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breakingsomething · 4 years ago

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the fall part sixteen - the calm

basic summary: chase gets his kids for the weekend. anti makes three mistakes. some other stuff happens. this entire chapter is a disjointed mess and i am sorry.

trigger warnings: murder, blood, unwanted touch

tagslist: @synonymsforzombie @spicydanhowell @skyewardlight @dreaming-of-stories-and-stars @cest-mellow @graveyardlettuce @lower-your-expectationss

a dialing tone had never sounded so scary in all of chase's life.

by the time lucas picked up, he was sweating nervously, gripping the steering wheel of his car tightly with white fingers. he wasn't driving yet; just sitting in the car park outside the flats awkwardly, glaring at his reflection in the rearview mirror. he stuck his tongue out at himself as the tone clicked a voice came from the other end. "chase?"

chase immediately started talking. "hi, sorry, fuck, i didn't mean to stand you up, i swear on my life i didn't, i just - i - i got really distracted and i - i don't think properly sometimes, i am so so so so sorry -"

"it's fine," lucas interrupted. he sounded tired. "you don't have to apologize."

"but i do!" chase despaired, and leaned forward to knock his forehead against the wheel. "i'm so sorry, i - i didn't mean to forget, and i should have called you last night but i was in a bit of a state and i don't know what happened." he hesitated. "i'm not trying to - to make you forgive me or anything, cause obviously you don't have to, but i've… been stressed. i guess it's messing with my head. and i did want to meet up with you, i did. i swear."

there was a moment of silence, during which the ocean of chase's self hatred grew and he gave a small shuddering sigh, pulling the phone away from his face so lucas wouldn't hear. then, in a quiet voice, lucas said "what did you want to meet me for anyway?"

chase swallowed, scratching the back of his head beneath his hat. a car drove by his, and he watched it go, trying to think. "to - ironically, it was to apologize in person for freaking out on you like that," he said with a slight laugh. "i suppose i have more to apologize for now."

lucas paused. "how were you planning to apologize?"

a smile broke chase's lips. "well, i was going to buy us gregg's and a coffee or tea or something, and then i was gonna walk down the high street and give you the apology speech i had prepared, and then you were either gonna forgive me or throw your drink at my head and walk away."

lucas laughed loudly, a deep hearty burst of surprised warmth. chase found himself grinning at the sound. "chase, there wasn't much to apologize for," lucas chuckled. "you were panicking over something in a public space and you wanted to get away. i can understand that, i can. you don't have to tell me what set you off, and you don't have to try and justify not sticking around. i only wish you would have told me where you were going or let me drive you home or - or something. i was worried."

something swelled in chase's chest. "you're not mad?"

"i was a little miffed you stood me up, but i honestly can't stay mad at you too long," lucas said. chase could hear his smile on the other end of the line. "you're definitely under a lot of mental stress, considering the - everything that's been going on lately. but don't worry about it, k? you don't need more to stress over."

"let me make it up to you," chase said. "i'm - actually going to pick up my kids right now, but i'd like to see you sometime soon. to, uh. buy us gregg's." the peak of romance indeed, chase thought, then immediately squashed that thought as far down as he could in his mind and mentally hit it with a mallet. now was not the time to think about that. he turned the car key, waiting for the engine to start. "if that would be ok?"

"i - of course!" lucas exclaimed. "i'd love to, honestly. that sounds… that sounds fun."

chase's car wasn't starting. he turned the key again, listening to the coughing, spluttering sounds the car was making. he heard lucas speak up again. "uhhh… are those noises your car?"

"mm-hmm," chase grunted, practically kicking the brake pedal. "it's not - fucking - working. i swear to god, i cannot do this right now, ugh…"

lucas sounded almost amused. "well then, i suppose it's a good thing you're on a call with the professional chauffeur of hecate, am i right?"

chase's heart skipped. "you - you don't have to do that," he said weakly. the car made another rough wheezing sound, and chase hissed through his teeth. stacy would kill him if he was late, and while he could maybe take a bus, louise got anxious on public transport and he didn't want that for her. "my kids are a bit ridiculous sometimes, and i - are you sure?"

"absolutely!" lucas said certainly. something jingled on his end of the line. "i'll drive right over to yours to pick you up. what's the address we're going to?"

chase told him. "cool," lucas said. "see you in like, ten minutes. g'bye."

chase sighed and got out of the car, gently kicking the side of it before heading back inside. henrik was in the kitchen drying dishes. "did stacy call?" he frowned. chase shook his head, tossing his keys onto the shelf next to the door.

"car's bust. lucas is picking me up. i know, i thought he was gonna fucking hate me after yesterday." he winced. "ok, i should practice not swearing if i'm getting the kids, shouldn't i."

henrik raised an eyebrow. "ok, alright. what's wrong with the car?"

"it's not fucking - it's not fudging starting," he said, plopping down at the kitchen table. henrik snickered, and chase flipped him off. "fudge off. i'll cuss you out later, i swear."

"remember when you never used to swear cause you trained yourself out of it?" henrik grinned. "ah, good memories. let's go back to those times." he caught the look on chase's face and laughed. "oh, don't look so outraged. what are you going to do, call me a poopy head?"

they bickered for the following ten minutes, until they heard a car drive up outside and chase paled. "shit," he gasped, forgetting his no-swear rule in an instant. "ah, shit, i can't do this."

henrik clapped a hand to chase's shoulder, looking him right in the eyes. "chase brody, i have known you for exactly four years now, almost to the day, and you have never been a pussy bitch about anything. i've seen you fall through the porch and stab a piece of wood through your leg and still be making jokes on the way to the er. you are not a coward." he tilted chase's head up and yanked him to his feet. "now go out there and stop being a little bitch baby."

and maybe that inspirational pep talk was exactly what chase needed, because he felt strangely calm as he walked out and waved at the familiar car in the middle of the cul-de-sac, engine still running. "hey there," he grinned as lucas threw open the passenger seat door. "thank you so much for this, man."

"absolutely no problem!" lucas insisted. his hair was tangled and curly, his shirt rumpled and… chase squinted at him as he buckled his seatbelt.

"your shirt's on backwards," he told him.

lucas flushed and grabbed at the front of his shirt, twisting it to look for the tag. chase glanced away. "ah," lucas said. "so it is."

their eyes met, and they both burst into peals of laughter. it wasn't even that funny, but both of them were so glad for a distraction that it didn't even matter. "so tell me about your kids," lucas said as he turned the car to go up the street. "you told me their names, but not much else. what are they like?"

chase smiled, laughing softly. "well, louise is older. she's a papa's girl. she's just the sweetest kid, she's not great with people but she had the greatest imagination. she's told me all about this big world she has created in her head and she talks about it a lot, about all her characters that she says she wants to base books off one day." he paused to take a breath, watching the streets fly past out the window. "and connor loves his mama, he's younger by two years and he's a very sweet boy. he's better with people than his sister and spends a lot of time with his friends, and he loves baking and going out to exercise. not even sports. funnily enough, he doesn't like them because they're "too competitive." he just like running around in circles or doing roly polies across the grass."

he blinked, suddenly realizing how he'd been rambling. he glanced at lucas only to see him smiling wide, eyes crinkled. "no, go on," he said. "tell me more. what are louise's stories about?"

they talked the whole way there. by the time lucas pulled into stacy's driveway, he was feeling much warmer somehow. then he gasped, a sudden icy cold trickled down his back. "oh, sugar. i forgot to tell stacy you were - she might not recognize the car." he made a face, hissing through his teeth. "it's cool. she'll see it's me." he opened the car door, hesitating. "you coming? louise might feel more comfortable with a stranger if she meets you before we're all in a car together."

"uh - sure, yeah!" lucas agreed with a nervous smile, and chase's heart thumped in his chest as they stepped out of the car and up the pathway to the dark red front door of the house chase had once lived in with his wife and kids. this was never normally such an anxious experience for him, but with lucas by his side, it felt so much more personal. even the perfect ring of the doorbell hurt chase's ears. he clenched his fists as the sound of footsteps grew louder, a shadow appearing at the window, someone opening the door.

it was stacy. wavy golden hair, dark brown eyes, a bright blue blouse paired with red cutoff jeans. her face brightened at the sight of chase, then immediately dimmed into confusion as she caught sight of lucas. she shook it off, turning back to chase and quirking an eyebrow. "you're late," she said, as way of greeting.

"sorry, stace, my car wouldn't start," chase explained awkwardly. then he gestured to lucas behind him. "my friend lucas drove me here. he's gonna, uh, drive us back too."

stacy looked suspicious. "uh huh. nice to meet you, lucas."

chase winced at her dry tone, but couldn't really blame her. stacy had a lot of trust issues after anti had taken the kids two years ago. despite stacy's clear distrust, lucas stepped forwards with a warm grin. "nice to meet you too, miss…" his grin faltered, and he glanced at chase. stacy answered instead.

