#the theme is arguing and the cake will be an ice cream cake

[infrequentartfromnickie]

Yeeeeeeaaaahhhh!!

Bao Pham and Duke Thomas. Have they interacted in canon? No. But all the best ships are that way.

Also, blasting Duke with my queer laser. It is now law.

Bonus:

[radioactivatedspider]

Mine Now

Main Masterlist Mark Meachum Masterlist

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Pairings; Mark Meachum x daughter!reader

Genre; family drama, emotional realism, coming of age, tragedy, police procedural elements, slice of life

Warnings; Terminal illness (Glioblastoma Multiforme – brain cancer), Parent death / Loss of a parent, Emotional distress / Grief, mentions of strong pain medication and physical decline, angst-heavy emotional themes (e.g., betrayal, fear of abandonment, watching a loved one deteriorate), crying / Panic / Breakdown moments, Implied medical neglect (withholding diagnosis)

Summary: An unexpected bond turns a broken girl and a guarded cop into family—until a hidden illness threatens to take him away.

4070 words

She wasn’t supposed to stay.

He was just supposed to watch her for a couple of days—maybe weeks. Some off-the-books favor wrapped up in a paycheck and a dead woman’s case file. Her mother had been murdered. No next of kin. No dad in the picture. Just a smart-mouthed, withdrawn fifteen-year-old with eyes too tired for her age and a heavy duffel bag she never unpacked.

But she stayed.

Mark Meachum had faced cartels, traitors, and black-ops messes so twisted he stopped counting the bodies. Yet nothing prepared him for late-night ice cream runs because she couldn’t sleep. Or the way she’d slowly crept out of her room, one sock on, hair a mess, mumbling, “You got anything sweet?”

And he did. He always did.

First it was a few Pop-Tarts in the cabinet. Then it turned into a full mini-fridge and a second pantry shelf—hers. Candy, chips, sodas she wasn't allowed before, and every movie snack known to mankind. Because she liked movie nights. And she never said it, but it was obvious—those nights were her favorite.

They watched everything. Action flicks. Horror. Some stupid romcom where she cried and he pretended not to notice. She fell asleep more times than not, halfway through the movie with her head on his shoulder. He always carried her to bed. Always tucked her in. Never said anything about the way her hand clutched his shirt like she was afraid he’d disappear too.

And maybe it was the first time she almost said it—"Dad"—that stuck with him. She choked on it. Blinked hard. Said "Mark" instead, but she looked so sad after that. Like she’d betrayed someone. Like she didn’t think she was allowed to love someone new.

But hell—he already did.

There were fights, sure. She snuck out once. Came home late. Slammed a door. He raised his voice, grounded her, scared the hell out of her and himself. But she cried. He apologized. They ate rocky road from the tub on the kitchen floor in silence until she said, “You yell like a dad.”

He chuckled. “You argue like a teenager.”

Her grin was everything.

Mark did things he never thought he’d do. He scared off teenage boys with just a glare and a badge. Snuck into Target with a hoodie up because she said she liked some pastel bedding set with strawberries on it. Came back with the whole damn collection.

“Why?” she asked, staring at the bags.

He shrugged. “You smiled when you saw it. That’s enough.”

She didn’t hug him. Not then. But the next morning he found a photo of them taped to the fridge, her scrawled handwriting underneath it: Me & the snack guy.

When her friends came over, he was annoying. Dad-level annoying. Poking his head in every hour with new chips, new sodas, extra fuzzy blankets.

“You kids good? Need reinforcements?”

“Mark! We’re fine!”

He grinned every time.

And then came her sixteenth birthday. He made it lowkey because she hated loud. Bought her a cake. Let her sleep in. Took her to the firing range for a private session, just them.

She said she wanted to be a cop. “Like you.”

That broke him a little.

And when they got home, just before she opened her last present—a silver necklace with a little key charm—he handed her a manila folder.

She opened it. Stared at the papers. Her name… with his last name next to it.

Her hand shook. “Is this…?”

“If you want it,” he said quietly, “you’re mine now. Officially.”

She didn’t cry the way he thought she would. Not big, loud sobs. Just quiet tears that slipped down her cheeks as she smiled at him like he built the whole damn world just for her.

“I wanted to call you Dad for months,” she whispered, voice cracking. “I just didn’t want it to hurt.”

He pulled her into a hug—tight, protective, his. "Call me whatever you want, sweetheart. You’re mine either way."

And from that day forward, she was.

His daughter. His kid. The best decision he never planned to make.

And for the first time in a long time, Mark Meachum believed in something again.

Family.

Her first birthday as his.

Officially. Legally. Emotionally? That had happened long before the paperwork.

Mark Meachum had circled the date in his calendar twice, even though she made him swear it wouldn’t be “a big deal.” Which, in teenage girl code, clearly meant “make it a big deal but act chill about it.”

So he did. He ordered her favorite pizza, stocked the house with sour gummies, Takis, and that stupid expensive soda brand she liked. Balloons—black and silver, because she was “too cool” for pink—and a soft birthday crown that she threw at him when he tried to make her wear it.

But she smiled. God, she smiled. That kind of real, unguarded grin she only gave when she was too happy to hide it.

“Seventeen, huh?” he said as she opened gifts, sitting cross-legged in the living room in her flannel pajamas. “Almost legal. Almost grown.”

“Yeah. Almost ready to move out,” she teased, nudging his arm.

He froze. “You shut your mouth.”

She laughed, leaning against him like she used to. “Relax, I’m not going anywhere.”

Except… someone was coming over.

Six someones.

Boys.

One of them had asked if he could bring a few friends by to “celebrate,” which turned into a mini movie night, which turned into Mark seriously reconsidering whether prison time was worth it.

He answered the door like a grim reaper in jeans and a black tee, arms folded, eyes stone-cold. The first boy flinched when Mark didn’t move to let him in.

“You're here for her?”

“Uh… yes, sir. Just friends. Just watching a movie. Very PG. She said you’d be home the whole time?”

Mark blinked once. “Damn right.”

The boy gulped. “Cool, yeah. That’s… cool.”

By the time all six were seated in the living room, looking visibly uncomfortable under Mark’s very present, very armed cop energy, his daughter peeked into the kitchen and whispered, “You’re scaring them.”

“Good.”

“Mark.”

He grunted. “Fine. I’ll be in my office. But I swear to God, if one of them so much as breathes in your direction—”

“I’ll mace them,” she finished. “I got the travel size in my sock drawer.”

He smirked. “Atta girl.”

Still, he checked in every twenty minutes. Came in with fresh popcorn. Brought extra soda. Gave each kid the look again. When one boy offered a slice of cake to her with too much enthusiasm, Mark nearly broke the plate from how hard he set it down beside them.

Eventually, most of them left—except one. The brave one. The tall one with floppy hair and a dimpled smile that made Mark’s chest tighten in warning.

She was walking him to the door when he caught her giggling at something the kid said.

Mark leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “It’s past ten.”

The boy’s back straightened like he was in basic training. “Yes, sir. I was just leaving.”

“Good.” Mark stepped forward, towering over him. “Happy you came by. Hope you enjoyed the cake.”

“Y-yeah, it was really good—sir.”

Mark smirked slowly. “You didn’t get any.”

The boy blinked. “Huh?”

“You didn’t eat any. That was a test. You failed.”

The kid made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a yelp and bolted.

She turned on Mark the second the door shut.

“Really?”

“I didn’t like how he looked at you.”

“He blinked.”

“Too slowly. That’s pervy blinking.”

She groaned, but she was smiling.

Later that night, they sat on the couch in the dark, birthday candles long burned out, the movie credits rolling.

“Thanks for today,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “It was really good. The best one.”

He kissed the top of her head gently. “Seventeen years old. Still feel like you’re five sometimes.”

“I still feel like I’m your kid,” she murmured.

“You are my kid.”

She looked up at him with teary eyes. “Even with boys in the picture?”

Mark pulled her into a tight side hug. “Especially then. Because someone’s gotta scare the crap out of ‘em. And I volunteer as tribute.”

She laughed through a sniffle. “God, you’re embarrassing.”

He handed her a second slice of cake. “And you love it.”

“I do,” she whispered. “I really do.”

She didn’t say Dad out loud. But she didn’t need to.

The word was all over the photos on the wall, the snacks in the fridge, the defensive threats issued at the front door, and the quiet way he held her every time she forgot what safe felt like.

She didn’t come home smiling.

That’s how Mark knew.

No “Hey, I’m back!”

No music blasting from her room.

No smell of microwave popcorn she swore helped her “think better.”

Just silence.

And silence? Silence from her was loud.

Mark waited. Gave it ten minutes. Fifteen. Then twenty-five. When she still hadn’t come out of her room, he knocked softly.

“Kid?”

No answer.

He opened the door and found her curled up under the comforter he bought her two birthdays ago—the strawberry one. The same one she’d once said felt like safety.

She was shaking. Quiet tears soaking the pillow.

He didn’t say anything. He just sat on the edge of her bed and waited.

After a few minutes, she whispered, “He dumped me.”

Mark’s jaw clenched.

“I didn’t even see it coming. He just… said I was ‘too much.’ Too emotional. Too serious. Said he didn’t want a relationship with someone who thinks about the future all the time.”

Mark was silent for a long beat. Then:

“What's the little bastard's last name?”

She let out a laugh-sob. “No.”

“I just want to talk. With a bat. Just a friendly bat.”

She rolled over and pushed her face into his side, shoulders still trembling. “You can’t beat up every boy that breaks my heart.”

“I can try.”

She laughed again. This time, it didn’t hurt.

He stayed with her for a long time, rubbing her back while she cried. Didn’t offer dumb platitudes. Didn’t say “you’ll get over it” or “he wasn’t worth it.” Just stayed. Just listened.

When she fell asleep on his lap, tear-streaked but breathing easier, he stayed right there until morning.

Two weeks later, it was her birthday.

Eighteen.

The legal threshold to adulthood.

To the rest of the world, she was grown.

To Mark, she was still the kid who used to steal his hoodies and draw hearts on his paperwork.

But this year felt different.

She sat with him on the back porch, legs tucked under her, staring out into the yard. There were cards on the table, a half-eaten cake, and a new pair of boots that matched his—because she asked for them. Not as a joke. Not for fashion. But because they were what he wore when he was training.

“I want to apply to the academy,” she said quietly.

Mark blinked. “You sure?”

She nodded. “I’ve been sure since I was fifteen. I just… I didn’t want to tell you until I was ready.”

He looked down at her hands—scarred from training, knuckles bruised from the self-defense class he insisted on sending her to. Then he looked at her face. So much of the girl she used to be… and the woman she was becoming. His heart swelled and ached at the same time.

“You’ll kill it,” he said softly. “But it’s not easy.”

“I know.”

“They’ll tear you apart. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally.”

“I’ve been through worse.”

He paused, then smiled. “Yeah. You have.”

She was quiet a moment, eyes flickering over to him.

“I’m not moving out,” she said suddenly. “Not yet.”

Mark tilted his head. “You don’t have to explain. You’re still figuring things out.”

“No.” Her voice cracked. “I’m not ready because I just got you. I just started calling you Dad out loud. I just got to this life… this safe life. I don’t want to rush away from it.”

He reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly.

“I don’t want you to rush out of it either,” he said, throat thick. “You’re eighteen, sure. But you’re still mine. You’ll always be mine.”

Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time they didn’t fall. She was stronger now. Not unbreakable—but she didn’t have to be. Not with him in her corner.

“So… you’re okay if I don’t go anywhere for a while?”

“I was kinda hoping you’d stay forever,” he smirked. “Make dinner sometimes, pay rent in the form of birthday cake.”

She nudged him playfully. “You’re lucky I like you, old man.”

He smiled. “You called me Dad earlier.”

“Yeah.” She looked down at their joined hands. “I did.”

He kissed the side of her head. “Best damn thing I’ve ever been called.”

That night, they watched a movie like always. She wore the oversized hoodie he gave her last Christmas. Her legs were curled under her on the couch. The boots were already broken in.

He’d already cleared a drawer in the office for her academy prep. Helped her pick out the good notebooks. Set alarms for early morning training runs.

Mark had her favorite breakfast waiting on the table before sunrise.

Burnt toast (because she weirdly liked it that way), eggs with too much pepper, and coffee she didn’t need but insisted on having “to feel grown.”

She came downstairs wearing gray sweats and a hoodie with “CADET” printed across the chest. Nervous energy radiated off her like static.

“You good?” he asked, pretending not to notice the way her hands were shaking slightly as she held the coffee mug.

She gave a slow nod. “Yeah. Just… you know. First day. Academy. Changing-my-entire-life kind of thing.”

He leaned back in his chair and gave her a look. “You survived the foster system, outlasted half the jerks in high school, and made it through that heartbreak sophomore year without stabbing anyone. You got this.”

She laughed softly, chewing on a piece of toast. “You’re really bad at pep talks.”

He smirked. “You’re still going, aren’t you?”

She nodded, shoulders back. “Yeah. I’m going.”

“Then I did my job.”

He didn’t walk her in—she didn’t need that. But he did follow behind in his truck until she parked, just to make sure she didn’t change her mind. She didn’t even look back when she walked through the academy doors.

But her phone buzzed an hour later.

Text from Dad:

I left a pack of gummy bears in your glovebox. For bravery. And blood sugar.

It had been four months.

Four months of bruises, 6 a.m. runs, shooting drills, debriefs, and yelling—lots of yelling.

Mark had stayed out of the way. Let her find her rhythm. Let her stand on her own.

Until one evening, he heard the garage door open early. The academy wasn’t out yet.

He walked downstairs and saw her standing in the kitchen, still in full academy uniform—boots laced, belt clipped, her last name stitched over the pocket.

His heart stopped.

She looked so real.

Not playing dress-up. Not pretending.

She was becoming this.

“Hey,” she said, cheeks pink. “They let us out early after drills. I… I wanted to show you.”

Mark didn’t say anything for a second. Just stared. Then slowly walked over.

“You look…” He cleared his throat. “You look like you belong.”

She grinned, proud and bashful all at once. “Yeah?”

He nodded, brushing a bit of lint off her shoulder. ���Uniform suits you. You stand taller in it.”

“I kinda feel taller in it,” she said, biting her lip. “Also kinda like I might throw up. But still taller.”

He laughed, then pulled her in for a tight hug.

“You’re gonna be better than I ever was,” he said quietly. “Hell… you already are.”

She whispered into his shoulder: “Love you, Dad.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Right back at you, cadet.”

The crowd was bigger than she expected.

Rows of families. Applause echoing off the walls. Flashbulbs. Salutes.

But she only cared about one person in the audience.

Mark was front row, standing in the aisle like he couldn’t sit still, wiping at his face when he thought no one was watching.

When her name was called, she marched forward, boots steady on the floor, shoulders square, and heart pounding.

She shook hands. Took her certificate. But when she turned to the crowd, she only looked at him.

He clapped like hell. Like he’d waited his whole life for this moment.

After the ceremony, she found him waiting by his truck, arms crossed, trying to look calm but failing miserably.

Before he could speak, she launched into his chest, squeezing him tight.

“I did it.”

“You damn right you did,” he said, hugging her back just as tightly. “I’ve never been more proud of anything. Ever.”

“Really?”

“Kid, I’ve busted crime syndicates and jumped out of helicopters. Nothing compares.”

She stepped back and opened the box in her hand—the one that held her academy pin and badge.

Inside, tucked next to hers, was a smaller velvet pouch.

“What’s that?” he asked.

She pulled out a second badge. His old one.

“I found it in your drawer,” she said softly. “Thought it should stay with mine. Side by side.”

Mark stared at her, emotions clogging his throat. “You sure?”

She nodded. “You gave me everything. A name. A home. A future. I don’t get to this badge without yours first.”

He didn’t say anything.

He didn’t have to.

She slid both into a display frame—one brand new, one seasoned and worn.

Two badges.

Two legacies.

Father and daughter.

“Guess we’re a family of cops now, huh?” she teased.

Mark chuckled. “God help the boys you pull over.”

She grinned. “Good. They’ll need it.”

And with the sun setting behind them and the city stretched out ahead, they walked toward the truck together.

She knew something was wrong.

Not because he said anything—he hadn’t.

Not because of a limp or a dramatic collapse.

But because Mark Meachum—the man who could take a bullet and still grill dinner an hour later—forgot to pick her up.

She waited outside the precinct after her patrol, watching as officers left in pairs, chatting, laughing, tired but steady. But her dad wasn’t there.

She called. No answer.

He texted fifteen minutes later:

"Sorry, kid. Got wrapped up in something. Meet you at home?"

But when she walked through the front door, he wasn’t on the couch. Not in the kitchen. Not in his usual chair reading the paper like some grumpy grandpa.

He was asleep in bed. Fully dressed. Shoes on. Sweat on his neck. Pale.

And that’s when she noticed the pill bottles on his nightstand. Not just pain meds—strong ones. Prescribed under his name, not hers. Some recent. Some nearly empty.

The drawer was slightly open.

She hadn’t meant to snoop, but something deep in her gut screamed.

And when she opened it, everything changed.

Scans.

Medical forms.

Discharge papers.

A folder labeled “Glioblastoma Multiforme – Inoperable.”

And photos—grainy, black and white MRIs with a mass. A massive, sickening thing pressing into the left side of his brain.

She couldn’t breathe.

He woke to the sound of the papers hitting the floor.

Mark’s eyes blinked open slowly. Groggy. He winced like light stabbed into his skull.

And then he saw her.

Standing at the edge of the bed, holding the scan in shaking hands. Tears already pouring down her cheeks.

“…How long?”

His voice was barely above a whisper. “Not long now.”

She gasped like he’d stabbed her. “You—you knew? You’ve known and you didn’t—you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t want this to be your last memory of me,” he rasped. “I didn’t want to ruin what time we had left.”

She dropped the photo. “That’s not your choice to make, Dad.”

He flinched at the word. At the way it shattered out of her.

“Do you know how many days I’ve looked at you and thought, ‘God, I hope I’m as strong as him one day’? How many nights I stayed up hoping I made you proud? And you were just—what? Counting down? Letting me go to work while you lay here dying?”

Mark sat up slowly, hand gripping his skull like it might split open.

“I didn’t tell you because I am proud of you,” he said, voice breaking. “You made it. You’re living. You’ve got a future I won’t be around to see—and I didn’t want to weigh it down with this.”

She knelt beside the bed, clutching the edge. “But I want you there. I want you at my promotion. I want you when I fall apart. When I screw up. When I meet someone. When I—” Her voice cracked. “When I get married. When I have kids. I want you to know them.”

His hand found hers, rough and cold. “I wanted that, too.”

“Then why didn’t you let me fight with you?” she whispered. “You taught me how to stand tall. Why didn’t you let me help you do the same?”

Mark’s eyes filled—truly filled—for the first time since she came into his life. “Because I didn’t want to watch you fall apart every time I got worse.”

She buried her head in his chest, sobbing, curling into him like she was fifteen again, hiding from the world in the only place that felt like safety.

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

“So am I.”

The next few weeks were different.

She stopped staying out late. He stopped pretending he was fine. She picked up more shifts so he wouldn’t have to. He stopped hiding his bad days.

She took over the pill schedule. She handled the groceries. He let her. He let himself be taken care of for once.

And when the really bad days came—when the pain blurred his speech, when his hands shook too much to hold a cup—she was right there.

Reading him her reports. Telling him dumb patrol stories. Talking about the future even when he couldn’t answer.

And one night—when the sky outside was bruised purple and his breathing was shallow—she sat by his bed and whispered:

“Do you remember the first night I called you Dad?”

His lips curled into a faint smile. “Movie night. Ice cream.”

“Yeah.” Her hand clutched his. “That’s how I’ll remember you. Not like this.”

He blinked slowly. “Good.”

“Don’t go yet.”

“I’ll try.”

