#sometimes i just put that song on loop so i can have my feelings to it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

silkythewriter · 10 months ago

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hii!! i found your Vox headcanons and i'm very intrigued! i loved the last two and loved them! i've got a request as well, could you maybe do Vox with a singer! reader? one who sings/hums under their breath whenever they get the chance, or even dance when they think they're alone!

Vox with a singer Reader!

( ˘ ɜ˘) ♬♪♫!!

Warnings!: Non!

Fandom!: Hazbin hotel

Author note!: AH HELLO!!! TYSM FOR THE REQUEST PLEASE ENJOY AND FEEL FREE TO REQUEST AGAIN SOON!

Summary!: Vox with a singer reader!

❤️Written by silkythewriter Do not steal or repost on any other platform please! <3.❤️

✰𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹��𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹✰

“So I come back to my first note

as I must come back to you

I will pour into that one note

all the love I feel for you”

︎✰𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹✰

!📺✨Vox✨📺!

Oh my how this man would be entranced by your small tunes

he’s always found comfort in your voice, even when you were just chattering. But now it’s different, the first time a soft melody escaped your lips, let me tell you, he was hooked ever since then.

He found comfort in your soft hum’s, it was such a calming thing, it was a big difference from the hustle and bustle of the over populated hell. A good one at that, it was an escape for him ♥(⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)♥

He’ll always go silent when you’re humming, and you’ll never notice it!. He’ll listen to the soft hum with full attention. Of course he’ll always be careful so you don’t catch on!

he doesn't understand why, but he love’s being discreet when listening to you. Maybe it’s the wya you feel relaxed or let the notes flow more freely from you mouth. He’s not quite sure but he just knows he dose it quite often!

sooner or later though he’ll make it be known that he’s been listening to you. Most likely in a teasing way! Loves seeing you get flustered.

soon he may even join you in your little hums if he knows the melody of the song your humming! It’s always such a love filled moment. Although he maybe, a bit cocky and standoffish here on there he’s always so tender in moments like these. You get to see his soft side in rare and soft moments like these.

Although that doesn’t mean the teasing would stop! He loves teasingly calling you his singing bird, or his Canary. But he also means it in adoring way as well!

Your little songs and voice get stuck in his Tv head constantly, it’s always on loop. He doesn’t Hate it, not at all! But sometimes when you are apart it dose make him miss you.

Whenever he’s about to have a melt down/ lose his absolute shit (Aka he fought alastor once again ( ｰ`дｰ´ ) ) he’ll let his mind put your hums on loop its very much a coping method!, I would say it helps him a good chunk of the time but you might already know the shortness of his temper at times.

if you guys are possible in his living space and in private. he’s all over you, his love for you is watered down in public, but I’m privacy he’s be asking you too hum for him so he could relax! He’d love just to lay down for awhile and only hear you. Just you, no screaming and cussing from the other Two V’s, and no interruptions. As much as he loves building his power and fame, sometimes he needs this to recollect and can get back to working on whatever he was doing with a much more eased mind.(´∀｀)♡

Now! As for dancing and such, he loves watching you glide across the floor with such ease. Whatever dancing or way you move he’ll always find some elegance in it. And as much as he’s into new interventions, and the new “day and age”, he does love to indulge in this old slow dance’s. Look! Hear me out! He’s not old timey, more like appreciates the closeness, and how nice it is to just hold you and slowly dance around the living room, or his office once everyone is out of course!

even if you think no one’s watching he probably is, and as much as he loves to have a certain image of himself to show to the public at all times. He can’t help but put it away when he’s just focusing on you when you guys are alone. He’ll stare at you for how ever long just doting on you in his mind.

sometimes he spaces out cause all he can think of is just you, only you, and trust me the teasing he reserves form Val and Vel is outta this world.

they will never let him live down the time he buffered and glitched because his systems and inner fans were over heating just thinking about you.

if he is every away for business purposes, when he’s sure he’s completely alone, he’ll pull up his phone and dial you up so you can calm him down with your voice. This will NEVER be admitted form him, cause only the lord knows how Val and Vel would absolutely use this against him in a teasingly bullying way. Yea he’ll do everything just so they could shut up. (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)💧

I feel as though even if he’s proud to be with someone with such an amazing voice like you he’d hate to share it. He loves stomping and showing off to other people, but something like this he just wants to himself, he knows it’s selfish, But this is Vox were talking about, he wouldn’t care.

late nights always end up with him or you on one of each others chest as you hum him to sleep. He finds it comforting to have you near and to know you’re next to him!.

and here and there he’d let you sit on his lap or just next to him as he works. You don’t have to hum, but if you do lord knows it helps the man so much he just doesn’t understand, sometimes he thinks it’s genuinely some type of magic because of the way you make him feel so easily calm.

and yes he dose have a recording of your singing but you won’t see it reach the light of hell cause he keeps it for his own use. A bit creepy? Yes!, but somewhat endearing! Hehe..(｡•́‿•̀｡)💧

his love for you is very much unmatched, and as ironic as it is you always seem to make him lose his breath around you. He doesn’t see you as a weakness but in the same vain is terrified at the possibility of losing you, his only comfort. Sometimes he stresses himself out so bad at the thought of people using you against him or you leaving him, he has problems and most of those he’s not willing to admit he has. Even if you’re powerful, and can take care of yourself he still always finds a way to worry sometimes and at times like that you just have to remind him you’re there. Verbally or physically, but you can take a guess at the best way to sooth him

if your comfortable with it!, he’d wouldn’t even put music on when dancing just the two of you humming.

even if your not he still find you graceful call it heart shaped glasses but he’ll always find a way to complement you on the littlest of things.

he could be at a business deal with the nest biggest singer in hell and still he wouldn’t think they could top you in billions of years.

Again revisiting my point where I said he wouldn’t want to share your voice, he most definitely would snap if anyone just barged in his office (cough, Val cough, Velevet, cough!, sorry must be sick or something! ( ๑‾̀ ◡ ‾́)..) He’d kick them out immediately if it wasn’t something of importance (or what he seems to be important)

velvet always teases him by saying he’s up in the clouds ever since he’s met you which… yea you cant defend him there…

may the angels have mercy on your vocal cords cause as you can see you gonna be humming to him most of the time you are alone! ♫꒰ ･‿･๑꒱

Overall! please just hum softly with him and dance with this man! It’s his favorite bonding time. He’d give up everything to hear your voice for the rest of eternity. He doesn’t always show it cause of his status but trust me when I say he’s always and constantly thinking and loving you. And the more you dance softly together and spend nights humming together the more that grows! He loves you to no end. ˉ̞̭(′͈∨‵͈♡)˄̻ ̊…

✰𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹𖦹✰

THAT WAS SO FUN TO WRITE (♡ >ω< ♡) Vox is so fun to write for! SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AND YOU ANON FOR REQUESTING HIM \(^ヮ^)/ I really hope you enjoy! Please request again! :D.

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1pepsiboy · 6 months ago

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Just Like A Movie (Matt Sturniolo fluff)

Description: After a morning of fliming, Matt wants to enjoy fall activites with his girlfriend (reader). Inspired the song by the Wallows and Matt's love for fall time.

Word count: 1.4K

Warnings: None, just fluffy and silly Matt!

A/N: This is my first Matt writing, so sorry if it's not totally accurate! Lol I do requests! Currently anything Chris, Matt, Nick, and Colby!

----

Matt, Chris, and Nick were filming a guess 21 different halloween candies challenge. You sat on the couch behind the camera, scrolling through your phone but periodically looked up to glance at your boyfriend. Who would cheese when you did. Sometimes you'd make a silly face or comment, distracting him enough they'd have to restart part of the segment. Finally, they finish and Matt was the one closest to getting them all right. It wasn't surprising since he'd won guessing 21 different drinks.

Matt makes his way to the couch and wrapped his arms around you immediately. He nustles his head into your shoulder for a couple minutes and you run your fingertips up and down his back. Then he gives you a quick peck on the lips, mostly because Nick and Chris were still in the kitchen and they would make jokes about it.

You lick your lips and furrow your brows. "Hmm... I taste Snickers? No, Reese's?"

"(y/n)!" Matt whines lightly.

"Wait, wait, wait." You kiss his soft lips again. "It's Kitkat!"

A giggle escapes Matt and he lightly rolls his blue eyes. "Can we go do fall things, babe? Get away from those idiots over there. I've had enough of them today."

Nick flips him off as Chris fake laughs and makes a face. "So unoriginal Matt."

Now you roll your eyes. "Let's leave these losers to their lame things."

----

"I can drive if you want, babe," you suggest as you make it out the door after Matt changed his outfit to fit the vibe more. It's early afternoon now and barely a breeze to make it feel like a real fall day.

He shoots you a side smile and unclips the keys from his jean beltloop. "No, that's okay, I don't mind."

The two of you get comfortable in the front seats, starting up the recent playlist you created.

"Where to first?" you ask.

"What about... apple patch? Wait, I mean pumpkin picking... Fuck, I mean apple picking and then a pumpkin patch."