"wilson," she said. "stacy wilson."

"ah!" lucas said. "nice to meet you, miss wilson, and apologies for intruding like this. i'm just doing a favour for chase here. i can show my driver's licence if it'd help put your mind at ease at all about me driving with your children."

stacy blinked, then blanked her face again, showing no reaction. "i think i'd like that, if it's ok," she said softly. then she turned and called into the house. "lou, connor, papa's here!"

immediately, the sound of shrieking picked up, and the pounding of two pairs of feet crashed down the hall. "papa papa papa!" cried two loud voices, and then the kids burst into view, pushing past their mother and latching onto chase tightly. little blonde connor, with his hair falling in his eyes and toothpaste stains on his overalls, and blue eyed louise, chestnut hair tied into intricate braids that fell down the back of her pink hoodie. they laughed as they held him, both babbling so quickly chase could barely keep up.

"papa, papa, we made brownies with ice cream yesterday and they're so nice!"

"we went to the youth club again on wednesday and i got to make a house out of lolly sticks!"

"oh, and i found a cat and i named him johnny but mama wouldn't let us keep him - who's that?"

both children peeked round their father's legs to look at lucas, who was looking considerably more nervous than he had before. he waved, shoulder's almost at his ears. "hey there," he said with a reassuring smile. "my name's lucas. i'm a friend of your papa's."

they were silent for a moment. connor was the first to speak. "what's your last name?"

lucas looked taken aback. "ah - ross. it's ross. why do you ask?"

connor tilted his head. "you look like a teacher. should we call you mr ross?"

lucas suddenly laughed. "that won't be necessary." he put his hands into his pocket, silently rummaging for something. "connor, is it? your father tells me you like running and baking. honestly, that sounds like a fun combination to me. i really like baking too." then he turned to louise, who shrank back behind her brother slightly despite being taller than him. "and you must be louise. very lovely to meet you. i hear you like writing and drawing! that does sound fun. i bet you make really cool stuff." he suddenly pulled out two five pound notes from each pocket, grinning at the way the kid's eyes lit up. "you guys could buy some cool stuff with this. maybe you can go on a shopping trip this weekend."

connor shrieked with excitement as he took both notes, passing one back to his sister, who was still lurking quietly. "thank you, thank you, thank you, mr ross! we'll spend these on good things, promise!"

chase chuckled in disbelief, grinning at lucas's proud expression. "are you trying to make my own kids like you better than me?" he laughed, knocking his arm against his friend's. connor, meanwhile, was leaping up and down in front of stacy, holding up the blue and green note.

"look, mama, we got money! we can buy cool stuff!" he crowed. stacy gave an uncertain smile, glancing up at lucas with concern in her eyes. she was still worried. chase could see that. so, it appeared, was louise. she clutched her note close to her chest, staring shyly down at her blue trainers, although she had a little smile on her face at the same time. stacy, though - for a moment chase was worried she wouldn't accept it, that she'd tell the kids to give the money back. she hesitated, looking down at them, then sighed.

"well - you're not spending it on sweeties, you understand?" she said, forcing a smile. it was just that one sentence that made chase feel an immediate sense of relief. she'd approved. and while chase would probably have to talk to her more about this on sunday, this was happening now, and chase couldn't have felt better.

"come on, kiddos. let's get this going," he beamed, and connor cheered as he bounded into the car. louise was much quieter about it, but as she went by, chase heard her murmur a small "thank you" before climbing in beside her brother.

"please take care of them," stacy said softly. she ran her hands through her hair, suddenly looking exhausted. "they've been through so much already. don't let them hurt more."

she was speaking directly to lucas, despite not right looking at him. lucas relaxed, tapping his shoes against the path. "i won't," he said firmly. "i promise. oh, and here's my license, since you wanted to see -"

while lucas spoke with stacy, chase buckled up the kids into their seats. "mr ross is super nice, papa!" connor exclaimed, kicking his legs. "are we gonna go shopping? what can i buy with this money? how much is this money? there's a - ooh, there's a five in the corner, and it's got winston churchill on it - we're learning about the world wars in school, so i know who he is, papa, i'm so so so so clever!"

chase laughed as his son rambled, then turned to his older daughter. "you ok?" he asked quietly. louise nodded, clinging to her sonic plushie and smiling.

"tell mr ross thank you," she whispered. "he is nice. is he your friend?"

chase sighed softly. "he is my friend," he murmured, guilt still heavy in his chest. he was going to have to make this up to lucas with far more than just a trip to the local bakery. "and you two can call him lucas if you like. no need to be so formal."

he heard lucas say goodbye to stacy then walk round the side of the car to get in the driver's seat. "are you guys all ok?" he asked, looking at the kids in the rearview mirror. they both nodded, louise ducking her head shyly. chase and lucas exchanged smiles. connor and louise liked lucas, albeit maybe due to a little bit of bribery. stacy hadn't freaked out. this was starting off well.

"let's go!" chase said, and the kids cheered as he turned to lucas. "thank you," he said softly. "i'll make it up to you."

"no need," lucas grinned, glancing does at the dashboard. "your kids are sweet. it's my pleasure, honestly."

chase leaned back in his seat, listening to lucas chat with the kids and the ac blowing into the car to cool them down. this was good. maybe things could be good. maybe this was the start of things looking up.

anti hadn't meant to do it. at first.

two men had jumped him as he walked down the streets at maybe three in the morning, having gone out to get some supplies from asda before finding a shelter. "what have you got there, tosser?" said one man, grinning. he was holding a knife. so was the other man. they were both big, bigger than anti, both wearing dark clothes and masks over their faces. they looked down at anti like he didn't stand a chance.

honestly, anti just couldn't believe he was getting mugged for the second time in a week. the first time, he'd been caught completely off guard, taken down immediately before he'd had the chance to take his knife out. this time, he had a small switchblade that he'd nicked off a man at the shelter. he could feel it in his sleeve as he held up his hands, warm from his body heat. maybe he wouldn't have to use it. maybe.

but maybe he wanted to.

he thought he blacked out. he remembered laughing - laughing as much as he could in his condition, a wheezing, clicking laugh - and he remembered the blade held tight in his hands, and he remembered dark blood splattered against dark walls, clawing hands, screaming, screaming.

when he came out of his dizzying red haze, two men were lying dead on the floor.

his hands were red. probably. anti was red-green colourblind, and it was very dark, but even with that he could imagine how bright the blood was, scarlet against his pale skin. in his vision, it just looked like ink. thick, disgusting ink, smelling of iron and death. the men had already gone ashen. lifeless. flat eyes. anti used to get high on this, elated by the thrill of tearing a a life away, of hearing agonized screams and pleas for help. now… now he just felt sick.

he hadn't killed anyone since maybe last christmas. that had been the one year anniversary of dapper leaving, and anti had felt so miserable and alone that by the end of the day, at least seven people weren't going home to their families that night. anti had revelled in it. i lost my family, so you get to lose yours too! you're not even real! just characters made by jack to flesh out my world, my world! you're not real! none of this is real! only dapper was real, dapper was real and i lost him, i lost him forever!

seven people. maybe more. it was sickening that anti couldn't remember how many wives, husbands, brothers, sisters, children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, had sat and waited for their loved one to arrive safely, getting more and more worried as the hours went by, cheer fading with the anxiety of it all, until eventually they got a call from the police letting them know that a person of the description that they'd been looking for had been found, mutilated, soaked in blood, under a bench, in a box, shoved under a truck, on christmas day, christmas day. anti didn't care. he was hurting so badly that he didn't give a shit about anything.

now it was nearly october, nearly a year later, and vomit was rising in anti's throat as he looked at the bodies. he swallowed it back - throwing up was so painful that he'd rather stay miserable than let it out at all - and shuddered, stepping backwards, trainers slipping on the wet, uneven concrete. a sudden calm came over him. he'd killed them. him. not red or bat or anyone else. blood on his hands. he should have enjoyed it.

would he have enjoyed killing those seven people last christmas if he'd been able to go back in time and tell his past self that one day he'd be in their exact position, held down as he was tortured, in agony, but unable to die? was that the reason why he'd been unable to feel his normal exhilaration while killing them? had he seen himself in their eyes?

two wasn't enough.

it was dark as fuck. not many people around. there was, however, a brunette woman in a pink jacket walking along, head down against the world. anti's heart raced. he didn't think this was right. he didn't think this was right.

but he did it anyway. as soon as she went by, anti grabbed her and - and - he didn't think. there was just a knife in her stomach, and she screamed, and oh, that sound elated him and made him feel sick at the same time. he twisted the knife and clamped a bloody hand over her mouth. his head was pounding, black spots dancing in his field of vision.

three people dead. so much blood on him.

