#the roasted is a coffee bean pun

[rambling-robot]

dawg that’s it. idc if I’m the manager now, I’m not going to try adjusting the coffee grinders ever again. I completely mess them up every time. how did I turn the entire adjuster and get the same level of coarseness at every number? I found an online manual and it’s telling me that it should be working. I’m cooked. Roasted, even.

[eobe]

I stole Captain Gregor's ,Flirtation Mask' for my next mission! 👀✨ The ALT text mission!

For those, who don‘t need the ALT text function: Did you notice, that additionally reading the ALT text and then having a second look on the artwork can change the intake of it massively? The artwork grows. Whispering the artists thoughts, murmuring the tales and adventures behind and broadens the sensing from a quartet onto a whole orchestra! ✨🎶 Depends on the ALT text of course

🫶 My mission goal is to bifrœst my sight of the images I see, not only with my limited drawing Padawan skills, but with words and feelings. So I bred fluffball-feathered-broody-caffeine-soft-hooting-owl 🦉 how to spread my art more and better, to make your eyes, your faces, your hearts, your souls shine 🌈✨

I’m challenging now myself to do at least one additional ALT text for my previous artworks every time I post a new piece of art. And the new pieces only with ALT text and not without anymore! ☝️🤓

If I'm lucky, I may sometimes get into a writing flow and then my brain go brrrrrt and I'll complete this mission faster, but that's really a matter of luck 🍀

If I'm not that lucky, I trawl and crawl through the Banyan-grove woods and Dagobah swamps of my brain on a desperate search for words... No, i won't, I attract and manifest the flow brrrrt ☕️☕️☕️

This might be a strange approach to do the ALT text task why can't I just ,l do the task until it's done with breaks and in time like a normal person’ but I have to circumvent my brain rain to reach the goal. And in ADHD cases this goes with dopamining. So I dopa-mine. Is that a word pun? Dopamine mining? ⛏️✨

The brain rain blockades (but only 3 % of them to not waste your time, absolutely no must read) ☔️

Why did I have not started at the very beginning?? Unknowingness doesn't justify, does it? That's not rhetorical, it's a social-community-rules-things struggle of mine

Am I bad to not thinking of it firstly, visual type of creature me? Should I get an eye bandana Hunter's bandana 🪶 to learn to treasure and appreciate my gift?

Is my English valid and vibrant enough to draw my artworks with words or is everything KAUDERWELSCH 🤯 (German for gibberish)

🙏 What do you think about my ALT text here for the ‚Flirtation mask?' 👀 Please tell me! Let me know! Roast it like a coffee bean! I want to LEARN and IMPROVE so badly, sharing the beautiful worlds my brain tends to roam in best quality 🤩🫶

ALT text description style inspired by the gorgeous template from @ireadwithmyears helping me with the ALT text for my Mayday appreciation artwork. I hope you like it? 🫶

The background story of Captain Gregor's ,Flirtation mask' you'll find here - it's fun brainrot ☝️😎

Taglist: @eclec-tech @lonewolflupe @bixlasagna @returnofthepineapple @sunshinesdaydream @covert1ntrovert @general-ida-raven @vrycurious @dystopicjumpsuit

[askbensolo]

Happy Life Day!

Happy Life Day to you too!

I don’t remember who it was that was roasting me earlier this year—pun intended—for using pre-ground caf beans. But, one of my Life Day presents yesterday was a caf grinder and some whole bean caf, so, I’ll finally be taking my next step in the universe of coffee. I have my doubts about whether grinding right before brewing will really make that much of a difference…but, I’m keeping an open mind.

I’m just glad to have my own coffee supply, now that I’m stationed back home. My mom drinks caf too…but she drinks that cheap awful mass-produced sludge, and I will not participate.

[feraltuxedo]

Served Cold

Throwback to that time I wrote a twisty political scandal fic disguised as a coffeeshop AU. I'm still quite pleased with this one, it was very fun to write the twists and turns, with suave coffee snob Crowley and thirsty, thirsty Aziraphale. If you like a bit of a mystery, a bit of a plot twist, and a good deal of capital-c Clues, you'll enjoy this.

Served Cold by FeralTuxedo M, 14205 words Summary: On a quiet Wednesday morning, a man with flaming red hair and a face tattoo saunters into a London café. But it appears that he’s there for rather more than just espresso.

Snippet:

This was exactly the type of customer Divinitea wanted to attract, Aziraphale thought. Modern, fashionable, rich. Too casually dressed to be a banker. No, this was someone with an undefinable job that was mostly done at posh brunch places with free wi-fi. He probably had the word entrepreneur on his business card.

He was clearly a bellend. But a very attractive one. Shame Anathema wasn’t here to admire him. Aziraphale would have to do that all by himself.

He turned to the stainless steel behemoth that was the coffee-maker, an expensive import from Italy which Anathema insisted would keep the customers coming back, and began the complicated series of steps that resulted in a steaming stream of thick black coffee pouring into a tiny and rather pretty duck-egg-blue cup.

Aziraphale served it to the stranger, placing the cup on an equally tiny saucer. The man had taken his sunglasses off by now and was watching him with curious brown eyes.

‘Is this place new? I swear it wasn’t here last year.’

‘It wasn’t,’ Aziraphale said. ‘We opened a few months ago.’

It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, fuelled by two bottles of Chardonnay and a dangerously outraged Anathema. Gabriel, of course, had been the cause of her outrage. And Aziraphale, who’d very much been drinking to forget, had instead ended up agreeing to her harebrained idea.

But the mysterious customer didn’t need to know all that.

He took a sip of his espresso and pulled a face. Aziraphale tutted.

‘Coffee not to your liking?’

‘Well…’ The man scrunched up his nose and tipped his head from side to side. ‘Since you asked. It’s a little over in the roast.’

Aziraphale just about stopped himself from muttering You’re a little over in the roast and instead focused intently on wiping the already spotless bar top.

‘But then,’ the man continued, ‘you’re not called Divini-coffee, are you? I bet your tea is top notch.’

Despite himself, Aziraphale laughed.

‘Divini-coffee?’

‘Did the pun come first or the menu?’

‘If you must know, I wasn’t keen on serving coffee in the first place. There’s a perfectly serviceable Costa just up the road, you see, and even a little independent place for those with a more discerning palate and a bigger budget—’

‘What, so you’d rather have people go to the competition for a hot drink? That’s one way to sabotage your own business.’

‘— then my partner made the same observation, and here we are with apparently subpar espresso that’s a little over in the roast.’

‘Your partner?’

‘Junior partner,’ Aziraphale corrected. ‘She owns 30% of the business.’

‘But 100% of the business sense, by the sound of it.’

‘She’s also the one who picks and orders the coffee beans, so you better take it up with her.’

The man shielded his eyes with the side of his palm and turned his head left and right, like a ship’s captain on the lookout for land.

‘Unless your partner is invisible, I don’t seem to have an option but to take it up with you.’

‘Fine.’ Aziraphale sighed. ‘Do you want a refund?’

He hoped not. They were already in the red for this month. On the other hand, Anathema was always very quick to offer refunds, going on the rather flawed assumption that a happy customer was, somehow, preferable to actual money in the till.

‘No need for such extreme measures,’ the man said with a wink, ‘It’s leagues better than Costa at any rate. Though I will take a few minutes of your company as compensation.’

God damn, he was charming. Aziraphale detested him for it, just a little. But then, because he was Aziraphale Fell and his only two weaknesses were French pastries and arrogant men, he did sit down with him. On the edge of the chair, of course, with his back straight and one eye on the door, just to make it absolutely clear that he was at work, and not usually in the habit of lounging about with customers.

The man grinned at him, clearly relishing the awkwardness. Aziraphale stared right back, eyebrows raised. He was not going to let this stranger fluster him.

‘You could at least tell me your name, if you insist on this—’

He flapped his hands between them to make a point.

‘Crowley,’ the man said, after a drawn-out pause.

He savoured the word like a fine wine, and Aziraphale thought it suited him perfectly.

‘Crowley,’ he repeated. ‘You go by your surname?’

‘Yup. I like it that way. Maybe you should try it, too, er… Aziraphale.’

Crowley’s eyes dropped down, once again, to Aziraphale’s name badge, and lingered there much longer than necessary.

‘Oh no, I shouldn’t think so,’ Aziraphale said lightly. ‘Anyway. Do you wish to converse at all, or are you perfectly happy just to stare?’

‘Was just admiring your apron, that’s all.’

‘Thank you. My partner hates it.’

‘I take it she’s not a fan of tartan?’

‘She says it doesn’t suit her.’

‘Suits you, anyway.’

Aziraphale mumbled another thank you. He was starting to get a little hot under the collar. It wasn’t hard to figure out why. He was fairly certain he’d seen this exact scenario play out on Pornhub. Minus the tartan apron, of course.

And really… it had been a quiet morning so far. Perhaps he could lock up the front door and drag Crowley to the back room. Have him rip the apron over his head and push him against the fridge and be done with him before Anathema arrived for her shift at lunch time.

Aziraphale sighed an inward sigh and, of course, did nothing of the sort. Good lord, he really needed to get laid. But ideally not at work. He had standards, after all. Unfortunately, Crowley appeared to meet all of them.

‘What do you want to talk about, then?’ he asked, trying hard to drag his thoughts out of the gutter.

‘Anything, really. The weather? Your favourite band? The embarrassment that is our current prime minister? Bet you’ve got some interesting thoughts to share.’

Aziraphale huffed. It was clumsy flirting, certainly more clumsy than he would have expected from a man who wore his trousers quite so tight.

[ms-moonlight-inn]

🥨Tag Game Wednesday🥨

Tranqed & tagged by the National Wildlife Association & @juliakayyy, @skylerwinchester, & @jrooc on this fine Wednesday.

name: super productive cutie patootie who's doing laundry on a school night 🤯

age: twice the hypotonus of purple divided by pi

star sign: taurus ♉ (born in the year of the dragon🐉; it's my year, y'all!)

your first language: English/Spanish

second language: Spanish/English (ok, that was snarky of me, I'm bilingual from the cradle)

favourite lip product: I used to use Maybelline Baby Lips tinted lip balm, but have recently stopped using it due to their continued use of palm oil. CoverGirl's tinted lip balm runs a close second. They've updated their policies on palm oil (though it's not perfect). I'm on the lookout for that "perfect" shade with the "perfect" ethical model.

the best food dish you can make without a recipe: Enchiladas & spanish rice. (The basic bitch, low rent version.)

If you drink tea, what kind? I like anything from Stash, especially the sweet n' spicy blend.

