#plus ig I enjoy archiving these things to look back on and have?

[vimbry]

everyone who actively chooses to come watch me be bad at video games for over an hour

why

ty

[yeahx10]

I get wanting some photos or your fave song too but in general fans with their phones glued to their hand for whole concerts often feels very performative to me like the thing about needing to record or post something to prove you did it. Not even to prove it but just so everyone knows. If you didn’t post it, it didn’t happen etc. i know that’s not true of everyone but at my last concert I tried to record my fave song and I couldn’t concentrate on both phone and performance and it took me out of the moment so I just stopped and stayed in the moment. I don’t have a recording of the song but I don’t regret it, enjoying the moment meant more in retrospect and still does. Idk if this makes sense but yeah the reaction to that thread was insane.

no exactly . cultivating ur life for social media is a whole other thing and tbh i don't see much wrong with posting to social media and/or wanting to share music or the show that ur at. and like i have a second ig which i treat as a little archive so sometimes if i want to remember the larger event of a show i will post there to i have them all in one place so i get all that. but there's a point where it gets to be too much and it is super weird to me to have such a kneejerk reaction to an artist expressing how she feels .... i have had the same experience as u where im recording and end up watching through the screen and when i have tried to look up i just am not holding my phone as steadily yk . plus doesn't ur arm get tired. just take the verse and chorus and go. idk man i understand wanting a live performance of a song and yeah sometimes after i'm like oh i wish i had recorded this to look back on but i know i didn't because the whole process of pulling ur phone out is an inconvenience. plus to be in the middle of the crowd (not even at the side or back where there aren't people around u ... i saw someone being like Well obstructions are part of the concert experience. lol) barely putting ur phone down i don't rly get it. what a strange and disproportionate reaction to that tweet thread.

[n-komas]

for the hq best friend matchup: i’m infj, capricorn, i play flute, write, and draw, i prefer darker clothing or clothing typically associated with a skater style. i love reading and cats and christmastime! uhh i’m rather short, i’m 5’3, i wear glasses and have brown hair with the front two strands being pink. i go by she/her. i’m decent at singing and my favourite colour is red. my pride is being able to play flute as well as i can. i love love and the idea of relationships

Dear User, We have found your perfect match! You’ve been paired with...

Kanji Koganegawa!

he’s literally the sweetest

he loves and cherishes you so much

he genuinely thinks you’re so cool for so many reasons

the darker, skater type clothing is so alluring, it makes you seem intimidating, which kogane finds adorable because you’re so small compared to him (his 6′3 ass)

but he’s so so fascinated by the way you get into things

not only skating, but he loves hearing you play the flute

he likes seeing the way you get so into the vibe and how concentrated you get

reminds him of himself with volleyball,

speaking of which, he expects you to show up to all his games LOL

he treats you how normal people would treat their girlfriends,

except there arent any ulterior motives at all

he just knows that you should be treated correctly, and since you dont have a bf, he wants you to know how high the bar should be

so going on that note,

he gives you spare jerseys to wear for when you go to his games

which he tells you you dont have to wear, but if he does look to the stands and sees you wearing it he will play even harder

tries to play wingman whenever you go out

fails miserably because everyone is convinced you two are dating

but DONT WORRY

he has his setter connections (-;

anyways continuing on!

he loves the two strands of dyed hair you have

you guys are dyed hair buds lmao

100% was there with you the next time you dyed them just so he could sit there and watch

ofc he’d offer to help, but he knows you probably wont let him LMAO

he also likes hanging out at your house/room more than his bc he says yours is cooler bc of the led lights

you help him focus!!

his focus is usually a but all over the place and he’s not the best at expressing himself when he doesnt understand things,

but with you there, he’s able to be open and himself, meaning he probably asks you for help with studying and such

he’s really good at listening though

with advice, he’s not the best

but he’s always always always there at any moment you need

plus he responds to texts/calls within five minutes usually

except when he’s at practice or a game

but he’s quick to respond or text back when he sees your message

he’s also the type to pay for both of your things

for example, he likes going out for icecream a lot

and he always insists on paying for yours as well

he says you can pay him back by going to his games, playing the flute, or singing for him

genuinely just appreciates you SO much

most likely would have an appreciation post for you on his ig at all times, its never archived

ok but with christmastime, he’d literally spend his childhood savings on a good gift for you

again, he just wants to treat you the way you deserve your future s/o to treat you

but deadass, like he’d be terrible at hiding what he got you, but it’d be so lovely, whatever it is

oh but he loves attending your recitals as well

he feels a lot of pride seeing you up there amongst the others, doing your thing

like “YEAH THATS MY BEST FRIEND!!🥺”

brags abt you to the team a lot

reason no. 193928 why everyone thinks you two are dating

kogane just loves you so mf much pls you’re the best friend he’s always dreamed of having as a kid

most people just thought he was annoying, but you saw past that

you accepted him for himself and he never wants to let the love you have for each other go so best believe he’s your bestie for life, miss gyal~

