms around his shoulders* Happy birthday, old man! 

Tobirama: … my birthday is the 19th of February. Today is March 19th.

Izuna: *kisses his cheek* Minor details! *goes back out the door and pushes in a giant floor to ceiling chocolate cake* Surprise!

Tobirama: Izuna … what the hell? Even if it was my birthday, there’s no way in hell I could eat all of that! 

Izuna: Well of course not, Tobirama. That’s what I’M here for … *cuts himself a huge slice and plops himself down on Tobirama’s lap*

Tobirama: … am I mistaken, or didn’t Madara tell you several weeks ago that he was restricting your sweet intake?

Izuna, mouth full of frosting: Yep. But we compromised; now I’m allowed to indulge on people’s birthdays. That’s why your birthday is today. And just a heads-up, your birthday might also be sometime next week, and the week after. Madara can’t keep track of dates anyway.

Tobirama: *sighs, then smiles, putting hands on Izuna’s waist*

Tobirama: Such a sneaky, clever boy, aren’t you? *kisses slowly along Izuna’s neck* Hey, if it’s my “birthday”, does that mean I get to make a wish for something I want?

Izuna: Of course! What do you want?

Tobirama: Well, you in my bed for a few hours would be a nice start …

Izuna: Awww … you want me to take care of you after the shoulder punches, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll be right by your side!

Tobirama: … punches?

Izuna: Mm. Your birthday licks. Madara insisted on it. He should be here soon; he stopped at the gym first to “warm up”.

Izuna: *gets off Tobirama’s lap and gets another piece of cake* Well, I’ll be back after. Love you! *leaves*

Tobirama:

Tobirama, to himself: Why am I planning on marrying into that family again —?

[guardian-of-gotham]

@who-is-muses

When Harvey opened the door to his office on the first day of his new job, the first thing to greet him was a range of smells similar to a buffet table all set for Sunday brunch at a nice diner. The next thing to greet him was the sight of his best friend of several years, Bruce Wayne, turning towards the door in surprise after having lost track of time while obsessing over the smallest, perfectionistic details he wanted to get right before the other man arrived.

"Harvey?" Bruce glanced at the clock above the door, confirming that it was in fact time for his friend's shift to start soon. "Shit. Um... Surprise!?" Despite his own self-consciousness regarding his preparations, everything looked immaculate and over the top. Tea lights set atop miniature scales of justice were strewn about the room, safely distanced from anything flammable, of course, and a pair of detachable sconces containing a pot of algerian ivy were hung on the two side walls. Behind his friend's new desk was a large, round blackboard with "Congratulations Harvey!" written on it in an elegant font, and framing the whole thing was a giant golden laurel wreath. Off to the side was the true center of attention, though: a banquet cart supporting a larger set of scales, each tray laden with an assortment of food.

On the left, the dishes included grits and eggs with fried bologna, creamy mushroom and brie croissant sandwiches, bananas foster belgian waffles, cinnamon rolls, tahitian vanilla bean souffle with salted caramel anglaise, bourbon pecan cream cheese stuffed french toast, and buttermilk biscuits with sides of butter and sausage gravy. Underneath the tray, there was a chafing fuel can to keep everything warm. Such a thing wasn't present under the right tray, though, which contained chilled or room temperature foods, like chocolate-dipped strawberries, banana slices with a chocolate peanut butter ganache dipping sauce, coffee crumb cake, white chocolate raspberry scones, and a bowl of fresh raspberries and sliced strawberries with whipped cream. To the side of that tray, there was also a bucket of ice containing a bottle of Dom Perignon dated the year of Harvey's birth and a few pitchers of various juices. Meanwhile, the warmed tray had beside it a pot of coffee, a thermal carafe containing steamed milk, a tin of hot cocoa mix, a few jars of various syrups and toppings, and a ceramic cup containing a recently-made salted caramel latte with a laurel wreath drawn in the foam on top, a design which Bruce had spent months perfecting each time he made himself coffee at his own office.