had he enjoyed it the way he always had? he couldn't even tell.

it was only a moment before his legs gave out beneath him and he sank dizzily to his knees against the wall of a building, fingers scrabbling for a hold so he wouldn't pass out. he had forgotten this. this would usually be the part where he'd glitch the cameras, loop the footage and delete all record of what he'd done, and turn to static so he could travel somewhere through the phone lines to go wash off. he couldn't do that now. all he could do was stare helplessly, little wheezing breaths escaping his lips as his chest squeezed tighter and tighter. why, why, why did this hurt, why was he so close to throwing up? he closed his eyes and breathed for a moment. don't freak out, don't freak out.

too late for that. because he was - all he could think of was -

“excuse me, sir, are you alright?”

he glanced up to see a woman with dark brown hair and a long blue coat peering down at him with concerned hazel eyes. “‘m fine,” he muttered, not wanting to get other people involved. he looked away from her into the street, hoping to communicate that he wanted to be left alone.

anti needed to catch a breath. he wasn't that weak now. he wasn't.

apparently he hadn’t learned enough about human body language, because she crouched down next to him. “why don’t you come inside?” she purred, pointing to a doorway behind her that said ‘"staff only" in scrawled font. “it’s nice and warm. don’t worry, i’ll say you’re with me.”

he was now beginning to panic. “leave me alone,” he said quietly.

no, no, he could feel her hands on him. he wasn't weak anymore, he wasn't, look at how far he'd come since then.

the woman laughed lightly. she was drunk. he could smell the alcohol on her breath. “hey now, don’t be like that,” she hummed. one of her hands touched his arm gently, and he recoiled in disgust. “really, i just-”

for the past three weeks he had been carrying around a knife. it was a switchblade that he could pop up and down. he had stolen it from an antique shop; he assumed it was valuable, but he didn’t care. it comforted him, and he always had it in his pocket, especially when he was out of the house.

the knife was in the woman’s stomach before he could stop to think.

fuck, fuck, stop touching, stop looking, fucking hell -

anti threw the knife away and clutched at his head, bringing his knees up to his chest. he was going to be sick. this was - it was too much. too much. too much happening, he could feel hands all over him somehow and something warm was burning his cheeks, he was retching, why had he gotten so cocky, why hadn't he been able to stop red taking him away? this was pathetic!

doctor had been right. everything he had said yesterday - anti should just be satisfied with the damage already done. why was he feeling like this now? why did he never know when to quit? he was hurting and it was all too much, make it stop, make it stop make it -

stop -

stop…

anti hadn't meant to do it. at first.

but maybe he wanted t-

something banged down the street. all three men whipped round as they heard whooping, a group of people coming out from seemingly nowhere. "the fuck -" said the taller man, and he grabbed his friend's shoulders to drag him away, both of them racing down the alley and out of sight. the group of people passed them by, led by a person who's hood was up to shield their face. on the other side of the street was a brunette woman with a pink jacket head down against the world. she, too, disappeared from view.

and anti was seemingly alone again.

seemingly.

the day before, right after henrik and marvin's conversation on the stairwell

henrik von schneeplestein wasn't a stupid man. marvin just liked to underestimate him. he quietly watched his brother disappear downstairs before sneaking into his room, softly clicking the door shut behind him.

marvin hadn't even tried to be subtle. henrik had heard him talking to anti through the door, a one sided conversation that he obviously couldn't catch the other side of, although it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. and even though he couldn't immediately see anti when he slipped inside, he knew he was there. he could feel his presence.

"i know you're in here," he said aloud. "i could hear marvin talking to you. oh, let me guess. the rain is too much for you, so you're taking advantage of marvin again. i'm not a fucking idiot, anti."

something clattered in the wardrobe, like something being dropped. henrik stiffened, then walked towards it slowly, still talking.

"jackie told us everything, you know. about how you were taking over his mind, how you were manipulating his nightmares, trying to make him one of your fucking puppets. just like jamie, eh? you needed to replace him. it was your gottverdammt fault that he - snapped!"

henrik threw the doors to the wardrobe open. anti was in there, scowling - henrik presumed marvin had told him to hide, the sneaky bastard - but stepped out as soon as he was revealed, hands flying.

"you think i corrupted him?" he signed, so fast henrik almost couldn't read his hands. "you think it was my fault he ended up an unhinged sick bitch? he was always like that and you just never saw. all i did was nudge him. without meaning to, of course, but apparently a few bad dreams were enough to push him to doing the shit he did. you can't blame anyone else for what happened. even me."

he was breathing heavily by the time he finished, clinging to the door with his good hand tightly. henrik didn't break eye contact with him even as his mind raced with everything anti had just said. he was lying. anti was a liar, a manipulator, a trickster. this had been his fault and he couldn't deny it.

henrik grabbed anti's shirt and pushed him up against the wall next to the window. "stop it!" he cried, furious. "just stop it! haven't you done enough, aren't you satisfied with the damage you've done -"

anti suddenly shoved henrik off him, grabbing the curtain for support. he didn't sign anything. he just glared, rage blazing in his eyes like fire. henrik stared down at him, teeth gritted with the effort it was taking not to scream or break something or throw anti right out the window in the hopes that it would make him feel any better.

"don't - fucking - come back here," henrik spat, voice shaking. his nails dug into his palms so hard he could feel it bleeding. "you hear me? all you've ever done is hurt. aren't you - don't you get sick of it? of being so hated? fuck, i just - stay away from us."

anti sank to the floor under the window, evidently too tired to do anything but hiss softly through his teeth. henrik turned on heel, disgusted, and stormed from marvin's room, listening to his brother downstairs in the kitchen and trying not to break down.

present day

the door to naomi's shop creaked open, the bell tinkling loudly to alert her to a customer's presence. she sighed softly in despair, despite having opened the store with the intention of people coming in. that hadn't meant she wanted to interact with people.

naomi knew she wasn't supposed to have reopened the store so soon after her relapse. but nai's blomma magi was literally her only source of income, and she couldn't afford to keep it closed. although she had considered calling marvin to ask him to come help out, but didn't want to bother him anymore than she had to. she cringed thinking back on how she'd exploded at him already. she didn't want to end up saying anything any worse and have him leave her forever.

she was honestly surprised he hadn't already.

the customer came round the shelves to the counter, and naomi jumped upon seeing who it was. at first she thought it was marvin, but a moment of closer inspection revealed it was anti, a big jacket on and a black scarf wrapped around his mouth. he came right up to the counter, looking down to pull something out of his pockets.

"anti," naomi said, surprised. her accent still made it sound like "andy," and she hoped he wouldn't be too upset about it. "what are you doing here? i mean, good to see you, but -"

anti pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it down on the counter, sliding it towards naomi. she picked it up curiously and read it. have you seen marvin? it read.

"i - yes, i suppose i have," she said, confused. had anti gotten a haircut? it looked nice. she wasn't going to say that though, obviously. "last i saw him was at the park yesterday morning. why? you know where he lives anyway."

anti pulled out a pen and began to scribble, holding the paper down with his left hand as he wrote. need to find him as soon as possible, he wrote. he's not at the same house. i can't find him and i have to.

naomi frowned. "they - they're at the same flat as they've been for almost a year. weren't you just there the other day?"

anti looked up with pleading grey eyes. please just tell me the address, he wrote. this is important. i swear i mean no ill intent.

well, that was a weird thing to say. but naomi's head was still foggy and her thoughts were barely making sense. she quickly gave anti the address, which he wrote down, his eyes crinkling in a grateful smile. "thank you," he said, a sign naomi knew, and she nodded uncertainly, smiling back at him as he turned and left. it was only then that she realized anti must have been wearing some kind of makeup under his eyes, because she couldn't see any of his scars.

there was something off about all of this. something very off. naomi wasn't sure what, and she didn't have the energy to think about it, but she knew.

however, she didn't have time to think about it. as she watched anti go, she could see something odd about the sky outside. her lips parted softly at the sight, and she found herself unconsciously stepping forwards closer to the door to take a look. and oh, the sight of what was happening outside took her breath away.

all she could do was stare at the sky in wonder.

connor and louise had both had a fantastic day with their papa. they had gotten to see uncle henrik and uncle marvy again, and they had all gone to the park for a little while before going to papa's house and watching a movie. uncle henrik had made them popcorn, and papa had bought them each pretty new shelves for their room. on top of all that, papa's new friend had given them money and talked to them so nicely. it had all been good. right up until they woke up in the wee hours of the morning to a strange sight outside.

it was just a bright light at first, making louise screw up her eyes tighter and turn her head away from the window. but the glow was lighting up the entirety of their room, and she cracked her eyes with a soft moan. it was only when she looked properly that she sat up, gasping softly.

