#plus that way I get to get them all in their cozy winter outfits!!

[mydollsaregay]

im currently in the process of upgrading my dollhouse lighting, so the current atmosphere of the dollhouse isn’t inspiring me to take pics. however, all the lovely photos of everyone’s dolls in their costumes inspired me to take a few quick photos before I started changing all the outfits for winter gear.

i haven’t really been posting anything lately, but I’ve still been living my best doll life. I had a ton of fun figuring out costumes for (mostly) everyone. I even did a bit of sewing! I altered quite a few princess dresses and even sewed a batgirl cape for ivy!!

[melodyanqel]

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ── ✧ sh. (i. spring day)

congratulations! you have been invited to the romance reality show 'We Got Married' where you will live with your co-star like a married couple. but what will you do when you find out you are marrying your favorite idol?

✿ pairing: idol!seonghwa x fem!idol!oc

✿ genre/tags: fluff, developing relationship, idol au, fake marriage, reality show

✿ word count: 1.3k words

✿ note: the first chapter is here! i honestly wasn't expecting to grab so many people's attention or be interested in the story. but tysm and i hope you all enjoy!

✿ melodyanqel taglist: @hwa-stars @forever-atiny @moonvol6

❪ March, 2024 ❫

Spring awakens with a chatterbox of greens, cherry blossoms are bright and lively, and the winter snow uncovers a new beauty of nature.

The place is cozy with the delicious smell of fresh baked pastries, and brewing teas and coffee. Soon enough, a young beautiful woman steps inside the cafe like a radiant goddess.

All decked out in a spring outfit which consists of a pink flower dress, white cardigan, frilly socks, and black Mary Jane shoes. Her pretty face etched a timid smile. “Hello.” She politely greeted the employees behind the counter. 

But she didn’t notice that someone had been waiting for her. 

2 hours ago - KQ Building

“Okay, let’s take a ten-minute break!”

A male voice tells his seven members. He was panting heavily and paused the music on the computer. His aura gives off such confidence and demand yet with a loyal heart, like a true captain. Hongjoong takes a sip from his water bottle and his dark brown eyes watch his members. Some talked about the dance while some were lying on the floor to catch a breath.

Suddenly, Hongjoong notices a bright red object outside. The practice room’s door was a bit see-through, so he could spot it clear as day. Hongjoong puts down the water bottle on the desk to check it out. 

As soon as the captain takes a look, a whole PD crew is in front of him. A big smile draws on his handsome makeup-free face. “Oh! Hello!” Hongjoong politely greeted. The producer points at the red mailbox by the door to take it. Hongjoong snickers and brings in the object.

“What is that, hyung?” 

The maknae, Jongho, his eyes widened owlishly at the mysterious mailbox. Yunho, San, and Wooyoung looked bewildered at their captain.

Hongjoong shrugged. “I don’t know, but we will find out together. Everyone in the middle.” He tells them and they obey his command. After setting down the mailbox, Hongjoong opens it to pull out a pink envelope with a sticker sealing the letter. 

Yeosang’s eyes brighten. “Guys, look! It’s from We Got Married if you remember the show.” He points his finger at the iconic logo as a sticker. 

Mingi furrowed his full eyebrows. “There’s a new season?” The deep-voice rapper is bemused. Hongjoong responded, “Let’s see if you are correct, Mingi-ya.” He tears open the envelope to read the letter inside. 

Congratulations!

You are selected to join Korea’s #1 romance reality show “We Got Married” where you’ll spend a whole year with your co-star, living as a married couple. We will be sure to provide safety and care throughout the love journey. Plus, there are missions and thrilling events along the way. We hope you have a happy and healthy marriage, 🐰⭐

The emojis reveal who is chosen as the husband and groom. 

“Eh?! Seonghwa hyung?!” San perks his head at the oldest member.

Instantly, all eyes were on him. Seonghwa is speechless with boba eyes popping out of his socket. 

But within seconds, the members all burst out cheering for him. Jongho carries the still-shocked Seonghwa in bridal style and twirls him. Yunho and Mingi played with the lights while Hongjoong, Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung did a conga line and chanted, “Park Seonghwa is getting married!” 

After their mini-celebration, the group sat on the floor and discussed the future of Seonghwa’s future marriage. The PD crew even asked him who would be the lucky bride and sister-in-law. They all assumed it would be someone close to Seonghwa’s ideal type. But he admits to them, “I honestly don’t mind if they are not because I’ll still love them for who they are.” His response made the guys awestruck.

“Wow, hyung. I didn’t know you were that manly.” Jongho spoke with sarcasm. 

The guys laughed out loud when Seonghwa sighed in displeasure. 

He has the letter in his hands and keeps looking at it. Hongjoong could sense the uneasiness of his best friend. The captain pats the oldest’s right shoulder. “Hey, you should be excited. Why are you so nervous for?” He giggles lightheartedly. Seonghwa can get nervous, but this is the most he has ever been. 

His skittish behavior caught everyone’s attention. They had worrisome faces because Seonghwa was more than the oldest member of ATEEZ. He is like their big brother, whose gentleness and softness have so much adoration by many. Seonghwa shares his thoughts. “There was a moment when we talked about relationships. You all considered that I’ll be the best husband to my spouse. So, I’m uncertain if I can live up to the statement.” He confesses his vulnerability. 

Yunho is on his right and pats his other shoulder like Hongjoong. “You’ll do great, hyung. Not everyone is perfect or understands how marriage works at first. We also don’t know as well. But we can give you support and help if you need it.” He assured Seonghwa. 

Of course, they’re ATEEZ and more than just a group. 

A family and a safe place. 

Wooyoung hops out of his spot to back-hug Seonghwa. “We love you, hyung! We want you to be happy!” He presses a sweet kiss on the eldest forehead. Seonghwa grimaced by his overly affectionate friend. In a sincere voice, “Thank you.” He says and is forever grateful. In unison, the guys came to Seonghwa in a big, suffocating group hug.

“Yah!! I can’t breathe!!” He yells out loud and tries to move himself. Despite literally getting crushed by love, he is enjoying it. 

𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚

-Interview-

Replacing the casual look with a dapper appearance, Seonghwa sits on the stool and is wearing a refined dark gray blazer, white dress shirt, black pants, and dress shoes. His ebony locks are elegantly curled and set in place. 

“Hello, I’m Seonghwa of ATEEZ.” The man’s deep, velvety greets the viewers that are watching. 

Q. Are you familiar with We Got Married?

Seonghwa nodded. “Yes. I didn’t fully watch the show when it aired because I was still in school and training under the company. I’ve only seen clips of legendary artists paired up, and I was intrigued by how they handle marriage while having an idol life.” 

Q. Do you think you’ll live up to your group’s statement?

A sheepish laugh escapes from his plump lips. “At first, I thought it was a joke because we make up silly sayings. But I didn’t expect it to come true.” He takes a deep breath to compromise himself. “I’ll do whatever I can to make my wife feel like she is the luckiest woman.” Seonghwa declared genuinely. 

𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚

Mission of The Day: Try to surprise your bride.

When the producer explained about the task, Seonghwa was giddy yet anxious. He’ll disguise himself as a barista at a dog-centric cafe and surprise his future bride. 

After freshening up, as in putting Seonghwa in a uniform and a mask to hide his face, the PD crew drives him to the destination. A camera on the headliner records him texting his members. Seonghwa says, “My group is eager.” He chuckles merrily. “They want all the information about today. It feels like they’re my parents.” In which, he is unsure to tell them about this reality show. 

Will he introduce his wife to his family?

Even though it’s for entertainment, Seonghwa becomes curious if they’re interested to know more about his fake spouse. Well, that has to wait. He brushes it off and cares more about the current time.

Subsequently, the producer announced the arrival at The Wal’z dog cafe. “We are here. Good luck, Seonghwa.” They give him their best wishes. He thanked them wholeheartedly because he hadn’t stopped the nerves from skyrocketing. 

When he enters the place, he is greeted by adorable furry friends. “Hi~” Seonghwa immediately bends down to pet their soft fur. “Wow. I feel less nervous now.” He is convinced that he just needs some comfort from the dogs. 

Seonghwa pouts, “I’m sorry. I have to work now.” He apologizes to the smiling furballs. However, they didn’t seem to care because they wanted pets. 

Eventually, the male idol begins his mission by heading to the counter and pretending to act like he is a barista. Although it may be for the show, Seonghwa actually wanted to learn how to make the drinks and pastries. 

He’ll possibly make them for his wife. 

series masterlist

[fujoshirat]

+Strawberry Magic! ♡ 30 Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!♡+

Chapter 5: Winter Gala Cinderella

Summary: When virgin Pro Hero Shouto turns 30, he gains the magical ability to read the minds of people that he touches. After finding out that his personal assistant has a crush on him, everything changes and Shouto finds himself lost in the stressful game called love.

Pairing: Todoroki Shouto x Reader

Warnings: Aged up characters, slight cursing (not a lot), both Shouto and reader POV (3rd person POV too), slight anxiety attack

"Oh! Please come in, Todoroki-san!"

Taking his shoes off at the entrance, Shouto looks around. Y/N's apartment has a homey feeling to it; cozy colored lights, warm wallpaper, and the gentle smell of vanilla fill his senses. Turning back to his assistant, he notices that she has already somewhat put on her dress.

"You came just in time, sir! I managed to zip it up a little bit, but I still need help."

"Of course, I'll help you."

Finding the zipper, Shouto quickly zips it up. 'No more zipper incidents.'

"All done."

"Thank you!"

The dual-toned man watches his assistant twirl around in front of the mirror, admiring the expensive outfit.

After wrapping her boa around herself, Y/N takes Shouto's hand. He leads her out of the apartment and into his car.

...

If you had to describe the gala in one word, it would be majestic. Upon entering, you notice that the entire ballroom is elegantly decorated with crystal chandeliers, gold accents, and floral arrangements. The guests are pro heroes and employees, no doubt top-tier and elite, all dressed to the nines. In the corner, there is a live orchestra performing softly. Shifting your boa around yourself nervously, you look up at your boss.

"Todoroki-san, this gala is incredible! Thank you so much again for inviting me!"

"It's no problem at all, L/N-san. You look stunning, and I'm glad that you accepted the invite."

Being complimented by THE Shouto Todoroki felt like a dream. Even if he was your boss and you saw him five out of seven days of the week, it still made you feel elated to be noticed.

♡♡♡

Shouto makes his way through the crowd, his assistant's arm looped with his. He could feel the stares and curiosity from the onlookers, but that didn't matter. All he could focus on were Y/N's thoughts.

'So many pro! Oh my gosh!! Is that Froppy? Uravity? I wonder if Dynamight is here too?? I should get an autograph or something! It's not every day that I have this chance to meet them- oh? Is that shrimp cocktail and steak over there?'

Shouto chuckles quietly to himself. 'So L/N-san is a secret hero fangirl, huh? That's cute.'

-Huh? Snap out of it!-

Shaking his head, he makes his way to his closest friends. Izuku notices him and waves.

"Shouto!"

Katsuki simply nods, but his gaze hardens when he notices the woman behind Shouto.

"Hey, it's good to see you both again." Shouto looks at his assistant and puts a hand behind her back. "This is L/N-san, my assistant. L/N-san, these are my friends, Midoriya and Bakugou."

'OH MY GOSH!! IT'S DEKU AND PRO HERO DYNAMIGHT!! I knew they would come, but I didn't realize that Todoroki-san would introduce me to them!! Omg!!' In contrast to her exhuberant thoughts, Y/N smiles and bows politely.

"It is an honor to meet you two, Midoriya-san and Bakugou-san."

Izuku smiles. "Oh, you were the lady who I Shouto's birthday gifts to!"

Shouto notices the sparkle that grows in Y/N's eyes.

"You remember me?"

"Mhm!"

"No way!!!"

While his assistant and best friend converse, he looks at Katsuki, who quirks a brow at him. The blondie gestures for him to come closer, and Shouto follows. Lowering his voice, he speaks up.

"This is her?"

"Yes."

"Why's she yer plus one?"

"...I don't know."

Shouto genuinely didn't have an answer. All this time, he thought that he did not reciprocate the feelings that Y/N fostered for him, yet... these past few weeks, ever since finding out about her crush on him, he's been... conflicted.

After a period of momentary silence between the two guys, Katsuki scoffs.

"It looks to me like you're stuck. Don't be leading her on."

Letting out a sigh, Shouto replies.

"I know."

...

After having a friendly conversation with his friends and greeting the higher-ups who organized the gala, Shouto leads his assistant to a quiet table to dine at. The food was opened after some remarks by the president of the Japan Heroes Association Board, and everything was fine.

However, once they had finished their food, Shouto heard a camera behind him.

CLICK.

Whipping his head around, he notices a man holding up a reporter's camera at the other side of the room. The flash from the shutter also seemed to have alerted other guests. Security bolted towards the mab, but it was too late, he began running around like a chicken with its head cut off, snapping pictures of the other guests. A woman screamed when another flash went off. Suddenly, there was a group of cameramen at the entrance.

"Why are there reporters?"

"Wasn't this supposed to be a private event?"

Shouto looks at Y/N with concern. Her face is filled with worry. "Sir, what's going on?" "Some reporters must have snuck in. This was supposed to be a private gala."

FLASH.

A reporter snaps a picture of him and his assistant. Flinching, Y/N shielfs her face with the expensive fur.

"Pro hero Shouto! Are you dating this woman?"

Before he can respond, a security guard drags the reporter out. Shouto hears a sigh escape Y/N's face, though he notices her quaking legs and shaky breathing.

"Would you like to go somewhere quieter?"

...

Once the elevator door opens, Y/N gasps. The rooftop garden was beautiful; fragrant flowers, orchestral music playing softly on the speakers, the vibrant city lights.

Everything seemed magical.

"It's... so beautiful and peaceful here. Thank you, Todoroki-san."

Shouto smiles, relieved that she is no longer displaying signs of anxiety.

"Considering what happened in the ballroom, I thought you might appreciate the peace here. Sorry, this is the first time that the paparazzi has been so desperate that they've had to sneak in.

Taking a seat on a bench, Y/N speaks up.

"So, Todoroki-san-"

"Shouto."

"Hm?"

"Call me Shouto."

"Are you sure?"

Was Shouto sure? Y/N wasn't his lover or family, she was his assistant. But, in the moment, Shouto was absolutely sure.

"Absolutely."

"Well then, call me Y/N."

"Y/N."

"Shouto."

The corners of his mouth threaten to curve up when he hears his assistant call him by his first name. Her sweet voice, the way his name rolled naturally from her tongue, it all felt so... tender.

"So, I can imagine that you attend fancy events like this often."

Shouto nods, "Yes. Even since high school, I've had to attend events."

"You seemed so natural in there! I was so nervous, there are so many people that I look up to!"

"Really? Pro heroes?"

Y/N's smile widens as she nods.

"Mhm! I saw so many! Froppy, Uravity, Earphone Jack, Chargebolt... you even introduced me to the famous Midoriya-san and Bakugou-san!"

"All those people you mentioned, I actually attended high school with them." Shouto laughs when his assistant gasps.

"Really?!? Oh my gosh, that is so crazy but makes so much sense!"

As she rambles on, Shouto notices the stray strand of hair covering a small part of his assistant's face. Gently, he tucks it behind her ear.

'She's... gorgeous.'

And then, he hears her voice.

'I have to say it.'

"Todor-Shouto, I like you."

.

.

.

'Did she jus-' 'Oh shit.'

Y/N stands up abruptly, the boa falling off her shoulders and onto the bench.

"I'm sorry sir, I have to go!"

She runs off as fast as she can in her heels and enters the elevator. Shouto realizes what is going on and snaps out of his stunned trance. He grabs the boa and runs to her.

"Y/N, wait!"

The door shuts before he is able to stop it. Looking at the boa in his hands, he curses.

"Damn it!"

A/N: Sorry for the late update, but here's chapter 5!! It's a little different from how I usually write (in my opinion), but I hope you still enjoyed it >w< I apologize if the anxiety attack scene was not very good, I personally have not experienced such an attack nor have a written one into a story.

As usual, thank you for reading Strawberry Magic!! Chapter 6 may also take a week to be posted, but I won't abandon the series. School has started once again and I have extracurriculars, so I apologize in advance for the inconsistency! If you want to be added to the taglist, just lmk <3

~entire fic and notes written by me: fujoshirat!

Taglist (tysm <333): @boogiemansbitch, @bleedingwhiteroses222

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Quilts, knits, and the art of letting go of those who only see an idealized version of you

The dangerous thing about fiber arts is that when you get into one thing, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll want to try another, then another, and another. Some things you really like, others, you’ve tried it and thought maybe this isn’t your thing. Depending on how much you plan to get out of a certain craft, it can end up being sort of costly, not in terms of $$, but in terms of materials. I’ve seen people with a huge yarn stash that there’s even a saying about how they’ll never get through all their yarn in their lifetime!

This event involves two crafts, knitting and quilting. It’s also a collaboration between Daisy Jane and Jamila for a special fall/winter collection. Almost exactly one year ago, Jamila opened up her shop, Patchwork Knits, which for now mostly sells knit and quilting patterns. In the near future though, Jamila hopes to expand with things like hand-dyed yarn, fabric, and various notions for sewing and knitting.

So far, Jamila really been killing it with her knitting patterns. I fell in love with her Cozy Cardi as soon as I saw the pics she posted on her socials and just had to make it. It’s one of those patterns where I want to make a lot of them in different colors because the style is so classic and can go with a lot of different outfits.

Never have I been so proud of a project like this one. The construction’s the kind where you start with the neckband and then pick up for the body. Since the button band’s worked on as you go in smaller needles than the body, it can get a little fiddly to work with, especially in the beginning. It took me some time to get used to, but in the end. It wasn’t so bad. And I think it kept things a bit interesting when I got to the body.

And instead of stockinette, it’s in half-Fisherman’s rib, a stitch that I’ve grown to like. Sure, it can be slow growing since your rows are basically in half. And it’s ribbing, which can get tedious sometimes. But, at least for me, half-Fisherman’s engaging enough that it doesn’t feel like a drag. Plus, I really like how the fabric turns out. I definitely don’t mind doing more projects with half-Fisherman’s rib.