You reach out and lace your fingers with his. "I'd love to go to an apple patch and pumpkin picking. Maybe hot cocoa after?"

He nods and you put in the directions for the nearest apple picking farm. The two of you sing along. And you couldn't help pointing out people going about their daily lives. It takes up most of your conversation before you arrive at the farm.

Matt locks the car before he clips them back on the their loop and takes your hand. The apple farm was free to anyone, but they had a jar and square for donations/tips. You take out your card for them to do a $5 donation, and Matt doubles the amount.

You take a small basket and pull him over to one of the trees. Unfortunately most of the reachable ones were picked. But both of you still attempt to get one or two by running and jumping. You know you look like idiots, however you didn't care.

Matt gets a video of you as you finally acquire an apple and show it triumphantly. "That's right. No tree is a match for me! This apple is my bitch." You bite a chunk of the crispy green apple.

Matt laughs. "Babe, we're supposed to save them to make caramel apples!"

Your eyes go wide and you laugh as you chew it to a point you could speak. "Sorry, I can get another one."

He slips his phone back into his pocket as he shakes his head. "Let's try a different tree.

The second tree was a similar situation despite it just being on the brink of fall. There were a lot of early birds.

This time you get a story of Matt snagging two apples and he tries to not show how out of breath he is. "Ahh! Hah! I got some."

The two of you try two more trees and manage to get a few more.

There was a station for you to either bag them right away or make them caramel or chocolate covered before leaving. You spend far too long deciding on how many should be caramel and chocolate, and what toppings should be on them. You think of each brother and friend that'll want one. By the end, there's only one left and neither of you made one for yourselves.

"You choose," Matt says, kissing your cheek.

With creative intuition, you make it half and half, then smear all sorts of toppings on it and present it. Matt rests his hand on top of yours and takes a bite out of it.

"Mm..." he nods and runs a half through his hair, most of falling back in place. "I like what you did with the caramel and chocolate."

You take your own, attempting to lick the excess off around your mouth. "Delicious."

Your next stop was at a nearby pumpkin patch, which was also a little picked over. But there were still enough to enjoy and walk around a little bit. You pick up a few of the biggest ones you could find to get photos with.

Matt pulls you in for a selfie. His eyes squint as the sun is directly in your eyes and fumbles backwards. This causes him to run into a bundle of baby pumpkins and his butt lands on top of the stems.

"Fucking shit!" He groans as he holds onto his ass and rolls over on the ground.

You hold back a laugh and help him up. He paces back and forth a couple times.

"I'm done with the pumpkins," he sulks.

"Let's get hot cocoa to make it all better," you baby, jutting out your bottom lip.

He tries not to laugh but it didn't work.

----

You enjoy a small walk as you sip on hot cocoa, the sun starts to go down. You hold the to-go cup tightly between your palms in the hopes to warm up your hands. You forgot to bring any sort of warm layer. Once the sun is gone, it feels like fall now.

Matt shoots you a concerned look. "Are you cold, babe?"

"A little, yeah," you laugh under your breath.

"Here, wear my sweater, (y/n)."

"No, it's fine."

It's too late, he already took his jacket off and pulls the vintage sweater over his head. You take the sweater and tug it over your short sleeve tee. The warmth of the material and from him wearing it all afternoon engulfs your entire body. It sends shivers down your spine from the temperature adjustment.

Matt has his jacket back on and wraps his arms around you, rubbing his hands up and down your arms. He kisses the crook of your neck. "Better?"

"Absolutely."

The two of you reminisce on your adventures of the day. Ultimately, though, it leads back to a few of the couples around you in the park. One were unashamedly having a full on make out session underneath a tree. Another were taking cutesy photos in matching outfits.

"You'll never catch us doing that," Matt comments.

You raise your eyebrows at him. "Did you forget the matching pj pants we had for christmas last year?"

"That doesn't count," he scoffs lightly. "It was only pants. I mean, like, top, pants, accessories, the whole fit. It's just cringy."

You giggle. "Whatever you say, Matty B."

"It is! Are you saying you want to do that?" He sips on his hot cocoa. "Cause that might be a deal breaker."

"Not seriously. More in an ironic way. Like those people on tiktok doing the 80s style photoshoots at JcPenny. Now that would be fun and not cringy!"

He shook his head. "No, nope."

"Come on!" you argue. "Think about the memories we could make!"

"Absolutely not, it would be embarrasing."

You roll your eyes. "That's kind of the point, babe."

"Still," he retorts.

"Fine." You sigh lightly. "I'll just ask Chris to do it with me. He won't care."

Matt shrugs, finishing the last of his drink, and tosses it into the nearest trash can. "Okay, you two have fun with that."

"We will." You do the same with your drink.

You sense Matt's a little down now and force him into a hug. "Thanks for today, babe. You're the best."

He falls into your body more and lets out a deep breath. "Any time, (y/n)."

#matt sturniolo #chris sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #nick sturniolo #matt sturniolo x reader #fluff #matt sturniolo x you #matt sturniolo fluff #apple picking #pumpkin patch #fall things #the wallows #Spotify

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earth2steve · 4 months ago

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would love some eddie fluff! currentlydaydreaming about being his passenger princess

warnings: fluff! suggestive content. fem reader. 650 words

a/n: please talk to me/send requests anytime i am a chronic yapper!! thank u for reading <33

“you can get ink poisoning from this stuff, y’know. it like, seeps into your bloodstream. i could be dying.”

your arm, hanging out the passenger window of eddie’s van, is branded from wrist to elbow in sharpie doodles of spiders and dead flowers.

sparing you a glance from where his gaze is settled on the road ahead, eddie rolls his eyes so hard they might fall out of his head. “yeah, and sitting too close to the tv makes you blind. relax, sweetheart.”

he’s got one hand on the wheel and the other on your thigh, kneading and prodding at your skin with ringed fingers. sometimes he'll drum along to a song on the radio or on loop in his head - today he just squeezes.

“i’m serious, you douchebag.”

“so am i. there’s no way thats gonna give you ink poisoning in one go. plus, you’re not allowed to die before me.”

you already have a retort bubbling beneath the surface, something about having poison control on speed dial, but sometimes its nicer just to let him talk. especially when he's so nice to look at. you can tell today was a hair wash day - it's dried all fluffy in the spring air and the sunlight turns it caramel.

“and i," he pauses, and with the kind of dramatic affectation that seems to come as natural to him as breathing, lifts one hand from the wheel; "am quickly building a habit of cheating death."

your heart swells in your chest. “lucky me."

he smiles at you, blinding, and you have to look away again in an instant. it’s so devastatingly handsome that you feel a little bit sick.

“aww, honey - you're only saying that cause you just had my tongue down your throat.”

he punctuates his words with another squeeze of your thigh. he’s right. your mouth still tastes of the dr pepper in his cupholder.

“stop talking shit if you wanna put it anywhere near me again.”

eddie pretends to lose control of the wheel then, voice pitching up two octaves as his steering hand slaps harshly at his chest. “near you? near you? you’re seriously understating my perversions here, sweetheart.”

the van barely wobbles, but your heart nearly falls out of your ass just the same.

"eddie!"

he drops the act a few seconds too late for your liking, smiling gentle and putting his hand back on the wheel. you roll your eyes and hide a smile into your lap.

“idiot. are we going out or staying in tonight?”

he thinks about it for not longer than a few seconds, sighing low and even. “whatever you like, angel. got a microwave lasagna with your pretty name all over it, if that'll sway your decision."

a little hum of satisfaction bubbles up from your chest and fills the air between you. eddie smiles at the sound like he’s just won an oscar. you want him to look at you like that forever.

“sure. just -uh, you’re sure you don’t mind being cooped up again? i know you haven't seen the guys in a while-”

eddie’s hand on your thigh squeezes tight around your flesh. the skull on his index finger brushes a lovely spot where the seam of your jeans usually indents.

“never. 's a crucial part of my mystique. 'where’s munson fucked off to?' nobody knows.”

he does a ridiculous little hand gesture as he speaks. it makes you want to pull over and kiss him silly.

instead you settle for lifting his hand on your leg and biting the top of his hand affectionately.

eddie sighs all dreamy like a disney princess, eyes flicking from the road momentarily to watch your teeth sink into his skin.

“god you’re weird. i’m obsessed with you.”

your whole body lights up from within.

"good. take me home, and then we can circle back to those perversions."

"yes m'aam."

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fic #jj writes

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tommykinard · 2 months ago

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Hello! Just popped into say your gifsets are soooo stunning!! Thank you so much for making them!! 💕 I was also wondering if you have any resources/tips for text layouts. I feel like the text on my gifs never goes together well, but I absolutely adore the way it does in your gifsets. Appreciate your efforts!

Hi hi! This is so sweet omg thank you for the kind words 🥺💖 I'll try to articulate everything as best as I can but to be completely honest a lot of what goes on in my head when planning out typography is just ~vibes~. Putting some tips and resources under the cut because this got long oops (and has a lot of examples)!