Speaking of Bruce, the man himself looked nowhere near as elegant as everything he'd set up. Having gotten no sleep at all between the previous night's patrol and the extensive time spent in the kitchen this morning, his eyes were accented with a prominent pair of dark circles. He was sweaty and disheveled from running around to get everything done in time, leaving several strands of his otherwise slicked-back hair hanging in front of his face. To keep from over-heating, his shirt was only half-buttoned with the sleeves rolled up, and while his suit jacket hung neatly from the coat rack at the door, his tie hung loosely over his shoulders. He'd hoped to have the time to make himself look more presentable before Harvey arrived, but instead, he quite literally appeared to be a hot mess.

"Oh, um, these are for you!" Bruce blurted suddenly, stepping aside to reveal an ornate glass vase containing a bouquet of red and blue pansies on Harvey's desk. His new position also revealed a lock-picking kit he'd set aside there earlier, as well as a microwave and mini fridge tied up with red ribbon next to some filing cabinets against the back wall, but he was too tired and nervous about his friend's reaction to comment on, or even pay attention to any of that. A fiery pink haze spread across his cheeks as that nervousness shifted to embarrassment over the dawning realization that he'd likely overdone things.

"This isn't too much, is it?"

[massive-marvel]

Peach never got tired of having Gwen’s plush fat envelop her, as if she were smothered by a giant, warm marshmallow. It made her feel safe, knowing that such a big, strong, soft, and adorable lady like Gwen would comfort her in such a way.

“You deserve to be spoiled for how often you help others,” Peach said, rubbing Gwen’s gargantuan gut. “Some love and food is the least that I can do to show my gratitude.”

As Gwen put her on the couch, Peach pulled a slice out of the giant cake. At the same time, the Princess grabbed a carton of chocolate milk—one of several—and popped open the lid. She then brought both to Gwen’s lips, eagar to send them down into the sizeable superheroine’s stomach.

Gwen blushed and giggled softly at Peach's lovely words, sitting down with her on the sofa, plenty of blubber pressing against the Princess as she did so. "Of course, it's my pleasure to be there for you, Peach." She said, smirking as she saw the cake and milk being picked up.

"Can't imagine what you want to do with those~" She giggled before opening up, taking a big bite of the cake. It was delicious, perfectly baked and full of chocolatey flavour! Next came a swig of milk to wash it down with, making Gwen's belly gurgle happily. "You always make the best cakes~"

[starseedfxofficial]

