#the ornament was nice too but this yarn...

[mcromwell]

Now I am become cat, liker of packaging more than the gift it contains

[presidenthades]

I just finished a big revision of Compromise Chapter 10, which means I should only need to do a round or two of proofreading before posting. 🥳

To celebrate (and to thank my readers and followers for their patience), here is a wonderful portrait of the Velargirls by Liesl / @shripscapi 🥰

Liesl was great to work with! She aced all the little details that I asked for:

Velargirls’ eye color, especially Jace’s Tyroshi / Tyrian purple.

Jewelry! All the jewelry! Sunfyre pendant, dragonglass tension ring, rubies like blood drops in Joff’s hair.🩸

Joff’s creepy AF book cover.

Sapphire blue yarn!

Luce’s gloriously curly and perpetually untidy hair. And her silver hair net!

All the pretty ornamentation on Jace’s gown. It’s easier to see on the individual portrait version I have for each of the girls, but her sleeves are soooo luxurious and lacy.

I also think you can feel each girl’s personality coming through the portrait. Jace is taking it the most seriously with her classic pose and “just a little smile but not too much of a smile” expression.

Luce is having fun but probably arguing with the painter, “What do you mean I can’t show teeth? Also I am going to lean on this table, because it gets tiring standing in this pose.”

And then there’s Joff, who doesn’t want to be here. But Rhaenys and Rhaenyra really want a nice portrait of all the girls, so she’ll put up with the ordeal.

10000/10 would recommend working with Liesl. Definitely check out her other ASOIAF art!

[lilacsbeeswax]

hiiiiiii could you write a lorenzo berkshire x reader where it’s best friends to lovers where they confess ask each other on a date and it’s really cute and super fluffy?

Mistletoe

Pairing: Lorenzo Berkshire x gn!reader

Fluff

Warnings: Semi-Suggestive Joke, Metaling Friends, Mild Swearing, and A Kiss

Notes: I’m sorry if this isn’t exactly what you asked for! I started writing it and I could stop once I started, but I’d say it’s still around your request. If you’d like me to right a new one send me it in my inbox or DM me, thank you 💕💕

MASTERLIST

——-

For me, weekends at Hogwarts were always filled with either studying and fun with friends. Every Friday night since 2nd year Pansy, Lorenzo, Draco, Blaise, Mattheo, and Theodore would meet in someone’s dorm (more commonly one of the boys’) and hangout. Sometimes people would drop to go on dates or study for big tests, but it was usually the majority of us.

This particular night in December, Pansy and Blaise dropped for some big test in some class I’m convinced no one else took and Draco was… now that I think about it I have no idea. Lorenzo and I had taken it upon ourselves to get Christmas decorations to brighten up the dorm he, Mattheo, and Theo shared. With some light complaining from the other boys, we quickly got into decorating.

“Okay, so we got the tree up,” Theo began, gesturing toward the sad little evergreen in the corner, “Now I say Mattheo and I finish putting the ornaments on while you,” he pointed at me, “and Enzo put up the green stuff.”

“For a guy who was complaining so much you’re really getting into this decorating gig,” I commented.

“Also, why the fuck did you just call garland green stuff?” Mattheo asked incredulously, giving all of us a laugh.

“Because I stole a little something to go with the garland, but you guys will have to figure that one out on your own,” he sent a wink toward Enzo and I.

“Okay…?” I responded confusedly, opening the box full of garland, or ‘green stuff’.

“So, do you want to put the garland around the window and door frames?” Enzo suggested, blocking out the noise of Mattheo and Theo loudly laughing and decorating.

I smiled and said, “That sounds great, you want to start with the door?”

After much struggle we finally finished the door frame and were incredibly pleased with our handy work.

We stood back and admired the green pine garland. “Nice work Mr. Berkshire!” I exclaimed hold my hand up for a high five.

He immediately reciprocated the gesture and replied, “I couldn’t have done it without my lovely partner in decoration.”

“Do just want to keep decorating the door and then move on to the window?” I asked. “I think I saw some…” I paused realizing the implication of Theo’s earlier comments. “Mistletoe in the box.”

I glanced over at Theodore and Mattheo, who both wore massive grins. Mattheo stretched and said, “And that’s my cue to get out of here.”

“Wait, why are you leaving?” Enzo asked his brow furrowed.

“I’m gonna head out too,” Theo smirked. “You crazy kids be careful.”

“What?!” I questioned, “Where are you guys going? This is your dorm!”

“Don’t do anything I would do!” Mattheo yelled from behind him as he and Theo practically ran down the hallway.

Slightly stiff in confusion I shut the door and turned around. I asked, “What the fuck just happened? And what does that even mean?”

“What now?” Enzo said just standing there in shock.

“I guess we keep decorating.”

And we did, we finished the door and put up the garland around the window. And just as we were finishing up, Enzo said, “Wait, we forgot something.” He jumped off the ledge of the tall window and onto the floor picking up the mistletoe. He dangled the herb from his fingers and shook it with a smile, quickly jumping back up onto the window sill. “I thought this would be the perfect place for it.”

He reached up and placed the yarn loop onto a hook made for a plant then looked back down at me. My cheek heated up as I realize the implication of us standing under the mistletoe. I breathed out, “Hi.”

“Hi.” He smiled. “I suppose per tradition, we should kiss… that is if you’d want to.”

“I would like that… a lot.” My heart hammered in my chest as we slowly got closer and closer together, silently daring each other to close the gap.

“Would go like to go on a date with me sometime?” Enzo asked his voice wavering slightly. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“Yes!” I said, finally closing the gap between us, while simultaneously opening a brand new door to our friendship, a romance.

——-

MASTERLIST

[nyukyusnz]

after christmas with nct dream! <3

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

mark lee - singing your last christmas songs together

during christmas and even before so, you and mark were always singing christmas themed songs during december cause it was the holidays! how could you not? at the end of christmas day, you two listened to your christmas playlist for the last time. "we have to do this again next year." he laughed, it was very joyful, you couldn't lie. "definitely will." you smiled back, you planned on it for next year and every time year after that.

huang renjun - taking down decorations

one of the saddening parts of the end of christmas would be taking down the decorations :(( the pretty ornaments coming down off the tree along with the tree itself is so depressing <//3. "i cant reach the star." "youre too short for this stay at the bottom of the tree, elf." renjun mocked you, it wasn't your fault the tree was like 8 feet tall and he picked it out?! you still couldnt reach with the help of a ladder but that's okay cause youll make renjun do it <3 same as for the hanging lights and paper decorations. you think youll stick to the lower levels when it comes to this.

lee jeno - putting away christmas clothes

we all know about matching ugly sweaters and so and so, so you offered to do that with the rest of the dreamies and they were all glad to! but after christmas day, you and jeno spent time together washing the sweaters from the messes you'd made throughout the day and neatly putting them away. "give me that hanger." he asked as you handed it to him, making sure all the other sweaters were dry. "this one's still damp..." you felt across the sleeves of the woven yarn, noticing it hadn't fully dried. "it's fine it'll air dry." jeno said, taking the sweater from you and hanging it with the others.

lee donghyuck - building a specific christmas snow man

it was dark out, and you were walking home with haechan from a christmas party. the snow was so pretty under the street lights, you stopped for a moment and kneeled down to draw a heart in the snow just in front of your house before speaking up, "hyuck, can we make another snowman for christmas?" you slipped off your scarf ready to tug it around the head as haechan had already started at the lower body immediately after you said so. he huffed as he set the head on top of the other two parts of the body and you finally settled your scarf around it. you grabbed spare christmas lights you saved for this and set the stones on its face alone with a top hat. "amazing." haechan smiled as you two posed for a photo with it.

na jaemin - eating the rest of the christmas cookies

"why did you make him dead?" jaemin questioned having finally recognized the x's you'd drawn as the eyes of one of the snowmen with it's tongue hanging out. "because we're gonna eat him regardless, i put him out of his misery the moment he was born." you stated. he chuckled, mumbling something before sliding the head of the cookie into his mouth "see? and you killed MY cookie." "he was already dead!"

zhong chenle - cleaning gift paper and trash

after you'd made a complete mess and not realized it, you offered to clean with chenle. "at least the gifts were nice." you said with a handful of balled up wrapping paper from opening gifts. you half sighed and laughed, a little disappointed in the mess but you enjoyed cleaning at the same time. "we might as well clean the whole living room, huh?" you wished it wouldn't be as logical but it made sense... you and the boys basically turned it into a junkyard. you were all still little kids when it came to christmas.

park jisung - breaking and eating a gingerbread house

you and jisung stared at your creation that was honestly.... half failed. one side of the roof on the verge of slipping down but was held in place by the dry icing. you picked off one of the candies and popped it into your mouth, handing jisung a candy. "this house is such a disaster i don't even know if i wanna eat it." he hesitated. "just because it looks bad doesn't mean it tastes bad." you said, shoving m&m's into your mouth and taking off the roof that was already partially off. jisung sighed, tasting a part of the gingerbread. "its okay i guess."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

kyas note: sorry if the lengths are unfair i wanted to make them make sense🙏🏼🙏🏼 this is also for funsies like all of my writing but i do hope you have fun reading <3

[punsmaster69]

1/DEC/20XX

waiting until i put my (paint-covered) ornament on the tree, tori put her (properly painted) ornament right next to mine.

when i moved mine, the second i looked away, hers had moved with it.

"...it's like the beds."

"what's the logic now?"

tori looked at the ornaments, side-by-side. quietly, she tapped mine, making the two clink together.

"There is no reason."

"I just think they would be nice together."

"i think you just wanna overshadow the artistry that is mine."

"My intentions were pure. How could I ever even dream of such a thing. Mine does not even compare to your 𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺-"

a twirling flourish with her hand- "Dipped and rolled around in blue paint 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦."

tapping her outstretched hand like a high-five, i played in.

"it's a tough thing, being just so talented."

"When all is said and done, why, I say we even submit it to a museu-"

a

𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘬

against the glass snapped our attention to the right.

a skeleton (clad in a fuzzy red christmas sweater,) wrapped with string lights dangling outside in front of the window.

the ladder he was using, following his action like a cartoon, toppled over shortly after.

undyne tried to pull him down, with a little too much force. she accidentally brought 𝗮𝗹𝗹 the lights, skeleton and everything, down with her.

wide-eyed, alphys dropped a few cords in defeat.

the door opened about three minutes later.

papyrus, who looked like a light-up ball of yarn, wriggled around in his accidental captivity.

lifting him by a singular side of the cord, undyne set him on the floor in front of us.

"JUST- GIVE ME A MINUTE TO-"

"He's stuck."

"AM NOT!"

"I AM SIMPLY FINDING THESE LIGHTS TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE TRAP THAN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR!"

"IT'S.. RESEARCH."

"ok."

"would you like to be 𝘶𝘯-researched?"

after a bit more struggling, papyrus sighed defeatedly.

"...YES PLEASE."

——

everyone painted ornaments this morning, and it's very apparent whose is whose.

mine, sloppily dipped into matte blue paint.

tori's, a shiny purple and silver patterned one.

papyrus', flashy and red, with multicolored stars on it.

frisk's, an intricately painted ornament of snowdin - the old one.

flowey's...not sure. green and rainbow-ey, definitely.

undyne's, painted with spears and various weapons. half a yellow heart is painted on one side.

matching that, alphys' has half a blue heart painted on, so they line up when next to each other.

painted elsewhere on her ornament is some ice-related character i don't recognize.

mettaton's, sparkly pink glitter, stickers of his face.

napstablook, who mtt managed to drag along to (try to) paint with us, had mettaton paint music notes in a specific arrangement. said it's their favorite holiday song.

——

𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘱.

"here."

with a candy cane half in hand, i tapped tori's shoulder.

"oh."

but she already had one in her mouth.

"welp."

"Ha! Apologies."

she giggled.

"You should have expected this, however."

"yeah, probably. thought that counts, and whatnot."

"here, kiddo."

frisk caught the other half, stuffed it in their face, gave me a thumbs up, and immediately resumed their project.

undyne, papyrus, and alphys are on outside decor duty.

me n' tori are decorating the tree.

and the others are...