Thank you for working with us! We hope you found satisfaction with your newfound bestie~ Honorary applicants we considered for the role were: KEIJI AKAASHI & AKIRA KUNIMI Thank you again for your time & we hope you enjoy your future lifelong friendship!~ Thank you for requesting!

for mi amor @kihyunfilms ♡ ilysm bae <///3

[broomballkraken]

Title: In the Wake of the Verdant Wind

Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Pairing: Raphael/Ignatz

Word Count: 1836

Warnings: None

Summary: Years after the war, Ignatz was as busy as ever, with a seemingly endless list of art commissions on top of helping his husband Raphael run the inn. Even so, they always did manage to set aside some time to just enjoy each other’s company, and reflect on just how wonderful their lives had turned out.

Written for @ferarepair-week 2019 Day 7, Prompt: Verdant

“You think the inn will be okay with us gone?”

“Ah, c’mon Ig! You gotta relax! Maya will take care of things for us. Besides, we’ll only be gone for, like, a week or two at most.”

Ignatz turned to look up at Raphael’s smiling face, golden eyes shining with an overwhelming fondness. They had been married three years to the day, and still the sight never failed to make his heart race. They were off on a trip to visit Ignatz’s family that doubled as a mini vacation to celebrate their anniversary as well.

“Man, am I hungry! Can we stop and eat now?” Raphael asked, laughing as his stomach growled loudly when he slapped a hand to it.

“You’re always hungry, dear. But, I could use a break.” Ignatz said, giggling as Raphael let out an excited whoop, grabbed Ignatz’s hand, and entwined their fingers together.

“Yes! This is why I love you, Ignatz!” Raphael gushed, and Ignatz felt his face heat up as they turned away from the road and climbed up a small hill, with a large tree on the peak that would be a perfect place for a picnic.

“I hope that’s not the only reason you love me.” Ignatz teased, and the absolutely distressed look that crossed Raphael’s face made Ignatz snort with amusement.

“No way!” Raphael said, dropping the pack that he carried so that he could wrap his arms around Ignatz and pull him into a bear hug. “I love everything about you! Your passion for art! Your pretty eyes, and really nice hair. I love your cute glasses and your smarts and your hugs and your-”

“Okay, okay! I get it!” Ignatz said, his voice muffled due to his face currently being squashed against his husband’s broad chest. “I was just joking, Raph.”

“Oh, uh, right.” Raphael said, a light blush appearing on his face as he released his hold on Ignatz and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I knew that.”

Ignatz laughed as he and Raphael busied themselves with setting up a fire and cooking their simple meal of pheasant meat and eggs, and Raphael showered Ignatz with compliments on his improving hunting skills as they ate.

“You’ve really gotten better with a bow lately, Ignatz! I’m glad, ‘cause it means that I still get to eat fresh meat even when we’re on the road!” Raphael said as he happily shoved more food into his mouth. Ignatz sighed and rolled his eyes as bits of meat got caught in Raphael’s beard. Some things would never change, it seemed.

“Raph, dear, you’re getting food all over your face.” Ignatz said, chuckling as he leaned over to wipe Raphael’s beard clean. The larger man blushed as his smaller husband doted on him, and when Ignatz was done and tried to pull away, Raphael instead pulled him onto his lap.

“Thanks, Ig.” Raphael said, his honey colored eyes locking onto Ignatz’s emerald green ones as his arms wrapped fully around the love of his life, and he gently caressed Ignatz’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“Ah, y-your welcome.” Ignatz barely managed to squeak out in his flustered state. He recovered quickly though, and he was amazed that Raphael could still turn him into a stuttering mess after all this time. Ignatz giggled and reached up to cup Raphael’s face, his fingers setting in the soft hair of his beard. The content sigh that passed between Raphael’s lips was cut short when Ignatz kissed him, his hands moving to the wild hair at the back of Raphael’s neck as he deepened the kiss.