As for full Fisherman’s rib or brioche, I don’t know if I’m ready to tackle those yet. I’ve heard that they’re real yarn eaters, which means they’re even slower growing. Yeah, I don’t know how I feel about that yet. I do want to tackle them in the future, but maybe not for something like a sweater or cardigan, at least not anytime soon. I have seen some patterns with brioche that caught my eye, but with the fact that they use fingering yarn - meaning tiny stitches that’ll take even longer to make progress on - I think I need to slowly build my courage. The last thing I want is to become discouraged in the middle of a project, especially one that I put so much time and effort into.

Right now, I’m working on a Cozy Cardi for my mom, as well as another one of Jamila’s patterns, the Warm Spring Days cardigan for myself. Since my mom’s birthday is coming up in two months, this project will take priority. Plus, Warm Spring Days is meant for the warmer season, so it’ll be a while before I get to wear it. So far, both are going well. I just separated the sleeves and body for my mom’s cardigan, and am slowly making my way shaping the back of Warm Spring Days.

The thing about Jamila’s knitting patterns is that they look simple and classic, the kinds of things that most people would consider staples in their wardrobe. What makes her stand out is the construction of her patterns and the techniques she uses to shape her garments. It’s also a plus that she’s size inclusive and seriously takes the time to make sure that her patterns work for all different kinds of body types. Although she’s a new designer, she’s already seriously making waves in the community!

Based on my personal experiences with Jamila’s patterns, her designs are engaging enough that it sort of challenges you to step out of your comfort zone while being straightforward enough that once you get the hang of what’s going out, it’s easy to turn into a mindless, meditative knit. Though most of her garments look simple, it’s the little details that make her designs stand out and makes the process of making them more fun. Simple, timeless, and basic can be good.

Edie’s mainly working as sort of an assistant with things like tech editing, proofreading, and doing occasional admin stuff. She says she doesn’t mind being an official one when the business really takes off as it would be nice to have something consistent on the side. While she can support herself on music and writing alone, it’s nice to have something else to fall back on if she can’t do either for whatever reason.

Although I’ve been mostly talking about knitting, Jamila’s quilt designs aren’t meant to be slept on. It’s just that I don’t know too much about quilting as the hobby seems kinda intimidating to me. I’ve always liked the idea of using leftover material to make something like a patchwork quit, which is really probably the only reason I would get into quilting.

It’s just that there’s a lot of bits and pieces and steps when it comes to quilting, so I’m afraid of my project looking wonky or off. With sewing in general, there’s a lot more stuff and equipment you have to handle, as well as measurements not behind as forgiving. Especially when it comes to garments, sewing them takes more work than knitting.

So far, quilting isn’t as intimidating as I thought. Though, I’m sticking to small and simple projects where if I make mistakes, it won’t ruin the whole thing. I don’t think it’s something I’ll pick up often, but it is fun and satisfying to put these fabric scraps to good use.

However, I am working on making a patchwork quilt. It’s just that I want it to be strictly fabric scraps rather than going out and getting material specifically for that. It’s gonna be a long term project, just like my granny square blanket. With all the fabric I’ve accumulated over the years, I’m hoping it’ll be kinda like a scrapbook but in quilt form. I think my fabric scraps will be able to make something cohesive looking. I mean, I had all kinds of yarn for my granny square blanket and it ended up looking nice and colorful. So it’ll be something that I’ll work on occasionally whenever I feel like it and I’m excited to see how it turns out.

The event kinda also serves as a test run for some future patterns Jamila’s working on, as well as give her an idea on what to include when she starts putting together kits. We also did some experimenting with dying fibers - nothing much, but just to get an idea of it. She hasn’t gotten the materials yet, which makes sense because dyeing seems expensive and takes quite a bit of work, so it’s a good opportunity to do some tests to see if that’s something she wants to do in the future.

So far, I’d say it’s been going well. Jamila’s not entirely sold on the yarn she used as a sample, though the results came out good. She has other samples to test out and we have plenty of time. At least she knows now that hand dyed yarn is definitely something she wants to dive deeper into. Nothing set in stone yet, but it’s something to look forward to when the time comes.

Edie’s been in better spirits now that a weight has been lifted off her family’s shoulders. Although her father hasn’t been really a part of her adult life, he was always hanging over her and her siblings. The way she put it, he’s not a bad guy, just someone who’s expects too much and only sees you as potential instead of who you actually are. Those kinds of people can be conflicting.

A couple months ago he died unexpectedly and left a will to his kids. Basically, the will he left behind says a lot about how he sees his family. At least, how he thinks they should be. It’s no wonder that Edie and her siblings can’t rely on him. Truth is, they’re actually relieved that he’s gone.

According to Edie, her mother says that her father struggled with dissatisfaction. He was an intelligent, hard working person who was forced to grow up quickly, so he kinda became resentful that his siblings were given opportunities he was never able to get for himself. That was part of the reason why he placed such high expectations on his kids.

Sure, a lot of parents are like that. Well, maybe most of them aren’t as resentful as he was, but it’s understandable that they only want what’s best for their kids. But the issue is, how do they really know what’s best for their kids? Is it based on the kids themselves, or is it self projection? Even with parents who mean well, the line between what they want and what their kids want can be blurred.

At least most parents try to communicate with their kids and know how to admit when they’re wrong. Mistakes happen and we get blinded by our own wishes and aspirations. Sometimes we just have to take a step back and admit that we don’t always know what’s best - for ourselves and for others. We may not see eye to eye on some things - and maybe we never will - but at least we could try to make an effort to communicate and understand each other.

Unfortunately, some people refuse to be understanding. They see you struggling and find something to blame it on instead of addressing the real problem, which is usually more complicated than “X is bad, and it’s you’re fault, and that’s why you’re having this problem.” They shut you down whenever they feel like it, and then complain that you don’t know how to stand up for yourself. You do something that you’re proud of and they respond with indifference, even outright dismissing or insulting you because they’re just not interested.

Being the third born, Edie knew that she was gonna disappoint her father no matter what. He insisted that no one was interested in her music and her writing, dismissing everything just like he did to her older sisters. He made her second guess all her decisions and question whether she deserved to have good things happen to her. At least with her younger siblings, he was kinda like fuck it, like he expected them to disappoint him too.

The biggest thing about him though is that he just blatantly lies about his kids. Like with Edie’s second oldest sister, he told people that she wasn’t married because she has a wife instead of a husband. He told people that Edie’s music wasn’t worth checking out due to her lack of talent, sort of implying that Edie bought her views to make herself look good, which obviously isn’t true. And him sort of implying that Clanwing had ulterior motives to have Rolly and Easton become friends, which is completely baseless and pretty insulting.

I mean, it’s fine if you don’t approve of how your kids are living their lives, but don’t go around spreading misinformation and then shut others down when they call you out on your bullshit. That’s just on a whole different level of low.

No wonder Clanwing doesn’t like the guy. Edie said her father had very high expectations for Easton since he was the only son. But when it turned out that Easton was born missing a limb, he seemed ashamed. Well, that’s shitty of him. At least by the time Easton came around he had distanced himself as a parent to the point that Easton honestly sees him as more of a distant relative who you kinda stay out of their way rather than a father. I’d say it’s a good thing.

Then Easton befriended Rolly, and suddenly his father was a bit more interested in him. By that, he was really only interested in Kent Clanwing. The Clanwing head might have his own glaring issues on the high expectations he sets for his family and the pressure he puts on them for not being like him, but at least he’s not as two faced and dismissive as Edie and Easton’s father.

As for him being two faced, the way he treated Anissa after her stroke is a good example of that. Anissa was one of the few friends who he approved of, though he didn’t like it when she talked back. Meaning, whenever he said something rude about one of his kids in front of her and Jamila, Anissa will respond by saying something nice about them. She was one of the few who didn’t hesitate to call him out on his bullshit, and maybe he kinda respected that as he still would compare her favorably against his own kids. But then she had the stroke and he didn’t hesitate to make fun of her behind her back. So that pretty much says a lot about him.

As for the will he left behind, the terms he set are pretty ridiculous. He didn’t have much to leave behind, but it is pretty significant - as in the amount of money, not so much the real value of it. He really told one of his daughters that she can only get her share of his inheritance if she break up with her wife and marry a respectable gentleman. Uh, not gonna happen. For Edie and a couple of her sisters, he basically told them to give up the lives they have now and follow his instructions or else they won’t get anything. And for the younger ones, it’s pretty much the same - give up what makes you you, and be the person I wanted you to be, even if it contradicts everything about you. Yikes.

Obviously, they’re not following these terms. It’s not like they need the money, so that’s not the issue. Yeah, it’s…I don’t know how to put it…disrespectful? This guy really thought he could control his kids from the dead because he’s their father and they have to do what he says. Except most of them are grown now and are living their own lives with no input from him whatsoever. He was never involved to begin with, so why did he think he could take control now?

Edie wrote about the whole thing on her blog as it was unfolding, mainly just to look back on how ridiculous the whole thing was. Again, she wasn’t mindlessly hating on her father, more like trying to figure out what kind of a person he was. Maybe he had good intentions but he was too blinded by the idea of potential that he failed to see what was in front of him. Either way, she’s long accepted that she can’t change who he is, the same way he couldn’t change who she is.

The way people are is often a mystery. But I guess in most cases, we’ll never really know or understand. I think it makes sense, seeing that we don’t always understand ourselves.

Read on AO3

[pbandjesse]

You know it's hard to tell if things are a side effect if sometimes you are just in bed all day. Because I was in bed all day. I am exhausted and I do not know if it's the weather, or on the medication, or the winter sads, or Christmas? I have no idea. I wish I did more stuff today. I wish I could get up and shake off whatever is wrong. I hope tomorrow is better.

It's not even like I slept bad last night. I had some trouble falling asleep. But I woke up when James got up for work. They put another blanket on me. And that was nice. And I slept until after 10:00. Which I always hate doing but I figure if I needed it then I needed it.

When I did get up I didn't feel 100% great. But I was all right. I went and got washed and dressed but then I didn't like the outfit I had so I changed. I would add a fleece sweater later. But mostly I just popped around the apartment in my tank top dress.

After I got ready I started working on the cookies. James had made the chocolate chip cookie dough last night and it was waiting in the fridge for me and once the first batch was in the oven I started mixing The shortbread dough. James is going to bake it in the morning before I wake up so that it's good to pack and dried out enough. I wanted to do sticks for some of the hopefully they are as nice as I imagine they will be. I always do a three ingredient shortbread. And it usually comes out really nice as long as it's dried in the fridge.

I'd spend a good two hours on baking. Someone did ring the doorbell in the middle and it was just a random person and he had run all the doorbells so I did not go down and deal with that. Let somebody else do it.

James ordered me Chipotle for lunch which was very nice of them. I had only eaten the broken cookies that were coming out of the oven and nothing else. So having rice and everything else was very good. Made me feel a little bit more alive.

I just felt very foggy today. For the first 2 hours of my day I was pretty good but then I was just like out of it. I didn't work on any crafts. I didn't wrap anything. I didn't really even do any cleaning. I loaded the dishwasher but I never even ran it. I just didn't feel like myself.

Once the cookies were done I bagged everything up so that they would be even amounts for gifting purposes. And after James does the shortbread I will put them all in boxes so that we can give them out to people we were going to give them to.

And then I went and laid down. I didn't sleep. I would eventually but for the first hour and a half or so I was just working on stuff on my phone and send an emails and reading an articles and watching videos. But I was so tired. I tried to get up at one point and do something but I realized it was not going to be a good idea and just let myself fall asleep.

I woke up in the sun was down. James was next to me and that was nice but I was very hot and uncomfy. James just laid with me for a little while but then I asked if we could close the storm windows because it's going to drop to such a low degree while we're gone and I don't want Sweetp or the apartment to get cold. Plus then when we get back I will hopefully just be nice and cozy in here. I'm still hoping we're doing Christmas Day at the apartment so I would like it to be nice in here if we do have people over.

I did get up eventually though and James brought me crackers with peanut butter and jelly in the studio. I was going to try to do stuff but I did not. We did get the rest of the storm windows closed though except for one in the studio and the kitchen because we could not figure out how to get them all the way down. So instead we hung a thick blanket over the one window and for the kitchen we will just close the curtain that we have in the doorway. So the kitchen will be cold but not the worst thing.

Now though I've been in bed while James does their podcast in the other room. And I think I'm going to try to get up now and just walk around the apartment for a little bit. Double check that my bag is packed with everything I need for sleeping over my parents house tomorrow. And then I'm going to take a shower and get back in bed and hopefully tomorrow I feel better.

Last year on Christmas I accidentally took way too much melatonin and was in a fog for 3 days. So I'm hoping that at least I'm more awake and can have a little bit more fun. I hope that you guys all have a good Christmas Adam tomorrow and I will talk to you soon. Be safe with the temperature drop. They say there might be a lot of ice on the road so we got to be safe.Good night everyone

[maryeve-the-bitch]

Un jour de février

Fruk week 2021

Day 4: winter / spring

Words: 2,565

Summary: Domestic fruk. Old married couple vibe. The couple is visiting Matthew in Quebec city during the cold month of february.

Warning: French, so much french (Translations are at the end), and mention of sex. Not really explicit though. 

Francis couldn’t wait to visit his son in february. However, he was dreading the cold and the weather he would face when they’d arrive in the city. He wasn’t used to that kind of cold anymore ergo he knew how much he would suffer through it. At least, he would be in good company and his boyfriend Arthur was coming as well.

As soon as Francis and Arthur landed in Quebec city, they traveled straight to their hotel since Mathieu would only be coming the next day and his meeting in the capital got delayed. Hopefully, Francis would enjoy a nice evening with his dear Arthur. The hotel room they picked had a cozy fireplace with a plaid fluffy blanket laid on the king bed. The decor of the room reminded Francis of a lumberjack’s cabin with deer antlers hanging down from the wall and the wood-like walls. While it wasn’t the usual style Francis would like, he did appreciate the coziness of it. He reminded himself not to let Arthur choose a hotel for them by himself again. At least, the bathroom was huge compared to what he is used to and in the middle of it, there was a bath that could easily fit 3 people in it. At the sight of the bath, Francis gave Arthur a teasing smirk as he tucked a lock of his blond hair behind his hair. Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Sure, love. Later.” Arthur agreed to his boyfriend’s silent plea.

Francis wrapped his arms around Arthur’s from behind.

“Je te promets qu’on passera un bon moment.¹” Francis whispered to his ear as he delicately bit it.

“I promise I’ll kick you in the arse if you don’t stop teasing.” Arthur said with his jaw clenched and a blush on his cheeks.

The comment made Francis chuckle and hugged his boyfriend closer.

“C’est trop facile de te taquiner."² Francis kissed Arthur’s cheek and let go of him.

Since they were both exhausted from the flight and the jetlag, they decided to go to bed early after they took a shower.

In the morning, they decided to wait for Mathieu to tell them when and where they would meet in their room after they got back from eating breakfast on the first floor. Francis looked outside the windows, contemplating the landscape from the city under the snow, as Arthur finished getting dressed and buttoned his shirt up.

“On n’a plus d’hiver comme ça par chez nous, hein?”³ Francis sighed.

“You never had winters like this before. Unless you count the ice age.” Arthur commented.

“Ouais. Du coup, c’est ben mieux que ta pluie 10 mois par année.”⁴ Francis retorted, looking back at his boyfriend.

Arthur glanced at Francis before taking his jacket from the bed and put it on.

“Tu sais que la reine vient pas aujourd’hui, hein?”⁵

“Shut your bloody mouth and get dressed, Francis.” Arthur sighed.

Francis let out a dramatic sigh as he let himself fall on the bed face first and grumbled Arthur’s name on the pillow. Arthur just rolled his eyes, ignoring his melodramatic scene as he was well too familiar with it. Francis turned around and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Peux-tu m’aider, mon amour?”⁶

“What? Help you get dressed? You’re not a child anymore.” As Arthur spoke, he received a notification from his phone that was placed on the desk and charging. He picked it up to see what it was.

“It’s Matthew. He wants to meet at the castle at noon.” Arthur paused to look at the time. “You’ve got one hour to get ready.”

“Quoi? Une heure?” Francis whined. "Ça nous donne même pas le temps de faire l'amour."⁷

"We would if you hurry the fuck up and stop whining."

Francis finally got up from the bed, not without whining even more. At the end, he did get ready in under an hour. When Francis got out of the bathroom, he paraded in front of Arthur who was sitting on the chair in front of the desk. Francis wore an open blue see-through shirt with some kind of green flower pattern on it. As for the bottom part, he wrote black trousers with the same flowery pattern.

"We're not going to a gay pub or a fashion show."

"Ah mais il faut que je sois à la hauteur de moi-même quand je sors. Je ne peux pas sortir comme si je serais un pauvre paysan. Pour qui tu me prends, putain?"⁸

"What the hell does that mean?" Arthur sighed. "You're going to wear a warm coat at least?"

Francis walked over to his suitcase and pulled out a navy blue double button wool coat and put it on.

"C'est sublime, non?”⁹ Francis turned around to show all angles of his outfit, feeling proud of it.

“Yes. You’re looking very handsome. You’re going to be cold though. Have you not brought something warmer?” Arthur put his hands on his waist.

“J’ai une écharpe qui ira bien avec. De toute façon, on restera pas trop longtemps dehors. Qui serait assez fou pour aller dehors en un temps pareil?”¹⁰ Francis replied.

“Right. Don’t say I haven’t warned you, frog face.”

Francis would probably die of humiliation if he had to wear something ugly so he’d rather die of hypothermia and being pretty than be seen wearing something hideous. The couple left their hotel room and took a cab to get to their destination. They were still a few minutes late, but nothing Arthur would mind and Mathieu was already waiting for them in front of the castle as agreed.

Upon meeting, Francis hugged Mathieu tightly since he hadn't seen him for months. Arthur greeted him politely under his giant coat that he brought to make sure he didn’t freeze to death. He wore both a winter hat and the hood of his coat with a scarf and at least 2 pairs of gloves. Since Mathieu knew both Arthur and Francis, he didn’t make a comment on how they were dressed. In his opinion, one was overdoing it and the other thought fashion was more important than warmth.