"what're you up to over there, anyway?"

flashing a glittery paper tree garland, frisk looked quite proud of themselves.

mettaton held up one as well.

napstablook seemed happy with it.

flowey was too concentrated to pay any attention to me.

frisk took it from him

(to slight anger that was quickly dismissed with a candy cane)

and lifted it to show me.

he's created one of those gingerbread-garland things, but each one's been made to look like one of us.

one of them's a short, slightly round figure who looks like he might be wearing a jacket.

that figure had a cut made partially to the neck portion, but was spared.

"cool."

——

"READY, FLOWERY?"

papyrus lifted flowey up to the top of the tree.

he gripped the tree's star in one of his leaves.

unceremoniously, he jammed the star on the tree slightly off-kilter.

with that, we were officially done decorating.

"COCOA TIME?"

"cocoa time."

——

with the comforting warmth of dinner and hot chocolate, pretty much everyone's conked out.

some holiday movie plays on the tv, but i'm not really taking it in.

'pretty much' everyone, but i'm really the only one still awake at this point.

papyrus has his knees up on the couch, flat to the cushions otherwise. frisk lays curled up in a ball on the tall skeleton, flowey in their arms.

undyne's not even on the couch anymore, nearly completely starfish-posed on the floor; other than the one hand that's on the couch still, to meet alphys'.

mettaton's gone box-form, resting to the side of the couch.

napstablook's on their back, laying on the floor near mtt.

tori's-

"You have been writing for so long, Sans."

"Will you not get comfortable instead?"

with a fuzzy hand, she's pulled my skull against her an-

[The handwriting switches back and forth.]

Removed this from his grasp.

Rest, my dear bonehead.

ok.

You do not have to write that.

ok.

Enough, silly.

Simply closing the journal will do.

ok.

stop writing in it and i'll close it.

You first.

ladies first.

That does not apply here.

does too.

𝘚𝘩𝘩𝘩𝘩, my dear.

𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙩.

[punkpoemprose]

Homemade Holiday- A Kristanna Oneshot

Universe: Canonverse, Post F2

Rating: G (General/ All Ages)

Length: 1711 Words

Summary: Anna and Kristoff prepare tree decorations together.

A/N: Kristanna Advent Day 11, going to try to catch up tomorrow, pray for me. This fic is just cozy and sleepy. Highly recommend making your own ornaments this year with someone you love, even if that’s a four legged friend, it’s a great holiday tradition and a wonderful way to break through the winter gloom. If you search “scandanavian straw ornaments” and victorian card ornaments you can get an idea of what Kristoff and Anna are making. I have several straw stars on my tree and adore them.

All Arendelle was decorated to the nines with wreaths, trees, stockings, bows, and garland. Anna had coordinated with the local merchants’ guilds to make everything just so, and then Elsa had kindly visited from the forest to add a nice dusting of snow over the sidewalks and on the rooftops. She’d not created drifts or enough snow and ice to make travel difficult, she’d just managed to make things look a bit festive when mother nature had decided to be uncooperative.

Inside the castle, however, was a bit different than in the streets. It was heavily decorated too, the fancy royal heirlooms were in the same places her parents had always had them set, but in the royal wing, the private places no yuletide guest would reach, there was a very different air to the decorations.

“Ouch!”

Anna gave Kristoff a sheepish look, trying to express her appreciation for his work and encourage him to continue even though this was at least the third ouch she’d heard in the last hour.

“No one ever told me that stringing popcorn was such a dangerous tradition,” he said as he shook out his hand, willing the pain away from where he’d accidentally stabbed himself.

“Would you believe children do it?” Anna asked.

She’d offered to be the one who strung it, but Kristoff had vetoed that. He’d been kind enough not to mention how poor Anna was with a needle and thread, and instead had only teased her about how he was certain that she’d just eat all the popcorn as soon as he stopped watching her closely enough.

Instead of working on the garland, she’d set to the task of making ornaments. Before her, sitting on the library floor, were a variety of supplies and tools. She had scissors and paste, last year’s greeting cards and post cards (of which there were a great many), a small stack of papers in various colors and sizes, scraps of material and ribbons from her old gowns and the seamstress’s stash, buttons and glass beads, yarn and a variety of natural materials which Kristoff had gathered for her.

She’d been the one to insist on a homemade Christmas, and she’d been thrilled when Kristoff, who could not deny her any reasonable request, happily agreed. She had the sense, at first, that he had more experience with a homemade holiday than she did, and while she still suspected as such, he was as green as she was in many aspects of putting on a holiday without staff. She supposed that it was good that they were learning together, especially now when it was just the two of them and Elsa to worry about.

Kristoff grumbled something about mortal wounds and bad parenting but was clearly doing so just to see her laugh given the mischievous look on his face. When she couldn’t help but laugh, his smile was instant.

She finished cutting out a very pleased looking mouse wearing a Santa hat and showed the little paper creature to Kristoff.

“Do you think I should hang him as is, or should I paste a little beard on him?”

Kristoff looked up from his work and took stock of the little grey mouse.

“I like him the way he is, but if you wanted to add a beard I don’t think that would make him any less of an excellent ornament.”

Anna appreciated his answer, even if it was just leaving it up to her. He did have his job to do and she had hers after all, but that he took time to look, and had done so several times in the last couple of hours, brought Anna immense joy.

“I think I’ll let him be as he is then. There’s a few more mouse cards in here, and a couple with skiing foxes, and one with a bear juggling oranges. I think they’d all go well with the trees I’ve already made.”

Kristoff had set back to stringing the popcorn, his work slow and methodical now with his wounding in recent memory. His expression was thoughtful when she looked at him, his eyes narrowed slightly and his brow quirked.

“A woodland theme then?”

He sounded pleased with this turn of events. He busied himself with stringing a few pieces of popcorn more before slyly popping one into his mouth. She didn’t even have time to complain before he was learning over towards her and popping two pieces into her mouth, knowing with such certainty that she’d open her jaw to receive it that he didn’t even watch to see if he’d properly delivered it onto her tongue.

Anna loved it when they were on the same page. They disagreed very rarely about matters that concerned them both, and when they did have different opinions on a matter, they were usually able to find common ground and a compromise before long.

She crunched the lightly salted pieces and immediately craved more. He was, of course, right to have been the one stringing the popcorn.

“Are you still going to teach me how to make the straw stars?” she asked, feeling only a little bit anxious about the question. He’d offered to teach her when they’d met in the stable that afternoon, after their ride together through the village to check on the holiday preparations.

At the mention of the straw ornaments, his expression went a little soft and he set down the popcorn garland, leaving his spot on the library settee to join her on the floor. He took a little wooden spool of red thread with him when he went, as well as an embroidery needle.

He sat at her back, propping her up slightly on his chest and allowing her to get comfortable with relative ease. He’d collected the straw for her after lunch, and before the sky darkened for the evening, he’d ridden to the edge of the forest with Sven to retrieve pine bows, twigs, bird’s feathers and more small pieces of nature for her to add to her ornaments. She’d pasted some on here and there, and she’d quite enjoyed the scent of Earth that they’d put off in the small space.

“Grab some straw Anna,” he said, leaning forward slightly with her as she grabbed it from the pile in front of her at the moment of his request.

She felt his hands cover hers as soon as she leaned back, his fingers quick to pull little pieces of the sweet smelling straw from her bundle as he needed.

“Sorry, this is probably going to get all over your skirts.”

Anna couldn’t help but laugh at his concern.

“As if the maids will be surprised.”

At that, he chuckled himself, the sound low and warm, flowing through her and relaxing her like warm tea on a scratchy throat.

“Well then if that won’t be an issue…”

He set his straw pieces on her skirt, arranging them across each other and bidding her to do the same, just as he had.

He guided her hands, his palm slipping over her knuckles and gently pushing or pulling her into the space where the straw needed to lay. She liked the contact, and the butterflies in her stomach made it evident to her that she would never tire of the feeling of his focus being solely on her, particularly when he was guiding her. She was in charge of making the decisions for an entire nation, so in her limited free time, she loved the way that Kristoff was open to leading her, to helping her make decisions or, when she desired it most, making them for her.

“Okay, now you move these pieces like this,” he said, his voice in her ear as he leaned in close to show her how to cross the straw pieces together.

“Then you grab the string and tie off the sections until it looks like a star… we’ll do a simple one first and then I’ll show you more. Ma is better at it than me, but I can show you the basics and she can teach you all the patterns the next time we go to the valley of the living rock.”

Anna smiled at that. She should have known that he would have learned such a beautiful craft from his adoptive mother Bulda. She was, despite her stone fingers, very adept at all sorts of crafts and creations. Anna fully expected that she’d see her work shortly when she and Kristoff finally had their true troll wedding in the valley during the summer. She could hardly wait.

He guided her through the steps, helping her tie knots in the strings and trim them down. Together they made eight stars before tiring of the work.

“This will all be worth it tomorrow when we get our tree,” Anna said with a yawn. It had gotten quite late and they’d both managed quite a few prep tasks for the holiday.

“Well,” he said softly, “It will all be worth it when we get to look at the tree all finished and know that we did it all. I don’t know how content you’ll feel after getting the tree, the amount of effort it takes to saw one down is a bit tiring.

Her grin was sleepy, like everything else about her. She was more than ready for bed, particularly when he took her last finished star from her hands, placed it with the rest, stood and scooped her from the floor and into his arms.

“That’s nice,” she said sleepily, letting him tuck her into his chest, carrying her against himself with his arms under her rear end.

“Let’s get you to bed Princess.”

“Queen,” she replied, almost wishing she’d worn her crown to their crafting session so she could point at it as part of her joke.

He smiled and shook his head, “You could declare yourself empress of the world Anna, you’d still be my Princess Feisty pants.”

She teasingly batted at his chest with her hand, as if she were even slightly offended by what he’d said instead of feeling warm all over, which she did.

Some things, like Christmas tree decorations and terms of endearment were just better when they were homemade.

[dragonbinx]

Christmas in Hyperion Heights

Part of my Christmas series last winter.  Posted on Ao3 here.

Series: Once Upon a Time

Ship: MadArcher

Characters: Alice Jones/Tilly, Robin/Margot

There was a tiny bit of snow on Christmas Eve in Hyperion Heights. Having fallen the night before between one and four AM, it had only stuck in a few places, like the grass and the top of the troll statue. Then it had turned to rain, which had made slush on the roads; and then everything had iced over as it got later and colder. In the end, it wasn’t so much a winter wonderland as an invisible, city-wide ice rink.

It didn’t matter to Robin and Alice. They were tucked away in their one room apartment, which was bursting to the seams with Christmas. There was tinsel and homemade ornaments and decorations from the different countries Robin had been to when she was Margot. The kitchen table was currently covered haphazardly in wedding plans. They had their venue booked for April, but they were still figuring out details, like seating arrangements and cake flavors.

So they were instead sitting on the floor, sharing a blanket and a big bucket of KFC.

“Best Christmas dinner ever.”

“Right? Holidays should only be celebrated with fried chicken. So much better than turkey.”

“And they do this in Japan?”

“Yup.” Robin put down her chicken and dug her fork into one of the containers of sides. “And mac and cheese, I love having mac and cheese for Christmas.”

“And beignets.” Alice held one up proudly.

Robin smiled. “You’re really getting the hang of those.”

“Thanks.” Alice smiled widely, before taking a big bite. “It’s nice, having a normal job. And I’m good at it. Never thought that would happen.”

“It’s not so bad, having roots.” Robin tore apart her biscuit and grinned. “But wait until the honeymoon. Three weeks, six countries. You’re gonna love it.”

“Not as much as you’re gonna love Wonderland. Well, I hope. Time is strange there, it’s a lot to get used to.”

Robin touched her forehead to the side of Alice’s face. “Then I’ll get used to it. Thanks to the curse, I’ve got travel experience now, remember?” She kissed her fiancée’s cheek, then picked up her wrist, under the old yarn bracelet and the new silver charm bracelet that she’d given Alice for Christmas. She wrapped her arm around Alice’s shoulders and tucked back into their fried chicken feast. “When’s your dad coming?”