If you drink coffee, what roast do you usually get? I love a deep, dark roast. Something full-bodied & complex.

favourite thing to watch on youtube right now: Ugh... here's where I expose myself for the giant nerd that I am. I watch a lot of "facts" and "tutorials." So: plant videos, crochet tutorials, knitting tutorials, yoga videos, guided mantras, macrame/knot tying. Fuck, how embarasing.

favourite thing to watch on youtube in 2012: Oh, back then, it was probably music videos & dumb people narrowly avoiding death & people in other countries doing normal shit.

favourite item of clothing right now: This hoodie from LL Bean. I genuinely get upset when it gets too hot to wear it. It's on sale rn & I'm thinking of getting one in a different color. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Someone stop me!

favourite item of clothing in 2012: More than likely, it was my UC Irvine hoodie.

fandom

three movies you recommend: Green Street Hooligans, Rise of the Guardians, King of Staten Island

your favourite concert: The last one I went to was Foo Fighters, so that one?

have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? No.

have you ever left a fandom because of the fans? No.

the best tv show you watched last year: Interview with the Vampire was good. Heartstopper was, too. Nothing has gutted me like Shameless.

do you have a fancasting you just can’t let go of? No.

a ship you’ve abandoned: Fangirls don't die, they evolve. No 'ship left behind.

on a scale of 1-10 how willing are you to share your ao3 history? Um, with who, prey tell? (pun intended)

do you have a fandom tattoo? (do you want one?) Not YET. Wifey won't let me get knuckle tats, so I have to get creartive.

what fandom do you wish was bigger? None, they are the exact size they need to be.

has a finale ever ruined a show for you? Swear to god, if we don't get one more season if OFMD. Also, we need a Shameless reunion and/or spinoff. That's all I'ma say about this topic.

have you…

swam in an ocean? Two of 'em.

ever been vegan/vegetarian? No, but I do enjoy going to vegan restaurants with my sister who is lacto-ovo.

gone skinny dipping? Yes, kinda.

gone skiing? No. I have always had shitty knees.

been to a convention? Yes, for work and fun. When I was in the industry, I used to go to health food conventions often. And I've been to NY Comicon twice. I almost went to a tattoo convention this year, but I got lazy. :-)

🥨🥨🥨

Check this shit out, I'm on time with this one! 🦚 I'm tagging @notherenewjersey, @mybrainismelted, @lingy910y, @francesrose3, @sleepyfacetoughguy with no pressure to play, as always. And anyone who wants to play!

[legolasbadass]

Office Hours, Part 24

Summary: Lorelei Browning has just secured a job as an assistant professor at Exeter College in Oxford. Naturally, she is eager to prove herself and meet every challenge sent her way, but what she does not expect is the tall, handsome stranger who will quickly become much more than a colleague…

Relationship: Richard Armitage x OC (Professor AU)

Word Count: 1.8k

Rating: T

Read on AO3

The next morning, the sun finally decides to visit Oxford. After weeks of rain and grey skies, the whole city comes alive again, and Richard and I decide to make the most of it by walking to the city centre and going out for breakfast. 

After our conversation in the kitchen last night, Richard and I made love, slowly and tenderly, and each kiss, each caress, was a reassurance of his love, healing all the cracks in my heart that had been left by past lovers. We moaned each other’s names as we came, and it felt like a promise. A promise that all the passion burning inside him was reserved for me and that our love would never waver. And as we walk hand in hand past the city’s most recognizable sites, I feel that he genuinely understands me now, and the peace and comfort that come with that are pure bliss. 

We step inside a small café facing the fenced gardens of the Oxford Union Society on St Michael’s Street. The bicycle parking rack in front of the café is overflowing, and inside, almost every table is taken by stressed-out students, their eyes glued to their laptops or heavy textbooks. Yet, despite the palpable buzz of approaching finals, the atmosphere in the café is warm and comforting. Wooden ceiling beams meet the poster-covered whitewashed walls under the bright light of the morning sun as the smell of roasted coffee beans and pastries fill the air. After ordering food and coffee, Richard and I find a spot crammed into a sunny corner by the large windows overlooking the street. Our oversized mugs clink against the dark mahogany of the table, which is so small our knees touch underneath as we sit. 

Richard tells me that he regularly frequented this café when he first moved to the city as he used to live only a few streets away, near Pembroke College. He reminisces over those years until our food arrives, and a companionable silence settles between us. Fried eggs, baked beans, and toast are a perfect treat after a long walk.

“Hm, it’s eggcellent,” Richard jokes, then immediately starts laughing as I chuckle and shake my head. He always laughs at his own—often terrible—puns, and I find that incredibly endearing. 

“You dork,” I reply playfully as I take another sip of coffee. 

“Hey, you always laugh at my jokes.” 

“Maybe I’m laughing at you?” I tease. 

His smile broadens. “Well, you’re still laughing. That’s what counts.” 

I smile back at him as he squeezes my thigh under the table. “Hey—any news about your potential project with Dr. Stanley Griffin?” I ask curiously. 

He hesitates before he says, “Er, no—not really.” 

I nod slowly; his tone is strange, as though he is trying to avoid the subject. Then, without another word, he reaches out to look at his phone. I frown—he has repeatedly been checking his phone since last night.  

“You keep checking your phone—what is it?” I ask, hoping I do not sound too much like an insecure, controlling girlfriend.

“I’m not checking my phone more than usual, love,” Richard says dismissively, which only makes me more suspicious. I suddenly have the strange feeling that he is hiding something from me—but why would he, when we share everything with each other? Still, it could be nothing. Perhaps he is simply waiting to hear back from some journal to which he submitted a paper, or he is expecting a response from some society or university concerning a conference. That must be it. 

But then why does he not simply tell me?

“I’m gonna get some more coffee. Do you want anything?” he asks, pulling me out of my spiralling thoughts. 

“Er, no I’m good. Thanks,” I reply with a smile. I watch him as he stands and leaves toward the counter, my eyes drifting to his solid thighs and the firmness of his bum in those dark jeans before drifting back to his handsome face just as he scratches his beard with one of his large hands. 

I know I have nothing to worry about with Richard. He is the most caring, thoughtful, and loyal partner I have ever had. But that only makes me even more curious—or worried—about what he could be keeping from me. Of course, I could insist he tell me, but it does not feel right to press him when he has always been so patient with me. 

“We seem to be running into each other a lot.” 

Of all the cafés in Oxford. 

Jason wears a beige trench coat, unbuttoned to reveal a burgundy cashmere sweater and the collar of a white button-up shirt underneath. He smirks at me before sliding into the empty seat in front of me. Richard’s seat. His knees come into contact with mine, and I immediately push my chair back. 

All I can think to say is a cliché, “I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“Me neither!” he exclaims. “I’m glad—we didn’t really get a chance to talk yesterday, what with your boyfriend being there.”

I feel like one of those dumb horror movie heroines, convinced they have outrun the monster only to come face to face with it again. 

“What are you doing here, Jason?” I ask, glancing toward Richard, but he has his back to us. 

Jason chuckles. “I’m getting coffee?” 

“You know what I mean,” I retort with a sigh. “What are you doing in Oxford? And don’t tell me you’re here for the conference—we both know medieval literature isn’t your research area at all.” 

“Alright, look—I found out you were organizing this conference, and I thought….” He shrugs. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other.” 

“There’s a reason for that.” 

He shakes his head. “Oh, come now, Lor—that was ages ago. And I said I was sorry—”

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t change anything,” I bite back, failing to hide the ache in my voice as the memories and pain of years past clog my throat. “And you also blamed me for sleeping with her so you’re apology doesn’t mean much.”

Jason opens his mouth to retort, but before he can say anything, Richard returns, his face hiding none of the hatred he feels for Jason. “You’re in my seat.” 

Jason leans back in the chair and looks up at Richard defiantly. “Oh, sorry—I’ll get another chair.” 

“Sorry, mate, I guess I didn’t make myself clear,” he says as he places his coffee on the table, now towering over Jason. “Get away from her.” 

Heat crawls up my neck as I notice the people in the café glancing at us. 

“What’s your problem?” 

“You know very well what my problem is,” Richard retorts with raised eyebrows. “Maybe no one has ever taught you how to treat a woman, but I don’t think you need a degree to understand that cheating on your girlfriend makes you an arsehole.” 

Jason chuckles and shakes his head as he stands. “I made a mistake, alright? But that doesn’t erase all the good memories we shared before that.” He is looking at me now, his eyes filled with an odd mixture of anger and regret. 

“No, but it changes them,” I say quietly, all too aware of the curious eyes watching us. “I think you should just go—I have nothing to say to you.” 

“So you’re just going to be angry at me for the rest of your life?” 

I sigh, my heart tightening in my chest, but Richard steps in before I can speak. 

“Don’t you dare make her think her feelings aren’t valid. What you did to her is unforgivable,” Richard growls. “And she’s made herself perfectly clear. So get out.” 

I stare at my empty coffee mug to avoid Jason’s eyes—and Richard’s—as they both stare at me. My stomach is in knots. When Jason finally leaves, Richard takes back the seat before me and reaches out to squeeze my hand. 

“Lorelei?”

I lift my head to meet his gaze, and I find myself feeling both comforted and annoyed by the deep concern in his eyes. 

“Let’s just go,” I say as I run a hand through my hair. 

I do not wait for Richard before putting on my coat and stepping outside. The sun is higher in the sky, and thus the shadows in the narrow street are longer. A cyclist wooshes past me on the road holding onto the handle of his bicycle with only one hand while he holds a stack of books in the other; this is the kind of little moment that makes me fall in love with Oxford every day, and as I watch him disappear around the corner, I remind myself that the day is not ruined simply because Jason interrupted our breakfast. 

Richard announces his presence by pressing a hand onto my back, and when I turn around to face him, his eyes are clouded in worry.

“I didn’t need you to defend me like that. I’m not a damsel in distress,” I begin uncertainly, adjusting my tote bag over my shoulder.

“I know you’re not,” Richard hastens to say, a deep frown on his face. “I’m sorry, love—I didn’t mean to—” 

“Don’t apologize,” I interject, reaching out to wrap my arms around him. “I was just going to say that I don’t need you to defend me … but I still appreciate it. I don’t think I need to tell you that Jason wasn’t exactly chivalrous.” 

“Calling him an arsehole wasn’t chivalrous,” Richard replies as he tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear, “it was simply stating the obvious.” 

“Well, either way, thank you,” I chuckle before standing on my tiptoes to kiss him. 

When we pull apart a few moments later, Richard keeps one arm wrapped tight around my waist. “So, do you want to go home?” 

I shake my head, though I appreciate his consideration. “I won’t let him ruin my day. It’s warm, the sun is out, and I’d like to spend some time just walking around the city with you.” 

Richard smiles. “Your wish is my command,” he says playfully. “Oh—I got you a surprise.” 

Raising a curious eyebrow, I take the small paper bag he hands me and peek inside. Then I gasp. “A blueberry danish pastry!” I exclaim in excitement. “You’re the best!” 

Without wasting a second, I raise the pastry to my mouth and take a big bite, marvelling at the flaky dough and the sweet blueberry filling. 

“Hey, I have a pun for you,” I say as I lick my lips. “What did Grendel have for breakfast?” I wait a few seconds, then smile and wave the pastry. “A Danish!”