Since Mathieu was getting hungry, they went and looked for a restaurant. While Francis wasn’t hungry, he was gladly welcoming the idea of getting inside. He’s only been 2 minutes out and thought his nipples were already frozen. On their way to the restaurant, Francis tried to warm himself with his hands in his coat pockets and holding his arms close to his body, without much success.

After going down some stairs, at Francis’ displeasure, they walked down a small street that led to the restaurant. Francis remembered that street, he visited it during summer a long time ago. It changed a bit but not enough to not recognise it. He would admire the scenery if he wasn’t so goddamn cold. He just couldn't wait to get to the restaurant at last. Mathieu was explaining to Arthur the historic facts of some buildings even though Arthur already knew those facts; he just forgot. Their chatter sounded mostly background noises to Francis as his focus was mostly on his movements.

Finally, they reached the restaurant. They got seated and offered the menu to order.

“You’re awfully quiet, frog.” Arthur commented as he opened the menu. “Not complaining. That’s just unusual for you.”

Francis glared at his boyfriend. They both knew why he was quiet.

“Can you two stay civil please?” Mathieu asked. He knew his dads and their tendency to fight or argue way too well.

“Of course, lad.” Arthur replied. “I’d offer you my coat for a while, at least until you warm up, but I know too well you won’t accept it.” He continued.

“J’ai pas besoin de ta pitié. Je vais juste commander un bon café chaud et ça ira.¹¹ Francis replied.

“If you say so, love. I hope they offer good tea here.” Arthur said, dismissing Francis’s passive aggressivity.

The waitress came soon after and they all ordered their food and drinks. She took back the menus and left for the kitchen.

“You two are so different. I sometimes wonder how you are still together.” Mathieu commented.

Both Francis and Arthur looked at each other, Francis smiling lovingly.

“Cause we have great sex. That’s why.” Arthur answered Mathieu’s wonderment. He soon received a kick under the table from his partner.

“C’est vrai.”¹² Francis added.

“Please stop. I don’t want to know.” Mathieu interrupted Francis before he would add anything too explicit for him. The Frenchman chuckled while Arthur smiled. Well, at least, Mathieu succeeded to ease the situation between the two.

While they waited for their order, Francis grabbed Arthur’s hand under the table.

“Fucking hell, Francis!” Arthur exclaimed when he felt his boyfriend’s cold hand on his.

“Ah. Je suis désolé, mon amour.”¹³ Francis apologised, looking dejected.

“It’s fine. You surprised me, that’s all.” Arthur said softly as he took Francis’s hand in his.

Thankful, Francis smiled and let Arthur warm his hand. Usually, Arthur hated public displays of affection even as small as hand holding, so it overjoyed him that he accepted to do so.

They talked about Alfred the rest of the time they waited for the order. The American was quite busy at the time so he couldn't make it, but Matthew was grateful he couldn’t because he could easily bring all the attention to him. He appreciated the rare times he got alone with either of his parents. Even when Alfred wasn’t here, he got all the attention, but that was fine with Mathieu. He’d prefer that over Alfred present and talking loudly and interrupting him.

After lunch, Francis felt warmer and happier from the cup of coffee he drank and the small affection he received. His joy wouldn’t last long when Mathieu offered to walk alongside the river and the old port since they were close by. Arthur agreed to it too quickly, Francis thought.

“Et si on allait faire du shopping? Ça serait pas mal, non? Tu m’avais pas parlé d’un centre commercial avec un mini parc d'attractions à l’intérieur?”¹⁴ Francis suggested.

“Well, Matthew and I never liked shopping much and I don’t especially like theme parks either.” Arthur protested as he put his coat back on.

“Besides, there are probably too many people there already.” Mathieu added.

Francis pouted and followed the other two outside. They walked a few minutes until they reached a pedestrian path near the river. Arthur narrated the scenery with tales of the past, including Mathieu in it. Francis would normally enjoy joining in and teasing his partner, but he had troubles following them up even though they walked at a relatively normal pace. The Frenchman wished he was anywhere else other than outside in the cold. He thought of leaving them, calling a taxi and going back to the hotel on his own, but his fingers were already frozen again and he would have to look for the taxi’s number. Arthur probably had the phone number since he called one earlier. However, Francis was too prideful to ask him the number.

They walked and walked until they reached a small park in front of the train station. By that time, Francis thought his fingers were so frozen that he might lose some of them. His feet weren’t any better. Arthur and Mathieu spotted a bench and sat on it to take a break while Francis stood in front of them. At this point, Francis had his hands inside his coat pockets and the bottom half of his head hiding behind the scarf. Some of his hair locks were frozen too for some unknown reason and his cheeks and ears were red, almost turning to purple. When Mathieu sat down, he noticed how cold Francis looked.

“Es-tu correct, papa?”¹⁵ Mathieu asked him with concern.

“Ouais”¹⁶ was all Francis could be able to say through his shivering.

“Would you like to go back to the hotel, Francis?” Arthur sighed.

Francis nodded.

“You could have said so before, you dumb bitch.” Arthur added as he took his phone out to call a taxi.

The Frenchman didn’t have the energy to insult him back. Mathieu stood up and removed his jacket and offered it to his papa. He wouldn’t have taken it if he wasn’t so desperately cold and if he didn’t appreciate and enjoy gifts he received from his kids. The inside of Mathieu’s jacket was really fluffy and warm, like wearing a cloud.

When Arthur was done telling the taxi operator their current location, he hung up the phone and noticed Mathieu gave his jacket to Francis and only wore a red t-shirt.

“Aren’t you cold, Matthew?” He asked his son.

“Nah. It’s only -10°c anyway.” Mathieu shrugged.

Arthur almost choked himself with his saliva at this comment.

“What do you mean, ONLY -10°c? That’s too bloody cold, lad.” Arthur replied, making the taller blond boy laugh. “Even I want to go back inside and get warm. Perhaps get a cup of tea or something.”

“We can wait for your taxi inside the train station if you want.” Mathieu suggested.

The other two didn’t even have to say anything; they both agreed and followed Mathieu inside the train station.

Back at the hotel room, after Arthur took out his own coat, gloves and hat, he helped Francis get undressed and wrapped him around in the fluffy tartan blanket from the bed.

“Sit down on the chair and I’ll light up the fireplace for you.” Arthur requested him.

Francis smiled softly as he sat down in one of the two sofa chairs in front of the fireplace. It didn’t take long for him to sit with his bare feet on the chair, holding his legs close to his body. Arthur took a match out of the matchbox sitting on the top of the fireplace and lit it up. He quickly threw the match inside the fireplace and closed the glass door.

“Right. I’ll get some water boiling for tea. Would you like a cup?” Arthur asked.

“Oui, s’il te plaît.” ¹⁷

Arthur kissed his boyfriend’s red cold cheek and left to the small kitchen to boil some water with the kettle. Francis laid on the side of his head on the chair and watched him, smiling. While Arthur rarely said he loved him or complimented him much, he did care a lot when it mattered. He was there for him if he needed him and of course, Francis would do exactly the same.

Arthur came back with two cups of boiling hot water and put it down on the side table between the two sofa chairs and sat down next to Francis. The Frenchman noticed his boyfriend brought his own tea bags and even thought of bringing Francis’ favourite kind of tea even though he preferred coffee over tea. He watched as Arthur soaked the tea into the cup.

“Are you feeling better, love?”

“Oui. Merci.”

“You’re welcome”

Francis got up from his chair and went to sit on Arthur’s lap.

“What do you think you are doing?”

Francis wrapped his arms around his partner’s neck and kissed him tenderly.

“I love you.” Francis whispered after he was done kissing. Arthur blushed and pulled Francis closer.

“Je t’aime aussi.”¹⁸ Arthur whispered back.

Translation:

¹ “I promise you a great time.”

² “It’s too easy to tease you”

³ “We don’t have winter like this back home, do we?”

⁴ “Yeah. At least, it’s better than your rain for 10 months a year.”

⁵ “You know the Queen isn’t coming today, right?”

⁶ “Can you help me, my love?”

⁷"What? One hour? We won't even have time to have sex."

⁸ "I must be at the top of myself. I can't go out like a poor peasant. Who do you think I am?"

⁹ “It’s gorgeous, right?”

¹⁰ “I have a scarf that would look good with it. Anyway, we won’t stay long outside. Who in their right mind would stay outside in that kind of weather?”

¹¹ “I don’t need your pity. I’ll order a nice hot coffee and I’ll be fine.”

¹² “It’s true

¹³ “Ah. I’m sorry, my love.”

¹⁴ “What about going shopping? Wouldn’t it be nice, would it? You told me about a shopping mall with a mini theme park inside, didn’t you?”

¹⁵ “Are you ok, dad?”

¹⁶“Yeah”

¹⁷ “Yes please.”

¹⁸ “I love you too.”

[yolkyeomie]

Ice Fairies | Hwang Hyunjin

summary — figure skaters are like ice fairies to you, and hyunjin is the prettiest fairy you’ve ever seen

word count — 2.7k words

pairing — hyunjin x gender neutral!reader

genre — figure skater!hyunjin, fluff, mc kinda pines after hyunjin but doesn’t rlly realize it

disclaimer — I actually know nothing about ice skating and ive been writing this since the moment I woke up so if it’s bad + inaccurate I’m so sorry

You had always enjoyed watching figure skaters be in their natural element, it was something about the way they skid across the ice that made you think that there was just something a little… inhuman about them.

If you were to describe what you believe they were, you say they were like fairies. The way figure skaters glittered in the reflection of the ice and the way they glided as if they had wings sprouting it from their back to fly was enough for you to think they were. But that was only from what you had seen on television. You had never seen a figure skater in person because it was wildly out of your own element to do so. And then a few months ago happened.

One day a stranger strolled into your town. It wasn’t an unlikely sight, your town was a frequent resting place for travelers. But the thing about the stranger is that when they strolled into town they didn’t feel like a stranger. In fact, they felt like they belonged. That’s something I’ve been missing in your town and the stranger had suddenly filled up the gaping hole you didn’t know needed to be filled. You thought you were just being delusional, there is no way such a strange person could make you feel this way? A person you’ve never seen in your life?

But then on a very chilly, very quiet winter day you decided to take a walk to your job. You don’t know what inclined you to do so, the weather was close to being unbearable and the ice and snow were thick on the ground from the snow storm before. But you did anyways as if you were challenging mother nature to try and stop you.

When you walk to your unbearable nine to five, there is a big lake that’s usually within your sights then. Because of the conditions beforehand it had turned into this icy winter wonderland, where the water was frozen solid and hard enough for people to walk across. It wasn’t unusual to see parents taking their bundle of children to go skating across it for fun family bonding, or see teenagers push each other towards the slick frozen over waters, so you paid no mind to it at first. But on your walk you saw something... different.

There was the stranger rhythmically moving his feet left and right, his jet black ice skates kicking up little chips and the frozen lake. He wasn’t wearing much to protect himself from the cold: just a throw on jacket and what looked to be sort of loose fitting pants. And don’t forget the low ponytail he wore his blonde hair in, the most recognizable of his lazy attire.

Why you thought he was going to freeze to death out on the lake at first.

Your brain had started functioning on its own, making decisions you weren’t fully comprehending when they happened. Before you know it, instead of being on your path to your boring nine to five, you were sliding down the side of the hill, careful not to let the snow trip you up, and calling out to him to make sure he was okay. When you had finally made it to the edge of the lake, your feet threatening to tip over and slide across its slick surface, he took notice of you. And then he jumped.

Looking back on it now, it was such a simple thing to do. But it left you in complete awe nonetheless.

Your eyes widened in pure disbelief as you watched him go from gliding with careful foot steps backwards to kicking one foot off the ground and forcefully raising the rest of his body into the air. For a moment you thought he was hovering in time, as if that one movement had stopped the flow of gravity just for him to levitate off the ice for a moment. And then in a slow motion-esqe manner you watched as he spun once in the air and then came back down landing perfectly on the same foot he started with.

A single axel, you recognized. One of the first things a figure skater learns when indulging in the sport. It looks so simple when you look at it from an outside eye but somehow it was enough to plunge you down into a world of wonder that you don’t even know you wanted to be in.

From that interaction, that's how you came to know wild and eccentric, Hwang Hyunjin. The new rising star and fan favorite within the figure skating world, and the owner of several gold medals that newbies don’t usually own. You knew that because he wouldn’t stop telling you once he got the chance. As clueless yet endearing his personality and perfectionist tendencies were, you two hit it off almost immediately. You don’t know whether it was because you like the fact that he was a figure skater, something you used to have a huge interest, or you liked him as a person but either way you two had gotten close enough for him to invite you to things outside of your little town.

One of those things, however, you did not expect to be attending one of the biggest figure skating competitions of his life.

Come with me, he said, it’ll be fun! I can show you how professional I get and how easy it is for me to win.

How it convinced you to join him on a cross-country trip is completely out of your mind. However it’s too late to go back on your words as now you were here at his competition standing on the sidelines with full moon like wide eyes looking back-and-forth between everyone who is currently in the room.

There were several other figure skaters here all warming up on the sidelines and getting ready for their performances to impress the judges. Every single one of them within the room were hoping to attend the Grand Prix of figure skating, and this competition was the last thing standing in their way to being able to compete. Despite this important detail though all of the competitors were looking around anxiously, the skin on the back of their neck standing up as they stayed on edge. There was this sense of stress within all of the skaters as the presumed to be new figure skating champion was in the building.

They were scared that no matter how well they went throughout their performance, they would be no match for the long-haired blonde you knew.

“Y/N!” A chirpy voice called out to you, like sunrays wrapped within their tone. You whirled your head around towards them, finally clicking back into the reality that you were here to support and not to gawk.

A boy not that much older than you came skipping up to you, his freckles stretching across his face like strained stars in a telescope’s eye. Lee Felix was a friend of Hyunjin, working and training under the same coach for their competitions. You had only recently met with him just a few days ago when you and Hyunjin had arrived in the city for his competition, but he already proved himself to be such a friendly and honest person that it felt like you had known him for years.

“Felix,” you grin, pushing yourself away from the railing of the ice rink to meet him halfway. Unlike many of the other figure skaters within the room, dressed in sparkly and eye-catching outfits for their performances, he was just as bundled up with warm clothing as you are. It seemed as though he was going to be watching the skaters instead of joining them on the ice for the day. “What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be with your coach and Hyunjin?”

“Usually,” the boy shrugged, moving his hands within the pockets of his puffy jacket. “But I’m not the one competing today, am I? Why would I sit and listen to a lecture about doing my best and aiming for the top when it’s not even aimed at me? Plus it gets boring after awhile.”

You snort at the boy’s excuse, rolling your eyes and turning back towards the ice. “I don’t know, maybe it’s because moral support can take someone a long way?”

“Is it not enough moral support to be standing up and watching from the side lines instead of laying down in my nice, warm, cozy bed? I could be sitting right next to a heated fireplace right now but here I am standing in the cold with no blanket to wrap myself in.” Felix jeered, his eyes looking far off into a world you couldn’t see. But by the expressions on his face you could assume he was fantasizing about the warm bed he had mentioned.

“How can you be an ice skater if the only thing on your mind is a bed and warmth?” You teased.

“Hey! I can’t help the fact that being warm is the best feeling in the universe! Why do you think I like hugs so much? It’s basically just sharing body heat so you won’t be cold,” He argued, wrapping his arms around himself to mimic the gesture. “Let’s not forget the fact that some people also give out the best hugs I’ve ever felt as well.”

You had to conceal the obnoxious laugh that wanted to escape your mouth. Felix was such an endearing person, the way he acts and the way he talks were two completely different things from when he was on the ice. Or at least that’s what Hyunjin told you, but he was known for… overdramatizing things.

“Speak of the devil!” Felix exclaimed untangling his arms from around himself and pointing to the other end of the ice rink. “There’s the star of the day!”

The chitter chatter of the competitors and watchers suddenly began to lower, turning into a low mumble as everyone’s eyes were fixated on the ice skater who had just stepped on the ice to warm up with the feat of the skaters.

Figure skaters are like fairies, you remind yourself. They move across the ice as if they’re flying and they sparkle in the light with a certain ethereal and shimmer to them. You knew this, you’ve always known this about figure skaters. But there was a certain flare about Hyunjin that was simply unmatched by every other competitor in the room.

Maybe it didn’t help with the fact that Hyunjin was already conventionally attractive in your eyes, but seeing him skate across the ice in his costume for his performance was mesmerizing. The way the light bounced across the glittery blue fabric of his ruffled Victorian shirt, or the way the colors of white and blue hues would blend into a beautiful ombré when in combination with his pitch black pants and ice skates. Don’t even get started on how the way the azure blue ribbon tied up in his blond hair gave him just the right amount of purity to make him seem as though he were an angel in the flesh.

Mesmerizing, just mesmerizing.

“Hyunjin!” Felix called, waving his hands to catch the skater’s attention. The boy immediately turned the both of you, a soft smile appearing on his lips as he changed courses and began to glide towards the two of you. The bright lights of the ice rink made him shimmer like stars as he approached and the unorthodox beating of your heart was making it extremely hard to focus on one thing at a time right now. You had never seen him all dolled up and captivating while he was skating before. The best you had ever seen from him was a black skinny jeans and an overpriced on-brand hoodie.

“Felix,” He greeted, his soft smile still unchanging as he dressed his fellow skater. Hyunjin leaned up against the railing for support as his eyes then drifted towards you, adoration swirling within his irises. “Y/N. How do I look? Usually I’m not dressed too flashy but the coach thought this would be a nice change for this particular song.”

“You look nice,” you manage to choke out, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible with the burning hot reds of your ears and your clear flustered face. The figure skater pouted in response to your lackluster compliment, probably expecting a much grander praise from you seeing as this was your first time seeing him dressed in such a way. “What? I told the truth, you look nice.”

“Nothing else? Just nice?” He urged, trying to push another, higher quality compliment out of you. “What about… gorgeous? Ethereal? Bewitching? Exquisite—“

“Nice,” you repeat, absentmindedly running your hands through each strand of blond hair you could reach and gazing at the blue ribbon in his hair. “You look nice.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin nodded, melting into you as you rhythmically brushed your hands through his hair. “Alright, I’ll take that.”