“He said around noon.” Alice peered out the window. “Think the weather will be better by then?”

Robin looked outside too and smile. “Yeah, Tower Girl. I think it’s gonna be just fine.”

On the windowsill was one of Alice’s gifts to Robin, an anatomically correct heart-shaped vase currently filled with poinsettias, which made it look both festive and macabre. There was frozen over slush on the windowsill, but in spite of all the city and holiday lights, they could just make out the stars bright in the sky.

Alice leaned on Robin’s shoulder. “I think you’re right. I think this Christmas is going to be perfect.”

[louisfoxe]

So blocking is going to be the best thing you can do, ironing won't make the corners sharp like you want. You essentially wet the item, pin it to a foam board, and then either let it dry or hit it with a clothes steamer or hairdryer. For acrylic or animal fibers, this locks the yarn into the position you pinned it in. This is very basic though, I advise looking up a tutorial.

I'm adding some pictures below, these were crocheted and then modpodged to make the corners nice and sharp.

These are pre-blocking

These are post-blocking. I used mod podge since they're ornaments and it doesn't matter if they're stiff or not. Water blocking will let your item take on the shape you want while still being soft.

I also don't generally block items, since the softness to the corners is the look I'm going for usually.

Editing to add: the curling up at the corners might also happen because the pieces are so small, your stitches are a bit too tight, or your turning chain might not be long enough.

Edit 2: these look good for only three days, keep it up and you'll get the hang of things.

Three days of crocheting and here's my progress! Does anyone know how to make the corners stop curling or does that happen with all of them? Should I iron them to make them lie flat?

[typical-simplelove]

Like It's Christmas -> Elias Pettersson

12 Days of December

Author's Note: Happy Day Three! The OC, Katherine Deng, is the same OC from my fall fic Pumpkin, Spice, and Everything Nice. You don't have to read it to understand this one, but it will be helpful to further understand Katherine's character. Additionally, this song is based on the Jonas Brother's song, Like It's Christmas. Here is today's question: what's your favorite holiday scented candle? Enjoy!

Warnings: mentions of Christmas; Santa

Word Count: 3.4k including song lyrics

The snow on the ground The love in the air The sleigh-bells are ringing This is what it's all about The fire is warm The angels are singing And I don't wanna miss

The flames of the peppermint candle flickered on the coffee table as Katherine started a new row on her scarf. She unravels some more yarn as the Christmas movie plays in the background. Once she has enough yarn for the next row, Katherine leans forward to grab her mug of hot chocolate and takes a sip. She places the mug back down and grabs a gingerbread cookie sitting on the plate. To extend the cookies until Christmas, Katherine only has two cookies on her tray. Likely, though, she will finish all the cookies within the next two weeks and will likely make a new batch before Christmas.

As the movie starts to play the credits, Katherine rolls back up the excess yarn and places the not-finished scarf to the side. She turns the TV to the news and brings her plate and cup to the kitchen. She rinses off any remaining crumbs and residue and places the dishes into the dishwasher. Katherine then walks back to her living room and turns on the Christmas Tree. She stands there for a few minutes and watches as the white lights shimmer; she turns off the lights in the living room and lets the light illuminate the room.

After adjusting a few ornaments and fixing the Manger that sits under her tree, Katherine walks back into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Elias is on a road trip and won’t get back until Monday. He’s not playing tonight, but the team is going out for dinner. The team is on the east coast, so Elias will likely call closer to 9 PM her time.

Katherine pulls out the Pressure Cooker from its spot on the cupboard and begins to prepare one of her favorite soups—Broccoli, Cheese, & Potato Soup. It’s not one of Elias’ favorites, so Katherine often makes it when he’s out of town. Once the soup is prepared and the lid is closed, Katherine grabs the loaf of Italian bread from the cupboard and starts to prepare garlic bread. She begins to spread the butter, garlic, and garlic powder. You never can have too much garlic!

Once the soup and bread are ready, Katherine places her soup in a bowl and plates her bread. She opts to save another mug of hot chocolate for after dinner and her dessert. Once ready, Katherine grabs her dinner and a placemat and sets in on the coffee table. She decides to watch a different Christmas movie as she eats. Before eating, though, Katherine goes into her fridge and pulls out the caramel fudge. It’s always best when it’s just above room temperature.

For the first few bites, Katherine watches the headlines of the depressing news. At the commercial break, she goes to Netflix and selects the Christmas Chronicles, one of her favorites.

The only lights on in her apartment are that of the TV and the Christmas Tree and the candle. Every other light source has been powered off. There is a slight light from the floor-to-ceiling windows from outside but not enough to make an impact.

Sitting back comfortably, Katherine places a blanket on her lap and eats her soup and bread as the movie begins.

Halfway through the movie, Katherine has long finished her dinner, and it’s sitting in a neat stack on her coffee table. Deciding she was ready for dessert, Katherine pauses the movie and brings the dirty dishes to the kitchen. She then cleans the counter, puts the leftovers away, puts the Pressure Cooker back in its spot, and boils some water for hot chocolate. As the water is boiling, Katherine grabs the large marshmallows from the cupboard and sets them next to the hot chocolate mix. Once the water is ready, Katherine pours water and hot chocolate mix into her mug with Christmas ornaments on it. After it’s thoroughly stirred, Katherine then goes into her fridge for caramel coffee creamer. She pours some in until smooth. Katherine takes the first sip and smiles at the taste. She then cuts a few pieces of the fudge before returning it back to her fridge. Then, Katherine makes her way to the kitchen where she sits and continues the movie.

The perfect ending to a perfect winter day.

A single thing Don't wanna put an end to all this cheer But as long as you're with me It's always that time of the year

“Guess what I found today,” Elias says when Katherine walks in the door from work.

“And what’s that?” she asks as she places her purse on the floor and takes her shoes and jacket off. After putting the clothes back into the closet, Katherine leaves her purse and goes and sits next to Elias.

“You know how we’re going to your cousin’s house on Saturday?”

“Yes, I’ve been doing that for years.”

“Right, and you know how you said that sometimes people would dress up as Santa for the younger cousins?”

Katherine nods, not quite sure where Elias was going with this.

“Well,” he says and gets up. He walks towards their shared bedroom; Elias comes back with a bag in his hand from London Drugs. He hands the bag to Katherine who’s staring at him with wide eyes. She hopes it’s not what she thinks it is. “Open it.”

Katherine does as he instructs. She was right. “You bought a Santa costume?

Elias nods enthusiastically. Katherine’s eyes go from the costume to her boyfriend and back and forth. It’s only the eighth time that her eyes are making that pattern when she notices Elias’ cheeks; they’re significantly red. He’s embarrassed. He’s not sure if he should have made the purchase. Even though Katherine tells Elias he doesn’t have to try to impress her family, he still tries. He wants to make an impression so they all know that he’s there to stay. “I thought I could dress up for your nieces and nephews.”

Katherine smiles. “Did you buy a Mrs. Claus costume, too?”

“No, why?”

“Well, if you’re going to be Santa, then why can’t I be Santa’s wife?”

Elias just stares at the girl. She’s serious? “I didn’t think of that.”

“I’m only teasing.” Katherine smiles and bumps his shoulder with hers. “I’m sure the cousins will love it.”

“Are you sure?” Elias asks worriedly.

Katherine laughs. “Of course, I’m sure. I know the cousins, and they will go absolutely crazy at the sight of Santa.”

You make every day feel like it's Christmas Never wanna stop Feeling like the first thing on your wish-list Right up at the top I can't deny what I'm feeling inside Nothing fake about the way you bring me alive You make every day feel like it's Christmas Every day that I'm with you

Katherine was right. The cousins went absolutely crazy when Katherine walked in with Elias dressed in the costume next to her. She texted Julie, her sister, to warn her about Elias’ costume and also to get her approval. She didn’t want Julie to be surprised when Elias showed up because, after all, it was Julie’s family Christmas Party.

“I have a surprise for you,” Katherine told the kids who had gathered around her. She had texted Julie when they were at her driveway so that Julie could have the kids around the door. Katherine opens the door slowly, and all the kids shriek at the tall, skinny Santa that was on the other side of the door. All the kids go crazy and don’t notice the discrepancies from media’s Santa and Elias. Santa was typically portrayed as short, stocky, and round. In comparison, Elias was petite; this wasn’t to say that he wasn’t muscular or fit. Elias was very fit and muscular in Katherine’s opinion, but the costume was a bit lanky as it hung on Elias’ form. It still made Katherine’s insides warm as she watched him wear the costume.

“Ho, ho, ho,” Elias chants in his best impression of a Westernized Santa. “Merry Christmas!” All the children cheer in delight and happiness at the sight. They all insist that they were good this year and recite their Christmas lists. “I don’t have gifts to give you this early before Christmas,” Elias continues in his voice that makes Katherine stifle a giggle, “but I can give you guys candy canes.” Elias opens the sack that came with the costume and begins passing out candy canes to the kids. All accept the candy with giant smiles and immediately begin to open their candies and find a spot to eat them. The children settle down and the allure of Santa has gone away, so Elias says a quick goodbye and heads out the door. Katherine follows behind.

Katherine and Elias stand in front of his car but away from the window so no one can see him undress from the costume. Elias removes the beard as she wraps her arms around his waist. Katherine raises her head as Elias lowers his head and places a kiss on Katherine’s lips. He pulls her close against his body as he continues to kiss Katherine. Her hands reach around his neck as she pulls his head closer to hers. They both pull away breathlessly when Katherine feels her phone buzz in her pocket. She checks it and laughs. Julie sent her a photo from her living room of Katherine and Elias kissing. They were caught. Katherine and Elias laugh and shake their heads. Elias quickly changes out of the costume, and the couple heads back into the house. The children were cheering just as loudly when they saw Elias as Santa.

As Elias interacts with Katherine’s young cousins, Katherine stands to the side watching. A smile is plastered wide on her face as she watches them interact.

“Should I be preparing the kids to be your flower girls?” Grant, Katherine’s brother-in-law says and interrupts Katherine’s thoughts.

“What?” Katherine asks confused.

Grant laughs. “You’re not seriously confused?”

“Very confused.”

“I see the way he looks at you, Kathrine, and the way you look at him. You’re both in love, and you’ve brought him to many family events. May I add, many more events than I did before proposing to your sister.”

“That doesn’t mean Elias will propose.”

“Sure, it doesn’t, but Elias loving you and basically venerating the ground you walk on does.”

“He doesn’t,” Katherine insists, and in response, Grant gives her a knowing look. In the past few months, Katherine has thought about what it would be to marry Elias. She can see it loud and clear. Oftentimes, it felt like Elias and Katherine were married, but the only thing missing was rings adorning their fingers. “Maybe you’re right,” Katherine admits. Grant doesn’t have the opportunity to gloat as one of Katherine’s cousins grabs her from where she’s standing and insists that Katherine build gingerbread houses together.

Little does Katherine know that Elias was having similar wedding thoughts.

Look at the lights Twinkling bright 24/7 Every inch of Central Park Is covered in white This could be Heaven And I don't wanna miss

“Which hot chocolate mix?” Katherine asks as she stands in front of the pantry. She has three. Elias loves to joke that he’s surprised she doesn’t have more.

“What are the ones we have?” Elias asks.

“Peppermint, regular, and gingerbread.”

“Regular,” Elias suggests.

Katherine knows she wants gingerbread hot chocolate, so she says, “try again.”

Elias snickers. “Whatever you want.”

“Gingerbread hot chocolate it is,” Katherine says as she grabs the mix from the pantry. She brings it to the counter and begins putting the mix into mugs. Elias then pours water into the mug as Katherine grabs and pours creamer into the mugs. Katherine grabs her mug and takes the first sip. “Absolutely perfect.”

“I’m surprised you don’t want a different flavored hot chocolate considering that we’re going to be eating gingerbread,” Elias points out.

“I’m surprised that you’re surprised, Elias,” Katherine teases. “You know the way I am.”