Richard bursts out laughing and shakes his head. “Now who’s the dork?” I stick out my tongue at him. “I love you, nerd.” 

I smile as he pulls me into his arms. “I love you, too.” 

The sun feels brighter and warmer as we make our way toward Broad Street, and Jason is but a distant memory as Richard’s hand lovingly holds onto mine, never letting go.

Taglist: @lathalea​​​​  @linasofia​​​​ @mcchberry @fizzyxcustard​​​​ @bitter-sweet-farmgirl​​​​ @i-did-not-mean-to​​​​ @xxbyimm​​​​ @middleearthpixie​​​​ @enchantzz​​​​ @myselfandfantasy​​​​ @notlostgnome​​​​ @laurfilijames​​​​ @swoopswishsward​​​​ @quiall321​​​​ @dianakc​​

Let me know if you’d like to be added or removed from my taglist, or tagged in future chapters! 💙

[ask-the-purple-knight]

Please-

To bean or not to bean?

What have you bean up to?

Cold brew help me with this?

Hands up! You’re under a-roast.

What are my favorite colors? Red, white, and brew!

Are you sick? Yes, I’ve been coffee and sneezing.

I’m quiet, but after a cup of coffee, I can espresso my feelings.

Bean Affleck was amazing in Dazed and Coffee-Infused.

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA- IM SORRY IM SORRY I-

The only beans I like are in coffee, though technically they aren't even beans.

I could do without the puns.

[0721am]

प्रिय बारिश

good day, brew-ti-ful! I've decided to mocha 5th July '23 brew-ti-ful with my coffens puns and funs.

dearest, words can not espresso how much you bean to me. you're like coffee — steaming hot and magically makes life better. you're truly mug-nificent.

you mocha me smile. you mocha make July so brew-ti-ful that I eagerly look forward to it. 🤎

while writing this post, a question popped in my mind:

since you know to make a cup of coffee, doesn't that make you a barishta? 🤎(⁠>⁠ ⁠ਊ⁠ ⁠<⁠)🤎

although I'm not a fan of coffee, I’m wholeheartedly in love with the smell of the roasted beans, the warmth of the cup, and floating milky froth.

my go-to order is either Latté or Cappuccino with three pumps of Vanilla syrup and with a slice of Red Velvet cake. what's yours? I'm curious! 🤎☕

Thank you for bean my friend. we’re the perfect blend! hope the day went well for you, my darling. sending you a whole latte love. see you tomorrow!

16 days to go! @thelilacdews 🧸

— yours, Teeeee!

[punsify1]

200+ Coffee-Themed Christmas Puns To Keep You Jolly

Start your mornings merry and bright with these coffee-themed Christmas puns! Whether you're sipping on a peppermint mocha, brewing a gingerbread latte, or simply enjoying your daily cup of joe, these puns are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Perfect for holiday cards, social media captions, or just sharing laughs with friends, they’ll keep the festive spirit brewing all season long.

Read More: 200+ Coffee-Themed Christmas Puns To Keep You Jolly

Holiday Coffee Vibes

Why Coffee and Christmas Go Hand in Hand

There’s something magical about a hot cup of coffee during the holidays. It keeps you warm on chilly mornings, fuels your busy shopping days, and adds comfort to cozy nights by the fire. From classic blends to festive lattes, coffee is the ultimate holiday companion.

Make Your Festive Brew Extra Special

Spice up your holiday season by incorporating coffee into your celebrations. Whether it's through decorations, gift ideas, or special recipes, coffee can bring joy and warmth to every moment. Plus, it’s the perfect pick-me-up during those long family gatherings!

The Perfect Blend of Festive Fun

From coffee-inspired decor to creating personalized mugs, there are endless ways to spread holiday cheer. Enjoy coffee tastings with friends, host a DIY latte art night, or simply relax with your favorite brew and a Christmas movie.

Creative Christmas Coffee Inspiration

Festive Coffee Decor Ideas

Mug Garlands: Hang festive mugs for a unique holiday look.

Coffee-Themed Wreaths: Incorporate beans, mini mugs, and holiday bows.

DIY Coffee Advent Calendar: Countdown to Christmas with different brews.

Coffee Stocking Stuffers: Add mini bags of beans or coffee pods.

Holiday Coffee Station: Decorate with lights and festive signs.

Must-Try Holiday Coffee Flavors

Peppermint Mocha: A holiday favorite with a minty twist.

Gingerbread Latte: Sweet and spicy, perfect for winter mornings.

Eggnog Brew: A creamy and festive treat.

Cinnamon Spice Coffee: Warm and comforting with a hint of sweetness.

Caramel Brûlée Latte: Indulgent and rich for a special occasion.

Fun Coffee Activities

Holiday Coffee Tasting: Try seasonal blends with friends.

Latte Art Contest: Create festive designs like snowflakes or reindeer.

DIY Coffee Gifts: Make personalized coffee jars or gift sets.

Coffee and Dessert Pairing: Match brews with Christmas cookies.

Virtual Coffee Chats: Share your holiday brew with loved ones afar.

10 Festive Coffee Puns to Perk Up Your Holiday Spirit

What does Santa say before his morning coffee? "Brew-dolph, guide my sleigh!"

How do elves take their coffee? With extra jolly-beans!

Why did the coffee bean love Christmas? It always felt grounded!

What’s a barista’s favorite holiday carol? “Latte Night, Holy Night.”

Why does Mrs. Claus love peppermint lattes? They’re mint to be!

What’s Santa’s go-to coffee order? A Krisp Kringle roast!

How does a snowman like his coffee? Chilled, not stirred!

Why did the espresso feel festive? It was full of holiday perk!

What do you call coffee served in a sleigh? Espresso sleigh!

What’s a coffee lover’s favorite holiday greeting? “Have a brew-tiful Christmas!”

[booksareboring-blog]

The World Atlas Of Coffee

The World Atlas Of Coffee: From Beans To Brewing - Coffees Explored, Explained, And Enjoyed by James Hoffman I tossed up whether or not I would post this. Does a review on what is essentially a coffee table book (no pun intended) really belong here? But then I thought, of course it does. It is a book that I read just like all the others, why would I not review it all the same? I may be alone in this feeling but I love a coffee table book. Great pictures, brief informative text, a potential conversation starter with guests, a way to show off my interests and how well read I am. A coffee table book is great to have on hand to read on occasion as it was something I could pick up and make my way through whenever I had left my book in another room and couldn't muster the energy to get up. I love coffee and James Hoffman is a wonderful and all-knowing voice in the coffee drinking world. When I saw this book about coffee with its attractive and textured cover and Hoffman's name adorning it, I couldn't resist bringing it home. The book details the full process in making coffee. Beginning with processes in growing and harvesting coffee, through processing the fruit into bean, to roasting and brewing the perfect cup. It is informative and intriguing. A dive into the journey the delicious drink you often hold in your hand has gone through to become a liquid in a cup makes it all the more exciting to take another sip. The book then moves to conclude with a long section on the various countries producing the large amounts of the worlds coffee. With coffee so far spread there are a lot of countries to cover, and only time for brief descriptions of that countries history with coffee, the flavour profiles of the beans grown there, and a brief note on the various growing regions of each country mentioned. Hoffman writes with the authority of his experience and delivers information which always hits the mark on what any coffee lover would want to know most. He doesn't shy away from including his own opinions but always makes it clear on what is fact and what isn't, which I appreciate. This is now one of my favourite books to display on my coffee table and I will enjoy revisiting specific information to inform and enjoy the different coffees and beans I engage with in the future. This is a short review but sometimes that is better. I think it's nice to remind ourselves to enjoy whatever it is we read, and that ALL reading is valid reading as long as we love it.

Happy reading folks. Don’t think too hard about the book you’re on right now, just enjoy it.

[maximuswolf]

"Dry bean" extraction (unground beans)

"Dry bean" extraction (unground beans) Afternoon all,I'm mostly a beginner coffee brewer and advanced alcohol brewer. I'm interested in learning whatever the community knows about whole, unground bean extraction. I will be making a coffee blonde ale (or "white stout", or something in-between) somewhat soon.The plan is to "dry bean" (a pun on dry hop, for those familiar), which is drop the whole beans in during the tail end of fermentation. The contact time will be fairly short, although longer than traditional cold brew, probably between 24h-48h. This is built upon the low amount color pick-up in order not to disrupt the blonde color of the ale.Besides this recipe, I was curious about the process in general. Does anyone know what to expect as far as extraction of volatiles and compounds goes? I know color extraction will be pretty poor, the unground is targeted at getting the flavor without the color.Secondly, with knowing what extracts, what kind of roast should be selected and what dosing? There's a really weak amount of ancedotal stories from homebrewers who have attempted it once and not with much documentation.Thanks. Submitted April 30, 2023 at 12:53PM by RFF671 https://ift.tt/zlXP14V via /r/Coffee

[aceparagon]

❝Ah—❞ It's rare that she's struck speechless, but the way that Alastor just goes about this as if it's rather commonplace for humans to witness (to be fair, what she's seen isn't considered normal by a long shot) causes little in the form of a coherent thought to rise to the surface. Her mouth is slightly agape while she watches what he does, almost as if she can't look away and her scarlet irises blink occasionally as well. ❝Um—❞ Nope, she still can't think of anything intelligent to say when she notices the inhuman way that Alastor's neck tilts (humans can't angle their neck in a perfect ninety degree angle as far as she's aware, anyway) and just when she thinks that's the worst of it, the radio demon just continues his antics as if she's used to such macabre displays before her! ❝Oh—❞ And then he tops it off with turning his head around a full one-eighty degrees, and to her, it's not unlike staring at a trainwreck in morbid curiosity. Then again, this is her first foray into the world of the damned, after all, so everything is rather new to her, including such acts like these! It takes poor Hikaru a few merciful moments to recompose herself to even think of something more intelligent to say other than one word syllable responses to what she just saw with her own two eyes. (One would assume the life of a soldier would prepare one for sights such as these, but alas, war is unpredictable in nature.) A nervous laughter soon resonates in her throat, in which she politely clears it before shaking her head to further regain her composure. ❝W-Well, as long as you're sure you're okay, that's all that matters, I suppose!❞ The residual anxiousness is still apparent, but she's trying her best to squash it as quickly as possible.

It's truly a wonder how, while she was partaking in witnessing the more... interesting side of Alastor that she hasn't wound up hurting herself with the manual grinder somehow while grinding the beans down into usable grounds. (She wouldn't be the daughter of two wonderfully skilled baristas if she ended up doing that, after all!) In fact, the praise that Alastor gives her towards the knowledge she shared with him only furthers the rather quick recovery she's known for into her usual spirits. ❝Why thank you, Alastor! Of course, I have other beans we can try here, but let's see how you like the Sumatran dark roast and go from there. The world of coffee is a... heh, pardon the pun, but it's a rich one!❞ Now she knows she's been spending too much time with her dads (though, it's not like she will ever mind that!)