“I did not come here to see you be gross with each other,” Felix chimed in, reminding the two of them that they weren’t alone at the lake in your little town, but in an ice rink filled with people whose eyes were always watching Hyunjin’s every move. The figure skater pushed himself off of the railing, putting a small distance between the two of you as a sheepish laugh escaped his mouth.

You attempted to laugh it off as well, punching Felix in the shoulder with a little too much strength to try and hide the embarrassment. How could you have forgotten that was literally right next to you? What if you slipped up and said something without realizing he was there? What if you acted without realizing everyone’s eyes were constantly on Hyunjin, and because he approached you, you as well?

Stupid Y/N. You’re so stupid, stupid, stupid—

“That’s my que,” Hyunjin gasped as a man spoke over the speakers, his words blasting into everyone’s ears to remind them that the competition would soon begin. You weren’t really paying attention to what was being said, though. Your eyes were too focused on the way the fabric of Hyunjin’s ombré blue and white shirt fit his physique perfectly and the way his hair was fell into perfect shape on his shoulders. “Wish me luck!”

“Get that first place bro,” Felix encouraged him, giving him a hard and strong high five. “Take us to the Grand Prix, I really wanna go to Tokyo this year.”

“That depends,” the figure skater said, turning towards with a shining grin plastered onto his face. “Y/N, do you wanna go to Tokyo?”

“You’re gonna put your whole rookie career on Y/N?” Felix gasped, his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked between the two of you. You don’t blame him for being so caught off guard by Hyunjin’s question, you were just as confused as Felix was.

Your bewildered expression and utter silence wasn’t being taken for an answer as Hyunjin intently looked at you, patiently waiting for you to respond despite the speakers overhead telling all skaters to clear off the ice. After taking a moment to compose yourself, you finally open your mouth to speak. “Hyunjin, you’ve been working towards the Grand Prix final for how long now? You shouldn’t be placing your entire career on—“

“Answer the question,” he interrupted. “Do you want to go to Tokyo with me?”

“Yes,” You finally answer him. “I would like to go to Tokyo with you.”

It was like your answer gave Hyunjin a sudden boost of motivation, his smile going from ear to ear and his eyes turning into little crescent moons as he began to shift to and fro on the ice. “Alright then,” He nodded, kicking himself backwards to go and join the rest of the skaters who were simply waiting for the boy to step off the ice. As he skated backwards, hands behind his back and his ice skates kicking up little chunks of ice, he kept eye contact with you and called out. “I’ll make sure I’ll take you to Tokyo, Y/N! And I’ll win the gold medal just for you!”

“Of course, you will!” You tell after him as he turned around. “You’re obligated to win me the gold medal because you brought me all the way here without telling me! Your gold medal is my gold medal!”

[ptergwen]

last christmas | pt. 2

❆ series masterlist ❆

w/c: 2.5k

warnings: one suggestive joke and a couple of angsty moments

a/n: yo i forgot that harry was actually in this movie as an extra? that’s kinda funny to me but anyways pls send requests (ik it’s annoying i keep asking i’m just so bored y’all help) and enjoyyy

━━━ *:･。.

today feels better than most days. the throbbing headache you usually wake up with isn’t there. plus, you have your date with tom later. it still feels surreal to say that. it still feels surreal he’s your friend’s brother, and you only found out three days ago.

you throw on some sweats and head into the living room. your roommate alex is in front of the tv with a bowl of cereal. she puts it down, the spoon making an obnoxiously loud clink. you’re sensitive to sound, so you unintentionally wince.

“sorry, y/n/n. i thought you had the day off, no?” she asks, lowering the tv for your sake. you smile at the gesture and go to grab your coat. “i do. i just wanna get breakfast.” “we have stuff here,” alex reminds you and picks up her cereal for emphasis. she’s careful not to drop the spoon this time. laughing to yourself, you shrug into your coat.

“i’ll pass. i wanted to say hi to harry, anyway.” “right, tonight’s the night.” she turns her head towards you and smirks. “you’re shagging his brother.” your eyes go comically wide. “no i’m not! he’s taking me out somewhere,” you defend and button up your coat as fast as you can. it’s time to get out of here.

“i’ll make plans just in case,” alex calls out as you shuffle to the door. “yeah, bye!” you shout back. you planned on asking if she wanted anything, but you were too distracted. oh well.

━ ❆

the café isn’t too crowded when you get there. harry is on register, so he’s probably in a good mood. he eyes you curiously when you step up. you give him a big smile.

“you’re not in today,” he says quietly, pushing up the santa hat he’s wearing. you stifle a laugh. you’re all supposed to dress up festively, but you don’t. your manager made an exception. one of your co workers is watching harry, so he fixes the hat. it’s not done without a long exhale.

“i’m here for coffee,” you explain and glance up at the menu. harry squints at you. “you couldn’t have gone anywhere else?” feigning offense, you put your hand on your chest. “why, you don’t want to see me?” “when you’re supposed to be home resting, no.” he taps a button on the register. “what can i get you?”

“first of all, i have a date later. that won’t be happening,” you tell him smugly. he would try to act annoyed, but he’s honestly happy for you. tom, too. “can i have an iced coffee with liquid sweetener? please?” harry raises an eyebrow. “room for milk?” “sure,” you almost chirp. he can’t help but grin.

“i haven’t seen you this happy the whole time i’ve known you,” he mumbles while punching in your order. your smile fades into a concerned grimace. “is that okay, do you think?” harry looks up at you again. “why wouldn’t it be?” “because, i mean, it’s only one date. it could end up going no where.”

you lean over the counter so you can talk quieter. “what would i be happy about then?” “excuse me?” a woman interrupts your conversation louder than necessary. you’re trying to search harry’s face for an answer, but he doesn’t give you one. “one second, sorry,” he apologizes to the customer. you stand up right again.

“tom wouldn’t do all this if he didn’t feel something,” harry nearly whispers while you get out your money. you read your total befofe he could tell you. you let your hand linger in his when you hand him the cash. “you’ll have more than one night of happiness. you deserve it.”

you’re starting to get a bit emotional, so you pull your hand back. you nod and manage a small smile. “thank you, harry. really.” “you’ll let me know how it goes?” he checks. “tomorrow, yeah. have a good shift.” you give him a finger wave and go off to get your coffee. he waves back.

━ ❆

tom gets a text from harry a few minutes after you leave.

y/n is really special. don’t be a div tonight.

he scoffs at his phone and shuts it off. your smile pops into his mind then. he only got to see it once, but he can’t seem to forget it.

harry is right. you are really special, and he better not mess this up.

━ ❆

you and tom decided on eight for your date. he’s meeting you outside your place because wherever you’re going is in walking distance. you bundle up accordingly in your fluffiest jacket and some earmuffs. you’ve never worn them before, but they’ll be your best friend tonight. they’re also cute. this is the time to be cute.

tom buzzes to let you know he’s there at eight sharp. his punctuality is kind of a surprise. you don’t know much about the real him, but this is rare from what you’ve gathered. you tell him you’re coming and hop out the door.

the thing alex said earlier does cross your mind, and she did leave you the apartment. never mind all of that. you try to think of anything but that before you get outside.

“hey,” tom greets as you walk down the stairs. he grins playfully at your attire. “you look cozy.” “you don’t.” he’s wearing a thin black jacket with a flannel underneath. it’s not ideal for the middle of winter in london. a smug smile pulls at your lips.

“you’re gonna walk in that?” you gesture to his outfit, moving so you’re next to him. he hums. “i’ll let you tease me for it the whole way there.” the two of you start walking side by side. it doesn’t take long for you to fall into step. “the whole way? how far is it?” you raise an eyebrow.

“twenty minutes maybe? it can’t be too bad. we have loads to talk about,” tom says rather suggestively. you look over and he’s smirking. there’s never a dull moment with this man. that’s actually just what you need right now. “true. you start,” you prompt him, your arm brushing against his. “tell me all about you.” he leans closer to you instinctively.

“well, i’m an actor. obviously,” tom shrugs like it’s no big deal, making you laugh quietly. he really likes your laugh. “besides that. like, what do you do when you’re not acting?” you ask, eyes fixed on him. he’s so pretty under the streetlights. all the time, really. “this is so boring, but i love golf. i’m rubbish, though,” he says the second part under his breath.

“and i thought you were good at everything,” you tease, tom faking a frown. “no, but seriously. it’s probably nice to do some regular stuff when you can.” he exhales in a way that seems reflective. “exactly, i like having some separation. what about you?” “what do i do when i’m not acting?” you ask sarcastically. “sure,” he plays along.

you think about it while you turn the corner. tom watches you intently, like you’re about to say something actually interesting. you’re not. “not much anymore.” he’s about to ask what you mean by anymore, but you keep going. “i took a gap year from uni, so i’ve been getting that sorted,” you continue, looking up at the dark sky. this isn’t your favorite discussion.

“makes sense. what are you studying?” also not your favorite discussion. “i’m undecided. i was thinking about psychology, but...” you search for something, anything you can to change the subject. the first thing you see is the first thing you mention. “your ears are bright red right now,” you giggle and point at one. tom presses his hands to them, feeling how cold they are.

“damn, you’re right,” he gives in to your conversation from earlier. without thinking about it, you pull your earmuffs off. you put them around his head instead. they’re pink with white snowflakes on them. tom looks cuter with them than you do, you think. “here. these should make them a normal color.”

“aw, but i don’t want you to be cold,” he protests and goes to take them off. you grab his hand before he can. “i’m not.” grinning, he properly takes your hand in his. your fingers lace together like you’ve held hands a million times. he lets them drop between you two and keeps leading the way to your mystery spot.

you swing your hands back and forth, smiling when you feel his grip tighten. tom pats one of the earmuffs. “i think we’ll both be warm once we get there.” “where exactly is ‘there’?” you laugh out. it was supposed to be a surprise, but you have to know. he points at something straight ahead. you’re still too far to see it.

“yeah, i can’t tell what that is,” you confirm. his reply is a satisfied hum. “good. let me keep you in suspense for at least five more minutes.” “you’re cheeky, aren’t you?” he chuckles and swings your hands again. “i’ve been told.”

you two finally end up at a hot chocolate stand. there are white lights strung in the trees surrounding it, music playing quietly into the night. the atmosphere welcomes and comforts you as soon as you get on line.

“i figured it would be nice to get one of these rather than making them for a change,” tom fills you in. he seems unsure of it now that you’re here, his voice lower than before. harry’s text is replaying in his head. he wants this to be good enough, more than good enough. should he have planned something more? his nerves die down when you squeeze his hand in yours.

this is the perfect low pressure date you’d hoped for. the focus is on each other and not some fancy meal. you were right about the movies not changing tom. “this place is really cute. i like it.” you move up on line together. “and my hot chocolates kind of suck, so yeah. it is.” “no, i bet they’re delicious,” he reassures you with one of his famous eye crinkling grins.

you chat more about your barista skills and all the kitchen disasters harry has had to save you from. the story of the time you made foam explode all over the countertops has him giggling. his laugh is contagious, so you end up joining in. your laughter eventually quiets because it’s your turn to order.

“hi, we’ll have two large hot chocolates?” tom orders for you two. you shoot him a curious look. “large? i’ll never finish.” the sizes here are huge, which is part of their gimmick. it’s also why tom found it interesting. the joke is that the stand itself is small, but they have gigantic drinks.

“leftovers, then.” he winks at you. you’re disappointed you have to let his hand go while he pays. the cashier says your drinks will be ready shortly. tom thanks him and turns back to you. “you probably got in so much trouble, huh?” he asks about your work horror story. you look him over for a few seconds.

you’re shocked how genuinely interested he is in everything you tell him. there are much cooler things he could be talking about, but he wants to hear from you. it makes you feel like there’s something between you two already. like, you’re old friends or soulmates or anything bigger than two strangers on a first date.

even though it’s still early to tell, you definitely have a connection of some kind.

“nope. i’m better at cleaning than i am at making cappuccinos,” you remark, the cashier coming back with two large hot chocolates. tom hands you yours first. he takes his after. “thank you so much,” he tells the man again. “have a nice night,” you add. the two of you take your drinks to a small table under a tree.

you sit across from each other, tom setting the earmuffs down. he pushes them back to you with a smile playing on his lips. “i like those better on you,” you murmur before taking a sip of hot chocolate. “pink’s my color,” he agrees and does the same. it’s so good that you decide to have some more, even though there’s steam coming from the lid.

“maybe i will finish all of this.” “i knew you’d like it.” tom laughs behind his cup. he got all worked up about it for nothing. you’re having one of your best nights in a while, which almost makes you not want to bring up the next topic. it’s sadly inevitable, so you might as well get it out of the way. christmas.

“so, do you have any plans for christmas?” you start, downing another sip. tom puts his drink down and leans back in the chair. “i’m staying over my mum and dad’s. we’ll have our traditional holland celebration.” he smiles to himself just thinking about it. you’re happy he has something to look forward to. you don’t.

“are you doing anything?” there’s the big question. people usually get awkward when you go into detail, which is exactly why you won’t. “actually, no.” his excitement changes to confusion. he furrows his eyebrows and sits up again. “you don’t celebrate?” “i do, just not anymore. not this year, at least.”

tom is extremely curious what this ‘anymore’ is about. it’s the second time you’ve mentioned it.

“i used to love it. my christmas spirit ran out, i guess,” you eleborate, eyes shifting down to the frozen grass. tom almost frowns. it’s not because he pities you. no one likes that. christmas is one of, if not, his favorite times of year. he just wishes the whole world could be happy this holiday season. the lovely girl sitting in front of him, especially.

there has to be something he can do.

“no, you can always get it back,” he says softly, searching for your eyes. “i’ll help you.” you look up at him again and blink back the tears you feel coming. tom must feel so lost right now. he wouldn’t be with context. you’re going to tell him what happened when you’re ready because you do want him to understand. trusting him feels like an instinct.

“how?” your voice comes out even quieter than his. you pick up your drink to distract yourself. “let’s see,” tom thinks aloud. he snaps when he gets an idea. “have you done any decorating?” “my roommate put up a tree. she never did the ornaments, though.” he gasps over dramatically, earning a laugh from you.

“you can’t leave a naked tree sitting around.” “i told her it looked stupid,” you sigh and sip your hot chocolate. tom holds out a hand for you. “we should go to the shops”

it would be easy to say no. it would be easy to go back home and hide under your covers and avoid the missed calls from your family. the catch is, easy isn’t progress. you can’t move past this unless you work to get it done.

you take tom’s hand and stand up from the table.

“we should also get a ride this time.”

[spaceinvadeeer]

1 and 13 for the not from the US?

1. favourite place in your country?

my hometown, as cheesy as this sound. i'm from a tiny place in the middle of the belgian countryside but i really enjoy it there, feels very cozy and my all my close family lives in the area. also i live near a forest so that's a huge plus for me personally! i get to observe and photograph deers in the summer <3

13. does your country (or family) have any specific superstitions or traditions that might seem strange to outsiders?

grand feu: (lit. big fire) takes places in february/early march, and it consists in lighting up a bonfire, on top of which is a scarecrow meant to represent Winter. it's the remains of pagan celebrations of the arrival of spring, though today it's heavily linked to carnival/Mardis Gras (typically, people dress up for the occasion and have fun around the bonfire. it's also just a very good opportunity to meet up with other people, have a drink and play music).

marches of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse: celebrated between May and October, they're meant to honor local saints and folklore figures although not much religious value is still attached to them nowadays. they're once again an event everyone looks up to to drink, have fun and watch the impressive procession of people dressed in historical outfits (featuring soldiers with impressive-looking axes and maces, drums and a marching band, which i used to be part of! there are also a lot of people with gunpowder firearms who shoot all together in a very coordinated way at specific times, which is both impressive to see and frightening to hear).

i could honestly go on and on forever about this one gofdhgdf everything i talked about previously is very specific to my region, but that's honestly how belgium is. southern belgium (Wallonia) is incredibly rich in carnival-related events though! they're my absolute favorite.