Elias chuckles. “That I do. I also know that I gain too much weight during the holidays because of your baking and cooking.”

“I think it’s because you’re lazy in the gym,” Katherine says and then walks to the living room with her hot chocolate and the plate of cookies. Elias just stares as Katherine walks away. The wit on that girl is enough to make Elias go crazy but want to keep coming back for more.

Katherine has put three coasters—all Christmas-themed—on the coffee table for the plate and the two mugs. Elias places his mug on the coaster with a family of snowmen on it and turns on the Christmas tree. Katherine has the plate of cookies sitting on the coaster with a gingerbread house on it and her mug on the coaster with snowflakes on it. Katherine reaches on the side of her couch for her socks with Snoopy and the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree on it. She left the socks there knowing she’d want to wear them as she watched one of her favorite Christmas movies.

“Do you want me to grab the blanket?” Elias asks before he sits.

“Sure,” Katherine answers as she turns on the TV and turns to the DVR to play the movies.

“Which one?” he asks.

Katherine shrugs. “Doesn’t matter.”

“How about the blanket?”

Katherine just glares at her boyfriend. She hates that he calls the blanket he’s referring to the blanket like that. It’s so much more than a blanket to Katherine, but Elias always teases her for it. As Elias grabs the blanket, Katherine goes and lights the gingerbread candle. Elias returns with the Advent-purple knitted and puts it over the couple.

“Is that one of the spare Christmas candles?” Elias asks, and Katherine nods. “I’m surprised that we’ve gotten that far already.”

Katherine snorts. “Firstly, it’s like a week to Christmas, and you know how much I adore lighting candles around this time. Actually, all the time.”

“Fair, you do light candles in the middle of summer.”

“And you like the scent.”

“I do,” Elias answers and kisses Katherine’s cheek. “And two?”

“You know the way I am and will not let any candle go to waste.”

“In light of asking a million questions, why do you still use this blanket?” Elias asks. He full-heartedly knows why but loves to see Katherine get a rise at the question.

“Elias,” Katherine sighs.

Elias pulls his girlfriend close to him. “Please tell the story? It’s cute.”

“No,” Katherine grumbles.

“Yes,” he insists and puts a pout on his face.

“Fine,” Katherine murmurs before diving into the story that she’s told almost a million and one times to Elias. “In high school, I was friends with this guy who knew how much I loved Christmas. In senior year, we were doing this Secret Santa/Kris Kringle thing and he picked my name. He gave me all these gifts, and the second to last one was this blanket. The last was a beautiful card proclaiming his feelings for me. I never felt the same way, but I loved the blanket so much that I couldn’t get rid of the blanket.”

“You broke that poor guy’s heart,” Elias jokes

“I didn’t mean to! We came back from winter break and picked up where we left off. We were too good friends for anything to go awry.”

“Do you think he ever got over it?”

“He went to senior prom with another girl, and they’re expecting their first daughter in April.”

“I’m glad you broke his heart,” Elias interjects.

“I didn’t break—”

“Because that meant that you weren’t dating anyone and I could end up with you,” Elias interrupts. Katherine gives him a look, and he falls more in love with her. “He knew how amazing you were and wouldn’t have let you go if he had you. I know that and every single guy knows that.”

Katherine smiles. “I love you, Elias.”

“I love you, too, Katherine,” Elias answers and pulls the girl close against his body.

“Now can we start the movie? If you don’t let me watch the Polar Express, my favorite Christmas movie, I think we might be over by New Year’s Eve.”

“Wait, really?”

Katherine doesn’t respond as she starts the movie. Elias begins prodding her and pocking her to get a response. “Maybe.”

A single thing Don't wanna put an end to all this cheer But as long as you're with me It's always that time of the year

Elias tucked the small velvet box into his pants pocket and walked out of his bedroom. Katherine was putting the finishing touches on their Christmas Eve dinner. Tomorrow, Katherine and Elias would be going to the Deng household for Christmas dinner and festivities, so Katherine wanted Christmas Eve just to be the couple. Boxing Day would be spent with the team before they leave the next day for a road trip.

“Good trip to the washroom?” Katherine teases.

“What?” Elias asks confused as a deep blush overcomes his face.

Katherine gives him a weird look. “You went to the washroom?”

“Oh right,” Elias acknowledges and helps Katherine put the plates at the table. He told Katherine he was going to the washroom; that was the coverup for getting the box.

Just as the couple sits down and takes their first sip of wine, snow begins to fall from the sky. It was like the universe was working in Elias’ favor and making everything magical. As the couple starts to eat and continue to eat, they talk as the conversation flows easily.

Katherine takes another bite of her food and glances up across the table at her boyfriend. Elias is picking at his food and looks pale, a lot more pale than normal. Katherine isn’t sure why he’s acting this way. The year is going mostly smoothly and everything is going well between her and him, so what could be the matter?

“Is everything okay?” Katherine asks. She has a concerned look on her face. As much as she wanted the Christmas holiday to go well and without a hitch, she didn’t want Elias sparing his feelings to make sure she had the best time.

“Yeah, why would you ask?” Elias answers. Katherine raises her eyebrow. Elias isn’t being convincing at all. “It’s nothing bad,” Elias is quick to say.

“Well, it looks like it’s something bad,” Katherine points out. “Do you want to tell me?”

Elias taps his pocket and takes a sip of water. He gets up and takes the seat next to Katherine. He takes the box out of his pocket and slides it over to his girlfriend. Katherine glances down and stifles the gasp that overtakes her mouth. Her eyes widen as Elias smiles at her response. “I love you more than anyone and anything in the world. I wake up each morning excited and nervous out of my mind that I get to wake up next to you. There isn’t a second that goes by where I don’t think about you.”

“Elias,” Katherine begins but no words escape her mouth. Tears begin to form in Katherine’s eyes as Elias opens the box and the ring is displayed.

“Would you make the happiest man alive and let me marry you?”

“Of course!” Katherine exclaims and wraps her arms around Elias. He holds her tightly against his body as Elias feels Katherine’s tears stain her neck. Elias blinks rapidly as he tries to force the tears away from his face.

The couple pulls away, and Elias slides the ring onto Katherine’s finger. Katherine gasps at the ring and the way it feels on her finger. Elias wraps his hands around her face and pulls her in for a kiss.

Christmas was Katherine’s favorite time of the year, so it was only fitting that Elias made it even more special.

You make every day feel like it's Christmas Never wanna stop Feeling like the first thing on your wish-list Right up at the top I can't deny what I'm feeling inside Nothing fake about the way you bring me alive You make every day feel like it's Christmas Every day that I'm with you

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[omgkalyppso]

The Unforgotten King

A Dimimari drabble that fits into Fae's post canon.

The icy winds pouring down from the frigid Fraldarian mountains were starting to upset the horses with how cold they were. Many roads this far north were impassable for carriages; even the main roads, which in many cases were the only option, were made to constrict the approach of enemies and allies alike, venturing to and from the historically chaotic northern border, and the capital to the south.

They had come first by boat and then followed the trade routes carved out by the fishing villages on the eastern coast.

Marianne held her scarf against the chill, wincing and shaking her head about Dimitri, with his scarf pulled down around his smile as he spoke about his homeland. He'd long ago let his hat fall back around his shoulders, secured by a cord about his neck, and his bound hair was a tangle as a result of the gales. He was going home, and it was as clear in his person as it was in his temperament. His nose and cheeks were pink and frozen, and his beard was gelid with frost, but the Faerghan climate suited him. Marianne even suspected that the temperature might have been harsh on another man's injuries, but Dimitri was only livelier by the mile.

Some might have said he was as a boy gone to the fair, but she knew him too well now, and could see the flit of his eye as he watched the forests. He was fighting his hauntings and his memories of war, and trusting her and their guard with his insecurities. A vast improvement when compared to the dreary state of his heart and mind during the year or two past.

Marianne had worried that despite Dimitri's growth, that returning to Faerghus was going to upset him and his friends, when he and they found him without the crown, without the armour and attire one expected of a king, and with the continued trauma of never having achieved his vengeance. She was overjoyed that it was nothing so simple.

.

"Do you see how the trees have turned from green to blue here?" Dimitri asked, gesturing to the evergreens, brightening as Marianne nodded. "They say the Goddess took pity on the verdant evergreens of Fodlan after her first ice storm, and blessed all the trees north of Conand River with a piece of her home on the Blue Sea Star, that they might from then on weather the storms."

Marianne held her scarf from her face as she replied, "They're quite beautiful. I hear they house wildlife too? I would have expected we'd only find migratory birds out in these temperatures."

"It would be wonderful to hear an owl at night," Dimitri mused. "You are right, though. There are a variety of creatures in the underbrush."

"As stubborn as any Faerghan," Marianne joked. "Although I suspect, in regards to your tale of a blessing, that similar accounts are told of the seas themselves, rather than only of Faerghan forests. Anything blue."

Dimitri had blushed and laughed awkwardly at Marianne's initial declaration, knowing that it was true that sailors in Faerghus were revered and worried perhaps even that he had misremembered his own short yarn, but then he'd smiled and contributed softly, "It is a color dear to my heart."

"Because of your house banner?" Marianne asked as if to confirm, offering Dimitri no space to argue. "Perhaps a square or kerchief could be sewn in one of your pillows? Or some other secret space? I am sorry that you're only clad as one of my guards."

Dimitri shook his head. "An honor. I am glad to ride beside you, Mari— my lady, and ... maybe with the right materials, I could try to award myself with the gift you suggest. It would be a small and challenging project for a man of my extremely limited skill."

.

Upon their arrival at the manor in Fraldarius, they were escorted to the entrance hall, where Dimitri embarrassed Rodrigue with a bow and an embrace.

"Dimitri," Rodrigue said softly, as a reprimand and a prayer, testing the name, free of title and ornamentation. "It is good to see you again. If Felix had not seen you himself, I would have assumed a ruse or extortion." He pulled away, a hand still on his once and fallen king's shoulder. "To bury you, would be as burying another son—"

"Rodrigue—" Dimitri said, meaning to interrupt.

"Humor me," he begged. "Hear me. Not only am I proud to host you, in secret, in public, but should you ever need a home in Faerghus, we will never turn you away." Rodrigue swept a tear from his eyes, "Hm. I think you'll find my lack of decorum is your fault, for hugging me first—"

"My sincerest—"

Rodrigue chuckled. "Don't apologize. Just know that I intended to be more reserved, for the sake of Lady Marianne, if not for that of my son."

"Where is Felix?" asked Dimitri, as a door to the entrance hall opened at the top of a far stair, and Felix, Annette, Sylvain and Ingrid rushed out of it.

Although Felix had been to visit him in Margrave Edmund's territory three times, Dimitri could not suppress his joy at his friend's reveal, and after Rodrigue's admission, he could either hope that Felix too thought of him more fondly, or else worry that he needed to apologize to the younger Fraldarius for what he'd inspired in his father. "Felix!"

Dimitri spared a glance for Marianne, who waved him off delicately so that he could rush to his friends at the base of the stair. She shared a far more respectable greeting with Duke Fraldarius.

.

"Wait—!" Felix started to object, but too late or with too little conviction to keep Dimitri from fitting his arms around him and Ingrid and squeezing them to his chest.

Ingrid laughed happily, and Felix scoffed when Sylvain was greeted with only a joined hand and a clap on the shoulder, though Annette then jumped into Dimitri's arms.

"I half worried it was an exaggeration," Dimitri said softly. "That you all could make it."

"Mercedes and Dedue's boat is expected tomorrow," Sylvain said to assure him.

"Ashe won't be here for a week," Annette lamented as her feet hit the floor, "but I hear that will be long enough to see you?"

"I won't leave before," Dimitri promised. "It would break my heart if his journey from Gaspard was fruitless."

"Did you know that he needed to wait for Linhardt to take up residence in Gaspard?" asked Ingrid. "To deter the Adrestians from overreaching — even now."

"As well as general rebellion," Felix supplied. "Things aren't exactly settled that far west."

