#short christmas card messages

[fixdex-fastening-technology]

Fixdex Sincerely Wish You And Your Family Peace, Joy And Happiness Throu...

[deus-ex-mona]

farewell, my idiot son…

[woso-dreamzzz]

Second Time's The Charm: Christmas

Alexia Putellas x Reader

Summary: Christmas in the STTC Universe

"Alexia!" Mapi shrieks," Alexia! Stop ignoring me! Alexia!"

Alexia hums to herself, hunched over her phone as she scrolls through another website.

Mapi, however, forces her way through mountains and mountains of stacked boxes to get to the other side of the room.

The locker room is covered in boxes from top to bottom with some even crammed into areas that they really shouldn't be able to be forced into.

"Ale! Alexia!"

Alexia looks up in shock. "Oh! Mapi! When did you get here?"

"About ten minutes ago! Which you would know if you didn't have this place stocked up like the back room of a shoe shop!"

Alexia frowns. "What do you mean? There's only five boxes of shoes here."

"I wasn't being literal!" Mapi snaps before massaging her temples with her hands. "What is all this stuff?! And why is it here?!"

"They're presents," Alexia says it like Mapi's dumb," For Christmas."

"Obviously but why are they here?"

"Well, I couldn't leave them at home. Maya's in that exploring stage so she'd get curious and try to look through them. And Elena's learning to crawl and this stuff would just get in way."

"So you thought that you would put all the presents for your whole family in here? With us?"

"No," Alexia scoffs," Don't be silly, Mapi."

"This is only temporary then? Thank god because I-"

"This is only Maya's gifts. Elena's are in one of the meeting rooms and y/n's are hidden at Alba's...Mapi? Are you okay? Your face is turning an odd colour."

Mapi's dramatic walk off is hindered somewhat by smacking her nose straight into a pile of boxes and nearly falling back into another one but, eventually, she manages to storm out and straight upstairs to your office.

You're sitting in your desk chair, looking through player health files or something when the door is slammed open.

"Your wife is crazy!"

"And hello to you too, Mapi. Come on in!"

"Crazy!" Mapi repeats, pacing in short, aggravated circles," She's crazy! The locker room is covered! Covered! In Christmas presents for your daughter! You have to get her to stop!"

You don't have a time to reply because the door swings open again and Alexia bursts in.

"Amor!" She cries," I found the cutest little booties for Elena! Look! Look!"

"No..." Mapi says softly," No...This-This can't be happening..."

"They're so cute!" You tell Alexia with equal enthusiasm," She'll love them so much! Order them! Order them!"

Alexia types in the delivery address and her card details and orders it happily before looking up.

"Where did Mapi go?"

It's a question that neither of you really dwell on that much as you show Alexia your own present ideas.

Wrapping the presents the night before isn't an easy task and you get the feeling that you and Alexia might have gone just a bit overboard. It's only a fleeting thought as you and Alexia wrap the boxes and tie them off with bows, writing sweet messages to your daughters on them even though neither of them can read just yet.

"We're all sleeping together tonight, right?" Alexia asks as she finishes off her last present, placing it in Elena's sizable pile.

"Us and the girls, definitely," You agree," I'm not sure if you'll get all the dogs and Mr Stinky in bed with us."

Mr Stinky looks up from his spot on the special pillow that's reserved just for him on the sofa. The tumours on his body have gotten much bigger now and he's getting weaker and weaker by the day.

He's got one more scan to come back to see if anything can be done but this could be his very last Christmas.

"Mr Stinky won't mind," Alexia assures you," He loves cuddling in our bed."

"And Lady?"

"Lady loves cuddling too!"

"And Sinky and his sisters?"

Alexia purses her lips. The puppies are still a bit wild and excitable at times, none of them ever content to just stay in one place even though the bed is more than big enough for everyone to fit into it.

"We'll leave the bedroom door open," Alexia says sagely, nodding her head like she's just cracked the secrets of the universe," So they can come in if they want."

"Alright," You say, standing up and stretching your back," I'm going to bring Mr Stinky up and then grab Elena. You'll let the dogs out one last time and get Maya?"

Alexia nods, drawing you back for a moment by your waist to press a kiss to your lips.

"I will, amor."

"Good," You say," And hurry up."

Alexia nods along with a smile, already heading to open the back door for the dogs.

Your footsteps approaching again makes Alexia turn and you speak directly in her ear.

"And I've got a very special present for you tomorrow when the girls have gone to sleep."

"Oh?"

You giggle right in her ear, low and sultry. "You're going to have a lot of fun unwrapping me for Christmas."

[moon-my-beloved]

neighbors (tf141 x fem! reader)

part I: first impressions

tw: mentions of crappy parents, angst, and reader being absolutely terrible at socializing. that’s all babes - xoxo

you really weren’t sure why you were so.. anxious.

ever since encountering your (undeniably ethereal) neighbors arrive, you became a little more self-conscious when getting out of the house. that same day, you had carefully and quietly made your way towards auntie lotties house once you were in the clear that the men would not be coming outside any time soon.

“oh dear! what’s got you in such a hurry, luv?” auntie lottie had said in shock, letting you into the comfort of her home and ushering you to sit down while she got you a glass of water.

“i think I’ve just made a fool of myself,” you said in dejection, telling her of the shit show you just did upon meeting your neighbors. a hearty chuckle making itself known once the older woman came back with the glass of water she had promised.

“don’t be silly, they probably didn’t even see you! besides, you will eventually talk to them sooner or later.”

you didn’t even want to think about the possibility of bumping into them any time soon. what would you even say? ‘hey I’m your neighbor from across the street. sorry you caught me peeping at you all like some fucking creep.”

in hopes of just keeping your mind off of the men that have been haunting your thoughts, you asked auntie lottie if she had any new ideas for her her next recipe in which you were grateful for when the woman spent most of your stay ranting about a new sponge cake recipe she had seen.

you spent most of your evening with auntie lottie and the sun had already set down by the time you bid your goodbyes to her. the crisp, fresh air blowing on your skin making you sigh in containment as you make your way back home. the sky was clear today, lifting your head up just enough to see how the stars twinkle against the night sky and how the moon cascaded a small glow over the land with how bright it looked. you don’t realize you’ve already arrived to your destination before another rush of cold air snaps you out of your haze.

living by yourself feels great, there’s no questioning that. but you can’t help at times feel that daunting feeling of loneliness claw its way to your mind and make your heart ache in wanting to at least come back home to someone. that desire to be wanted.

your family was a lost cause. practically forgetting all about you once you turned eighteen and went to college. no text messages or phone calls were ever heard from them throughout all those years. small christmas cards being sent here and there that read, “we hope you’re doing well. - mom and dad. friends? they were all living their own lives. building themselves an actual family with their soon-to-be husbands or wife’s. some of them already having kids of their own. you were too scared, too aware of yourself to taint them with any unwanted things. you were never good with people.

god you sound pathetic.

shaking your head a bit, you make your way up the small steps and take out your keys, daring to take a small glance at the house across from you. your eyes catch a small light coming from one of the windows, the silhouette of people walking by visible even though the curtain.

you wonder what they did for work. lottie hadn’t mentioned anything of what they do. from the looks of it, it’s definitely something that keeps them away from home for long periods of time.

your brainstorming is cut off short, eyes widening a bit when someone from the other side of the window suddenly stops in front of it. without a second to waste, you hurriedly make your way inside. your heart pounding out of your chest as you lean your back against the door.

fucking hell.

you had been avoiding them like the plague. successfully staying away from any unwanted attention even when you sometimes caught glimpses of chocolate eyes and mohawk taking their morning run while getting ready for work. ignoring the way your face burned up in shame.

or even at times when you would see skull face reading a book with mutton chops. tea on their sides as they enjoyed the sound of birds chirping and wind chimes bumping against each other with every gust of wind.

they all looked so.. content. and for some reason you just knew they were a family. one with each other with the way they maneuvered themselves with one another. so natural.

nevertheless, you were doing a great job… until you weren’t.

you had been getting off your shift when you decided it was a good idea to do a small grocery run. with the holidays coming and the weather becoming increasingly colder by the days, you needed to stock up before there was nothing left.

so here you were. a coat over your shoulders, still in your work clothes and heels digging into your feet uncomfortably. pushing a cart and checking off items from your list as you went.

stores were busy during this time of year. christmas songs were played through the speakers along with decorations filling every corner of the store. kids bustling around their parents in excitement with every toy they pointed out to.

by the time you were done checking off the last item from your list, you were exhausted.

“maybe a small treat would be nice..” you mutter to yourself, making your way to the snack aisle and barely making it past the corner before a scottish accent calls out your name.

you pause abruptly, turning your head to the sound as your eyes widened in utter shock when realization dawns at you.

two of your neighbors were standing there, just a few feet from you. mohawk giving you a wolfish grin while waving a teasing hand at you. the other man sending an apologetic smile your way for his friends behavior. god he was so much prettier up close.

“that’s ye right?” only being able to nod as his large body makes its way towards your direction. ocean eyes pinning you down in place with the way they roam around you, analyzing you. he wore a leather jacket, white shirt underneath that did nothing but enhance the way his chest stretched over the material. he wore a nice pair of jeans, topping of his outfit with a pair of black boots. he definitely had that bad-boy style look to him.

“way to make a lady feel comfortable mactavish. I’m sorry about him, luv. auntie lottie had mentioned us having a new neighbor and wanted to put a face to the name. I’m kyle, by the way, and this dog here is johnny.” the pretty man said, earning a small scoff from johnny, grumbling something about kyle not being any better than him. he wore a nice umber coat accompanied by a black turtleneck underneath. black slacks adoring his legs and a nice pair of chelsea boots. you would not even question if he was a model.

shit, you had been staring for too long, barely finding your voice before uttering something that sounded at least somewhat normal.

“I’m sorry for not introducing myself sooner, I don’t really get out much.” a nervous chuckle making its way past your lips as you try so hard to not make it so obvious of how you’ve been the one avoiding them this whole time.