"connor," she whispered, shaking off her covers and pressing bare feet to the cold floor, padding over to her brother's bed and shaking him. "con-nor. wake up, please wake up."

connor groaned in his sleep, scrunching up his face and turning away. louise shook him again, poking his cheek. "connor!"

eventually, the boy whined softly and flopped round to face his sister. "what?" he moaned, then threw an arm over his face. "turn off the light, lou, it's too bright. what time is it?"

"i don't know, and the light isn't on," she said. she stepped aside to let connor see the window, and he squinted. "look at that!"

connor sat straight up, breathing in sharply. "woah!" he exclaimed, swinging his legs over the bed and standing next to his sister. "what is that?"

he quickly bounded towards the window, louise hissing words of caution behind him. "louise!" he cried, slapping both hands to the glass and pressing his face to try and see clearer. "the sky is falling!"

and he was right. the sky was falling.

it should have been pitch black outside. instead, the sky was lit up with a thousand vibrant colours, chunks of neon light streaming down to the ground like transparent meteors. wispy ribbons of colour were trailing through the stars to the buildings below, like the northern lights, but far more explosive. the kids gaped, awestruck.

"wow," louise gasped. "the sky is really falling."

the sky was really falling.

#jacksepticeye #boop writes #chase brody #henrik von schneeplestein #antisepticeye #lucas ross #the fall

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roroalb6h · 5 years ago

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#sweets 😋 (at Roly's Fudge Pantry, Bowness-on-Windermere) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzgPQqrl2DU/?igshid=1ndlx3zgjvzm3

#sweets

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soniawantthatwedding · 3 years ago

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Autumn Micro Wedding in Devon with Burgundy Colour Scheme: Pippa & Theo https://bit.ly/3ovTZeB Photography: Clare Kinchin Photography / Flowers: Amanda Randell, Flowers et Al / Cake: Harrie Kivell (Boo to a goose) / Food: Taylors of Tavistock / Venue: Ever After at Lower Grenofen, Devon / Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara via Go Bridal in Tunbridge Wells / Bridemaid Dresses: Dessy / Bridesmaid Jewellery: Monica Vinader / Hair: Ashleigh from The Hair Lounge, Tavistock / Makeup: Jess and Tyler from No.5 Aesthetics & Beauty Clinic, Tavistock / Grooms Suit: Hackett / Favours: Rolys Fudge Pantry

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my-life-now-with-lupus · 3 years ago

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This morning I’ve been releasing my Tiger with lots of mini meltdowns…

I have little patience at the best of times but today I have been letting out Roars and throwing things like a toddler.

The thing is everything I do right now takes a bit more energy and time…which until the treatment regime kicks in and I manage things better is of limited supply. Especially after a poor nights sleep.

Though it has been very good of HSBC to suspect fraudulent activity and freeze my current account it is not the best time of the month post payday to do it as I’ve got payments bouncing all over the place. I’ve had to confirm with the fraud dept the payments were all legit… including the ‘one’ to Roly’s Fudge 😱.

I also had an email yesterday to say my requested extension for my MSc had been declined- this is my own fault I had somehow forgotten to upload evidence of my request. Not only do I feel ridiculously stupid for failing at a simple task I now have to go through the appeals procedure and frustration of uploading all my medical letters ( there’s quite a collection now ) and fill in more paperwork. All of which is using energy I wanted to save for watching the Imps play later, and to actually see friends I’ve not seen for a while.

Simple tasks to rectify when your heads on it… but at present proving ridiculously hard work. Unfortunately for The other half he has been sat across from me at the kitchen table and has had some unexpected catching practice… he’s a good egg 🥚 he actually returned the bank card after. Though as the morning has gone on has just moved out the way and politely asked with all this medication I’m popping if there’s a ‘chill pill 💊’ I can get?

I’ve not even made it to 12 today… but I want to be on form for the footy and seeing friends, I want a snap at my old life, so it’s NapTime and hopefully I will wake in more of a puppy mode!

#seesawing #swingsandroundabouts #upanddown #moody #lupuslife #isthereapillforthat #tired #fatigue #lowbattery

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gigslist · 4 years ago

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2021 List of Angel Investors for Media, Games, Cannabis

Linkedin contact addresses for the top 23 accredited angel investor groups and venture capital investment syndicates. These are all verified with previous investment portfolios of successful ventures and companies.

Alex Gurevich Managing Director Javelin Venture Partners

Consumer Applications

Enterprise Applications

Media

Early Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

David @ MasterClass

Joshua @ Telerivet

Jonathan @ Thumbtack

John @ Mythical Games

Noah @ Stensul

http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexg79

Ben Lerer Managing Partner Lerer Hippeau (LHV)

Ecommerce / D2C

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

New York City (NYC) / United States

Casper

Heyday

Revere

Group Nine Media

http://www.linkedin.com/in/benlerer

Charles Hudson Managing Partner Precursor Ventures

Consumer Applications

Enterprise Applications

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Jonathan @ PassPal

Rachel @ Fuse

Jonathan @ AnyRaod

David @ Kindest

Sophia @ Pandia Health

http://www.linkedin.com/in/chudson

Costantino Mariella Senior VP Sony Innovation Fund

Media

Early Stage

London / United Kingdom (UK) / Europe

MainStreaming

Tracklib

Verity Studios

Rolie

https://www.linkedin.com/in/costantinomariella/

Cyan Bannisterr Venture Partner Long Journey Ventures

Consumer Applications

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Jeff @ Cargo Systems

Uber

Niantic

Affirm

SpaceX

http://www.linkedin.com/in/cyanb

Dana Settle Partner Greycroft

Ecommerce / D2C

Media

Early Stage

Los Angeles (LA) / United States

Patricl @ 11 Honoré

Ara @ Seed Health

Katherine @ Clique Brands

Eric @ Embrace Mobile

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-settle-8b18

Daniel Gulati Partner Forecast Fund

Consumer Applications

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Rami @ Life House

Kimball @ Walrus Health

Jeremy @ Italic

Sarah @ Blueland

Eunice @ Material

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgulati

David ibnAle Managing Partner Advance Venture Partners

Marketing Tech

Media

Early Stage

Growth Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Affinity

PebblePost

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibnale

Eric Hippeau Managing Director Lerer Hippeau (LHV)

Cannabis Tech

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Early Stage

New York City (NYC) / United States

Axios

PRIMA

Vangst

LeafLink

Herb

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichippeau/

Gigi Levy-Weiss Partner NFX

Gaming

Media

Early Stage

Tel Aviv / Israel

Boris @ C2i Genomics

Sarah @ Headnote

Nimrod @ Radical

Assaf @ Fabric

Raphael @ ATeams

https://il.linkedin.com/in/gigilevy

Hans Tung Managing Partner GGV Capital

Consumer Applications

Ecommerce / D2C

Media

Mobility Software

Early Stage

Growth Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

StockX

Poshmark

Wish

Peloton

Lime

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-tung-89b75b

Jason Njoku Partner Spark

Ecommerce / D2C

Fintech

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Lagos / Nigeria / Africa

Hotels.ng

Paystack

Insured.ng

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonnj

Jeremy Liew Managing Director Lightspeed Venture Partners (LSVP)

Consumer Applications

Ecommerce / D2C

Media

Early Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Bonobos

Cheddar

Giphy

Affirm

Snap

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyliew

Jordan Fudge Managing Director Sinai Ventures

Consumer Applications

Media

Early Stage

Growth Stage

Los Angeles (LA) / United States

Barron @ The Rotation

Luminary

Svrf

Carta

Drivetime

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-fudge

Kirby Winfield General Partner Ascend.vc

Ecommerce / D2C

Enterprise Applications

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Seattle / United States

Matthew @ Bean Box

John @ Visual Vocal

Elena @ Spiral

Ryan @ Candidate

Hannah @ Ganaz

http://www.linkedin.com/in/winfield

Kobie Fuller Partner Upfront Ventures

Enterprise Applications

Media

Early Stage

Los Angeles (LA) / United States

SureSale

MetaCX

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kobiefuller

Ludovic Copéré Director Sony Innovation Fund

Media

Robotics

Early Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Zoomcar

Miles

Ridecell

Sight Machine

StrongArm Tech

http://www.sonyinnovationfund.com

Marlon Nichols Managing Director MaC Venture Capital

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Early Stage

Los Angeles (LA) / United States

Mahmee

Blavity

Wonderschool

http://www.linkedin.com/in/marloncnichols

Matt Hartman Partner Betaworks

Gaming

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

New York City (NYC) / United States

Esther @ Squad

Michael @ Anchor

Naomi @ Shine

Clement @ Hugging Face

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewforresthartman/

MG Siegler General Partner - GV (Google Ventures)

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Early Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Medium

Anchor

theSkimm

http://linkedin.com/in/mgsiegler

Neil Sequeira Managing Director Defy.vc

AI / Cloud / Enterprise Infrastructure

Ecommerce / D2C

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Early Stage

San Francisco Bay Area (SF) / United States

Kate @ The Dipp

Nicholas @ Airspace Technologies

Garrett @ Reveal Technology

Eric @ SoundCommerce

Chad @ Skubana

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/neil-sequeira/40/39a/767

Pär-Jörgen Pärson Managing Director Northzone

Gaming

Media

Early Stage

Sweden / Europe

Playdots

Spotify

https://www.linkedin.com/in/p%C3%A4r-j%C3%B6rgen-p%C3%A4rson-4946b

Rashaun Williams General Partner - Manhattan Venture Partners

Media

Pre-seed / Seed

Atlanta / United States

Snackpass

Polycade

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashaunlwilliams

#angel investors #entertainment investors

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dinagothsdress · 7 years ago

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7 Deadly Sins ~ Tag Game!