The feeling of Raphael smiling against his lips made Ignatz’s heart swell with delight. He never dreamed that he could be this happy, living the life that he always wanted. He was making a living doing a job that he loved, living in a modest yet comfortable environment, and every morning he woke up in the arms of the man that he loved the most. Something was definitely going right with his life when his reality was so, so much better than his dreams.

Ignatz tilted his head, his nose brushing against Raphael’s beard. He giggled as the hairs tickled him, and Raphael pulled away, eyebrows knitted with confusion. Ignatz laughed at how silly he looked, and he cupped Raphael’s face and ran his thumbs over his cheeks.

“Sorry, Raph. Your beard was tickling me. Again.” Ignatz said. Raphael smiled as he rest his forehead against Ignatz’s and let his hands slip around his waist.

“Oops! I guess that means that it’s overdue for some trimming.” Raphael said, a toothy grin crossing his face as he placed a light kiss on Ignatz’s nose.

“Hah, probably. You look even more like a sheep now that you’re beard is fully grown out.”

“You think so?”

“Indeed.” Ignatz nodded, and he pulled away as he ran a hand through Raphael’s hair. “I remember when I first likened you to a sheep. You didn’t really like it.”

“Yeah, I know.” Raphael said, reaching up to cup Ignatz’s cheek, and the movement knocked Ignatz’s glasses slightly askew. “I really like it now, ‘cause your eyes always light up when you say it, and the biggest smile always crosses your face.”

“O-Oh…” Ignatz said, averting his gaze bashfully as his face flushed a bright red.

“You know, I really lucked out, Ignatz.” Raphael said, his voice only a bit louder than a whisper and a tender look in his eyes, “Three years ago I married the cutest, most amazing man that I’d ever met, and we still have a whole lifetime ahead of us! I’m so happy, I think my heart might just burst from my chest or something!” Ignatz was stunned into silence by the sincere words, but he recovered quickly. A bright smile crossed his face as Ignatz wrapped his arms around his husband, his head resting on Raphael’s broad chest.

“I feel the same, Raph. I love you.”

“I love you too, Ig!” Raphael eagerly hugged Ignatz back, but then he suddenly gasped and pulled away, “Oh yeah! I almost forgot!” He turned to rummaged in his travel pack, while Ignatz watched with a curious eyebrow raised.

“Ah, here we go!” Raphael said as he pulled out a small box that was wrapped haphazardly in paper. “Happy Anniversary! I was too excited to wait until we got back home to give you your present, so I brought it with me!”

“You didn’t need to get me anything.” Ignatz said as he smiled and took the box. He chuckled at the giddy look on Raphael’s face as he watched Ignatz tear the paper away with wide eyes, and Ignatz could practically feel him shaking with excitement.

“Well, do you like it?” Raphael asked, waiting with baited breath as Ignatz examined the gift. It was a small carving made out of wood, roughly the size of his hand. It was him and Raphael, holding hands and looking into each others eyes. The carving was a bit rough around the edges and the anatomy was a little wonky, but Ignatz hardly cared as his eyes welled up with tears.

“Oh Raphael, I love it.” Ignatz said, removing his glasses so that he could wipe away his tears of joy.

“Oh, really? Alright!” Raphael said, letting out a triumphant whoop that made Ignatz burst out laughing, “I was really having trouble figuring out what to get you, but Maya thought that I could be good at wood carving, so I thought I’d try it out.”

“It really is an amazing first try. I’m impressed.” Ignatz said as he put his glasses back on.

“Er, well,” Raphael said, averting his gaze as a dusting of pink appeared on his cheeks, “This one is actually the...seventh try. I kept on breaking the wood in half so I had to keep starting over.” Ignatz laughed and shook his head.

“Is that so? Well, I’m honored that you would put so much work into a gift for me. I’ll treasure it, love.” Ignatz said. He then reached over to his own pack and pulled out a neatly wrapped package. “I got you something too.”

“Really?!?” Raphael exclaimed, his booming voice causing Ignatz to wince slightly. Raphael took the gift and ripped open the wrapping paper, and his face scrunched up in confusion as he held up a book.

“Hmm, a book?” Raphael said, tilting his head curiously as he scanned the cover. Ignatz smiled, and couldn’t help but think that his husband looked adorable.