Some tricks I use often:

Pick 2-3 fonts per gif: 1 simple small font (either serif or sans serif, but I usually lean towards sans serif), 1 decorative/fancy font, +bonus: 1 more decorative/fancy font

Here are some gifs I did using 2 fonts (with a sans serif small font on the left, and a serif small font on the right

And here are some gifs using 3 fonts. Whenever I use 2 decorative fonts in the same gif I usually make one of them a cursive font to contrast the blockier font

2. Figure out which words to emphasize: I usually use song lyrics as the text, so it's easy for me to place emphasis on words that the singer/instrumentals emphasize, but this also works for poetry/other types of writing. The important part is realizing that you can only have a few emphasized words/phrases per gif, so sometimes a lot of your text is gonna be in your "simpler" font, like I did in this gif

3. Using multiple decorative fonts per gifset: So one thing I enjoy doing is matching fonts to the ~vibe~ of each lyric, like I've done here, here, and here for example. I still use the rule of 2-3 fonts per gif, and the common thread between each of the gifs are my small font and my layer styles on the decorative fonts. It's honestly just a lot of trial and error until I end up with something I'm happy with.

4. Using the words to guide the layout: I've never been original a day in my life so here are some examples of what I mean

Left: Lyrics say "reverse" and "symmetry" so I make the typography reversed and symmetrical

Middle: Lyrics talk about dominoes so I try to make the text look like falling dominoes (inside a clock because the lyrics talk about... clockwork)

Right: Lyrics talk about a labyrinth so I make the text look like a maze path, and so on. Like I said, not original lol

5. Play around with font size, text warping, rotation, and glyphs: So this gifset used only a single font throughout, but I played around with both the font sizing and text warping to not make it feel monotone

When you use the text tool on Photoshop to type out your text, text warping can be accessed by clicking this icon on the top toolbar

Making sure you have your desired text highlighted, you can play around with the style, horizontal/vertical warp, and the values to your liking. I usually go for flag, wave, rise, or twist, but you can use any of them to get your desired effect.

Here are some more examples of where I used different warp styles

You can also use command + t (or ctrl + t) to rotate your text and place it at an angle (make sure you're not on the text tool)

You can also get cool alternate versions of letters when you go to the glyphs tab on photoshop (go to window > glyphs, and make sure it's checked, and you should see the tab in your photoshop workspace). This is how I got the cool loops on the letters in this gifset which also guided how I placed the small text.

6. Use shapes to make your small font more interesting: You can put rectangles or ripped paper shapes with layer styles on them behind your text to make the words stand out without having to user your decorative fonts, like I did here

7. Fit your text together like lego blocks (+ overlap text): One of the biggest things for me is finding spaces within the text where other text can fit. I usually do this by laying out my decorative fonts first, and then seeing where my small font can fit within it. So below are some examples of layouts I've done with the red circles showing potential places for text to go, and this was after I figured out my decorative text layouts.

The tails of letters like "y", "g", "p", and "q" are good for guiding layouts, as well as the tall points of letters like "l", "t", "h", "b", and "d". Sometimes you'll have to apply the slightest warp/angle/change the font size by 1 pt to make the text fit nicely. Also don't be afraid to let your text overlap a little! I especially like doing this when I have a delicate font and a blockier font, like I did here

Also make sure you have your different phrases on different text layers! Sometimes each word will need to be on a different text layer if that's how your layout goes, but doing this will help you move the different pieces around until you're happy with it (just like legos!)

6. Get inspired outside of tumblr: People are paid to make album art, lyric videos, posters, etc. Use these things as inspiration!

This gifset mimicked the back cover art of Taylor's Swift's ttpd album

This gifset used Noah Kahan's stick season album title layout

And this uses Big Time Rush's lyric video as inspiration

Some other resources:

Get inspired by other gifmakers and their layouts! Some that come to mind are @eddiediaaz @cal-kestis and @nataliescatorccio, and @usergif is also a great place to find amazing gifmakers who do cool typography

@usergif also has typography resources, font recs, and font pairing guides which are super useful

There are some typography layout guidelines floating around tumblr, here's one that I have saved and is a good way to start thinking of typography layouts, and here's a follow up to that

This got super long and may be more than what you wanted anon but I hope this all helps!

#answered #Anonymous #*tutorial #alielook #userairi #usermagic #usermeangirlcoded #useraljoscha #userbuckleys #tuserheidi #tuservaleria #userkarolina #usertina #usershale #omgari #userbrina #usertj #tuserhol

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trippinsorrows · 5 months ago

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with me + part sixteen

authors note: this is a nice lil break from all of the angst! ya'll deserve it! just.....remember that storms sometimes come in cycles, so let's just enjoy now! also, my legal knowledge is limited, so we take some creative liberties. just go with the flow, bro.

i also wanna just say thank you, as always, to all of you who enjoy this story of mine! i hit over 100k words and 300+ pages in the google doc i write this in, and it's such a special thing that i feel largely goes to you all for the wonderful support. so thank you!!!!

status: in progress // masterlist

warnings: angst (good-ish?), fluff, language, suggestive themes

song inspo: with me by destiny’s child

faceclaims

words: 7k

taglist: @pixiedust4000 @yolobloggers @msbigredmachine @southerngirl41 @wanderingreigns

The hearing to see if the open case against you moves forward is scheduled for 8am on February 15th, 2024.

You’re outside that courthouse at 7am sharp on February 15th, 2024.

It’s all you could think about in the days leading up. Once you learned that you passed your home inspection, there was a bit of relief but still that bitter feeling of not knowing how the court date would go that kept you in that loop of misery.

Joe, bless his soul, has been a saint, staying with and supporting you in between his frequent trips to your mom’s house to spend time with Callie.

And Alexis…..my God, you’re not sure how and if you could ever repay her. She gave you a detailed play by play of her attack on Mariah, and while on the surface level, it pleased you to know that bitch got her ass beat.

It didn’t do shit to the emotional pain you’ve felt at having your child ripped away from you.

Hate is a strong word, but you hate her. She could drop dead tomorrow, and you’d spit on her grave.

It’s a bold sentiment but also how you feel. Maybe it’ll go away as time passes, or maybe it won’t. Truth be told, you don’t really care too much about it either way.

You’d hoped Alexis would stay around a little longer, as you deeply enjoyed her company, her support, wanted to express to her how much her grounding you and keeping you from catching a case, putting herself at risk for catching a case, meant to you. But, in true Alexis fashion, she’d hopped on a flight and skipped town.

It wasn’t entirely surprising. She can never be in one place for too long, but it does leave a little bit of a sting.

Granted, in her words, “Girl, don’t worry, I’ll be back when my warrant becomes active.”

The memory brings a small smile on your face as you sit in the courtroom, hearing the details of the case presented to the judge.

It’s a daunting ordeal but not nearly as difficult as you anticipated, mostly because there is literally nothing being presented that could implicate you in any way. Truthfully speaking, the prosecutor and your public defender sound like they're advocating for the same thing: a complete dismissal.

It provides you a small slither of reassurance and validates your request to have Joe stay at the apartment. In the negative percent chance that something went wrong today, you wanted to continue to keep his presence in Callie’s life a secret. Push comes to shove, he could serve as a liaison between the two of you.

The presenting of the “evidence” lasts much shorter than you were anticipating, and it’s when the court is ordered to stand, that the rush of anxiety returns. It takes a lot in you to settle yourself, to keep your foot from tapping, to keep from falling out.

Reminding yourself that not a speck of incriminating evidence was presented, thus no basis for moving forward with the investigation, is what keeps your centered.

As centered as one can be in this moment.

There’s a brutal delay in the moments before the verdict is handed, one that makes your throat dry and eyes water. It’s suddenly so overwhelming, but you force yourself to pull it together.

Judge Merritt removes his glasses from his eyes and releases a heavy sigh. “In all my years on this bench, this may be the most frustrated I’ve felt by a case before me.” For a second, your stomach drops. What does he mean by that? “There is not an ounce of evidence before me to support the actions that were taken nor the claims made against the defendant.” A shaky breath leaves your mouth as you ground your feet into your heels. That’s definitely not what you were expecting him to say, but it’s most definitely what you were praying he would say.

“The law is the law, and I respect all parties involved who followed protocol. But my God, what a waste of time and resources.” He then directs his focus specifically on you, gaze almost apologetic. “Young lady, I sincerely apologize for the stress this situation has put you and this innocent child under. What a disgrace. Whoever made these horrific, false accusations against you, may God have mercy on their soul.” He reaches for his gavel. “All charges are dismissed against the defendant on the basis of no evidence. This case is officially closed, and the child is to be returned to the defendant’s custody, effectively immediately.”

At the same moment he bangs the gavel, you double over, hand over your stomach, crying almost instantaneously. “Thank you,” you say in between tears and share a hug with your lawyer. Surely, this is the easiest case they’ve ever defended, but it’s now one of the most important moments of your life.

You don’t hesitate to gather your jacket and adjust the purse on your shoulder as you murmur a goodbye to the lawyer and make your way down the aisle of the courtroom. You’ll probably send him a thank you card with a heartfelt message at a later date and time, but that’s not a priority currently.