“‘na need tae apologize bonnie. jus’ glad we caught ye jus’ in time. a’m sure tha’ other lads would love tae meet ye.” a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that can only be described as up-to-no-good with the way he’s staring at you.

“what he means is if you would like to come over some time, meet the rest of the team.” a charming smile plastered against his perfect lips that you don’t have it in your heart to say no. (not like you were going to in the first place)

you exchange numbers with johnny and kyle not missing the way their lingering gazes stay on you even after they leave.

sweet treat long forgotten.

a/n: we finally meet half of the boys RAAAA. i hope you guys like this chapter and if there’s anything that should be fixed like my god awful interpretation of scottish accent, please let me know! 😭 enjoy mis amores! <3

[annebd]

winter warmers, day 16: secret santa. ~1800 words <-holy shit.

There’s a little box on the corner of Daniel’s desk, wrapped neatly in green paper and topped with a gold bow. The tag is a small square card, no more than a couple inches across, with a short message on one side:

To: Daniel

From: Your Secret Santa

Daniel opens the box and unfolds the carefully wrapped tissue paper bundle inside to remove the expected Scrabble tile. Today is the letter H. He tucks it into the top drawer of his desk, along with the rest of the tiles. The bow is also gently removed and stuck up on the pinboard next to the other twenty-two bows that he’s gotten so far this month. Some are gold, some silver, a few red and green.

There’s one particularly sparkly bow that’s been shedding glitter on him and all of his possessions for the past week. Halfway through the marketing team meeting last Thursday, Max reached over and brushed his thumb across Daniel’s cheekbone.

“You are all shiny, Daniel,” he said and showed him the sparkles of golden glitter that he’d rubbed off. “Always you’re so handsome, but today you’re like a shining star, too.”

Daniel was pretty sure he’d turned bright red, not even the deep tan in the middle of an Australian summer able to hide the color rising in his cheeks.

“Oh, uh, thanks, mate,” he replied and then turned back to the meeting on the last marketing push for Christmas sales, while trying not to think about the feeling of Max’s hand against his skin.

Today’s bow isn’t quite as glittery, but it does glint prettily in the glow of Daniel’s desk lamp. It’s 8:52am on December 23rd. Early enough that he has time to sip his coffee without interruption for a few minutes as he waits for his computer to boot up and he has to hop into the workday.

He eyes the drawer that holds the Scrabble tiles and decides he’s got time. As he’s done so many times so far this month, he pulls them all out and scatters them across his desk. Twenty three tiles so far. One of them is a blank, but a little question mark has been drawn on in black sharpie.

The ? tile showed up on the 17th, and he assumed that that was the end of it, so he’d spent the entire day trying to unscramble the letters, but couldn’t get anywhere. When another N arrived the next day, he realized that it wasn’t quite over yet.

The first box had arrived on the first of December. He wasn’t expecting it. George, over in operations, had floated the idea of doing a Secret Santa exchange a few weeks prior, but there had been so much hemming and hawing, with no one really wanting to commit, that he’d given up and moved on. Daniel hadn’t given it any further thought until the first box showed up.

Like every day since, the little box was wrapped inexpertly, though neatly, with green paper, and had a red bow stuck right on top. The same note, from “your secret Santa,” was attached. The Scrabble tile that day had been a D. Daniel assumed it stood for Daniel and that someone was either playing a silly joke, or truly had the worst taste in gift giving.

That assumption was only further confirmed on the second, when another box arrived, containing an R, which he could only assume stood for Ricciardo.

Thoroughly confused, he stopped by George’s office to poke his head in the door and ask when the Secret Santa drawing had been and why he hadn’t been involved.

“There was no drawing, mate,” George told him. “You lot were all too cool for the idea, so I didn’t bother. Why d’you ask?”

“Huh,” Daniel said, flummoxed. “Never mind. Don’t worry about it.”

He brought it up to Max when they had lunch that Friday. It was Daniel’s favorite part of the week- getting Max all to himself for an hour, to make ridiculous jokes and watch Max turn pink from laughter.

“Strange, isn’t it? Just a random couple of Scrabble tiles. What, am I supposed to use them to make a name tag for myself?”

“Maybe you have a secret admirer,” Max replied. “And they are, of course, just using the Secret Santa as an excuse to send you gifts.”

“They’re some weird gifts, then,” Daniel said, and took a bite of his pastrami on rye. It was good. Mustardy.

“They might get better. It could be fun.” Max looked over at Daniel, who was in the middle of another big bite of his sandwich. “You’ve got a little-” and pointed to the corner of Daniel’s mouth. He reached out, as though he intended to swipe away the crumb with his own finger, but he pulled back and let Daniel dab at his mouth with a napkin.

“Thanks, Max. And I guess you’re right. But I reserve the right to be annoyed if it’s just a bunch of letters spelling my name.

Day three put a wrench in the name theory when he popped open the box and found a V. So definitely not his name then.

Over the next couple of days, he received a W and a Y. On the following Monday, he showed up to two Ls and another E, each tucked into one of three boxes lined up carefully along the edge of his desk. He’d wondered what would happen over the weekend, and he was quietly pleased that his secret Santa had taken into account the extra days.

And today, as Daniel sits sipping his coffee with twenty two letters and a question mark, he decides that he’s got to be able to figure this out. Christmas is in just two days, which means that he’s only expecting two more gifts. And really, he’s only expecting one gift, since the office is closed on the 25th, and he’s not coming in for anything- even a secret Santa surprise.

Daniel mixes the tiles around, trying different combinations of words. The twenty three tiles at hand read NOIVUHHTLEMIWARELDYNIE?, which he’s pretty sure isn’t a thing. He can spell various words. He’s got the letters for DANIEL, but not RICCIARDO, so he’s mostly ruled out his initial name tag theory.

He’s been able to make a few phrases, some more promising than others. He had “HAVE YOU LET ME DIE?” laid out when Max stopped by his desk last week.

Max had raised an eyebrow at the phrase and given Daniel a disapproving look. “You don’t think that’s what your secret admirer is saying, do you?”

Daniel shrugged. “No clue, mate. Your guess is as good as mine right now.”

Max didn’t offer any actual help, but he scrambled the tiles again so that the question was no longer visible. “I don’t know either, but probably it isn’t about death.”

Daniel tries a few more letter combos, but nothing is jumping out at him. As the clock on his desktop ticks over to 9:00, he gathers up the tiles and places them back into his drawer.

When he heads out of the office that afternoon, he bumps into Max in the elevator. “You’re wrapping up early today!” he exclaims.

Max is always staying late at the office, and Daniel is forever trying to get him to leave on time, have a life outside of work. But Max insists that software engineering waits for no man, and he’d rather just get as much work done in the office as possible, instead of having to take it home with him and continue with it there.

“Hello, Daniel,” Max says. “Yes, today is an early night. I have some things to do today. Before Christmas, you know.”

“I’m glad,” Daniel replies. “See you tomorrow?”

Max gives him a big smile. “Yes. Tomorrow. See you then.”

The next day is Christmas Eve, and, Daniel assumes, the last day of his Secret Santa gifts. He still has no clue what the tiles are supposed to be telling him, but he feels a nervous energy thrumming in his stomach. Something big is coming, he thinks.

He gets to his desk by 8:45, eager to unwrap his final gift and finally figure out what’s going on. To his surprise, instead of just the one little green box he’s expecting, there are three wrapped presents on his desk. The first is the usual green box, but the tag that he’s expecting to proclaim the usual salutations instead proclaims “open me first.” He checks the other two. The box to its right reads “open me second.” And, just to be sure, he confirms that the final box on the end says to open it last.

With a slight shake in his hand, he picks up the first box and plucks off the bow to secure it to the pinboard. He opens it up and pulls out the last tile, another W. He adds it to the stash in his drawer and then reaches for the second box.

It’s the same size as the first, wrapped in the same way- no bow on this one. Perhaps it’s a one bow per day kind of deal.

Inside, there’s a small slip of paper folded in half. Daniel unfolds it to find a clue:

W_ _ _ Y_ _ H_ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ W _ _ _ M_?

He waffles for a moment. Does he open the third gift, or does he unscramble the letters? The opening instructions didn’t say, so he supposes he could do either. Tiles, he decides.

He pulls open the drawer and tips the tiles onto his desk, then carefully arranges each one face up and pointing in the right direction.

Slowly, he starts moving tiles around. The Y is probably You, he guesses. So perhaps the M is Me? And then H could be Have. W is What? No, he realizes; that wouldn’t make sense. W for Will?

A sentence begins to take shape.

WILL YOU HAVE D_ _ _ _ _ W _ _ _ ME?

Daniel is fairly certain where this is going. He arranges the last few letters into place and then reaches for the third box. He tears open the paper, carefully as usual, and opens the box.

Inside is a card, on which is printed the name of the fanciest restaurant in Perth, which Daniel has been wanting to try for months, but which he has lamented to Max several times is impossible to get reservations for.

Beneath the name of the restaurant is today’s date, the 24th, and a time, 7pm.

Beneath that, there’s a final line, which simply says “TURN AROUND.”

Daniel takes a deep breath, steadies himself, and then swivels in his chair.

Behind him, Max is leaned against the doorframe to his office.

“So?” he asks. “I asked a question, I think.”

Daniel looks back over the tiles, laid out neatly on his desk. He looks back at Max and grins helplessly. “Yeah, Maxy. I would love to.”

[scary-grace]

(secret) santa, baby - part 5 of a shigaraki x f!reader fic

Shigaraki doesn't want to participate in the office's Secret Santa exchange, but when Toga promises to make it easy on him, he gives in. But making it easy for him makes it a lot harder for you -- you're the one who got his list. Office AU, no quirks. A fic in 12 parts. Divider by @ wcnderlnds

part i part ii part iii part iv part v part vi

part v (sitting on santa's lap)

When Tomura ventures into the mailroom to stick his first shot at a gift into your mailbox, there’s already a gift waiting for him in his. Or in front of his. It’s a little too big to fit. Tomura checks that the coast is clear, tucks his gift into your mailbox, and comes back for the one his Secret Santa left him. It’s not just bigger than the other gifts he’s gotten. It’s heavier, too. And there’s a note on top of it, the handwriting Tomura’s gotten familiar with: READ ME FIRST.