"You're helping him?" Dimitri confirmed, and a part of his heart stirred to be able to have this conversation with Felix in person, rather than over a period of days by letter.

"Fhirdiad's helping him," Felix said and then frowned when the others around Dimitri looked at him more directly, and corrected himself. "Yes, I'm helping him."

Fhirdiad had been Felix's home and his charge these past few years. He had taken up the title of Archduke and wielded his role with purpose. He always intended to return to Fraldarius, imagining that there would be an opportunity to suggest another lord be honoured with the capital region, but some days he worried he had sealed his fate. His father, and Sylvain, were less subtle in their matching inquiries about his return, but it seemed all others were slowly becoming accustomed to him sitting in that place of kings in the more temperate south.

"I appreciate it," Dimitri said carefully.

"There'll be plenty of time to worry about the shadow of dissent tomorrow," Sylvain said, looking to change the subject. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh," Dimitri said in surprise, looking down at himself, dressed as a Leicester soldier in wool and armour.

"Are you warm enough?" asked Annette, turning over a side of his cloak to assess its thickness.

Dimitri chuckled. "I'm plenty warm, I—"

"How many layers is that?" Ingrid inquired critically.

"Do the rest of Marianne's escorts have hats like this?" asked Sylvain, propping Dimitri's upon his golden hair.

"Four. No, most have wool lined leather caps."

"Four? Like this? That's not enough," Ingrid worried.

"We'll warm him with drink and games," Sylvain suggested. "Maybe dancing if Annette feels like singing?"

Annette squeaked in protest, but Felix spoke first.

"You're being ridiculous. Dimitri's had a long ride—"

Dimitri's lips tightened to hear Felix call him by name, and he spoke gently, worried he might break this simple spell of friendship when he spoke in favour of Sylvain's suggestions, "I think it would be nice to drink with everyone, but I might like to bathe first. I fear as soon as I loosen my collar my sweat will thaw from where it's frozen upon me."

Three exaggerated tongues of disgust extended in sympathy.

"Do you want to stay inside?" asked Felix. "Wood fires can heat baths in the lower levels."

"Oh, no, lets show Marianne the hot springs," Annette said, as if pleading with Dimitri, though he would have agreed without any provocation.

"I would like that," he agreed, looking at Felix for permission.

With an expression of vague annoyance, Felix nodded, and then he and Dimitri each glanced to where Marianne continued her conversation with Rodrigue.

.

There was a social element to the hot springs that Marianne feared, but Sylvain made a joke that set her at ease, and challenged her to try the new experience.

Dimitri half expected Felix to return home after dutifully guiding their group to their destination, and thanked him for his continued company and conversation, such as it was, while they sat together in the steaming water. Sylvain was kind and assertive, inspecting Dimitri's right side as he stretched his arm and took advantage of the heat, to massage strong fingers into his shoulder.

Elsewhere, Ingrid and Annette had Marianne giggling as the trio raced from the spring to the snow and back again each time they grew over-red from being boiled together.

Later, they drank and reminisced, and Ingrid pulled Dimitri aside, to reaffirm that she would have been his knight and protector ... and that she still would, if he wanted to pursue his place in Fhirdiad. She saw no reason to defer to the law in Garreg Mach when Faerghus could still have its own king, and if not that, then at least he could be recognized, as the rest of them were, within Fodlan's nobility.

The shock that overtook Dimitri frightened her, when she had only meant to offer him his ancestral home, and the respect many had died to get him.

Sylvain and Felix were in listening distance, and Ingrid had known that; the four of them looked to Marianne, weaving Annette's hair in a five strand braid, while they spoke of seals and bears and other creatures that plagued the harbours.

Felix hissed about how Ingrid would throw them from one war into another, reminding her that Dimitri was hidden away precisely to avoid what she was suggesting: that there would be people willing to die for their rightful king to reclaim his place in Fhirdiad.

Everything would change if Dimitri returned, and they'd lose the trust of the Adrestians, especially Ferdinand, when they had already been caught in another lie.

"You can't come back," Felix said to finish his argument. Aggressive, nervous, cruel.

"Dimitri should be given a choice now that he's recovered," Ingrid said, firm.

"He's recovering," Sylvain insisted.

With a great expression of self control, Dimitri maintained his volume as he declared for his friends' forgotten benefit, "I am right here." He waited for the shame to silence them before he went on. "And things are not ... how I envisioned them — how I wanted them? My mind and upbringing feel ... wasteful, at times; and yet I have been consulted," he sighed, "on strategy and trade, customs and etiquette — by Felix and Marianne both. My input is heard in Faerghus and Leicester, and if I willed it, I am sure that Garreg Mach is within my reach ... even Almyra."

Sylvain raised his tankard in salute as he walked away then, seeing that a fight wasn't about to break out, and that Dimitri had their conversation well in hand. He complimented Annette's hair, and strove to further distract the ladies from the dark turn of that other corner of the room.

"If Faerghus was threatened, I would find my way back here, lance in hand. But I trust the peace that's been building. And the crown, as it was, only invited duplicity and massacres. Faerghus will thrive without me." With one arm he embraced Ingrid, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And Sylvain is right, I have been recovering. I would not risk all of Faerghus' progress, all of your work," his eyes drifted to Felix for a moment, "because I could not accept the truth of what a minister said. I still struggle. I am more comfortable with smaller challenges ... and I would appreciate your reassurance of our friendship as I am."

"Of course, Mitya," Ingrid insisted.

"Thank you."

"I miss you," Ingrid clarified. "I miss... The lives I thought I'd have by now."

"Change is painful," Felix agreed, sharp and forgiving.

"Yours is a life worth celebrating," Dimitri promised. He drank at the same time as his old friends, and then fumbled after, worried about sounding too much like his healers, but still he added, "Take time to recognize success."

Their quiet conversation was interrupted by Marianne and Annette hollering with laughter, and Dimitri could not even imagine Marianne's disappointment in him if in returning to Fhirdiad he brought a new conflict to her doorstep. He could not imagine his own heartbreak if their peoples ever returned to bloodshed. Sadly, he had imagined his horror with the possibility of witnessing another day like the tragedy, his blue love desecrated, their hypothetical children screaming, and him again, a lone survivor.

He would not speak of this in casual conversation with his friends, though perhaps in private with Marianne at some later time.

He was grateful for his anonymity.

.

It was late in the night when they made for bed, and Marianne was as drunk as he, and Dimitri worried between her state and their locale that he shouldn't have followed behind the door of her rooms. They had lain together a handful of times, but not for weeks now, yet she pressed him against the door like it was a casual thing, delicate fingers curving over his hips.

They leaned close as if they might kiss, and then she turned her face away from him with a sigh.

"I hope I haven't made a fool of myself. Did you have a good night, Mitya?"

"Beloved," Dimitri beckoned, curving a large hand around the side of her face, his scarred fingers had been mended and shattered an embarrassing number of times in the early use of his Crest. He guided her to look at him, his shining blue eye, deep as the ocean in the dark of the room.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said, his tone deep and sincere. "The snow, the culture, my friends... I missed them more than I realized. I've had a very good night."

His last sentence was near whispered upon her lips, his thick lower lip tickling against her mouth.

Eyes closed, Marianne hummed her approval, bumping her nose against Dimitri's; narrow and then bulbous, a pretty princely feature that somehow he still maintained despite the violence in his life.

He bent to kiss Marianne, his hands finding her upper arms, her shoulders, her neck, and her twin braids, a gift from Annette that extended nearly to Marianne's waist.

"I should let you sleep," Dimitri whispered, though he felt how Marianne's hands wandered, pressing his shirt against the muscles on his chest and stomach.

Marianne looked from her bed to Dimitri. "Let me sit," she requested, "and I'll untie your hair. Stay with me a while longer." She swayed a little and Dimitri worried he would have to catch her. "Your friends are kind," Marianne confided, "but it felt a little strange as the night wore on, and maybe it's just me, and maybe it's just the building, but I know I can rely on you. Say you'll stay."

"A while longer," Dimitri agreed, drifting a thumb through her bangs as his hand rested on the side of her tightly bound hair again.

He sat between her knees while she pulled the ribbon from his fine hair, carefully carding through it with her fingers around the strap of his eye patch, and then allowing her hands to find the muscles of his neck, thick from stress and training.

One dainty foot made it's way over one of Dimitri's monstrous shoulders, and he brought the opposite one over his other side, leaning back into Marianne's space so her skirt ballooned out around him. They shared a soft laugh.

"Did you have any trouble today?" Marianne asked, gentle in her approach of his occasional visions.

"I thought of Glenn," Dimitri confided, "but I am uncertain if I saw him or imagined him today. There are many memories of him here. And ... at the gates, I ... I saw some violence that was not there, but I could not hear it. I'll write it down tomorrow."

"Tell me about Glenn? There must be a happy memory tucked into what came to mind."

"He would have made you feel welcome," Dimitri insisted with a smile. "He was very personable, and I was always glad to be in his company — though I was always closer with Felix, and so thought, like Felix, that I was in contest with him. Unless my Crest activated, I was always left embarrassed, and regardless of whether my Crest activated, I always lost. Felix was often disappointed in both of us."

.

Dimitri spoke of friends like family until well after Marianne curled up on her side. He stayed on the floor, and spoke with less frequency, though the memories didn't fade. He could picture Glenn on the opposite side of the room, a macabre spectre of the self from his memories, but it wasn't a hallucination this time, just a horrible imagining, the loss of a friend.

Dimitri kissed Marianne's forehead, and she mumbled that she was still awake, despite sounding as if she were miles away. Still, Dimitri smiled and kissed her lips, just in case, and then left for his own chamber.

[coldmilkcreamery]

ornaments.

𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: seo changbin x male reader 🥀

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 1403

𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: in which changbin asks about the bracelet Y/N never takes off and finds out it’s from his friend that committed suicide.

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝘀: mentions of blood and death; suicide

𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 🌙

𝗮/𝗻: i took a lot longer on this fic because i lost motivation so many times, but looking at the finished product, it’s my favorite out of the four i've made so far !! thank you so much for requesting @mrsunshine999 !! please continue supporting us !! <3

> 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 <

-

Changbin was naturally curious. Whether it be about his cousin's current class, what his bandmate ate for yesterday’s dinner or the weather of a country on the opposite side of the globe. He was curious about anything and everything. So, naturally, after dating Y/N for about two months, he would get curious about the lime bracelet that wrapped itself around his boyfriend’s hand. The said trinket was held together by a single thread of yarn, decorated with miniature glass beads and a tiny, fluffy frog in the middle. If he was being honest with himself, it did not look aesthetically pleasing. In fact, it wasn't. The beads were uneven and scuffed up, the color choice was horrible and overall it just looked like it hadn’t been washed in a while. He was afraid to call his partner out on this, being the shy bear he was, but after seven weeks with his boyfriend, both his curiosity and hygiene-oholic self got the better of him.

“You know,” Changbin mumbled in a sing-song tone, staring at the unattractive accessory, “you never told me about that…” he pauses, rethinks his words and continues again as his boyfriend locks eyes with him, “bracelet around your wrist.” Y/N freezes, resulting in both of them halting, and with them, their stroll at the park.

“You okay?” Changbin asks, half confused, half worried, “I’m talking about the—”

“Yeah, I know what you’re talking about.” Y/N cuts him off, lips quivering as he tightens his grip on the paper bags he holds, almost ripping the fragile sheets, “Let’s just drop these off at Nicky’s first.” Nicky’s is the name of the local bread shop they deliver to and for. In fact, both men had met each other there as delivery boys. To the owner’s surprise, both hit it off pretty well. Too well to the point that they started dating.

The walk out of the park and into the autumn street was quiet, way quieter than it was supposed to be. The street was bustling, there were cars honking their horns and bicycles ringing their bells, but it was all ear-splitting silence with Y/N. After dating him for seven weeks, and knowing him for even more, he was sure his boyfriend was always bubbly and upbeat. But in this moment, something about his actions, or the lack thereof, said the exact opposite. And to be really honest, it made Changbin uneasy. He knew what he said had upset his partner. He wanted to apologize but was too afraid—to sound dumb and repetitive or to hurt his feelings even more. Which of the two was it? That he was unsure of.