The Hidden Formula Experts Use: Master Capacity Utilization & Double Top The Hidden Formula Only Experts Use: Navigating Capacity Utilization and the Double Top Pattern in Forex Trading Imagine trying to bake a cake with a broken oven—that’s what it’s like to trade without understanding capacity utilization. And if that wasn't enough, throw in a "double top" pattern and it's like having two identical cakes, one on top of the other, destined to collapse unless handled just right. But here’s where the real magic happens: with these often-overlooked tools, you can slice your way into market success that most traders miss. Let’s dive in. Capacity Utilization: The Market Temperature Gauge Ever wondered why certain trends just fizzle out? Enter capacity utilization—a metric that’s like a thermometer for the economy’s efficiency. It measures how much of a country’s productive capacity is being used, and spoiler alert: if it’s too high, things are overheating; if it’s too low, there’s a serious lack of zest. Capacity utilization is one of those metrics that doesn’t get the hype it deserves, but trust me—understanding it is like owning a cheat code to the economy. But let’s take a moment to break down why this matters to you, the Forex trader. When capacity utilization rates are on the rise, it suggests increased economic activity—yay for optimism! But there's a catch: too high, and inflation concerns bubble up, meaning central banks might put the brakes on. This is exactly when you want to look out for major reversals or trend shifts in your favorite currency pairs. It’s like finding out your oven is at 550°F right before you put that cake in—some serious adjustments are needed. Why Most Traders Get the Double Top Wrong (And How You Can Avoid It) Ah, the classic double top pattern—a trader’s worst nightmare and best friend, all wrapped into one confusing mess. Picture this: you’re at the beach, and you see two giant waves forming. You think, "These are going to crash," but you stand still, hypnotized by the symmetry, and then... bam! You’re drenched. That’s the double top for you: predictable if you know what to look for, but potentially disastrous if you freeze. Double tops signal a reversal—and while they look like two fancy mountain peaks, what’s really happening is the market’s collective psychology saying, “Enough” (twice, just to be sure). But why do most traders fail to capitalize? It’s because they’re either jumping in too early (because they just love those tops) or getting spooked by the retest. The truth is, the real double top doesn’t confirm until support breaks—the beach is only safe when the waves roll back, not before. So, when you spot the pattern, keep your eyes on that neckline, because that’s where the magic—or the disaster—truly begins. The Capacity Utilization and Double Top Combo: Next-Level Tactics Now, here's an advanced maneuver that’ll make your fellow traders think you have some kind of superpower. Imagine combining the power of capacity utilization with the double top pattern. It’s like pairing peanut butter with chocolate—unexpectedly good and weirdly satisfying. When you see capacity utilization hitting extremes—let’s say above 85% in a developed economy—start looking for double tops on major currency pairs, particularly those with strong economic ties to that economy. Why? Because high capacity utilization indicates we're nearing the point where inflation becomes a concern, and central banks may intervene. And when economic overheating aligns with a double top? That’s the universe giving you a gentle nudge and whispering, "Get ready to short." Myth-Busting: No, Not All Double Tops Are Created Equal One of the biggest misconceptions out there is that every double top is a surefire signal to go short. Reality check: context matters. If you’re looking at a double top and ignoring things like capacity utilization or central bank actions, you’re just gambling. To avoid turning your portfolio into the financial equivalent of a bad vacation—expensive, regrettable, and completely avoidable—always consider economic indicators alongside your technical patterns. Take the EUR/USD pair, for example. Imagine capacity utilization in the Eurozone is through the roof, indicating inflation concerns. You see a double top forming on the EUR/USD daily chart, just hovering near a historical resistance level. Is this a random chart pattern, or is it telling you something deeper? Spoiler: It’s the latter. The stars are aligning—capacity utilization indicates economic pressure, and that double top suggests the market’s enthusiasm is about to deflate. This is your moment. How to Predict Market Moves with Precision When it comes to timing your trade on a double top, precision is everything. Here’s a ninja tactic: watch the RSI (Relative Strength Index) during the formation of the second peak. If the RSI shows divergence—meaning the price reaches the second peak but the RSI shows a lower high—congratulations, you’ve just unlocked a powerful signal. It’s like watching your opponent telegraph their next move in a chess game. It doesn’t get more satisfying than this. Another trick? Volume. Pay attention to the volume during the second peak of a double top. If the volume is lower compared to the first peak, it suggests that buyers are losing steam. It’s the market equivalent of your friends trying to drag you to a second party after midnight—the enthusiasm just isn’t there anymore. Lower volume means higher odds of reversal. The Forgotten Strategy That Outsmarted the Pros Here's an elite tactic that most traders forget: pairing fundamental insights, like capacity utilization, with classic chart patterns can give you an incredible edge. When everyone else is busy chasing the latest overhyped indicator, you’re calmly analyzing economic fundamentals and merging them with price action signals. Most traders are like moths to a flame—chasing whatever’s bright and shiny at the moment. But the real winners? They dig into the fundamentals, understand the capacity dynamics, and then use that information to inform their technical trades. Think back to the 2010s, when China’s capacity utilization skyrocketed, triggering widespread inflation fears. Traders who knew what to look for (spoiler: double tops on currency pairs tied to China) ended up outperforming the market. And they did it not by following the hype, but by understanding the quiet rumblings of macroeconomic forces. From Broken Ovens to Perfect Trades Understanding capacity utilization and the double top pattern isn’t just about knowing when things might fall apart—it’s about reading the subtle signs the market gives you. It’s about baking that perfect cake with just the right temperature and catching those waves without getting soaked. The truth is, successful trading is less about being perfect and more about understanding when the conditions are just right. So next time you see those two mountain peaks forming on your chart, take a breath, zoom out, and think about the fundamentals—how hot is the economy running? Are central banks about to step in? And most importantly, are you ready to catch that perfect wave, or are you just hoping not to get drenched? Want to dive deeper? Expand your trading knowledge with in-depth resources and advanced methodologies at StarseedFX. And if you’re feeling ready to tackle the market armed with elite strategies, join the StarseedFX community for exclusive insights and live trading tips. Don’t just trade—master the market. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated   Read the full article