“Yeah, it’s a cookbook.” Ignatz said, “I know you’ve been working hard to run the inn, so hard that you’ve been trying to learn how to cook. I thought this would be a good book to help you get a good start. Plus, this one focuses mostly on meat dishes.” Raphael was silent for a moment, and Ignatz was startled when his husband suddenly started sobbing uncontrollably. He pulled Ignatz into a bear hug, arms locking around the smaller man in a tight embrace.

“Ig! I love it!” Raphael said between his blubbering, and Ignatz struggled to wriggle free from the death grip he was in as he struggled to breath.

“Raph...can’t...breath…” Ignatz managed to choke out, and Raphael quickly let go of him, allowing Ignatz to cough and take a few deep breaths.

“Ah, sorry…” Raphael said, sniffing as he rubbed his face and composed himself. “I’m just...so happy, Ignatz. You really are the best husband ever!”

“I don’t know, I think you’ve already claimed that title.” Ignatz teased, and Raphael’s chest rumbled as a hearty chuckle escaped him.

“Aw, Ig. You’re too cute sometimes, you know? Actually, forget that! You’re too cute all the time!”

“That’s so cheesy…”

Laughter filled the air as the loving pair cleaned up their lunch and packed away their gifts. Ignatz frowned, not really wanting this perfect day to end with them back on the road quite yet. When Raphael moved to sling his pack over his shoulder, Ignatz placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“Hey, Raph?” Ignatz said, and Raphael gave him a quizzical look. “Would you mind it if we just stayed here for the day and moved on in the morning? I’m...not quite ready to leave this relaxing place.”

“Oh yeah! I’m totally okay with that!” Raphael said, nodding enthusiastically as he took Ignatz’s hands, fingers gently brushing over the wedding ring on his left hand. “If I had any say in it, I’d spend all of my time just relaxing with you in my arms!”

“I’d definitely do the same.” Ignatz said, smiling as he looked up into Raphael’s eyes. With that decided, Raphael pulled Ignatz into an intimate embrace as their lips met in a tender kiss. The light wind that blew across the verdant meadow around them cooled their flames of passion, but could never blow strong enough to extinguish the unwavering, unconditional love that they held for each other.

[catlady1986]

Guilty Pleasure

Chapters: 2/?  Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Rating: Teen And Up Audiences  Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings  Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum Characters: Gladiolus Amicitia,  Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Ignis Scientia, background characters Tags: Romance, Secret Relationship, Older/Younger Lovers, Prejudice, Student/Teacher Relationship, more later

Note: This one is longer than the last, had a lot to add to this part. If it comes off as too wordy or doesn’t flow well let me know and I’ll fix it. Also, the rating will go up next chapter. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡ – ✧) Thank you and enjoy!

Previous Next

The sound of his doorbell ringing relentlessly finally annoys Noctis into waking up, grumbling as he slides out of bed. He finds his friends on the other side of his door, them smiling and looking at him with intrigue.

“You both are jerks for ditching me.” Noctis snaps and then yawns.

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Prompto chuckles and slings an arm around his shoulder as they head inside, then gives a wink. “I bet you still had a good time without us there, maybe met someone nice?”

He did, but wait, does that mean-

“I brought you some hotcakes I made this morning.” Ignis says and hands him a Tupperware container.”

“Oh, thanks Iggy.” Noctis grabs a fork and stands against his counter, digging in and looking to his friends, them staring again with intrigue. “What?”  

“So tell us, what’d you do after we left? Did you meet anyone new by chance?”

Noctis furrows his brows. His stomach begins to knot and a pang of dejection washes over him. Gladio hadn’t come over to him of his own volition, he was asked to. But something didn’t add up, he hasn’t told his friends yet that his preferences lean towards men. Hell, he just realized only a few months ago after falling hard for a male teacher he assisted. So how and why was Gladio chosen?

The black-haired man sighs while shaking his head then gives them a pointed look before taking another bite. “Yeah, I did. Guess that was your doing?”

“Oh come on bud, don’t be mad. We just wanted you to have some fun.”

“I don’t need you two to set me up on pity dates.”

“I’m sorry Noct. We thought it would help you out.” Ignis says, looking a tad remorseful. “You’re terribly shy and don’t leave our sides when out.”

“Yeah! You get really awkward and standoffish around people” Prompto chimes in.

“Plus she’s a nice young lady, just started as a receptionist at my office.”

Noctis freezes. She? The person they tried hooking him up with was a woman? So then Gladio wasn’t asked to flirt with him. He liked him for himself. This makes Noct grin smugly.

“Huh, guess you guys were wrong about me then.”