As she continues her work on the coffee, what he says along with the offer is enough to temporarily draw her attention back up to him. For her, she's still a fledgling chef after years of not being able to hone in on the art of cooking. That, and something tells her that this isn't a thing that someone with the epithet of the "radio demon" offers too often, if at all. A firm nod, along with a radiant smile follows next to his proposal here. ❝I'd be honored if you'd be my mise en place, Alastor. Feel free to get us started, too, and... you might want to get enough ingredients out to cover a second or third helping. I've been known to have a rather fast metabolism.❞ And a black hole for a stomach, but who needed to know that information?

❝  hmm? ❞   the  concern  is  greeted  with  quizzical  hum  and  owlish  blink  —  as  if  such  grotesque  displays  have  become  so  normalized  that  he  no  longer  sees  them  as  strange.  (  a  partial  truth!  alastor  loves  to  disgust  those  around  him  as  much  as  he  does  entertain.  )  ❝  hmm. ❞   there's  another  sickening  crunch  as  his  neck  tilts  at  a  perfect  ninety  degree  angle  —  then  rights  itself  just  as  quickly.   ❝  hmm. ❞   his  head  then  swivels  as  if  he  means  to  glance  over  a  shoulder,  yet  it  keeps  turning  with  all  the  unnatural  articulation  one  might  expect  out  of  a  doll.  it's  only  when  it's  twisted  in  the  complete  opposite  direction  that  alastor  stops.  he  raises  his  hands,  placing  one  on  either  side  —  and  violently  wrenches  his  head  the  right  way  around,  jolting  a  bit  as  if  the  gesture  was  enough  to  inject  some  much-needed  life  into  the  drowsy  sinner.  ❝  perfectly  fine,  my  dear! ❞   alastor  chirps  then  brightly.  ❝  why,  residual  grogginess  aside,  i  daresay  i've  never  been  better! ❞  that  felt  good!

he  rises  from  his  seat  with  another  stretch  —  though  this  one  is  comparatively  more  mundane  in  nature.  extending  his  arms,  arching  his  back  not  unlike  a  feline  roused  from  slumber.  ❝  oh,  that  does  sound  delightful. ❞  who  knew  the  world  of  coffee  was  rife  with  so  many  intricacies?  he's  never  paid  much  attention  to  those  fancy  drink  orders  that  sound  more  like  demonic  incantations  than  a  perfectly  serviceable  beverage.   ❝  i  see  i  was  correct  to  trust  in  your  expertise!  of  course,  of  course  —  i  never  had  any  doubts  at  all. ❞  he  didn't!

the  radio  demon  takes  a  moment  to  observe  as  hikaru  grinds  down  the  beans.  (  nice  call;  fresher  IS  better!  )  though  the  prospect  of  food  does  predictably  catch  his  attention.  ❝  ordinarily  i  would  prepare  breakfast  for  myself, ❞   and  he  quite  enjoys  doing  so,  ❝  but  even  i  couldn't  POSSIBLY  bring  myself  to  deny  an  aspiring  chef  the  opportunity! ❞   on  the  contrary  —  what  is  cooking  if  not  an  art  intended  to  be  SHARED?  ❝  i  don't  suppose  you  would  be  in  need  of  a  sous  chef?  a  right  hand?  someone  to  bear  the  responsibility  of  your  mise  en  place  while  you're  still  ever  so  preoccupied  with  the  coffee? ❞   he  doesn't  mind  —  he  would  relish  the  chance!

[sgt-morgan]

Pause/ Play ⏯

Moonknight Masterlist

Description: Steven is the sweetest man alive, and he always endeavors to make you feel special, but sometimes he can’t take a hint.

Warnings: None! Fluff central over here.

A/N:Wanted some fluff, made some fluff. There you have it.

🌘🌔🌒

Steven is of the talkative sort. He’s a nervous rambler. It’s as if silence makes his skin crawl, which makes sense to you, the void in your head is scary, and you’re not a vigilante. So, the filler talk doesn’t bother you. In fact, you find Steven’s version of filler noise to be really endearing.

His filler is always full of interesting factoids, and a passion for knowledge that you didn’t fully understand. He knew a little bit about everything, Archeology and Ancient Egypt being his prime focus, but it was as if he soaked up every piece of information he thought might be interesting to you.

“Did you know love, that The Beatles got the idea for their name from Buddy Holly and the crickets? Yeah, John Lennon loved the insect thing and puns so Beetles became Beat-les and the rest is history!”

“Did you know that Keanu Reeves does most of his own fight Choreo in John Wick? I wouldn’t wanna fight him in the open, yeesh!”

“Darling? Did you know, that light roast coffee has more caffeine that dark roast? It’s cause when they roast the beans, the longer they roast the beans, the more caffeine they roast out! I bought us a light roast this week to try!”

It always flowed out of him like a fountain, a wealth of knowledge. You loved learning all those little things, you loved that he was reading up on your interests in order to make conversation. It was precious. Every little thing he said made you wanna kiss him. The problem was, you didn’t like to interrupt. You didn’t want Steven to think his knowledge wasn’t valuable to you, so you usually just waited for gaps in conversation.

Today, Steven had out done himself on his little factoid mission. He had taken you, on a wine tasting. You were very excited, any amount of time spent with Steven was worth having, especially when there was good food and good booze to be had. In true Steven fashion, he was a wealth of knowledge. It’s like he had become a Sommelier over night. Each glass and snack pairing they handed you, he would listen patiently as the wine taster talked about tannins and whatever, then he would look at you with his breathtaking smile, hand you a glass, and would whisper a little fact to you while you drank and commented on the wine.

“Darling,” he said as the server handed him your first glass of the evening “did you know, that the tradition of drinking to one’s health started in Ancient Greece?” He smiled, thumbing a bit of your smudged lipstick from your mouth as he handed you the snack that went with the glass you were splitting. “Typically, a host would stand and take a drink before the rest of the guests, in order to prove that the wine was not poisoned.” He laughed, tilted the glass towards you in a salute, and pointedly took the first sip, “so, to your health darling, if it’s poisoned, avenge me!” He whispered conspiratorially as you giggled into your first sip, savoring the wine and the company. You had hoped he would give you a kiss to seal in all the good health luck, but no luck, he was currently telling you about the Roman tradition of ‘toasting’ and you were helpless to his charm.

“Ooh! See that one over there?” Steven chuckled pointing to the bottle you were about to drink, it had a little fox on it, “That one is special, that one is actually called a critter wine!” He chuckled as the server handed him a glass of said wine, “For some reason, when there is a little animal on the bottle, they get a special name, adorable innit?” You looked at him as if he had hung the moon, and muttered ‘you’re adorable.’hoping he would get the hint and kiss you already. Instead, he chuckled at your enthusiasm and kept telling you about the critter wine. He was not catching the hint.

“Oh, love? Have I ever told you the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne?” Steven said as you both sat at your table in the corner, sipping on a glass of your favorite wine in the tasting. At this point, you had learned about the oldest wine on record (some bottle from 200 AD or so in Germany), The oldest wine cellar on record (surprisingly? The Titanic, most bottles were still intact!), and the fear of wine (oenophobia). What you hadn’t learned, was what Steven’s wine soaked lips tasted like at this very second, and by the Gods you were going to find out.

“Pause!” Steven had just started his story when you held up your hand and ground him to a halt, “My love, I love your stories and I have had the time of my life listening to you talk this evening, but I am going to literally pass away if I don’t kiss you right now!” You explained giggling, slightly tipsy. You watched as a mirthful confusion took over his features, before you grabbed the sides of his face and smashed his lips to your own with vigor. At first he was startled, flailing his arms momentarily before settling them on your waist. After releasing him with a loud ‘mwah!’ Steven finally clued into what Marc and Jake had been trying to tell him all evening from the reflections of your wine glasses.

“Oye Papi! They think your brain es muy guapo, hombrecito!” Jake chuckled in the back of his mind.

“Yeah Steven! They’ve been eyeing your mouth all night, and if you quizzed them on your every fact, I think they would ace it!” Marc chimed in with a teasing laugh.

Steven stuttered for a second, looking at you with wide love struck eyes, as he fumbled to find the words for the way his heart swelled. He landed on a bemused, exasperated, huff of laughter as you sat there giggling at him. “Sorry darling! I didn’t want to be rude!” You apologized through love drunk giggles. With the look on his face, you couldn’t resist and kissed him again. “Play!” You said miming a clicker on a remote and leaning forward on your palms. “You can finish!” You nodded encouragingly.

Steven felt his heart swell six sizes as he fought to contain his laughter. You were truly still invested in his stupid stories, they meant the world to him, and all this time he hoped they meant the world to you, and in this moment he knew they did. For all the world, he counted himself the luckiest man in the universe to be witnessing the glimmer of love and fascination that shone in your eyes. “Something about pirates, Theseus, and Dolphins, the end c’mere!” He laughed raucously and pulled you squealing into his embrace, smothering you in affection.

Somewhere far away from this happy scene, Konshu sat in his corner of the sky, where he liked to do his watching. He normally sat guarding over the travelers of the night, but tonight he was watching something different. Tonight, he watched the worm. Steven Grant, was sat in a restaurant with his lover, and they were in their own little bubble. Konshu witnessed as their love infected the moods of the others around them, witnessed as the elderly couple at the table next to them smiled and held hands a little tighter, reminiscing about their young love. He watched as the Sommelier smiled and rolled an old, faded, silver ring around his left ring finger, reminiscing about his deceased partner. He saw as a woman on a failure of a date, with a man who shamelessly flirted with their waitress, rekindled the hope that there may actually be love out there for her. Through this one act of love, Konshu watched, and he was slowly reminded why he cared so much about these humans anyway. He cared, because the smallest acts of kindness, vigorously renewed their most valuable trait of all, hope. Konshu watched, and in his watching decided maybe, just maybe, the worm wasn’t half bad.

[feraltuxedo]

Served Cold

My next Good Omens fic is a sort of coffeeshop AU, and I'm ridiculously excited about it. It's short, sweet, starts in a café and ends up who knows where.

Served Cold by FeralTuxedo Rating: M Summary: On a quiet Wednesday morning, a man with flaming red hair and a face tattoo saunters into a London café. But it appears that he’s there for rather more than just espresso.

The first of four chapters is coming to an AO3 near you on Wednesday. Here's a little snippet from it:

This was exactly the type of customer Divinitea wanted to attract, Aziraphale thought. Modern, fashionable, rich. Too casually dressed to be a banker. No, this was someone with an undefinable job that was mostly done at posh brunch places with free wi-fi. He probably had the word entrepreneur on his business card.

He was clearly a bellend. But a very attractive one. Shame Anathema wasn’t here to admire him. Aziraphale would have to do that all by himself.