Before he can unfold it and follow instructions, there’s a burst of laughter from the break room down the hall, and under cover of it, you step into the mailroom. Tomura wasn’t expecting you to come in here right after he left you a gift. He can’t be here when you open it, and he can’t leave, either – not unless he wants to knock you over on his way out the door. What he needs to do is play it cool. “Hey.”

“Hi,” you say. There’s another burst of laughter from down the hall. “What brings you up here?”

“Checking the mail. What else would I be doing?” Tomura sounds like an asshole. “You have a gift. I see it in there.”

“Oh,” you say, but you don’t go for it. You’re watching Tomura. “What did you get?”

Tomura shrugs. “I’m supposed to read this,” he says, waving the card at you. You nod, and Tomura starts to unfold the message, for sheer lack of anything better to do. Before he can get more than a sentence into it, even more laughter erupts. “What’s going on in there?”

“Mina got a gift from her Secret Santa,” you say. Tomura tries and fails to remember which one Mina is. “And I think her Secret Santa must be a friend of hers, because there’s no way somebody would buy a book of Christmas smut for somebody they didn’t know.”

“Christmas smut,” Tomura repeats. The words aren’t connecting. “Huh?”

“It’s called The Naughty List,” you say. “A bunch of smutty short stories that are Christmas-themed. She’s been reading them aloud. Right now I think it’s about wrapping yourself like a gift and hiding under your neighbor’s tree, but the best one so far was about seducing a mall Santa by sitting on his lap and telling him all the naughty stuff that happened all year. Did you ever do that?”

“Sit on a mall Santa’s lap and lie about the stuff I did all year?”

“No, the photo op,” you say. “As a kid.”

“My family didn’t go for Western holidays,” Tomura says. Maybe that’s true, or maybe he’s just blocking something out. Most of the holidays he remembers with his birth family didn’t end well for him. “You?”

“My parents tried,” you say. “They really wanted the photo, but I was scared of the Santa.”

“Weird.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” Tomura says. “Just weird that you’re scared of mall Santas, but not scared of singing a Christmas carol in front of Yamada’s weird acapella group.”

“I sweated through my shirt trying to sing that,” you say. Tomura blinks. “It was for a good cause.”

Tomura looked up the other five verses to the song after you went back upstairs. You weren’t kidding about what it was going to be like. “Yeah. I owe you.”

You shake your head. “No, you don’t.”

Tomura doesn’t know what to say to that, and you don’t look like you know how to follow up. What would Tomura say if he could get his shit together, anyway? He already said thank you. He can’t tell you that you have a nice voice or that he got the song stuck in his head or that he was wondering if you had anybody in mind when you were singing it. Those thoughts need to stay inside his head. Nothing good is going to happen if any of them make it out of his mouth.

He has to say something. “You got a gift. Are you going to open it?”

“I’ll open mine here if you do,” you say. Tomura nods, and as you start prying open the bag Tomura stapled shut, he unfolds the note his Secret Santa left and reads it.

Dear Tomura, it starts. I know this wasn’t on your list, but I think it could help if you were out of other options. I get eczema on my hands in the winter, too, and this stuff is the only stuff that’s ever helped.

Knowing that his Secret Santa has eczema on their hands, it should be easy to figure out who they are, but Tomura can’t recall ever seeing somebody around the office with messed-up hands. Maybe the stuff really does work. He opens the box and comes up with a jar of hand cream with an unfamiliar name. Tomura looks at it, then back at the letter. I’m sorry if this is overstepping. It’s just something I noticed. If you do use it, I hope it helps. Sincerely, your Secret Santa.

They noticed. What does that mean? Spinner’s been going overboard on gifts for the person whose list he got because he wants to show her that people other than her boyfriend notice her and appreciate her. How much attention has Tomura’s Secret Santa been paying to him? Probably too much, or they wouldn’t have taken his stupid, half-assed list and turned it into a chain of gifts he actually wants. Too much, or they wouldn’t have known how badly his hands have been bothering him this winter in particular.

It’s weird. Tomura should feel weird about it, but he doesn’t. He feels – warm.

Across the mailroom, the paper bag tears as you give up on trying to pick out the staples. Tomura looks up and finds you staring down at his gift. He can’t read the look on your face, and he’s apparently a lot worse with suspense than he thought he was. He almost asks what you think of it before he remembers that you’re not supposed to know who left the gift, and modifies the question at top speed. “What did you get?”

“A pen,” you say slowly. “I put one on my list, but I asked for a cheaper one.”

Tomura knows. “Did you actually want the cheaper one, or were you just trying to come up with an easy list?”

“I didn’t want to make anybody overspend on me,” you say. “I mean, I know everybody else is – Mina’s Secret Santa didn’t take the price tag off that book – but I haven’t been here that long, and I didn’t want anybody to get my list and think I was asking for too much.”

Tomura thinks you weren’t asking for enough. That’s why he got the nicer pen. “Do you like it?”

Your grip tightens on the pen, like you think somebody’s going to take it away. “Yes.”

“Then don’t worry about it,” Tomura says. “The thing I got wasn’t on my list. You don’t see me overthinking it.”

He’s sort of lying. He’s definitely overthinking it, just not the same way you are. You study him for a second, then hit him with the same question. “Do you like it?”

“If it works,” Tomura says. You nod and leave the room without saying anything else.

He tells himself to wait to try it until he gets home so he doesn’t slime up his keyboard, but then he realizes that he’s only putting it on the backs of his hands and loses patience. It doesn’t change anything about how his hands look. They’re disgusting, dry and red and cracked and still trying to bounce back from the paper cut he got a week ago. But they feel better. A lot better. It’s the first hand cream Tomura’s used that doesn’t sting when he puts it on.

It smells okay, too. And sort of familiar. Tomura spends longer than he’d like to admit staring off into space, wondering where he smelled it before.

<- part iv. part vi ->

[failbettergames]

Christmas in Fallen London, 2024

Fallen London rings in another year (yes, that year is 1899, again). Christmastide – and the customary covering of 'snow' – is set to fall upon the city once more.

What's New?

Christmas comes with a host of seasonal treats and novelties. Here's what we've cooked up this year, most of which will arrive on the 2nd of December from 'Explore the Festive Season,' available throughout London.

Mr Treats Ratwork Emporium

The Fifth City's foremost purveyor of seasonal delights opens up its exclusive establishment during the Christmas season, offering intricate wonders and custom-made marvels. A new commission is available this year, alongside last year’s.

Mr Treats Ratwork Emporium will open on the 13th December and close on the 25th, and is available anywhere in London. Commissioning an item from Mr Treats will begin a short story that will progress throughout the Christmas season, ending on Christmas Day.

The Undercrofts Ancillary

Penstock himself – owner of the Neath's foremost land agency – is out in force this festive season, offering that most rare of gifts: treasures from the Bazaar's very own vaults. From the 2nd of December, purchase a Frosted Debenture and claim a brand new piece of equipment, or, if you're feeling especially magnanimous, send the Debenture to a friend for them to use.

Purchase a Debenture for 30 Fate in 'Explore the Festive Season'. Once purchased, they can be freely gifted to a friend on your contact list. There are two new items available this year, with more to come in future years.

New Options for Profile Page Customisation

We've added some seasonal new options for profile page customisation! A new cameo frame – 'Yuletide Cheer' – will be available for purchase in 'Explore the Festive Season', for those who wish to decorate their profile in the trappings of the season. We've also added a few new headers – some of which have never been seen before! You'll see them, soon enough…

A Seasonal Miscellany

In addition to new treats, Fallen London will be full to the brim with the hustle and bustle of Christmas, all the way into the New Year.

The Fallen London Advent Calendar

From the 1st until the 25th of December we’ll be handing out advent treats via the Fallen London Advent Calendar! Each will give you a snippet of Yuley narrative, and something besides: trinkets, magpie-treasures, and occasionally something rare.

Look for the storylet 'Advent: A Calendar of Encounters', available anywhere in London. You’ll be able to ‘catch up’ and claim any and all rewards until the end of the year – however, opening the doors on the days when they become available will give you a little extra.

As ever, rewards for Advent shift year to year, though there are some fixed points. Old doors are retired, new doors are added. Remember always that some doors cannot be unopened.

Christmas Cards

Tell your friends you are thinking of them this festive season. (Don’t tell them what you are thinking of them.) Neathy Christmas cards return: four designs, with room for your own message!

Your stock of cards will be replenished weekly by Time, the Healer, starting from noon on the 2nd of December. You can send cards, and engage in other festive jollity, in the storylet 'Explore the Festive Season', anywhere in London.

You need to be acquaintances with another player before you can send them a Christmas card. To become acquainted with somebody, 'Attend to Matters of Society' in your Lodgings, where you can send a calling card to a contact.

Find friends to exchange cards with on our forums, the Fallen London subreddit, or the Official Failbetter Discord.

Snowfall!

Every week during the Christmas season, when Time the Healer visits, clear your doorstep of Neath-snow (or fob the task off on others). They say the stuff is called 'lacre'. They say you shouldn't throw it away. What is it? Where does it fall from? And why do the Masters prize it so highly?

The Twelve Days of Mr Sacks

After Christmas, field off visits from the Crimson Beast of Winter. Every day from the 25th December to the 5th January, encounter Mr Sacks and satiate him with gifts. What lies beneath its robe? Investigate on your own behalf, or join forces with a range of possible allies. HO. HO. HO.