When he passed, it was quiet. Peaceful. No hospital. No strangers. Just his daughter—his kid—holding his hand, her badge clipped to her chest, his old one resting in the other.

Months later, at her promotion ceremony, the Commissioner handed her a new badge with her new title.

Sergeant.

She gave the speech they asked for. Talked about perseverance. About sacrifice. About legacy.

But when the room cleared, she pulled out a worn display frame.

Two badges. One new. One faded. Side by side.

She set it on the edge of the stage, kissed the glass, and whispered:

“You were right, Dad. I made it.

But I didn’t do it without you.”

And even though he wasn’t there…

She knew he was proud.

[anonymousewrites]

A Good Day for Death Christmas Special

Wednesday Addams x Reader

Christmas Special

            “Alright, everyone, you have your teams!” said Enid, standing proudly at the front of the dorm. “Get ready, get set…Time of gingerbread houses! Best theme wins the right to choose the star of our dorm tree!”

            She was instantly running to grab candy and ice cream to make her gingerbread house into the cutest thing ever (and Ajax was more than happy to help her). She had gumdrops, glittery sprinkles, and a hell of a lot of icing.

            Bianca, Xavier, and Eugene (they had been invited and shoved into a team since Enid wasn’t letting Xavier get paired with Wednesday when she could play matchmaker instead) got some supplies and sat down. Bianca and Xavier instantly began arguing over what to make the theme, and Eugene quietly started cracking cookies apart to make a beehive.

            (Y/N) got a combination of a bunch of candy and instantly popped some into their mouth. When Wednesday levelled a look, they grinned impishly.

            “What?” They shrugged.

            “We need our supplies,” said Wednesday, organizing walls of the gingerbread house.

            “You’re into this?” (Y/N) smiled. “That’s so cool!”

            “I want to win. The sweets and colors and ‘Christmas spirit’ have nothing to do with it,” said Wednesday.

            “Whatever you say,” said (Y/N), not offput by any of Wednesday’s “attitude.” “Want me to cut the head off of these gummy bears so they’re dead?”

            Wednesday paused and raised a brow. “Murder on Christmas?”

            (Y/N) grinned. “It would be fun.”

            “Destroy all the peace on earth and goodwill to men with murder,” mused Wednesday. “I approve the storyline.”

            “Great,” said (Y/N). They held out a handful of gummy bears. “What color is the killer?”

            “Red. Blood on the green ones with contrast better to highlight the gruesomeness,” said Wednesday.

            “Got it,” said (Y/N), grabbing a plastic knife and cutting off a tiny gummy bear’s head. (They also may or may not have popped another one into their mouth).

            While they did so, Wednesday created the house and began to splatter blood across it. With toothpicks and some incredible ingenuity with gingerbread, a tiny guillotine sat in the yard of the house. (Y/N) happily added heads to one side and bodies to the other.

            “We should put ‘Redrum’ on the side of the house so it’s spookier,” said (Y/N).

            “Cliché but on theme,” said Wednesday. That was her way of complimenting the contribution, so (Y/N) hummed and opened a candy-cane. Wednesday didn’t even comment and just snapped another one into a spike for the yard. (She knew that (Y/N) had a love for all things sweet, which made their friendship that much more a mystery).

            “Times up!” called Enid. “Everyone front and center with your gingerbread houses!”

            She and Ajax were first up to put theirs on the counter. It was a sparkling castle of gumdrops and gingerbread. M&Ms made tiles for the roof, and sparkling sprinkles made the snow shine in the light. It was a lovely, classic gingerbread house and totally Enid and Ajax.

            “It’s so cute, Enid,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            “Full-on Christmas,” said Bianca.

            “I’m going to choose to pretend that is a compliment,” said Enid.

            “Watch it, Bianca,” said Ajax.

            “Try me, Beanie,” said Bianca.

            “Can we not?” groaned Xavier. It was bad enough working with her, but he had to stare at Wednesday and (Y/N) being so seamless together that it drove him up the wall, and this was the terrible icing on the cake.

            “Come on, show yours,” said (Y/N), eager to stop the conflict.

            “Here,” said Eugene, smiling. He put his (What did Bianca and Xavier have to do with it?) creation on the counter. It was a beehive of gingerbread complete with icing as honey and gumdrops as bees. Candy-canes were makeshift flowers that the bees landed on.

            “It’s so you,” said (Y/N). “I didn’t even realize you could cut these into hexagons.”

            Eugene smiled. “I know bees.”

            “(Y/N), Wednesday, your turn!” said Enid.

            “Tada,” said (Y/N), gesturing to it.

            “Slaughterhouse,” said Wednesday. “Or as I like to call it, home.”

            “You turned innocent gingerbread houses and gummy bears into a murder scene?” said Bianca. “Weird, even by our standards.”

            “At least we had fun,” said (Y/N) “innocently.” Wednesday was tempted to smirk as Bianca glowered and (Y/N) just grinned happily.

            “I hate to say it, but I think Slaughterhouse wins,” said Enid, staring at it. “It’s so…detailed.” She smiled. “You really got into the Christmas spirit, Wednesday, (Y/N)!”

            “Thanks,” said (Y/N).

            “Take that back,” said Wednesday, offended.

            “Congratulations, you two get to choose the star for your dorm’s tree,” said Ajax, smiling.

            “Can it be flames to burn the monstrosity?” said Wednesday.

            “Hey, I let you put a voodoo doll of your family memory handing from a noose on the tree,” said Enid. “No disrespecting the tree.”

            “I like this star,” said (Y/N), picking up a silver snowflake. “Wednesday, what do you think?”

            Enid wiggled her eyebrows at Wednesday as Wednesday’s attitude melted away.

            “The edges are like daggers,” said Wednesday. “We can put it up.”

            (Y/N) smiled happily, and Wednesday’s heart thumped. How unfortunate, she was still alive. At least (Y/N) was there.

            “I’ll put it up. Come and see our tree, guys,” said Enid, pulling the others to see all the ornaments that had been put up in the dorm. (She wasn’t joking when she said she’d let (Y/N) and Wednesday add whatever ornaments they wanted. It was a little…grim, but, hey, it was also familial with everyone making their additions).

            (Y/N) watched the tree light up with the silver star on top. They smiled. “Thanks for making the gingerbread house with me, Wednesday. It was a lot of fun.”

            “Murder seems to be our specialty,” said Wednesday.

            “A lot more fun when it’s candy,” said (Y/N), chuckling. Reaching over, they picked up Hershey’s kisses and held out a hand. “Kiss?”

            Wednesday paused and looked at (Y/N). “What?”

            (Y/N) flushed slightly. “Chocolate? For a job well-done? It’s not dark chocolate, but it’s good.”

            Wednesday hesitated before reaching out and taking the candy. “I like sweet things. Occasionally.” She glanced at (Y/N)’s face.

            (Y/N)’s heart fluttered, and they smiled. “I’m, uh, glad.” They had no idea what that meant, but they could hope, right? Clearing their throat, they looked back at the tree and their friends. “Merry Christmas, Wednesday.”

            “Merry Christmas, (Y/N).”

Taglist:

@strawberriesareprettycool

@im-making-an-effort

@champagnewitnocham

@simpcreator

@ksunoosworld

@dot-and-co

@genderfluid-anime-goth

@itsyapeepkiri

@daza1s-w1fe

@tired-writing-reader

@mary-jinx

@ognenniyvolk

@under-kitty

@colezb

@simp4natasha

@emily-roberts

@left-and-right-up-and-down

@star583

@rainbow-love4ever

@nemtodd-barnes1923

@likefirenrain

@ziro-the-null-god

@youralphawolf72

@mjoiner1136

@alexkolax

@kitkatlover015

@snowy-violet

[i-cant-sing]

Rei: Baby~ Who’s your favorite person ever?

Reader: Elmo

Rei: See! She said Mama

Enji: No she said elmo. Which means Enji ergo me.

Enji usually never really argues with Rei and goes along with whatever she says cause he still feels guilty for what he did to Rei and the kids in the past, but when it comes to whos the favourite paerent to you? Yeah, Rei will have to kill him before she even reaches that status.

Because u best believe- Enji is going over the top to make sure he becomes and STAYS your favourite parent/person forever. I mean, the day toddler reader babbled "y-youre my favourite, dad! Youre my best friend! I love you forever!" it was over for Rei, who didnt even know about the battle she had lost before it had even started. Enji made sure- he mADE SURE that he stayed your fav. Sure, Rei baked you a 5 tier birthday cake with your fav character on your 3rd birthday, but Enji bought a fucking ice cream truck home to give u unlimited ice creams (well, not unlimited. Rei had to stop u from throwing up). Rei arranged a hello kitty themed birthday for your 6th birthday, Enji had the whole Sanrio park booked just for you and the fam for the day. Rei gifted you a custom Hermes bag on your sweet 16 (customised in the sense that it had gps trackers in it), Enji bought you a fucking luxury car.

And sure, as you grow up, you tell Rei that shes also your fav parent, or that you love them both very much, but Enji knows. Oh he knows. You can lie all you want to please his delusional wife, but he knows the truth. He sees the signs- the way you have his number on speed dial first, the way you come to him first when youre in trouble, the way you use him as a shield against Rei-

You prefer him over her. He's your favourite. Always have and hell make damn sure, he always will be.

You get married to RATsuki? Yeah, well that doesnt make Katsuki your fav because guess what? Its papa Enji who just KNOWS when youre in trouble, when you need help, need HIM (girl, omg he literally has hidden cameras inside your new home, i mean yes Enji does have a sixth sense, but like yeah those cameras and mics also help him a lot).

Enji is your favourite. Periodt 💅

[ambiguous-avery]

Summer Snapshot Challenge Masterlist

Come spend your summer in these bite-sized moments with the boys! The challenge is to write a beach-themed snapshot in 1000 words or less! Thank you so much to the amazing, talented writers who joined in! Give ‘em lots of love! The stories are sorted by writer!

This challenge is ongoing until August 31, 2025, 12:59 PST Read the rules, and come join the fun!

Just to be safe, we're gonna say all of these are 18+.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @ambiguous-avery °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Cake by the Ocean Dean Winchester x fem!Reader/You x Sam Winchester You said it without thinking (or did you?), and they heard you loud and clear.

Of Seagulls and Angels No Pairings With his Grace back, Cas can’t enjoy sandwiches the same way he did when he was human. They just don’t taste the same. But that doesn’t mean he can’t find solace in perfecting the ideal PB&J. And it seems like others admire his ability as well.

Waves and Waistbands Sam Winchester x fem!Reader/You It was the perfect moment of silence, sun, and an indecent amount of Sam Winchester on display. You’re trying your best not to ogle him. And failing miserably. Dean’s no help. And Sam? Sam’s got no idea what he’s doing to you.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @bettystonewell °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Felt the Earth Move Dean Winchester x Castiel Team Free Will finally get their beach day. Only now, Dean is dealing with a massive burn. But so is Sam.

Keep Me Warm Dean Winchester x Reader Dean’s always saying he wants to go to the beach, but when you finally do, it’s far too cold for little Dean, and nothing’s getting him in that water. Except saving you.

True Blue Steele Dean Winchester x Aussie!Reader In Australia we have a guy called Bubble O’Bill. He’s an icon. A delicious blend of chocolate, caramel and strawberry ice cream with a chocolate back and bubblegum nose. This is Dean’s reaction to him.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @jollyhunter °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Rocking Wet SMUT 18+ MDNI Dean Winchester x fem!Reader "Paddleboards' for chicks," Dean argued. "There's more playroom for below-deck action," you countered with a wink. Next moment you're somewhere off shore, the sound of the waves surrounding you while you're making out on a paddleboard like a pair of horny teenagers.

Soul Gems Dean Winchester x gn!Reader There's only one soul gem for each - a gift of the sea; a window into the soul of your soulmate's and the compass to your missing piece.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @maddie0101 °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Changing Tides Dean Winchester x Reader You didn’t think anything would ever change between you and dean, but tides change when you least expect them to.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @maybefanficting °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Hoedance No Pairing Let's dance

Palm Tree Magnet No Pairing There's a polaroid on the Winchester's fridge. No one's ask about it.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @musubi05 °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Wipe Out! Team Free Will x Winchester sister!reader Just a boogie-board adventure with your favorite people. Well, Castiel didn't want to boogie board but he's watching over you and your brothers.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @myceliumsunshine °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

C'est La Vie Sam Winchester x Reader x Dean Winchester Every hunter deserves a vacation. You and the boys deserve a beach day. And you've been planning one for months. Too bad that you're stuck in a cast. Or is it?

Don’t Stop Believin’ No Pairings Every hunter deserves a vacation. The boys and gang deserve a beach day. You're going to make that happen. But not without some angst first.

Husband and Wife Dean Winchester x Reader Dean never thought that he would be doing this. Asking someone to marry him.

My Neck, My Back (Lick It) Sam Winchester x Reader You come home to find your boyfriend in a compromising situation. It's okay. You can help.

Walking on Sunshine Sam Winchester x Reader A case brings you all the way back to your place of birth - Australia. So logically, you have to show Sam and Dean the places you grew up, right?

Wouldn’t It Be Nice? Sam Winchester x Reader Every hunter deserves a vacation. Sam, Dean and Jack deserve a beach day. And wouldn't it be nice if you were married?

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Don't it seem like a good time for swimming Sam Winchester x Female Reader Sam at the beach is a sight to behold. It just seems like a good time for swimming (and other things).

Seashells Dean Winchester x Female Reader Dean, you and the kids spend a day at the beach in late summer.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @tinysnacklefan °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Beach Monster No Pairings Sam encounters an unexpected sea monster, Dean runs to the rescue.

The New Camera Dean Winchester x OFC Dean makes sure Sam has a happy sixteenth birthday.

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° @voodoochildthings °˖❀⋆🐚.°𖦹｡⋆

Beach Days Sam Winchester x Reader x Dean Winchester This doesn't really have any plot. It's just you. And the boys. On a hot summer day at the beach. Wouldn't even count it as smut

Hot and Cold John Winchester x Reader Just a day at the beach, you, your boyfriend, and his two young sons. Or: Fixing John Winchester?

Last updated: 07/10/2025

[jgyllenhaalstannie]

Moonboys birthday blurbs bc it's Oscar Issacs bday as well ≛

¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸

Marc☯

Bc of his childhood he never really celebrated his birthday since he was around 9

Ofc you're changing that

You bought him a small cake with "Happy birthday!" written on it and balloon shaped candles

You got matching bracelets and they were sun and moon themed :3 (ofc u got the sun)

He cannot hide his giant ass smile (or so called smile) when you surprise him with singing

Ofc in his head he's going insane and lowkey freaking out bc he's so greatful and also bc he kinda forgot he had a birthday*cough*

Oh and u forced him to wear a party hat with a pompom on it and now u have a Polaroid of him looking very annoyed :3

Steven☕︎︎

Also never celebrated his birthday bc he doesn't have anyone to celebrate with and finds it really awkward to celebrate by himself :(

Would only by small treats like cookies or sweets as a gift to himself

but then u came!!!

Changed this man's life for the better I tell you

You didn't get him a cake but instead just got a candle and lit it so he can blow it out (ofc) and then went for ice cream

You got matching build a bears!!1!1!1!! He as a regular dark brown bear and you have a golden Bear (both have matching t-shirts *cry*)

Cutest b'day pics together omg

Jake☠︎︎

*ik this gif isn't him but shhh*

It's like this man celebrates nothing tbh he's allergic to joy and cheer

You obviously fix that bc duh

You got him a cake but it's mainly you eating it and he has like 15% of it (his fav is red velvet argue with the wall)

Singing to him is the most awkward thing bc he'll give you the nastiest side eye even though he kinda likes it

You got him a pocket knife with MoonKnight engraved in the handle

He totally didn't almost smile when you gave it to him instead of smirking

Spent majority of the day inside with takeout food

¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸

[daddy-issues-subscriber3]

Warning....NSFW material ahead. By reading this, you certify that you are not a minor and legally an adult. (18 years of age or older), and consent to viewing adult-themed material on your own accord . All characters depicted herein are fictional adults aged 18 years and older. An Original writing by Kiddmandu.

True Confession #5

Be Careful What You Wish For

(TW::: Cheating, Alcohol, Oral, Public sex )

   It was the night of my 21st birthday. Big day. Even bigger night. I had big plans to celebrate. My buddy Aaron’s parents were gone for a week to Alaska, and he had the house to himself. He was able to turn his parents house into a bar room/cathouse for the next six days (he needed one day to clean up any dna/evidence). 

  Aaron had planned to throw me a birthday bash. Kegs of beer. A live band.  The guest list included all my closest friends, and pretty much anyone under the age of 25 from our hometown. Sounds good right ? Game on… well almost…. Not quite yet… My mom was throwing a small “family gathering" beforehand, but once that ended, I would be free to rip it up with my friends.

    My girlfriend at the time was named Michelle. I explained to her what the plan was, and to my surprise her response was “Well, I’m not fucking going”. I was like “Wha.. what what”? Michelle explained that a girl she was fighting with at the time might be there, and she didn’t want to see her. I was hurt, pissed, and aggravated that my girlfriend didn’t want to hang with me on my 21st bday. It let to a pretty big fight.

Before I continue, A little bit of back story...

    Michelle had a best friend…Jackie,  that we often spent time with, and she and I were buddies. Jackie and I had huge chemistry with one another, and had I not been dating Michelle,…I could almost guarantee that I would be with Jackie.  Jackie was a short, Italian girl, with a gorgeous face, long curly blonde hair, big tits and a great ass. She sort of looked like a smaller Jessica Alba. The sexual tension between us was crazy, and it wasn’t too ridiculous for me to imagine one day having a threesome with both Michelle and Jackie. Anyhow… back to the story.

But first a curve ball plot twist...

    So Michelle and I were battling. Arguing back and forth about her not spending my birthday with me. Jackie was there, serving as the referee between us. Finally, Michelle flat out said “No I am NOT going to the party”…but told Jackie she could go if she wanted to. To my surprise… Jackie accepted and that was that. I’d be spending my 21st birthday with my girlfriend’s best friend and not with my girl. Go figure. Weird twist of fate right?

    So after my mom’s cake and ice cream party wrapped up, I was chomping at the bit to go cross-town to my Aaron’s where things should be in full swing by now. Michelle did not come to the party but instead, she indeed went home…and yes, to my surprise, Jackie came with me to the party.

    When we got to my Aaron’s house, there was no one there. Not even my Aaron. I found out later, the party had already been rousted by the police. The band had only played two songs before the cops broke the party up, and sent everyone home.

    So there we were Jackie and I, a cooler full of alcohol and nothing to do. I suggested we go to this dead end street where we would sometimes go drinking. It was a dark spot, and off the beaten path. Couples often went thereto gk parking. It was pretty much a "Lovers lane". Again, to my surprise, Jackie said “Let’s do it!”.

   Jackie and I hung out in my Bronco drinking and having a good time. Jackie was especially critical of Michelle and it almost seemed like she was setting me up. It was as if she was goading me to say something bad about her friend. Jackie was starting to get buzzed, and I had to admit I was as well, but I was still sober enough not to fall into any traps….

All of a sudden,  Jackie leaned over and says “Shut up and kiss me”, Now I was 100% convinced it was a set up.

   I scoffed. “I’m not going to kiss you, you’re my girlfriend’s best friend”. I acted nonchalantly, but my cock was already getting hard in my pants and he had other ideas.

    “Its your birthday…your girlfriend blew you off. Bad for her…but good for you,  because baby,... I am gonna Rock your world”. Jackie said with a sexy smile as she leaned forward and jammed her tongue in my mouth and immediately started to rub my dick through my jeans. 

As Jackie's tongue twirled around my own I thought to myself "ok maybe this isn't a setup."  Jackie stroking me through my pants was proof enough that this wasn't a conspiracy, but just a stroke (no pun intended) of good luck. I was convinced she was on the level and from that point …it was Game on.