“Good morning Mrs. Park!” Changbin greets, showing his dimples off as both boys enter the shop.

“Good morning!” Mrs. Park chirps back, raising her head towards both men, retracting the knife from the loaf she held. “Oh! Those must be the bread I ordered! Thank you for getting them, you know me, too old to walk all the way to the supplier. Too old to remember to do so too.” She laughs, putting the bread knife flat on the wooden cutting board as she shifts her gaze from Changbin to Y/N. “Oh! You can put that in the back.” Y/N nods as he drags his feet towards the back of the shop, slowly disappearing into its retro-ness.

The store’s aroma was always the same, the smell of lavender and the chilly air slapping them in the face whenever they went in. But Y/N’s aura wasn't. And Mrs. Park could tell.

“What’s up with him?” She asked, raising a brow, not really expecting the answer she would get.

“I asked him about that lime bracelet he has on all the time.” Changbin replies, sighing, “It’s… kinda dirty don't you think?”

“Oh.” is all she replies. She stays silent for an uncomfortable amount of time until Changbin realizes.

“I… didn’t do anything wrong, right?” He says, hoping for the best, “What is it any—”

“I think it would be better if you ask him yourself.”

“Well…” Changbin doubles back, “if it’s anything uncomfortable for him to share, then I won’t bug about it anymore. I don’t want to sacrifice his feelings for my curiosity.” He replies, unsure of what to think.

Mrs. Park nods and as if on queue, Y/N reappears and steps out the pantry, paper bags that were previously held by his hands gone. He smiles at the lady in her 40’s and heads straight to the door, leaving the scent of lavender and bread behind. Changbin follows suit, looking at Mrs. Park as she nods back, sending him a reassuring smile.

Changbin steps out into the breezy autumn eventide, hues of marigold and tangerine painting the afternoon skies like a canvas. Y/N trudged and crossed the street, entering back into the park, the aura much different from before. What was bright and warm this afternoon became darker and colder as the moon began its daily process: replacing the sun. What was once a yellow orb glowing high up in the sky was now just a small orange blob on the horizon, and on the opposite side of the colored canvas, a glimmering white crescent, slowly rising through the blue hues. Changbin found the indigo, azure, tangerine and marigold ombré charming, a sight he would never forget. Y/N spotted a nearby bench and sat down, his boyfriend taking the empty space beside him. They sat there for a while, staring at the moms telling their children to get off the swings so they can go home, and the hotdog vendor packing up and calling it a day. In a way, both the swings and the hotdogs reminded him of someone… special.

“I—” Y/N pauses, trying to rephrase his words once again, “I haven’t really told you about this,” he says, brushing his fingers ever so slightly over the lime fabric on his wrist, “gift.”

Changbin is confused, visually confused at that, but keeps quiet and lets him continue. “A friend of mine… gave this to me.” Y/N says, looking up towards the darkening skies, holding a tear back, “At first I thought it sucked, you know, the beads don’t look that nice. I didn’t see its value.” He said, face scrunching as he tries his hardest not to let a tear out. “So I didn’t wear it.” Changbin nods, unsure of what to say.

“He passed away a month later.” He fails to keep the cap on his bottled feelings on, a tear or two slipping out, “I found him in the bathtub, blood everywhere, and his face… oh his face,” Changbin wraps him in warmth, “it looked lifeless and yet so… sorrowful.” He says, clenching the left side of his shirt, more tears dripping down the side of his face, only to be dried up by the fabric of his boyfriend’s shirt, “I didn’t know that was possible.”

Changbin hugged and patted his back for a while until he calmed down, until he could finally form a proper sentence. “He helped me figure out and accept who I am.” Y/N says, the left side of his lip pulling up as his face forms a melancholic smile, “I didn’t realize it back then, but I wouldn’t have been so open with my sexuality now if it wasn’t for him.” Both stared up at the young night sky, the elegant stars beginning to show themselves. “I’ve worn this,” he says, fiddling with the dirty cotton frog in the center of the trinket, “since the day we buried him.”

Y/N lets a tear fall once again as he leans his head on Changbin’s shoulder, finding the closure he thought he’d already found months ago. “I loved him. Still do. I just wish he would've told me about his problems. Just wish he would’ve stuck around for a little longer.” Changbin nods once again, still unsure of what to say.

“But that was all in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it now.” Y/N says, ripping his eyes away from the lime bracelet, staring up at the midnight blue sky, the bijou stars twinkling in the distance, “Nothing but remember him with this ugly ass ornament.” Changbin looks into his eyes, confused.

“This ugly ass ornament that means the world to me.”

End.

-

𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙: 01.15.21

𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙: 01.21.21

[the-bafflement-of-scotland-yard]

Electra and Belle actually! :)

Electra

A noodle. Long spaghetti. Nearly 2 metres tall (without the mohawk), gangly. Very slight curves, though broader shoulders than hips. Flat, defined belly, flat chest too, small but firm bubble butt. Slightly muscular, mostly in the legs from racing. Pretty much no arm muscles. Kinda dark skin, that in overused book tropes would be called somewhere between ‘caramel’ and ‘coffee’. Glowing dark blue eyes.

Belle

Short, badass bitch, about 1,65 metres tall. She’s thin but curvy, with a nice hourglass figure, maybe slightly saggy boobs (but she hides that). Huge head of hair in black dreadlocks with some ornamental yarn and extensions; she usually wears it in an off-centre ponytail. Dark skin, dark, rich brown eyes.

[breelandwalker]

Do you know spells for justice or protection for other people? Like the protesters?

I know a few, but it’s difficult to pick one exactly. Here’s everything I could find in my personal spellbook that I thought might be applicable.

Ninja Dust

Intent: To enable a person to make a quick unseen exit or go unnoticed; formulated to work in crowded places.

Ingredients:

1 pt White Oak

1 pt Bloodroot

1 pt Black Salt

1 pt Red Poppy

1 pt Mustard

1/2 pt Rosemary

1/2 pt Sage

1/2 pt Clove

1/2 pt Willow Bark

Optional:

Pinch of Galangal Root

Pinch of Heather Blossom

Pinch of Devil's Shoestring

Pinch of Black Cohosh

This powder was prepared for a friend of mine the night before she attended a large-scale protest march. It's meant to help you stay safe in a crowded situations and affect a quick exit when and if you have to.

Sprinkle a pinch or two on your shoes before you go out, or carry a small vial or packet with you. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to leave quickly, toss down the powder and step on it as you leave.

Of course, this should always go along with whatever practical safety measures are deemed prudent for your situation. If you find yourself in a position where you are in immediate physical danger, forget the powder, just get to safety however you can. Be careful out there!

Liza Hempstock’s Invisibility Charm

Inspired by The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.

Use this charm when you want to pass unseen and unremarked in a crowd or need to escape a situation without being noticed.

Put a pinch of poppy seeds in your shoe or carry a packet of them in your pocket. When you need to make a quick exit, turn three times, spit over your left shoulder, and whisper:

Be hole, be dust, be dream, be wind Be night, be dark, be wish, be mind, Now slip, now slide, now move unseen, Above, beneath, betwixt, between

Gather yourself together, find your exit, and GO.

No Fear Here

To help dispel fear, ward off danger, and promote bravery. This blend is meant for a home ornament witchball, but it can also be put into a sachet or a bottle charm if mobile magic is needed.

Agrimony

Yarrow

Black Pepper

Thyme

Jasmine

Black Tea Leaves

Walking Ward Protection Oil

For personal warding spells of all kinds

Sweet Basil

Witch Hazel

Fennel Sprigs

Mix the herbs in equal parts and soak 1 tbsp of the blend in 1-2 cups of bland oil for about a week to make the infusion. Strain and bottle the oil. If desired, add a couple of drops of Basil or Rosemary essential oil.

Short Notice Travel Protection Charm

If you're called to make an unexpected trip and don't have time to prepare a full-sized bottle charm, making a braid or knot-string out of white yarn or string. As you tie it, say seven times over:

By water and fire, by sky and by stone, This charm will see me brought safely back home.

Tie the string around your wrist or ankle for the duration of the trip. You can remove it when you return home or let it fall off on its' own.

"Bibbity Bobbity Back Off" Banishing Spell

This spell grew out of a quip that I made in response to some hate mail that came my way. Some weeks of experimenting with word-activated protection magics later, this is what I came up with.

Intent: To repel or banish harmful things that attempt to accost you.

Materials:

Piece of Personal Jewelry

Small Jar with Flat Lid

Tealight Candle

Herbs: Angelica Root, Peppermint, Marjoram, Willow Bark

Make a potpourri blend out of the herbs and place it in the jar. For extra potency, spit in the jar. Place the piece of jewelry in the jar, close the lid, and shake gently. Set the jar somewhere level and safe, set the tealight on top of the lid, and burn it for a few minutes.

Focus on the flame of the tealight and chant, as many times as you feel you need to:

I cannot be snared, I cannot be caught However you try, no harm is wrought

When you've finished, blow out the candle. Wait for the candle cup and the lid to cool before opening the jar. Retrieve the jewelry and wear it when you need a little extra protection.

Should you need to activate the protection, simply breathe on your fingers, touch the charmed object, and whisper, "Invictus." (Latin, pron. in-VIK-toos; “invincible.”) The charm will last until you remove the piece and breathe on it again. You'll need to return it to the jar of herbs to recharge within 24 hours of use, or you'll have to cast the charm all over again. For best results, I recommend changing the herbs in the jar between charges.

This is a short-term heavy-duty banishing spell. It can't ensure physical safety, but it can help keep you safe from emotional and mental attack, and may provide an opportunity for escape if one is needed. It may also diffuse aggressive outside energy long enough for you to make a prudently-timed getaway if a confrontation seems imminent.

"Not On My Watch" Vinegar

 Intent: An all-purpose preventative potion for use in protective and binding spells.

 Ingredients:

Jar with Tight-fitting Lid

2 cups Vinegar

Coffee Filter

Funnel

Bottle for Storage

Knife and Cutting Board

Fresh Ginger or Horseradish Root

Peppermint Essential Oil

Herbs: Bay Leaves, Coriander, Lemon Peel, Cedar Tips, Pine Needles, Witch Hazel, Clover Leaves

This is a heavy-duty protective vinegar that I created in a fit of rage. If the ingredient list seems excessive, it's because I was angry enough about the situation to basically throw the book at it. I've used it a few times since then and it's been very effective.

To make this potion, you'll need a jar with a tight-fitting lid. A large brand-new mason jar is best for this. For some other spells and potions, you can use recycled food jars, but for this one, you want a fresh jar with no chance of leftover food particles.

First, clean your piece of ginger or horseradish root. For best results, you'll want a fresh root, not dried pieces, as you want the juice and oils to blend with the vinegar. Cut several slices from the root and place them in the mason jar. Wash and dry the knife before continuing.

Note: Fresh horseradish root has a very strong peppery-sour smell, and can produce fumes like onions do. The fumes may cause your nose to run and may irritate your eyes. (It's a great way to clear the sinuses though.) If you are sensitive to such things, you may want to wear a surgical mask and goggles, or just use ginger root instead.

To help your herbs fit more easily into the jar, you may want to carefully dice them into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can work with fresh or dried herbs for this potion, whichever works best with your available supplies. If you want additional aromatic qualities in your potion, I recommend using fresh Lemon Peel, Cedar Tips, and Pine Needles if possible. It adds a nice fresh, clean scent, a little bit like a certain name-brand floor cleaner, but less chemical. Using fresh versions of these ingredients will also help to cut the vinegar smell to a certain degree. But again, if you only have dried herbs, that will work just as well.

Dried or fresh, you'll need approximately 2 ½ ounces of chopped herbs altogether. That's about five tablespoons or 71 grams of herbs. Mix them together and add them to the jar. If you've used fresh herbs, you'll need to dry or discard any leftovers. If you used only dried herbs, put any extra mix into a container for future use. Waste not, want not.