If you get tagged, answer these questions and then tag 7 of your friends to do it too! Have fun~

I got this from @icebluekitten :)

Gluttony:

1. If you were on death row, what would your last meal be? - lots of stuff. would definately include burgers, pizza w lots of meat and olives on it, salmon sushi, mozzarella sticks, fish and chips, kalamari, hummus with grilled pita bread to dip in it, cherry pie with lots of custard, jam roly poly w custard, chocolate fudge cake, and anything w salted caramel on/in it

2. Are you a hoarder, if so what do you hoard? - i chat-hoard. basically that means when smth funny or heartwarming happens in my messages, i tend to screencap that shit and put it into a folder. i’m a sentimental p.o.s like that :3 (also i get way too proud of my own fucking jokes sometimes)

3. Do you collect anything and if so, what would that be? - i kind collect monster high dolls?? i only get them as gifts but they’re so aes and adorable. i would like to collect crystals too but i have no money

4. The top five biggest holidays are New Years’ Eve/Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas, what is your ranking of these holidays from most favorite to least favorite? - I like them all, it’s hard to rank them. But I guess it’s Christmas, Halloween, Easter, New Years and Valentine’s Day

5. What is your favorite type of candy? - salted caramel, chocolate (milk, white and dark), and also gummy sweets (mainly strawberry/raspberry/cherry flavours)

6. What are your top three favorite restaurants? - Frankie & Bennys, Nando’s and this tapas place in Manchester I forgot the name of but it’s on Deansgate. I had to put a cheeky Nando’s in there ofc, i’m British

7. What are four foods of personal significance to you and why? - salted caramel bc it’s so good it makes me cry, sweet cherries bc the same reason, my nan’s Christmas dinner bc it’s amazing and lovely just like she is, and also my mum’s cakes on the rare occasions she bakes

Lust:

1. Have you ever watched porn and/or read smut? - yes, obviously. i’m basically walking sin.

2. Are you more attracted to physical traits or personality traits? - I need both to be fully attracted to someone, although I do experience purely physical attraction from time to time. So I guess I kinda lean toward the first option. I’m a shallow hoe, I know

3. What are your top five favorite color combinations? - black and red, black and pink, pink and cyan/turquoise, rose gold and pastel pink, purple and black

4. Are you a virgin, if not then how would you like to lose your virginity and if so, do you regret the way you lost your virginity? - No I’m not, and my first time was shite. That’s all I’m gonna divulge here.

5. How do feel about gay marriage and the LGBT community in general? - 100% support it, and get the fuck away from me if you don’t. This shit right here is basic human rights lmao

 6. If you were to have a family of your own in the future, what kind of family and lifestyle would you want? - the idea is occasionally nice, but then I remember how little patience I have for screaming, pooping, always-in-your-way kids. They can’t help it, but that’s exactly why I prefer to completely avoid anyone under 13 if I can help it (and even most 13-14yo’s annoy me tbh). Also I can’t even look after myself and I have a really short temper, I would be a shitty mother. So no, I don’t plan on having children. Ever.

7. What would an ideal date be like for you? - Food (ofc),

Greed:

1. What’s your birthstone and do you have any jewelry/objects with your birthstone on it? - Peridot :) I have a pair of earrings and also a necklace w a teddy bear pendant and his belly is a peridot. I love peridots and I wish i could find that necklace <3

2. What kinds of things do you usually put on your Christmas and birthday lists? - money... really tho I don’t usually know. Unless there’s a new video game I really want, or some clothes or smth like that I see near those times and ask to have as a gift.

3. If you were to get a tattoo, what would you want to be on your body forever? - I already have 2 (a heart tattoo by my left shoulder i share w my mum and a virgo symbol on my left wrist). I want to get more but idk what exactly rn. I’m more into small, minimalist tattoos for myself tho, like symbols and shit. Maybe a mercury symbol or smth.

5. Have you been on all forms of transport as in horse, car, plane (big, small, helicopter), train and boat? - i’ve been in cars (obvs), planes, trains, i’ve been in a boat a few times, i rode a horse once when I was like 5, and I’ve never been in a helicopter.

 6. What did you want to be when you were a kid and have your career ambitions changed since then? - I wanted to be an actress for the longest time, but then I realised that I really cannot act for shit. So then I wanted to go into medicine but i’m not clever enough for all that science studies beforehand. Rn I would like to go into smth psychology and/or sociology related

 7. Where do you get most of your clothes? - primark tbh

Pride:

1. If you wear makeup, what kinds of products do you usually wear and why do choose to wear makeup? If you don’t wear makeup, what’s your opinion on those who do choose to wear it? - I wear makeup occasionally, but I’m usually too lazy to and plus I’m crap at it. It takes me like 30 mins to do minimal makeup bc I’m such a perfectionist. I don’t judge people for wearing makeup tho, unless it looks like shit. So many people never heard of blending or not making your eyebrows look like you’ve done them w sharpies. And I hate those instagram brows too tbh. Natural look all the way for me when it comes to brows. Yeah brows are the main annoyance for me w other people’s makeup.

2. What’s your personal fashion sense/style? - whatever is comfy, I can afford and fits my fat ass (so not much choice really)

3. Do you follow clothing trends and if so, what are a few of your favorites? - I wear what I want. I guess I’m somewhere between grunge and goth/emo tho when i make an effort ???

5. What are your religious beliefs and are they the same as the rest of your family or your parents and speaking of that, what’s your opinion on organized religion in general? - I’m agnostic. I come from a family that isn’t super religious but my grandparents are Christian. However they don’t go to church and they don’t really fit into a denomination (Anglican maybe??). They pray and stuff tho. My mum never raised me religiously and I’m honestly unsure about her beliefs. From what little I know she has an interest in Judaism (a couple generations back from her my family was Jewish) but she’s not practising any religion and idek if she believes in God.

6. What’s your body type/skin tone and does your body type/skin tone make finding clothes that fit difficult or does it make finding the right shades of makeup difficult? - I’m overweight af due to some medications I used to take and hormonal issues, but I’m starting to lose some weight. However it’s hard for me to find clothes that fit without making me look like a tent or being not loose enough my stomach and making it obvious (which I hate to the point where it makes me suicidal looking at it sometimes). In terms of skin tho I’m neutral tone so most colours suit me.

 7. What are ten of your favorite female names and ten of your favorite male names? - I’ve never really made a list but I do like the male names Dietrich and Berthold (I love male old fashioned Germanic names in general tbh). As for female names I can’t think of any rn but i guess Germanic names ?? and also nature-related names

Wrath:

 1. Do you have any unpopular opinions and if so, what are they?  - I probably have a lot. I guess one is that hardcore sjws and anti-sjws are as bad as each other, y’all are both cringy af and need to get educated before you speak. Also I don’t like GoT, or Stranger Things, or Star Wars, or most mainstream stuff I see everyone posting about on here tbh. Yeah, I guess there’s a reason they called me a hipster in high school.

2. When you die, how do you want your mortal remains to be dealt with? - idfk dude

 3. Do you hold grudges, why or why not? - yeah, sometimes I find it hard to forgive shit. Sometimes it’s warranted tho

 4. What do you want to happen to your worst enemies? - I like to think that I’m above wishing them slow, painful deaths but I’m not so (:

6. If you died right now, what song(s) would you want played at your funeral? - welcome to my mine

7. What’s your opinion on the death penalty? - for rapists, child molesters and serial killers/premediated murders, yes. Should only be for the most severe crimes tho, that’s what I’ve listed.

Envy:

1. What’s the climate of your local area like and do you like it? - all over the fucking place and it’s annoying

2. Do you get lost easily? - sometimes

 3. If you could participate in the Olympics, what sport(s) would you compete in? - none bc I hate sports and I’m shit at them too

 4. What’s your ranking of the seasons from most favorite to least favorite? - Spring, Autumn, Summer, Winter

 5. What’s your dream car? - idk, smth that’s aes af like a lambo or smth

 6. Are you skilled with technology? - not really

 7. What are four of your favorite patterns? - I like paisley and also floral patterns. Also minimalistic line patterns

Sloth:

1. What are your favorite and least favorite tropes in fiction? - I tend to like romantic cliches, gimme that cute shit. Not so much into super predictable cliche storylines tho. Idk more in detail than that.