[capriciouscaprine]

good morning!!!!! It has been a while, so this will be a pretty long post with relatively few numbers but tons of reflecting on the past few days for me!

forget a metabolism day, I had my first true bonkers food consumption episode over multiple days as I worked on finishing what is to date my longest and most important presentation, which would determine if I qualified to receive my masters degree

on saturday, I was facing a ton of work that still needed to be done before tuesday (aka yesterday); I decided to stock up on energy drinks and get myself a sweet treat to get through at least that day and who knew how much longer

at the store, the packs of cookies I was planning on getting looked unsatisfyingly small and bland for the c's they contained; after circling the baked goods section several times, with breaks to go all the way back and check out frozen and pantry desserts (and seeing a cake that was three cakes in one and ~1k c per small slice!!), I folded and bought a box of giant chocolate peanut butter cookies, the kind where the serving size is 1/2 a cookie; the box totaled 1,800 c

and I finished it that night

and then I kept going

the wildest part was that I quickly realized that I didn't like the giant chocolate chunks in the cookies and I would have much preferred just a peanut butter cookie with no chocolate chunks (and thus lower c's)

I finished off my pan of meatloaf that night as well, and the next day I started off with good intentions but then just kept on snacking, and after work I went and got a bunch of fried foods from a fast food chain

I didn't even enjoy them!!! fried food 'wilts' so fast out of the fryer, and I've genuinely made the point to myself before that spending money at this place isn't worth it!!! still, ate all of that as well, and kept snacking

by monday I was not feeling well, and I don't even remember what I ate except I know it wasn't low c; yesterday, I had one good plate of egg fried rice, and then made myself a bigger plate and hated it... and yet I still finished it

through all of this, I was constantly consuming energy drinks, to the point that I have one left from a 12 pack, and even added extra energy drink mix powder to a can to almost double the caffeine content per sip

ultimately, I had mostly finished my presentation by the time I went to sleep monday night, only made a few edits on tuesday morning, was absurdly nervous through the entire presentation to the point I barely remember it, finished my excessive food intake, and went to bed at my super early bedtime to get up today at the same ridiculously early time of 2 am that I've been using to give myself time to work on all of my coursework this school year

for my monday check-in day, I was at 124.2, which is up at least 2$ from, but thankfully still below the goal I had achieved previously

reflecting on these past several days, my main take away is that I didn't enjoy most of it; my enjoyment stopped after 1.5 cookies, a few bits of each fried option, and the first plate of fried rice; some things I did want to keep eating on, like rice crispy treats, aren't nearly as high c (80/each for the off-brand) and I still got tired of eating them after a two or three; I had minimum 10k c's over four days, only a bit higher than 'healthy' recommendations, and by the end I was craving the simplicity and relief of my 'unhealthy' eating plan

the biggest upside is that I have finally cleared a LOT of left over less goal-oriented foods from my house; by the end I was actually actively saving my low c meals and not wanting to 'waste' them on this unhinged eating behavior, and I discovered that I actually don't have a lot of high c food left in the house!!