Add two cups of vinegar to the jar. I used white vinegar, but cider vinegar or wine vinegar will do as well. Use whatever you have available. White vinegar may be less expensive, if you need to purchase a fresh bottle. Add 2-3 drops of Peppermint essential oil, close the lid tightly, and give the jar a good shake.

Leave the vinegar jar in a warm, dry place to steep for three full days. Strain the resulting liquid into a clean bottle using a funnel and coffee filter, and discard the herbs. The mason jar can be used again after it has been thoroughly cleaned and dried.

Use the potion in home protection magics, particularly if you need to repel unsavory persons, "accidents" which are not at all accidental, or harmful magics. It can also be an additive in spells meant to make the home a sanctuary for those who need it. Add a small amount to your washwater when you clean hard floors or your doorstep for additional protection. Splash a little on your front door or at your property line to discourage trespassers.

(I’m sure this could be put to use for keeping yourself safe during protests, keeping cops away from your home, blessing marchers and venues, and so forth.)

I’ll try and search up my post with magical measures for justice as well.

Hope this helps!

[allsassnoclass]

i hate that i didn't say hi in that last request. HI hazel what do you think about!! "MY MOM KNITTED YOU A JUMPER" for malum? that sounds like the malum i love!! love u <3

hello hello hello here you go!

Ficmas Day 4

Rating: General Audiences

Read on AO3

Christmas in London is very different from Christmas in Australia.  For one thing, there’s snow on the ground.  It’s not much, tramped over by boots and mixed with the dirt to create sludge along the streets, but it’s still present on the ground.  For another thing, it’s cold.  Australian temperatures can dip down in winter, but by December it’s warm again, summer sun heating skin from the moment you step outside.  It’s strange to be at the end of December and have to put on a coat outside.  It’s also a little colder than Australia ever gets, and Michael finds himself seeking out blankets inside the house and shoving beanies over his hair before he sets foot outside.

It’s also different because Liz is the only parent around.  All of them had to barter extensively with their parents to convince them to even let them come to London, and once they realized they probably wouldn’t have Christmas together it prompted a new flurry of discussions about the exact timeline of the move.  In the end, professional interest won out over familial traditions, and Michael isn’t upset about heading to London early, but he’s careful not to mention the ache of loneliness in his stomach when he calls home.

He’s not really lonely.  He has Calum, Luke, and Ashton, and Liz ensures that they all eat actual meals and get enough sleep and always have someone to turn to when they need a motherly hug.  They have a little fake tree with some lights and generic ornaments on it, and Liz has been snatching packages as soon as the post delivers them, shifty about the contents inside.  Michael isn’t worried about gifts, because being in London is his Christmas present, and it’s kind of nice to get the full Northern-Hemisphere-Winter-Experience shown in all of the movies.

It would be worse if he didn’t have Calum.  It would be worse if he didn’t have all of them, but Calum has always felt like home in a way that few other people ever will.  He’s been Michael’s best friend through thick and through thin, and he’s the one who brought Luke into their life and who’s agreement to do the band kick-started their process.  Michael can always count on him to cheer him up on bad days and share his happiness on good ones, and living in London is a lot like an extension of the sleepovers they’ve been having since before they hit double-digits.  The biggest difference is that they’re in separate beds rather than piled sleeping bags on the floor.

On Christmas Eve, Michael wakes up late and spends a long time laying in his bed, debating whether he should bother getting up or let himself melt into his mattress.  Luke and Liz had plans for the day that they had suggested dragging everyone else along for, but Luke’s bed is empty and Michael can’t hear other activity in the house, so they probably left already.  Michael doesn’t mind.  He’s been tramping around London a lot lately, and a day to recharge is fine with him.

When his stomach finally growls, he heaves himself out of bed, throwing back the covers and shivering at the change in air temperature.  He needs socks.  He needs long sleeves.  It's winter in England, and that is not conducive to getting out of bed right now.

He manages to find socks that smell clean and a t-shirt that seems passable.  Hunger pushes him towards the kitchen before an acceptable hoodie can be found, but he can always sneak into the other room and steal one of Calum's.  Calum's hoodies tend to be some of the most comfortable, and he guards them carefully.  He always lets Michael keep it on if he's caught wearing one, though, which is more than can be said for the other two.

Calum enters the kitchen once Michael's toast pops.  Michael has an irrational fear that the toaster popping will startle him bad enough to bite the tip of his tongue off, so he's partially thankful that Calum makes his appearance then and distracts him, even if his presence startles him more than the toast ever could.

"I didn't know you were home," he says in answer to Calum's raised eyebrows.

"Liz took Luke and Ashton.  They'll be gone all day."

"Doing what?"

Calum shrugs.  "I think Liz is still getting presents for the family to send for New Years and wanted Luke to help.  Ashton just likes being out of the house."

Ashton is probably trying to find gifts for his own family.  Michael already sent some kitschy souvenirs for his parents, although they haven’t reached Australia yet.  He'll get them something better later, when he actually figures out what they would appreciate.

"Toast?" he offers.

"I'm making noodles," Calum says.

"Can I have some?"

"Yeah, okay."

Michael hums and slumps against him.  Everyone should have a Calum in their lives.  He's a space heater and a chef and a great bassist rolled into one, and he's pretty low maintenance.  Michael only has to give him undying love to get all of the perks.

They keep a comfortable silence while Calum cooks and Michael eats, enjoying existing together rather than filling the air with mindless chit chat.  Michael takes a shower when he finishes his toast, and Calum has the noodles ready when he's done.  After lunch, they migrate to the living room, taking advantage of the empty house to finally play Fifa uninterrupted.  Calum wins more than Michael, but he's not mad about it however much he pretends to be.  Calum is often humble to a fault, so Michael is happy to let him rub these victories in his face.

Calum goes to check the mail while Michael gets more snacks.  He comes back with two packages, one that he distractedly puts on the couch and another that he looks at curiously.  It's bigger than a shoe box, taped together securely over some colorful paper.

"What's that?" Michael asks.

"From my mum," Calum says.  "Your mum sent Liz something."

"What?  What is it?"

"I don't know," Calum says.  "It's a crime to open someone else's mail."

"But it's from my mum."

"Maybe she and Liz gossip about you.  If it's meant for you, you'll get it tomorrow."

Michael pouts.  Calum is, unfortunately, very resistant to his pouting.  He also takes the package and makes Michael put it in Liz's room before Michael can get too curious and start shaking it.  He could still peak, but then he'd have to contend with Calum's disappointed face.  That's not something anyone should have to face on Christmas Eve.

"Michael!" Calum calls from the living room.  "Get out here!"

"Why?"

"Mum sent you something!"

Michael leaves the package on Liz's bed and tramps back to the living room.  Calum grins and holds up a dark blue sweater with two white stripes stretching around it.

"My mum knit you a jumper!"

"For me?" he asks.  Calum nods enthusiastically.

"Put it on," Calum says.  "She wants a picture."

He holds out the jumper, letting Michael slip his hands in the arms and helping him pull it over his head.  It's a little big, spacious and comfortable, and the yarn is soft.  Michael doesn't know the difference between any of the stitches, but they're fun and feel fancy.

"She said she made it big so we can grow into them."

Calum pulls another jumper out, just like Michael's except in green.  When he puts it on, Michael resists the urge to help fix his hair, unruly from the static.

"I can't believe your mum knit me a jumper," Michael says.

"She's going to do one for Luke and Ashton, too, but she wanted to get yours done quickly.  She said you're an ice cube in our winters, so she was worried about how you were handling this one."

Michael feels a rush of affection for Joy Hood.  The entire Hood family is his favorite family besides his own, even without considering the fact that Calum is his favorite person.

Calum snaps a selfie, tilting his phone so they both fit in frame.  Michael presses close, faces centimeters away, and ensures that his grin is bright and happy, trying to push as much gratitude into one picture as possible.  Calum doesn’t step away while he sends it and Michael once again leans against him.

“Tell her I love it,” he says, looping his arms around Calum’s waist.  He slips his hands under the hem of Calum’s shirt and presses them against his stomach, making him squirm and swear.

“Get your icicle hands off me!” he laughs, but Michael has a grip now and doesn’t let him go until they’re tumbling onto the couch in a tangled, giggly mess.

“Still want to play another round?” Calum asks once he catches his breath.  Michael considers it, but he can’t properly cuddle with Calum if he has to hold a game controller, so he shakes his head.

“Movie?” he suggests instead.  Calum shrugs and grabs the remote, shutting down the game and switching the input so they can browse through Netflix.  Michael stretches out and Calum fits himself against him, pulling a blanket from the back of the couch to cover their legs.  It’ll probably get too warm about thirty minutes into whatever they decide to watch, but for now it’s perfect.  Michael tucks himself lower into his sweater and pulls Calum closer to him, savoring every piece of warmth he can get.

[cadence-talle]

Hang A Shining Star

Pairing: Keefe Sencen/Fitz Vacker

Wordcount: 2,667

Summary: Keefe nods, nudging Fitz’s shoulder. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’re going to raise the roof!”

Fitz snorts, taking a sip of his eggnog. From the living room, a stream of chatter weaves between the lyrics of Christmas Island. The whole house is warm and smells of nutmeg. 

“Yeah. Yeah, we are.”

Other notes: Here we go! The Keefitz Christmas party fic! I hope you guys enjoy it. 

Taglist: @everyonehasthoughts, @clearlykeefitz, @loverofallthingssmart, @a-lonely-tatertot, @enbies-and-felonies, @molly-sencen, @lemontarto, @appalyneinstitute1, @ruewen-and-rising, @silver-snow, @linhamon-roll, @hyperlollypop, @never-ever-too-many-fandoms, @keeper-of-the-lost-queers, @impostertamsong, @vibing-in-the-void, @yeetersofthelostcities, @mistythegirlfluxmess, @diamond-dreamerr

Read it on ao3 or under the cut!

If you had to give each season a word to describe it, winter would be quiet.

Summer is light, heat waves sinking across the country and sunshine spreading its rays. Spring is growth, flowers opening and leaves unfolding. Autumn is rest, leaves dropping to the ground and blowing away on the wind. 

And winter is quiet. It’s something in the air- something about nature pausing, holding its breath, something about the way the snow muffles any semblance of sound. Winter is a time for introspection, a time to catch your breath. It’s peace. 

Right now, though, the house is anything but quiet and peaceful. 

Even from two floors up, Fitz can still hear the finishing chords of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, Biana humming along. He’s supposed to be retrieving the decorations from the attic, but he doesn’t want to leave the relative safety of his Justin Bieber-less space. 

“Fitz?” Livvy pokes her head into the room, garishly-patterned Christmas sweater seeming to glow in the dim light. “Everything okay up here?”

“Yeah,” Fitz grimaces as Santa Claus Is Coming To Town starts up. “Just trying to save my ears.” 

Livvy laughs, sitting down on a box labeled China Tea Set- DO NOT TOUCH. “Yeah, I get that. I love Dell to death, but her music taste is terrible.”

Fitz nods. “And it’s Christmas songs. How do you mess up Christmas songs?”

“Not sure, but they’ve managed to do it.” Livvy springs to her feet and picks up a fake wreath the size of her torso. “We should probably get this stuff downstairs.”

 “Yeah.” Fitz picks up a box that just says X-mas shit and rests it on his hip. “All right. Into the beast’s mouth we go.”

“Maybe we can steal the aux cord and change the music to something good.”

Biana and Della do not, unfortunately, relinquish the music. They do change it to Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas album, though, so Fitz counts that as a win. 

Winter Wonderland is crooned through the speakers as they start to unpack the boxes, sparkling glass ornaments hung on the tree next to a horrifying glue-and-yarn monstrosity Fitz made in first grade. Biana pulls a tiny tissue-wrapped package out of a box and holds it up with a shout. 

“I found her! The mermaid!”

Livvy whoops as they all gather around to watch as Biana hangs the ornament on a pine branch. The mermaid is vaguely misshapen, facial features in the wrong places and tail twisted in on itself. It’s a Vacker family tradition- Fitz and Keefe bought it at a gas station at 3 am once when they were fifteen and they’ve never looked back. 