Visit Penstock's Wicket

Penstock's shop is right on the flank of the Bazaar, and is much larger than it looks. From the 5th of January, descend into the depths around the Bazaar and spend your knowledge of the season's mysteries to claim special rewards. This is a chance to acquire various rewards, including unusual lodgings and perhaps, briefly, even your own noman.

The festive season in Fallen London will wrap up in the last week of January. You’ll notice that there is no premium story listed here: we were going to release one in January, but all things considered, we’ve instead opted to focus our efforts elsewhere.

We hope you have a happy – or at least interesting – festive season in the Fifth City.

And one more piece of business

From the 27th of January, Fate will cost slightly more. This is an inflationary adjustment, as it’s been almost two years since the last change to Fate prices (though we're still behind the rate of inflation since the game started in 2009).

10 Fate will be $3.50, and 100 Fate $28. The best value price for a single point of Fate will be $0.25; a small increase over about $0.23 today.

Prices in other currencies will reflect these increases, as determined by the current exchange rates, which we update regularly. The price of subscriptions won’t change.

[heich0e]

Best friends little brother Tobio? 👀 for the ask game

ask game: a christmas drabble from an established AU AU: bff's little brother!tobio

"i know, mom," you say for the tenth time in your short phone call.

"they're calling for thirty centimetres!" your mother exclaims in disbelief.

"it's just snow," you remark with a sigh. "and i already told you: i'm not going anywhere, anyway. i'm gonna be fine."

the snow has brought tokyo to an utter standstill. the kind of storm that only comes once every few years, grinding the usually unceasing activity of the city to a halt. outside the windows of your apartment, the roads are snow-covered and empty, the flakes still falling rapidly outside the frosted pane of glass.

"all right," your mother says warily from her end of the call. "i was just calling to be sure."

after another half a dozen assurances that you are not going to imminently meet a snowy demise, your mother lets you go. you toss your cellphone down onto your sofa once the call concludes, and follow behind it shortly after—landing amongst the fluffy throw cushions with a little oof!

your tv is muted from when you'd answered your phone half an hour prior, the christmas movie you'd been watching still playing silently across the screen. you watch it for a moment, and though the dialogue is lost to you, you can tell a romantic moment is unfolding. the male and female lead are out in the snow, eyes glistening and cheeks rosy, and before you know it they're joined in a passionate embrace.

you sigh.

christmas.

it's not the first time you've spent the holiday alone—nor likely to be the last, considering how your love life seems to be going. but somehow, the weight of your own solitude sits a little heavier in your chest this year. a little more unignorable.

on the coffee table at your side there sits a postcard. you pick it up from the table and hold it over your head as you survey it for the hundredth time.

you'd received it in the mail a few days prior: a glossy photo of cinque terre, oversaturated and probably taken years ago but still undeniably beautiful, printed across the front. on the back there was no message, just your address scrawled in charmingly boyish script.

tobio.

you'd chastised him about a thousand times on your brief visit to italy that he ought to travel more while he's working abroad. before your trip, he'd never even seen the trevi fountain—but you'd been sure dragged him along with you to right that during your stay. it seemed he'd taken your unrelenting criticism to heart, making a point to visit more tourist destinations in his limited time off.

and he always sends you a postcard when he does.

there's never a message included, or even his name, but you know without a doubt who the sender is.

usually you send him a text message to thank him for the card, and ask him what he thought about his visit. the conversations are usually brief—tobio's not much of a chatter, after all. but he has surprisingly insightful remarks to share about the places he's visited, and maybe a photo or two that he snapped while he was there. he's never in the pictures, but it makes you smile to imagine him amongst the scene regardless.

you haven't contacted him about this postcard yet.

you're not sure what the hold up is, really. the first day you'd been on your way to work, and planned to reply on your lunch break. the day had gotten away from you and before you knew it you were collapsing into your bed—the postcard was your last fleeting thought before sleep overtook you, and the image of tobio overlooking the sunny, picturesque coast of cinque terre.

you dreamt of him that night. of his sunsoaked apartment in italy. of cobblestone streets and boisterous restaurants and the warmth of his back as he carried you home when you drank too much wine at dinner.

and now it's been days, and you still can't quite bring yourself to contact him.

you should have gone home with miwa this weekend like she asked you to. should have made any plan that would have gotten you out of your apartment and this strange funk you find yourself in. but now the snow is falling, and the trains are cancelled, and you're alone on christmas looking at a postcard from italy.

a knock at your door tears you from your spiralling thoughts.

you have no idea who it might be. not at this time of night. not in this weather. but you're shuffling to your door quickly in the wake of the knock, pulling a hoodie on over your head as you go to cover up the little pyjama shorts and tank top you have on underneath.

there are many people you're not expecting to see on the other side of your door, but kageyama tobio—with rosy cheeks and snowflakes caught in his unfairly long eyelashes—is surely the least expected of all.

"tobio?" you say, breathless in your bewilderment. "what are you doing here?"

"i came home for christmas," he says, a bit quiet—almost shyly. "i'm sorry it's so late, my plane was delayed because of the snow."

with the entire city shut down, tobio must have had no other option than to turn up at your door like this. any flights or trains he may have hoped to take to miyagi would be cancelled. miwa's gone for the weekend. you must have been the only choice he had.

"come in, come in," you say, ushering him in the door, brushing snow from the front of his coat as he passes. "you must be freezing!"

tobio's cheeks are even pinker as he starts to warm up, ruffling his hair to get the snow from the strands as he sits at your kotatsu. "i'm sorry to turn up without any warning."

"stop apologizing to me, tobi," you say with a laugh, setting the steaming cup of tea you'd just prepared for him in front of him on the table top. "it's no problem for you to spend the night. the trains should be running again by the morning."

he takes a sip of his tea.

"have you told your family you made it here safe?"

"they don't know i'm here," tobio replies, a furrow of confusion on his brow.

"you didn't tell them you were coming home to see them?" you ask him incredulously. tobio doesn't strike you as the type of guy to plan surprises.

he looks away from you for a moment, his eyes catching on something at your side.

"you got it," he says, with something akin to relief in his tone.

you follow his gaze to the postcard at your side.

"i didn't hear from you, so i thought..."

the christmas movie on the other side of the room is still muted.

the snow is still falling outside.

you look back at tobio, and find his eyes on you again.

"i didn't come here to visit miyagi," he says quietly. "i came here to visit you."

[allbark-no-bite]

december and devotion.

jake seresin x reader (wc. 1.4k)

summary: Jake keeps his promise. or the fic where Jake comes home just in time for Christmas

warnings: none, just fluff

author’s note: just a little short and sweet reunion for you guys before christmas. this can totally be read alone from ‘Marriage and Honor’ but it makes this fic that much better if you read the other one before :)

(read parts one and three here: marriage and honor, cats and christmas)

————————————————————————

You get Jake back exactly eleven months to the day that he deployed. Eleven months since you dropped him off on the carrier and hugged him goodbye. Eleven months since you fell in love and then had to let it go on the same day. Eleven excruciating months of endless emails and long phone calls at any and all hours of the night. 

It didn't matter if it was four am or four pm, you were just happy to hear his voice. It meant that he was conscious and breathing and that meant he was alive. Sometimes the two of you would schedule a time to call when Jake knew he would have a few minutes to spare, and when the call didn't come you would just sit by the phone and wait for hours. You knew that things happened and sometimes Jake just got busy. But that was the thing, things did happen, and so far you were 2-0 for those things playing out in your favor. 

When he did get caught up, Jake was always sure to call you back, even if it was hours later, and he'd poke fun at you for working yourself up so much. 'C'mon baby, it was just a little air strike. Nothing for you to worry about,' he'd tease, both of you choosing to ignore the apprehension in his voice in favor of finding humor in the moment because that meant getting to murmur 'I miss you's and 'I miss you too's for just the few extra seconds that the call allowed. 

The holidays rolling around makes Jake's deployment even more lonely. Despite being much closer to home now that you're living on base, you don't have much family left and Thanksgiving ends up consisting of you and the orange cat that you've still yet to tell Jake about. You're not sure he's going to believe you accidentally adopted a cat, the cat that now sleeps on Jake's side of the bed every night. 

Regardless, having another body in the house makes things a little more bearable as Thanksgiving comes and goes and soon enough it's Christmas time on base. Just when you were starting to think that Jake's deployment was going by quicker than you thought, December hits and the days start crawling by. 

Thankfully for you, Christmas comes early.

December 24th.

Is the text you receive from Jake bright and early one random Monday morning. You hadn't been expecting to hear from him for another few days, and when you see his name pop up on your screen, your stomach drops. But as soon as you read his message, you know exactly what it means. 

Jake was coming home for Christmas. 

The port is more crowded and even colder than what you expected it to be at six am on Christmas Eve. It's full of families and children bundled in various layers of scarves and coats, holding signs and cards, anxiously waiting to welcome their service member back home. The atmosphere is incomparable to anything that you've ever experienced. It's full of hope, and happiness, and maybe even a little heartbreak.

You’re feeling a little bit of all three yourself. It's been in the back of your mind that despite having had two brothers in the Navy, you've never gotten to do this. You've never gotten the chance to welcome anyone back home. 

The sound of a horn blowing pulls you from your thoughts. 

Shouts of celebration erupt and children break out into runs, screaming with excitement, and you watch as soldiers begin pouring out from the entrance of the ship, a sea of white amidst the crowd. You linger behind as families around you reunite, feeling a bit lost having come by yourself. You watch as returning fathers gleefully scoop up their children and proud fathers tearily welcome home their daughters. 

Walking a bit closer to the ship, you glance around you in hopes of spotting a familiar face. You catch sight of Javy and his family a bit off to your right, and he waves to you with a quick smile but offers no indication of where Jake might be. You walk a little further, passing almost every member of the Dagger squad, until you finally come to a stop back in the middle of the crowd. With so many people all around you, you begin to wonder how you're ever going to find Jake.

"Looking for someone?"