He turned to the stainless steel behemoth that was the coffee-maker, an expensive import from Italy which Anathema insisted would keep the customers coming back, and began the complicated series of steps that resulted in a steaming stream of thick black coffee pouring into a tiny and rather pretty duck-egg-blue cup.

Aziraphale served it to the stranger, placing the cup on an equally tiny saucer. The man had taken his sunglasses off by now and was watching him with curious brown eyes.

‘Is this place new? I swear it wasn’t here last year.’

‘It wasn’t,’ Aziraphale said. ‘We opened a few months ago.’

It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, fuelled by two bottles of Chardonnay and a dangerously outraged Anathema. Gabriel, of course, had been the cause of her outrage. And Aziraphale, who’d very much been drinking to forget, had instead ended up agreeing to her harebrained idea.

But the mysterious customer didn’t need to know all that. He took a sip of his espresso and pulled a face. Aziraphale tutted.

‘Coffee not to your liking?’

‘Well…’ The man scrunched up his nose and tipped his head from side to side. ‘Since you asked. It’s a little over in the roast.’

Aziraphale just about stopped himself from muttering You’re a little over in the roast and instead focused intently on wiping the already spotless bar top.

‘But then,’ the man continued, ‘you’re not called Divini-coffee, are you? I bet your tea is top notch.’

Despite himself, Aziraphale laughed.

‘Divini-coffee?’

‘Did the pun come first or the menu?’

‘If you must know, I wasn’t keen on serving coffee in the first place. There’s a perfectly serviceable Costa just up the road, you see, and even a little independent place for those with a more discerning palate and a bigger budget—’

‘What, so you’d rather have people go to the competition for a hot drink? That’s one way to sabotage your own business.’

‘— then my partner made the same observation, and here we are with apparently subpar espresso that’s a little over in the roast.’

‘Your partner?’

‘Junior partner,’ Aziraphale corrected. ‘She owns 30% of the business.’

‘But 100% of the business sense, by the sound of it.’

‘She’s also the one who picks and orders the coffee beans, so you better take it up with her.’

The man shielded his eyes with the side of his palm and turned his head left and right, like a ship’s captain on the lookout for land.

‘Unless your partner is invisible, I don’t seem to have an option but to take it up with you.’

‘Fine.’ Aziraphale sighed. ‘Do you want a refund?’

He hoped not. They were already in the red for this month. On the other hand, Anathema was always very quick to offer refunds, going on the rather flawed assumption that a happy customer was, somehow, preferable to actual money in the till.

‘No need for such extreme measures,’ the man said with a wink, ‘It’s leagues better than Costa at any rate. Though I will take a few minutes of your company as compensation.’

[joheun-saram]

Christmas Under Wraps (ksj)

Summary- You always wanted to work in a small town, and when you finally got matched to a small hospital in Alaska for your one year sabbatical you never would’ve thought you’d be in a place where everyone believed Santa was real. Mass hysteria or magic? Only time will tell.

word count- 12k

pairing- nurse!Seokjin x doctor!Reader

rating- R

genre- fluff, smut

warnings- very bad puns, me having no knowledge of Alaska, cheating, shitty parents, mentions of the horrendous Mario movie, softdom!Jin, whiny!Jin, explicit sex, oral sex (f and m receiving), edging (kinda), multiple orgasms, too many references to Santa

a.n- Part of @suhdays​ Hallmark Holiday Collab! Please check other beautiful holiday pieces written by some amazing writers. Full disclosure, this fic took me more than a month to write, mostly because I have only seen like three Christmas movies, and one of them was Die Hard and the other was Nightmare before Christmas, so please let me know what you think! Was this Christmasy enough for you? 

s/o to the amazing @namyoongles​ for the banner! ily! 💕

As always feedback appreciated. Send me an ask! 💌

-

“Mr Henderson, I really need you to watch your carbohydrate intake. Your blood sugar indicates pre-diabetes and with your history of angina, it really is important that you keep this in check. I’m going to need you to do a monthly fasting glucose check for the next three months so we see some results. Okay?”

You look over at the smiling overweight septuagenarian seated in front of you. Mr Henderson was one of your favourite patients, one of the few you knew well enough to remember even his grandchildren’s name. You loved that. Being a doctor in a busy hospital in Manhattan made making a lasting connection with a patient a rare occurrence, and although you were worried about his health, you were happy you the last appointment of your five years of residency was with someone you knew.

“Doc, I’m old. A little dessert never hurt anyone huh?” Mr Henderson joked, as he patted his stomach, the buttons of his shirts working hard to keep it together.

“I’m serious, Mr Henderson,” you speak sternly, looking up from your iPad screen at the man in front of you, just as your attending walks in through the door.

“Well, Mr Henderson you better listen to Dr. Y/L/N. She’s the best we’ve got and she will keep calling you in for appointments even if she isn’t here!” She adjusts her glasses, her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, as the two delve into a conversation about her upcoming retirement. You were sad to see your mentor and friend retire, but if you were being honest, it was that fact that gave you the courage to make your big move. 

Your colleagues and friends were shocked when you announced that you were moving to Alaska. You had always been the top of your program and had an assortment of top specialization programs to choose from. In fact, your father was the most shocked. He expected you to follow his footsteps and specialize in internal medicine from the prestigious program at John Hopkins. He had even spoken to one of his friends on the admission board to ensure your acceptance. 

He almost choked on his dinner when you mentioned that you had accepted the family medicine specialization program in the small town of Elophtron in Alaska. He was livid, having never even heard of the town, let alone the program, deeming it unworthy of his 28 year old prodigy. But that’s the thing. You were twenty eight. There was no way you would let your father, or anyone for that matter, dictate what to do with your career. 

The only person who seemed to support your decision was your long term boyfriend, Jiho, who seemed ecstatic at the news. He was the first person you told. You were nervous when you broke the news, the two of you had been a little distant the past few months, but your worries were assuaged when he pulled you in a tight hug excitedly telling you how proud he was of you. He knew how much you wanted to take a break from the city, and seeing his enthusiastic support made you confident you were making the right move.

Born and raised in New York City, the overcrowded bustle of the city thrummed through your veins. While you did pride yourself on being a true New Yorker, you would be lying if you said that you were happy here. It was easy to be lost here, to be forgotten amongst the millions of faces crossing the streets. As often as the city lights cheered you up, they also suffocated you. 

The city was cold, a criss cross of concrete and beautiful glass towers housing lonely, selfish souls that didn’t mind tripping over the people sleeping in the streets. People here craved to be noticed, craved to live lavishly, and while you were born into what most craved, what you wanted was the solace of a town where everyone knew each other. A town where you could make lasting relationships that didn’t rely on your last name or where you graduated from.  Elopthron, although a terribly sci-fi sounding town name, was your reprieve from the smog filled mundane.

The days leading up to your departure were full of excitement. You packed quickly, your closet surprisingly fitting into two bags that barely avoided the baggage limit. Your friends hosted a cute little going away party, full of champagne and promises to visit, while your parents hosted a cold dinner, full of lectures and judgement. As your flight landed in Juneau, your heart was beating with nerves. This specialization was at the town’s only hospital, the fact that all the town’s medical talent was under one roof had you excited to learn. Not only that, but the program stated that you would get the opportunity to run things and you couldn’t wait to put your leadership skills to the test again - you were the chief resident at your old hospital and you couldn’t say that the role didn’t suit you.

Collecting your bags, albeit with a little struggle, you reach the doors to the arrivals where the hospital had told you to meet the driver. That is another thing about this dream opportunity, they not only ensured you had a ride into town, but even provided you with your own apartment. To your shock, the driver you meet takes you not to a car but another plane, a small little thing that shakes with every gust of wind. 

It makes you nervous, the shaking rattling your heart around your chest, but the view of the snow covered mountains takes your breath away. You were never one to swoon over nature, preferring your apartment to the hiking trips Jiho got excited about, but seeing the fresh untouched snow stirred something in you. It promised fresh starts and unchartered challenges, and that made your heart beat faster in anticipation.

The feeling didn’t subside even when you made yourself comfortable in your new apartment. The warm wooden finishing was a stark contrast to the metal of your home in Manhattan and as you started the fire before hanging your clothes in the small wardrobe in the corner of your room, you couldn’t stop the grin etching across your features. You were finally here.

The apartment was on the first floor of a two storey complex. It was much smaller than your expansive home, but instead of suffocating it felt cozy. The front door opened to a small hallway furnished simply with a cute oak shoe rack and a full length mirror. It led to an open concept kitchen and living room, separated by a breakfast island. The living room had a large fireplace, stack of wood next to it, and a large yellow couch opposite it. Furnishing was minimal, but your bedroom boasted a large queen sized bed, anchored on each side by matching nightstands and a wardrobe in the corner. 

It was everything you didn’t know you craved as you settled in your bed for the night, noting to thank the hospital for even providing the bedding. As you stared at the wooden slats that decorated the ceiling of your bedroom, you felt comforted. It was unlike your home, where the high ceilings made you feel cold and alone, even when Jiho stayed over. Perhaps you needed this new beginning more than you thought.

The morning was not as serene however, as you somehow managed to turn off your alarm without waking up and were running half an hour behind schedule when you realised you didn’t have a coffee maker. Scrambling out into the cold early December weather you pulled your expensive but utterly useless coat around you as you followed your map app to the closest and seemingly only coffee shop on the one strip of shops the town boasted.

Checking the time to see you still had about half an hour till work started, you slowed down a little to take in the surroundings. Quaint did not cover how cute the small town was. The main strip was a large two way street with a row of little independently owned shops on either side with names such as Once Upon a Book, A Nick in Time, and Thorns and Roses. You didn’t know what these shops housed, although you could guess some, and you couldn’t wait to explore. The cutest thing about the shops was how festive everything looked, fairy lights strung everywhere, mistletoe and wreaths in every window. Like you had stepped into the Grinch’s nightmare, and it was barely October. This might possibly be the most fairytale like town you’d ever stepped foot into. 

You easily located the small coffee shop, chuckling at the ostentatious pink board reading Bean There. It seemed more like an 70’s style diner than a coffee shop, filled with small vinyl tables, each with a small Christmas tree on it. Making your way to the counter, you ordered your usual, blond roast coffee with a splash of almond milk.

“Oh sorry hon. We only have normal coffee and cow’s milk,” the older woman standing behind the cash register answered with a jolly laugh, pouring coffee from a pot into a red to-go cup. Before you could say anything, she continued. “Besides, that’s some hippy stuff. We’ve been drinking cow’s milk for generations and our family has never been healthier! I swear these trends are killing the economy!”

And she talked, going on and on about the benefits of milk giving you no time to interrupt as she poured a copious amount of milk into your coffee making it resemble a latte. You were about to give up and forego the coffee this morning till someone behind you decided to speak up.

“Doris! What did we say about forcing the tourists to drink your farm’s milk?” You followed the deep, joyous voice to its owner, blinking a few times as you registered the tall, dark haired man behind you. Oh and what a man he was. 