“Wait, so you met someone else?” the blonde asks, eyes widening comically. “Dude, who? Was she hot?”

“Not telling.”

“Aw, don’t be a jerk.”

“So you didn’t meet with Jessenia? Oh dear, I’m going to have to write her an apology note then. Maybe some flowers, box of chocolates too.” the glasses-wearing man says and puts a reminder on his phone.

“Come on Noct, don’t leave your bros hanging. Tell us what she was like, did you get her number? Are you two meeting up again.” Prompto asks and nudges his friend.

“Again, not telling.”

Prompto lets out an overblown whine as Ignis goes stonefaced like he’s deep in thought. Then a subtle bit of irritation flashes onto his face before his stoic mask is back on.

“It’s a man, isn’t it?”

“Wha?” Is Prompto’s reaction, looking between his two friends.

Noctis stops eating, his face turning a deep red color and eyes down-turning to the floor. Leave it to Ignis to somehow ass pull the correct assumption even though he’s usually terrible at reading the atmosphere.

He sighs and sets the container down, knowing he’s going to end up losing his appetite after the incoming barrage.

“Yeah.”

“What? Noct are you- Umm- So you're uh.” Prompto stutters before shaking his head, looking slightly hurt at his friend. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I- I really only discovered it recently myself. I thought that maybe it was just a one-time feeling but the guy I met last night, we had a connection. Sorry, I should have said something sooner.”

The blonde smiles and softly knocks his friend in the shoulder with his fist. “It’s all right dude, just next time talk to us about it. Right, Iggy?”

“Uh, yes, sure.” the man says, shifting about then giving a friendly smile. “We will always support you Noct, even if the information is, surprising.”

“Thanks, you guys.”

“So now that is out,” Prompto begins and nudges his friend like before. “what did he look like?”

Noctis chuckles softly. “As cliche as it is he was tall, dark, and handsome. Really nice too, we played pool and chatted for a while.”

“What’s his name? Does he work? Where does he live?” Ignis grills the younger man.

Noct can’t help but roll his eyes. “His name is Gladio, he works at a bookstore, and lives with his parents but is saving money to move out. He said they’re really strict.”

“How old is he?”

“Early to mid-twenties, I believe.”

The sandy-haired man’s eyebrows arch up. “And he lives with his parents still?”

“Iggy, I lived with my dad until I was twenty. Enough with the interrogation.”

“Just worried about you, you don’t know who this young man really is. For all you know he could be a prostitute or a thief preying on naive people.”

“Jeez, thanks Igs.” Noctis huffs. “If he was any of those, wouldn’t he have tried to come home with me last night?”

“That’s true.” Prompto says and gives Ignis a nudge. “Cut him some slack, this guy may actually be genuine and bring our awkward dork out of his shell.”

“Wow, I feel so loved.”

“Very well. So what do you have planned for the day?”

“Pick up my pants and blazer from the dry cleaners. Then I’m going to go over the syllabus’ for my classes tomorrow.”

“I see. Would you like for me to come over then and help you look over it? I can make us dinner?”

“You don’t have to, besides today is your day off since you got dragged in yesterday. Enjoy it and lounge around your apartment, be lazy.”

“That is a waste of time when I could be doing something fruitful.”

“And that is why you got an ulcer.”

Ignis sighs and shakes his head. “Fine, I will try to relax.”

“Well, I think it’s time for me to scoot.” Prompto says and flashes a big smile at his friend. “Congrats buddy, hope things work out for you, I mean it.”

“Thanks, Prompto.”

“I should be leaving as well, need to stop by the grocer, running low on Ebony. Have a splendid day Noct.”  

“You too, see ya.”

The two men begin to leave but Ignis stops and turns back around at his friend, staring intently at his face.

“I do hope you plan on shaving, it wouldn’t be professional for you to look unkempt on your first day.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” he says and waives his friend off.

Noctis sighs and leans against his island counter, shaking his head. While it wasn’t how he had planned coming out if it proved to be true, at least it wasn’t as bad as he thought. Although there is still his father. He tosses the container into the sink and looks at his wallet, seeing a white note sticking out of it. Gladio’s number. Should he possibly try to call him? No, he may be in trouble if his parents are as strict as he said and Gladio did say to call him later. He does wonder though if he is all right, he seemed nervous when he said his parents were coming for him. Maybe he should- no, he’ll wait.

So Noct gets going for the day, taking a quick shower, then gets dressed and starts to head out. He glances at the note again, feeling a fluttering sensation in his belly and his chest become tight.