2. When do you usually wake up and when do you usually go to bed? - wake up anywhere between 9am and 2pm, sleep any time between midnight and 4am

3. What TV shows and movies did you frequently watch when you were a kid? - tweenies, teletubbies, mean girls, top gear, the barbie vhs films, bob the builder, another film i forgot the fucking name of

 4. What’s your favorite era of music? - anywhere between 1980 and 2010 tbh

5. What do you usually watch on Youtube? - random shitposts and memes, nostalgia critic, memeulous, willne, pyrocynical, avgn, ashens, gordon ramsay shit, more random meme videos, linguistics related shit, sometimes documentaries (usually british crime/killer docs or disaster docs like air crash investigation)

 6. What are ten songs that are of personal significance to you and why? - The Chauffeur bc it’s my favourite song, can’t think of any more rn

 7. What’s your top three favorite video games? - The Sims (all of them tbh), Minecraft and GTA V, pretty much the only games I play anymore

I don’t tag anyone but you can if you want to :)

#long post #personal

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weehughie · 7 years ago

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Fudgehenge, guaranteed not to be around for as long as Stonehenge... • • #fudgehenge #stonehenge #fudge #sweet #sweets #rolysfudge #salisbury #rolysfudgesalisbury #fudgemodel #henge #wiltshire #wessex #fudgeshop #fudgelove #fudgecake #fudgemaking #fudgemaker #fudgetastic #fudgegasm #fudgegasmic #iphone #iphone6 #sweetie #cake #notsoancientmonument (at Roly's Fudge Pantry Salisbury)

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keijay-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://cookingtipsandreviews.com/our-favorite-healthy-oatmeal-cookie-recipe/

Our Favorite Healthy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

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Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

My mother insisted that my grandmother write down one recipe for her when she got married in 1942. That was a real effort because Grandma was a traditional pioneer-type cook who used “a little of this or that ’til it feels right.” This treasured recipe is the only one she ever wrote down! —Janet Hall, Clinton, Wisconsin

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Gran’s Apple Cake

My grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this dessert a treasured recipe. Even though I’ve lightened it up, it’s still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California

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Pina Colada Icebox Cake

This icebox cake has all of the flavors of a piña colada. It takes just one bite to escape to a tropical island! —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia

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Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie

You’ll love the smell in your kitchen—and the smiles on everybody’s faces—when you make this scrumptious caramel apple pie recipe. It takes me back home to Virginia and being at my granny’s table. —Jean Castro, Phoenix, Arizona

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Grandma’s Carrot Cake

My Grandma was very special to me. She had a big country kitchen that was full of wonderful aromas anytime we visited. This was one of her prized cake recipes, which continues to be a favorite from generation to generation. —Denise Strasz, Detroit, Michigan

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Years ago, I added some zucchini to a peanut butter bar I had created, and this time I wanted to try it with a cake. The zucchini makes it super moist, but doesn’t get int the way of the chocolate and peanut butter goodness. —Marilyn Blankschien, Clintonville, Wisconsin

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Cherry Coconut Treats

My great-grandmother created this recipe more than 100 years ago, so it’s made many appearances at family parties. Make the treats even more fun for the holidays by using both red and green maraschino cherries. —Anne Mullen, Windsor, Ontario

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Nana’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Frosting

My Nana used to make these cupcakes at Christmas every year. Even though she is no longer with us, the cakes have special meaning and it brings me joy to bake them. For a more indulgent version, double the frosting and pile it high on top of each cupcake. —Chekota Hunter, Cassville, Missouri

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Apple Pie

I remember coming home sullen one day because we’d lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested, “Maybe a slice of my homemade apple pie will make you feel better.” One bite, and Grandma was right. If you want to learn how to make homemade apple pie filling, this is really the only recipe you need. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington

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Blackberry-Orange Cake

My grandmother made luscious fruit pies and cobblers using blackberries from her garden. I decided to follow her lead and create a blackberry cake that’s always lovely with a summer meal. —Lisa M. Varner, El Paso, Texas

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Fudge Nut Brownies

There’s no brownie recipe or mix I’ve ever tried that’s better than this! And it’s so easy—you can mix it in one bowl in just a few minutes. My husband’s grandmother passed the recipe on; now our son makes these brownies for after-school snacks. —Becky Albright, Norwalk, Ohio

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Carrot Cake

This wonderful recipe for carrot cake dates back to my great-grandmother! My family and I make sure to bake up a few of these carrot cakes for special occasions to make sure there’s enough to go around. You’ll love the texture this pretty, moist treat gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland

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Irresistible Coconut Cream Pie

My husband and I grow 500 acres of wheat on the farm his family homesteaded in 1889. I grind my own flour and love to use it in this recipe. The easy, pat-in crust has a rich grain flavor. It’s irresistible filled with old-fashioned coconut cream and topped with a fluffy meringue. —Roberta Foster, Kingfisher, Oklahoma

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Shoofly Cupcakes

These moist old-fashioned molasses cupcakes were my grandmother’s specialty. To keep them from disappearing too quickly, she used to store them out of sight. Somehow, we always figured out her hiding places! —Beth Adams, Jacksonville, Florida

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Cookie Jar Gingersnaps

My grandma kept two cookie jars in her pantry. One of the jars, which I now have, always had these crisp and chewy gingersnaps in it. They’re still my favorite cookie recipe. My daughter, Becky, used this recipe for a 4-H fair and won a blue ribbon. —Deb Handy, Pomona, Kansas

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Banana Bread Pudding

When I visited my grandmother in summer, I always looked forward to the comforting pudding she’d make. With its crusty golden top, custard-like inside and smooth vanilla sauce, this bread pudding is a real homespun dessert. Now I make it for my grandchildren. —Mary Detweiler, Middlefield, Ohio

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Sugar Cream Pie

I absolutely love Indiana sugar cream pie; especially the one that my grandma made for me. Here, we serve it warm or chilled and call it “Hoosier” sugar cream pie. —Laura Kipper, Westfield, Indiana

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7UP Pound Cake

My grandmother gave me this 7UP pound cake recipe. On top of being delicious, this 7UP cake represents family tradition, connection and love. —Marsha Davis, Desert Hot Springs, California

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Glazed Strawberry Cookies

I learned to bake with my grandmother and mother. I knew I was giving them a sweet new family tradition when I shared this recipe with them. —Andrea Zulauf, Livonia, New York

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Grandma’s Tandy Kake

My grandmother made this for all our family gatherings. Everyone loves it now I make it for every party we attend or host. —John Morgan III, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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Italian Lemon Cookies

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without my grandmother’s cookies. A plate full of these light and zesty cookies is divine!—Elisabeth Miller, Broadview Heights, Ohio

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Buttermilk Pecan Pie

This is the treasured “Golden Oldie” that my grandmother made so often whenever we’d come to visit. Grandma grew her own pecans, and we never tired of cracking them and picking out the meat when we knew we’d be treated to her special pie! —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

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Chocolate Cupcake Cones

I experimented with these cupcakes when my girls were young. Now, I’m a grandmother of nine, and these are still our favorites. They’re a great treat for kids to bring to school.—Betty Anderson, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

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Banana Skillet Upside-Down Cake

My grandmother gave me my first cast iron skillet, and I’ve been cooking and baking with it ever since. Sometimes I add drained maraschino cherries to this banana skillet dessert and serve it with a ice cream. —Terri Merritts, Nashville, Tennessee

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Iced Orange Cookies

I usually make these bite-size cookies at Christmastime, when oranges in Florida are plentiful. Every time I sniff their wonderful aroma, I remember my grandmother, who shared the recipe. —Lori DiPietro, New Port Richey, Florida

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Apple Roly-Poly

Apple Roly-Poly isn’t very fancy, but it’s genuine Down East fare. It came from my grandmother. With 13 children plus the men at Grandpa’s sawmill, she had to do lots of cooking each day! —Megan Newcombe, Cookstown, Ontario

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Pinwheel Mints

Both my grandmother and my mom used to make these eye-catching confections as a replacement for ordinary mints. When I offer them at parties, guests tell me the candies are wonderful, and then ask how I created the pretty swirl pattern. —Marilou Roth, Milford, Nebraska

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Crisp Sugar Cookies

My grandmother always had sugar cookies in her pantry, and we grandchildren would empty that big jar quickly because they were the best! I now regularly bake these wonderful cookies to share with friends. —Evelyn Poteet, Hancock, Maryland