Dressed in black skinny jeans and a red flannel shirt under a fur-lined denim jacket, your eyes zeroed in on his broad shoulders. The instant attraction you felt to this stranger had heat rising up your neck. Emboldened by the fact that you would probably not see this stranger again, you let your eyes roam his body, biting your lip slightly, till your eyes met his, a small smirk on his lips. Clearing your throat you awkwardly stepped forward.

“It’s okay. No problem, Doris, was it?”

“No no. You want almond milk, you get almond milk! Doris I know for a fact you have it back there!” The stranger stops you from grabbing the drink on the counter, a hand held up.

“Seokjin! I see how it is! Just because a pretty girl wants almond milk, you share but not when Jeremy wanted to try it.” Doris huffs, straightening her bright yellow apron.

“Jeremy was drinking it as a dare, and I’d rather not waste one of the ten cartons that Dosey orders every month on stupidity.”

“Um… Really it’s fine! I’m going to be late for work so… thank you!” You try to escape. As much as your lactose intolerant gut was wincing at the thought of almond milk, you had spent way more time here than you planned.

“Wait, work? Hon you’re not a tourist at all! Where are you working?” It seemed you only made the conversation more interesting as Doris looked at you beaming.

“At the hospital?”

“You’re the new doctor? Oh my! Welcome Doc! We’re so excited to have you here! I suppose you’ll be seeing a lot of Seokjin then!” She slapped the stranger, Seokjin you suppose, on the shoulder as he stares at you with wide eyes before catching himself and clearing his throat.

“Doris! Will you just make the pretty doctor her drink then? Mine too please!” He leans on the counter and you can’t help but steal another glance at him. He really was oddly beautiful.

“Sure hon! Here you go!” Doris chuckled as she placed two coffees on the counter and you’re pleased to see yours looking exactly how you prefer. You take out your wallet before Seokjin stops you.

“Don’t worry about it. Put it on my tab Doris. Here, let me walk you to work.” He guides you out of the little cafe, a hand hovering near the small of your back.

“I’m sure you have better things to do. I’ll be fine.”

“Oh it’s no problem at all. I’m going there myself.” 

“Oh. Are you a resident?” You did not expect that. By his attire you assumed he worked some manual labour, and by his face you assumed he worked as a model. Somehow you couldn’t picture seeing this man living at a library like you had your years of schooling.

“Nope. Head nurse. So Doris is right, you’ll be seeing me a lot.” He grinned at you, his cheeks puffing up in a way that made you want to poke them. What was in the air in this town? You needed to get a grip on yourself.

“Oh nice to meet you then! I’m -”

“Dr. Y/L/N from New York, right?” Seokjin cut you off before you could finish, looking at you over the lip of his cup as he sipped his coffee, casually guiding you down the main street towards the hospital.

“Right… Seokjin?”

“Yup. Kim Seokjin. How are you liking our little town so far?” He seemed genuinely interested and you smiled. It felt oddly comfortable even if you had inklings of butterflies swarming your belly.

“I love it. It’s really beautiful!”

“Oh wow. Didn’t expect a New Yorker to like it here. You know it’s always cold, right?” he smirked, slowing down as you reached a cute little pink house, before stopping completely.

“I can handle the cold. Wait, this is the hospital?” You looked at the house. It looked more like something a grandma would reside in than a hospital. You were used to glass buildings and top of the art hospitals. As you entered, the door opened to a large waiting area with faded vinyl chairs and a reception desk. It was cozy, but you couldn't believe this was the only hospital in town.

“The one and only. The town’s going to be so excited to finally have a doctor 

again!” His words made you sputter, almost choking on your coffee.

“What do you mean, finally? Where are the other doctors?”

“You’re it!” He grinned.

This was not according to plan. You were here to learn. Learn from people much more well-versed in medicine than you were. You did not expect to be the only doctor. Even if the town only had around 2,000 people, it was still outrageous that you would be the only person treating them, and in this small house. Does this place even have any imaging machines?!

As the day went on, your nerves only increased. Seokjin introduced you to the other people who worked at the hospital. There were only three others, two orderly, and another nurse. There were more people in your friend group of residents back home. This was scary, and as you laid in bed that night, all you wanted to do was talk to Jiho and get comforted. He didn't pick up, and you counted the slates on your ceiling to fall asleep, pushing your mind to rest no matter how alone you felt all of a sudden.

----------

Turns out you were not that alone. Within a month you had finally gotten into the groove of things. Your five-person team gelled together pretty fast, and soon you could anticipate each other's moves and even talk without words. Running a hospital, however, was not all you had cracked it up to be in your head. Although you didn't see too many patients daily, the paperwork kept you way past dinner most days. If it weren’t for Seokjin’s insistence to leave at the same time as you, you might as well had moved into your office.

All in all, it was nice. The town had welcomed you with open arms, and it was exactly what you were looking for when you left Manhattan - a place where everyone knew your name and not because of who your family was, where you could walk into a coffee shop and they'd know your order, where you knew your neighbours and attended extravagantly cheesy block parties. Elopthron had its quirks, how almost everyone here put way too much emphasis on Christmas, adults even going as far as pretending Santa Claus was real for the kids all the time. You weren’t kidding, one time a middle aged patient insisted on not ordering the brace he needed because he knew Santa would bring him one on Christmas. When you told Jenny, the other nurse, to do a psych evaluation, she just shook her head in amusement, thinking you were joking. “Of course Santa is real, Dr. Y/L/N. Here in Elophtron, Santa comes every Christmas with presents!” she had insisted, leaving you baffled. This town was absolutely bonkers, but it was starting to feel like home.

The only thing stopping you from feeling fully content was the fact that your parents were still icing you out and somehow regardless of being only four hours out of sync, Jiho and you had barely communicated this month. You would think you were being ghosted if it weren’t for his sporadic one liners.

You sighed as you looked over the budget for the month, the numbers somehow refusing to add up as you looked at your phone, the Instagram notification lighting it up. You could use a break, so you decide to scroll through your feed, only to stop abruptly at Jiho's new post.

Love my baby so much! Happy four months, beautiful.

It was a cute caption, if it weren't for the fact that you and Jiho had been dating for over four years, your anniversary was in March, and that he was kissing a stunning blond that you didn't recognize in the picture.

You looked at the picture again, closing the app and starting it again, just in case it was a glitch. Nope, apparently, Jiho had broken up with you and forgot to tell you. You could feel the tears pricking your eyes, but they weren't because of sadness. Oh no, you were furious. No wonder that fucker was so excited about your move.

You let out a huge groan, throwing your phone across the room, as you stood up and kicked your desk, tears now freely flowing. You couldn't believe the nerve. You hadn't expected this from him. In fact, much like a loser, you were expecting him to propose at Christmas. You thought back at how he had told you he loved you and called you beautiful, much like he was now professing to that new girl and it made your stomach twist. You wanted to break stuff. No, correction, you wanted to break his face.

You didn't realize you were rage pacing until Seokjin appeared in the doorframe, looking at you with wide eyes.

"Everything okay, Y/N?" he asked, stepping in front of you to stop your pacing. In the past month, Seokjin had gotten surprisingly good at reading your moods. It was like he could see a slight change in your micro-expressions and be able to tell whether you need a coffee, a hug, or a walk. You were truly grateful for him, but at this moment you were afraid you were going to take out your anger on him so you tried to calm down. Stopping your pacing, you plastered a smile on your face.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. Don't worry. Why are you still here?" Seokjin, however, didn't buy your flimsy excuse and pulled you in a hug. You felt yourself instantly calm. It was oddly intimate. He had hugged you before, but never like this. His arms were tight around your frame as your face met his chest, enveloping you in his vanilla scent. Your attraction to Seokjin had faded slowly over time, but right now as he tightened his grip around you in an effort to comfort you, your heart skipped a beat.

With your rage fast diminishing, all you had left was your heartbreak as you slowly started to cry in his chest. He didn't question you. His usually talkative personality, giving way to an understanding silence as he slowly rubbed your back.

When it seemed that you had calmed down, Seokjin pulled away, looking at you with concern. Without asking you for details, he suggested going on a drive. You accepted, knowing that if you just went home all you would do is wallow. You let him drive you to a burger joint, picking up your favorites, before getting back in his truck. The two of you drove for what seemed a long time, the food getting cold as soft pop music played in the background.

He never once pushed you to talk, letting you take in the trees lining the highway, as you watched the snow glittering in the moonlight on the banks. Finally, he stopped the truck, getting out before opening the door for you, taking your hand as you stepped down from the height.

The view blew you away. He had driven you to a field of sorts, getting the back of his truck ready with some blankets. But it wasn't the pine-lined field that took your breath away, it was the sky. Above you the navy hues of the night were alight in colour, pinks and greens blooming like waves in the sea. Stars prickled through occasionally as the weave of colours danced slowly, mesmerizing you. You don't know how long you stared at it in awe, but when you turned around, he was already sitting on the back of the truck, under a blanket, your food being taken out of bags.

He speaks for the first time when you settle next to him.

"You want to talk now?"

"I don't know." You shrug, rattling the ice in your cup as you swirl around your drink.

"It's okay if you don't want to. Just... do you need to go back?" He seemed hesitant, almost disappointed, as he asked. It was endearing how much he cared about the town not being left without a doctor.

"No. Definitely not." You said firmly, staring at the sky, missing the way he smiled at you in relief. The last thing you wanted to do right now was go back to Manhattan so your parents could tell you how you failed and accidentally run into Jiho and his blonde. Hoping to deflect the conversation, you looked at Seokjin, his cheeks puffed as he took a big bite of his burger. "Seokjin, can you tell me something about yourself?"

"What do you want to know?" He says, sipping his drink.

"I don't know. Anything."

"Hmm... well I'm a nurse and I’m the most handsome man in the world." He laughed, clapping his hands slowly as if applauding his own wit. You rolled your eyes, unable to fight the smile that made its way to your lips.

"Oh my god, you dork! Tell me something real. Tell me a secret." You bumped him with your shoulder.

"If I tell you a secret, will you tell me what's wrong?" You hummed, eyes wide in anticipation as you munched on your cold fries. "Well. I secretly kind of hate this small-town life."

His answer shocked you. In the month you’ve known Seokjin, he has been this little town’s biggest fan. With the number of people who greet him, and routinely give him presents, you don’t doubt he could easily be elected mayor. In fact, the chief of police even suggested using him as the town’s mascot, for crying out loud. 

“If you hate it why are you here?”

“Did you know I lived in San Francisco for ten years till last year?” You did not. You couldn’t imagine Seokjin amongst those tech snobs, nor could you imagine him in anything not flannel. “Yeah. I loved it. I worked at this amazing hospital and went out to all these clubs. I was kind of a party animal.” He chuckled, looking at his lap fondly as he picked at the blanket.

“Why come back?”

“Well… my family established this town. We were the first ones here and well I promised my dad when he died that I’d help continue the little traditions in this town.” He shrugged, his mouth a lopsided smile. “Promised him I’d raise my kids here. Family comes before fun.”