 Before I continue...Yes, I DO know it was absolutely the wrong thing to do. Like awful. Terrible. Bad Bad Bad…but wtf I’m only human. I was hurt, pissed off, on my way to being drunk and horny as fuck. All good intents, became bad decisions, and went right out the window, when Jackie began to take my dick out of my jeans. 

It wasn't long before Jackie and I hopped into the back of my Bronco. We undressed each other quickly, as we kissed passionately and groped one another. It was immediately obvious to us both that we were also VERY sexually compatible, as we both touched each other exactly how we wanted to be.

    As we were making out, some heavy petting engaged. Her stroking me. Me fingering her. Fogging up the windows And panting and moaning like hormonal teens. That's when Jackie bent down and took my cock into her mouth. Her mouth felt amazing. Her tongue worked around the head and up and down my shaft. Jackie certainly gave some great, great head. Alternating between her mouth and her hand she sucked, twisted and jerked me. “Oh my God” I moaned. As she tongued my cock, she looked up at me with those pretty eyes and whispered “Happy Birthday” and then plunged down taken my entire length into the back of her throat.

   While Jackie continued to perform oral on me,  I had reached down and was now fingering her pussy slowly. She moaned aloud as she slobbered all over my cock. I fucking loved it. I layed her back and moved into a sixty nine position with her. I placed my head between her thighs and lowered my head. I spread her lips apart slowly, and worked her clit. Jackie took my cock back into her mouth and resumed her sloppy blow job. She moaned loudly as my tongue flicked her little bean. I reintroduced my fingers back into the mix, plunging them in and out of her. First one, then two. Her pussy was now wet and sloppy and she tasted so damn good. To this day she had the best tasting pussy I have ever eaten. Not long thereafter, Jackie wrapped her thighs tightly around my head and came hard. Her pussy flooded as she shook and shivered with her powerful climax. I continued to lick but she released my head and pushed me away.

   “What’s wrong ?” I asked.

    “Nothing!! I just want you to fuck me…like right now.” She said as she rubbed her clit.

    Not being one to disappoint a lady in need, I spun her around and slid my cock into her now dripping wet pussy and I swear she came again as soon as I entered her. 

But THAT is where the Honeymoon ends ...

   I started fucking Jackie slowly at first, then building. At first she was moaning  loudly and talking dirty. “Fuck me..Fuck me…make me your dirty secret. I want to be your fuck slut. Fuck me hard.” 

Pretty cool Right? I fucked her harder.

   “Harder!!" she demanded.

I slammed my cock into her Hard and Fast.

   “Harder. Harder…Faster. Faster!!!”

    I obeyed. My balls slapping off her ass rapidly. My dick and hips thrusting as fast as possible. Pounding away like a piston. Hammering her. It felt so good, but I was building towards a an orgasm quickly.

  “Slower! Slow! Not so fast,” she growled. Although I was about to cum, I slowed my rhythm.

   “A little slower..slower than that.”

Again, I obeyed her wishes and slowed my pace.

   “Grrrr. No!" Jackie grunted. "That's too slow…faster…faster…” Jackie barked out her commands.

   I was starting to get annoyed. I knew what I was doing and if she just let me do my thing it would be fine, but no…

  “Harder.. faster…slower…softer..harder softer…slower…harder..” 

It was one shouted command after another. I felt like I was a private in pussy "boot camp", and Jackie was the drill instructor. It was ridiculous. It would’ve been tolerable had she been whispering, even speaking, but she was screaming out commands in rapid fire succession.

   I had wanted to fuck this girl for years and now here I was, balls deep in her soaking wet cunt, and all I could think about was how I wanted it to end. 

   It continued that way for a bit longer, until I tuned her out completely, and just concentrated on MY pleasure. I guested my hips And really worked her pussy on my cock. It felt so good, and soon I felt myself about to cum and so I started to pull out. 

   “Inside me….cum inside me”!!! Jackie growled. She wrapped her legs around me and pulled me back into her. 

    I was not going to cum inside of my girlfriend's best friend and the last thing I wanted to do was knock up this crazy chick, so I forced myself out of her just in time. I came hard. Thick, gooey, jets of my jizz shot from my dick and streamed up her body. Covering her stomach, tits and face.

I fell backwards. Breathing heaving and spent from cumming.

   “You’re a fucking asshole!” Jackie said wiping my cum from her face.

   Of course, I was, thinking she was pissed because she was now covered in my cum. Which I would have totally understood. I started to apologize. “I’m sorr…”

...But see, that wasn't the case at All.

   “If we are ever gonna fuck again…you best do what I say. When I tell you to cum inside of me you better fucking do it!!” Jackie sneered meanly. Almost evilly.

My mouth fell wide open.  I seriously was blown away. To be honest…the LAST thing I wanted to do, was EVER fuck Jackie again. In fact, the way she was behaving, I didn’t even know if I wanted to be friends with her anymore. She was being a total douche. So when Jackie said “Take me home”…I happily obliged.

I pulled up to the curb at her house. Jackie got out of my truck without a word. To THIS day, thirty-ish years later, her and I have never spoken another word.

   Michelle and I broke up a few months later. I never revealed what happened that night. Apparently, Jackie never did either. 

   This was the one and only time I ever cheated on a girlfriend, wife, or significant other. Maybe the bad sex was karma or "just desserts" . Naturally, I felt like a shitbag for cheating and that’s on me…but this was a learning experience and completely a tale of “Be careful what you wish for”...

Because once I got my wish, I didn't want it anymore.

Or EVER again for that matter.

Another original True Confession by

Daddy-issues-subscriber3

(aka Kiddmandu)ß

[yanderepuck]

6 more days~

Prompt: Wedding Planning (fluff)

You have been planning this for months now. You finally have the colors picked out, the theme, the food you're going to have. Everything needs to be perfect.

Faust keeps saying to just have your wedding at the church but you don't want that. Nor do you want Faust to marry the two of you. Plus you think Charles would rather have him as his best man.

When you announced your engagement, Vlad and Comte started arguing about who would give you away.

All of the guys at the mansion are trying to help you with planning, either it's making the food, or making the cake. You don't want them to be a part of the wedding, you just want them to enjoy and not stress about it, which would be easier if you weren't so stressed.

You and Charles picked the date a few months back, and you only have a few months to get everything together, which is why you both are going to go test cake today.

You walk through town holding hands, walking to one of your favorite bakeries. Charles talked to them a few days ago asking if they would do your wedding cake and they said they would make a few samples for you two to try.

"What kind of cake were you thinking of having?"

"Whatever kind you like," he smiles

You playfully give him a push. "Noo. Really. Did you want a normal cake or something flavored. I don't want you to say you like it just because I do."

He gives it a thought. "I don't want chocolate. It's very dry to me."

You nod and think. "I don't want pistachio."

"Pistachio? Like the nut? I wouldn't want that either," he makes a sour face, making you laugh.

"Having a bunch of flowers on it would be so pretty, don't you think?" You were thinking about having a bunch of flowers made of icing all over the cake, all in the colors you two chose.

"Flowers? How would- oh! You mean made of icing."

"Yes, silly," you kiss his cheek and in a few minutes you are at the bakery.

The owner brings out a tray of small sample sizes of cake along with different kinds of icings and fillings.

Charles picks up a fork and goes to try one of the pieces while you do the same, but he redirects his hand and the fork goes into your mouth.

You were surprised but ate it anyway, and fed him with your fork.

After trying them all you move to the fillings and the icings.

"What if we do a lemon cake with a raspberry filling," Charles offers.

You both really liked the idea of fruit filling between a buttercream.

"I don't know about lemon. I liked the red velvet but I don't want a cream cheese icing," you pout and lick the rest of the icing off your fork. "What if everyone else doesn't like lemon?"

Charles chuckles, he had a feeling that's why you didn't want to go with it. "But it's our cake. That just means there's more for us."

He uses his thumb to wipe a crumb off the side of your mouth.

You look back at what your options were. No chocolate. Vanilla is too plain. You don't want raspberry or strawberry since your filling is already raspberry.

"Lemon it is!" You face lights up, excited to already get the cake you have imagined in your head.

You talk with the baker explaining what you want it to look like. This is definitely a lot of cake for the small guest list that you have, but it's going to look so beautiful.

After being in there for an hour you two finally leave.

"Where to now mon amour?"

"I don't know about you, but I get to go try on dresses," you smile. You know Comte is willing to spend any amount of money for your wedding dress.

He gives you his puppy dog pout. "Does that mean I can't come?"

"You don't get to see it until our wedding day," you poke his nose and smile. "Why don't we meet up later for dinner. I'll meet you at the park in a few hours?"

"If I must go a few hours without your beautiful face then I guess I must," he kisses your lips. "Whatever you pick I'm sure it will be beautiful."

You kiss him back. "I love you," you finally let go of.his hands and start walking.

"I love you more~"

"I love you the most," you giggle and rush off to the bridal shop.

[r0b0-writes]

Milkshake date?

So the first time I wrote this tumblr crashed on me and everything was deleted. I was absolutely crying, tears rolling down my cheeks. The only thing keeping me sane is that I hope this is somehow better than the first one.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy, because this was my favorite to write. Two times.

Title: Chill Moves Words: 1,720

Cap’n opened the door to the diner, “welcome to my happy place!” he bowed. 

“I thought Comic-Con was your happy place?” Sweet questioned as he stepped inside.

“Welcome to one of my many happy places!” Cap’n corrected.

The doorframe was too low for the taller of the trio to walk in comfortably. Cakes ducked beneath. He tried to ignore the hit to his psyche as he was yet again reminded that he wasn’t as short as his partners. “Oh, wow~ !” he peeked around the room. “I’ve never been to a diner like this before.” Actually, Cakes had never been to a diner, ever. 

The diner was decorated in the classic 40s-style ice cream parlor. Red and white colored wallpaper, checkered flooring, old records hung on the wall, and there was even an old jukebox in the corner. Not to mention the colorful abstract art that seemed to be strawn about the place. Cakes took particular notice of the photo that had a chicken wearing sunglasses. That… didn’t fit the theme, but okay! Cool chicken art was appreciated anywhere!

"Dad an' I used to come here all the time!" Cap'n beamed. He glanced at the bar, looking for three open seats. “Then we’d go to the movies after and get some grub.” He spotted a set of open bar stools and grabbed his partners hands, pulling them up to the bar. “This place has the best milkshakes ever, totally. They got everything,” he yoinked three menus from the bin on the counter and slid them down.

Cakes took a seat between Cap’n and Sweet. 

"Oh, wait, wait, guys, watch this," Cap'n lowered the seat and crawled up, he pushed off the bottom rim as it spun up to its normal height. To stop the spin, Cap'n placed an elbow down on the counter and rested his head in his hand. "Come here often?" he winked.

Cakes giggled, "nope~ !" he played along. Cap'n leaned in, "would you like to?" Sweet rolled his eye, “c’mon guys, we’re in public.”

Cap'n stood up on the barstool, "says the guy who was all over K_K the day you guys started dating! Hypocrite!"

“I am not a hypocrite! I am aware of my surroundings!” “My ass!”

Cakes ignored their verbal back-and-forth, taking more interest in the menu. It didn’t really notice the arguing anymore, anyway. Though he didn't really think of them as arguments. They were more like... little tiffs. Nothing to be concerned about. Its eyelids dropped, there was never a reason to be concerned about those two.

“K_K, I’m not a hypocrite, am I?” Sweet placed both hands on their shoulder. “Well, I’m not a hypocrite, am I?” Cap’n repeated.

“Hmm…” Cakes tapped his chin, “I think… I want a Lemon-Key Lime Surprise.” 

An empty pause came from the two before Sweet responded. “Good idea, K_K! We should get our order figured out.” Cap’n leaned back and tapped Sweet’s shoulder, “you should totally try the Sunrise Mango, I think you’d really like it!”

“What’re you gonna get~ ?” Cakes asked. “I always get the Bluberry Cheesecake,” Cap’n smiled like he was proud. “They almost named it after me when I was a kid! Before, uh… stuff, happened.” Cap’n didn’t let the small drop in atmosphere last long. “You got the LKL Surprise? I wonder what they’ll put in it this time?”

Cakes hummed, “I hope it’s something sweet~ !” He loved sweet things as much as he loved the tart, acidic taste of lemons. The combination was just perfect! It balanced the tastes so well, the contrast somehow compliments each flavor in a different way. The sweet portion always being the first initial taste, followed by that sourness that was never overwhelming, it was always just right. It sometimes reminded him of… well, anyway, it was hard to not indulge. 

After ordering the trio only waited a few moments as the watched their milkshakes get made. Cakes’ was handed to the back before being brought back through. It narrowed his eyes, “(sneaky…)” Applying the ‘surprise’ from another room, huh? That wouldn’t stop him. They’d figure out what that surprise was. 

“You like it?” Cap’n asked excitedly to his partners. Sweet nodded as they took a spoonful of theirs, “you were right, this is rad.”

Meanwhile, Cakes had taken to inspecting theirs. There was no distinct smell, no abstract color… He hummed, he’d have to take a sip. The lemon hit his tongue first followed by the taste of the lime. “Mmm~ !” they took a big slurp up their straw. The tangy, zesty goodness was perfectly missed in with the milkshake’s consistency. Even the whip cream on top had soaked enough in for it to apply just a little coverage from the acidic taste, just enough for it to not be overpowering. And underneath all that… there was something else. 

Another slurp. There was something there… Another slurp. It was sweet… Another. But there was a bite to it… Another. What was it? It was right on his tongue.

"Woah, Cakes! Slow down, you're gonna give yourself a brain freeze!" Sweet warned. “Take it slow,” he added.

But that wouldn’t stop Cakes, “but I taste it. It’s right there, just one more.”

Another. Another.

“Woah, Cakes, you’re like, almost done with that,” Cap’n noted.

Another.

What the hell was that flavor he was tasting?

Anoth–

"Brain freeze!" Cakes immediately pushed the milkshake away. "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" He gripped his forehead as the lights in his eyes began to flicker and glitch out. 

“I warned you,” Sweet rubbed his back as Cakes turned to Cap’n, pushing his face into his side. The cold covered every inch of Cakes’ mind, momentarily freezing not only the metaphorical brain but also the physical brain. His hearing would cut in and out, and seconds would pass where he couldn’t feel or see. It was like time travel but while stuck in a solid block of ice.

"C'mere, I can make it go away," Cap’n twisted the seat around. Cakes held his head, he couldn’t even hear what his partners were saying. Eventually, it would go away, but the lag hurt, it felt like his entire body was full of static. He just wanted it gone, to immediately evaporate and be freed from this eternal ice prison.

Soft, warm hands cupped the corners of his face, they pushed apart the grip on his forehead. Its vision still lagged behind the movements. Despite looking up, all he could see was the ground. Then he felt lips on his, gentle and chilly, but full of warmth. That warmth flushing to his cheeks, chasing away all the frigid cold. 

The world came into view as Cap’n leaned away, “all gone?” He smirked, leaning against the counter.

No thoughts. Head empty. 

"Wh-n d- did you learn th- that?" Cakes didn’t know if it was the lingering effects of the brain freeze or if it was just that shocked. Did… Did his Cap’n really do that?

"Learn what?" Cap'n smirked. "Th- That!" Cakes shouted, "that was- that was-" Sweet stood up, "that was smooth! Like, really smooth!"

Cap’n grinned, “I told you guys I had moves.”

While they spoke, Cakes couldn’t get the image of Cap’n’s features coming into view out of his head. Dazed, he turned to face the counter, staring at the top with eyes that looked a thousand miles away. Not only that, but he was absolutely starstruck. Its Cap’n wasn’t a player. Well, he was a cassette player, but he wasn’t a player-player. Did he do that on his own? Did he learn that somewhere? It was cute, it had been romantic, soft… He could taste the slight flavor of Cap’n’s milkshake still linger on his lips.

Cheeks flushed more, he suddenly felt intensely aware of how loud the beating in his chest was. Could Sweet and Cap’n hear it? Did they know? Who else could hear it? They couldn't bring themself to look around the room. They couldn't let their partners see them like this. In a puddle, all mushy over one kiss. Could they somehow play it off? No, it was too late. Everything was hot, his face was burning.

They’d kissed before, this wasn't anything new or more exciting than normal. So what was it? Why couldn't he think straight? Cap’n caught him guard, he hadn't expected that kiss. If he had known or seen it coming it would've been different. Oh gosh, was he actually this easily flustered? Or was it just because of Cap’n…? 

He took a small glance to the side, Cap’n didn’t even seem to notice how his little stunt had made it feel. 

Cakes couldn’t even place the exact feeling they were feeling. It’d never– It’d never been this lost for words before.

They needed to cool down, their face was too hot. They’d take their jacket off if it wasn’t being used as a shield to hide their face. 

He grabbed his milkshake and began drinking it continuously, eyes fixated on whatever was in front of him. 

“Slow down,” Sweet chided, “you’re gonna get another brain freeze,” he leaned his head down to meet Cakes’ face. Immediately Sweet sat up and turned from the others, hand over his speaker as he held back a laugh. 

Cakes seemed to shrink into themself.

Cap’n placed a hand on their shoulder, turning their chair to face him. “Cakes?” he asked, worried. “Hey, are you– ?” He placed a hand on Cakes’ face only to bring it back upon feeling the heat emitting from their partner.

Embarrassed eyes refused to meet his, instead focusing on the checkered flooring of the diner. Count the squares. Don’t look up. Why not? Cakes had never been shy before. If anything he was actively aware of how nonchalant he was when they would all flirt or kiss. This was just different. Why was it so different? He cowered more into the neck of his jacket. 

Sweet gasped for air as he laughed, banging his fist on the table. He’d never seen Cakes flustered before. And to think that their Cap’n did that! 

Cap’n also hid his face, a little embarrassed himself, “I didn’t know... I was that good,” he scoffed light-heartedly. “I, uh… hmm,” he faced away, taking a big gulp of his milkshake.

At least Cakes knew the surprise flavor now. Blueberry Cheesecake.

[jimlingss]

Sugar and Coffee [14]

Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 14.5 OR Chapter 15

➜ Words: 4.7k

➜ Genres: 99.5% Fluff, 0.5% Angst, Pâtisserie school!AU

➜ Summary: It isn't hard to be a pâtisserie chef, but it's not a piece of cake either. It seems like for you in particular, life keeps throwing in one wrench after another. It always finds ways to make your sweets bitter. The cherry on top is Jeon Jungkook — a rival with a sensitive sweet tooth who always finds ways to complain about you.

cr.