The only thing you want and need is to go get your baby.

You’re looking down, trembling hands digging for your car key in your purse when you hear it, the single most beautiful sound to exist in this world, in your world.

“Mommy!”

There’s a good chance you risk whiplash when your head snaps up at the sound of the voice you’ve been almost dying to hear for the past couple days. It’s so worth it when you land your eyes on that dimpled smile that makes your life have meaning.

“Callie…..”

Before you can even close the gap between the two of you, Callie’s little feet are moving across the busy lobby of the courtroom. You literally drop to both knees, arms spread to accept her hug when she throws her body against yours.

The tears intensify as you hold her close, hold her tight, like you’ll never let her go. And you won’t. Never again. “Calista….” She’s crying into your chest the same way your tears are soaking the top of her head. “My baby. My sweet baby….”

Callie pulls back to look at you with a frown you hope to never see on her face ever again. “Please don’t leave me anymore, mommy.”

“Never,” you vow. Law be damned, nothing could ever separate you from her again. “I will never leave you again.”

It’s the joy and happiness you feel at being reunited with your daughter that prevents you from asking just why the hell she’s at the courthouse. But, that question is answered when footsteps approach the two of you.

Your heart swells again. “Mom….”

Your mom is the first to pull you into her for a hug that includes the three of you. She pulls ways, tears in her eyes. “There was no way on God's green earth I was going to let one more unnecessary minute pass before letting that baby be with you again.” It’s clear Joe communicated the time of your court date with your mom to make sure she would be here right on time for the dismissal and subsequent return of custody of Callie to you.

He’s literally the perfect man.

You can’t stop hugging Callie, can’t stop holding her tight, almost needing to have her in your embrace. It’s when you turn to your mom though, needing to express something to her but not entirely knowing how that you loosen your hold a little bit. “I’ve missed you so much, mom, but….”

She lifts her hand to stop you. “I understand, sweetie. We’ll catch up.” You appreciate her so much in this moment. She must know all you want is to be able to have Callie back in your place again, return to some semi sense of normalcy. “Go take your baby home.”

She gets it. You love her and have missed her dearly. However, you just want to go back to your place, especially as Joe is eagerly waiting for Callie to be back with you as well. Just want her to be home.

“Thank you, mama,” you hug her again, sniffling. She holds you for a minute and then steps back, brushing a hand over Callie’s face. Callie, who hasn’t pulled her head away from where she’s laying on your chest.

You thank her yet again for all she did. She had to have been out of work the past week to stay with Callie, and you make a mental note to talk to her about giving her some money for that time she couldn’t work. You know she does okay for herself, but that loss of income has to impact her one way or another.

She may not accept it, but you still want to offer.

The car drive is full of Callie catching you up on everything you missed in the days without her, and you eat up every second of it. She’s even more thrilled when she sees that Joe is at the apartment, waiting for you and her with breakfast already prepared.

He really is a gem.

The three of you enjoy your meal, Callie opting to sit on your lap as she eats, clearly wanting to be close to you.

The feeling is mutual.

Joe had made a comment just yesterday, partially frustrated as it was Valentine’s Day, and he wanted to do something nice for you, something nice with you. But, he already knew you weren’t really in the mood for anything other than sulking and obsessing over your court date. Still, he was just irked about the situation as a whole and its hindering him spending what should be a special day catering to you.

You’d calmly explained to him that the best valentine's day gift you could receive was returned physical and actual custody of your daughter. And to have her back, to have just that, means the absolute world to you.

All you need is her.

Hence why the rest of the day is spent holed up in your apartment, Callie taking the lead and dictating what she wants to do. A lot of play. Some movie viewings. Occasional food breaks. And a lot of wholesome fun.

It warms your heart to see how happy she is to be home.

The three of you are sitting on the floor of your living room, coffee table moved to the side to make room for all of Callie’s art supplies she ‘shares’ with the two of you as you all color. It’s about halfway through the day, when you realize you’ll need to start wrapping up to get her in bed.

Clearing your throat, you catch her attention. “Callie….your dad and I want to talk to you about something.” Her eyes lift from the page and settle on you with a heightened level of curiosity. Reaching out to brush back some of her hair, you start to explain, “you know how we live here in mommy’s place in this town?” She nods. “Well, daddy actually lives somewhere else when he’s not working.”

Her eyes fall on Joe as she asks, “where do you live?”

He answers with the gentleness you’ve noticed he reserves for her and only her. “I live in Florida.”

Her eyes flash with a glimpse of excitement. “Really? That’s where Disney is!”

Joe chuckles, and you can tell he doesn’t want to focus too much on that aspect of the move. He wants Disney to be an absolute surprise for her. “It is, but almost all of your cousins all live in Florida too.”

The excitement grows as she clarifies. “Cousin Jon and Cousin Josh too?”

Joe flicks her nose. “Yup.”

“Callie….” You redirect her attention back to you, taking both of her hands in yours. “Your dad and I think it’s a good idea if….if you and I move to Florida with him.” You quickly add on. “We’ll get a house together, and we’ll all live with each other. That way when daddy comes to visit, he’ll be at home with us.”

You can tell she’s sitting on the words, processing and making as much sense as a 4-year-old can make out of a situation like this. Finally, she asks, “will I still see grandma?”

This is when Joe jumps in and assures her. “I will make sure your grandma can come see you whenever she wants, baby girl.” Callie is too young to understand the underlying meaning of his words, but you catch on quickly. He’ll pay for your mom to come visit whenever she, you, or Callie want to see one another. “And you and mommy can come here and visit however many times you want to.” At this point, as this man is already forking up most, if not all of the money for a house, you have a hard time finding it in you to protest any of this. Especially as it primarily benefits Callie.

Again, she sits on this new information and asks a follow up question. “Can we get a backyard?”

Joe is quick to answer. “We sure can.”

She glances up at him with those sweet eyes you’re almost certain he’s physically incapable of saying ‘no’ to. “A big backyard?”

Joe suddenly reaches over and lifts her up high. Callie’s sweet giggles are food to your soul. God, you missed her. “As big as you want.”

Settling into Joe’s lap, she shoots you a wishful glance. “And a puppy, mommy?”

Laughing, you reach and tickle her side. “Nice try, sis, but you know the rule. Not until you hit double digits.”

Joe gives you that look. That look that tells you this is clearly something he wants to “discuss” further when alone, i.e., try to convince you why you should cave. You’re open for the discussion, but you’re not changing your mind. Callie is entirely too young for a pet, because you would be the one taking care of the damn dog most of the time anyway. And as you weren’t raised with animals, it’s not really your thing.

Maybe a fish.

Settling down, you ask her again as she sits comfortably in Joe’s lap. “So, you’re okay with this? With us moving?” Before she can answer, you add. “We’re going to try to find a house soon, so….so we can move as soon as we can.” This is the part you struggle with the most. Not having a lot of time to prepare for such a big thing, but you also know the sooner you’re out of that town, the better. Not being able to give her more time to say goodbye though absolutely sucks.

Still.

You have to get Callie out of this town.

“What about my graduation?” There’s a hint of sadness to her question. Understandably so. This is a big accomplishment for her.

Joe offers, gently. “We’ll do something special for your graduation. I promise. Maybe invite your cousins.”

“With ice cream?”

“Yes. With ice cream.” Laughing, you share a look with Joe who nods for you to share the next part. “Hey, baby?”

“Hmm?”

“You, me, and daddy are gonna spend some time in Florida this weekend so we can go tour a house and see what we think of it.”

It’s something you and Joe discussed at length the night before. Well, more him telling you that he thought it’d be a good idea if you could get away for a couple days. You’re pretty sure he expected more of a protest from you, but he received none. The idea of being in a completely different state with Callie is more appealing than you think he realizes.

It’s not a hard sell.

As with most of this discussion, she’s clearly intrigued. “Really?”

Nodding, you continue. “Daddy’s gonna fly out with us tomorrow morning, but he’s gotta leave tomorrow afternoon to get back to work, so it’ll mostly be you and me this weekend. But, I talked to your cousin Kaylah and we’re gonna see if you and Ellie can have a playdate.”

Both Kaylah and Trinity have checked on you often in the past week, offering words of support and encouragement that truly held you up in moments where you were already feeling so low.

They make the idea of moving and having that kind of support system that much more enticing.

Connecting with her cousin clearly chips away some of Callie’s sadness as she cheers. “Yay!”

It pleases you immensely that she took the news so well, though a large part of you believed she would.

This is what she’s always wanted.

A family.

————

Traveling with Joe is so much easier than traveling alone, mostly because of how helpful it is to have another adult present when flying with a child. Naturally, Callie stays close to you, but it’s the closeness and holding her most of the time while Joe handles luggage and checking you in for your flight that you appreciate more than anything.

You’re appreciative of all he does for you, but it's physically being there that makes the biggest difference. His money is fine and all, but you don’t care about that shit. You just need him. That’s all.