“That’s… wow. You must really respect your dad, enough to change your life for him,” you spoke softly, leaning into his lap a little to place your hand over his. “It must have been hard to lose him.”

“It was, but I hope I’m making him proud.” He gave you a genuine smile as he squeezed your hand, before tapping it. “Now enough about my emo self! Are you going to tell me what’s wrong now?”

And so you did. You spent probably three hours out in the cold, before calling it a night. You told him about Jiho and how he broke your heart, and he related by telling you about his own ex that had broken their engagement when he suggested the relocation. Spending time with Seokjin was comfortable, it was easy. There was something about him that warms you up, like hot chocolate on a snowy night.

You hadn’t been that vulnerable around anyone in a while. Your life in New York was calculated, you never knew who you could trust, and so you trusted no one. It felt oddly freeing to be able to talk about your heartbreak and insecurities with Seokjin, and after that night under the aurora borealis, you both became closer. Before, you would only see each other at work, but since then you had been hanging out outside of work a lot. Sometimes the two of you would grab dinner at the local diner, or he would pick you up for working, grabbing coffee and flirting with Doris shamelessly for freebies. The more you spent time with Seokjin, the more you realized how different he was from what you had assumed.

When you first got to know Seokjin, you thought he was hardworking and amiable, but now you knew his dorky side. The side that would come up after a glass of wine, when he would start cracking lame dad jokes, clapping his hands, and laughing at himself. The side that got especially shy, ears turning a bright red, every time you complimented him on anything, be it his work ethic, or a nice new shirt he bought. The side that would go on and on about the Mario universe, regaling you with details about why Wario was misunderstood, or why the movie should only be watched when wasted otherwise it was a waste.

To be honest, you never knew there was even a Mario movie, and when you told him such he gasped loudly, grabbing you by your shoulders and excitedly making plans to watch it together. You wouldn't tell anyone but with your newfound friendship with Seokjin, he had also gotten very comfortable touching you. Maybe it was the aftereffect of being so vulnerable around him that one time or the fact that you were trying to get over Jiho, but every time he pulled you into a hug or brushed past you it made your heart skip a beat. You controlled the flush slowly creeping up your neck, as you shrugged his hands off your shoulders and solidified your plans to watch the movie together.

True to his word, Seokjin showed up at your house with a case of beers, a local microbrew full of hops that made your tongue sing. Halfway through the movie, you had no idea what was happening, Mario and Luigi, who had terribly fake accents, by the way, jumping through trying to save the damsel in distress in what looked like an acid trip. The alcohol didn't help as the plot got more convoluted, but that didn't stop Seokjin from excitedly trying to help you decipher it.

You don't know when it happened, but his arm was around you, casually draped where your head met the couch, his fingers lightly caressing your shoulder as he sipped his beer. You took another sip of yours trying to calm yourself. No matter how many times you tried to focus on the colours exploding on the screen, all you could think about was your hammering heart as your skin heated up under his innocent touch. It wasn't when he abruptly pulled his arm away from you that you were broken out of reverie.

"So what did you think?" He asked excitedly, turning on the couch towards you, a leg moving up and under his other. You hadn't even realized the movie ended. Did they save the princess? Or was it their business they were trying to save? What was this movie even about?

"Um... it was something," you commented, hoping that the vague answer would satisfy him, as you chugged the rest of your beer.

"It's cause you're not drunk enough! Y/N! I told you, you had to get wasted to like this movie!" He whined, clumsily opening another bottle and handing it to you. You weren't drunk, he was right. You were on the right side of tipsy, just on the edge of jumping into oblivion. Seokjin on the other hand, seemed much more ahead of you as he struggled with the bottle opener.

Chuckling, you reached out and put your hands over his, helping him uncap his bottle. You didn't notice how close you had gotten until he whispered thanks and his breath ghosted the skin of your nose. Looking up, your breath hitched as you saw the look in his eyes. Usually filled with mirth, it was jarring to see him looking at you with want, his long dark hair falling into his eyes as they traced your features. You saw his eyes linger on your lips and all you could do was blink. You knew you should move away, he was coworker and friend, but you froze, the two of you lost in the silence.

He made the first move, bringing his hand to your face tentatively. You leaned into it, sighing a little, and that's when you felt his lips on yours. Soft, plush lips that you had imagined more than a few times this past month, molded around yours. The kiss was shy, a little soft as his thumb caressed your flushing cheek. Your hands still on top of his on the beer tightened as you deepened the kiss, and he followed, grunting slightly, his hand moving to the back of your head, angling it a little. You mewled when his tongue licked at your lip, granting him access as it roamed your mouth, easily taking charge as your heart exploded within your chest. You hadn't been kissed like this before, the balance of gentle and domineering, making your knees weak. You were glad you were seated because otherwise, you'd be on the floor.

You don't know how long you were kissing, but the spell was broken as his phone rang, making him pull away abruptly, lips swollen and face red. It took everything in you to not go in for seconds as your mouth followed his. He didn't oblige you though, as he pulled away, resting his hand on your waist as he reached for his phone.

"It's my mom. I'm sorry," he apologized with a pout that did not help how you were feeling. Finding it hard to speak, you simply nodded as if in a daze. His wide, grateful smile made you turn to putty as he answered, only to frown. Quickly ending the call, he grabbed your face and kissed you again, hard but quick, taking your breath away.

"I have to go. I'm so sorry." He looked at you, his forehead pressed against yours, as you blinked. Standing up from the couch, you straightened your t-shirt, as you walked him to the door. He stopped in front of it, his arms around your waist as he pulled you into a hug, making you smile. You felt like a teenager who got to kiss their crush, it was bizarre. Pecking your lips a few times, he bid you goodbye, waving as he walked off, leaving his truck in your driveway.

Shutting the door, you giggled giddily, forgetting all about your earlier worries of maintaining a professional decorum, as your fingertips grazed your lips, still feeling the touch of his lips. That night he messaged you just once, and you reread the text over and over as you fell asleep.

Thanks for watching that stupid movie with me tonight. Can't wait to continue where we left off ;)

The next day you were extremely excited to go to work, changing your outfit multiple times before settling on a pretty pastel pink dress and leaving your apartment, noticing the truck was no longer in your driveway. Stopping by to grab a cup of coffee, you greeted Doris.

“Hi Doc! Happy last day to send Santa a letter!” she chirped as he poured your order. You shook your head in amusement. This was by far the weirdest aspect of this town. They were all so obsessed with Christmas, grown adults refusing to talk about how Santa doesn’t exist. It would be endearing, charming in a way if it weren’t for the fact that Bean There was the location where they collected these letters to Santa, and it was full of people scrambling to write. You would think it would be mostly kids, but you could spot Mr. Hernandez, a sixty year old retired lumberjack, scribbling away, as well as Molly, the recent college graduate. It seemed the town had no age limit when it came to believing in Christmas miracles. 

“Doris, I don’t know what’s in the air here, but you guys know Santa isn’t real right?” you whispered, not wanting to incite a full out riot, like you accidentally did when you first moved and made the same comment. Either this town was very much into the spirit of things or you were just too late to catch up to the mass group hysteria everyone seemed to be a part of.

“Y/N! You just have to believe, hon. I’m telling you every year, whatever you write on those letters comes through. I mean you can’t ask Santa for love or anything but anything material comes! Always. How else do you explain that?” You frowned as she pushed your coffee towards you. Sure, you didn’t have a logical explanation for that but that doesn’t mean Santa was real. However, you were in a great mood this morning, looking forward to seeing Seokjin, and so you acquiesced to Doris when she waved a piece of paper, writing the first thing that came to your head which was a snowglobe, since the shelves behind the counter was lined with about a thousand. You could use a cute one to put on your desk, if Santa was in fact real.

When you walked into the hospital, coffee in hand and pep in your step, you looked around for the familiar mop of dark hair, half expecting a ho ho ho, or some cheerful Christmas pun Seokjin usually pulled out in the morning, but you were met with an empty lobby. Even his office was empty. It was odd. He was usually the first one in after you. 

Walking into your office you felt your earlier excitement twist into nerves. What if he regretted last night? What if he thought you were unprofessional? But he had texted you, surely he couldn’t regret it too much, could he? Oh! He was so drunk last night. He probably regrets it and now finds it awkward to be around you. Technically he was your subordinate, so were you now one of those creepy bosses they show on television? Inviting your employees to your house to get them drunk and make them kiss you? This was bad. Your thoughts raced through your mind as you tried to focus on today’s schedule in front of you, before, thankfully, Jenny broke through them.

“Hey Y/N. I’ll be taking over Seokjin’s workload while he’s on vacation. Is there anything in particular you need help with today? Otherwise I’m just gonna follow the notes he left behind.” 

“Vacation?” you stammered, clearing your throat and taking another sip of your drink.

“Yeah. He takes the ten days before Christmas off every year. Something about a family obligation.” She shrugged.

“Oh. He didn’t tell me.” You tried your best to not sound disappointed.

“It’s been on the calendar for years, doc.” Jenny chuckled as she walked out of your office, leaving you confused as you went to check the employee calendar and lo and behold, there it was ‘Kim Seokjin on vacation’, staring at you. You were annoyed. You expected at least some notice. Did he think he could just kiss you and then go off to wherever he was. Fuming, you opened your phone to text him.

So when were you going to tell me you were away for the rest of the month?

You waited a few minutes, staring at the screen, but when the message still showed unread you gave up and did what you do best when people piss you off. You worked. And you continued working for the whole week, till you were fed up with Seokjin. He had seemed so caring and then to ghost you out of nowhere? Sure, you can expect that perhaps his vacation slipped his mind, but did he suddenly lose his fingers? He couldn’t do you the courtesy of sending a text when you had left on what you thought were nothing but good terms? “Continue where we left off”, your ass.

------------

It was two days to Christmas and you were bored. You parents had decided that since you were away, they were going to go on a cruise. Sick of scrolling endlessly through social media, envying your friends, you decided to take a walk to the only place open 24 hours in this town, the diner. It was 2 am and you didn’t think you would see anyone other than Mark, the friendly twenty-year old whose family owned the place.

You were enjoying your plate of fries, and a milkshake when the little bell above the door grabbed your attention off your phone and in walked the last person you expected to see - Kim Seokjin. He was dressed casually as always, his black parka over a white hooded sweater and dark jeans. It didn’t seem like he noticed you, waltzing over to the register to order a coffee as he sat on a stool, waiting for the fresh pot to brew.

Seeing his face, made you stupidly angry. You knew rationally that he didn’t owe you anything, you were just friends. Friends who shared a pretty nice kiss, but you were friends, you had no claim over him, but you still found yourself fuming and getting up from your booth to march over to him.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” you spoke in a normal volume, but Seokjin jumped high, his eyes widening as he put his hand on his chest, staring at you.

“Y/N! Um… what are you doing here so late?” He asked, his eyes shifting around, looking anywhere but at you.