“After we’ve rolled our gum paste and cut it, we want to pinch the ends while tucking and rolling all the edges to thin it out and distort the shape. Peonies aren’t perfect after all.”   You follow closely after her, taking the ball tool to make press it into the sugar petal and roughening the ridges. Sejeong continues to explain, “It’s a back and forth motion. Just trace the edge. Like that. When you’re happy with it, just add it to the covered center. Slide it up, like so, and then fold them up and make it tight. Overlap them and there we go! We have our bud. Repeat it for the other layers and watch that alignment. When it’s dry, you can colour it with petal dust.”    When the older woman finally looks over, she’s stunned. “That’s lovely, Y/N!”   “Really?” You turn your head up, eyes burning after concentrating so hard while trying to follow along.    “Yes, you’re a very fast learner. I thought I would have to show you at least a few more times, but it looks like you’re on the right track. See? Isn’t this a lot more fun than just piping flowers?”   “It’s more realistic.” You smile. “Thanks for showing me.”   “It’s not a problem. I’ll be right back, so keep on going.” She pats your shoulder and leaves for the front where her husband should be, probably in consultation with a couple.   You continue, folding the petals up so the flower looks like it’s blooming. But then your focus is shattered by a frustrated grunt from across the island.   “How are you doing this?” Jungkook’s eyes bore holes into the flowers you’ve completed.    You grin at him and stick it into the styrofoam. Brushing your hands off, you walk over to see his attempt of a flower. It appears more like a squashed bug. “Are you adding the glue? Your petals are too thin, Jungkook. That’s why they’re breaking apart. Not too thin, but not too thick. Here, watch.” You demonstrate despite how Sejeong already helped him individually for the past half hour. You take another rolled piece of sugar paste, cut the pattern out and pinch lightly. “See? Try it.”   You hand it off and watch diligently over his shoulder as he uses the ball tool. “Like this?”   “You can put a bit more pressure than that.” Your hand gingerly wraps around his wrist, guiding his motion.   Jungkook’s eyes flicker to you in the meanwhile, staring. He’s noticed it for a while now — it’s hard not to when his eyes constantly stray to you. But it’s clear you’re falling in love with making wedding cakes. That you’ve found a passion within this industry. It makes him glad to see you like this.   It's hard though. Since it makes you that much more attractive.   “Jungkook?”   He puts down the tool and knocks his head back with a long, loud sigh. “Ugh. I can’t do it.”   “Psh. Quit whining, baby. You can do it.”   Jungkook looks at you, suddenly quiet.    He leans in, doe eyes searching your expression. There might be something on your face, but he doesn’t say anything. You start to lean back when he gets too close yet the boy hovers over you, an inch away. You can feel his breath on your skin as the heat rises onto your cheeks.    Jungkook’s lips part. “Can’t you do it for me?”   You snort, pushing him away with a hand on his chest. “Yeah, right. You wish. You’re never going to learn how to do it if I do it for you.”   Jungkook sulks as you return to your station. “I’m not even a fan of flowers. They always die.”   “Well lucky for you, these don’t die or wilt. We just eat them,” you chirp mischievously before barking, “Hurry up, we have to learn how to use royal icing and pipe lace!”   Jungkook scoffs lightly and tries to continue.   Even if he’s a complete amateur, it’s cute to see him so concentrated.   The daily routine has fallen into place. The pair of you have learned what you need to do and it’s easy to fall into a rhythm when it’s a consistent cycle of consultations and wedding cake making, practicing techniques and cleaning. And it’s not just you two who are in and out of the kitchen. Yuna comes often to help out every other day, usually flanking Jungkook’s side much to his dismay or being amazed at your piping and sugar decorating.   “How’d you do that?” She looks at you inquisitively.   “How’d I do what?”   “Make those flowers,” Yuna asks, mesmerized at your piping. “Mine looks so…”   “Here.” You smile softly to the younger girl. “I’ll help you. When you squeeze the cream out of the bag….”   You enjoy the work — it’s fulfilling to see satisfied couples on their beautiful day enjoying a slice of what you’ve created. The cakes are breathtaking when they’re complete too and you can’t believe that you’ve actually done it. That you played a big part in making a day they’ll remember forever.   Jungkook seems to like it as well — maybe not as much as you, but at least when he has some time with Namjoon and the two of them work on chocolate. They always discuss things you don’t understand and often turn the kitchen’s temperature all the way down to keep the chocolate from melting. It always makes the rest of you run away to seek warmth.   “Have you ever tried sculpting chocolate, son? Made any chocolate showpieces?”   “I tried to make a building once but it didn’t really end up working out.”   “It collapsed on you?”   “It ended up being a mess.”   “Ah, I know how that feels. The first sculpture I ever tried was a phoenix and it was a disaster. But don’t worry. You’re in good hands now.” Namjoon laughs heartily. “You’re talking to the master of masters here, self-proclaimed, of course.”   Jungkook grins and when asked what he would like to make first, his thoughts automatically stray to you. He hears your muffled voice filter from the front entrance, laughing with Sejeong. “Is it….possible to make flowers? Like a bouquet and a vase or something?”   “Yes, great idea actually! It’s simple enough to build the rest of our foundation on.” They start to pull out bowls and saucepans. “Chocolate sculptures basically break down into three types….”   You’re glad to be here, even when there were so many rumours that wedding cake internships were the hardest. Somehow, you always feel satisfied at the end of the day. Especially with Jungkook by your side.

“Well, you should congratulate them afterwards”   “Why? Just do it after you ask for their names.”   “But then you have to do it afterwards anyway and that gets repetitive.”   “It’s not repetition to congratulate them on their engagement,” you argue. “It’s called good customer service.”   Jungkook scoffs. “I bet they’re tired of hearing it all the time. It’s just unnecessary, and what happens if they’re not happy about it?”   Your brow cocks. “They’re not happy to be getting married?”   “You never know the situation of these couples.” The little shit shrugs, simply playing devil’s advocate to fuel the banter and relish in how easy it is to make you argumentative. “Maybe it’s a marriage of convenience or an arranged marriage or they’re doing it to get a visa.”   “I highly doubt that, Jeon.”   “I’m just saying it’s not impossible, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.”   “And only congratulate them once?”   “Exactly.”   “You’re fun at parties.”   His arm wraps around your waist and he flashes the biggest smile. “The funnest.”   Before you can utter a single word, the bell at the front rings and Jungkook’s warmth is gone from an instant. He takes a step to the side like he never showed you physical affection in the first place. “Welcome to Kim’s Wedding Catering Company. Do you have an appointment?”   The woman, with long blonde hair draped down her backside, pushes her sunglasses up her head. She tugs her expensive pea coat that’s keeping her warm over her dress and leggings. She looks familiar somehow, but you can’t quite pinpoint what it is.   “Yes, I do.”   “Congratulations on your engagement!” you quickly interject, much to Jungkook’s dismay. You grin at him and he has to repress his smile, simply shaking his head to show his disapproval.   The woman smiles. “Thank you. My name should be under Kim Chungha.”   Jungkook flips open the book, but your brows furrow. Your brain searches. You’ve heard that name somewhere before.   Wait a minute…   “There she is!” Sejeong emerges from her office with a wide grin. She opens the gate to waltz to the woman and engulf her in an embrace. “I almost thought you weren’t coming!”   “Sorry, I was running late.”   Jungkook leans over to you. “Who is she?”   “It’s Sejeong’s sister,” you say and he nods, enlightened.   “These were the two interns I was telling you about, Y/N and Jungkook. Y/N and Jungkook, this is my dearest, younger sister, Chungha.”   “Nice to meet you.” She comes over to shake your hand and Jungkook’s. Chungha turns to her sister, expression endeared. “They’re so cute.”   “Yeah, the young ones always are. Full of that hard-working spirit,” she muses. “How long are you staying here for?”   Chungha glances at her wrist watch. “I have twenty minutes give or take.”   “Perfect. I’ll let these two give you a cake tasting and then you can be on your way.”   “Are you sure you don’t want me to look at the design or anything?” Chungha asks, voice moving up a few pitches. “You don’t want me to decide the tiers or look or the flowers or the decorations? I read online that the cake should match the theme of the wedding.”   “Aren’t you stressed enough with all your other wedding arrangements? At least let one thing at your wedding be a surprise.” Sejeong scoffs, hands placed on her hips. “If you can’t even trust Namjoon and I, then who can you trust?”   “Alright, alright.” Chungha concedes and Sejeong allows the pair of you to take over, not wanting to influence her sister’s opinion too much. She leaves and you follow the usual protocol, taking out the decorated slices of cake on the long plate for her to try.    “How long have you guys worked here for?” she asks as she tastes the first one.   “For several weeks now.” You quirk your head to the side. “Two? Three?”   “I think three,” Jungkook agrees.   “I know they were pretty swamped ever since Soohyun went on maternity leave, so I’m glad that they have two more sets of hands here helping out. But do you guys enjoy working here?” The older woman’s eyes are curious. “You can be honest, it’s okay. I won’t tell. I know my sister can be tough.”   “I actually really like it. I don’t know about him.” You laugh while hitching a thumb to the person beside you, throwing Jungkook under the bus completely.    He’s stunned and Chungha takes the opportunity you’ve set up to tease him too. “Ooh, so you’re the slacker, huh?”   “No. That’s not it,” he defends. “I just wouldn’t say I’m passionate about making sugar flowers and piping and stacking cakes.”   “Which is half the job,” you chime.   “I like the chocolate work and the people I work with,” Jungkook says with a cheeky smirk, outright staring at you.   Your face heats like a furnace and you divert your vision elsewhere, mustering a half-hearted scoff and retort.   Chungha notices the exchange and smiles to herself. She tries the next slice, and suddenly hums. “I really like this one. Is it chocolate?”   “It’s chocolate with ganache.”   “Well I guess, I finally found the one!”   Sejeong’s younger sister is pleasant. She’s kind compared to the many bridezillas you encounter on a daily basis that request a gluten free, vegan friendly, and dairy-free cake in the shape of a heart with a large, customized slice for Uncle Joe.   Chungha even compliments you both as great workers and leaves praise to both Namjoon and Sejeong that you appreciate. You find out that she’s getting married in three weeks — a destination wedding in French Polynesia right by the beach. Apparently the whole venue is ready and the last step was the cake that her own sister was going to make.    With the way she describes it, it sounds lovely. You wish you could come see it for yourself.   “We’re not taking any bookings since we’re going to have to close up shop for the wedding,” Namjoon mentions passingly.   “Oh, how long will you guys be gone for?”   “We’ll probably be gone for about a week,” Sejeong says. “We need to get there at least three to four days before Chungha’s wedding to prepare the cake and then maybe two or three days afterwards just to enjoy ourselves. It’s not often we’re in a resort in French Polynesia.”   You exchange a discreet look with Jungkook. A week off doesn’t sound so bad. Kind of nice actually.   But then Namjoon exclaims—   “So you two better start packing!”   “What?” You whirl your head over.   Jungkook is a deer in headlights. “We’re coming?”   “Of course you two are coming.” Namjoon laughs exuberantly. “We’re going to need all the help we can get! The flight and room is counted as business expenses, so you guys don’t need to worry about anything. Think of it as a business trip slash vacation privilege that you get in this internship.”   “Weren’t you supposed to tell them about this on their first day?” Sejeong frowns, mouth dropping open. “Did you forget?”   “Was I?” Her husband chuckles tensely much to his wife’s exasperation.   “Can I come?!” Yuna interjects herself, standing on the tips of her toes, excited by the proposition. “School is done for me then!”   “This is Sejeong’s side of the family and I’m sure she already has all her guests already planned. It’s rude to crash someone’s wedding.” Namjoon lolls his head to the side, waiting to see how his niece will argue.   The young girl pouts. “Yeah, but Chungha knows me. Plus, I’m not just a guest. I’d be helping with the wedding cake.”   “Okay.” Namjoon seems to contemplate it and the girl is hopeful until he smiles, revealing the other trick he has up his sleeve. “But what about your summer school?”   “I…” Yuna opens her mouth and then closes it. “I can always skip or...catch up later.”   “I don’t think so, missy. Your dad’s going to have a word with me if you fail math again and then you wouldn’t be able to work here at all.”   The high schooler pouts, stamping her foot. “This sucks.”   “We’ll come back sooner than you expect,” Jungkook says and she looks up at him. The boy smiles gingerly like an older brother to a younger sister. “We’ll get you a souvenir.”   “Really?”   “Yeah, sure.”   That seems enough to placate her and Yuna hums underneath her breath as she continues on. It’s cute to see their interaction.    You and Jungkook buzzing with excitement too. You’ve never been to French Polynesia and traveling while working is a win-win. It couldn’t get better than this.   //   “What a coincidence — I may or may not have been shopping online late last night again and impulsively got myself a sun hat. Now I can put it to good use. I should probably buy a new dress or two or maybe sandals,” you sing-song.    Jungkook is amused at how you’re throwing all your money away practically in a fire pit — but you like to argue it’s money well spent. Better than him buying video games, anime figurines, and more IU merch.    “Should I get a bathing suit?”   “Be careful. You might just blind everyone on the beach.”   “Okay, fuck off, Jeon.”   “I’m just kidding.” He laughs cheekily and when he passes by you, he taps your nose lightly. You blink and Jungkook boyishly smiles. “You could go topless if you wanted and I wouldn’t mind. Trust me.”   “Gross.” Your expression blanches and he cackles, moving away. “I will if you wear a speedo.”   “Yeah and I might be the one to get arrested when my goods spill.”   Your eyes roll. “Not if we go to a nude beach.”   “Is that a proposition?” Jungkook’s irises sparkle in the light.   You flick flour towards him. “You wish.”   It’s another one of those late nights. The both of you are off work but are still willingly here. The shop is closed, Namjoon and Sejeong gone, but you’re still using their kitchen to practice what you’ve learnt. They’re happy to let you use their space as long as you keep it tidy and clean.   Some of Jungkook’s music is playing softly in the background and you’re tapping your foot to the rhythm. You’re working on a sugar rose that’s abundant in petals, dusting the tips with a light pink.   There’s a long silence as you concentrate, the jazzy melody keeping the kitchen from being solely white noise. And right when you’re about to finish, Jungkook’s arm slings over your shoulder.   He presses to your side and leans over to look. “Woah. Did you do that?”   “Who else would’ve, dumbass—” Giggles bubble out of your throat when he starts to tickle you. “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean it! Jungkook!”   He lets up, but is still sulking. “Show me any more attitude and I’m going to hold you down for a tickle torture, brat.” You’re rendered speechless at his dominance, but he pays no mind, too busy looking at the sugar flower. “I was going to say that it’s amazing. It looks real, Y/N. Better than real actually.”   “Thanks.”   “How’d you get so good so fast?”   “I don’t know.” You can’t help being bashful. Jungkook’s stare is intense and you clear your throat obnoxiously, getting a grip. “Maybe cause I don’t suck.”   His brow twitches.   You jump out of the way before another tickle attack can ensue.   You laugh as he starts to chase after you. “Jungkook! We’re not supposed to run in the kitchen! It’s a safety hazard, don’t you remember bakery safety and sanitation?!”   “Then stop running, Y/N.” He’s on the other side of the island as you round a corner. Every direction you walk, he mirrors you.   “No, you first!”   “You started it.”   There’s no way you can win against his muscle pig-ness, so your eyes flicker to the door and with a breath held, you book it to the doorway. Unfortunately for you, Jungkook already detected your plan the minute your eyes strayed away from him. And with two strides, he has his arms around your waist.   He pulls you up in the air as you giggle and squeal.   “Caught you.” Jungkook grins. “I win.”   “Okay, okay!”   He puts you down in front of his station. There are metal sheet trays on the counter with something rather special on them. “Is this what you’ve been working on with Namjoon?”   “Not exactly.” Jungkook smiles. “We had some leftover strawberries that no one was using so I made my infamous chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes.”   “They look too pretty to eat.” He did a good job with the piping. The frosting is a light colour of taffy, swirled on top with the chocolate strawberry. “This was what Taehyung was raving about, right?”   “Yep.” He picks one up, holding it in front of you. You’re about to take the cupcake from his hands, but he clicks his tongue in annoyance and retracts his arm. “Nuh-uh.”   You pout at him, but give in anyhow. Your hand wraps around his wrist so he can’t play any games and you allow him to feed you.   You bite into the cupcake and immediately, the moist chocolate is gooey in your mouth. The frost is overwhelming with the fresh taste of strawberry, the texture rather silky. Your eyes widen as you chew, the taste developing, and he watches your reaction with a pleased smile.   Jungkook takes the strawberry on top that’s dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate. He urges you to part your lips and you bite down. The chocolate is tempered, falling apart into pieces. But it melts on your palate. The flavour is sweet but the fruit is refreshing, chocolate smooth.    It’s an explosion. You almost cream your pants.   “Oh my god.” You swallow it reluctantly, wanting to keep the taste forever on your tongue. “Taehyung was right. I think I almost creamed my pants.”   His nose wrinkles. “All of you guys are so disgusting. But it’s good, right?”   “It’s fucking amazing. Jungkook, you could open up a business just selling these.”   You secure your hands on his shoulder, shaking him to his senses. You can’t believe that he’s never thought of this. That he’s never done anything with such an incredible recipe.   Jungkook laughs boyishly. You let go, looking at the tray that’s appearing more like a gold mine. “H-Holy shit!”   “If I had to make these all day, I think I would be bored to death.” He throws the rest of the cupcake into his own mouth, chewing in his cheek.   “Can you give me the recipe then?” Your eyes are glimmering. This is big. If he doesn’t want to make a profit from it, then you can.    This and Yoongi and Taehyung’s lemon meringue pie, you’ll be swimming in bills in no time.   Jungkook flicks your forehead and your fantasy shatters. “I don’t think so. I might like you, but not enough to sell my secrets.”   You pout at him, rubbing the spot he flicked that doesn’t even hurt that much. If he won’t give you the recipe, then you want to at least eat one more. “Can I have another one?”   “You can have all of them,” Jungkook says nonchalantly with a grin.   Your expression lights up like a lamp. “Really?”   “Yes, really. I made them for you.”   You wonder if you can reverse engineer this somehow and figure out the recipe. But knowing you, you’ll probably end up burning saucepans trying to get the chocolate right and knowing Jungkook, he most likely threw in a secret ingredient that no one would ever think of.   “I’ll pack them up for you.” He grabs a paper box. “If you eat all of them without having dinner first, you’ll have a stomach ache. Dessert’s always last for a reason.”   You watch him and it hits you in a delayed manner that Jungkook stayed late when he didn’t need to. He wasn’t working on anything. He just stayed to make these.   “Where do you want to eat?”   “How about Alberto’s?”   “Sure.”   Jungkook finishes packing and helps you clean up. He opts to wash the dishes and tells you to go sweep instead.    As the boy scrubs the plates and utensils, he sings along to the music and you listen quietly.   When all is done, the lights are turned off and the door to the shop is closed up and locked.   Your steps and his fall into a rhythm.   “Oh, you know that movie you wanted to watch? When Spring Meets Autumn? It’s playing tonight. We can go after dinner and I’ll pay since I have a two for one deal coupon anyway. The reviews aren’t great, but it shouldn’t be too bad.”   “What are you doing?” You suddenly stop in the middle of the empty sidewalk, underneath the street lamp that warmly illuminates both of your figures in the crisp, cool night of the city.   Jungkook halts with you. The light softly glows on his skin. He tilts his head to the side, doe eyes gazing into yours. “What do you mean?”   “I mean this. Us. What is this?” You gesture between your bodies, conflicted to no end as the realization sinks into you. “Going out to eat, going to the movies together…”   “We’ve done these things before.”   “Yeah, but it's...different.”   You can feel it. It’s not like two friends going to grab a bite together or going to the theater to purposely catch a bad movie and shit on it afterwards. There’s something there. You don’t know what it is or even how to explain why the dynamic between the two of you has shifted so drastically.   “How so?” Jungkook questions. Maybe he’s egging you on, trying to get you to utter a coherent response. There’s no way he doesn’t feel this too.   “Like….this.” You lift your bag that has the box full of chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes. “Baking things for me. Staying with me after work. Waiting for me in the morning. Washing my dishes. Buying me lunch. Getting breakfast prepared. Putting your arm around me. Tapping my nose….just...things….like that.”   Slowly the corners of his mouth curl. Jungkook casually digs his hands in his hoodie pocket. “I’m courting you, Y/N.”   “What?”   You’re absolutely stunned.   “This is what people do when they like someone.” Jungkook keeps walking and when he realizes you aren’t following, he spins back around. “It isn’t complicated. I want to spend more time with you, so I am.”   Jungkook continues moving, and you snap back to reality. Your body is in motion, trying to catch up to his side. But you’re still dazed, not knowing what to say. But there’s no need for you to utter a word. The topic casually changes like he had been previously discussing the weather.   You feel unsettled, not sure what this means.    It’s almost been half a year since Seokjin broke up with you. You’re not sure if you’re ready.   And it scares you even more that Jungkook makes you want to be ready.