[sugar-petals]

Thoughts about blackpink lisa kibbe type? I think she leans as a Flamboyant natural with cute and youthful facial features. She has long limbs, big hands, blunt shoulders and extremely long vertical line. Since you typed jennie, rose and jisoo i want thoughts about blackpink lisa if you agree or not.

kibbe style comparison: lisa (flamboyant gamine) VS namjoon (flamboyant natural)

(+ some notes on hoseok)

i found the arguments for flamboyant gamine in the fandom pretty convincing. once you look at what kind of lines suit her, you see why pretty fast, i’ll show you what i mean with pictures.

once you see her in that type of outfit, it’s apparent how flamboyant natural can’t do anything for her style-wise — it doesn’t exhaust her options or brings out her character.

monochrome look, bulky and very wide material, sportswear, casual outfit and hair, understated make-up, oversized shirt:

... doesn’t hit home, lisa is no longer dominating the look. there are much more memorable styles possible. mind you, this is not inherently bad styling, it’s just not flattering for her case. yes, this can be surprisingly glamorous on someone! they just need to have natural lines, i’ll show you later in the thread.

meanwhile, flamboyant gamine clothes feel more customized on her. it’s very ‘lisa’, she carries that style effortlessly without being drowned out. naturals couldn’t pull that level of accessorizing off no matter how much they tried.

small ribbon details, stripes, sailor style, ruffled hair, strong red lip and whispy bangs, overally cute rather than casual look: sweet! her face steals the show, not the other way around. she looks great here.

let’s amp it up. cropped geometrics with a dose of sparkle, small sharp geometrics, fitted clothes with several colors at play, typical gamine line break: feels right, interesting and sexy. the bangs could have more contrast, but other than that: perfect and very memorable. especially the top fits her so well.

strong random mix of yin and yang — pearls on asymmetric suit, minimal waist emphasis, more square details, shorts & one shoulder free, very unflexible fabric (as opposed to romantic fabrics that flow): very eye-catching but still doesn’t distract too much from her.

you see the difference. she can handle all that detailing and randomness and quite some glamor. naturals are made to dress down, but gamines can go the other way, pretty far i’d say, with many materials. 

because: all gamines are not just good but great at wearing innovative fashion with clashing genres. you can put them into the strangest combinations and it works as a standard outfit. 

because their body is a clash of lines: adorable doll face with the skinny limbs of a dramatic, just shorter, even if tallness is possible. plus a little bit of natural muscle around the shoulders. lisa is just that. the face and body are like from different people. espcially the face, so much rounded, soft yin that’s nowhere else in her physique.

it’s the essence of gamine, a youthful mix of lines that catches you by surprise. you know it from yoongi, same principle. kibbe calls their impression fun and vibrant, and i’m starting to see why.

for comparison. the lines of flamboyant natural are the same everywhere. there’s no contrast. wide face, wide chest, wide thighs, wide arms, wide hands, wide brows, wide cheeks, wide neck. they are HUGE, never truly lean. 

no doll face or short skinny limbs in sight. it’s the most massive type, you can’t get past them because they’re a solid block. namjoon fills every frame, he’s flamboyant natural incarnate. this type looks like a raging sports machine.

and not just the guys of this type, it’s the exact same for female FNs. look at giant pink, she is a soldier. FN is by default very mature and strong-looking.

whereas lisa comes across as sweet, petite and narrow which all gamines do. the vertical line is moderate, the frame is not athletic. the limbs are short, close-set. gamines always leave a cute expression, flamboyant naturals have a ‘hard and heavy-hitting’ silhouette that towers over everyone.

and the styling follows suit for FN, you have to dress this type just like an athlete. where lisa’s sporty grey outfit looks underwhelming, it becomes charming, cozy and perfectly simplistic on namjoon. on naturals, sportswear and underdressing doesn’t look sloppy or boring, instead it becomes just right:

you can put super-large, flowing and bulky outfits on FN without a problem.

meanwhile, namjoon comes across as a little funny with gamine-esque sailor stripes. you wouldn’t even notice it on lisa, on him it sticks out like a sore thumb as if some optical illusion shit is going on 😂

let’s try stage wear. namjoon is a bit lost when they put a multi-color glitter concept on him. it’s not a bad outfit (save the chaotic tie maybe), but the certain something is missing. it feels like it’s hiding him a little.

naturals truly shine — as the name says — in nature. beach wear, leisure, loose clothes, ‘no effort’. make namjoon a relaxed holiday boy. it’s perfect on him, everything blends together.

put a straw hat on lisa and photograph her at the beach, something’s not right. 

flamboyant gamine has a way different archetype. they’re great as punk boys and girls, high school crushes, whirlwinds, tomboys, rebels, game changers. they can go wild using all sorts of materials and it make you go wow, what a body.

flames, dual color bob cut, gloves, sexy jeans shorts, accurate bangs, crop top, it feels like she isn’t even getting started and she’ll steal your guy and your girl. oh man, lisa!!

compare again. flamboyant natural starts to look hilariously uncle or aunt-like if you do as much as use one experimental thing on them. no pattern mix possible, and it doesn’t highlight their sex appeal.

meanwhile, as we saw, lisa’s outfit is meh when she’s not (!) experimenting. flamboyant natural, on the other hand, looks their best if you don’t do much at all. you have to throw the simplest, baggiest things on them. no wild colors or strange cuts. oh my, he just radiates. from meme uncle to husband material.

what looks like jesus just descended to the earth on flamboyant natural is way too large and unfitted on flamboyant gamines (see hoseok below, he shares types with lisa). it completely kills their sexy vibe. 

the outfit looks boring and makes them disappear behind all that fabric. you don’t notice the cute face anymore. flamboyant gamines are the born fashionistas screaming for experimental stylings, baggy natural type clothes are simply too minimal and gigantic on them.

they suddenly look older and tired, it fails to highlight them. which is such an irony because gamines radiate youth and energy. but like this, they’re completely gone from our radar:

they’re too petite to carry the fabric, and it’s not constructed enough. if you’re a flamboyant gamine and want to hide, use a flamboyant natural outfit. it’s like camouflage fo the face since the outfit is so large and undemanding of your body lines.

put some oversized winter coats on namjoon, oh wonder... it makes him even more charismatic.

it feels like he has the frame for it. you look directly at the face. because the rest fits together so well and doesn’t mess with the eye. namjoon can carry a singular block of color with no problems.

flamboyant natural: the more low maintenance, the better. the less they try, the sexier it gets. it literally needs the most uninspiring soccer dad clothes for them.

with hobi, it’s the same idea as for lisa: flamboyant gamine can go far with styling. the exact opposite direction as with namjoon. you can dress them in the most extra items, no holding back. bring the camp and all the effect fabrics, tattoo them, give them chains and gloves, style their hair to the moon and back. and they still look like they could add some more!

if you have five outfits prepared for flamboyant gamine? you can put them all on at the same time! fuzzy glitter and comic shirt, nothing out of the ordinary. it’d look too much on any other type.

BONUS: flamboyant gamines are killing the “rebel army leader” style. there’s a lot going on and it’s fitted. they could exaggerate it even more and it’d look good.

man, just look at that. we have the line break, heavy lip, eyeliner, sharp shoulders, tight cuts, and lots of details.

so, i’m pretty sure lisa is in that kibbegory. the takeaway here is: 

FG has many options, FN keeps it easy. 

the less suitable kibbe style will make you look older and hide you.

flamboyant gamines can experiment all day and compile as many contrasting accessories as possible. lisa pulls it off.

FN has the same lines everywhere: wide, wide, tall, and wide, and more wideness. FG have unpredictable looks that fuse cute faces with sharp yang bodies.

[absoluteindulgence]

Paradise (BNHA POC!CUTIES COLLAB)

Happy Black History, Honeys!!! I’ve spent the last 12 hours working on this and I’m still unsure of the finished product, please if you like what read don’t be shy to comment (or if you didn’t DM me, constructive criticism. I haven’t written a story in a while so have mercy lol) Characters are Aged Up🆙 but it’s fluff? I tried my hand at Ludus but can’t say I executed it right lol. Thanks in advance to everyone that reads it! I’m gonna go pass out now, respectfully.

The time you spent together always resorted to some kind of new fun. Always smiles and laughter, learning something new about each other. You didn't spend a lot of time together during your days of being highschool kids, but after some time apart and rekindling something most may call "Puppy Love," you've been finding more reasons to get out of bed.

Kirishima was strong and kind-hearted when you knew him back at U.A., Giving off the proper sentiment that would make you believe in yourself. It's kind of embarrassing how hooked you were to each other's personality, painstakingly apparent to your other classmates wishing for you two to just date but never doing so. Resulting in the classic 'Will They, Won't They' trope annoying everyone; Only to continue like that in your young adult years. Pushing your childlike fun on each other, date after date.

You woke up early, just to get a sense of the mid-winter weather. Still wearing your pajamas, you opened the window near your bed; the brisk air immediately greeted your room with little atonement to your mildly groggy body. You shivered right away, knowing that even though the sun was high in the sky, the wind would be unforgiving until the afternoon. Promptly doing your beauty routine, you dressed warmly and threw your hair under a cute beanie Kirishima had bought you for Christmas. Eager to meet at the station with your Red-haired date. It would be the first date you would've had in weeks, and ironically enough, on Valentines' Day.

As you reached the meetup station, he was already there, fifteen minutes earlier than when you two were supposed to meet. This was typical for him, and many times you had tried to beat him to the punch, but he was always one step ahead. As you got closer, he raised his head from staring at his phone screen, reciprocating the smile plastered on your face as you hugged him.

"Hey, Little Miss Cozy, you look great!" His sharky grin made your heart pulse.

"Aw, thank you, you don't look bad yourself, Kiri" You glanced at his outfit; he looked so stylish! His PR team has really helped him with his image since he graduated, and now he looks like he belongs in a sophisticated J-pop group. "I'm so glad we're hanging out today!" 

"Yeah, me too. Too much work and not enough play are bad for the body!" He dramatically sighed as you playfully pursed your lips in agreeance, and in return, he held your hand through your winter knitted mittens, "Plus, I missed my partner in crime."

Your face heated up from the sweet confession just to retort with, "I feel the same way, Handsome."

His raspy chuckle coming right after as he casually brushed his red hair back with his fingers. Kirishima had promised to make it the best day you could ever have on the holiday. Planning something you didn't even expect; an indoor Ice Skating rink. It would be your first time engaging in the sport, and you were anxious. Unsure about your own elegance and precision to be the best on ice. But he reassured that it would be a fun experience nonetheless, and you believed it would.

"Don't worry, Cutie, if at any point you think you're gonna fall, just hold me tighter." With his graciously, flirtatious wink, you were blushing, with a demure grin.

After traveling to the venue, Kirishima greeted the clerk who would be taking your admission tickets. Right after, you two went to the counter where you get sized up for the Ice Skates. After getting them, you were slightly frantic on how to tie them, bewildered by the laces and hooks. Kirishima saw how confused you were, lightly chuckling at your frantic fingers working so hard to figure it out on your own.

"Hey, don't stress yourself out before you get on the ice, let me help.'' He squatted close to your feet just to help settle your feet into the rented skates. They were a perfect fit, and as he helped, he looked up to beam at you. "You know I feel like the Prince of your story, ready to whisk you away after knowing that the shoe fits you so perfectly."

How smooth, you thought to yourself. Physically flustered and speechless, you had no cheeky rebuttal. Which only made the buff redhead break out into laughter. So many times, did his bold flirts silence you and make your heart flutter. But it was one of your favorite traits that he had. After getting your shoes on, you held his hand the whole way to the rink, continually repeating, "Don't let me fall, okay?"

"Of course, My Princess" He nodded kindly, taking on his role of 'Prince' too seriously. Bringing you to almost trip as you tried to hide your face. "Hey, at least wait till we get on the ice."

Another carefree chuckle leaving his toned body, making you happy to enjoy this experience with him. Getting to the rink may have been a battle, but now you were finally getting onto the ice, working your legs slowly to steady under the frozen ice. Not wanting to move too fast and create an inconvenience for anyone enjoying the rink. Gradually, you took a breath, calming down, as you held Kirishima's hand tighter. He smiled so warmly the whole time you focused on getting comfortable on the ice. The patience he carried just to keep you feeling safe and secure made its way into your heart, knowing that there was no malice energy.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Finally finding your footing, you nod. "Okay, then I'll teach you the basics."

His skating directions are so thorough and straightforward that you're able to follow them and feel like you can execute each move flawlessly. He politely assists you with your stances, placing his big, callous hands onto your waist gently just to help you find the proper posture to keep you from falling. It's fun learning how to do it, but now you're eager to start, and Kirishima can tell.

"Okay, Princess, that's all I have to share. Let's have some fun!" He holds your hand firmly as you slowly glide around the skating rink, feeling your legs space out naturally to create the best gliding and position one leg in front of the other. "See, you know what you're doing!"

Your childlike smile shoots Kirishima straight in the heart as you make the first steps to skating like a pro. He knew you were a fast learner and always admired that. Your persistence to learn something new was fascinating to him. You would start off anxiously and felt as if you didn't know what you were doing. But once you had the chance to shine, you left no skill invalidated.

"Hey Kiri, you think we can go a little faster? I wanna get some more momentum and see if we can do a trick!"

"W-what, you sure you want to try that on your first time at a skating rink? Certain moves require being a professional figure skater… Which we aren’t."

"You have a point, but we should still try anyway," You smile with reassurance, "We didn't graduate from U.A. not to be durable in various conditions!"

You raise your other arm showing off the muscle you gained from being a student at the number one school. Kirishima looked a little bewildered, thinking that your ideology doesn't equate to ice skating whatsoever, but he agreed that you weren't wrong. U.A. definitely had their trials, and you were put through many of them as a first-year.

"I mean, just look at that couple; they're so graceful, and I think we can do that!"

You pointed to a couple of what looked like professional ice skaters making a move you had never seen before. Your eyes sparkled as their chemistry was unmatched by everyone else in the rink. They spun so gently and romantically that you felt like you had to try to do something just as beautiful as that. Kirishima took a couple of Ice skating lessons on the side only to gain more flexibility and agility to become a better defense hero during his agency apprenticeship. It worked well, and he learned many things that he didn't expect to use in his daily life.

Looking at the skilled ice skaters, he felt like that could be him and you, and so he looked back into your eyes, reciprocating your glittery gaze. With a pure and toothy grin, he said, "Okay, let's give it a try."

Excited by his answer, you almost jumped for joy, forgetting where you were, and almost slipped and tumbled into the Red-haired hero. You laughed off the blunder, and you both kept trying to reach the speed it would take to get into any ice move. Having the fundamentals of chemistry be explained had made you even more pumped. Learning the basics of a spin and how to get the most out of sticking your leg out and balance. Kirishima praised you every time you got further into the rotation. You felt good knowing that you were trying and learning something different, respecting the art of figure skating.

Surprised that you were doing so well, you lost focus for a second and accidentally bump into Kirishima, resulting in him falling to the ice-cold floor. Horrified that he's injured, you kneel close to him to inspect, but instead, he laughs, looking at your worried face.

"I'm okay, Princess; this isn't my first time falling on the ice."

"Are you sure? I mean, it looked like you fell kinda har-"

To avoid a freakout and reassure you, he stole a kiss from your lips, lasting more than three seconds as you didn't want it to stop, but he pulls away with a light chuckle, "This floor is cold as hell, though."

"I-I'm sorry," You slightly pout, not knowing what else to say.

"But hey, I'm here with the hottest girl, so this makes up for everything."

Your goofiest smile was starting to form as you reached out to help him up. "Okay, Mr. Flirt, you got me there."

His laugh was highly pleasing to your ears, and you laughed with him. As he stood up, he patted himself down and checked his skates, making sure everything felt the way it did before the fall. After the check, he wanted to leave the rink, it made you anxious, thinking that something else was wrong with him, but he laughed again, "I know you wanted to try a pro move today, but I actually have something else planned."

"Something else?" You tilted your head to the side, confused as to what he could be mentioning.

"Yeah, but it's a surprise, so I'm not gonna say anything until we get there." His shark-like grin came back, making you grin in return.

"Okay, but can I have a hint?" You imitated puppy dog eyes but couldn't keep your face straight, laughing at your own face.

"Hmmm, I'll think about it" He smiled. "Maybe when we're closer, but let's return these skates and go."

And with that, you returned the skates getting your cute and comfortable platform sneakers back. You had even forgotten what shoes you wore since you were in the rink skating for a long time, Feeling like you had sweat enough from the body-induced activity. You were excited to figure out where you might be going. You tried your best to make guesses as you rode the bus to get there and passed by each stop. Still not able to put the finger on where you might be going.

"Here's your hint, Princess," You turn from looking out the window to look back at him. "It's as sweet as you."

Even with such a cute but corny remark, you still didn't have a clue. But you were getting off at the next stop. No dots connected as Kirishima grabbed your hand, guiding you off the bus with him. He smiled the whole way, eager to see your expression on the date's secondary location. The walk may have lasted for five minutes until he stopped, turning to look at you, "We're here."

The building looked a little shabby but still had a colorful banner saying 'Welcome.' A little creeped out, you wondered what was being welcomed. Ghosts maybe? Not humans, maybe clowns, though. You were reluctant to step further, but you looked into Kirishima's eyes, and his expression looked pure and unaltered by the outer appearance of the building. You feigned a light smile, unsure what to expect inside the establishment but prepared for what's to come.

Intertwining your hands, your date tightened the grip, caressing your hand. As if doing his best to comfort you as you walked closer to the entrance, his toothy grin never leaving. As he opened the door for you, you entered the building, the floor looking just as bland as the outside, but you had to be admitted in to get to the specific base, and as you got to your final destination, Kirishima let you walk in first to scope out the scene.

In an instant, you're blinded by beautifully bright colors, pleasingly happy music that didn't sound creepy and candy-like decor from wall-to-wall. Shocked by what you're seeing, candy hung from the ceiling while numerous candy stations were on the floor. Your eyes became huge, looking at what could only be considered a candy paradise. Kirishima stood next to you, nodding at the beauty of the atmosphere filled with gleefulness and sweets all over.

"Well, Princess, welcome to Sugar Sanctuary."

He presented the place so nonchalantly, and yet his energy about the place said otherwise. Your jaw had dropped, not even knowing a place like this had existed. Your eyes couldn't even focus on what was in front of you; you just wanted to explore the floor and eat as much candy as possible.

"We burned so many calories skating, I think we should reward ourselves. I remembered out of the blue that you used to have a sweet tooth, and I wanted to see if that still holds true now."

You turned to hug him tightly, almost jumping into his arms. His eyes widened as you held him, " Of course that's still true! Let's leave here with a dump truck worth of sweets!"

His chuckle reverberated through his body and onto yours as you held him; without protest, he nodded. "Let's do it!"

And with that, you venture into the venue, reading fun facts about the candy, playing the video games that gave out real prizes. Kirishima had a point to prove, his goal was to win you whatever you wanted, and he did it so well, surprising you at his gamer abilities. And his claw skills were something to see too! You never thought you would have this much fun on a date, and yet, here you were having the time of your life with the man who was your highschool sweetheart.

Although your relationships would continue to confuse your friends, you always looked at the bigger picture to smile and have fun. Avoiding all the complicated politics of your connection, taken at your own pace, and not listen to others' opinions as you enjoyed Kirishima's company and vice versa.

You spent every moment tasting different sweets and fresh pastries from the floor that you almost forgot to take photos of the unique location. You spotted a photo booth, and with no hesitation, You lightly tugged your redheaded date to follow along. The booth itself was spacious when inside and looked like it had enough room to fit half a dozen people. But because there was so much space, you tried to create a wonderland of candy surrounding you, bringing you closer to your date.

Kirishima happily obliged to set up what seemed to take a while but eventually, ready to pose for the flix. Unironically, you two looked gorgeous, making quirky faces as the camera flashed, focusing in on the memory. However, the moment was just perfect enough to steal a kiss from him and to thank him for all that he’s done to help you celebrate a holiday that you usually overlook. After caressing your lips onto his, you say, “You know what, Kiri, you truly delivered. And I want you to know that I appreciate you.”