Of course, he got you all first class tickets but unlike the last time you flew with Callie, instead of her being the social butterfly that she is by making friends with the flight crew, she’s fast asleep in her seat. It’s not entirely unexpected considering the ungodly hour you had to wake her up at to make it in time for the flight. If the situation was different, you’d have objected to such a crunch timeline. However, as Joe literally has a show tonight, the earlier the flight, the sooner you could view the house, the better the chances he can make his flight out in time.

Joe’s apartment is exactly as nice as you imagined it to be. It’s definitely luxury, but it looks like it’s unlived in, which is expected. You know he spends most of his time on the road. He’s probably been at your place more than he’s been at his own in the past couple months.

That’s just the life of a professional wrestler.

You lay Callie down in the guest bedroom and let her get in a little rest while you freshen up in the shower before Joe shows you around his place, where things are and whatnot. He tries to get you to take a nap, but it’s hard for you to sleep, especially when you slept as well as you did the night before.

The best sleep you’ve had since Callie was removed from you.

So, you instead catch up on some emails, mostly work related, navigating a time to meet with your principal and figure out some plan for your resignation. You’d be willing to stay on with the school system to guide and help out whoever they hire to replace you, so long as they understand it would be a long distance type of situation.

Regardless, it’s not a major concern. Your family comes first.

Joe, being the perfect man that he is, fixes a breakfast for you and Callie to eat before you head out. And it’s nice to finally be able to eat without emptying your stomach less than half an hour later. It’s even nicer to be able to share that breakfast with the two people you love the most.

Similar to breakfast, the car ride to the viewing is a fun time, Joe allowing Callie to have control of the music. She, of course, asks you to play her Disney playlist.

You don’t hesitate. You’ve missed this, missed all of her requests, everything about her, really.

But pulling up to said house is an entirely different experience.

“Holy shit,” you breathe as Joe pulls his Range Rover into the driveway behind the red Tesla you’d guess belongs to the realtor his manager hired for ya’ll, Jen.

“Mommy, you said a bad word,” Callie scolds, and Joe chuckles. You shoot him a side glare which only makes him laugh more as he moves to unbuckle Callie from her booster seat.

“Mommy’s sorry, baby.” It’s a genuine apology, but you don’t actually regret what you said. You can’t help it. The house looked huge in the pictures, but it’s massive in person. You feel like you’ve just walked into Beverly Hills or something. Like if the house wasn’t secured by a massive, black wrought iron gate, the neighbors would call the police on you for trespassing on some where did you people come from BS.

Jen, the realtor, is waiting for you in the foyer of the house. She’s nice enough, seems genuine and chill. But, it’s hard to focus too much on her when you’re stuck in a state of awe at the fact that you’re literally standing in a mansion. Callie instantly falls in love just from the fact that her voice echoes near the entrance, among other things as well, but that fact alone wins her over immediately.

You find it strange, however, when Jen basically leaves the three of you alone to tour the house. Granted, you’ve never actually been on a house tour, everything you've seen on HGTV indicated homegirl is supposed to actually, well, sell the house.

“Sis must not care about this commission,” you whisper to Joe, but a gasp immediately leaves your mouth afterwards as you walk into the kitchen. “Oh my god….” You’d fallen in love the minute you saw the pictures, but seeing it in person is a whole other experience. “Look at the ovens.” The open floor plan of the kitchen alone probably rivals half the size of your apartment back home. Maybe more. “Is this real granite?” Running a finger over the cool stone, you realize that in a house this big and luxurious, it only makes sense that everything included is real.

And expensive.

Callie giggles, standing close to Joe. “Maybe mommy can learn how to cook.”

Smacking your teeth, you playfully cross your arms over your chest, warning, “okay, I’m forreal. Ya’ll better leave me alone. I try.”

“Yes, you do absolutely try.” You can’t move fast enough to punch Joe’s arm, a small laugh leaving his mouth at your slowness. Or maybe it’s just his speed. You can tell he’s been hitting the gym harder in preparation for WrestleMania, and it’s paying off, paying off very well. With everything going on, you haven’t had the time nor desire to show him said appreciation.

An unfortunate occurrence indeed.

“Let’s look at the rest,” Joe encourages, leaning over to pick up Callie, though something tells you she’ll be wiggling to get down and explore with her own two feet.

Following them, you’re grateful that you wore your most comfortable pair of sneakers. Exploration of this home is a workout in and of itself.

Sure enough, you’re barely into the back of the house when Callie asks to get down, running into the movie theater room. “It’s just like the movies!”

“It sure is….” Touring the rest of the residence is something like out of a fantasy. There’s not a single thing you can find wrong with this house. The rooms, and there are plenty of them, are large, spacious, ready to be decorated as you see fit. You even come across two spaces that you could see being your and Joe’s office spaces. That’s one thing you really did miss after giving up your office for Callie to have a playroom. This house is big enough for her to have two playrooms if she wants.

And you know Joe would give it to her.

The master bedroom is literally perfect, but the bathroom is even better with a separate shower, bathroom, and large his/her sinks with counter space that links the two sinks. It conjures inappropriate thoughts about how said space could be used.

But, it’s really the backyard that does it for you. It’s humongous, beautiful green grass stretching out for what seems like a mile. There’s a separate attached building that you already know Joe would turn into a home gym, a beautiful pool that’s covered up, covered patio and just nothing but room for Callie to run around.

And she does just that.

Her little legs take her all over the greenery as you take in everything else.

Joe suddenly turns you toward him. His hand is on the back of your neck, and his voice is almost vulnerable, as he asks, “do you like it?”

Maybe if not for the emotional rollercoaster you’ve been on the past week, you’d hit him with your usual smartass remark. But, that’s neither a desire nor an option, as you answer with equal vulnerability. “I love it.” It’s when you see that spark of excitement and relief in his eyes that you see a glimpse of Callie, see her smiling face and big, hopeful eyes. You’d never realized just how much of him is in her. “But Joe, I don’t want you sp—”

“It’s ours.”

One, two, three blinks precede you asking with a stutter in your voice. “W–what?”

His hands shift to your hips as he repeats himself. “It’s ours.”

There’s a hint of alarm growing in your body and projected into your voice. “You’re saying that like it’s supposed to make sense, Joe.”

He brings his lips to your forehead and says, “this is our house.”

You’re hearing him, but you’re not actually hearing him because there’s no way in hell he can be serious right now. No way that he can seriously be telling you that this beautiful house you’re standing in, the kind of house people can only dream about having one day, the level of luxury that’s reserved for Pinterest and vision boards…..is yours.

Chuckling at your probably expected reaction, he adds. “I could tell by your facial expressions just looking at the pictures that you loved it, so I asked Kaylah and Alexis to come see it, since Kay knows what I like, and I know Lex knows what you like.” You suddenly realize why he was being a bit strange with his phone the other day, a stark difference from the man who literally told you his passcode even when you didn’t ask for it. Going through your man’s phone was never your thing, especially with him. You trust him too much for that shit.

It also explains Alexis' sudden departure. She was checking out the house for you, seeing if it was something that you would like. Obviously, it’s not something you like.

It’s something you love.

Joe continues to explain. “Now, technically, the signing isn’t until next week, because I wanted to give you and Callie a chance to see it for yourselves, but it is under contract to make sure it’s ours….if you want it.”

If…..

There is no if in this situation.

“Joe…..” Tears are burning your eyes, and it’s still hard to comprehend just what he’s saying, but the reality is also setting in as well. “You seriously bought us a house?”

His expression softens, voice lowering as he reminds you. “I told you, I love you, and I want to be with you. Wanna be with Callie.”

It’s hard to not be choked up in this moment where this man has literally purchased an entire house for you. And not some small 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom starter home in the middle of bumfuck nowhere but a literal mansion, a dream.

Sniffling, you nod to yourself, laughing tearily and reach up to hug him. Joe’s arms are immediately around you, holding your body close to his. “Thank you.” He must have done all of this in under a week, recognized how difficult all of this was on you and wasted no time in speeding up this process to get you what you need. “Thank you so much.”

He’s always there for you when you need him, and you’re not sure how to help him understand how that means the absolute world to you.

Callie runs over to where you’re standing, trying not to be a blubbering mess. Your emotions have been all over the damn place lately. Thankfully, she directs her question to Joe. “can we come visit here when we move to Florida? It’s so fun!”

You give Joe a nod, indicating to him that he should tell her. This may be a moment for all of you, but it’s a special thing you want him to be able to have with Callie.

“Baby girl….” He kneels down on knee in front of her, gently pulling her closer to him. “This is our house.” She gasps, and you can only imagine the happy smile on his face. “You, me, and mommy, we’re gonna live here.”

“Really?” Her excitement is palpable and stretches across the entire premises. “Forever?”

He chuckles. “As long as you want to live here.”

Callie suddenly asks, clearly realizing just what this means. “I can paint my room?”

That’s one thing you also know she’s always wanted to do, to paint the bland white walls of her room back at your place.

Now though….now she can.