You’re feeling it frequently these days—   A panicked sensation brewing in the pit of your stomach.    As if you have an inkling of what’s to come and your intuition is preparing yourself. Like seconds before you spill milk, or a glass cup is about to hit the hard floor. Moments before catastrophe that the tickle in your tummy ignites. You can’t move or react quick enough, but your brain knows it’s going to happen either way.    You’re quite confident this discomfort is dread, a sense of foreboding. Either that or it’s the feeling is butterflies. Maybe it’s both.    You haven’t decided.   But you feel it most strongly when you look at Jeon Jungkook.    Him and that stupid, big nose of his and those sparkly eyes as if his mom inhaled a tube of glitter before he was born.    It’s just awful the way he doesn’t even notice. It’s awful when he scrunches those brows of his, when his eyes are darkened in concentration, and his pouted lips are downturned. It’s awful when he rolls sleeves up to his elbows and his veins are popping from his forearms. It’s awful when his fingers and knuckles are kneading into dough and he’s panting, out of breath and breaking a sweat. It’s awful when he’s focusing hard on his work and trying his best.   God. It’s just stressful looking at Jungkook. It’s distracting.   You try not to look at him. As if he were the sun and too blinding for you to face. But he’s always in your peripheral. He’s always the person you pick out first in a crowd. No matter what he does, you always seem to pick it up.    It’s appalling.   “Are you okay, Y/N?”   Sejeong’s question brings you back down to the ground, crashing the train of thoughts that should’ve been stopped long ago. “Hmm? Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just spaced out a little.”    You stiffly laugh and she nods.   “All ready for the trip?”   “Yup! I’m all packed.”   “Good. I’m giving you a fair warning that it’s going to be hot, so dress appropriately. Wouldn’t want any of my interns getting heat strokes.”   You bob your head and quickly steal another glance into the kitchen area. “Hey, Sejeong. Do you know what Namjoon and Jungkook are working on?”   The older woman smiles, stealing a brief glimpse. “Last I heard, they were trying to make a bouquet of flowers.”   Flowers?    You thought Jungkook hated them.

[nakachuchu]

── Sweets Event

NOTE: Thank you for 1900 supporters! This blog started off as a way for me to be horny but I'm so glad people like my writing and request from me. Here is my very first event!

UPDATE: I ended up getting to 2K during this event, so thank you!

START-END: April 6, 2021 - April 13, 2021

STATUS: closed

HOW TO ORDER: Pick a sweet + quote + any optional choices + gender [neutral or female]

EXAMPLE 1: "Can I get grape juice with a #3 quote fluff in a high school AU with a gn reader for Yuuji + Megumi poly relationship?"

EXAMPLE 2: "Can I get a angst green tea Kit Kat with a #18 quote and a #6 prompt with a female reader for Haruhi?"

RULES

This is solely a sfw event. Suggestive themes may happen and that's fine.

When requesting, please let me know if its angst or fluff since some of the quotes can be taken either way.

I will cross out something/someone I am no longer writing for so make sure to check before making a request.

This is honestly like my normal requests, but revolving around sweets :)

You must either pick a quote(s) and/or a prompt to go with your order.

Characters I will write for

Jujutsu Kaisen: Yuuji, Megumi, Toge, Nanami, Yuuta, Jin, Choso, noritoshi, toji, polyamory/love triangles

Haikyu!!: Sugawara, Daichi, Ushijima, Kita, Noya, Akaashi, Bokuto, Lev, Hinata, Aone, Tanaka, polyamory/love triangle

Ouran High School Host Club: Mori, Haruhi, Tamaki

Attack on Titan (AU's only): Armin, Yelena, Eren

Sweets

[specific flavor] ice cream

[specific] juice

[specific] cereal

[specific] candy

[specific flavor] sweet snack (Kit Kat, pocky, Oreo, etc)

[specific type] cookie

[specific flavor] lollipop

[specific flavor] cake

[specific flavor] cupcake

[specific flavor] mochi

[specific fruit flavor] smoothie

[specific flavor] milk tea

Any other sweets/snacks I'm missing

Quotes [pick this or a prompt]

"We're just friends."

"Kiss me."

"If anyone asks, you're my date."

"Don't look at me like that."

"I think I'm in love with you."

"Can you come over?"

"I have a confession."

"Are you happy now?"

"Stay."

"Please don't leave me."

"I don't feel the same way."

"I hate you."

"I trusted you."

"Could you not follow me around like a lost puppy?"

"You don't know me at all, do you?"

"Let's get married."

"I could listen to you all day."

"You make it so easy to love you."

"I want to hold you and never let go."

"I promised to love you forever."

"How did I manage to get you?"

"I'm not going to hold your hand."

"Eyes up here, baby."

"Careful of wandering hands. I bite."

"Why are you breathing like that?"

"Your eyes. Holy shit."

"I think—No, I am—in love with you."

"You are adorable. Now get off me."

"It looks cuter on you anyway."

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. Just you wait."

"Your hair smells nice."

"What happened to us?"

"Can I sleep in your room? I'm scared."

"Is that my hoodie?"

"Can I paint your nails?"

"Did you just take my picture?" "Yep, it's my lock screen now."

"Did you just take my ___?" "Sharing is caring."

"Are you flirting with me?"

"___ or ___?" "I'm allergic to both."

"Don't hold my hand." "Why?" "I hate it when you let go."

Your own quote!

Prompts [pick this or a quote]

You caught them cheating on you with your friend

They drunk call you after your break-up

You're dead. How are they?

You flinch while arguing with them

You pulled at all-nighter and look like crap

You work at a book store and they meet you there

Your dogs like each other at the park

You wake up in Vegas next to them and learn that you're married to them

You don't know how to swim

Your own prompt!

Alternative Universes [optional]

Soulmates

Roommates

Doctor/Nurse

Doctor/Patient

Office

High school

University: classmates

University: professor/student

Arranged marriage

Reincarnation

Vampire

Robot boyfriend/girlfriend

Rent a boyfriend/girlfriend

Actor/Actress

Mermaid/Merman

Model

Photographer

Zombie apocalypse

Bodyguard

Musician

Your own AU!

Snacks that are taken

I've written with: Frosting, syrup, cherry taffy, orange tart, peaches and cream, red bean daifuku, ice cream bar, green tea ice cream, green tea cake, chocolate cupcakes, hot chocolate, plum jam cookies, taro milk tea, brownies

Sweet blackberry smoothie

Raspberry cake

Blueberry cupcake

M&M cookie

Vanilla ice cream

Wintermelon milk tea

Chocolate cheesecake

Butterscotch ice cream

Cherry lollipop

Strawberry mochi

Thai milk tea

Lavender milk tea

Banana cake

Sakura mochi

Sour apple lollipop

Ice cream mochi

Orange juice

Blueberry cheesecake

Raspberry & white chocolate cake

Milk Pocky

Chocolate pocky

Hot milk

Black sugar milk tea

Spiderweb cheesecake

Monster cookies

choco fudge brownie ice cream

Strawberry cake

Hanami dango

Strawberry milkshake

Matcha pocky

Mango milk tea

Red velvet cake

Banana nut bread

Lemon cake

Cookies & Cream ice cream

Mint ice cream

[unspecificed flavor] ice cream mochi

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 207

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 09 - “Detective Komachi Appears!" Date watched: 13 April 2021 Original air date: 30 March 2008 Screenshots Transformation Gallery Project info and master list of posts

many thanks to @sailorzombiestar​ for making these crazy edits for me

This episode really takes the cake. End of review.

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WAIT! Wait! I’m sorry! I’ll come back and write more.

If you enjoyed the sleuthing in the last episode, you will love this one. Someone has stolen the girls’ cake, and Komachi goes full Sherlock Holmes to find out who. It’s friend against friend, everyone has an alibi, and they’re all at each other’s throats. When they think Bunbee did it, they are out for blood. It’s good stuff. Let’s dive in!

The Plot

Everyone has gathered ‘round the table at Natts House to celebrate their grand reopening (FINALLY). JIiya (Karen’s butler) has bought them a delicious-looking strawberry cake from Celeb Dou, a prestigious bakery. Komachi shows up with her nose buried in a mystery novel that she says she can’t put down, and I’m sure you can see where that will lead. Nozomi counts heads and deduces there are eight of them: herself, Rin, Urara, Komachi, Karen, Coco, Nuts, and Syrup, and so she cuts the cake into eight pieces. Nobody notices Mailpo poking their head out of Syrup’s bag. Before they can eat, Karen realizes they need plates, Komachi decides to get some tea and is accompanied by Rin, Urara goes to get a CD along with Nozomi, Coco goes to find the CD player with help from a reluctant Syrup, and then a customer shows up for Nuts to attend to. The cake is alone, and covered in its box again. The stage is set and dark clouds begin to roll in. When everyone finally returns to the table they prepare to eat. Rin uncovers the cake........ except there is no cake, only an empty lid!

the cake is a lie

Everyone is shocked and horrified at the missing cake, and right on cue lightning splits the sky and then a downpour begins. The stage is set, and the opening theme plays.

After the OP, the scene opens at the Etermal compound, where Anacondy is reviewing Scorp’s report, and this time she scolds him for seeming to praise them and their teamwork. As he walks back to his office, Bunbee catches up with him, and he offers Scorp some cake that he bought at a nearby bakery. Scorp refuses so Bunbee messily eats a piece, smearing some icing on his face. (You can probably see where this is going.) Bunbee reassures Scorp that the Precures are just humans and eventually their teamwork will crack.

Back at Natts House, everyone is still reeling over the missing cake. Komachi, in true form, strolls on up with a full trenchcoat and deerstalker hat, looking for all the world like a detective. All she’s missing is a bubble pipe or something.

elementary, my dear Urara

Detective Komachi quickly deduces that it’s a closed circle case, meaning it couldn’t have been anybody outside of the 8 of them. She calls upon everyone to explain where they were and what they were doing when the cake disappeared, starting with herself. She was in the kitchen with Rin, who got called away, and in the time Komachi wasn’t watching her, she could have eaten the cake! However, Rin points out that she went with Karen to choose plates, but then Karen left when they couldn’t agree, and that’s when Karen could have come upstairs and eaten the cake! Karen denies this accusation, saying she wants to hear everyone’s story before she makes a decision, but stares pointedly at Urara. The young actress balks at this accusation and goes full ham as she denies this.

Then she points out that she was choosing a CD with Nozomi and Syrup when the two of them left, and accuses them of eating the cake together. Notably, in her flashback, Syrup is feeling in his bag as if he’s lost something, and he mentions in his defense that he went looking for a missing Mailpo. Nozomi explains that she just went looking for another CD. Syrup remembers that he went down to the main store and was seen by Coco, and Coco reaffirms this. Then Komachi comes up with the most hilariously absurd theory yet: that Syrup flew to the third floor, snatched the cake, hid it outside of the shop, then flew back to the shop and allowed Coco to see him as an alibi. Everyone gives him the stink eye for this.

Syrup says he wouldn’t do something that complex, then he points out that Nuts wasn’t in the shop when he got there, so Nuts did it. Nuts says he was in the storehouse, and Urara remarks that she did hear sounds from there. They realize they’ve gotten nowhere, so they review what they know and recount who was where. This results in a pretty good floor plan of Natts House V2.

though I’m not exactly sure where the bedrooms are

They conclude that each of them has an alibi that someone else can back up, but they were also each alone at one point or another. Urara even accuses Komachi of sneaking past Rin and Karen to steal the cake, and Komachi denies this on the grounds that she’s the detective so she can’t be the perp. Tensions are rising, the storm shows no sign of letting up, and we see that Bunbee is also sneaking around and eavesdropping, sensing his opportunity to strike. As the bickering continues, Coco proposes they all close their eyes and let the culprit silently confess to him alone, promising moral exoneration. They all agree and close their eyes, but when he asks the perp to reveal themselves, he opens his eyes to find everyone glaring at him. They point out he was alone and has nobody to vouch for him most of the time, making him the most suspicious one. So the arguing begins anew, friend against friend, precure against precure, and Nozomi is getting really nervous that Precure is going to break apart.

Bunbee chooses this time to make his entrance, saying that’s exactly what he hopes for, and demands they hand over the Rose Pact while threatening them with a Hoshiina orb. However, they notice cream on his lip and call him out on it. He explains it’s from the cake he ate earlier. Oops. Now they’re all mad at him and Nozomi says if it had been just one slice it may have been okay, but he ate their entire cake! Without giving him any time to explain himself, they transform and what follows is the fastest fight in the series, possibly the franchise. Bunbee flies away because the girls are headhunting today, he doesn’t even get a chance to summon a Hoshiina. He reiterates that the cream was from some cakes he bought at Celeb Dou for Scorp, and Dream catches this remark, but  she seems to be the only one. Lemonade uses Prism Chain to bind him and then Mint uses Emerald Saucer to blow him up and send him flying. Rouge, Lemonade, Mint, and Aqua all give each other a thumbs up for a job well done, while Dream is just flabbergasted, intimidated, and a bit afraid.

Back inside the shop, Nozomi explains that it probably wasn’t Bunbee after all because of what he said, and points out that the color of the cream was different from their cake. Komachi and Urara admit they may have overreacted. Suddenly Mailpo starts acting strange and tries to leave the room. They reveal that they have a letter to deliver, and it’s from Milk, but they’re still nervous. Nozomi notices some cream on the envelope and deduces it’s from their cake. After some weaseling, Syrup gets Mailpo to admit they felt left out when the cake was cut into 8 pieces, but the gang reassure Mailpo that they’re a valuable friend to them. Since Mailpo doesn’t actually eat, Syrup asks where they hid the cake, and suddenly Nozomi is nervous. Mailpo produces the cake as Nozomi now tries to sneak away. It quickly becomes apparently why when the others notice there’s a missing slice of the cake. It takes them a moment but they put two and two together. Nozomi says it was just one slice, but she’s still clearly afraid because she’s seen how far these girls will go for cake, and she runs off while apologizing as the scene pans up to the now-clear sky.

The Analys- wait there’s more?

The camera then pans back down in the Palmier Kingdom, where we see Milk watering her sprout, which has grown into a blue rose. Suddenly it blooms and glows brilliantly. It bathes Milk in a blue and white light, and THEN the credits play. I’m sure this scene is insignificant to anything in the show, but I had to include it in the recap for the sake of completion.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

The Analysis

This is a classic bottle episode: it’s got only the main cast in a single, familiar location and the story is told largely through dialog. The art quality is notably lower than normal. It’s obvious they’re penny pinching in preparation for the next two episodes, but they make the most of their limitations to deliver a spectacular whodunnit sendup to classic Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Phillip Marlowe, etc. It’s a wonderful and effective use of limited resources and I’m here for it, even if the animation leaves much to be desired. The closed room setting allows for the characters to bounce off each other and play up their distinct personalities as they go around and accuse each other. The scenarios they imagine and the defenses they concoct (especially Urara) are great, and the thunderstorm really sets the mood as well. Classic “dark and stormy night” stuff, although it’s technically mid-day. The writers and animators definitely had fun with this homage.

The focus in the first half of the episode is on Komachi’s detective skills and everyone trying to deduce who took the cake. Neither she nor anyone else stops to consider that none of them could have eaten the entire cake in the timeframe, until afterwards. In fact, a lot of the whodunnit portion reveals that Komachi isn’t nearly as good of a detective as she’d like to think, and she exonerates herself without much evidence because that’s just her role. Fortunately she gets called out on this. She’s more interested in playing detective and pointing the finger (quite literally) than truly deducing what happened, and she quickly latches onto pretty basic evidence to make her accusations. Bookworm though she may be, she’s not always as smart as she seems. Kinda reminds me of the episode where Nozomi is sick and everyone tries to cook for her, because Komachi displayed a similar slack of common sense then.

and yes they reuse this shot a lot

Her back-and-forth with everyone provides a lot of the episode’s comedy and I’m here for it. Every theory about how someone might have snuck away from what they were doing to eat the cake is more outlandish than the last, culminating in the idea that Syrup flew upstairs, stole the cake, hid it outside, and then came back and let himself be seen as an alibi. Zero thought is given into why he’d do that or where he might safely store a cake but that’s not the point. The point is he could have! Then, of course, Bunbee shows up and, through no fault of his own (for once), gets accused of being the real perp and instantly has the icing beaten out of him in no time.

The comedy works for me because it’s playing on expectations. You expect a detective story to have high stakes and be serious, but a missing cake is not that, and the finger-pointing gets very silly very fast. It’s funny how they play with genre tropes such as Coco’s attempt to have the culprit out themselves, and the most likely culprit being innocent. However, instead of acknowledging their mistake, they take a shred of evidence against Bunbee and rake him over the coals for it. I know I keep harping on this but they dispatched him so fast and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the cures gang up on a villain like that in any series, before or since. There’s been quick fights, sure, but he didn’t even have the chance to summon a Hoshiina. They transformed, used two special attacks on him, and he blasted off like Team Rocket. And then they pat themselves on the back for it.

except for Nozomi

The animation is not good but they definitely make use of what they’ve got. There’s some clever visual style in how, when people recount their own versions of events, it’s outlined in white, while when someone is accusing someone else, that description is outlined in black.There’s also lots of memorable faces, especially from Nozomi as she starts to recognize that maybe they’re overreacting. Her response when they find the cake and she knows her jig is up is also amazing.

As this is a mystery, naturally there are clues along the way towards what actually happened. At the start, when they gather around the table and admire the cake, Mailpo pokes their head out of Syrup’s bag in curiosity. Later on, Syrup explains several times that he was looking for Mailpo, who had gone missing. I picked up on this during my first watch for the project, but I can’t definitively say that I figured out the solution, as I may have innately recalled it from my initial watch several years ago. Meanwhile, in the second half of the episode, there are hints towards Nozomi’s own guilt. When Bunbee shows, she says it would have been forgivable if he ate just a little bit. She says this with the full knowledge of what she had already done and she’s trying not to be TOO hypocritical. She’s a bit overeager when Coco offers the chance to anonymously confess. She’s the first one to take notice when Bunbee says the cakes he ate were his own, and while that seems innocuous, it could also be because she feels guilty about unduly pinning the blame on him.

I would wonder what her plan was when she ate the slice, but she’s not exactly known for having plans, she just does things (as we established last episode). It’s safe to assume that she didn’t feel anything bad about eating her slice of the cake, since it was only her slice. Really that shouldn’t have been an issue even after they recovered the cake from Mailpo, but she got nervous after seeing how seriously everyone else takes cake, and that led to her glorious reaction faces. And to be entirely fair to her and everyone else, they may have been more understanding if they hadn’t just been at each other’s and then Bumbee’s throats for presumably eating the whole cake, and causing them much grief. Had they gotten to it as planned and seen the missing slice, Nozomi probably would have said she got hungry and ate her piece early, no harm no foul. But she underestimated how murderous Urara and Komachi could get.

On the villain side of things, some interesting things are happening. Scorp can tell that Anacondy is losing patience with him and he may not have much time left to try to recover the Rose Pact, as seen by his wistful looking out the windows and slumping in the halls. Something is amiss and even Bunbee can tell. When Bunbee tries to cheer him up, he initially refers to him as “Yamamoto”  because of his running gag of getting Scorp’s name wrong, but when he can see how depressed the senior general is he drops the ruse and genuinely tries to cheer Scorp up. After several episodes of them being at odds with each other, seeing Bunbee act genuinely nice to Scorp and all in all just being a normal person is an interesting change. They’ve got possibly the best dynamic of all the villains in Eternal, and it can be seen as progress towards Bunbee���s kinda-sorta redemption arc.

This episode is amazing and hilarious, and also a little nerve-wracking. It’s easily my favorite episode of this season so far, even if the takeaway is kind of Not Great. Well I guess there’s a couple takeaways here: Do not fuck with Urara’s cake, and also get all the facts before you judge someone, even if you have every reason to find them guilty. It’s got comedy, it’s got bloodsport, it’s got drama, it’s got  reconciliation, and it’s even got the Blue Rose. All in all, as I said at the start, this episode really takes the cake.

Next time, it’s the long-awaited debut of Milky Rose!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 0 kettei!