While out, he finds that his mind constantly wanders back to the young man, especially when he catches a glimpse of someone tall with brown hair or hears a deep rumbling laughter. Noct feels ridiculous, like a love-struck teen who can’t wait to see their crush after being away from them for a day. He tries to clear his head however when he arrives at the dry cleaners, he sees a bookstore down the street, remembering that Gladio works at one and should be there. Would it seem stalkerish if he stopped by to see if Gladio worked there?

Throwing caution to the wind, Noctis heads into the bookstore after picking up his items, scouring about but not finding the young man and then learning from a clerk Gladio didn’t work there. A bit downtrodden, he heads back to his car and goes to leave, but stops and looks at his phone. Maybe he could see if there were any other bookstores nearby, he could check them out, see if the young man is there and find out how he is doing.

Well, there is apparently way more bookstores then he initially thought and there was no way he could stop at them all. That would be too stalkerish and a waste of gas. So he decides to just check out the closet ones and if Gladio is not at any of them he’ll just leave it at that. He does really want to see him again though so he hopes for the best. Not at the first, nor the second, or the third. Noctis sighs deeply as he sits outside the fourth, a quaint little bookstore that isn’t like all the chain stores with their bland decorum while trying to be hip with the younger generation.

Noctis heads inside and gets a strong earthy scent along with a hint of flowers; the smell reminds him of Gladio. His heart begins to pound in his chest and he begins trembling from nerves. A female clerk walks by and smiles at him, before greeting the older man.

“Hi, anything I could help you with today?”

“Oh umm, b, by chance is there a uh, a young man named Gladio that works umm here?” he says, trying to act normal and not like a flustered dork.

The young woman gives him a once-over, then goes wide-eyed and smiles. “Just a second.” she says and scurries off to the back.

Noctis can feel his chest tighten, he becomes sweaty and nervous. Then the man steps out from the backroom. It’s like one of those cheesy scenes in the movies where the main character’s love interest enters the room and everything around them freezes while they continue to move, all the attention focused on them. But then Noctis feels his heart drop as Gladio looks at him; he doesn’t look at him with annoyance or disgust, he has a soft smile on his face along with woe. One of his cheeks was bruised and swollen like he had been hit. Despite that, Gladio still gives him that sweet look like he had the night before, making Noctis cheeks heat up.

“Hey, fancy meeting you here.”

“Yeah, I was in the area so I uh stopped in.” Noctis says and chuckles embarrassedly. “See if you by chance worked here.”

“Huh, lucky guess. Must be fate.” Gladio says and flashes a flirty look at the older man.

Noct feels his heart thump rapidly. “Yeah.” He looks up at the young man and smiles before furrowing his brows, reaching his hand up to cup his swollen cheek. “Were you hit?”

“Oh, that? No, I got angry and slammed my door shut, it knocked a plaque I had hanging over the frame down. Dumbass me just stood there and watched it fall before it thwacked me on the face.”

Noctis frowns. He doesn’t believe him, he’d seen similar things and heard similar excuses from kids being abused. But Gladio wasn’t a kid, so it’s not like he could call child services. So he dejectedly lets it go.

“So how badly are you grounded? No tv or phone?”

“No dessert too.” Gladio snorts. “It wasn’t too bad, just a lot of yelling and door slamming. Plus I have to stay at my mother’s on the weekends since my dad is at work and can’t ‘babysit’ me.”

“You really do need to get your own place, that sounds horrible.”

“Yeah, in time.” he says and bites his lip. “So I uh get done in a couple hours, would you maybe wanna get a bite to eat with me?”

“Are you even allowed too?”

“Yeah, my mom lets me have a bit more freedom then my dad does. Plus I usually get something to eat on my way home so if I’m late she doesn’t fuss.”

“Ah, okay. Where would you like to meet up?”

“There’s a diner by the bus stop down a few blocks, that sound good?”

“Yeah, sounds great.” Noctis says and smiles as his cheeks rosy. Then a thought strikes him. “Oh, since you’re staying at your mother’s on the weekend, I can give you my number then.”

“Sure. I can use the house phone so my calls can’t be monitored by my dad.”

Noctis quickly scribbles his number down onto the back of a receipt he had stuffed into his pocket and hands it over, exchanging bashful smiles. They say their goodbyes with Gladio heading back to work and Noct deciding instead of going all the way back home he’ll kill time by putzing around the nearby mall. Maybe he’ll look into some new ties while there.