“You can draw on the walls in your room for all I care, baby girl. It’s your room.” He would be that dad, the dad that lets his kid do whatever they want with their space, because it’s their space.

If only you were that mom.

“Uhh, Joe—”

“And get a puppy!” Your eyes go wide at this. This child really is not taking you seriously, but you’re especially floored when Joe’s ass whispers to her something about talking to you about it.

It’s when Callie starts to run around the backyard, happy and ecstatic, celebrating, that you warn him.

“You think I’m playing, Joe. Get that lil girl a puppy, and I promise you, you gon be taking Toto on the road with you. She gon be at your side when you do your slow ass walk to the ring. I’m not taking care of no dog.” And you mean that. Callie can give him all the puppy dog eyes—no pun intended—she wants. She’s just not old enough yet.

Of course, Joe tries to sway you, suggesting, “it’ll teach her responsibility.”

A heavy sigh leaves your mouth as you observe Callie spinning in a circle. This child has the energy of the energizer bunny. “We already have one rambunctious child. Let’s just focus on her first, please?”

Your little family of three is more than enough.

It’s everything you need.

This, right here, right now, is all you need.

————

Joe told you he talked with Kaylah about being a bit of your tour guide and helping you and Callie to familiarize yourself with the area while he was gone, but he didn’t mention that Kaylah would literally be coming over that night.

It’s a surprise when you get a call from the front desk asking for permission to buzz Kaylah in, but you don’t hesitate to authorize it, especially when you overhear Ellie’s little voice in the background.

You know Callie will be thrilled to see her cousin.

And she definitely is, the two girls making more noise than probably what’s appropriate for an apartment, especially an upscale apartment. But, something tells you even if there is some type of noise complaint, Joe won’t hesitate to dead that shit.

“How are you doing? Really?” Kaylah asks as the two of you sit in Joe’s living room on the sofa as the girls play in the guest bedroom. The TV is on Smackdown, but Joe hasn’t made his appearance yet.

You promised Callie you’d call her when he got on screen, so it’s something you pay attention to.

“I can’t believe she would do that to you, and she was supposed to be your best friend?” Kaylah sounds rightfully disgusted. “You and Callie didn’t deserve that.”

“I have my baby back, so I’m much better now.” And it’s the truth. It’s almost night and day how having Callie back in your custody has completely changed your existence. You can actually bring yourself to do something other than cry, can actually experience emotions other than sadness, and most importantly, you can also keep food down.

There’s still some lingering nausea that you wish would just go away, but it’s tolerable. Much tolerable than the constant vomiting.

“I don’t blame you for wanting to leave that place. I don’t know if I could stay there either after that.”

“A part of me doesn’t want to go back now.” Even though you’ve only met Kaylah once, there’s something about her that’s comforting and easy to talk to. “I just….even now, it’s like I have this fear that they’re gonna take her from me as soon as I step foot off the plane.”

She reaches over and places her hand on top of yours. “That’s over with now. The judge dismissed everything. You’re okay, girl. Callie’s back home.”

Feeling the wetness on your face alerts you that those damn tears have returned. For someone who hates crying, you’ve sure been doing a lot of it. And you hate it.

“Thank you, Kaylah.”

She gives you a warm nod and smile. “Oh!” Kaylah reaches over to her purse on the coffee table, digging around before she pulls out a folded piece of paper. “Here. You’ll need this.” Unfolding the paper, she explains, “it’s the info for the doctors and dentists Jon and I use for ourselves and the kids. Ellie especially loves Dr. Pyle. She’s super great with kids, and I absolutely adore my primary and OB-GYN. They’re both fabulous black women who actually listen when you have an issue.”

There’s so many things to consider when moving that it never even crossed your mind yet that you’d need to find a whole new slate of medical providers. Kaylah’s thoughtfulness is so appreciated. “Thank you. I should probably call tomorrow and get those appointments set up now.”

With everything you’ve been through this past week, it’s not a half bad idea to get a check up just to make sure everything is going good internally.

You add that to your to-do list for tomorrow.

Maybe see the OB-GYN for your women’s wellness exam as well. You’re just about due anyway.

She nods. “Definitely, and I don’t know if you and Joe have talked about schools, but Ellie’s private school is really great.”

Private school….

You’d definitely thought about schools for Callie, but a private school wasn’t really an option as you were factoring in your financial capability. Now though….now that Joe is in the picture, you’re almost certain he would not only want Callie to be in private school vs public school, but he’d pay however much it cost to do so.

You’re not entirely opposed, interestingly enough. Especially since Callie is technically the kid of a celebrity, it might be a good move to keep her in a smaller, more private setting.

“We haven’t, but I’m sure it's a discussion we’ll have.” You then remember. “Can you also give me the information for the dance academy Ellie goes to? I think I want to see about putting Callie in ballet.” It’s something she’s been wanting for a while, and accepting Joe’s financial generosity is becoming easier when you think about how it can benefit Callie. She deserves all of the happiness in the world.

And you’d much rather her do ballet than finesse her daddy into getting her a dog that’ll eventually be yours.

“Of course! We can actually swing by there tomorrow, so you can get a feel, if you want.” She offers, and it sounds like a great plan. Checking out the school with Joe is also something you make a mental note to discuss with him. Something tells you Kaylah is a good judge of character, but you need to check for yourself. This whole experience has made you that much more protective of your baby girl. “Joe also asked that I take you guys furniture shopping to start furnishing the house.”

At that, you groan and lean your head back against the sofa. “Girl, it’s gon take a minute to furnish that house. It’s so big.”

“It is, but it’s also so beautiful.” She leans closer to you, hand on your forearm. “And you don’t have to do everything at once, just like the master, Callie’s bedroom, the living room. You know, the main rooms.”

“Oh my goodness, I already know Joe is gonna’ have that girls room looking like a damn toy store.” He already mentioned something about knowing someone who does wall art and murals and reaching out to see if they could do a Disney mural in her bedroom. Not that you’re opposed to that. “He already spoils her. Now that we have this big ass house, I know it’s only going to get worse.”

Kaylah makes a sound and shrugs. “Let him. He loves her. He loves being a dad. Let him spoil her. Let him spoil you.”

“I love Joe for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with his money. I don’t need him to spoil me financially. Other ways though….” Because of everything that’s happened the past week, you’ve had neither the mental or desire to be intimate with Joe. But with Callie returned to you and the litany of other positive things happening in your life, that sex drive is gradually building back up.

A small part of you is wishing that you’d gotten in a ‘quickie’ in the small space of

‘Callie is sleeping’ time before you went to see the house. Granted, you also know that Joe isn’t a fan of quickies.

If he can’t have you for as long as he wants you, milking out at least 2 to 3 orgasms, he doesn’t want you at all.

“Girl please, that man is like my brother. I don’t need the visuals.” She laughs, waving her hands in a “please shut up” manner. Giggling, you glance at the TV and see the blue lights flashing around the arena.

Sitting up and angling your body towards the back of the sofa, you make a sound when your chest presses against the cushion of the sofa. Your boobs have been weirdly tender too. Ignoring one of many annoying things about being a woman, you shout out, “Callie Bear! Daddy’s on TV!”

Callie runs in there faster than Usain Bolt, Ellie not too far behind. The girls plop on the living room floor, Callie’s eyes glued to the TV, not wanting to miss a second of it.

Your attention is also glued to the TV, but also elsewhere, even as your fine ass man talks his shit while looking so good doing so.

You’ve learned a lot in the past week, been through a lot, but one of the major takeaways has been the importance of community. Of family. Alexis has transcended past best friend territory. A best friend doesn’t do what she did, doesn’t take the heat, even if she won’t feel said heat, the way that she did for you.

That’s something a sister would do.

And while your heart swells at the notion of considering and seeing her as such, having that important conversation with her about what you want her to be in your life moving forward,, it’s also triggered another train of thought.

With change, comes friction, and while that friction can be uncomfortable, it can lead to something beautiful.

Look at you and Joe. Where you started, and where you are now. If you had to, you’d do it all again. It’s just all so worth it.

So, you decide to pull out your phone as Callie goes crazy seeing Dwayne aka “cousin Maui!” appear on the screen and scroll to your earlier messages. Your thumb hovers over that thread, and there’s a brief moment of hesitation before you decide to power over fear and type out a message

You: hi, bianca. sorry for the delayed response, a lot has happened…. but you’re right. it can end with us. when’s a good time to call you? better yet, can we meet up?

You don’t even bother proofreading it before hitting send, not trusting yourself not to back out.

To say you feel 100% confident with your decision would be an absolute lie. You’re still wary about moving forward, but you owe it to yourself, and Callie, to try. From now on, you only want and need people in your life who want and deserve to be there.

And if…..and if your sister is included in that list, then you owe it to yourself to at least see what happens there.

This is a new season of your life, and you intend to embrace it for all it brings.

#roman reigns x black!oc #roman reigns x black!reader #roman reigns fic #roman reigns #arisnotebook

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eloquent-edits · 6 months ago

Note

AAAAA DO YOU HAVE MORE FWB PROMPTS THAT SEVERELY TOW THE LINE OF A AND B BEING IN LOVE 😭🩷??