[justanothercookery]

Birthday lunch

A Mexican-themed lunch for 35 on Saturday 21 August 2021

For my uncle’s 70th birthday party, my cousins and I laid on a Mexican-themed birthday lunch. Everyone enjoyed themselves enormously and in terms of catering for a crowd, this was very straightforward. (Yes, I find army-style cooking relatively easy, but this really was simple.)

We had tortilla chips set out on tables with pico de gallo, soured cream, and some shop-bought guacamole while people were arriving, saying hello, and getting drinks. For the buffet lunch, there were three burrito mixes: one vegetarian, one milder meat, and another spicier meat. There was a spicier red rice, a plain red rice, and a boiled rice. We had pico de gallo hot or mild, and with or without coriander. There were hot and mild smashed avocados. Oodles of sour cream and grated cheese, and corns on the cob.

For dessert, there was a choice of strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla ice cream with sauces, sprinkles, sweeties, and chocolate brownie. Okay, so maybe that isn’t very Mexican, but how can you argue with constructing your own sundaes? My cousin made the most beautiful strawberry and vanilla cake, and everyone was happy.

This, therefore, is how you cook for a crowd. My top tips: use the food processor to do as much heavy lifting as you can, and opt for pastes and purées where possible. Using a garlic purée will not compromise on flavour, but it will save your sanity when you have to peel and mince multiple bulbs, let alone cloves, of garlic. 

Do all of the onion in one go in the food processor. Weigh a peeled, trimmed onion for a rough weight, then weigh out the chopped onion according to each part of the recipe. Store each portion in airtight containers or labelled ziplock bags.

Do not baulk at the washing-up generated by mise-en-place. Measuring out three ramekins of the spice mix for each version of the burrito stuffing in one go is much easier than measuring out tablespoonfuls of spices each time you need to add them.

Very importantly, if you are using an ‘ordinary’ family recipe and scaling it up for the masses, always write out the multiplied version and work from that. Do not try to do the maths in your head as you go along. You will either forget or make an error.

Finally: stay calm and manage your kitchen. Ask for help when you need it and send people out of the kitchen if they are in your way or making you stressed. Remember to eat and drink, too.

Vegetarian burrito mix for 10 to 12 people

240g green lentils, washed and soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes

240g red lentils, washed

3 small-ish onions - chopped in the food processor

6 teaspoons garlic purée

1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

3 cans chopped tomatoes (about 1200g)

3 cans black beans in water (about 1200g)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Oil for frying

Cover the base of a very large casserole dish with oil. Fry the onion until it is soft, adding a sprinkling of salt to stop it from burning. This will take about 10 minutes.

Squeeze in the garlic purée and stir it through for 30 seconds.

Tip in the coriander, cumin, chilli, and oregano. Stir thoroughly and fry for a minutes.

Add the lentils (drain the green ones) and mix them through the spices before pouring over the tomatoes and combining. Season with salt and pepper, the sugar and the vinegar. Bring to the boil and cook for five minutes. 

Pour in the black beans with their liquid and stir very carefully but thoroughly. Bring back to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Given the quantities, it might take closer to 55 minutes. Do not be alarmed. If you are worried it will dry out, add some vegetable stock.

Stir periodically to prevent sticking.

After 45 minutes, remove the lid and test and adjust for seasoning. Cook the mix for approximately another 10 minutes, but possibly longer, to reduce to a thick, rich burrito stuffing. 

Then either cool and refrigerate, reheating it in a hot oven for about 45 minutes when ready to serve. Or serve immediately.

Milder meat mix for 10 to 12 people

1.2kg best minced steak 

3 small-ish onions - chopped in the food processor

6 teaspoons garlic purée

1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons red chilli powder

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

3 cans chopped tomatoes (1200g)

3 cans black beans in water (1200g)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Season the meat with salt and fry it over a high heat in a large frying pan until it is browned all over.

Remove it to the bowl of a large slow cooker, leaving the fat in the frying pan.

Cook the onion in the beef fat with a touch of salt until it is golden. Then add the garlic purée and cook it for 30 seconds more. Stir in the spices and oregano and cook for a minute before adding the vinegar and sugar. Mix well and then pour over the meat in the slow cooker. Mix again.

Add the tomatoes and black beans to the slow cooker bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix everything very well and then cook it on high for four hours or low for six to eight hours. Check for seasoning and if you need to cook it for a while with the lid off to reduce it, so be it!

Spicier meat mix for 10 to 12 people

It’s the same ingredients and method as the milder mix, but triple the spices. So that’s 4 1/2 tablespoons each of cumin and coriander and three teaspoons of chilli powder. You can always put Tabasco or Mexican hot sauce on the table, too.

Spicy red rice for 10 to 12 people (this is sufficient for inside burritos, you’ll need more if serving as a chilli)

300g long grain white rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

3 red onions, finely chopped in a food processor

3-4 teaspoons garlic purée

3-4 tablespoons tomato purée

1 tablespoon chilli paste

1 litre very weak vegetable stock

1/2 tablespoon salt

Neutral oil

Cover the base of a very large saucepan with oil. Fry the onion for 10 minutes until it is a soft mush.

Squeeze in the garlic and tomato purées and chilli paste and stir through the onion for a minute before tipping in the drained rice and coating it in the red mix. Salt it.

Pour over the stock and bring it to the boil. Stir well. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce to a simmer on the lowest flame. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

For the red rice, just omit the chilli paste.

Plain rice for 10 to 12 people

For the plain rice, bring a large pan of water the the boil. Salt it. Tip in 300g of long grain rice that you have soaked for 30 minutes and then drained. Cover the pan. When it returns to the boil, set a timer for four minutes. When the timer beeps, test the rice. If it’s ready, drain it very well and transfer it to a greased serving dish and cover it with foil if it has to wait for a few minutes. If it isn’t quite done, cook for another minute and test again. It shouldn’t take much longer. Do not let it overcook. 

Pico de gallo for 30 to 35 people for burritos (you’ll need more for tortilla chip-dipping)

Some people like it spicy. Some do not like coriander. This caters for all of them.

16-20 large tomatoes

4 red onions, finely chopped

8 tablespoons lime juice

Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

4 (or thereabouts, depending on strength) red chillis, minced

Salt

Mark each tomato with a cross on the base and place in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave for a minute. Drain.

Slip the skins off of each tomato and then quarter them, core and de-seed them, chop finely and place in a sieve.

When the tomatoes have drained, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the onion and lime juice and sprinkle with salt. Mix well and taste it. You may need more lime or salt. This is Bowl 1.

Remove half of the mixture to a clean bowl. This is Bowl 2. Into this second bowl, mix the finely chopped chilli. Halve this chillied mixture again, with half going into a fresh bowl, Bowl 3. To Bowl 3, add two tablespoons (or more, depending on your preferences) of chopped fresh coriander.

Back at Bowl 1, with the original tomato-onion-lime mix, halve it. You now have Bowl 1 and Bowl 4. Add two tablespoons or more of chopped coriander to one half, which will be Bowl 4.

You should have four bowls of pico de gallo:

Tomato-onion-lime

Tomato-onion-lime-chilli

Tomato-onion-lime-chilli-coriander

Tomato-onion-lime-coriander

Done!

And the rest

You will need at least two tortillas a person as well as soured cream, grated cheese, and avocado. We bought ready-smashed avocado, some with lime and some with chilli and lime. It meant we didn’t have to worry about ripe-or-overripe avocados. We also put out a bowl of salad as well as Tabasco and a Mexican hot sauce. There were mini corns-on-the-cob for those who wanted them, too. All they required was dunking in a pasta pan of boiling water for a few minutes. Sure, grilling them and smothering in soured cream, chilli, and cheese would have been delicious, but completely impractical. Know your limitations.

One of my cousins mixed margaritas, and we had wine, fizz, fizzy water, cordial, and juice. If we missed anything, and I really don’t think that we did, it wasn’t for a want of trying.

Now go forth and rock and roll.

[hobeymakar]

Touch | C. Makar

Words: 2,218

A/N: Title for this one is from the song Touch by Little Mix. This one takes place during the current COVID-19 crisis and the current uncertainty of next season.

Warnings: Explicit language, sexual content, mentions of alcohol use

-

You're in the living room of the Denver apartment, trying to remain as quiet as possible as Cale is setting up his video for the NHL Awards. Being a finalist for the Calder is huge and you're beyond proud of him. Whether he wins or loses, you know this won't define his career and he's gonna achieve bigger and better things in his career.

He's set up right in front of the balcony door and sitting down and waiting to be invited to the video call by the league.

"Good luck baby and no matter what you're always a winner in my book," you inform him, blowing him a kiss.

"Thanks baby," he smiles, blowing a kiss back.

You turn your attention back to your phone and try to calm down your own nerves. It's possible you might be more nervous than he is about this award presentation.

The time eventually comes for the award presentation and Cale's name gets called and he gets brought into the video call. You internally scream in excitement and can't help but message your friends and family that your boyfriend is a Calder Trophy winner.

He gives his acceptance speech, managing to be cuter and more humble than he's ever been. He answers the questions Gretzky has for him and then gets off the video call as they have to move on to the next award.

As soon as he ends the call and moves the stuff out of the way, you jump on him.

"I'm so proud of you baby! You worked so hard for this and you deserve it!" you cry out, kissing his cheeks to watch them become even more red.

"Thank you, baby. I couldn't do it without you supporting me every step of the way," he smiles, kissing your forehead.

"Alright, go call your family while I make dinner," you say, letting him go.

You walk to the kitchen and start working on something special for him. It's the offseason so he's allowed a little more leeway on what he can eat, as long as he doesn't go overboard and eat too much food that interferes with his nutrition plan. You hear him on facetime with his family and you honestly couldn't be prouder of your fiance.

You start playing your music softly on your phone as you prepare the meal for the two of you. After a while, he comes out of the room and smells the food being made.

"Smells great in here babe," he smiles, sneaking up from behind you and snaking his arms around your waist. "What are you making?"

"It's a surprise. So why don't you go play some warzone or something and I'll call you out when the food is ready," you suggest, wanting him to be surprised.

"But I wanna stay out here with you," he protests with a pouty face.

"Alright you big baby, you can stay here," you giggle.

He sits down on the stool on the kitchen island and decides to recount his entire conversation with his parents and his brother.

"Is Taylor back on the ice yet?" you ask, referring to his little brother who's entering his final year of junior with the Brooks Bandits.

"I mean he's been skating but they still haven't announced when the season is gonna start and you know that he won't be playing at UMass until next year," he explains.

"Tell him I said to keep his chin up and that he's gonna have his season eventually," you reply.

The conversation switches to your family and how they're doing. The song Best Part by H.E.R. & Daniel Caesar comes on.

"That's our song," he smiles, recognizing the intro.

"You remember that?" you ask, cringing internally.

"As if I could ever forget you drunkenly telling me this is gonna be our wedding song and how I'm gonna need to know all the words," he teases, getting up from the seat.

"Oh my god, I thought you forgot about that! I didn't actually mean that!" you groan in embarrassment, as he takes your hand in his.

"Drunken words are sober thoughts, baby," he teases, swaying you to the beat of the song.

He starts singing along to the song, shocking you.

"You actually learned the song?" you ask in shock.

"You told me I had to and it's an easy song to learn anyway," he adds sheepishly.

There's no way you can love him more than you do, and yet he finds ways to make you love him more every day. Honestly, how the hell did you end up so lucky to have him in your life?

The song eventually ends and he walks back to the stool while you turn your attention back to the food.

The song Touch by Little Mix comes on and you dance along to the song, while he laughs at your moves.

"Hey, why are you laughing?!? I'm a phenomenal dancer!" you defend yourself.

"Babe, it's just funny to see you dancing while cooking," he replies, letting out a couple chuckles.

"Like your moves are better!" you scoff, shooting him a look.

"I never said mine were better," he argues back, a small smirk on his lips.

"You're lucky I love you," you reply, shaking your head.

He can be a little shit sometimes, but he's your little shit and you wouldn't change it for the world.

After 20 minutes, dinner is ready and you set up the dining table nicely.

"Thanks babe for all of this," he smiles, taking in the dinner setup.

"You're welcome. It's the least I could do for you. I know we normally would've been in Vegas with your family celebrating, but I figured this is the least I could do. 2020 is all about rolling with the punches," you explain.

"I don't know how I would've made it through everything this year without you," he confesses.

"I know. I'm pretty amazing," you tease, a lil smirk on your face.

You settle into small talk as you eat and after a while, you both finish eating. You both clean up the table and put away the leftovers. You load the dishwasher as Cale sets up to play warzone with Taylor in the living room.

"Babe, I'm gonna take a shower," you inform him.

You go to the room and grab your things to shower. You get into the bathroom and put your music  on shuffle. You get undressed and into the shower, washing your body and hair thoroughly. You dry yourself off thoroughly and go through your self-care routine. You then go into the room and change into a new set of underwear, an Avs Cale jersey, and UMass Minutemen sweatpants. You go to the bathroom and blowdry your hair. You then come out to see Cale still playing warzone with a headset on.

You walk over to the couch and sit beside him and he barely even notices, hyper focused on the game. You take out your phone and take a video of the game and caption it with "ready to be ignored all night" and send it to your friends, who laugh at you and tell you to just leave him alone.

You try to entertain yourself by scrolling through your social media feeds, but even that gets boring after 20 minutes. You snuggle into his side and see he doesn't even move, still focused on playing.

You decide to just let him have his fun, since it's his night anyway and go to the kitchen to bake, since it always manages to put a smile on your face. You decide making a cake will be the best thing for you and it'll kill a couple hours. So you get all the ingredients out and get to work. You put your music back on and get focused on the baking. You put the cake in the oven and start working on putting the frosting in the pipers to be able to write on the cake. Once the cake comes out of the oven, Cale comes out to the kitchen.

"You finished playing?" you ask him, as he walks up to you.

"You're wearing my jersey," he points out, kissing you.

"Yeah you would've noticed it earlier if you weren't so busy playing with Taylor," you tease, getting the pipers ready.

"Well I already finished playing for the night," he assures you.

"Good. I like Taylor, but not when he's stealing my boyfriend away from me," you tease.

"Are you seriously making a cake for me?" he asks.

"Yes! Like I said, I feel bad that this wasn't the celebration we would've normally had. So I wanna make it up to you as much as possible," you inform him.

"I know but you don't have to do all this," he assures you.

"I know, but I want to," you smile back. "Now if you excuse me, I have a cake to decorate and I can't have any distractions."

You carefully frost the cake in Avs colors. You also carefully write "Congrats on the Calder Trophy Cale" on the cake, as well as "#8" and "Let's go Avs!" You draw little hockey sticks on the sides. All your frosting decorations are also in Avs colors, continuing the theme. You also get ice cream out and scoop them into bowls. You then set the dining table up and take pictures of Cale with the cake in front of it. You post it on your social media with the caption "Congrats on your Calder Trophy baby! Wish we could've been in Vegas to celebrate it with loved ones, but celebrating at home alone is pretty special too!" You also send it to his family with the caption "tried to make his night as special as possible for him, but we both wish you guys were here!"

You cut the cake and you two start eating it with the ice cream, trying to make the most out of the situation.

"Thank you baby for all of this! I'm so glad I get to have you by my side every step of the way. I love you," he smiles, kissing the ice cream off your lips.

"I love you more baby and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than by your side," you smile back.

You clean up the table and put the leftover cake away before adding the baking stuff to the dishwasher. Once the dishwasher is filled, you turn it on and let it wash everything. You head to the room and hear the shower running, letting you know that he's in the shower. You turn the TV on for background noise and change into one of Cale's old UMass Minutemen shirts with nothing but your underwear underneath. You get back into bed and go on your phone, checking your social media and responding to texts from your friends and family. You get comfortable as you get sucked into watching some trashy reality TV show that you've never seen or heard of before.

Before you know it, Cale walks back to the room still a little wet from the shower and with his towel hanging loosely off his hips. He quickly finishes drying himself off and changes into nothing but boxers. He turns off the ceiling light and turns on the lamp instead.

"What are you watching?" he asks, not recognizing the show.

"I don't know, some trashy ass reality tv show. I just turned on the TV and this was on," you explain.

"Wanna watch a movie?" he asks.

"Sure as long as it isn't something boring or terrible," you reply.

You switch over to Netflix and you let him choose the movie. He makes his selection and you're pleased to see it's not something you would hate. The two of you watch the movie until you fall asleep. 

The next morning, you wake up to Cale's morning wood poking your butt, which isn't necessarily unwelcomed. You turn over and wake him up by pinching his nipple.

"Ow what the fuck?" he groans, opening his eyes.

"Good morning," you kiss him sweetly, like you didn't just pinch his nipple super hard.

"You're a menace," he groans, as you straddle his waist.

"Yeah yeah yeah, you still love me though," you tease.

He kisses you to shut you up and you definitely do shut up. The kisses become more intense and desperate and he starts lifting up your shirt, noticing the Avs colored underwear you have on.

He groans like he just blocked a shot on the PK and he doesn't know if he wants to keep the shirt on or off of you.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he groans.

"Maybe," you giggle, loving the reaction you've gotten out of him.

He eventually makes up his mind and fucks you with the UMass shirt on because he's secretly into seeing his name on you. Afterwards, you two lay in bed and bask in the afterglow. You then get up and put on the UMass shirt again and head off to make him breakfast, as he quickly follows behind you.

Yeah, it wasn't the celebration you planned on having, but you managed to make the most of it, just you two in your own little world, in your Denver apartment.

[leggomylino]

S&M Act I, Scene I | Windstorm ༄

༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺

༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Comedy, Fluff, Angst

Pairing(s): Lee Minho x fem!reader x Kim Seungmin

Au: Wizard of Oz au

Word Count: ~2.6k

Warning(s): Minorly to moderately dark themes of suppression, depression, panic, and insanity. Mentioning of blood, dark magic, violence, and (censored) language. 

A/n: I’m so happy this story is finally coming to light! <3 Thank you to everyone behind the scenes who has supported me on the creation of this series, and to anyone who has ever supported my writing ever. ^^ I hope you enjoy!!! | Inspired by the events of Dorothy Must Die, by Danielle Paige.

Tag List: @hanniiesuckle17​ @distrikt9​ @hanstagrams​ @hyunsunq​ @smolboiseavey​ @jisungsjheekies​ @iluvlix​ @moonlit-han​ @stay-nctzen​ @yangomangos​ @stayndays​ @cotccotc​ @skzctnightnight​ @multi-stan-present​ @dreamy-dreamies​ @yunhoesss​ (Please let me know if you’d like to be added! Comment, ask, or DM me!!!)

ღ S&M M.List | Stray Kids M.List | M.List ღ

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The dreams had been plaguing you for a while now.

“Y/n,” a boy’s voice spoke. “Y/n, always remember, and never forget. You must forgive, and never forget.”

“Remember what?” You’d cry out into the empty space. “Always remember what? What is it I’ve forgotten? Who is it I’m supposed to forgive?”

Alas, the empty space never told you anything. It was just a soft chuckle, the feeling of eyes lovingly watching you from somewhere far away, cloying and envious, and then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

~ ♕ ~

The rain pelting against your bedroom window that night had been harsh. You listened to the uproarious melody, now awake, lying in a pool of your own sweat, heart racing, wondering where you had come to and where you’d just been. It was always this way, taking time to cool down from such a feverishly swift and spiraling dream; although you were theoretically standing still in a vacant space, you felt the effects of falling as you arose.

The rain calmed you. Despite its intensity it was the one thing that gave you peace, something mentally stabilizing to cling onto and give full focus to as the echoes of a dream deferred vanished into the far recesses of your mind, where they’d be all but forgotten until the next evening. You didn’t know what you’d do when the stormy season was over-- it had already been unusual to have such a large mass of wacky weather one after the other this time of year-- and sure a ferrying rain shower or two was normal-- but you’d grown accustomed to running to the storm’s ferocity for guidance, a child’s blanket, a figurative teddy bear that you could squeeze against your thoughts when escaping the dream realm. The heavy downpour washed all of your fears and anxiety away. What would you do when it was all over, and Fall returned?