An hour goes by and his phone begins to vibrate, an unknown number flashing across his screen. He’s apprehensive at first but answers it anyway.

“Hello?”

“Oh! Awesome! So you didn’t give me a fake number.” Gladio chuckles from the other end. “Hey uh, business is kinda slow so Karis is letting me leave early. Wanted to let you know I’m heading over, if you don’t mind eating around five.”

“That’s fine, I’ll stop by and pick you up. I’m over at the mall.”

“Yeah, okay, see you then.”

A wave of giddiness overcomes him. He hasn’t felt this excited since his early twenties when he and his then-girlfriend went out for the first time. That was the last time he dated or felt attracted to a woman. She broke his heart badly. Hopefully, it ends up better this time around.

Noctis finds Gladio waiting outside the bookstore and picks him up, them bantering awkwardly and flirtatiously as they head to the diner. But as they arrive, the younger man’s face goes white, his eyes widen and he bites his lower lip before quickly shifting his large frame out of sight.

“Shit.”

“Gladio? What’s wrong?”

“My fucking stepmother is there with my sister and stepbrothers.”

Noctis furrows his brows and looks through the large windows of the diner, spotting a middle-aged woman with three kids. He looks down at Gladio and catches the slight look of fear and brokenness in his eyes along with his panicked breathing, it making Noct’s stomach turn for some reason he can’t quite put his finger on. Without a word, he puts the car in reverse and drives away but Gladio remains in his hunkered over position, his breathing still frantic. In a move that would send Ignis into a tizzy, he pulls one hand away from the steering wheel and gently touches Gladio’s cheek before petting his hair. This seems to do the trick and his breathing returns to normal before sitting back up with a sigh.

“Gladio?” Noct asks with deep concern.

“Sorry, I have bad anxiety. I was afraid she’d catch us together.”

Noctis looks to him with remorse and gently rests his hand against his face again. “You want to go someplace else or do you want me to drop you off at your mother’s?”

“If, if it’s alright with you,” Gladio begins and turns to look at him, his amber eyes looking harrowed. “could we stop someplace secluded? I want to cool my head before I go home, I’ll give you gas money too.”

“You don’t have to give me money, I’ll do it. I used to take this one kid out for ice cream after school because he didn’t want to go home until his mother got done with work. Found out the neighbor that was watching him had been touching him inappropriately.”

“Ah, you sound like one of those do-gooders you read about it the paper.”

Noctis smiles. “Yeah, I like helping people. Even though I get really shy and flustered at first, I still try my best.”

“Wish there were more people like you out there in the world, maybe it wouldn’t be so rotten.”

Noct quickly glances at Gladio, noticing the pained look on his face. A thought pops into his head that would kill two birds with one stone. “Hey, I live not far from here. Why don’t we stop at my place and I’ll order out. That way you can clear your head.”

A soft blush forms on the brunette's cheeks. “Oh, yeah, that sounds good.”

Noctis continues to drive until he arrives at the carport for his apartment complex, shutting the vehicle off though neither exits right yet.

“Hey, thanks Noctis.” Gladio says and looks over at the black-haired man, smiling fondly. “Seems my gamble going and talking to you last night didn’t end in a mess.” His smile grows into one of teasing. “Or my dead corpse dumped in the river.”

“You thought I could’ve been a serial killer?” Noctis laughs.

“Hmm, people never suspect the cute ones.” Gladio’s eyes half lid as he looks at the older man, a sliver of a pink tongue swiping across his dry lips. “Hey umm, Noct?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I, can I kiss you?”

The thirty-year-old’s heart pounds in his chest and his body begins to tremble. Kiss? He hasn’t kissed anyone in years, not since his girlfriend. Will he still any good at it? Is Gladio teasing him? Is it too soon? Should he say no, that he wants to wait? His mind continues to race, even as his body begins moving on its own, leaning towards the young man who tilts his head.

Their lips brush momentarily before pressing them together in a tender kiss. It feels exhilarating and he wants more. Noctis rests his palms against Gladio’s cheeks, deepening the kiss that becomes needy and carnal, large tan hands gripping him around his waist. Tongues explore about in each other's mouths and dance about together, soft moans escaping out until Noct gasps when he gets cupped through his pants.