“Perfect,” Della says, stepping back to look at the tree. “All we have to do is put the lights on the house, then.”

Everyone groans. Having a huge house is nice for some things; parties, for example, or having sock-sliding races, but hanging lights is always a pain. It takes multiple people just to hang a single string- Keefe usually comes over to help. 

“Where is Keefe, anyway?” Livvy asks like she can read Fitz’s mind. (She actually might be able to. She’s talented like that.) Biana, from where she’s seated on the sofa untangling the lights, looks up. 

“Oh, he couldn’t come today. He and Marella have a date to-”

“A date?” Della interrupts, looking at Fitz. “Huh. I always thought… I mean, that is to say, I always assumed Keefe…”

Fitz flushes. “No, mom, not that kind of date. They’re just the only two people crazy enough to go sledding.”

“Tobogganing,” Biana corrects. “Marella found an old toboggan in her garage and decided to take it out. I think they’re going down a hill near here, actually.”

“Well, maybe they’ll drop in after they’re done,” Della says crisply. “Eggnog, anyone? I’ll put nutmeg in it.” 

Fitz stands up to go help just as the doorbell rings. He blinks, turning towards the front hall. “I’ll get it, I guess. Maybe Marella and Keefe are already done.”

He opens the door to see two snow-covered figures standing on the porch. Fitz can’t even see their faces, covered as they are by scarves and hoods. The shorter figure shakes off her coat and resolves into the form of Marella. 

“Hey, Fitz,” she says. “Can we come in?”

Fitz narrows his eyes at the two of them. “Yeah, sure, just leave all the snow on the porch. What happened to you?”

Keefe pulls the scarf off his face, dropping it in a heap at his feet. He grins at Fitz, cheeks rosy from the cold. 

“You know that Calvin and Hobbes strip where Calvin drives his sled into a tree and it breaks and he falls into the snow?”

“Vaguely. Please tell me you didn’t break your toboggan.”

Marella pats his shoulder as she enters the house, the wrists of her sweater wet from melting ice. “Sorry, can’t do that. It’s a pile of wood now.” She shrugs. “It was kinda a shitty sled anyway.”

Fitz rolls his eyes as they walk into the living room. Biana’s head snaps up and she pushes the Christmas lights onto the floor. 

“Marella! Hey!” 

Marella smiles, pulling her into a hug. “Hey, Bi. What’s up?”

Biana gestures toward the lights on the floor, which are only marginally less tangled. “Oh, you know. Just… fixing up the lights. Want to help?”

The two settle down on the couch, and Fitz and Keefe share a long look before slipping off to the kitchen. Keefe waves at Della. 

“Hi, hon,” she calls, serving out the eggnog. “How was tobogganing?”

Keefe lifts one shoulder and takes the offered cup. “Okay. Better at the beginning, that’s for sure. How’s your composition going?”

Della grins, one of those huge, bright ones that Livvy swears could light up the whole world. “Well! We’re going to see if the orchestra can perform it next weekend. Speaking of which- Fitz invited you to the party, right?”

Keefe nods, nudging Fitz’s shoulder. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’re going to raise the roof!”

Fitz snorts, taking a sip of his eggnog. From the living room, a stream of chatter weaves between the lyrics of Christmas Island. The whole house is warm and smells of nutmeg. 

“Yeah. Yeah, we are.”

-/-

Fitz stares at his reflection, hands anxiously tapping the table in front of him. Jingle Bell Rock is playing on the radio on his dresser, the upbeat music floating through the windows and into the darkening sky. Della and Livvy are out for the night, so he and Biana have the house to themselves for their party. 

It’s not a huge affair- it never is. Just them and their friends; Sophie and Dex, Tam and Linh, Marella and Maruca and Wylie. Keefe. 

Keefe, of course, presents a problem. 

Fitz isn’t stupid. He’s known what he’s feeling since it started four years ago. He’s known exactly what the clenching in his gut was, why his skin felt hot whenever Keefe brushed his hand. 

He’s not stupid, so he’s not going to do anything about his feelings. 

The music on the radio changes into something slower, sadder. Imogen Heap’s voice seems to echo in the room, as she repeats just for now, just for now. Fitz closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths, trying to prepare himself. 

A soft ‘psh’ comes from the doorway. Biana moves into the room, switching off the radio and giving him a sharp look. 

“Really? Tonight’s a celebration, Fitz, not a pity party. You can be sad later.” 

“I’m not sad,” Fitz protests. “I’m just getting ready!” 

“Mmm.” Biana perches herself on the bed, green dress crinkling slightly. “You will be okay, though, right?” She asks, tone softer. Fitz nods.

“I’m fine. I promise.”

“Okay. But I’m here if you ever want to talk.” Biana stands up and ruffles his hair. “Now come on, I need your help with the cheese platter before everyone arrives.”

As if on cue, the doorbell rings. 

“Too late for that,” Fitz says dryly as Bi darts downstairs. He glances in the mirror one more time before moving towards the stairs. “Here we go.” 

Sophie, Dex and Marella burst in as soon as he opens the door, throwing their coats on the floor and attack-hugging him. Tam, Linh, Maruca and Wylie trail after them, calling “Merry Christmas!” as they kick off their shoes. Fitz tries to wave from underneath his hug pile. 

“Merry Christmas,” he manages. 

Finally, Keefe staggers in, covered in snow for the second time this week. Biana snorts. 

“Need some help there?”

Keefe mumbles a word that might be “No” as Biana brushes some of the snow off of his shoulder. 

“Come on, I think you might have an extra suit upstairs. Fitz, can you get everything cleaned up down here?”

“Sure,” he says, turning to the others and picking up discarded coats. “So did you all walk over here together?”

“Yup,” Maruca affirms, hanging her coat on a hanger. “Sorry about Keefe, by the way.”

“He fell into a snowdrift and had to change,” Marella explains. “I think he keeps an extra suit here?”

Sophie snorts. “He ‘fell’ into a snowdrift,” she says with exaggerated air quotes. “And by that, I mean Mare pushed him.”

“In my defense-” Marella holds up a finger- “his face was annoying me.” 

“Right,” Fitz says, holding back a laugh. “Well, as soon as Keefe gets changed, we can-” A creak on the stairs interrupts him, and Fitz spins around to see Keefe standing there in a clean suit. 

His suit. 

“Sorry,” Biana says with a smirk that implies she is anything but sorry. “It turns out Keefe doesn’t have an extra suit here after all. And this one is too big for you, right?.”

“Y-yeah.” Fitz attempts to remember how to speak. “Yeah, no, that’s fine. That’s- fine. Good. Great. Yeah, it’s fine.” 

He hears giggling behind him and turns towards the living room, resolutely not looking at anything else. “Anyway. Who wants food?”

-/-

“And that is why we don’t write personalized messages on bouquets anymore,” Maruca finishes, taking a delicate bite of a meatball. “Although there was also the guy who wanted me to write his ex a note that just said Hey Jane, fuck you and your fucking poodle. So, you know, it might have been more than one thing.”

Keefe snorts, leaning forward to grab another cookie. His shoulder brushes Fitz’s and Fitz stiffens before forcing himself to relax. He’s fine. This is fine. 

“So, how about some music?” Marella says, plugging her phone into the speaker. The opening notes of Let It Go trail through the air and Dex boos. 

“No Frozen!” Linh calls. Fitz blinks. 

“Wait, I thought you loved Frozen.”

“Not anymore,” Linh says, settling back into the sofa cushions. Marella sighs and skips to the next song, cutting Elsa off in the middle of her line. Pentatonix’s Joy To The World starts up and she flops onto the floor.”

“You’re all homophobic.”

Biana laughs, sliding off the couch to sit next to her. She hands the smaller girl a mug of hot chocolate. “Here. Drown your sorrows in this.”

 “Is it alcoholic?” Marella squints at it and takes a sip. She makes a face. “No.”

Patting her on the back, Biana turns to the rest of them. “Want to watch a movie? I think we have It’s A Wonderful Life-”

“No way,” Wylie cuts her off. Keefe nods.

“It’s Charlie Brown or nothing.”

Biana rolls her eyes and grabs the tv remote, clicking her way to A Charlie Brown Christmas. Next to him, Fitz feels Keefe stretch his legs out before curling up on the corner of the couch. He leans his head on Fitz’s shoulder, and Fitz takes a deep breath. 

Yeah. This is fine. 

Onscreen, Lucy tells Charlie Brown to direct the Christmas play. Keefe smiles and snuggles closer to Fitz, wrapping one arm around him. Fitz glances down at him, but the other man is completely engrossed by the movie. Maybe he’s just cold. 

He must be really cold, then, because by the movie’s end, they’re practically pressed together. When the lights come back on, Fitz expects Keefe to move away, but he doesn’t. They stay snuggled on the couch all throughout Tam and Marella arguing the merits of The Polar Express and Linh’s terrible rendition of That’s Christmas To Me. (Fitz loves her, but the woman can’t sing to save her life.) Keefe only moves when someone mentions Silent Night, turning to Fitz with an excited look. Fitz stares back. 

“No,” he says. Keefe pouts. 

“Please?” 

Fitz sighs, standing up. “Fine. Let me get my cello.” 

Playing music, even the worst, most religious Christmas songs, always calms him down. He and Keefe used to do this a lot, play together when they were sad or worried or stressed. Dragging his bow along the strings as piano notes lift into the air is familiar, easy. 

They get through Silent Night, Carol Of The Bells, and Hallelujah before Keefe just slams his hands on the keyboard and shatters any semblance of peace they’d had. Fitz can’t bring himself to care, though, not when Keefe is laughing.

Livvy always says that Della’s laughs are the most beautiful thing in the world. Looking at Keefe, Fitz understands that. 

Biana plugs her phone into the speaker and Bing Crosby starts to sing about how it looks like Christmas. Laughing, everyone stands up and starts to dance. None of them are very good, and they’re all slightly drunk, but it’s nice.

And they must be playing some sort of Bing Crosby album, because White Christmas comes on next. Almost immediately, everyone pairs up, swaying back and forth. Fitz looks at Keefe, blinking slightly. 

Keefe smiles and puts his hands on Fitz’s hips. They move around the room slowly, taking tiny steps in time to the music and finally dancing right out onto the front porch. 

The sun has set by now, and the frost on the lawn seems to glitter in the soft moonlight. Snow is still falling, and it seems almost magical when the next song to come on is the Nutcracker Ballet’s Waltz of the Snowflakes. 

“I used to love this song,” Fitz says quietly, sitting on the top of the porch steps. “We went to see the ballet in the city when I was a little kid, and I thought it was the most amazing thing ever.” 

“Huh.” Keefe sits down next to him, staring out at the silent greenery. “I never saw it,” he offers. Fitz snorts. 

“I know. Your dad wasn’t really big on theater.” 

“Yeah.” Keefe gives him a small smile. Fitz turns to look at him, biting his lip. 

“Are you- happier? Now?”

Keefe takes his hand, running his thumb over Fitz’s knuckles. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” he says. “With all our friends, and your mom and Liv, and…” he glances up for a moment. “With you.”

“What-.” Fitz looks up, too, to see a spinning green bundle of plants hanging above them. Mistletoe. “Oh.” 

He looks back down, straight into Keefe’s eyes. The other man is smiling, and Fitz thinks that’s where he gets the courage from. 

Carefully, he leans forward and presses their lips together. 

It’s short and sweet, and when they pull back they’re both blushing. Keefe scratches the back of his neck. “So, uh,” he starts. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Fitz blurts. Keefe blinks. “Sorry, I just- I needed to-”

“Uh. Me too,” Keefe says, snorting a little. Fitz stares at him, a smile spreading across his face. 

“Well. Good.” 

“Yeah,” Keefe laughs, leaning in again. “Good.”

Winter is quiet. But even now, with music and laughter spilling out of his house and his best friend (boyfriend?) smiling on the stairs next to him, Fitz is at peace. 

Winter is quiet, but sometimes it’s nice to make some noise. 

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