He goes in for another kiss, just to rest his forehead on top of yours, “No, thank you, I’m happy to rescue my Princess from a boring any time of the year.”

With a couple more photos taken in the booth, you leave heading to their lounge area to share a complimentary cake with a candle to grant a special wish together, hoping to have endless moments and to keep smiling together.

[swiftpng]

Happy holidays! I wanted to celebrate some of the people I love for inspiring me and filling my life with so much light. Every single one of you has made my year so special and I appreciate you all so much. Thank you for every conversation, for every laugh, for blessing my life with your presence. Any act of kindness is permanently stored in this tiny brain forever! To everyone, I wish you all a very happy holiday! PART ONE.

DELTA, @deltslea

You know me, I get super cheesy whenever I’m writing sentimental letters. The first part of your gift is your actual Christmas gifts and the second part of your gift is what I got you for your birthday, since I didn’t get the chance to give you them when it was your birthday! I hope you don’t mind the two for one, but I hope you and your family are having a happy and cozy holiday. I hope you find joy in these gifts, because you’re such a sweet soul and deserve to be treated that way. You’re a total blessing to the Bayview community. Your personality shines and you bring so much happiness to the world. Thank you for everything and for going out of your way to make this town such a home for everyone. You always lift others up when they’re feeling down, you’re a total gem. You are so appreciated. Also, congrats for everything you did this past year! You did so much and all the hard work didn’t go unnoticed. You should be so proud of yourself for everything you accomplished. I hope all of your wildest dreams come true. Remember that you can do anything you put your mind to, I’m so excited for what the next year has to offer for you. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year! 

Let’s get started on why I got you each gift. The first gift are mini rings that reminded me of your song Wings. I really love the lyrics of that song, so I got something that kind of showed my appreciation for it! I got you a cute backpack that you can take on your travels, wherever that may be next. I know the town goes on trips throughout the year, so I thought it would be something that would be useful to you! The next gift is more of a funny gift since it has a cat playing the piano. Who doesn’t love a good cat mug, you know? I hope it brings a smile to your face whenever you use it! The next gift is a little bit of a big one, but you worked so hard this year on The Voice, on your singles, on your Christmas albums, on everything. I rented out a tiny house for you for three days, so you can sit back and relax. Now since there’s a town trip coming up and there’s the trip up to Snow Tracks, you don’t have to take the mini vacation to the tiny home right away. You can let them know when you’d like to take your trip and they’ll book you for it! You can bring a friend or your love or you can just go by yourself. Whatever you decide is up to you since it’s your gift! Another one of these gifts is also related to self care and relaxing. I got you some incense sticks that you can use whenever you need to. The scent is Christmas Kiss since you’re now dubbed (by me) as the Christmas Queen. This next gift is something we’ve talked about. Remember the heart in the glass? I thought it’d be cool if we tried to actually recreate one. Zach was really sweet with connecting me to people who would know where to get everything to make it. Some of it comes with Christmas related tools, but the basics we need to make the heart glass are all there! The last part of your Christmas gift is a candle that’s called Soul Sister. From the day we met, I thought our similarities were uncanny and funny. It’s crazy how met here in town and it was like you were my sister from then on. The gingerbread incident solidified that even more!

Now for your belated birthday gifts, I got you a nail polish set that’s called When In Romance which sounds fitting for a woman in love. The set comes with six polishes, along with some nail stickers. The next gift is related to memories. You’re someone I know who always makes the best of any situation, so I thought getting you a Polaroid camera would be something fun. You can take it on trips, around town, or keep it at home for whenever you feel the need to capture something on film forever. The next gift is related to self care and looking after yourself. It’s a calming clay mask that you can do whenever you want to sit down and relax. The next gift is a set of small and dainty jewelry. I was strolling around some shops in town and I saw these displayed. The collection is called Twin Soul, which I thought was very fitting for us! Another thing I got you is just a fun game. It’s meant for kids, but it looked like it could fun for adults as well. I know you’ve got some kids in your family, so you can break it out whenever they’re in town! I got you some knee high cat socks ‘cause everyone loves socks! Plus the cats are an added bonus. Another cozy gift I got you is this soft throw blanket that should cure your coldness from the harsh winter nights. You can cozy up next to a fire or a candle with a book and be warm. Last but not least, I got you a book that’s called Booze & Vinyl. It’s a book that guides you through the best drinks to have with certain records. It seemed right up your alley, and I thought it would be a fun and easy read! Overall, thank you for being one of the truest allies in my life and being such a great person. I’m so lucky to have someone like you in my life, and I hope all of these gifts serve you well. 

BLAKE, @thelivelyblake

Thank you for all that you have done for me in our friendship. You’re amazing and one of the people I cherish the most, so I got you a few things to show how much you mean to me. I hope some of these gifts bring a smile to your face. I’m wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, along with health and happiness. 

I’ve been very into making soaps these days, so I made you some soaps that you can use to your discretion! In the shower, after you go to the bathroom, whenever you need to. The next gift happens to be socks. Everyone needs some fuzzy socks, especially when it’s cold out so these should help your feet stay warm! Another gift is something I saw at one of the shops in town, and I thought it would look so amazing on you. It’s a baby blue dress that you can wear at events or wherever. The next gift is a candle, one that you can burn when you need something to make the house feel warm and cozy. I also got you a tea set that has some delicious teas. Nothing’s better than winding down from a long day with a mug of tea. The last gift is a planner. It has a quote on it that reminded me of you and I really thought it would be useful to you! Again, I just want to thank you for being a great friend and someone I can always count on. 

ANGELINA, @ajdarkfae

I’m wishing you a very Merry Christmas. I hope the festiveness and happiness continues throughout the new year for your family. I feel like December snuck up on us so quickly, and I’m scrambling to soak up the Christmas spirit. I’m grateful that I’m able to send some of my Christmas spirit over to you with these gifts. You’re someone I’ve always admired, and I’m so happy that we’re as close as we are. Thank you so much for everything and for trusting me, it means so much. I really adore you and your family. I’m so happy we’re able to connect through this town. I hope you have a good Christmas. 

The first gift I got you is one I found when I was walking through Around the World. It’s Swedish cookies, and they looked like they’re super delicious and I thought you would like them. The second gift is a funny T-shirt since we both mentioned that Let It Go had been suck in our heads at one point or another. It reads, “when my jam comes on and I know all the words” with a picture of Elsa. The next gift should be something fun for you and the kids. It’s a popcorn kit that should be fun to break out on your next family movie date! Along with that, I got you a gift set from Bath & Body Works. I’m a huge fan of theirs, so I thought you’d enjoy something that would be useful for when you want to smell good or want hands that aren’t dry. Another one of these gifts are chocolate strawberries. I saw them in town being displayed, so I knew I had to get them for you. The next gift is a gift card to Vin Rouge, which happens to be my favorite place to get wine. I’ve gotten so many bottles of wine this past year from there, and they never miss. You’re also supporting a local business when you shop there! Lastly, I wanted to get you something for when you need to relax. With a baby on the way, I know you’re bound to need some days for when you just need to be alone and enjoy your own company. I got you a bath bomb that you can use whenever you need to just slow down. It’s one of my favorites, so i hope it’s something that you will enjoy. Thank you again for being so wonderful to me, and I’m sending you all my love this holiday. 

SELENA, @sxgomez

Hello, hello, hello. I’m beyond excited to give you something this Christmas as I know that it’s been a hard past few weeks for you. I’m loving the chance to get to spoil you the way you continue to spoil others with your magical presence. It’s always fun getting to get you gifts, and I tried capturing your essence. Hopefully I did you justice. I got you a few things that totally reminded me of you and our friendship. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments this year. From Rare being released to Rare Beauty being the next beauty empire, you are naturally you and that’s why so much of us love you. Who knew one human could have such a big heart? Thanks for making 2020 amazing, and I can’t wait for what 2021 brings you for your career. In addition to that, Selena, I know some big things have happened to you personally with moving and having a breakup so I wanted to get you a few things to help soothe the ache. I love you to the moon and back, and I’m hoping you have the sweetest holiday. You deserve it so, so much. 

The first part of your gift is an outfit that screamed Selena Gomez. I got you a Disney related T-shirt. And it has some jeans that go along with it. Being is Disney kid, I know you’re proud of where you started your career so I though this outfit would be perfect to show off your roots. The next gift is a pillow that reminded me of you. You sprout color from who you are and I know you make people’s lives better just by existing. I know you sure make mine better. Since you had your cooking show this year, I thought it was only fitting that I got you something for your kitchen. I got you a heart shaped pot that you can use for soups and stews. As someone who is a big fan of candles, I got you a candle that you can light whenever you need to sit and relax. The scent smelled so good and I hope you enjoy it. The next gift is a key chain that reminds me of our friendship. Friends truly are chosen family, and I know I’d choose you again and again. And along with that, I know you’re moving into a new place so I thought I’d get you a gift card to Windsong. Zach is a good friend of mine, so I know he’ll get you anything you wanted. Whether you want to get something custom made or something that they have in store already, I know you’re bound to find something you love. The last three gifts are ones to help mend your heartbreak. I made you some donuts that you’ll be able to chow down on. No one loves food more than you, so I thought it would be a well loved gift. Another thing is a bracelet, which represents a new and clean slate. Going into the next year, you’re able to start fresh and I know you’ll be able to do it. Lastly, I got you some cozy slippers that you’ll be able to lounge in. Since it’s the colder months, I’m sure you’ll be able to get some use from them! All in all, I really do hope you’ve had a lovely holiday and that it was spent with people who love you so much. I know I do. 

BILL, @skarsgardb

Thank you for being one of the coolest people I know. Since the day we met, I knew you were going to be someone I could always talk to and spend quality time with. Whether we talk for hours on end or go days without talking, I know that we’ll always fall back into our friendship. Some of these gifts were from your birthday and I didn’t get the chance to give them to you because so much time has passed since then. Christmas is the perfect time to give you them now. You’re one of the most loyal people in town, and I appreciate you so much. I hope you and your family had the best holiday, and I’m sending you all the love.

The first gift is a T-shirt relating to tacos. You were one of the first people who recommended Paco’s to me when I first arrived in town, and I can’t thank you enough for that. The second gift is a Fitbit watch since I know you’re into running, hiking, etc. It can track your steps and all that jazz. I thought it would be fun for you to have and could be useful next time you go out. (Which maybe wouldn’t be soon since it is so col out!) Another gift I got you is one of my favorite cookbooks. Since you’re a foodie like me and want to learn how to better your cooking skills, I thought gifting you this book would be appropriate. It has so many great recipies that you can try out! The next gift is something I made personally. It’s my homemade cinnamon stix. They’re made with my secret recipe and if you like them enough, I might teach everyone how to make them when my class starts back up in the new year! Remember how we talked about Go-Pros and being recorded while ziplining? I thought it would be fun to actually give you a Go-Pro that you can use whenever. Maybe you can record something of Dylan when she’s being cute or just use it when you need to document something! The other gift I wanted to give you is a subscription to Masterclass. I remember we talked about you starting your own production company and wanting to dip your toes into a role that’s more behind the camera. They have so many classes about producing, directing... the whole nine yards. I hope it’s useful to you and that you can take something from it! My personal favorite class is RuPaul’s. Lastly, I wanted to give you a book full of actual dad jokes. Perhaps you can use them with Dylan or just use it as a party trick. Either way, you’re bound to be laughed at! But in the best way, I promise. Again, thank you for being you and I enjoy your friendship with my whole heart. 

ZACH, @roerigz​

I know we don’t talk as much as we used to, but I do know that I’m still thankful to have someone like you in my life. I know that this past year has been a little hard on you, so I wanted to give you some gifts that would put a smile to your face. Admittedly, for the first gift, I had to Google your hometown. I knew you were from Ohio, but I needed to know the exact town so I could make your hometown into a puzzle. Whenever you’re missing home, you can break out this puzzle and remember the streets you used to roam and the family you still have there. Another gift I got you is a throw blanket. I’m a huge fan of these, especially during the winter months. Hopefully it’ll keep you cozy! One of these gifts is for you and your kids. It’s a tie-dye kit so you guys can make T-shirts. I used to make them with my family when I was younger and it was always a fun memory. The next gift is more for your self care. I don’t know how often you grow a beard, but when you do, you’ll have the tools you need to trim it or shave it off. Now the last gift is for your inner Ohio State fan. They’re salt and pepper shakers, and I think they’ll make a good addition to your kitchen! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and I’m sending you all my support and love. 

MILEY, @destinyhcpe​

So, you’ve had quite the year! Between your album releasing and moving to Bayview, I think you had a pretty good year! Not to mention that we’ve gotten closer again, which makes me so happy! I’m hoping that you have a very Merry Christmas and that Santa gives you everything you wanted. The first gift I got you is a smiley face bag, because it just reminded me of you so much. The next gift is a bottle of Chambord. I don’t know if you drink or not, but I thought it would fun to gift you this has a celebration of your music this year! Now this last gift is a little NSFW, but I thought you’d rock this leather jacket so well! It comes from a small shop back in NYC and it just looked so cool. If anyone were to wear this out and about, I think it’d be you! Miley, thank you for always being so supportive and sweet to me. You have no idea how much it means to me! 

ARIANA, @gvande​

The literal princess in my life. Ariana, thank you for all the kind words you’ve said to me in our past conversations. They mean so much to me, you have no idea. I wanted to get some gifts that reminded me of you, so I hope they captured your personality! I got you a candle since it’s the season for burning them at all times. The scent is absolutely wonderful, and I hope you enjoy it too. Because taking care of yourself should always be a priority, I wanted to gift you a kit that has some things for when you need to relax. The next gift is because of your Harry Potter love. I saw that Ulta had a Harry Potter collection, so I knew I had to get you that. Hopefully you can play around with it and create some epic looks! Another gift I had to get you is some pig slippers. Since you’re someone who owns a pig, I wanted to give you these. Lastly, you’re someone who makes tattoos look so good. I wanted to get you something related to tattoos, so I thought giving you an actual stick and poke kit would be something you’d be interested in! Again, just thank you for being the best person to ever exist and knowing my situation. I know you’re someone who has my back, and I always have yours. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and that you’re able to be with your loved ones. 

[cycat4077]

Three Weeks In

So, I’m writing a series. Cute, fluffy ideas kept popping into my head and rather than making a new character/backstory for each one-shot, I decided to keep the universe I set up in Changes which is basically all the canon-SVU events but Sonny has a loving relationship behind the scenes. Let’s face it, the boy deserves happiness. It’s not necessary to read my other story first unless you want the backstory of the reader character and how they got together with Sonny. I’ll try to keep things chronological and weave in SVU events if I can. My OCD is forcing me to make sure the dates are all correct (ex: Sonny can’t be with the reader if he’s supposed to be upstate investigating a lead.) So tah-dah! I present thee with the second installment of the “Changes” series which is set immediately after 17x09, Depravity Standard, and begins on Nov 23rd 2015 (the day before Thanksgiving). It may be crap, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

Words: 2296 Warnings: none Pairing: Sonny x Reader Summary: Three weeks into dating Sonny and he already wants you to meet his family… AO3 here

Some days you actually have to pinch yourself as a reminder that your life is real. It’s been three weeks since Sonny showed up to your class. Three weeks since the two of you confessed your feelings. And three weeks of dating Sonny. While your schedules didn’t allow for a lot of one-on-one time, the two of you keep in touch and steal away for dinner whenever you can.

A steady beeping sound rouses you from your sleep and you roll over to shut off your alarm. The sun is starting to peek through the curtains, signalling a new day. Glancing at your phone screen, you smile.

Mornin’, doll. Have a great day! Talk to you later xoxo

Everyday you wake up to a text from Sonny and, though a seemingly small gesture, your heart aches in the best possible way from knowing he cares. You unplug the device and lay back in bed, phone perched on your chest.

Morning, Sonny. Hope you have a great day too and stay safe! xoxo

As you hit send, you imagine him smiling at his desk when the message comes in. You get ready for class and head out, a spring in your step while you journey to campus. Sonny texts you back around lunchtime with a message saying that he should be free tonight. He asks if you’d be up for having dinner and you eagerly accept. That evening you put on a nice outfit, fix your hair and set out to meet your date at a nearby restaurant. But SVU work can be unpredictable. You were made very aware of that during your summer there. One day could be quiet while the next could be so busy that you didn’t know whether the detectives were coming or going. So understandably, this line of work would sometimes force Sonny to be late. Nevertheless, if he was, he would apologize profusely and you would always reassure him that you understood. Tonight however, as you wait alone inside the restaurant lobby, Sonny is later than he’s ever been before. Not only that, but he hasn’t even sent you a message to confirm that he was caught up. His silence has you worried. You crane your neck towards the door once more before sending him a quick text:

Hey. Hope everything is okay.

Not a moment later your phone vibrates.

Shit. Sorry, doll. I’ll be there in 15.