BOY DO I HAHA

🗡️ How can I be friends with this thing called love?

you don’t love me, let me hold you again 🗡️ friends with benefits prompts 🗡️ 18+ prompts

Character A and Character B carpool to events together and usually they take that time to rile each other up, but it’s shifting to deeper, more vulnerable conversations

A, known for hardly ever dressing up, decides to throw B for a loop and go full out for one of their sessions (B has to bite their tongue on telling A they’re beautiful)

B is an absolute sucker for head scratches and A knows this, so they take every chance they can to give that to B

A brings a slice of cake from a family event over to B’s place out of love kindness, and apparently it is B’s favorite flavor (A stows this knowledge away and brings B that cake whenever possible)

“You know, my parents commented that I seem a lot more relaxed and happy around you.” “Seems like I just have that effect on people.”

A is very careful about what’s allowed to be said in bed, but B slips up once and it hits A like a TRUCK oh my gods they want to hear that again and again and again

A takes B out to a park at midnight to spar and they end up sprawled in the grass, laughing and holding each other close while watching the stars above

B sheepishly admits that they sometimes want to save A’s pictures—but not the spicy or sexy ones, just the everyday casual ones!

B pops into the background of A’s call ONCE and later, Character C asks if that’s A’s new partner (this is legitimately what happened to me LMAO)

Both are accident-prone, so a lot of time is spent tending to wounds and ensuring the other person is not in pain

A originally had a boundary of not kissing B goodnight for their emotional sanity, but they accidentally did it once and keep meaning to stop but they dON’T

“Your kisses are so sweet,” B murmurs as A’s lips trace and press against their skin.

Character C, one of B’s best friends, hangs out with A and B twice and comments that they are cute together

^ Both blush and A pulls slightly away from B while B jokes about how terrible it is to have A around with a big grin on their face

^^ As B makes some new friends, C mentions how A is exactly what B’s been looking for over the years

Historically, A didn’t want to sleep over at a FWB’s place to keep feelings from developing, but it’s so easy for them to fall asleep next to B

^ The first time this happened, A and B woke up well-rested and tangled up in each other (which is a miracle because both of them have problems with sleep)

During the Christmas season, A’s family puts up mistletoe over the main entryway. While no one is looking, A hesitantly, carefully pulls B into a kiss under it.

A and B gravitate towards each other even across a big room full of other people, somehow knowing when the other’s gaze is on them

A has a photo collection on their fridge of their favorite moments and over time more and more photos of B are put up

“Oh how were things going with C? You seemed interested in them.” “Eh, they’re cool but we didn’t really click. The banter wasn’t as… good, y’know?” “Damn! Well, if they can’t banter then they’re not the right person for you.”

B doesn’t listen to many song recommendations from friends but goes out of their way to listen to what A suggests (“That was the worst song I’ve ever listened to, that was SO CURSED.”)

After A and B finish belting a song together, A admits that singing songs together is sort of like a love language for them

While weaving through a crowd, A takes B’s hand to keep them close (and totally doesn’t forget to let go until much, much later)

B pulls away as A tries to kiss them deeper, more passionately. Thumb caressing their cheek, B whispers, “I want to take this slow. I… want to remember this moment.”

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hillbillyoracle · 7 months ago

Text

How to Create Downtime Menus

As a lot of my posts are, this one was inspired by a conversation with my partner. She seemed to think some of my ideas were helpful so I thought I'd write them up and share them here.

I use a combination of these ideas to do two things - redirect myself when I get stuck doomscrolling/freezing/obsessing and redirect myself when I'm stuck on the "must be good, must be productive" hamster wheel and can't seem to stop doing chores until I'm fucking exhausted or have pushed/hurt myself. Knowing you need to stop is one thing - knowing what to do instead is another.

Not all of these will work for every person at every time. Pick one or two that seem interesting and give them a whirl.

Habit of the Month

This is a small habit I can do in about 5-10 minutes a day. These are sometimes habits that I want to audition for my lineup or just want to focus on as a way of rebooting a given area of my life. Physical habits have been things like stretching, a walk, putting on moisturizer, drinking water, making tea, etc. Emotional habits have been things like stream of consciousness journaling, bullet journaling, recording myself venting, etc. Spiritual habits have been things like meditating, altar work, reading sutras, tarot readings, etc.

If I'm stuck in a loop and I haven't done that task yet, it serves as an easy win that feels moderately meaningful to accomplish. This is easier to do than longer or less interesting tasks.

Side Quests

These are little challenges I'd like to accomplish that are 100% fun and completely optional. They are specific and can me completed within a given time frame - usually a month. They usually aren't the most meaningful to keep them more fun and so I'm not letting myself down if I don't opt to complete it.

They've been things like:

The Minor Expert Challenge - read three books in one subject

The Kanopy Critic Challenge - use up all of my Kanopy credits that month

The Regal Freegal Challenge - download all the albums/songs I can on Freegal that month

The Monthly Playlist Challenge - create a playlist of the month where each song represents something about each day of that month; like a playlist diary

The Reverse Tarot Draw Challenge - pick/list a tarot card you best think represents each day of a given month or other time period; like a tarot card diary

The 100 Words Challenge - learn 100 words in a foreign language

As you can see, I prefer things that are pretty low energy friendly so I can work on them on days I'm super tired. Just little chronic illness things.

Alphabet Lists

I use these for my cleaning routines actually but I also have been trying them with my downtime. The way it works is you list out the alphabet and choose one self care or hobby task you'd like to do for each. They don't have to start with the same letter, it just serves as an easy way to limit how many you pick and keep track of what you've done. It's satisfying to cross off the whole list.

Tasks I put on these are things like

A - paint my nails

B - crochet a charity hat

C - write 5 letters for Letters Against Isolation

D - send a letter to a friend

E - play a solo rpg

F - play a solo board game

G - complete a puzzle

etc

They're fun tasks I'm not currently doing as often as I'd like but chill enough that it doesn't matter when precisely I do them more often. I try to pick tasks that are roughly 30 minutes to an hour long though some definitely take longer. I like to complete these roughly monthly but I try to complete a whole list before I start it again. Anything I just did not feel like doing and kept skipping gets scratched out and I rewrite a new list with new item to replace those. And I start again.

Whenever I'm like ugh I don't know what to do with myself, I try to pick at least one thing on the list and give it a try for 5 minutes. If I don't like it after that I can just put it away and pick something else.

10x10

10x10 lists are a different take on a similar idea. It's a list of 10 things you'd like to do at least 10 times in a given time period. Mine tend to be on the seasonal or annual timescale but maybe you're intense and prefer a monthly one. If I don't complete them in a given time period, I just continue with it until I'm done. Better to complete it on an altered timeline than not at all.

For me these tend to be slightly bigger tasks that take a little more planning or energy. I'm not totally sure why I use them this way since you could definitely use them for smaller tasks but that's just the space they occupy for me.

So examples of what would be on my list would be things like:

Grab a hot chocolate from the coffee shop (x10)

Complete a PokemonGo event (x10)

Have a spa night and watch a movie (x10)

Do something extra nice for my partner (x10)

Try a new game (x10)

Find a geocache (x10)

etc

Filing up a little 10x10 grid is pretty satisfying. Much more so than anxietying myself into my bed for the equivalent amount of time.

Seasonal Bucket Lists

I really enjoy making these though I really struggle with the current season (Spring) given my allergies. There's this idea my partner has told me about in DBT where you try to recall positive moments to help "build a life worth living". I think seasonal bucket lists are really good at helping with this for me. I look back on the seasons I made these lists way more fondly than the ones I didn't.

They generally center on seasonal activities I don't want to miss out on. So for summer that's stuff like going for a night swim/skinny dip, getting 5-10 good cloud photos, playing a yard game (like cornhole), seeing a street concert, etc. I also try to take pictures of those (if they don't already involve them) so I can reflect on them later and enjoy the residual happiness.

Conclusion

The point of these isn't to overwhelm you with options. It's just to have enough ideas prepped that you can find something no matter your energy level or time you're working with.

Remember - rest and enjoying yourself is necessary for human health. Folks how get good rest and experience flow states more regularly tend to heal better. People who spend time on what they enjoy are often more enjoyable to be around.

It's never a waste of time to make yourself happy.

#life advice #adhd #love a good list

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pygmi-cygni · 1 month ago

Note

Hello Pygmi! I wasn't sure if your requests were currently open, but nonetheless, I was wondering if you could possibly write a Moon Boys x fem reader, where the reader has both ADHD and BPD.

If you feel uncomfortable with any of this, then please feel free to ignore.

That aside, I hope you have an outstanding day.