I feel like I even have a strategy now for if I'm ever in this situation again: get lots of snacks that are higher in c's but aren't entire packs of fancy cookies, which ranges from family sized popcorn to a whole container of hummus with pre-sliced vegetables, to keep myself focused; if I'm craving something, go to a quality bakery or restaurant and just get one serving from them instead of a bunch of lower quality things that end up being the same price; and keep on having only lower c items in the house, bc even if I do go nuts on them, the impact will be way lower

also, having pre-prepped meals will also be a relief, as not having a plan I can follow and something easy to grab and reheat seems to be an additional stressor on top of whatever else I have going on, so investing the time into doing that prep work is absolutely worth it

finally, I got confirmation that a problem I was attributing to my reduced eating plan really is just a me problem: I was working through all of this, getting plenty to eat before I went to work and everything, and I STILL had the problem of the world going rather dark around the edges if I stood up too fast or was bent over half-upside-down for too long; I don't have new heart problems from not enough food, I have existing heart problems that are unaffected by how much I eat

this is a relief! yeah, obviously it's still a problem, but now I don't feel guilty for having it by causing it with my eating; I just genuinely have a problem with my blood pressure!

now!!! my presentation marked the last big project I needed to dedicate my time and energy to; from now on, I can devote that time and energy to working towards my personal goals, and I can stop waking up at 2 am!!!

waking up super early is still rewarding for me, and it's going to continue to be a necessity in my career, but it is wild how much a 6 pm bedtime can mess you up; nearly anything I did would keep me up past my bedtime, which frequently ruined my sleep; from now on, I'm moving up to bed time at 8 pm and waking up at 4 am, which will still give me plenty of time before work and my internship

today I'm going to pick up my new cellphone and get it set up (and order the case and any accessories for it!), and that's going to hopefully help me with all of my goal setting and tracking moving forwards; I've got to do some job seeking to hopefully get on contract with a school before the end of the public school academic year, but otherwise, my next big goal is planning a budgeted shopping trip that will get me everything I need to make two weeks worth of pre-planned meals that will help me meat my goals without constantly having to come with what to eat every day

I'm so excited to be pack on track; it is genuinely a relief to return to posting on here and eating things that I actually enjoy and that help me meet my goals; I have made it past a huge hurdle, so now I can act on all the things I've been planning for myself!!!

[flora-bigs]

ANOTHER chocolate cake!

Siobhan can barely breathe as she forces the last bite of cake down, each gasp of air followed by a deep groan, a tight moan or a hard belch, her stomach rapidly running out of room to stretch. Her chair creaks again, and again, even though she slumps limply against the back....

"Stop... please, stop, I can't hold any more..." HIC-urp. "My belly hurts... please, it hurts...."

Finally defeated, she can't even bring herself to lift a finger to push the next cake into her mouth. How lucky for her, then, that the giant soft pastry decides to help her out, a slice spontaneously levitating towards her.....

[formeryelpers]

Levain Bakery, 227 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles (Larchmont), CA 90004

Levain was founded by two friends who sought to create the world’s best chocolate chip cookie. They started in NYC and have gradually expanded, recently opening their first location West of Chicago in LA’s Larchmont Village. Yay!

We visited the original location in NYC a few years ago. Like the NYC bakery, you can smell the freshly baked cookies before entering the shop. They sell a few types of giant, thick cookies (they’re 6 oz each), loaves of bread, brioche, loaf cake slices, scones, blueberry muffins, sticky buns, etc. There isn’t much variety to choose from (e.g., for scones, they only had one kind). Most people are there for the cookies. They also have a full espresso bar and serve LA’s Canyon Coffee.

Two chip chocolate chip cookie ($5): Served warm, the thick cookie has a crispy edges. It’s dense and chock full of small, melted chocolate chips. The texture is different from other cookies. I would argue that it’s much more like a scone than it is a cookie. The texture is crumbly like a moist scone. I like scones, so that’s not a bad thing. One cookie is very filling. Love how you can taste the dark chocolate and there's a crazy amount of chocolate chips.

The shop was cute – bright, with an open kitchen, some merch for sale. There was no place to sit inside but there was a bench outside. I was surprised by the large number of flies inside. Online ordering is available.

Cookies freeze well or you can keep them in an air-tight container for a week. I like them better the next day.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

By Lolia S.

[liberateyourdreamscape]

Yes this is EXACTLY how I feel when I have my period. /heavy sarcasm