It's the same voice that you've been straining to hear over some crappy military base service line for months. Only this time it's ten feet away and not across the world. 

You spin on your heels, bolting into Jake's arms quicker than you've probably ever moved in your entire life. You don't even take the time to take him in before you're burrowing your face into the crook of his neck, your body clinging to his like he's going to disappear at any given second. Jake has to drop his bag to catch you, wrapping both arms around your waist and shuffling backwards a few steps so that he doesn't lose his balance. His skin is warm despite the chill outside and you revel in the press of his cheek to your own, your cold nose nuzzled into his ear.

Jake holds you for god knows how long, his body swaying occasionally with yours in the embrace. Eventually you loosen your grip around his neck, as much as it pains you to do so, but you want to see his face so you pull away, your hand moving to either side of his face to get a good look at him.

Jake's green eyes shine at you in what you can only describe as pure adoration. He looks a bit tired, maybe even a bit older than he did when he left, but he's still the Jake you said goodbye to all those months ago. The lines by his eyes still crinkle when he smiles and his cheeks dimple right along with them. 

Jake says nothing as you examine him, just smiles at you warmly and allows you this moment to yourself. He'll have plenty of time to kiss you later.

His hair is much shorter than what you're used to, almost certainly to adhere to military regulations, and your fingers scratch at his scalp in a moment of wistful melancholy. "Your hair," is all you can say, fond tears threatening to spill over your eyes. 

A laugh rumbles from his chest and his eyes crinkle as he takes your hand in his own. "It's gonna grow back in no time, baby. I promise." 

You're not genuinely sad about his hair and he knows this, it's just that there so much to say after eleven months of being apart and not enough time in the moment to say it. 

So instead of trying to find the words, Jake just squeezes your body against his once more before setting you down to grab his duffle bag. He keeps one arm wrapped around your waist, the other bearing the load of his over stuffed duffle. As happy as he is to has his girl back in his arms, all he wants is to go home and have you to himself. And maybe get some sleep. "C'mon, kid. Let's get you home. It's too cold for you to be standin' out here."

Only when he starts walking away, you don't budge. Your feet are planted into the ground and he ends up a few steps ahead of you once he looks back. Jake turns around, duffle bag in one hand and the other held out to you in question. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet now. I've only been back for about five minutes," he laughs. He's mostly teasing, but you pick up on the faintest hint of hesitation in his voice. 

You cross your arms, trying to keep yourself from smiling. "You're forgetting something."

A look of confusion crosses his face before his brows lift and his smile returns. Chuckling, Jake drops his duffle and walks back towards you, taking your face inbetween his hands like you had held his a few moments ago. He can't help the massive grin on his face as he leans into kiss you. 

Your cheeks are flushed and cold but they heat right back up as his mouth captures yours. His lips are soft against yours but the kiss is firm and sure—tender but packed with all of the longing that cannot be expressed with words. You immediately miss the warmth of Jake's lips when he pulls away.

"Merry Christmas," he murmurs, so close that he may as well have been speaking it into the kiss. 

"Merry Christmas," you murmur back, smiling back against his mouth as you lean in to kiss him again.

[vintagetimetarot]

What will your December be like? ❄️☃️ (Christmas themed) + love messages ♡︎

Hello everyone! Before I take my hiatus, I wanted to give y’all a reading to make up for not answering asks, or them being put on hold. Today I decided to make a monthly reading, and I added some love messages as well if you are interested, and to again make up for the lack of asks answered. Let’s get to it! (Also, I know this is Christmas themed, but you don’t have to be a certain religion for this reading at all, I’m not even Christian myself.) take what resonates and simply disregard what doesn’t. Pick a vintage Christmas album below!

Pile 1: I feel like the overall theme for your month is that you need to let go of the negatives currently going on in your life and what is making you dissatisfied. I see you guys might also have seasonal depression? But anyways. You’re gonna have to work very hard to make this a good month. I feel like you are struggling to stay positive or be happy right now, and if you don’t fix this it’ll just carry on into the next month. The cards suggest you can have a great month by putting yourself out there more in all aspects of your life. Go for that job you want! Kiss that guy/girl you like! Follow your dreams! But also be realistic with yourself and revaluate what you want first for this month, before you plan to pursue. You still have a couple weeks! I see this being a balanced month for you when you work hard. I think you’ll be improving in your job/school studies this month, regardless of what happens. I also think your personal relationships will be growing more this month, I think new people are going to enter your life. But I’m getting that you guys are guarded, but let these people in! They aren’t here to sabotage you. This will be a month of personal growth and divine timing and retribution for you, take it how it resonates. In terms of love this month, I see you exploring your romantic feelings, but this mainly will be about staying optimistic about your love life and working on self love this month. Love can’t fully come into your life if you can’t love yourself first for right now! Sorry if this was quite short, but this is all I got, I hope this resonated.

Pile 2: I think December is going to a very happy and successful mont for you. You may find yourself spending time and improving relationships with your family and friends. I also see your manifestations coming to fruition, whatever they are, this is your message that it’s coming this month! Things are being worked on behind the scenes. But these could be delayed if you keep up a lack of faith, which I see most of you guys have right now. Just because your manifestations don’t come ASAP doesn’t mean they aren’t coming. I see you making new friends this month, your social circle is going to expand greatly. I think you’ve been not your best lately, and that cycle is going to come to an end this month. I think this is mainly because you are learning to accept help from others. Things overall are just going to go smoothly this month, especially the holidays will be a healing time for you. In terms of love, I see that you make be deceived on what you have convinced yourself is happening right now, very specific message, but if you have an ex, they may be trying to win you back this month, but don’t fall for it. You two broke up for a reason. For those who are single, I think someone in your life currently is going to want to take things to a serious level with you. This is the time to express your love and not hold back, so things work out. I honestly feel like this is more casual and more familial like love, I’m not getting the vibe of a HUGE romantic month honestly. But it’s still gonna be great. That’s all I got, I hope this resonated!

Pile 3: This month is going to be go fast, and major change is going to happen. This is change you’ve been waiting for, but it won’t happen out of nowhere, YOU are gonna make the changes yourself believe it or not this month. Whatever you’ve been waiting for this what this is. You may find people being kinder to you and more generous this month. I think you are going to be extremely productive in terms of work/school. I think you are also going to make a significant connection while you’re at it in this area of life while you increase in productivity. I see you turning your back on things that don’t serve you anymore and finally taking the lead. This could be unhealthy relationships, stepping up your game in work/school, leaving a home environment or area that caused you turmoil, and more. You’ll be faced to make big choices this month as well, which will have large effects. In regards to love, I think you still need to wait or put a pause on that. Good things are coming, but not this month in love. You’ll be very focused on material things for now. The universe is just taking its time to make sure it all works out, and give you the best romantic situation possible. In terms of romance, you could be thinking about past relationships and exes, which is why you aren’t ready for something new yet. I think you are still inexperienced when it comes to love. Your reading is quite short, this month won’t be too eventful, but things will still change. That’s all I got, hope it resonates.

Pile 4: I think you guys are suffering right now. A lot. The past year or months might have been really rough on you. But this month, things will change, I promise. I think you may take a trip this month and that is going to be very healing for you. Or your travel life (small or big) will help you a lot this month. Your relationships will be crucial this month, all around. I think your messages will improve this month drastically, especially if they were previously causing you turmoil. I think many problems are going to get resolved this month, but with time more than anything. I see your mental state improving and getting out of this self deprecating mindset. I think with your relationships, you’ll become better at resolving conflict this you. In terms of romance, it’s safe for you to love. I think you’ll actually have people admiring you and pursuing you romantically more this month. For example, you may notice people flirting with you more. I don’t see this as straight up relationships left and right, but you’ll be discovering and exploring more of your romantic feelings this month. You’ll decide what you really want or will be, and that’s why you probably won’t be pursuing a relationship. I didn’t get much for this pile, so I advise you to go to another pile you were drawn to for more information on this month. That’s all I got, I hope this resonates.

[qwerty019283ytrewq]

That's what I'm thinking about right now.

It was supposed to be a short sketch.

✨️Imagine✨️

JP watches Max grow up, Daniel grow up.

JP watches Max blush, and Daniel touches him more often. JP pushes Simon in the shoulder, who rolls his eyes. They're making bets.

JP sees Daniel's face darken when Jos appears, sees Max's face turn to stone, his shoulders tense. Simon throws off a photo of JP, as these two idiots drink milkshakes.

JP sees Max's rage after Baku and Daniel's anger. JP listens to angry circulations about Max's bee costume and Simon's stories about a drooping Daniel.

Simon pokes JP in the shoulder at a New Year's Eve party and points at Max and Daniel as they walk off into an empty hallway.

JP sees the longing in Max's eyes when Daniel laughs at Nico's joke and sees the longing in Daniel's eyes when he turns around and notices Max shooting a video for the team with Pierre.

JP writes a message to Simon about their idiots pouring champagne on each other on the podium.

JP sees Max and Daniel holding hands and talking quietly after the news about Alex. No one else sees it. Simon is angry because he didn't get the photo.

JP dies inside when he hears Max's moan of pain in Silverstone. Simon sends him a link to a video of Daniel's reaction. JP listens to a tirade about Mercedes bastards from Jos and Helmut. "Another 10 minutes, I can't take it anymore," he writes to Simon. After 8 minutes, Daniel carefully slips out of Max's room.

JP is sure that Max is not listening to him at all and then notices Daniel's resignation video. JP talks about this with Simon for a long time. A month later, he receives a voice message from Simon, in which his friend wearily says that He is coming back. JP already knows that, Max is not as secretive as he wants to appear. And why is it only Simon and JP know?

JP writes about Max and Daniel's follies on video shoots in Australia. "Poor Checo," Simon writes.

JP laughs at Simon's story about how he hid Daniel's balaclava, how the poor intern almost burst into tears when he handed Max's balaclava to Daniel. Oh, if he only knew what JP knows.