You breathe a sigh of relief knowing he’s safe but then your gut knots when the alternative creeps into your mind. Restaurant patrons pass you by and the hostess keeps glaring while you’re standing there. They’ve seen it all before: a girl left waiting for a date who doesn’t show. You look up and let out a shaky sigh, hoping that Sonny hadn’t simply forgotten you. Practically 15 minutes on the nose from his text, a rather frantic looking Sonny comes barreling through the restaurant door. His winter jacket is unbuttoned and you can see his badge still clipped to his suit underneath. He hasn’t had time to change. “Hey,” he breathes out with apologetic eyes. “I’m so sorry. I shoulda texted you. It’s just Rollins -” Sonny takes a breath, chest heaving. He must have ran here. “She had a scare today. There were complications with her labor. Luckily, she made it though n’ delivered a healthy baby girl, but Lieu and I stayed there with her for a while. She’s gettin’ some rest now and Fin is gonna check up on her later.” Immediately you flood with relief. “I’m glad she and the baby are alright,” you say, “and I’m glad nothing had happened to you either.” “You dunno know how sorry I am for not lettin’ you know what was goin’ on. I shoulda texted. But things got hectic and we were all pretty worried about her…” “Sonny,” you cut off his rambling and force him to meet your eyes. “It’s okay. I’m not mad. Like I said, I’m glad Rollins is fine and I’m also glad she wasn’t alone through all this.” Sonny looks back at you and takes a breath. Your words seem to calm him right down. He smiles. “You’re amazin’.” You blush. “Back at you, but I’m starved.” He chuckles and the two of you approach the hostess. She grabs your menus but rolls her eyes as she turns to lead you to your table. She seats you at a little booth in the corner, Sonny taking your coat before you sit down. You braved wearing a knee-length dress despite the November weather and are rewarded by an expression of awe from Sonny when he sees it. “You look beautiful, doll,” he compliments, drinking you in. “And here I am, lookin’ shabby in comparison.” A little tired, yes. But shabby? Never. Sonny’s dark hair is still combed back and he’s wearing a tasteful burgundy tie over a white pinstripe shirt. You lean in and peck him on the cheek. “You always look handsome to me.” The two of you order and share a drink, happy to finally be catching up. “Shadowin’ Barba was fantastic!” exclaims Sonny through a mouthful of bread. “He’s so polished in his delivery n’ so sharp at findin’ the littlest things to drive it all home to the jury!” “Fanboy alert!” you joke. “Guilty!” he grins, raising his fork in surrender. “But I learn so much from him and it gives me new ideas for doin’ my written assignments.” “I’m happy for you, Sonny. You work so hard and you deserve every ounce of success you earn.” You truly can’t help the pride you feel for him. “Aww, thanks, doll. That means a lot.” Sonny gazes at you with the utmost affection and you nearly melt in your seat. “Say, what’s new with you? Anythin’ excitin’ in the ol’ biology class?” “Same old, same old,” you shrug. “Just gave the second midterm back to the students, so I expect a lot of office visits from them on Monday.” “You don’t have ta work or take emails over the holiday, do ya?” asks Sonny, pushing food around his plate absentmindedly. “Nope. Why?” You sense there’s something more to his inquiry. “Well, I was wonderin’…now, I know it’s short notice ‘cause I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to get off myself, but I was wonderin’ if…if you’d like to spend Thanksgiving with me at my parents’ place?” Sonny looks up. It’s the most hopeful expression you’ve ever seen on him. “I..uh…” you’re lost for words. You want to scream out ’YES!’ at the top of your lungs but at the same time it’s not that easy. “Sonny, that’s t-tomorrow. And it’s also your family time. I wouldn’t want to intrude on them.” “You wouldn’t be intrudin’! My ma’s been askin’ to meet my girlfriend n’ even said to ’make sure you bring her over for Thanksgiving’.” Your voice goes quiet. “I’m your…g-girlfriend?” The word floors you. Most guys don’t want to dive head first into labeling relationships, especially not after only three weeks. But here is Sonny Carisi, happily calling you his girlfriend and wanting you to meet his family. “Yeah, of course doll,” he answers a little perplexed. “We’re datin’ aren’t we?” Sonny fixes his gaze on you, trying to read what you’re feeling. You shake your head to snap yourself out of it. “Yes, y-yes. It’s just that…Never mind. I’d love to spend Thanksgiving with your family!” An uncontrolled smile spreads across your face and you’re pretty sure it makes you look like a complete dork. If it does, Sonny doesn’t point it out, but instead reaches across the table to hold your hand. He too is smiling from ear to ear like you’ve made him the happiest man alive. Suddenly your smile drops. “What?” questions Sonny. “What time will you be heading out tomorrow?” “Uh, well, I was thinkin’ we could get there for ‘round four o'clock. Time enough to introduce ya to everyone before we eat?” “Four?! That doesn’t give me much time to make anything!” you gulp. “Make somethin’? Doll, my mother wouldn’t want you to bring anythin’. Believe me, she cooks for a small army.” “Sonny. You can’t show up to someone’s house for dinner empty handed.” Sonny opens his mouth to argue, but you shush him instead. “How many people are gonna be there?” Conceding, he sets down his utensils, freeing his hands to count. “Well, there’s gonna be mom, dad, me, you, Bella n’ Tommy. Their little one doesn’t eat the good stuff yet, so I won’t count her.” Sonny unfolds that finger. “Then there’s Resa and Mia and Gina. Maybe a plus one for Gina, but who the hell knows with her.” Looking down at his two hands, he raises them to show you. “Should be nine altogether.” Good to know because you were going to be up early the next morning baking. -x- You don’t realize your knee is bouncing until Sonny reaches over and places a warm hand on it. “Don’t be nervous, doll. My family is gonna love you.” You turn your head towards him, flashing a weak smile. Sitting in idle traffic is only making your nerves worse. “Trust me. Besides, ya even baked fresh bread rolls on short notice. They’re gonna disown me and keep you instead.” Sonny taps your knee reassuringly before returning his hand to the steering wheel. The Carisis live in a quaint little suburban house complete with a petite yard and front porch stoop. It seems small for a family of six, yet still cozy and welcoming. You can’t imagine Sonny growing up anywhere else. Sonny leads you up the steps and knocks on the door. It instantly flies open and a short woman with grey hair greets the two of you with open arms. “Sonny!” she coos, scooping her boy in for a hug. Sonny plants his mother a kiss before introducing you. “Hellooo! Welcome, hon,” exclaims Mrs. Carisi as she ushers you into her home. The place smells delectable. If someone asked you describe the scent of Thanksgiving, you would say ‘the Carisi household’. “I’m so happy you could make it! Y'know, Sonny has told me so much about ya and I’m glad that boy finally got the nerve to - ” “Ma!” blurts Sonny, flashing his mother a warning look. Sonny must have spent those months apart dwelling over you, just as you had done over him. “What?! It’s true, honey,” defends the Carisi matriarch before turning back to you. “Whateva. You just make yourself at home dear. We’re all family here.” “Thank you, Mrs. Carisi,” you say sincerely. You’d never been so instantly accepted by another family. After sharing a hug with Sonny’s mother, you are swarmed by the rest of the Carisis. Sonny introduces you to his father first, who gives you a solid nod. Next is Bella, bouncing a tiny infant with Tommy by her side. Theresa and a shy Mia chime in a ‘hello’ before a solo Gina caps off the meet-and-greet. Mrs. Carisi is over the moon when you hand over your baking and the bread rolls end up being a major success. In true Italian fashion, the Thanksgiving spread is full of flavor with Sonny’s mother sparing no expense in variety or quantity. Everyone joins in saying grace before dinner and, though not a common practice in your house growing up, you don’t mind linking hands with Sonny and Gina while Mr. Carisi leads the family in giving thanks. Because you do have a lot to be thankful for: a great job, an incredible boyfriend and now a whole new family to spend time with. The rest of the meal is occupied by sharing in conversation, fond memories and laughter. You find it all sort of surreal. During the summer Sonny had entertained you with tales of this very family: How they could get on one another’s nerves but that at the end of the day still loved each other. And this is exactly what you see before you. Maybe it’s a light buzz from the wine, but you feel all warm and fuzzy as the chatter of the Carisis surround you. Eventually the evening winds down and everyone seems to be groaning over how full their tummies are. You know you’ve eaten too much but wouldn’t have it any other way. “The food was absolutely delicious, Mrs. Carisi. Thank you all for having me,” you say appreciatively, looking at everyone in turn. “Our pleasure, hon,” smiles Sonny’s mother sweetly. “Know that you’re welcome here anytime.” She clasps your hands in hers and gives them a few quick pats. You say your reluctant goodbyes before you and Sonny head to his car. Once inside, he looks at you. “So?” “Your family is wonderful, Sonny and I had a great time.” This makes him flush with pride. “Glad to hear it, doll. Sometimes they can be a bit much, but they mean well.” He turns the key in the ignition and his car grumbles to life. The two of you wave as he backs out of the driveway. Once you’re cruising down Arden avenue, Sonny pipes up again. “Y'don’t have any more of them rolls, do ya? I didn’t know you were such a good cook.” You let out a laugh. “I’m not that good. For every two-dozen there’s about a dozen that come out flat and ugly. But if you’re indifferent to what they look like, then I can hook you up with the rejects.” You wink just as the car passes beneath the glow of a streetlamp in hopes Sonny will catch it. He grins. “I don’t mind. Besides, it gives me a good excuse to walk ya to your door 'n steal a kiss goodnight.”

-x-

I have a bunch of ideas planned, the next being x-mas (wrong time of year, I know) but I just have to check dates from the episodes. Let me know if you’d be interested in more of these stories and any feedback would be loved!

Next part here!

[fxkthatdairy]

The Principal’s Office Part Eight~ Grayson Dolan

Overview: (Y/F/N) (Y/L/N) was the new 5th-grade history teacher at The Dolan’s Private academy in New Jersey. She moved from across the country to teach at the school. On the first day, an unexpected visitor stops by her classroom to check in on her. What happened when they fall head over heels for each other?

Warnings: Extreme Fluff

The school week officially ended when the last bell rang throughout the whole school. The students stood and left the room. (Y/N) began walking around picking up leftover trash and stuff that was just laying around to try and save the janitors a few minutes. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and a pair of warm lips placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

“Hello to you too Grayson,” she said with a little laugh as she turned around and kissed him on the lips. She got most excited about the weekends because she got to spend them uninterrupted with Grayson.

“I missed you all day princess,” he said pushing a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.

“I missed you too Gray, I can’t wait to go home,” she said and laid her head gently on his chest. His fingers softly traced her lower back.

“I want to do something different this week if you don’t mind, instead of spending the weekend at your house, I want you to spend the weekend at mine. I want to introduce you to my mom and my sister. I also want you to get to spend more time with Ethan as well. It’s okay if you don’t want to I just thought it would be a good idea.” He said and twirled a loose strand of her hair around his finger. Her heart swelled up in joy as her dream man wanted her to meet his family and it also was filled with nerves. What would they have to say? Would they be mad because technically she was his employee? Would they think this was all too sudden, it’s only almost been two months since they had gotten together? She pushed her nerves down and came to her answer.

“Of course! I would love to stay at your house and meet your family,” she said with a smile as she backed away from his arms and began packing up her stuff . She bent down to unplug her phone cord from underneath her desk when she felt a sharp, quick, slap on her ass. She squealed and came back up with her phone cord.

“What was that for, mister?” She said with a slight pout as she threw her purse over her shoulder.

“Your ass looked to good in those jeans, not to Princess.” He said with a smirk as he grabbed her hand and walked out of the building. He took her to her car as he always does and helped her in before heading over to his own vehicle. He followed her to her house so that she could pack her bag for the week. She unlocked her door and turned on the lights. She walked to her bedroom and grabbed her overnight bag and threw a pair of pajamas in there as well as two pairs of regular casual clothes, a nice outfit, a pair of heels, house shoes, her personal items such as her deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, her makeup, and her electronic accessories. She shut her bedroom door and walked to the kitchen where she found Grayson propped up against the counter.

“I’m ready when you are baby,” she said as she swung her bag over her shoulder.

“Okay, Princess,” he said and held her hand as they walked to his truck. She locked the house and he helped her in since she was short and his truck was a little high up. He got in on the driver's side and buckled in before backing out of her driveway. His house was only about 10 minutes away so they’d arrived quickly and she got out. He grabbed her hand and locked his car. He had a nice two stories dark brick house, his driveway was fairly large and she could see his blue Porsche, a white Tesla, a few dirt bikes and ATVs, and a black Range Rover. He walked through the front door and she followed. The inside of his house was truly beautiful, it was very open, and clean, the colors were a range of white, navy blue, and hints of purple, the kitchen was absolutely gorgeous and huge, the living room was nice and cozy with a fairly large TV, the staircase was off to the side and was honestly beautiful.

“Wow Gray, this is beautiful,” she said.

“Thank you, Princess, let me take you to my room before I give you a house tour so you can get dressed comfortably.” He said and she nodded, following him up the staircase. Once they reached the top of the staircase he turned right and took her down a nice sized hallway, his room was at the very end and they walked in. It was honestly beautiful, the wall was a navy blue color and his bed sheets on his king-sized bed were black. He had a huge TV hung on the wall with a PlayStation and Xbox connected to it. He had a nice dark wooden dresser with a navy blue reclining chair in one corner. He had a connecting bathroom that was absolutely gorgeous. It had a two-person walk-in shower, a beautiful white, deep, bathtub, a double bathroom sink with plenty of cabinets and a huge walk-in closet. His bedroom was so cozy, she could just lay down right now and go to sleep.

“Gray, this is absolutely stunning,” she said and placed her bag next to the bed. She pulled out her pajama shorts and one of Grayson's shirts that he left at her house.

“Is that my shirt,” he asked with a smirk as he changed into a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt.

“Maybe..., you left it at my house one night and it was so comfortable and smelled like you so I kept it to sleep in,” she said with a small smile

“Keep it, Princess, it looks way better on you anyway,” he said with a laugh and grabbed her hand as they went downstairs. Ethan was laying on the couch, watching a basketball game that was playing.

“Hey (Y/N), it’s nice to see you again,” Ethan said from the couch.

“Hi Ethan, it’s nice seeing you as well,” she said as Grayson led her into the kitchen.

“Babeeee, can I please cook dinner tonight?” She asked with a pout as she looked around the beautiful kitchen. Truth be told, (Y/N) really loved to cook and this kitchen was giving her many vibes.

“Sure Princess, get what you need, I’m going to go catch up with Ethan,” he said and kissed the side of her head before going over and sitting in the recliner in the living room, sparking a conversation with his brother about work. (Y/N) pulled some chicken out of the fridge as well as some broccoli. She grabbed some Alfredo sauce and pasta from the pantry. She looked through the drawers until she founded the pan she needed and quickly defrosted the chicken before placing it in the pan. She grabbed her phone and placed it by the stove, quietly playing some music. She seasoned the chicken and cooked it. She started another pan and began boiling water to add the pasta too. As the chicken was cooking, she watched it as she washed and chopped up the broccoli. Once everything was done she placed it in the big pan and mixed everything in with the Alfredo sauce. It took her about an hour to cook the whole meal.

“Dinners done, boys,” she called from the kitchen as she made them both a plate and setting it on the opposite side of the island. Grayson and Ethan entered the kitchen. Grayson walked behind (Y/N) and wrapped his arms around her waist before kissing her cheek.

“Thank you for dinner, Princess, it looks absolutely delicious,” he said as he walked around and sat at the barstool and began eating.

“Yeah, thank you (Y/N), this is the bomb,” Ethan said as he devoured the food. She made her a small bowl and sat next to Grayson and ate. The boys tore up the whole food and there were no leftovers left. She quickly put the dishes in the dishwasher and went to join the boys in the living room. Grayson motioned her over and pulled her into the chair with him.

“Grayson, we are going to break the chair,” she said with a laugh as she tried to get comfortable.

“Nah, we’ll be good,” he said and wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on top of her head. She could honestly fall asleep from Grayson's warmth plus she didn’t really care about sports.

“So how have you been liking New Jersey and teaching,” Ethan asked.

“It’s been wonderful, Jersey is absolutely beautiful and there are actual seasons here, in Oklahoma all you got was Summer or Winter, I love teaching with all my heart, I love children and watching them learn, I also love history so yeah, I’ve got my dream job and I’m living in a beautiful town and I’ve got a lovely boyfriend,” she said with a laugh and a smile, she honestly believes taking this job offer and moving to New Jersey is the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Grayson kissed her head.

“Well I’m glad you’re enjoying your new job, well it’s getting late so I’m going to head to bed, goodnight you two.” Ethan waved as he walked off to his bedroom.

“I think it’s time we headed to bed as well Princess,” Grayson said as he placed butterfly kisses on her neck.

“Okay Gray,” she said as she stood up, before she knew it she was being picked up and being carried in Graysons arms bridal style. He began walking to the stairs.

“You know I have two capable walking feet right,” she said with a laugh as she carried her upstairs.

“I like this better,” he says and carries her to his room and laying her down on the bed. As she got comfortable under the covers and plugged her phone in, he set up the TV, playing the Lion King. He crawled under the blankets and pulled her body into his, he rubbed her back gently with his fingers, tracing shapes into her back. He kissed her gently on the lips and nose and forehead.

“I love you so much Princess, I can’t wait for you to meet my mother tomorrow, she’s gonna love you,” he said and played with her hair.

“I love you more Grayson, I can’t wait to meet your mother and thank her for raising such a wonderful man, goodnight Gray,” she said and kissed his cheek before drifting off to sleep.

“Impossible Princess, I love you more than you’ll ever know,” he whispered and drifted off to sleep.

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

The next morning went by fast and now it was 4:30 and Grayson had plans to take his mother out to dinner so that she could meet (Y/N). They picked a semi fancy restaurant and now it was time to get ready. (Y/N) took a quick shower and got out and blow dried her hair. She quickly curled it and pinned it into a half up half down style and begin applying a little bit of makeup. Once she finished that she slipped on a green knee-length dress with a pair of green heel and a black leather jacket. She added a few pieces of jewelry and grabbed her purse, when she finished getting ready it was 6:00 so they decided to start heading their way to the restaurant.

“You look fucking stunning Princess,” Grayson said as he drove, he placed one of his hands her thigh and the other one was on the steering wheel.

“You look handsome Gray,” she said with a smirk. He wore a white button-up with a blue blazer and a pair of Grey pants. They pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and her nerves began to settle in and she began bouncing her thigh slightly from the anxiety.

“What’s wrong, Princess?” He asked as he noticed her current state.

“I’m just nervous, what if your mom doesn’t like me?” She said silently.

“That’s nonsense Princess, she’s gonna love you because I love you and you are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever dated,” Grayson said and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. He got put off the car and walked over to her side and opened the door for her. They walked in hand and hand and went to the hostess.

“Reservations for Dolan,” he said and the hostess took us to a table. A woman with medium length brunette hair sat there wearing a simple blouse and trousers. She stood up when she saw us walking over.

“Grayson, my baby boy, you made it,” she said and hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.

“And you must be the infamous (Y/N) I’ve heard all about, it’s nice to finally meet you, you’re absolutely gorgeous,” she said as she gave (Y/N) a hug as well.

“Thank you, It’s nice to meet too Mrs. Dolan,” (Y/N) said as she sat next to Grayson in the table booth.

“Call me Lisa, hun, Mrs.Dolan makes me feel old,” she said with a slight laugh.