It had been so odd; with all the rain and fluctuating humidity, the flowers and Spring-Summer crops were in full bloom. You’d never experienced seasonal allergies in the Fall until now. Neither had your best friend, Hyunjin, and...speaking of… 

You hadn’t realized it was morning until Hyunjin came bursting into your room with one of your uncle’s chickens in his arm. It was still raining, hard, the droplets sounding like tiny fists pounding to come inside. Doubtful to let up anytime soon. “Y/n! Are you still auditioning for the role of Sleeping Beauty up here? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure Mia Harper’s got it covered, and Aunt Em’s gonna slide me your stack of pancakes in the next ten minutes if you don’t get your share of the chores done.”

A yawn escaped you. Hyunjin and his sidekick Kkami had been coming over to assist in your busy-hermit lifestyle ever since you could remember. He was your neighbor, after all, but...more on that later. The moment Hyunjin’s words soared beneath the backlash of bad weather, you’d completely forgotten what it was you’d just been thinking about, before the rain, what it was you’d dreamed. (Ever ironic how the dream had instructed you to remember, and yet, here you were, doomed to forget.) “Yeah, okay…” You yawned, stretching and easing yourself into the usual morning (sometimes afternoon) routine. You glanced at the chicken in his arms, and his subtle goofy smile in the doorway. “Is this your way of saying you’d rather have Pluckers as your lab partner instead of me?”

He shifted his eyes thoughtfully to Pluckers, watching him twitch and litter feathers like drops of rain before giving you his answer. “...I mean, that’s not a bad idea, actually. Have you even started your half of the worksheet yet?”

Ugh. Always about school. You wanted to tell him yes, but in all honesty you’d been spending your free time and late nights with your nose lodged between Harry Potter pages or your eyes plugged and gasping over YouTube storytimes. So you clamped your mouth shut.

And now, the backstory: Hyunjin had been your best friend for years. The two of you grew up next door to each other, which for country living was pretty dang far; having someone as your neighbor here was the same thing as having them live down the block. You’d never known your parents; you were adopted at a young age by your Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, who weren’t biologically related to you in any sense and just as good as any biological pair of adults. The details surrounding your DNA relatives-- and the year you’d come to live here-- were all unknown to you. The only story you’d ever gotten out of Aunt Em was that they’d had you from “knee-high” and that you couldn’t remember because of a nasty fall from one of Uncle Henry’s apple trees; Uncle Henry himself refused to speak of the subject at all, either pretending he needed hearing aids or choosing to run into the next room.

Hyunjin was your only friend in school. You’d never been very good in the communication department; growing up in a small town made your comfort zone the same. But not Hyunjin. He was popular and kind and got along with everyone. He had a gift for catching people’s eyes: every boy envied him, every girl drooled over him, and all your teachers and professors fawned and smiled and patted him on the back, even when he’d blurted out the “dog ate my homework” excuse in eighth grade and you proudly stood up and announced that he didn’t have a dog, disregarding Kkami, just for the amusement of finally seeing him choke and get scolded for once in his life. Instead you found yourself pouting with the Cone of Shame in silence while Hyunjin outrageously was given a star on the Good Noodle chart. It’d been the one moment to ruin your friendship for the remainder of class...until he gave you his Free Ice Cream ticket for PeachyKeen’s ice cream parlor downtown. Then, you were okay.

Even now, in your town’s small local college, he was applauded by all. The only person you’d ever seen frown his way was Uncle Henry, who often argued that a boy of his age shouldn’t be barging into a young lady’s room anymore. But Aunt Em always shrugged him off, quoting her famous “times change” saying and shoved a slice of pie before him, and he was back to watching TV.

A flash of lighting lit up the dim clouded sky, followed by the roar of thunder, and with a panicked squawk Pluckers shot out of Hyunjin’s arms, leaving a trail of feathers to follow down the hall. With a nervous look the two of you exchanged a nod before Hyun gave chase, closing the door behind him, and you got right to work getting ready for the day. It was Saturday, meaning no school, however there was still plenty of farmwork to do and the crops in the field weren’t going to protect themselves. Not from yesterday’s shower, and not from today’s.

You hustled downstairs with toothbrush hanging from your lips, dawned in your favorite plaid skirt and lime-green raincoat, the one with the little frog face over the left breast. Ruffling Kkami awake, Hyunjin’s “beloved baby,” you tossed her a treat from the clay jar you and Hyunjin had made together for her in sixth grade art, spinning and spitting in the kitchen sink. 

Aunt Em gave you a nervous look as you tossed the brush in the dishwasher and started aggressively inhaling cinnamon apple pancakes like a beloved Nintendo character. “...And how is my favorite girl this afternoon?” She asked. Her whimsical tone made your neck blush. 

“Sorry, I stayed up late studying again.”

“Studying the wizarding world of Hogwarts, you mean?”

“...Perhaps?”

You smiled apple bits and maple syrup, and she laughed, waving a dish towel at you and squinting the other way. “Keep your mouth closed until you're done. Didn’t I teach you better manners than that?”

“I dunno, did you?”

Her eyes bore into yours in warning and you laughed harder, nearly choking on the last bite of spiced apple goodness. Aunt Em sighed, shaking her head while wiping her hands clean. “I suppose I walked right into that one.” She nodded toward the side door, leading to the barn. “Hurry before the storm picks up. It’s gonna be another bad one, they say, so if the wind picks up anymore or it starts hailing or God forbid you see a giant funnel in the sky, I want the two of you right back inside, you hear?”

“Funnel cake?!” Uncle Henry called. He was glued to his usual pleather chair when he wasn’t out tending to the garden or the farm animals or fixing a leaky faucet. He was also in need of a hearing aid; working eight hours a day around screeching metals and brazen farm animals had left his eardrums in shambles. Aunt Em rolled her eyes, cupping her hands around her mouth. 

“Not cake, I’m talking about the weather!”

“It’s raining cake?!?”

She groaned, earning a chuckle from the two of you. It was cut short when Hyunjin came stumbling past, spitting out feathers and just in arms reach of a couple hens, Pluckers in the lead, signaling that brunch was over. “Thanks for the meal!” you said, shoving the plate forward. 

“Be careful!” Em’s voice bridged across the living room. “You two look out for one another! And hurry!”

“We will!” You shouted back. The sound of the door clicking shut was barely audible beneath the heavy thunks of raindrops slamming against the tin roof as the two (five?) of you ventured out into the stormy play. 

You wished then you would have taken just the sliver of a moment to look back.

~ ♕ ~

You’d never seen a flourishing of colors much like the one taking place outside. Turnips turning upwards, tulips banging heads, carrots and corn stalks exchanging blows before ending up on opposite sides of the field. Sunflowers having the sun beat out of them. It was something out of the rising action of a thriller movie. You’d seen similar scenes in nearly half the Harry Potter movies; the only thing missing were wizards and wands and perhaps a giant dragon.

“You round up Maribelle!” Hyunjin yelled over the storm. His arms were spread wide as he squinted and squatted through the blinding rain, ushering the rest of the chickens and hens inside the barn. “I’ll get the horses next!”

Nodding you ran through sloshing mud puddles and drowning fields of grain towards the feeding pasture, where dear old Maribelle the could be found, often grazing on weeds or spreading out for an afternoon sunbath. The lone cow of SunnySkies pastures for fifteen years, and the first to join the farm. Instead you found her darting bug eyes around wildly, her knobby limbs quivering beneath a willow tree that provided little protection, the willows only adding to the streams of precipitation pouring over her stiff brown fur. She gave you a frantic moo and bobbed her head in relief to see you. 

“There, there,” you soothed, whipping the grass and water from her eyes. “Quickly now, let’s get you into the barn before this picks up anymore.”

She moo-ed again, lower this time, giving you an argueless agreement.

You sledged hard against the rising winds, the blades of greenery that cut surprisingly sharp like razor blades, leaving a small mark upon your cheek. You winced, annoyed at the slight sting, the small drops of crimson that came up against your fingertips only to be washed away just as quickly. It began to rain harder, faster, the wind practically howling in your ears. The faint sounds of a freight train or some sort of heavy machinery filled the distance.

“Let’s hurry, now,” you encouraged your steed, pulling her along beside you. She was reluctant to move, frightened by the spiraling commotion around her. It didn’t help when something snapped beneath your feet, a twig, maybe, or some glass. As if on cue the willow tree came crashing down with a thud. 

You braced yourself, sucking in a sharp breath; you needed to get inside; but Maribelle had other plans. Startled, she ran a wayward direction, disappearing in the fog that was beginning to settle over the pasture. “Mari--!” you began to call, taking two steps forward-- ‘til the cries of another all but took your breath away, making you forget about Maribelle, making you forget about everything.

You stood, jaw slacked, slit-eyed, watching Hyunjin blow away. He wiggled in the fierce storm breeze like a flag pitched on the roof. “Y/N!!!” He screamed, clinging to the roof’s edge for dear life. “Y/N, GET INSIDE!!! CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!!!”

“HYUNJIN!” You bleated back. “HYUNJIN, HANG ON!!! I’M COMING!!!”

“NO, IT’S TOO DANGEROUS, GO-- AHHH!” He shrieked and ducked his head beneath a flying branch. “...GO INSIDE!!! CALL THE PRESIDENT!!!”

“I’m not calling the President,” you huffed, fighting your way across sideways weather and flyaway hairs to latch yourself onto the barn ladder. Of all the times to crack jokes, only Hyunjin would choose a raging level eight storm. “Hang on I’m coming…!”

...Your voice trailed off as your head listed aside, something bouncing in the corner of your eye. There, rounding the side of the barnhouse, was Kkami, frolicking like a happy-go-lucky lamb to Hyunjin’s side.

“Arf! Rwarf!”

“KKAMI?!?”

Your blood went cold. If Hyunjin caught wind of Kkami, it was all over. “Kkami!” you hissed, or at least tried to over the roaring ninety-miles-per-hour winds. “Go back inside! Go! Shoo!”

“IS THAT MY BABY DOWN THERE?!?!”

Oi. “N-NO, IT ISN’T! JUST A BRANCH!!!”

Ushering Kkami with a branch at least beneath the safety of the barn roof, you hustled back to the side of the building. The rain made it slick and hard to hold onto, but you scaled the side of the barnhouse as fast as possible, avoiding loose vegetation and swatting at leaves and smaller branches and once a lemon wedge that the storm must have torn in two somehow, crawling up loose shingles and various askew obstacles and then...then…

This was the hardest part to remember, a part you wish you didn’t have to remember. Face wet, hair whipping in the tempest breeze, you reached for Hyun’s hand, kneeling, pleading, focusing thoughts on hot cocoa and warm lemon pie inside, an Aunt Em specialty. The reality you were so certain in. A reality that would never come.

“Gotcha...!”

Your hands met, fingers touched, smiles of relief shared. But it only lasted a moment before the rainstorm ripped him away, your cries drowning in the funnel that appeared in the sky...or at least that’s how you wished to remember it: in reality there was a soft, whimpering arf!, followed by your best friend’s gasp as he relinquished your grasp to adhere himself to the skies after Kkami, now paddling against the storm’s current, cries of “My baby!” and anguished “AAAAH”s lost on the wind. 

And you could only watch him go, just seeing him manage to latch onto his beloved pet of nine-odd years before disappearing from sight, sucked into the giant magnetizing center of it all you’d completely failed to notice, the last thing from his lips a cry to your name. It’d appeared out of nowhere, substantial and vigorous. Pulling into the station, the train had arrived, uprooting and tearing apart everything in its path. A giant, swirling cloud of gray and gravel and doom.

Oddly enough, in that paralyzing moment, something clicked in the back of your mind: a cursory afterthought at the eye of the storm. 

“Always remember, and never forget. You must forgive, and never forget.”

You stared into the eye harder.

“Come home, Y/n. Come home.”

“Y/N!!!” Aunt Em’s frantic voice screeched below. “Y/N, HYUNJIN!!! Y/N?!?”

You couldn’t look. Couldn’t move. Horror froze you to the barn, eyes locked on the exact spot you last saw Hyunjin disappear, the trance calling you deeper and deeper into a strange petrifying submission, until the tornado whorled to your doorstep and swept you away; the pasture, the barn, your home. Everything.

༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺ ༻✧༺ ༻✦༺

ღ S&M M.List | Stray Kids M.List | M.List ღ 

Smoke & Mirrors. Copyright © 2020 - 2021 poeticallyspaghetti.tumblr.com. Unauthorized use or reproduction of works is expressly prohibited. Do not repost, plagiarize, claim as your own, or translate my works. Thank you. <3

[carly-they-jepsen]

RWRB Timeline

I originally worked out the timeline for Sep. 27, 2020, and when people suggested I post it on tumblr, I said fuck it and did the whole book.

Go big or go home, right? 

I have spent the past 3 days working on this. It’s half summaries of the events of the days in order, and half “here’s a one sentence summary of the day”.

Whenever possible, I’ve detailed out when things happen by the hour, like the day at Wimbledon, or the email leak day, including guesstimations on flight times, and what time EST and BST Alex is taking off and landing. I often forgot to add vague things like “morning” in, so sorry about that.

I’ve bolded all the dates I’m sure of.

Bold and italics means an official date: emails, text threads, tweets, holidays, Georgetown, etc.

Two asterisks ** = official dates.

Just bold means a day I’m sure of, based off of official dates: Two weeks later, day one post lake house, “a tuesday”, etc.

One asterisk: * = something I’m sure of based on official dates.

I’ve also bolded days of the week I’m sure of, even if I’m not certain of the date.

I’ve left a few things vague. Like, October 2020 is a lot of “sometime between these days, this happened”. Feel free to pick a day in that range to your heart’s content.

If you don’t like the day I picked for little things like Bea walking in on face time, or coming out to June, feel free to change it.

I didn’t bold everything I’m certain on, as I technically don’t have textual evidence to back it up. (Things like the wedding day, Alex and Henry’s texts at in the beginning, some things during the campaign.)

I’m 100% willing to answer questions on why I chose certain days, and any other questions or comments you may have!

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

**Aug. 28, 2019 (Wed.) — Alex starts classes at Georgetown, Winter Semester 2019

Sep. 7-Sep. 8, 2019 (Sat.-Sun.) (p. 5-6) — Alex and June attend an event and listen to an hour and a half of speeches about carbon emissions. June is whisked away to a star studded gala. Alex shows up to the presidential suite with a bottle of champagne. Around 4 a.m. Alex leaves after fake hooking up with Nora.

Sep. 12, 2019 (Th.) (p. 3-8) — June and Alex go over the tabloids. Alex has been working on a research paper all week

Sep. 13, 2019 (Fri.) (p. 8-12) — The US crew flies to London. 

6 a.m. EST: Take off. 

5 p.m. BST: Land in London. (Wiggle the take off time to your heart’s content. Flight is around 6 hours give or take for Air Force 1, plus time to and from the airport, plus the time change. The flight time is “11 hours” with the time change if that helps you calculate the landing time in London.) They potentially have 1-2 appearances that evening.

Sep. 14, 2019 (Sat.) (p. 12-20) — The royal wedding. The US crew has 1-2 appearances before arriving at the ceremony. The ceremony happens. Reception happens at a Buckingham ballroom. The White House Trio chats, Henry dances with June. Alex finds Henry hovering by the champagne fountain and they argue. Alex trips over his own foot and crashes into the $75k wedding cake, pulling Henry down with him.

Sep. 16, 2019 (Mon.) (p. 21-27) — Alex gets chewed out over the Incident by Zahra and the President in a White House briefing room. He gets told he will be leaving Saturday to make nice with Henry in England.

Sometime between Mon. Sep. 16 and Fri. Sep. 20, 2019 (p. 27-32) —  Alex, Nora, and June meet in the Whitehouse and go over the HRH Prince Henry Fact Sheet. Alex bemoans the fact that he just finished his midterms.

Sep. 21, 2019 (Sat.) (p. 32-37) — Alex leaves in the early a.m. EST and arrives late afternoon/early evening in London. (11-12 hour difference in takeoff time to landing time. Note, this is just DC to Lon., not the other way round.). Meets Henry at the stable and a royal photographer takes pictures.

Sep. 22, 2019 (Sun.) (p. 37-53) — 12:00 a.m.: Alex is wide awake and goes into the kitchen for a snack. Henry stumbles in, and Alex posts a photo of them with their ice cream on Instagram.

9 a.m.: Interview with The Morning.

Afternoon meeting with cancer patients. Alex and Henry spend some time in the closet chatting after fireworks are mistaken for gunshots. Before his flight home, Alex puts his number in Henry’s phone. Likely lands around 7-8 p.m. EST.

Sep. 27, 2019 (Fri.) (p. 54-61) — Alex has a lecture on presidential sex scandals. Texts Nora about the probability of one of them having a sex scandal by the end of the second term and she replies with 94% and a link to a gifset of Henry and Alex at The Morning where someone has commented “omfg make out already”. Alex meets with Rafael Luna after his class.

Sometime between Sep. 27, 2019 (Fri.) and Oct. 6, 2019 (Sun.) (p. 61-68) — June, Alex, Leo, and Ellen have dinner together. June texts Alex to have dinner and he forgets to respond until 1.5 hours later when Ellen texts about family dinner. She offers them jobs in the campaign and June turns it down the next morning.

Oct. 9, 2019 (Wed.) (p. 68) — Henry texts Alex while Alex is in a policy lecture. His opening line is “this bloke looks like you” with a picture of the Ewok Chief Chirpa from Return of the Jedi.

Oct. 16, 2019 (Wed.) (p. 68-69) — Alex finally responds a week later after seeing a headline on the cover of People about Henry in Australia with a photo of him in a pair of minuscule navy swim trunks. “you have a lot of moles. is that a result of the inbreeding?

Oct. 18, 2019 (Fri.) (p. 69) — Henry texts Alex a screenshot of a Daily Mail tweet that says “Is Alex Claremont-Diaz going to be a father?” with the caption “But we were ever so careful, dear.” Henry texts Alex a screenshot of a Daily Mail tweet that says “Is Alex Claremont-Diaz going to be a father?” with the caption “But we were ever so careful, dear.” Alex gets ejected from Zahra’s weekly debriefing meeting with him and June.

Oct. 19-Oct. 28, 2019 (Sat.-Mon.) (p. 69-71) — Henry and Alex text regularly on a variety of topics including family, friends, beer, boats, and Hogwarts houses.

**Oct. 29, 2019 (Tue.) (p. 71-72) — Henry texts Alex about being in a meeting with Philip. Later that night Alex replies, asking what the meeting was about.

**Oct. 30, 2019 (Wed.) (p. 73) — 1:07 p.m. EST Henry and Alex text about Henry’s grey tie in his instagram post.

**Nov. 17, 2019 (Sun.) (p. 74) — 11:04 a.m. EST: Henry receives a box of Ellen Claremont campaign buttons with Alex’s face on them. Sniffer dogs were nearly called after the security theme thought it was a bomb. Alex and Henry text about it.

**Nov. 25, 2019 (Mon.) (p. 75-84) — Alex finds out that the turkeys his mom will be pardoning have been staying in the Willard Hotel on taxpayers dime. He convinces her to put them in his room.

10 p.m. EST/3 a.m. GMT: Alex regrets his decisions. He calls Henry to prove they’re as terrifying as Alex claims and they have a long conversation about the turkeys, Henry’s pets, and how Henry surprises Alex.

**Dec. 8, 2019 (Sun.) (p. 84) — 8:53 p.m. EST: Alex texts Henry about a Bond marathon happening on TV. He asks if Henry knows his dad was a total babe, which Henry replies with “I BEG YOU NOT”

*Dec. 20, 2019 (Fri.) (p. 84-85) — Ellen reads an article in the Post with the headline “Senator Oscar Diaz Returns to DC For Holidays With Ex-Wife President Claremont”. She continues to stress about decorations in the Lincoln Bedroom for Oscar.