JP is telling Max about the received data for the third time when Max takes off and runs out of the office. JP is glad that there is no need to distract anyone.

JP says, "Daniel's fine, he got out of the car," and his conscience doesn't think about Alex.

JP sends Simon a video showing Daniel carrying both helmets and Max almost jumping up with a bottle of wine. Simon sends him a link from the helicopter video.

JP hears the rumors, sees how the rumors reach Max. He sees Daniel's smile droop. If it wasn't for Max, JP would have gone to Ferrari.

"And your old pal Daniel took the fastest lap at the end, as well." "Thank you, Daniel!"

JP gets a special Christmas card. Max and Daniel are on the beach. It seems the longue will break under them, but these idiots are smiling at the camera. "Merry Christmas from Max and Daniel!"

JP brags in a message to Simon.

[mysticheathenn]

Intuitive Messages and Oracle Cards Reading

Hi, Hexlings!

This pick-a-card reading is all about messages that oracle cards have for you and what intuitive messages come through for you without tarot cards.

This is a general reading, remember to take what resonates and leave what does not. This reading does not supplement your need to seek professional help.

Take your time when choosing your pile. Ask yourself the question and choose the picture that you can’t stop looking at. Listen to your intuition.

MasterList

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Pile l:

Song: Wishes by Diplo ft Trippie Redd (Intuitive Play) Tea Tree Oracle Cards: Family Wishes Come True, A Marriage will take place either romantic or business, Short Journey, PArting ways in either romance or business, Recognition reward for merit, Announcement, Keep your life in Balance.

Messages: Everything is a Reflection Hold Up the Energetic Mirror & Trust Your Faith. Dive into the Unfolding Journey.

Intuitive Messages: There are several Messages, take what resonates and leave what does not. What are you placing on hold pile l. What has been calling for your soul to do that you have yet to take action whether due to procrastination or out of fear. Why aren't you doing it? Look inside yourself and ask where does this fear come from and why am I allowing it to dictate the life that I am living when I know I deserve more. Are you so comfortable with living a life you hate that going after your dreams is more uncomfortable than living without the things you want and deserve? Ask yourself these questions and trust things will work out. Others of you why are you all work and no play? Why are you afraid to take a break as if you get off the grinding train you will fall immediately down to the bottom? Why do you believe this is true for you? Go outside and play, pick up a video game, or read a book for several hours, what is yours will never bypass you, trust. You will get to where you want to be in no time. But you can't reach that goal if you aren't taking care of yourself and running off on E. Lastly, What trauma have you been avoiding that you need to be healing? You are tired of people with the same personality just different meat suit coming into your life but you are not healing the wounds that are causing these people to trigger you. Heal, baby. You deserve to live a life without always feeling triggered or even better a life filled with people who want to give you genuine love and for you to trust they want to only love you without anything in return. So now I ask you what do you need to get rid of in order to invite this new energy of love in and are you willing to do it?

Pile ll:

Song: Christmas Kids by ROAR (Remix: Slō, Twilight, Tizzy-Spotify Shuffle)

Tea Tree Oracle Cards: Temporary Situation, New Creative Ideas New Ventures A Fresh Start, Pleasure from a close friend, Someone will try to make you do something against your will, climbing towards success, Happiness, A goal-oriented person, opportunity or windfall.

Messages: Express yourself creatively. Start something new. & You are the image maker. What you focus on manifests.

Intuitive Messages: Several messages like Pile l take what resonates and leave what does not. Some of you are in a situation that isn't healthy, safe, or possible while not toxic is draining you mentally, emotionally, and maybe even physically. You may or may not believe in the law of attraction but if you are spiritual and believe in such things ask yourself how can I change this situation? How can I manifest a better ending for myself? Pray to your spirit team if you are unsure they want to help you but you need to be willing and open to help. See the light at the end of the tunnel as your oracle cad says this situation is temporary but you need to buckle your shoe straps and be prepared to be optimistic see the light and go full speed running towards it instead of letting the darkness take over your life. You are a ray of sunshine and whatever situation you may be in sees that and wants to keep you hidden just like your chosen song from Spotify about a couple who are in a toxic chaotic relationship. Others of you go for a walk. When I say walk I mean don't have anything on your mind just be present during your walk. Look at the trees notice the small things around you that you may not have noticed before and let whatever ideas and downloads come to you, come to you, and act on those ideas. There is something that is meant to find you that is an idea that will bring you a rainfall of abundance and change your life around for the better but you must act and be open to receiving this idea and not judge yourself. Release imposter syndrome. Remember that if you weren't capable of doing the idea or whatever this is you wouldn't have received the opportunity. Lastly, why are you listening to sheep who follow other sheep and not from if not yourself from those who lead their own path and walk their talk. "I'll be damned if I listen to facts up out the mouth of a man with an unwashed ass" is what I am hearing." You are not meant to be a follower but a leader. Stop following or listening to people who lead their own lives off of cliffs with no parachutes or care as to how and if they will land.

Pile lll:

Song: Gone or Staying by Sleep Theory (Spotify Shuffle)

Tea Tree Oracle Messages: You will receive a gift, Reconciliation, Beware of great pride, Hard work ahead, Unsuccessful outcome to a problem, Increase your efforts if you want to achieve your goals, Spiritual guidance and protection from harm, Happiness, An emotionally secure loving family is important to you, & unsuccessful plans.

Message: Your Purpose is personal expansion.

Intuitive Messages: This is my love pile that again has several messages so take what resonates and leave what does not. Some of you are single but go back and forth between wanting a relationship and "I'm an independent person and I don't need no person" and I want to laugh a bit because I am also in that stage but deep down I know I want that can't eat can't sleep kind of love. The reassuring love, the love where I know I don't have to worry about my partner even entertaining other people, and better my love being reciprocated x10 and until then anybody can stay away. I get it but sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and do the work to invite this kind of energy in. It can be scary but it's definitely worth it. The number of times I have seen a person glowing not just physically but in their personal life as well is just unreal sometimes to me that I know it's truly worth it. Now for others who are in the talking stages or even in a relationship, it's okay to let your partner help you. It's okay to lean on others and when I mean it's okay I mean people you truly can trust. If you aren't sure about that then you may not have anyone in your life that you trust but if you do there are signs such as do they throw information or things they do for you back in your face, when you call them are they there, if you had to give any of your friends keys could you trust them to not use it for personal gains if the answer is no to all of them find a better community but if you answered yes to these trust that you are in good hands. Stop being Hercules all the time and give people at least some form of entry into your life instead of always hovering over them waiting for them to fuck up and going see I knew it, out the door. Stop..stop it. People can't show you they mean well if you don't allow them to show up. Lastly for those who are in a relationship, someone is coming back into your life but I need you to ask yourself the important questions before you allow them back in again. Are they coming back into your life to see if you are still stupid for allowing them back in or is this a relationship that is healthy overall but has their issues and that person has worked on themselves to help better the relationship? If you don't know this answer ask yourself did this person make you feel loved not have good memories that were occasional but did you feel loved, did they shower you with compliments, gifts, their time, and reciprocate the energy you gave them...if the answer is no please continue staying single. They are coming back to see if you are still stupid enough to let them in again. Release your codependency from this person and find someone who values you, your efforts, and your time. For others of you while things will go great this time around it isn't without hard work from both ends.

Pile lV:

Song: Moscow Mule by Bad Bunny (Spotify Shuffle) / The Kings Affirmation by Iniko (Intuitive Play)

Tee Tree Oracle Messages: May, September, Family wishes come true, Major challenges to overcome, Advice from a friend, Work achievement success, wish will not be granted, celebration fun enjoyment, take care or there will be a loss of material wealth, someone is working against you behind your back, you should accept valid criticism, a goal-oriented person, dealings with or relationship with a woman, Things will not always be this way a change is coming, Someone will try and make you do something against your will.

Message: Eliminate Distractions. Stop shining a light on things you are not. & Don't run from the darkness. Embrace your shadow side.

Intuitive Messages: l Why are you self-sabotaging? Why do you not want to accept great things can happen to you in this lifetime? What is causing you to be afraid that you are willing to throw away everything you are working on or have worked on to settle for less than? Are you okay with mediocrity if so stop what you are doing and continue down the path of self-sabotage? You are meant for greatness, allow it to happen for you? Stop allowing distractions to stray you from the path. It's okay to have enjoyment but if that enjoyment is causing you to have thoughts that are not your own or even cause you to waste time putting off things that you are supposed to be doing remember that instant gratification is great until you realize 10 years from now you are still getting fake dopamine off of instant gratification of scrolling or seeking things that are quick get rich schemes that never work. Be mindful of what you give your mind to. Be careful of the things you watch on television, the music you listen to, and even the people you follow. These are all things that you somehow correlate with. If they are not somehow speaking positive energy into your life or at least giving you joy or motivation release it. This goes for people as well in your life. Others of you are running away from your problems. As soon as you feel that things are getting tough you stop and then talk yourself into negative talk about how that wasn't meant for you or whatever it is that you tell yourself when things get too hard. Stop. You are extraordinary. You know this, I know this, your loved ones know this even your potential haters know this. Stop being afraid of the person you can become and are. Embrace the hard things. Embrace everything that feels uncomfortable. How are you going to grow as a person if you keep running away from things that are meant to help elevate you as a person? You may be the type of person who watches YouTube videos where the person gets up at 5am, the gym, journals, etc etc and you keep going through the cycle of restarting your life and quitting when you miss a day or two and then go well there is always next year...why next year pile lV, why not now. Now is the time. Not 2025. not 2026, but now. If you are wanting to lose weight or whatever it is imagine it being September you could have already lost 30lbs by then instead of finally getting the nerve to do it in September. Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock says it best "You have two options either day on or one day." "Everything you want to do is going to be hard you just have to choose your hard. Staying in your situation that is hard or achieving what you want that is going to be hard. Choose your hard" You can't sit in a victim mentality when you are your own villain.