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Moist Chocolate Cake

This cake reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania

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Martha Washington Candy

Passed down by my grandmother and mother, this recipe is a cherished family tradition. We’ve even had each grandchild and great-grandchild take a turn stirring the candy mixture! —Cindi Boger, Ardmore, Alabama

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Lemon Custard Cake

This custard cake recipe comes from my grandma and is nice to whip up when unexpected company stops in. It’s a cool, creamy dessert that tastes like you fussed. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

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Caramel-Apple Skillet Buckle

My grandma used to make a version of this for me when I was a little girl. She would make it using fresh apples from her tree in the back yard. I’ve adapted her recipe because I love the combination of apple, pecans, and caramel. —Emily Hobbs, Springfield, Missouri

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German Black Forest Cake

As far as I know, this cake recipe can be traced back to my German great-grandma. When I got married, my mother gave me a copy and I hope to someday pass it down to my children. —Stephanie Travis, Fallon, Nevada

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Date Swirl Cookies

My granddaughter nicknamed my mother Cookie Grandma because she made wonderful cookie—including these crisp and chewy treats. —Donna Grace, Clancy, Montana

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Winnie’s Mini Rhubarb & Strawberry Pies

Every spring, we had strawberries and rhubarb on our farm outside Seattle. These fruity hand pies remind me of those times and of Grandma Winnie’s baking. —Shawn Carleton, San Diego, California

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Grossmutter’s Peppernuts

Before Christmas, my grandmother would bake peppernuts and store them until the big day. When we came home from school, the whole house would smell like anise and we knew the holiday season was about to begin. —Marilyn Kutzli, Clinton, Iowa

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Apple Cornbread Crisp

With its hearty ingredients and quick prep time, this warm apple crisp makes a smart dessert for any fall night. It reminds me of the recipe my grandmother would serve after our big family seafood dinners. It’s absolutely wonderful topped with ice cream. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

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Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

I can still remember my grandma serving this delicious cake on the big wooden table in her farm kitchen. Every time I bake this unusual cake, it takes me back to those special days at Grandma’s. —Diane Ganssle, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

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Upside-Down Apple Cake

Baked in a bundt pan and drizzled with icing, this breakfast cake will be a highlight of your holiday menu. I adapted the recipe from one of my grandmother’s. —Shaunda Wenger, Nibley, Utah

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Peppermint Brownies

My grandmother encouraged me to enter these mint brownies in the county fair many years ago—and they earned top honors! They’re a chewy treat to serve during the holidays. —Marcy Greenblatt, Redding, California

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Oma’s Apfelkuchen (Grandma’s Apple Cake)

My husband’s German family calls this Oma’s apfelkuchen,, which translates to “Grandma’s apple cake.” They’ve been sharing the recipe for more than 150 years. I use Granny Smith apples, but any variety works. —Amy Kirchen, Loveland, Ohio

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Coconut Creme Chocolates

I’m a proud wife, mom of three and grandma of many. I’ve cooked many things over the years, including these marshmallowy chocolates. —Dolores Wilder, Texas City, Texas

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Apricot Pinwheel Cookies

My grandmother always made these cookies for the holidays. The recipe has been passed down through generations to me, and now from me to you. — Robert Logan, Clayton, California

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Nanny’s Fruitcake Cookies

My grandmother always made a holiday fruitcake. I turned her recipe into cookies that are perfect any time, especially with a cup of tea. —Amanda Digges, South Windsor, Connecticut

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Chocolate Pear Hazelnut Tart

As a teenage foreign exchange student in the south of France, I was horribly homesick. Then my host family’s grandmother Miette arrived and asked if I’d like to help her bake this nutty tart from scratch. It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking. Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading dough…the art of baking transcends language. —Lexi McKeown, Los Angeles, California

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Buttery Orange Sugar Cookies

My husband’s grandmother made a variety of cookies every year for her grandkids at Christmastime. She would box them up and give each child his or her own box. This crisp, orange flavored cookie is one of my favorites from her collection.—Heather McKillip, Aurora, Illinois

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Caramel Rhubarb Cobbler

I came up with this recipe after hearing a friend fondly recall his grandmother’s rhubarb dumplings. My son especially likes rhubarb, and this old-fashioned dessert lets those special stalks star. -Beverly Shebs, Pinehurst, North Carolina

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Mint Chocolate Wafers

My grandmother gave me a cookbook stuffed with recipes. This is a slight twist on one of the first—and best—recipes I made from the book. It’s best to store these in the refrigerator. —Mary Murphy, Evansville, Indiana

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Icebox Cookies

This cookie recipe from my 91-year-old grandmother was my grandfather’s favorite. She still makes them and sends us home with the dough so that we can make more whenever we want, I love to make a fresh batch when company drops in. —Chris Paulsen, Glendale, Arizona

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Apple Crumble Pie

The crumb topping of this apple crumb pie recipe is awesome, which may explain why dessert always disappears fast. Or maybe it’s the chunky apple filling. Either way, it’s a family tradition. —Vera Brouwer, Maurice, Iowa

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Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Baking a fun treat is a must when my four grandchildren come for “Grandma Camp.” This year I’ll recruit the oldest, Henry, to help pipe the cake batter. —Linda Schend, Kenosha, Wisconsin

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Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie

My grandmother made this treat every year for Christmas. It’s much better than everyday apple pie. The recipe is a family treasure. —Maxine Theriauit, Nashua, New Hampshire

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Red Velvet Marble Cake

I watched my grandma prepare her red velvet showstopper many times for family get-togethers. The fluffy butter frosting perfectly complements the flavor of this gorgeous cake.—Jodi Anderson, Overbrook, Kansas

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Meringue Snowballs In Custard

My family has passed down this elegant dessert generation by generation. It started with my Russian great-grandmother, who traveled to America more than 100 years ago. I love continuing the tradition with her recipe. —Tonya Burkhard, Palm Coast, Florida

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Lime & Spice Peach Cobbler

This was my grandmother’s favorite recipe to make when they had bushels of peaches. Now I love to bake it whenever I can for my family and friends. —Mary Ann Dell of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

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Gingerbread Meringue Bars

The best of both worlds, I combined my grandmother’s gingerbread recipe with my aunt’s special brown sugar meringue to make these lovable bars. —Eden Dranger, Los Angeles, California

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Granny’s Spice Cookies

Granny always had a batch of these delicious, crispy cookies waiting for us at her house. When I miss her more than usual, I make these cookies and let the aroma fill my house and heart. —Valerie Hudson, Mason City, Iowa

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Lebkuchen

It’s tradition for my family to make these German treats together. The recipe came from my great-grandmother’s cookbook, and judging from the amount of requests I get, it has certainly stood the test of time.—Esther Kempker, Jefferson City, Missouri

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Triple Ginger Cookies

My dad loved ginger cookies. I’ve tinkered with the recipe my grandma handed down by using fresh, ground and crystallized ginger for more pizzazz. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

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Six-Layer Coconut Cake with Lemon Filling

I found this recipe when going through my grandmother’s old files. It was originally made with an orange filling, but using lemon pudding in the filling makes it easier to prepare. It is simply the best. —Angela Leinenbach, Mechanicsvlle, Virginia

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Minty Chocolate Cream Cheese Bars

I always looked forward to my grandma’s gooey bars when I was growing up. This chocolate version includes mint, which is one of my favorite flavor add-ins. —Jill Lutz, Baldwin, Wisconsin

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Italian Pineapple Trifle

My grandmother made this rich, tempting trifle every year for our family’s Christmas Eve celebrations. Now I make it to carry on her special tradition. It’s an easy, delicious no-bake dessert everyone will love. —Ann-Marie Milano, Milton, Massachusetts

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Gingersnap Crumb Pear Pie

This basic recipe was one my grandmother used for making crumble pies from fresh fruit. She simply substituted oats, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers depending on the fruit. Pear was always my favorite. I added the ginger and caramel to give it a new twist. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

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Banana Butter Pecan Kabobs

Desserts with bananas remind me of Grandma. She and my mom taught me to cook. I rarely measure. For this dish, I set out pecans and butterscotch with kabobs so everyone can customize. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

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Lemon Slice Sugar Cookies

Here’s a refreshing variation of my grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe. Lemon pudding mix and icing add a subtle tartness that tingles your taste buds. —Melissa Turkington, Camano Island, Washington

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Pumpkin Chip Cake with Walnuts

My grandmother gave me this family recipe. After a few changes, I made the treat even healthier and tastier. Holidays wouldn’t be the same without it!—Amy Bridgewater, Aztec, New Mexico

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Zucchini Cupcakes

I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They’re such a scrumptious dessert you actually forget you’re eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont

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Frosted Spice Cookies

This recipe has been handed down through many generations of my husband’s family. The cookies were always in his grandmother’s cookie jar when he’d visit. Today, he enjoys them more than ever—and so I do. —Debbie Hurlbert, Howard, Ohio

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Cherry Nut Cake

My grandmother made up this recipe for her children. Using Ozark-grown cherries and walnuts, she invented one they all liked. Granny always used cream from the dairy farm near her home, but the half-and half works well and is easier to find. —Diana Jennings, Lebanon, Missouri

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Mexican Chocolate Sugar Crisps

My grandma loved these so much, she would hide them from my grandpa! I think of her every time I make a batch. Like Mexican spice? Try stirring in a little chili powder. —Michele Lovio, Thousand Oaks, California

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Triple Berry Shortcake

My great-great grandmother handed down her shortcake recipe. I’m sharing it because it’s way too fabulous to keep it a secret! —Sara Kingsmore, Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

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Honey-Lime Almond Cookies

Decades ago my grandmother passed this buttery lime cookie recipe to me. Through years of baking, our cookie memories keep the family connected, although we’re miles apart. —Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania

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Dipped Chocolate Logs

When my sister and I were little, we used to beg my mother and grandmother to make these buttery chocolate cookies during the holidays. Now, as moms ourselves, we get together every year to make Christmas cookies and the chocolate logs are always on the top of our list.—Deanna Markkos, Western Springs, Illinois

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Anise & Wine Cookies

My grandmother did not speak English very well, but she knew the language of great food. These wine cookies are crisp and best eaten after being dunked in even more wine.—Julia Meyers, Scottsdale, Arizona

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Raisin Pecan Pie

I remember my Grandmother Voltie and Great-Aunt Ophelia making this southern-style pie for Thanksgiving. It was always one of the many cakes and pies lined up for dessert. —Angie Price, Bradford, Tennessee

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Grandma’s Pecan Rum Bars

My grandmother handed down the recipe for these gooey bars, which we all love. The candied cherries are a must. —Deborah Pennington, Decatur, Alabama

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dotshiiki · 7 years ago

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FIC: Fantastic Breads (Jacob/Queenie)

Jacob Kowalski doesn't know how he ever lived before the bakery. It feels like the turning point in his life, a clear line that separates the grey fog of yesterday from the colourful delight that is today.

Although perhaps, technically speaking, the real turning point was when some stranger dropping a suitcase full of silver—honest-to-god solid silver eggs, of all things—at his feet with the note to use them as collateral for his bakery. Jacob never did learn who his mysterious benefactor was, nor how they knew about his secret ambition to start a bakery. He figures it must have been someone at the bank, though it's hard to imagine any of those fuddy-duddy sticks in the mud believing in his extravagant dreams of fresh bread and cleverly-designed pastries. The only dream New York County Bank seems to understand involves cold, hard cash.

Then again, perhaps that's why his backer did it in secret.

Either way, once the bakery became real, so did the world around him. +++ Jacob doesn't know where he gets his ideas from. They must come to him in dreams—he always wakes up knowing that he has been to some vivid, amazing land in his sleep, only if you asked him, he wouldn't be able to report a single detail of it. But when he mixes and shapes his dough, the outlines form perfectly between his fingers: creatures unlike anything in this world, but that have leapt fully-formed from his hands without conscious thought. He makes chrust—a well-aerated crisp cake—that grow from a beaked head like a massive eagle, albeit one with magnificent multi-winged plumage that no real eagle could hope to possess. He cloaks his grandmother’s kołacz with a dough so light and flaky that it hinted at something ethereal, a pastry that might wink out of sight if you just blinked. A traditional babka becomes a muskrat curled up around a shiny centrepiece (with some less-traditional culinary treasures baked into the loaf that nonetheless delight his customers, who return to rave about the sweet surprises they found within). Unlike ordinary muskrats, though, his bread-rodent has a long pecan snout peeking out under its beady chocolate-button eyes. His customers love them, from the monkey-like dumplings swing from a rack on a high shelf by their long, doughy arms, to the tiny gingerbread cookies coloured by fruit preserves that adorn the counter, batting their light, almond-flake wings. They praise his creativity and call him a genius. Jacob downplays it every time. He doesn't know where inspiration for his doughy creations are coming from after all—accepting the compliments would be like taking credit for the extra sales he gets on a rainy day from people wanting to step in to stay dry for a bit. Not that he needs the traffic to stay afloat: Jacob Kowalski's Fantastic Breads was a hit with the neighbourhood from its opening day. +++ He doesn't see the woman come in through the door, but Jacob figures her entrance was just lost in the crowd of schoolchildren who just left. When he looks up from his last customer, she is standing, with a coy smile on her face, by a tray of roly-poly buns that glow pink and orange with cherry glaze and sit in contented laziness like rhinos at a watering hole. For some reason, Jacob thinks of England, of his time in the forces when he was marching in London before Buckingham Palace and Queen Elizabeth. He can't think why that memory's floated into his head. Like all his other pre-bakery memories, it's dim and fuzzy, and the only word that really sticks in his head as he looks at this blond bombshell is queen. Jacob opens his mouth to greet her with the usual customer spiel, except his jaw has already dropped and what comes out is a jumbled, 'Whacangetf'youtday?' He can feel his face heating up and he clears his throat awkwardly. But rather than turning away with a titter, the woman actually beams at him. Her eyes meet his and there is a glint of familiarity in them, as though they know each other from somewhere. Except that can't be right. His life before the bakery may seem like a fog, but he can't that he'd forget encountering a woman like this. 'The Erumpents buns?' The term she uses is new but familiar at the same time, like a long-forgotten name. It fits the plump, round loaves that are heavily infused with spices, down to the cinnamon stick, a whimsical addition of sugary magic. For a moment he imagines he smells a sweet, musky scent as well, that puts him in mind of springtime and mating animals (oh god, don't think about that now, he tells himself). Jacob shakes his head quickly, trying to clear it. The woman looks crestfallen and he realises she thinks he is refusing her. 'Oh no, no, I don't mean—er, here.' He quickly selects a loaf—Erumpent, that name’s gonna stick now—and wraps it up in paper for her. 'I like that name. I oughta change my labels.' He indicates the rather drab name of 'cherry spice rolls' marked on the tray. The woman smiles again as her hands close around the Erumpent bun. 'No, don't,' she says. 'I just—the idea just popped into my head.' She frowns like this isn't quite right, and Jacob wonders if she's like him, just a little, the way ideas appear from some mysterious provenance. He likes thinking that they might have something in common. 'That's how I got the ideas for all these guys, you know.' Jacob spreads his arms to indicate the array of creature-shaped buns and pastries. 'Everyone asks me where I got the inspiration, but I can't ever rightly say, you know?' 'They're fantastic,' says the woman. Her eyes twinkle and Jacob imagines that names for all the other bread-creatures are swirling around in her head as if her dreams and his have connected somehow and she holds the key to the world of his own imagination. 'What would you call these?' he asks, pointing to the basket of krowki he lays out for the kids—a fudge-y milk toffee that he’d initially thought to shape into little cows in honour of their Polish name, only the four-legged creature his fingers moulded ended up with a scaled mane and tentacles over its muzzle. (The fudge holds the detail beautifully, he has to admit.) She opens her mouth to answer, but cocks her head to one side before she lets the words out. 'Graphorns,' she says, another fanciful but befitting name, and once Jacob hears it, it’s as if his toffees have never been called anything else. He wants to take her to every one of his shelves and have her name them each in turn. The chimes above the bakery door remind him that he has more customers to attend to. 'Can I get you anything else?' he asks. He tries to shroud the reluctance in his voice with politeness. She shakes her head, but there’s a sparkle in her eyes that suggests she can sense his urge to pick her brains, or just listen to her mesmerising voice christening his imagined beasts. (He has a feeling he’ll be hearing that voice narrate his dreams tonight.) 'Thank you, Jacob,' she says, which stuns him for a second—she knows his name; she must know him then—until he remembers that he has his name-tag on. 'You're welcome …' 'Queenie,' she says. 'Come again, Queenie.' She smiles. 'I will.' The doors chime again as she walks out, clutching the bread to her heart as though it is a precious gift rather than an ordinary loaf purchased from your average bakery. Then again, Jacob thinks, his bakery is anything but average. It's nice that someone else seems to get that, too. The bakery was the major turning point in his life. But Jacob thinks that maybe, just maybe, he is on the cusp of a second one.

Yes, I’m still working on my PJO stuff! And I meant to have a chapter of TGF up last weekend, but I was running late to catch my train and then I forgot to load that WIP into my USB to bring with me on holiday, but this little document was, and so I dusted it off.

#fantastic beasts and where to find them #fbawtft fic #fanfic #harry potter fanfiction #fantastic beasts fanfiction #jacob kowalski #queenie goldstein #jacob/queenie #fbawtft fanfic

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