*Dec. 21, 2019 (Sat.) (p. 85) — Oscar Diaz arrives at the White House. June nearly breaks a vase launching herself into his arms. Oscar and June disappear to the chocolate shop on the ground floor.

*Dec. 22, 2019 (Sun.) (p. 85-86) — Oscar and Alex bond over a cigar on the Truman Balcony.

*Dec. 23, 2019 (Mon.) (p. 87) — Alex catches Oscar in the kitchens with two of the cooks, laughing and dumping peppers into a pot.

*Dec. 21-23, 2019 (Sat.-Mon.) (p. 86-87) — Alex wishes it could be like this more often and misses having everyone under one roof.

**Dec. 24, 2019 (Tue.) (p. 87-95) — Christmas dinner is held on Christmas Eve so Zahra can still attend. Zahra wears a sensible red turtleneck. Alex wears a sweater covered in bright green tinsel. ‘O Christmas Tree” plays out of a speaker near his armpit when he presses a button on the inside of his sleeve. Dinner conversation moves to the election. Oscar and Ellen argue. Alex loses his temper and leaves.

9:30 p.m. EST/2:30 a.m. GMT: Alex changes into an old lacrosse shirt and calls Henry. Henry is wearing candy cane pjs. Alex tells Henry about the divorce and what happened at dinner and only realizes he’s been talking for an hour when henry says “It sounds like you did your best.) June knocks on the door and Alex hangs up after thanking Henry and wishing him a Merry Christmas.

10:30 p.m.: June and Alex talk about what happened after Alex left and then Alex tells her he was talking to Henry, not Nora.

**Dec. 26, 2019 (Th.) (p. 95-97) — Alex spends the day going over waivers for the “Legendary Balls Out Bananas White House Trio New Year’s Eve Party” aka “The Young America New Year’s Eve Gala” aka “The Millennial Correspondents Dinner”.

Dec. 27, 2019 (Fri.) (p. 96-97) — Alex discovers Henry is coming to the party and bringing Pez when he glances at the final guest list while the Trio are looking at confetti samples and eating cake samples.

**Dec. 31, 2019 (Tue.) (p. 97-103) — Pez posts a picture of him and Henry on a private jet headed to DC with the caption “USA bound! #YoungAmericaGala2019” Pez has dyed his hair pastel pink, and Henry is wearing a grey sweatshirt. Alex texts Henry that he will be wearing a burgundy suit and warns Henry to not attempt to outshine Alex, as he will fail and Alex will be embarrassed for him. Henry replies “Wouldn’t dream of it”. After that the Trio begins getting ready. Nora’s short curls are swept to the side with a matching silver pin to the geometric designs on the bodice of her black dress. June’s gown is midnight blue and perfectly compliments the navy-and-gold color palette they chose for the party.

8 p.m.: Guests begin to arrive. The first wave includes some White House interns, and the daughter of a first time Senator and her girlfriend. The second wave is the politically strategic invites chosen by the press team, and finally the fashionably late, including Minor to mid-range popstars and the children of major celebrities.

Pez and Henry show up. Pez is in a colorful floral print shiny silk bomber jacket. Henry is wearing a simple dark blue suit with a bright coppery-mustard tie in a narrow cut. Alex realizes this is the first time they’ve seen each other in person since their weekend in London and feels like he’s meeting a new person.

There's dancing and mingling, and June makes a speech about the immigration fund they’re supporting with their donations. June and Henry talk at the bar.

The live band breaks and the DJ takes over. Alex finds out Henry hasn’t ever dry humped to “Get Low”. There’s more dancing and crowd pleasers until midnight.

11:59 p.m.: They huddle together for the countdown.

**Jan. 1, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 103-108) — 12:00 a.m. Nora kisses Alex

Alex loses track of things. Alex goes looking for Henry. He eventually finds him under a tree. They talk. Henry is vague and Alex is dummy thicc. Henry calls Alex thick and kisses him. Henry pulls away and disappears from the party.

*Jan. 1-Jan. 4, 2020 (Th.-Sat.) (p. 109) — Alex tries listening in on his mom’s meeting as a distraction but can’t pay attention. Zahra bans him from the West Wing.

*Jan. 5-Jan 7, 2020 (Sun.-Tue.) (p. 109) — Alex studies bills going through Congress and considers making the rounds at the Senate or starting a rumor with Nora, but he has no enthusiasm.

**Jan. 8, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 109) — Alex begins his final semester at Georgetown.

*Jan. 9-Jan. 14, 2020 (Th.-Tue.) (p. 109) — Alex throws himself into classwork, meets with the social secretary to plan his graduation dinner. Henry doesn’t answer his texts.

*Jan. 15, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 110-114) — June is fed up with Alex’s pacing and takes him out for a run. Alex does some introspection. Alex tells his mom he wants to start his campaign job now, instead of waiting until he graduates.

*Jan. 20, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 115) — Alex starts his new job at the campaign offices.

*Jan. 20-Jan. 25, 2020 (Mon.-Fri.) (p. 115-116) — Alex puts 23 hours into his new job and Definitely Does Not Think About Henry.

*Sometime between Jan. 25 and Jan 29, 2020 (Fri.-Wed.) (p. 116-122) — Alex comes out to Nora and tells her about Henry.

*Jan. 30, 2020 (Th.) (p. 122-127) — Alex rushes from work to his lecture and review and returns to the White House in a bad mood. June has the week’s tabloids. Alex freaks out at the idea that Henry is going on a date with a girl. Alex finally realizes he’s not straight. Alex calls Liam.

*Jan. 31, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 128-146)  — The state dinner. There's a hot makeout session and Alexander Hamilton watches.

10:48 p.m.: Alex paces around his room.

10:54 p.m. Henry arrives at Alex’s rooms

*Feb. 1, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 122) — Alex has a campaign event in Nebraska

Feb. 13, 2020 (Th.) (p. 146-147) — Henry informs Alex of a charity polo match in Greenwich, Connecticut. That evening, June asks why he’s bailing on the fund-raiser he’s meant to be at

**Feb. 15, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 147-152) — The polo match. Alex spends 4.5 hours driving up, stays for 3 hours, and then drives 4.5 hours back.

**March 3, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 152) — 7:32 p.m. EST: Alex sends Henry an email asking if he will be in Paris for a fundraiser that weekend.

**March 4, 2020, (Wed.) (p. 152-156) — 2:14 a.m.-2:43 a.m.: Henry replies, and eventually concedes after a brief back and forth.

*March 7-8, 2020 (Sat.-Sun.) (p. 157-158) — Henry and Alex have a clandestine hookup in Paris and spend the night together.

*March 8, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 158) — Zahra texts Alex a screenshot of a buzzfeed article about him and Henry.

*March 9-March 27, 2020 (Mon.-Fri.) (p. 158-159) — Alex and Henry continue to text.

Sometime between March 23 and 26, 2020 (Mon.-Th.) (p. 159) — Alex tells Henry about a voter drive he will be attending in NYC at the end of March and Henry re-schedules his visit to NYC for that weekend.

*March 27, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 159) — Alex and Henry celebrate their birthdays with champagne and a buttercream cupcake.

April 1, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 159) — Alex convinces Henry to download Snapchat.

April 4, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 159) — Henry sends a snap of him on a sailboat.

April 5, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 182) — Bea walks in on an after-dark FaceTime session.

April 9, 2020 (Th.) (p. 160) — Henry is right that Remus John Lupin is gay as the day is long and won’t hear a word against it.

April 10, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 161) — June notices the photo of the man with AIDS protesting pinned over Alex’s desk

*April 11, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 162) — Henry and Alex meet at a gala in Berlin. Alex ties Henry’s wrists to the bedpost.

*April 13, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 162-163) — Zahra notices the hickeys on Alex’s neck at the weekly briefing.

*April 25, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 163-173) — Someone paints “Powder Princess” on the side of Bea’s car. Late afternoon EST: Henry and Alex have a phone call largely centered around family.

April 30, 2020 (Th.) (p. 173-182) — 9:44 p.m.: Alex redraws districts in Texas and misses dinner with June. After getting back to the Residence, June reveals she’s known about Alex and Henry the whole time.

*May 2, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 183-185) — 4 a.m. EST/9 a.m. BST: Alex FaceTimes Henry and Pez at Llwynywermod.

**May 1-9, 2020 (Fri.-Sat.) (p. 185) — Georgetown finals week

**May 15, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 186-189) — Alex graduates summa cum laude from Georgetown. Jacinto drops out, making Richards the official Republican nominee. Alex eavesdrops on a conversation between Rafael Luna and Oscar Diaz.

Sometime between May 16 and May 22, 2020 (Sat.-Fri.) (p. 189) — Henry invites the Trio to a fund-raiser in LA the next weekend.

*May 30, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 189-200) — Alex gets lunch with his dad, who changes the subject every time Alex brings up the conversation with Luba. Alex attends the fund-raiser in LA followed by partying. Henry and Alex fuck.

*May 31, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 200-201) — 7:00 a.m.: Alex and Henry wake up. June, Nora, and Pez are heavily implied to have had a threesome. Alex realizes he has friends now.

**June 8, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 202-206) — 3:23 p.m.-7:21 p.m. EST:  Henry and Alex exchange emails.

**June 13, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 207) — Alex misses his first DC pride while in Nevada. He “talks to his minibar about it”

*June 20, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 207) — Houston rally at Minute Maid Park.

*June 22, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 207-210) — Alex argues with WASPy Hunter about Texas. Alex looks up LSAT testing centers in DC.

*June 23, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 210-213) — Alex texts the groupchat “3 Geniuses and Alex” with Nora, Bea, and Henry asking where his speech for Milwaukee is.

Sometime between June 24 and July 3, 2020 (Wed.-Fri.) (p. 213) — Alex receives an invitation to Wimbledon

*July 5, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 213) — 10:20 p.m. EST: Alex takes off from DC for London.

**July 6, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 213-221) — Alex spends his one day off from the campaign at Wimbledon with Henry.

10:35 a.m. BST: Alex lands in London.

11:30 a.m.: Alex makes it through customs and Henry and Shaan pick him up at the airport.

12:30 p.m.: Arrival at Wimbledon

1:00 p.m.: The first game at Central Court begins

4:00 p.m.: Philip and Martha show up. Philip is an idiot that says “Morning”. Bea, like a smart person, says “Afternoon”. Henry and Philip argue, and Henry runs off.

4:10 p.m.: Alex finds Henry in the clubhouse

4:12 p.m.: Henry “shows Alex round the clubhouse”. Alex and Henry cum for the first time

After that they go to Kensington. Henry plays the piano for a while. They make out for what could be hours. They move to Henry’s room where Henry, at least, cums for the second time that day. Alex spends almost an hour making Henry cum for a third time. After that, Henry asks Alex to fuck him again, where Henry cums for the fourth time that day, and Alex cums for at least the second time, possibly a third time.

Alex takes hours to sleep.

*July 7, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 221-222) — 9:00 a.m. BST: Alex flies home to DC and lands around 9:10 a.m. EST for DNC prep.

The Richards campaign leaks they’ve tapped an independant.

*July 9, 2020 (Th.) (p. 222) — Claremont campaign releases the official platform.

*July 11, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 221-222) — Richards holds a rally at Vanderbilt University. 

**July 14, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 223-224) — The gang flies to NYC on the evening of the second day of the DNC.

9:00 p.m.: The Richards campaign announces that the Independent senator joining Richards’s cabinet is Rafael Luna.

9:15 p.m.: Air Force One lands and the White House crew goes into crisis management meetings. Alex texts Luna “What the fuck”

11:00 p.m.: Luna responds “I don’t expect you to understand”.

*July 15, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 224-234) — 12:00 a.m.: Alex and June leave meetings and get harassed by a Post reporter. June goes to bed, and Alex goes to the bar where he meets Henry. They retire to Alex’s room.

6:45 a.m.: Zahra wakes Alex (and Henry) up, and discovers their relationship.

July 20, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 235-239) — 1:00 p.m.: Alex comes out to his mother.

2:00 p.m. — Ellen gives a PowerPoint presentation, then makes Alex do paperwork and kicks him off the campaign.

**Aug. 10, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 239-247) 1:04 a.m.-8:22 p.m. EST — Henry and Alex exchange emails about the complex nature of their relationship, and Alex extends an invite to the lake house.

*Aug. 22, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 247-257) — Day one of the lake house. The Trio arrive earlier, possibly on Friday. Early morning: They gas up the car before taking it to the hangar to pick up Henry in Austin. 1.5 hours — The drive to the lake. They arrive, Oscar welcomes everyone. Alex barbecues ribs. They spend the evening after dinner singing and playing guitar. Alex and Henry sleep in separate bunks

*Aug. 23, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 257-264) — Day two of the lake house. Alex makes breakfast. In the afternoon, Henry talks to Oscar about boats and outboard motors. They swim. That night, Henry and Alex go skinny dipping

*Aug. 24, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 264-265) — Alex wakes up to find that Henry has left.

*Aug. 25, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 266, 267) —  Alex sends five texts to Henry. He also paces on the roof of the residence and wrecks his heels.

*Aug. 26, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 266) — Alex sends two texts to Henry.

*Aug. 27, 2020 (Thu.) (p. 266) — Alex sends no texts to Henry.

*Aug. 28, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 266) — Alex trains himself to check his phone after two hours instead of one.

Sometime between Aug. 25-28 (Tue.-Fri.) (p. 267) — Alex’s Claremont for America mug is smashed in the sink. 2.5 different dreams of Henry’s hair. An email is drafted and deleted.

*Aug. 29, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 267) — Luna makes his fifth campaign stop for Richards. Alex breaks his phone screen and it is replaced by the end of the day.

*Aug. 31, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 267-276) —  Alex finds the note Henry left in the pocket of his kimono and smashes his phone.

5:45 a.m. EST/10 a.m. BST: Alex buys first class nonstop tickets for him and Cash and sends Cash a text.

7:45 a.m./12:45 p.m.: Alex and Cash’s flight begins boarding

8:00 a.m./1:00 p.m.: Alex and Cash’s flight leaves Dulles for London. Alex calls Zahra on the runways and asks her to call them a car in London

3:15 p.m./8:15 p.m.: The plane lands and they leave for Kensington

4:00 p.m./9:00 p.m.: They arrive in Kensington.

*Sep. 1, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 276-284) — Henry goes for a run. Philip eats plain toast. They have a conversation in the kitchen. Alex wakes up alone. Henry brings Alex coffee. They spend the day together.

**Sep. 2, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 284-293) — 2:00 a.m.: Henry and Alex sneak out and explore the V&A.

5:00 a.m. EST/10:00 a.m. BST: Alex and Cash’s plane departs from Heathrow to Dulles.

3:00 p.m. EST/8:00 p.m. BST: Alex arrives back home.

5:12 p.m. EST: Alex emails Henry to say he arrived back home

**Sep. 3, 2020 (Th.) (p. 294-297) — 2:49 a.m. EST: Henry replies, mentions he’s considering coming out to Philip and he may have to enlist.

6:20 a.m. EST: Alex responds, worried that Henry might have to enlist. He is supportive of Henry coming out.

**Sep. 4, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 297-304) — 7:58 p.m. EST: Henry says he came out to Philip and talks about putting memories into rooms.

8:31 p.m. EST: Alex responds and sends Henry an incomplete list.

Sep. 14, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 305-310) — Zahra shows up with a diamond ring at the breakfast weekly brief. Footage of Henry and Alex at the DNC is leaked. June posts a photo of her and Henry on instagram and it spreads within hours. 

Alex takes Nora on a fake date as Henry flies to DC. Henry lands in the middle of the night.

Sep. 15, 2020 (Tue.) (310-313) — June lets Alex into her SUV in the morning on the way to her fake date with Henry. After an hour at the cafe, Henry and Alex meet in the SUV and kiss. They don’t notice when someone takes pictures

*Sep. 24, 2020 (Th.) (p. 314-318) — Alex meets with Luna and comes out to him. He returns to the residence, attempts to call Henry, and then gets drunk.

**Sep. 25, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 319-321) — 3:21 a.m. EST/8:21 a.m. BST: Alex sends a drunk email.

6:07 a.m./11:07 a.m.: Henry replies.

**Sep. 27, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 321-344) — Email Leak Day 

3 a.m. EST/8 a.m. BST: News breaks.

3:23 a.m./8:23 a.m. Zahra wakes Alex up and puts him on communications lockdown. Alex meets with his mom.

6:00 a.m./11:00 a.m.: Philip arrives at Kensington

8:00 a.m./3:00 p.m.: Alex gets out of meetings, starts napping

1:00 p.m./6:00 p.m.: Zahra tells Alex to pack a bag

7:00 p.m./12:00: They arrive at Kensington

11:00 p.m./4:00 a.m.: Alex finally climbs into bed next to Henry.

*Sep. 28, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 344-358) — Philip shows up at Kensington, hair uncombed and suit askew. Philip yells at them in the kitchen about breaking the communication embargo. Henry leaves, and Alex follows and leaves Philip red in the kitchen.

6:00 a.m./11:00 a.m.: They meet with the queen.

Alex takes a photo of a mural and posts it on Twitter on his way to the airplane

**Sep. 29, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 358-367) —  9:15 p.m. Jezebel tweets about DC Dykes on Bikes chasing Westboro Baptist protesters down Pennsylvania Ave.

Alex gets back to DC. Nora comes busting in with proof.

*Sep. 30, 2020 (Wed.) (p. 367-370) — The White House leaks proof of the Richarads campaign stalking, surveilling, hacking, and outing Alex. Rafael Luna announces on twitter he has left the campaign. The podcast Bills, Bills, Bills, records an episode about it.

**Oct. 2, 2020 (Fri.) (p. 370-383) — In the morning, Alex gives his speech, which June wrote. Henry is there to support him. They make out for like 45-55 minutes before the speech. Jeffrey Richards goes on CNN. Alex sees Luna in his office. Luna tells Alex about his past with Richards.

*Oct. 3, 2020 (Sat.) (p. 375) —  A crowd at the Mall. Cash, Amy, and Amy’s wife are there.

*Oct. 4, 2020 (Sun.) (p. 383-385, 409) — 7:32 a.m.: The boys wake up. 

9:30 a.m.: Henry leaves back to England.

Alex goes back to the campaign trail. Liam calls.

*Oct. 4-10, 2020 (Sun.-Sat.) (p. 389) — The crown makes decisions about what to do about the emails: re Bea's addiction reveal, and Henry enlisting.

Sometime between Oct. 11-17, 2020 (Sun.-Sat.) (p. 391) — Philip has a falling out with the queen and apologizes to Henry and Bea.

Sometime between Oct. 25-31, 2020 (Sun.-Sat.) (p. 386-392) — The photoshoot in Hyde park.

*Nov. 2, 2020 (Mon.) (p. 393-399) — Day before election day. Alex struggles to pick a tie. June gets a book deal. The Trio falls asleep in the bed together.

**Nov. 3, 2020 (Tue.) (p. 400-418) —  Election day

Alex votes.

6:00 p.m.: The Trio arrives at the election night event.

6:37 p.m. Henry texts Alex about plane troubles.

7:32 p.m.: Oliver Westbrook from Bills, Bills, Bills tweets about GOPers backing Richards even after everything that’s happened.

8:04 p.m.: 538 politics tweets that they’re confused about Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin being too close to call.

9:15 p.m.: NYT tweets that Claremont is at 178 and Richards is at 113

9:30 p.m.: Ellen worries about losing and asks June to write a concession speech. June refuses. Alex makes a speech. Henry finally arrives.

10:30 p.m.: Richards takes Iowa, Utah, and Montana. Claremont gets California’s 55 electoral votes.

12:00 a.m.: Claremont has the lead. Alex runs into Liam. Florida and Nevada go red.

12:30 a.m.: Texas goes blue.

1:00 a.m.: Alex unlocks the door with the key around his neck.