“Yes ma’am, I just want to say Thank You for raising such a wonderful gentleman, he’s been the best thing that’s happened in my life,” (Y/N) said as she interlocked Grayson’s hand with her own.

“Oh honey, no need to thank me, I think you’ve changed him for the better, I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time, so thank you for being my son happiness, you two truly are meant for each other,” she said with a sweet smile as she ordered her food from the menu as well did Grayson and (Y/N).

“Tell me a little more about yourself since my son has only babbled over how beautiful and kind you are,” she said as they made small y’all waiting for their food to get there.

“Well I’m from a small town in Oklahoma and I have a sister and brother. I grew up with my mother and siblings. I’m 25 years old and my birthday is May 26th. I went to college at Oklahoma University and got my teaching degree specialized in History. I love history, I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember. I moved to New Jersey to be a teacher at your son's school and it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my whole life.” (Y/N) said with a smile as she made conversation with Lisa.

“That sounds wonderful my dear, you need to swing by the house one day so I can show you all of the photo albums I have of the boy’s and I can tell you countless memories about Grayson and I would love to hear more about you,” she said with a smile as the food arrived.

“Mom,” Grayson groaned as his mother brought up photo albums. (Y/N) and Lisa just laughed at him.

After dinner, they said their goodbyes and Lisa put her phone number in (Y/N)’s phone saying to call her anytime and she was welcomed and she was glad to have her be part of the family.

Once (Y/N) and Grayson got home they got ready to go to be and climbed in turning on a random movie.

“Your mother is a lovely lady, I really love her,” (Y/n) said as she snuggled into Grayson's chest.

Grayson honestly was over the moon over the relationship his mother and dream girl had formed over the two hours they spent together.

“Thank you, Princess, I told you she would love you, I can’t wait for her to be your mother as well,” Grayson said and kissed her gently on the lips. (Y/N) smiled and closed her eyes, snuggling into Grayson’s chest.

“Goodnight Gray,” she said and drifted off to sleep.

“Goodnight Princess, I love you, I can’t wait for our future,” he said and kissed the side of her head before drifting to sleep himself.

——————————————————————-

As always I hope you guys enjoy! Part nine will be out in a few days. Part eight of PANIC ROOM will be out in the next few days after I publish a little more on this series. As always if you have any requests, concepts, or blurbs let me know 😊💛 I'm taking imagine requests and also if you have any AU suggestions, ill be more than happy to hear the. Love you guys <3

Tags: @graysavant @frickin-bats @pineappledols @sweet-dolans @parkernerd @lilharms @youtuberimagines12 @minecraftgamerr

[221brownstone]

Vulture: Elementary’s Joan Watson Is the Best-Dressed Detective on TV

In the seventh and final season of Elementary, Joan Watson is blonde. The character’s style has constantly evolved alongside her detective career and partnership with Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller), but in all her years on the show, there has been very little change to Lucy Liu’s locks. With just 13 episodes left, though, Joan has drastically altered her hair, which in turn means one last style shake-up for the best-dressed detective on TV.

Credit for that goes to costume designer Rebecca Hofherr, who has worked on the CBS procedural since its second episode in 2012, and who has guided Joan’s transformation from predominantly casual-leaning clothing to more structured menswear-inspired pieces. Hofherr spoke to Vulture about the narrative and fashion influences behind Joan’s costume evolution, including how they put their own stamp on an iconic duo and the sartorial challenges of shooting a 20-plus-episode season in New York City.

Joan’s styling was much more relaxed in the first year of Elementary. As his sober companion, her relationship with Sherlock was initially a professional commitment. She was not yet a detective and she was very much in the background of the investigation scenes. “Her clothing was very casual because that’s what the job called for,” Hofherr says. As Joan got more versed in the crime-solving world, her role shifted from sober companion to Sherlock’s protégée. By the second season, her costuming moved toward a slightly more sophisticated and buttoned-up approach. “As cheesy as it might sound, you need to put on a little more armor when dealing with the NYPD and all these criminals,” says Hofherr.

Joan’s wardrobe isn’t an either/or between suits and dresses, or even casual and business attire. She didn’t become a detective and suddenly stop wearing comfortable clothing. The suits reflect a change in Joan’s status and independence as an investigator, but dresses and sandals are still a vital style ingredient. During one Hofherr’s first conversations with Liu, they agreed Joan should “feel like a real New Yorker.” Expanding on this, Hofherr included staple items such as blazers or sandals, which most women have in their closets to dress an outfit up or down. “It was really nice to be able to incorporate them into a professional world for Joan,” she says.

Discovering the true cost of a TV character’s wardrobe is an eye-opening experience. Joan’s closet is definitely packed with high-end items — Hofherr’s go-to favored designers for Joan include Victoria Beckham, Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, and Stella McCartney, with Rag & Bone as her signature bootee choice — but to ensure her clothing reflected that New Yorker aspect, Hofherr also shopped at Zara and H&M. “It was really important to do a mix,” she says. “I think that’s pretty much how everyone shops. I don’t think it’s realistic to only shop at high-end stores.”

Noticeable costume repeats tend to be outerwear, but Hofherr also uses staple investment pieces such as high-waisted black pencil Victoria Beckham pants. (Dressing them with an inexpensive top, she adds, is “a great way to get a lot of outfits out of a really expensive pair of pants.”) There is an aspirational element to Joan’s garments, but the high-low mixing reflects how a lot of people shop. Hofherr also notes with a laugh that “pretty much everything Lucy wore from Zara, I also own. I was like, Oh, I can afford that.”

The one item that has appeared in all seven seasons? Joan’s red men’s Elder Statesman “house sweater.” Most people have a cozy garment that they only wear in the comfort of their own home, Hofherr explains, and Joan is no different. Sherlock and Joan’s brownstone home doubles as their office, but she wouldn’t be wearing suits at all hours of the day and night while solving a case. As Liu has worn this sweater so many times on the show, Hofherr says that not only has it molded to her body but it also has the pulls of a well-loved garment. It is also a color Joan doesn’t typically wear, which visually makes it a “nice change.”

Joan doesn’t eschew color, but a black-and-white motif runs through the first season to the last. Regardless of whether it is a suit, skirt, or a more casual outfit, sticking with the same color tone allows for experimentation with pattern. In the above outfit from season four’s “The Games Underfoot,” she wears a Saint Laurent polka-dotted tie with a checkered J.O.A. skirt and polka-dotted Ji Oh blouse. Sometimes the costume choice reflects Joan’s career, but on occasions like this one, it shows that Joan has a “fashionable side” too. “She can throw these things together and look really cute,” Hofherr says.

Two big style turning points emphasize Joan’s drive for equal footing with Sherlock as a detective. First came the ties, introduced at the end of season three. Suits followed, making their initial sartorial stamp in season five. The message is clear: Long gone are the days when Joan was Sherlock’s student. As with a lot of Joan’s costuming, she doesn’t stick to one specific suit-and-tie combo. In fact, the Marc Jacobs shirt above (which Hofherr got from one of her go-to sites, Shopbop) is a bit of an optical illusion, as it doesn’t even include a tie. Vests were thrown into the mix after Hofherr made the decision to stick with suits. It is also a nod to her relationship with Sherlock: Up to this point, Hofherr points out, vests have been Sherlock’s thing, so this costume mirroring is “a little nod to her respecting him so much.”

“I went to all ends of the Earth!” Hofherr laughs when talking about the many ties Joan has worn on Elementary. Men’s offerings were out of the question for someone of Liu’s stature, as they are just too wide and long. She snapped up everything Saint Laurent and Gucci had on offer, but she also shopped at uniform companies, bought a few kids’ ties, and even made them in-house. Maybe a Joan Watson tie line should be next? “If all these designers are going to sell women’s suits, I would love for them to start making women’s ties,” Hofherr suggests.

Another later costume addition was the Victorian-style Isabel Marant blouse. In part, this outfit was a hat tip to the original Holmes and Watson, but it also added another variation on the suit theme. One of the biggest challenges when doing a show with a full 20-plus-episode order is obtaining enough clothing, particularly for a fashion-forward character like Joan. Hofherr says that she needs 50 outfits a month — on average, Joan has five changes per episode — and costuming was made trickier because designers don’t typically replenish their collections between seasons. “We end up making a lot of clothes based on designs we love and change a few things because I can’t find 20 Victorian-style blouses or 20 men’s-style blouses,” Hofherr laments. “I can find five, but then that’s it for four months.”

Fashion seasons are not the only Elementary costume challenge, as shooting outside in New York City from July to May means having to find clothing that fits all weather cycles. (The 13-episode final season was a bit easier, though, because they only shot until December.) Sherlock sticks to the same styles — “This guy would buy 20 of the same shirts, the same sport coat, and the same pants,” Hofherr says — and he has also worn the same Tom Ford winter peacoat for seven years. On the flip side, Joan has many changes, but she isn’t going to have a different coat for each outfit, as that is neither practical or realistic for either the character or the designer. Hofherr’s preference was to have between five and ten on hand: “If we got the coats fitted and ready to go we could just recycle them episode after episode.” Outerwear is something that is repeated across various seasons — including the Alice + Olivia coat above — but accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves are switched out to keep things fresh.

Sometimes the weather also dictates the type of hat required: “I originally got that hat because we were shooting outside one day in the rain and they didn’t want to have umbrellas,” Hofherr says. The wider brim of this Barneys-brand men’s hat has since been worn on a number of occasions, as has the tie-waist Marissa Webb windowpane check coat (which will reappear in the final season).

Of course, the story also dictates what Hofherr chooses for Joan. At the end of season six, creator Rob Doherty didn’t know if they were going to get renewed, so they shot two different endings. This particular Diane von Furstenberg dress fit both the ending we saw and the alternative they filmed — though Hofherr couldn’t provide any other details without spoiling the end of season seven as well. “I wanted it to be timeless, as I didn’t know if it was the last time we were ever going to see Joan Watson,” she says. “It was a little bit of an ode to all the Joans we have seen throughout the seasons. I felt a suit would have been a different look for that final scene.” No surprise, then, that it is also one of Hofherr’s costume highlights.

Hofherr couldn’t pick a single favorite outfit, but this one she considers to be the most significant. At the end of season three, Sherlock has almost killed a man and relapsed, but Joan’s loyalty doesn’t waver. “This is where we start to see the Joan that we will forever know,” says Hofherr. “And I think this is the best version of Joan too.” The pink skirt is by Roland Mouret and the shirt is Uniqlo, which is another high-low outfit mix. It also happens to be the first time Joan wears a tie, which is a huge style turning point.

Hofherr also spoke in depth about working with Liu, not only as an actress but in her role as a director. (She has stepped behind the camera six times on Elementary.) Referring to Liu as “one of the most inspirational women I’ve had in my life” — she also did the costume design on the Liu-starring Netflix rom-com Set It Up — she says Liu is “willing to take risks, but she knows exactly when to take them.”

Which brings us back to the blonde mystery. Hofherr had already FaceTimed with Liu sporting her new hair color, but the styling was a task of its own. “She walked in for her first fitting of the final season and I didn’t recognize her,” said Hofherr laughing. They did plan fewer outfits than previous seasons’ fittings, she adds, “because we were figuring out what works with the blonde hair and what doesn’t.” Don’t worry: There are still plenty of outfits to come, particularly in the last two episodes. (Hofherr teased that Joan will have ten-plus changes.)

The signature black-and-white motif remains, including these fabulous Stella McCartney palazzo pants. “I always know it’s a really good outfit when all the crew members ask me what it is,” Hofherr says. That is the exact reaction Liu got when she stepped on set in this particular costume.

[servinglemonade]

Holiday Movies🎄🎬 : Festive AF or Bah Humbug?

Hi! First up, I hope you are doing okay and are staying safe. It has been a weird Christmas season, and since The Netherlands is now in their second lockdown period for 2020, it is even weirder. However, that is not messing up my festive spirit. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and not even 2020 will mess that up for me. Something I have been doing since lockdown is watching movies (even more than usual). Including a bunch of new Christmas movies. I watch the classics as always and made a blog post for that a couple of years ago. Which you can read here. So, I decided to make a post with all the ‘new’ Christmas movies I have watched this year! So keep reading to find out if these movies will make you say Ho-Ho-Ho or No-No-No... 

No worries, all the reviews are spoiler-free!

The Holiday Calendar (2018): Festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

I watched this movie back in 2018 because I love Quincy! So, I was curious about this movie. I adored it. Now it has become an annual Christmas watch. Kat Graham and Quincy have great chemistry and the plot is quite original, which I can always appreciate. It is a fun movie and very cozy!

Anastasia (1997): festive AF

Where to watch: Disney+

I have been watching this movie since I was little, and I feel it so underrated! This is not a Christmas movie. However, with the winter scenery, I think it is great for the Holiday season! It’s the story of Anastasia, who may or may not be a long-lost Russian princess... The animation is fantastic, the locations are so pretty to look at, the characters and cast are amazing, and the soundtrack and musical numbers are just incredible. Yeah, there is a lot to love about this movie! Highly recommend.

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Disney+ (if you do not have Disney+, it is on YouTube in two parts, but you did not hear that from me ;))

I have never watched the Lego Star Wars stuff but when I saw that this was coming out, I thought: yes, sign me up! I had so much fun watching this. I highly recommend it for any Star Wars fan! Does not matter if you like the prequels, original trilogy, or the sequels, this has something for everyone! It has some great humor and some GREAT character moments.  I LOVE one moment so much that I downloaded it on my phone to watch whenever I want. This will get you in the Christmas (or as they say in the SW universe Life Day) spirit for sure!

Holidate (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

I watched this one with my friends through a virtual watch party and enjoyed it. It was way better than I expected after seeing the trailer. Emma Roberts is great as always and it was quite funny. However, with Christmas just 5 days away (yeah!!!!!), I recommend putting this one on your list for November/early December. Since the movie is not all Christmas.

The Princess Switch 2: bah humbug

Where to watch: Netflix

I hate to say it because I liked the first one and love Vanessa Hudgens, but this was not good. The plot got so ridiculous at some point and besides Vanessa and some others, most of the cast were quite mediocre. The outfits were fantastic though!

Operation Christmas Drop (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

I enjoyed this movie. However, I do not feel the need to watch it again. Kat Graham and Alexander Ludwig’s performances are wonderful and it has a great message. The movie takes place on the island of Guam and it was so beautiful! Even though the plot can be quite predictable, it is still quite an original story for a Christmas movie!

My Christmas Inn (2018): bah humbug

Where to watch: Netflix

Predictable and cheesy. It has all the basic beats of your regular Christmas movie. A woman with a very busy and successful job goes to a small town, usually does not like Christmas or is too busy to celebrate it. Then they usually meet the town’s most eligible bachelor, and well... You can fill in the rest. Tia Mowry does a fine job for what she has been given and the town and inn are charming.

Noelle (2019): festive AF

Where to watch: Disney+

I was not sure about this one after the trailer, but I LOVED this! Anna Kendrick and Billie Eichner are so great here and the movie has so many Christmas puns... Oh my garland, right up my alley. I loved the look of the North Pole, soooo magical. Plus, Snowcone is absolutely adorable! SO SO SO festive!

Dash & Lily (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

Okay, this is not a movie, but a series. However, it is just 8 episodes that are around 20-27 minutes each and it is very binge-able! This show is based on a book. I don’t want to give anything away, but the basic plot is that this boy who hates Christmas comes into contact with a girl who loves Christmas through a notebook, which might sound really vague, but it will become clear when you watch it! It takes place in New York during the Christmas season (obviously), which drew me to the show in the first place. Call me basic, but NYC looks so festive and magical. This is what this show is too! I loved it and hope there will be a second season next year!

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

This movie is... INCREDIBLE. Everything about it is just magical. The cast, set design, characters, costume design, musical numbers and choreography, the story. Everything is just wonderful! You can tell this movie had a big budget which it deserves. I even forget for a minute that I was watching a Netflix movie?! You have to watch this one, you will not regret it. My favorite songs were This Day and Make It Work Again. The Usher and Kiana Ledé version of This Day is fantastic too and has been on repeat! Someone on Twitter said that this movie would make an amazing Broadway musical which I agree wholeheartedly with and someone should get on that and make it happen!

Godmothered (2020): festive AF

Where to watch: Disney+

I liked Godmothered. The plot was nice, the characters were fun and overall enjoyable. I do not know why, but I just always enjoy stories where someone who is not from our world, comes here and discovers everything in funny ways. It just cracks me up, and Godmothered has those aspects as well. I was also impressed by the special effects and CGI in this movie.

Christmas in Evergreen (2017): bah humbug

Where to watch: I watched this one on TV and it is not on Netflix here in The Netherlands, but maybe you will be in luck... or not (since the movie is not very good)

The town of Evergreen has become a running gag now in my house. There is not 1, not 2, but 3 movies that take place in this town. I-... I do not know what to say haha. I mean, just like My Christmas Inn, a very basic plot. Evergreen does have a charming, festive feel to it, so the movie has that going for it. Other than that, not a lot. One thing I found ridiculous was when the main character had a flight to catch. You would think that she has to get to the airport, yet she goes on all these side quests and I was just so annoyed by it.

Christmas Wonderland (2018): festive AF

Where to watch: Netflix

Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it predictable? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Heck yeah. I do not know why, but Christmas Wonderland is not as cringe as some of these Hallmark Christmas movies can be. It stars Emily Osment (you might know her from Hannah Montana) and she is an artist here. Overall, not a waste of time and it was fun to watch.

So that was it for this post! I hope you enjoyed it and maybe gave you a few new Christmas movies to watch! What are some of your favorite Christmas movies?

I will be back with more posts after Christmas! Maybe some of my favorite things from 2020, to end this year on a positive note!

There are just 3 days left until Christmas. 2020 has been the longest, yet the fastest year ever. I know this Christmas will be different and there will be lots of people spending it without their loved ones. If you are one of them, I am so sorry. I hope you can enjoy the day regardless. Watch a few movies, eat all your favorite Christmas treats, call up your loved ones, treat yourself with a nice face mask, or do absolutely nothing. It’s up to you.

I truly hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I am sending lots of virtual hugs your way! I wish you a very merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! XO

Yenai