Thank you for liking and reblogging my readings. I always appreciate you guys on here and on Patreon.

Stay Safe and Be Blessed

[vitaminseetarot]

PAC: Messages From Your Spirit Guides 🌬🌨🛎

Sup y'all, I'm back for another reading on what your spirit guides have to say! We are approaching a powerful micromoon on Friday night into Saturday morning, and I hope these piles will help you with whatever you're manifesting or clearing out of your life.

Sidenote: I have been in the background trying to get my Paypal account working so I can have the chance to finally offer paid readings. I know some of you have been asking me about when I'll be doing private readings! Long story short, Paypal thought I was a bot and locked me out of my account. (They won't even tell you it's locked, it'll just act like your password isn't working, lol) After struggling for a while, I had to actually call for support. 😅

It's all fixed (for) now! I'm now going over some ideas for what readings I will offer. They will likely be basic 1 and 3 card type spreads for starters. I'll fill you in when more details are hashed out. I'm still also planning another game in March, so stay tuned.

So let's dive into your readings! You can either pick your pile option through the palette cards or the corresponding pictures below for your quick message.

Pile 1 - Lavender Sky Pile 2 - Air Blue Pile 3 - Snowfall Pile 4 - Rainwater

Pile 1

Lavender Sky, Sweetness, Lava; V Hierophant, Queen of Wands, 3 of Cups, 10 of Cups

Pile 1, the guide (or guides) contacting you is the type to play it by the book. They know how to fill your cup because they've gone through it too. This is likely a passed ancestor in your family, though it doesn't have to be. Just someone who's really gone through it thick and thin while living on Earth, experiencing the highs and lows of existence. They're guiding you because they've been in your shoes. Their message is simple. They want offer you a cup of cheer. Although that's traditionally a Christmas saying, I picture of cup of healing tonic being passed to you. It's rich and warm, like a cappuccino or spiced chai. They invite you to sit down and relax with a similar soothing beverage.

I heard lyrics from the Evanescence song "Imaginary" while pulling out the palette card. "In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby, I lie inside myself for hours and watch my purple sky fly over me." I'm sensing some detachment. They say you've been spending a lot of time closed off into your own inner world and not communicating as much as you'd like to, but not out of loneliness. In fact, this time alone may have revitalized you, or you may consider it a comfort zone to be in. You could have been laying dormant, working on yourself, wondering when it's finally time to stretch.

But the Queen of Wands, as confident as she is (and you are), truly enjoys being around others. It's where her light shines. If she wants to perform, she wants to do it with a crowd. If she speaks, she wants it to be with another. She knows her light, but it's not enough; the light must expand outward and be shared. Imagine that, instead of shining only in your mind, your creative abilities and unique personality can stand out in the real world to be seen and heard. For your unique truth to be recognized and lauded.

Your guides would gently like you to get out of your head a little. You have a bright mind and a caring disposition. There is no reason to hold yourself back from healthy communities. Your affirmation card says, "My truth flows through me gracefully." Holding your emotions and true self back is useless, anyway. The lava will come spilling out one way or another. Use that strong confident energy you have when alone, and channel it to reach out and connect with other people. Things likely will turn out better than you could have imagined. This could be your year for forming great new friendships that may even stand the test of time, if you're up for it.

I'm getting a lot of people in this pile may identify as shy or socially awkward. Your guides see your struggle and know this isn't an overnight event, it can a long haul process to come out of one's shell. And if reaching out to people in real life is still too difficult, please know that your guides are with you. They are available to talk whenever you need them. I suggest working with candles (safely!) or water scrying as possible methods for communication.

Pile 2

Air Blue, Ghost, Bee; 0 Fool, 9 of Cups, 5 of Wands, 7 of Swords

You received two affirmation cards in this reading because the yellow rose fell out almost immediately: it says "I am at peace in my life. I am at peace in the world. I'm getting some strong anxiety with this pile. It feels like the anxiety experienced on a regular basis. It's a strong contrast to your guide's energy, which is carefree and lackadaisical. I hear they can be a bit of a prankster with you? I'm seeing someone getting frustrated with computer equipment or some other machinery like a cash register. Really riding on that Mercury retrograde energy when it's there, they're opportunists. This could be your guide's primary way of talking with you, by causing strange and chaotic things to happen that put a brief halt in your day-to-day life.

It may seem somewhat cruel that a guide would 'tease' like this, but they keep pointing at the yellow rose, which symbolizes friendship. They have reached out and offered support in the normal, usual ways, but there's a sense of denying and not returning in the interaction? Have you ever met them? If you want to connect with your guides, the first step is to acknowledge that they're there and that they're reaching out to you. Otherwise they'll start to act like cats who sit on books and knock glasses over just to get your attention, if they want it badly enough. They can get even urgent about speaking at times, I heard the song "Urgent" by Foreigner.

They want you to see that things aren't as bad as they seem to be in the present, though. They disrupt your day precisely to get across that somewhere, you're getting yourself stuck in a rut. They're there to help you break bad cycles of thought that aren't helping you. It's an odd way of doing it, but if you can reach out to them and learn from them, they won't always be like this. It's only because they want you to embrace life like every day is a new beginning. Allowing yourself to get worked up in fear sets up the day for exactly that. They see your capacity for joyful and successful working and living and want to bring that out in you.

You may have times where you have very high hopes for something to happen in your favor, only to burst into panic when one little thing falls out of place or goes wrong, even if it gets resolved. Your guides aren't trying to work you into a tizzy; they want to teach you how to handle the day's hiccups with more ease instead of relying on control all the time. They want you to speak positive affirmations to yourself on a regular basis with the idea that peace and ease are available to you. Your other card says, "I can speak powerfully with ease." Your words are strong, especially what you say to yourself in earnest. Speak your wishes out and your guide will listen. Bottle it up too much, and your guide will find a way to pour it out for you. Focus on the BEST outcomes!

And if your anxiety still feels like it's getting debilitating, your guide will support you in getting you any outside help that you need. Ultimately, they want to see you thrive, both inside and outside chaos, even if their methods are unconventional.

Pile 3

Falling Snow, Fear, Swan; 9 of Cups, 3 of Swords, Page of Coins, 5 of Wands, VII Chariot

Pile 3, your guide is a colorful and gentle being, I'm picturing someone childlike here with the Page of Coins. This guide flourishes in nature and the innocently playing with their creations. Perhaps you're an artist or someone devoted to a craft that brings out your inner child, your unique joy? This being wants to guide you in these endeavors. Your guide embodies a playful spirituality, far from religious status and regulations. They enjoy seeing ideas come to life.

It seems like you've been calling out for help in dealing with relationships in your life, or lack thereof. If it isn't to do with love or people, the Swan card could suggest a creative passion that you already have in mind. You see this person or passion as the "One" you've been praying for, the "One" to forever come or stay in your life. Your guide wants you to begin by seeing that you are the "One" you've been looking for. See that there are two swans in the card. One of them is you, seeking the kind of beauty that's already blossoming atop your head.

I'm drawn in by the purple flowers. If you work with chakras, your crown chakra is calling for your attention. Your affirmation card says, "I am connected to the wisdom of the universe." You may have recently been hurt from a relationship, or you've been worried that dating seems far away from you. The kind of school to help you hone your talent may feel at a distance. I'm getting 5 of pentacle vibes with the Falling Snow card, like the opportunity is "snowed in". But it's an illusion; you're moving faster and more suddenly through life than you may believe, though there are times when relationships don't work out, or we get turned down from an opportunity that looked to be beneficial to us.

It's okay to be honest about how sucky rejections feels. Your guide, as playful and rambunctious as they are, wants to hold your hand with a compassionate smile. They can see the flowers blooming beneath the snow, but understand that you have a right to process how you feel. Their main encouragement to you is to give yourself the time, just as spring has time to thaw from winter. In due time, you'll be feeling better again once you've given yourself the chance to mend your heart. I shuffled an extra card for 5 of Wands, which gave me Chariot. You will be able to move on, through the fearsome fire and smoke, to the other side. Allow yourself to heal, then allow yourself to proceed, knowing you won't be burned like that again.

If pile 2 resonates with you in any way, I recommend checking it out. There are messages there about dealing with fear and speaking out kinder thoughts to yourself. See yourself and your creations as the beautiful swan, even if circumstances leave you feeling like the ugly duckling. Your guide only sees the beauty and laughter in you.

Pile 4

Rainwater, Sadness, Ladybug; 3 of Cups, 4 of Cups, X Wheel of Fortune, 10 of Wands

It seems clear to me that your guide is heavily connected to water in some way, be it the rain or the ocean (it all runs together any way). They appear to me as very old and wise, like an ancient sea spirit. Far from hermitage, they are connected to all life underwater, as well as the water that flows through us. They're pointing out to me the way everything in life follows a cycle. The powers of the water and the moon demonstrate this on a regular basis, showing how the essential patterns of water can be found in other parts of life as well, even if abstractly. See, for example, how cats can squeeze themselves into jars like liquid, or how crowds of people can flow like streams. When we talk about rain, we can think of either abundance or loss. Rain can represent the release of powerful emotions, or it can bring life to withering crops. To understand water magic is to see how versatile the power is.

Your guide wants to let you know that your life follows an ebb and flow like the tides of the sea. There may come times when it floods over and all feels hopeless. There may also come days when the cool rain shower comes as a welcome on dry and dreary days. Your guide says there is nothing inherently wrong with you, if you are feeling a bad streak of luck. They (though I'm feeling a strong feminine energy here) want to help you with your perspective on life. You are not 'deserving' of bad things to happen, they say, as it's an unhelpful belief to deal with troubling situations. Life happens around us, and many times we get caught in hurricanes caused by others, or by our own actions. These ebbs and flows stop for absolutely no one.