Blue eyes stare deeply into brown, both filled with lust, as the two pant quickly and continue to hold each other. Noctis is the first to pull back, opening his door and stepping out but he pulls Gladio with him, then he pins him to the side, capturing his lips once again as the younger man runs his hands down his back before gripping his ass. Noctis pulls back once again, their lips separating and making a loud smack, and takes hold of Gladio’s hand leading him towards the elevator. He has never done anything like this before but the feelings he’s experiencing are intoxicating and he wants more, wants to feel the pleasure of doing something scandalous. Taboo.  

[wellpersonsblog]

Best of the Bean – Year 9

Hi friends!

Although I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit it, I totally forgot about my 9-year blogiversary that happened a couple of weeks ago. I guess that’s what happens when mom brain is in full effect and you’ve been blogging almost a decade. It’s hard to believe I’ve been doing these Best of the Bean yearly recaps for 9 years and to be honest, I almost skipped this year. 

With three young kiddos, the blog has certainly slowed down over the last year, often taking a back seat to me spending time being mom and when I stopped to think about it, I really didn’t feel like I’d accomplished all that much since my last yearly recap. I spent most of the past year either very pregnant or in the trenches with a newborn.

But that’s actually what I like best about doing these recaps. By forcing myself to look back at all my posts from the last year, it opens my eyes to exactly how much i DID accomplish. I published almost 30 brand new recipes and did a month’s worth of 4×4 posts where I shared how to use 4 ingredients to make 4 different meals for the week. I also shared two detailed roundups of suggestions for lower sugar cereals and healthy granola bars for kids and shared my favorite things to buy at Costco.

I covered a few food prep topics, shared a few parenting posts and also reshot and shared almost 20 recipes that were buried in the archives and deserved a second look! Plus I created and released an entire ebook of freezer meals. 

I did all that while watching 3 kids full-time, often running on very little sleep.

And you can bet your bottom dollar I’m proud of that! 

So the next time you’re feeling like you haven’t done enough or could have done more, spend a little time looking back and reflecting on what you actually did! Chances are you might surprise yourself and it just might help you recognize that you have A LOT to be proud of.

Here’s a roundup of all the new posts and recipes since August 2018. If you missed any or are new around here, definitely take a look and give a few a try! I’d love to hear what you think

YEAR 9 NEW RECIPES

Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Tortellini

Chocolate Lentil Bars

Apple Graham Cracker Nachos

Omelet Spirals

Sheet Pan Sausage & Smashed Potatoes

Almond Flour Butter Cookies

Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast

Spinach Feta Meatballs

Instant Pot Asian Peanut Noodles

Kid-Friendly Smoothies with Vegetables

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Green Beans

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

My Go-To Energy Ball Recipe

Slow Cooker Creamy Mexican Chicken

Peanut Butter Hemp Cookies

White Bean Muffins

Red Lentil Pancakes

Crunchy Kale Salad with Couscous

Carrot Pineapple Turkey Meatballs

Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken

Zucchini Oat Bars

Spicy Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Pesto Lentil Balls

Loaded Strawberry Spinach Salad

Peanut Butter S’mores Bars

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Oat Bars

Zucchini Carrot Brownies

Blueberry French Toast Muffins

What To Do With Hard-Boiled Egg Yolks

YEAR 9 ROUND-UPS, FOOD PREP & PARENTING

Easy Farro Recipes

Easy Egg Recipes

Easy Pulled Pork Recipes

Easy Broccoli Slaw Recipes

Costco Favorites

Lower Sugar Cereals for Kids

Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids

Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

Emergency Trunk Bag

Acts of Kindness for Kids

A Week of Component Food Prep and How To Use It

5 Steps to Food Prep

YEAR 9 RECIPE RESHOOTS

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Panini

Pumpkin Energy Balls

Baked Apple Packets

Sweet Potato Waffles

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Yogurt Dip

Veggie Corn Muffins

No-Bake Peppermint Chocolate Bites

Puppy Chow Almonds

Sweet & Spicy Popcorn Snack Mix

Sweet Potato Banana Bites

Top 10 Foods for Sunday Food Prep

Peanut Butter Avocado Cookies

Thai Chicken Meatballs

Paleo Turkey Sweet Potato Meatballs

Paleo Shrimp Scampi

Microwave Sweet Potato Mug Cake

If you missed my ebook, you can check out Freezer Magic here. 

  Cheers to another great year of sharing content, both new and old, to help make your lives just a little bit easier. Thanks for following along! If you want to see more of our daily life, be sure to follow along over on Instagram. We hang out on IG stories a lot!

Enjoy! –Lindsay–

First found here: Best of the Bean – Year 9