Cheers! 💞

for sure my requests are open!! also I did a bunch of research on bpd and I really hope that it isn't inaccurate PLEASE tell me (respectfully) if it isn't!! obv every experience is different so I tried to make it as general as possible.

content: angst with a HAPPY ENDING GUYS we have happy endings here ok? mentions of mental illness, hurt/comfort, fluff, insecurity, healthy relationship dynamics ftw, afab reader and very sweet cuddles

(I made it sad I'm sorry, oops but it is fluffy, dw)

It was one of those days. A little drizzly out, cold fog still curling around your ankles. It made the boys' hair curl wonderfully, little dewy drops of condensation sparkling on their waves. Although it did feel like a wet dog when Steven smashed his face in your neck for a hug.

"Steven, honey, you're soaked," you shrieked, flinching from the wet sensation. He laughed, shaking out his hair.

"Sorry, but the bus got stopped up so I thought I'd walk," he said sheepishly, hanging his sopping coat over the radiator. You wrinkled your nose at the water pooling on the floor.

These were your favorite days; nothing to do, nowhere to go, just a nice rainy day with a cozy flat. There was leftover soup in the fridge - Marc had taken to meal planning so you didn't stress about making dinner. You'd gotten all the laundry done during a hyperactive period where you speed-cleaned the whole apartment (you'd set a record, a little less than two hours!). You were exhausted, wanting nothing more than to sit on the couch and watch television.

Steven, now changed into warm, dry clothes, poured himself a cup of tea.

"Hey, love, Jake wants to go grab somethin' for his car, but we'll be back soon, yeah? Just a few brake pads or whatever," he explained, catching your tense expression. You thumbed the ring on your finger.

"Can you text?" you offered. He nodded around a mouthful of Earl Grey.

"Sure, love, we'll be back in a bit." He pressed a warm kiss to your cheek and ducked out the door, Jake's hat tucked under his arm.

You took a deep breath and counted to ten, reminding yourself of Steven's promise. It was really nice how the trio had stepped to with communication. You felt a little over-attached sometimes, but Steven put in a ton of effort to keep you in the loop.

Pulling a blanket from the dryer, you curled up on the sofa and drifted off to the sound of a movie.

You woke later to a still empty flat. Frowning, you turned off the television and sat up. The lights in the kitchen were still off, Jake's jacket and hat were still gone.

Why hadn't they come back yet? Surely it had been long enough.

You slipped on a pair of socks and padded through the flat, peeking in every room. You didn't want to call out in fear that the boys might have just gone to bed, but it appeared you were alone in the flat. Huh. Okay. Well.

A little agitated knot began to grow in your chest. Deep breaths. Small problem, this is a small problem. He's fine. Probably just a long line at the store.

Feeling a stronger rush of adrenaline, you went to the kitchen and pulled out a few ingredients. You'd bake something while you waited. It helped take your mind off his absence and also, you were hungry.

two cups of flour, half of sugar. a bit of salt. You hummed a song while you measured, laser focused on the mixing bowl.

one teaspoon of-oh. Steven said he'd text if something happened. Dropping the spoon, you rummaged around the couch cushions until you grabbed your phone.

No messages. You refreshed the app and got the same answer. Chewing your lip, you hovered over the bowl of half-mixed ingredients. should I reach out? don't wanna intrude, maybe they've got some Khonshu work.

Nevermind that. You should just finish the snack. Muffins were a good choice - you could eat them tomorrow for breakfast. There were bananas getting old on the counter, so in they went.

half of the batter with chocolate chips, half without. Jake always made sure to put a note on your recipe so you didn't forget. He liked the chocolate on the side.

The oven timer ticked down as you waited, licking the spatula clean. It was very late now.

it wouldn't hurt to reach out. You typed out something quick and finished the batter remnants.

hi love, hope you and the boys come home soon. x

You'd sent it to the group thread so that they'd all see it, no matter who was fronting.

The rain had started up again, but now the thrumming was irritating. Your agitation built, and you tugged at the hem of your shirt. laundry. do some laundry.

Yanking the hamper from the closet, you shoved all the darks into the small washer and slammed it closed. The heavy thud-thud-slosh-thud-thud echoed in the empty flat. The emptiness was tearing at your nerves.

You hadn't missed anything. No anniversaries, no dates, no meetings. All the errands were done. The big chores were done. Nothing big at work for Steven or you.

"Why isn't he home?" you huffed, pacing in front of the door. He said he'd be an hour. He promised-

it's okay. if he wanted to reach out, he would. they all would.

did he not wanna talk to you?

That idea send a cold sheen of sweat over your arms. Shuffling to the couch, you curled under the duvet and shivered. No, it wasn't that. Steven kissed you goodbye and promised. Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and burrowed into the faint smell of Jake's cologne. Maybe he'd be here when you woke up.

Sleep did not want to come out, apparently. You tossed and turned for a while, ate a muffin, went back to the couch, ate another muffin.

It had been two hours before you heard Jake's muffled car door slam.

Your eyes were achy and tired, and a buzzing adrenaline headache had been thrumming at your ears.

Jake was halfway through the door when you yanked him inside.

"Hey, ba-"

"Why didn't you text?" You stared at him, eyes searching his surprised face. He blinked, slowly shutting the door and removing his hat. Grease was smeared on his forehead.

"I'm...sorry, baby, I got real busy," he said genuinely, pulling you in for a short kiss. You scowled and pulled back.

"But...but Steven said you'd text if something happened."

"Okay-"

"You didn't," you emphasized, flexing your hands anxiously. Jake paused, taking in your haggard expression. Realizing the issue, he set down the bag of supplies and gently tugged you forward.

"Hey," he whispered, rubbing his hands on your shoulders. "I'm sorry, amor. I didn't mean to let time get away from me, and it did."

"But-"

"I'm sorry I scared you, but me and the two were perfectly safe the whole time. I'd never intentionally shut you out, okay?" Jake looked at you again, eyes wide and sweet. He rubbed your cheek, the soft leather of his gloves grounding you.

"I'll remember next time. Look, I'll put a note in my phone." Still wrapping you tight to his chest, Jake set a reminder, letting you watch him type it out. txt when leaving.

Your irritation quelled, leaving behind a small inkling of shame. You curled into his shirt, still damp from the rain. Jake shucked his jacked and pressed a kiss to your hair. Out of the boys, he was the best at handling little escalations. He held you for a bit, casually stroking your head with his warm hands.

"Did you make something?" He asked, catching a whiff of the banana bread. You nodded, gesturing to the kitchen. Tugging you softly behind him, Jake grabbed a muffin and took a massive bite.

"it'sh good," he mumbled around crumbs, wagging his dark eyebrows. You smiled tiredly, feeling better already. He bumped your shoulder and flopped on the couch. His socks didn't match, you noticed, curling up into his side.

The silence wasn't so bad now that you could hold him. Jake's heart beat steadily under your ear, warm and soothing. He continued rubbing your back comfortingly. The muffin was gone, but the two of you still sat in silence. Sleep tugged on your shirtsleeves, and you were tempted to just pass out on his chest.

Jake nudged your nose with his thumb, tilting your chin up.

"Hey, c'mere," he said gently, pulling you up to his face. You averted his gaze, feeling shy from your earlier outburst. Jake squeezed you a little tighter, poking your sides until you squirmed and bit back a grin.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyes soft and warm. You met his gaze then, fighting through the awkardness. At his crooked smile, you melted, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"It's okay," you said, half-smiling back. Once he saw you relax, Jake's face broke into a bigger, crookeder grin.

"Oh, you can do better than that."

Diving forward, he smothered your face in light, sweet kisses. You giggled, shoving his chest back onto the cushions. The adorable attack lasted a few minutes, until your cheeks were pink and you were laying on top of him. Still laughing breathlessly, you snuggled tighter, taking a deep breath of his detergent.

Your hands laced together and you kissed him again, slower. Jake hummed, soft lips sucking gently on your tongue. He tasted sweet and tart, like...

"Did you go to the farmer's market?" You said accusingly, eyes narrowing. "You taste like danishes."

His eyes widened, caught in the act. "No! I ate a muffin, is all," he covered, cheekily kissing you again. His diversion did not work against your detective skills.

"No, you taste like cherries-"

"Amor, would I lie to you?" He said in mock offense, hand braced to his chest. Snorting, you made a move for the bags in the kitchen.

"Yes. Yes, you would," you poked out your tongue, causing him to stick his out right back. Your hand just brushed the edge of a pastry bag, when-

Shrieking, Jake scooped you off your feet, twirling you back to the couch and attacking your ribs. His warm hands were ticklish against your soft sides, and you quaked with laughter.

Dissolving into giggles, you both fought over the last pastry, cut in the shape of a heart.

I HOPE I DIDN'T MAKE IT TOO SAD! also sorry for taking so long!!!!!!

tags: @krakenkitty @ominoose @bulletgoth @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @justsomeonecalledemma

@iolaussharpe-24 @rosegnome @twwcs @heeheehoohoofictimr @steven-grants-world

@ael-xander @to-be-a-sunshine @weasleyswizarding-wheezes @silvernight-m

xox comment to join!

#x reader #angst with a happy ending #fluff #moon knight x reader #marc spector #steven grant #jake lockley #moon knight #moon knight fic #jake lockley x reader #steven grant x reader #moon knight fluff #jake lockley fluff #female reader #fem reader #reader insert

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