We, as people, should be more drawn to compassion towards each other because of this. I'm getting worldly energy when I channel the guide's connection to you, like your guide is a deity like figure or you are highly attuned to the earth in some way. You may feel drawn towards this need for giving and receiving compassion. Though what I sense your guide is pointing at refers to boundaries. It's dear to them that you feel connected to the world's energy, or to the pain that mother nature and her people feel, but please practice boundaries so you can give yourself a chance to breathe and live your own life instead of letting psychic woes eat at you.

Your guide wants to assure you that luckier times are ahead. The Wheel of Fortune combined with the Ladybug shows that you have the chance to count the blessings in your life to attract more of the same. To attract good luck and abundance for you is to do the same for others. Imagine if emotions were contagious, and you had the chance to spread good luck around by changing your perspective? Your affirmation card says, "I am able to let go of all sadness and negative emotions that don't serve me." There are times when things get turbulent, but don't let it stop you from getting ahead.

This reading has not been evaluated by the FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or infection. Please ask your physician before going online.

2024, @VitaminseeTarot ™

[unactive-shroom]

Hello im really sorry i only saw your post today🙁 you can ignore this since its already nov 4th but can i request sal fisher with prompt 1 and 3? (Maybe 6 but thats optional) thank you!

A.n: Im sorry I missed out on this request last event, so I thought I’d do something small for you now to get in the Valentine’s mood <3 Hope you enjoy! Feel free to request something from the current event too, I know that this is super short!

⇒ 100% had been preparing for Valentine’s since CHRISTMAS

⇒ He’s never experienced it before, and he wants to make sure he does everything right

⇒ He's stressing out, asking Larry and Todd about what he should do, reading romance novels, even magazines with advice

⇒ Like he is genuinely so nervous, doesn’t matter how long you’ve been dating for

⇒ He also learns your favourite song and plays it for you, borrowing his Dad's old acoustic guitar if it's a softer song

⇒ He genuinely has the sweetest singing voice too like wtf

⇒ He gets you a very traditional gift - A bouquet of your favourite flowers and a hand written card with the sweetest message ever in it - and after school you probably go over to his place

Placing the heart-shaped cookies that you had baked for Sal on the kitchen counter, you bounced over to the couch where Sal was busy trying to connect VCR player to the tv. “Wow, Sal, you’re really going all out for today, huh?” you say as you relax on the couch, opening one of the many bags of chips that Sal had prepared on the coffee table. “I’m not over doing it, am I? I just want today to be perfect for you, I don’t know if-” - you shush him before he can finish his thought. “It’s perfect, Sal. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Check out the Valentine's event Here

[watchandread02]

For the " Holidays with the Winchesters: A very Destiel Advent Calendar" by @archervale and @wormstacheangel

Day Nineteen: List

Ao3

(This is kind of a continuation of the fic I wrote for Day 11, but I think you can still read this, if you didn't read the other one. The only thing you really need to know is that Dean is Santa and Cas is an Elf and they got together in the first part. Link to first part.)

“He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice.” Cas sings as he walks into Dean’s workshop. Dean is hunched over his desk, not even looking up when Cas walks into the room, singing all the while.

Not one to be ignored, Cas walks up behind Dean and leans in close. He wraps his arms around Dean from behind and rests his head on top of Dean’s. Dean pauses his writing for a moment to squeeze Cas’ hands where they are resting on his chest.

“How about you take a break?” Cas whispers into Dean’s ear.

“I will in a bit, honey. I just want to get through the L’s today. Even if it’s still a few months away, I wanna get a head start on this, you know how it gets towards the end of the year.” Dean explains, still scribbling away in the paper, though he does lean into Cas’ embrace.

“Well what I do know is that it’s someone's birthday and that someone would like to spend some time with his boyfriend.” Cas pouts.

Dean goes still under Cas’ hands.

“Wait, what time is it?” Dean asks, finally looking up from his paper.

“It’s almost eight.” Cas answers, which has Dean finally turning around in his seat.

“Cas I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize it had gotten that late already.”

Dean’s head thumps against Cas stomach, so Cas starts to gently card his fingers through Dean’s hair, making Dean relax against Cas.

“I’m such a bad boyfriend. How could I forget your birthday?” Dean mumbles against Cas’ stomach.

Cas gently lifts Dean’s face from where it’s buried in his stomach, “hey, no don’t say that about yourself. You’re just a very important man, with a very important job. Without you a lot of kids would be very disappointed come Christmas morning.”

“Yeah, well I also have an obligation to you. You’re my boyfriend and I love you, so I should be able to male time for you. I shouldn’t have even started on this today and just focused on you.” Dean says as he pulls Cas onto his lap.

Cas starts carding his hands back through Dean’s hair, who immediately relaxes into the gentle touch. He’ll have to make sure to get Dean out of the workshop for at least a little bit at some point. Surely Sam can take care of everything for one day.

“Don’t worry about it too much. I understand that the closer it comes to the end of the year, the more stressful your life will become. And I did work today as well. So you couldn’t have spent today with me anyway.” Cas tells Dean softly.

He moves his hands down a bit to start messaging at Dean’s neck. The tense muscle shifts under Cas’ fingers, but Dean lets out a small moan, so Cas continues his ministrations. Dean’s head is now fully leaned back and his eyes have slipped closed in.

“And now I’m here to make sure you actually take a break and join me and our friends to celebrate my birthday for the next few hours. You’ll just have to make it up to me later, when we’re alone.” Cas whispers that last part into Dean’s ear, who shivers against him.

Dean slowly opens his eyes and stares Cas down for a few seconds, “I do like that plan.” Dean hauls Cas into a short but intense kiss, before picking Cas up, standing up from the chair with Cas still in his arms and then putting him back on his feet.

“Come on. Let’s go and celebrate you.” Dean takes Cas’ hand and tugs him out of the room.

They join their family and closests friends, where they had already set up dinner. Cas hald already celebrated with all the other elves this morning, but this moment was just a small affair. Cas much preferred it like this. They spend a few hours eating dinner and cake, Cas opens his presents and then they just talk for a bit.

It’s almost an hour before midnight when Dean pulls him aside.

“I wanted to give you my present in private. Will you come with me?” Dean asks as he holds out his hand for Cas to take.

“Always,” Cas replies as he takes Dean’s hand.

Dean pulls Cas out of the room by his hand. What Cas doesn’t see is the reassuring smiles and thumbs up the others send Dean, as they leave the room, since he is way too focused on Dean. They get to the sleigh take off point to find the reindeer harnessed and the sleigh all ready to go.

Cas stops in his tracks, which makes Dean come to a stop as well, as Cas’ sudden halt makes their still connected hands tug on Dean’s arm.

“Dean, what are we doing here? And why are the reindeer all strapped in and ready to go this late at night?” Cas asks confused.

Dean turns around to face him with a grin on his face, “well I wanted to recreate a bit of the night that we got together. Are you up for that?”

“Of course. This is so thoughtful Dean. You can be a real sap if you want to be, you know that?”

Dean helps Cas into the sleigh as he answers, “yeah well I’m only a sap for you.”

Cas finds a picnic basket already in the sleigh and he turns to Dean, who is hauling himself into the sleigh at the moment.

“What’s the basket for?” Cas asks.

“Open it and find out.” Dean replies as he gets settled into the seat and makes sure everything is ready for take off.

So Cas just as Dean told him to. Inside he finds a blanket and a thermos.

“I made sure we wouldn’t get stuck out there again without something to warm us up. There’s some hot chocolate in the thermos, which we can drink when we get there. We’ll be able to spend some time out there, just the two of us, without freezing our balls off this time,” Dean explains as he catches Cas’ confused frown.

With a gentle snap of the reins, they are off into the night. Dean lifts his arm up and Cas cuddles in close. He even pulls out the blanket and drapes it over them. He enjoys looking out at the stars and the warmth coming off Dean’s body.

About an hour into their journey Dean makes the reindeer descend towards the snow covered ground. They land with a soft thud and Dean releases the reindeer for a bit. They don’t stray too far, but enough to make it feel like that night they got together.

“So what exactly do you have planned?” Cas asks as he turns to get the thermos of hot chocolate that Dean had packed.

“Why don't you turn around and find out?”

“What do you m- oh.” Cas lets out softly as he watches Dean get down on one knee. Which is actually a quite impressive feat, considering the small cramped space.

Dean holds out a box in front of him. Dean opens it to reveal a gorgeous set of rings, encased in the soft velvet. Both are rimmed with black with a green and blue core respectively.

“I know that we haven't been together long. Only 269 days to be exact. But those days have been the greatest days of my life. We have known each other for such a long time that the transition from friends to lovers hardly mattered. Of course, we started doing couple stuff together, but you have been and always will be my best friend. So I don't care about how long we’ve officially been together. I already know that I want to be with you forever. Will you marry me, Castiel?” Dean asks.

“Of course I will!” Cas answers, overjoyed. Tears are already making their way down his face and Dean doesn’t seem to be faring any better.

Dean takes the ring with the green core out of the box and slides it onto Cas’ finger.

“Will you let me put the other ring on you?” Cas asks.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Dean holds out his hand, but before Cas can actually place the ring on his finger, Dean stops him, “wait. Read the inscription first.”

Cas does just that, “Forever yours. Dean ♾ Cas.”

“I love it so much. I love you so much.” Cas says as he finally puts the ring onto Dean’s finger as well.

“I love you, too.” Dean utters, as he closes the gap between them and kisses Cas. Cas leans into the kis and they stay like that for a while, just intertwined in each other.

At some point they move onto the seats again. Dean pulls Cas into his lap, just like the day they had gotten together. They spent a while drinking the hot chocolate and just admiring their rings. Cas snuggles in close to Dean and just basks in the love he’s feeling right now.

“Let’s get back so the others can congratulate us. And I’m pretty sure that I promised you that I would make it up to you for almost missing your birthday party.” Dean says as he gets the reindeer to come back to the sleigh.

Cas snuggles back into Dean as he says, “well we can not only celebrate my birthday, which I’m pretty sure is officially over by now. But we can also celebrate our engagement.”