“That’s all you have to say to me?” You crossed your arms, wanting answers.

“I can explain! I swear it is not what you think!” He jumped up from the stool, arms in front of him as he tried fruitlessly to calm you down.

“What is it, then? Did you lose your phone? Did you lose your head?” You scoffed, fully knowing that your comeback was far from witty, but you could barely think, indignation mapped onto your features.

“It’s not that… it’s just… I don’t know how to tell you. I don’t even know if I can.” He rubbed the back of his head, his ears turning red, as they usually did when he was embarrassed. Seeing his demeanour suddenly made the pieces click in your head. There was only one reason people ghosted each other. It was a rejection. You felt your face heat up at the realization, feeling like you were going to cry. Oh, this was bad. You couldn’t believe you were about to shed tears over a kiss. You needed to get out of here.

“No need. It’s okay. I’m a big girl. I can take a hint.” You said quickly, your voice seemingly calm given the situation as you zipped up your parka and walked out of the diner, ignoring his calls of your name. If he really needed to explain himself, he could have followed you, but you walked the ten minutes to your apartment alone, burying yourself under the covers once inside. You didn’t realize that unwittingly you had been thinking about your future with Seokjin, picturing dates and waking up together when all he had been doing was figuring out a way to gently let you down. You decided to let yourself feel the sting, dampening your pillow cases, finding that somehow this hurt more than what Jiho did. Who knew the kind, wholesome small town boy could hurt you worse than a cold lawyer from New York?

----------

Having no close friends yet in town and not wanting to burden the nice people who invited you to their homes, you decided to pretend that you were going to New York over the holidays. You stocked up on enough groceries to get you through the New Years and decided to hide out in your apartment. You spent your time cleaning your apartment, doing skincare, reading the latest medical journals, and binging the Crown on Netflix. 

On Christmas morning, you decided to treat yourself for brunch, making an obscenely large stack of pancakes, piling it high with fruit and chocolate chips, and drowning it in maple syrup. Foregoing dressing up, you sat on your living room floor in your festive pajamas as you watched the political ongoing of the royal family, and enjoyed your sugar loaded creation. However, before you could truly dig into your pancakes, you were interrupted by a knock on the door.

You didn’t know who would be knocking at your door this early and on Christmas. You weren’t expecting anyone and everyone knew you were supposed to be out of town. Sighing you begrudgingly rise as the tempo of the knocks increased. Huffing you opened the door to be greeted by none other than Kim Seokjin, dressed in the ugliest Christmas sweater you had the misfortune of seeing and jeans, with a campy Santa hat atop his dark hair. The forest green Christmas sweater, adorned with a stuffed Rudolph and what seemed like real mistletoe, also apparently lit up, the twinkling red and green lights on it glowed in the morning sun as little flurries collected in Seokjin’s hair. 

Regardless of the terrible wardrobe choice, you couldn’t deny the sudden pull you felt towards him, your heart skipping a beat at seeing him on your doorstep with a small box wrapped in shiny paper. However, you were nothing if not determined, so you schooled your initial wide eyed expression into a glare as you crossed your arms across your chest and leaned into the door frame.

“What are you doing here?”

“Came to give you your present.” Seokjin smiled as he brought the gift towards you, making you scoff and roll your eyes.

“Seokjin, I don’t want you or your presents.”

“Not gonna lie, that kind of hurts.” He scratches the back of his head nervously, sending his hat askew as he sways a little on his feet, unsure of how to proceed.

“Good,” you say as you move to close the door on his face. Not going to lie, you were pretty proud of your resolve. Before you could fully shut the door, Seokjin put his hand out to stop it, jumping a little when he saw the cold look in your eye. Stepping back sheepishly, he cleared his throat.

“Please Y/N. Just let me explain.”

“Go ahead.” Still holding the door half closed, you stared at him, your resolve melting as he seemingly shivered outside.

“Can I at least come in? It’s kind of cold.” You rolled your eyes again, and acquiesced. Not because you wanted to hear him or be near him, but because he looked kind of pitiful shaking in the cold in a sweater that didn’t seem built for the Alaskan winter. Stepping aside you let him in your hallway, leaning against the wall, your patience at an all time low.  “Okay. So… um… how do I even start this?”

“Seokjin. Just say you don’t like me and go. It’s Christmas. The least you can do is be straightforward.” His stammering was infuriating. It made you want to kick him. However, as the words came out of your mouth, Seokjin looked shocked, his eyebrows disappearing beneath his bangs as his mouth flew open. It was a pretty funny sight, and if you were less angry you would’ve chuckled.

“Why do you think I don’t like you? What?”

“Hmm… Let’s see you got drunk, you kissed me and then you disappeared! Like poof!” You gestured in the air with your hand, trying to make the point more apparent.

“Well that’s what I am trying to explain!” And now he was gesturing, his hand with the box rising in the air.

“Oh my god,” you groaned.

“Just open this. It will help start my explanation.” He took your hand in his and placed the box on top of it. You eyed him suspiciously as you began to unwrap the iridescent paper. Inside the box was a snowglobe, the scene inside showing a field full of flowers with a small truck with two people on the hood. When you shook it, it came alive with glitter and tiny styrofoam flurries. It was very cute and very reminiscent of the night Seokjin and you first became friends. You loved it, but it wouldn’t be you if you weren’t petty enough to hide your true emotions to look at him with disdain.

“A snowglobe? Okay? So?”

“Don’t you wanna know how I knew you wanted this?” He spoke slow, his words and spaced out as he frowned at your scowl.

“I didn’t want this?” You matched his slow pace, enunciating each word as you raised an eyebrow in question. Why did he think you would want a snowglobe of all things? I mean he knew what you really wanted was those cupcakes that Doris only made once a month, you had told him how much you adored them on more than one occasion. If he wanted to be all romantic he could have at least bribed her for some of those!

“But… you asked Santa for it!” he sputtered, jogging your memory to remind you of the throwaway wish you made in the letter to Santa a few days ago.

“So you steal mail now? That’s a federal offence, you know.” You narrowed your eyes at him.

“No! No no no. I don’t steal mail. Unless it’s snail mail because it’s easy to catch.” He laughed at his own joke, but seeing your deadpan expression, he backpedaled, nervously running his hands through his hair again. “No? Okay, bad joke. But I didn’t steal it. You sent it to me! I’m Santa!” He was talking more with his hands than his words, waving them around in the air.

“Your excuse is that you’re Santa? How old do you think I am?” you scoffed, moving to push him out of the door, ignoring how solid his bicep felt under that ugly sweater. How was he not getting electrocuted by those stupid lights?

“No please don’t kick me out! I’m telling the truth!” Seokjin planted his feet in the ground turning around and looking at you with wide eyes, the cinnamon depths softening your anger as you sighed. This was so far fetched, the least you could do was hear him out. If nothing else, this would make a great story to share over drinks sometime.

“You have five minutes. And I’m eating my pancakes while you talk.” You let go of him as you walked into your living room, Seokjin close on your heels. You sat on the floor next to the coffee table and he followed suit, sitting much too close to comfort, his thigh grazing yours as he stared at your pile of sugar.

“Oh. Can I have some?” he asked, clearing his throat at your glare as you aggressively cut into a piece before stuffing your face. The nerve... “Sorry! Okay um… so did you think it was weird that the whole town just happened to believe in Santa?”

“I honestly was going to write a paper on mass hysteria, but yes.” You were much more interested now. You always did find the town's dedication to upholding the sanctity of Santa bizarre.

“Well, that’s because for almost a hundred years, people in this town have been getting what they wanted for Christmas, without fail.”

“Because you’re Santa?” You looked at him, waiting for him to explain only to be met with a soft smile as he nodded. His cheeks puffed up with his little smile and it took all of your willpower not to poke at them. Why did he have to be so cute when you were trying to be mad at him. Also, what grown man insists they're Santa? “So where are your elves? Is Rudolph just hiding in your truck?”

“I’ll have you know I’m an elf-made man!” He joked, his pun making you lose control as you let out a light laugh before remembering you were supposed to be mad and trying to hold a neutral expression. Seokjin, on the other hand, made no such effort, a wide grin adorning his features, making his eyes disappear beneath his squishy cheeks. “Hey got you to laugh! But no. No elves. Just me, well, and my family. It’s the family tradition I was talking about. For generations the Kims have been sending people in this town presents on Christmas in secret.”

“Wait how do you even afford this?” This made no sense. How was he buying these expensive presents, and also Santa was Korean? How did his family even hide this for so long? Why were these town people naive enough to believe this? How did he do deliveries? Did he work with Amazon? You had so many questions!

“Um… I’m kind of rich?” he replied sheepishly.

“Kind of? You give 2,000 presents a year!” Your pancakes were forgotten as you swiveled around to face him, your knees touching his thigh, momentarily distracting him as his eyes dropped to where you touched him, before following suit and facing you. The two of you sat cross-legged across from each other as he started what may have been the most useless and longest rant he embarked on since entering your home, talking animatedly as always.

“Yeah… but that’s not the point! The point is the days leading up to Christmas are really hard and this year I had to figure out how to make the drones work and this kid wanted an exact replica of Han Solo’s gun and those are really hard to find and then Mr. Hernadez decided he wanted a rare Amazonian flower. Like where am I supposed to find a flower in December?! And don’t get me started on Doris she-”

“Seokjin. Relax. So you ghosted me because you’re Santa?” You placed your hands on his knees to get him to calm down as his face seemed so red from his rant you were worried you would have to resuscitate him if he didn't take a breath soon. He calmed down exponentially, taking a deep breath and locking his eyes with yours.

“Yeah, and I couldn’t tell you and if I did tell you, you wouldn’t believe me till today anyway. And just… I’m sorry.” He sighed, placing his hand on top of yours on his knee as he held eye contact, and it seemed like you may forever get lost in his irises. He looked at you with such a sorrowful expression, that you weren't sure if the pout of his lips was exaggerated for effect or if it came naturally to him.

“I don’t know what to say… I kind of have regrets” You bit your lip as you gazed back at him with mischief.

“You do? I… I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about the fact that you might not like me back. Oh. I’m an idiot. Okay. I will see you at work. Happy holidays!” He spoke in flurried words as he tried to stand up before you stopped him mid-rise.

“Seokjin wait! That’s not the regret.” You were quick to stop him as he sank back down, a confused look on his face.

“It’s not?”

“No. I regret only asking Santa for a snowglobe! I should’ve asked for a car!” you chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

“Oh sure! What kind? I can get you a car.” He did not miss a beat before picking up his phone and scrolling through what you could only imagine being his gift list. Wait, were the Kims part of the mafia? You really should ask him where he gets all this money from someday. Nurses get paid pretty terribly, so it's definitely not that.

“Seokjin. I was kidding!”

“Oh. I knew that.” He put his phone down as he looked at you, blinking slowly a few times.

“So you like me.” You ask, leaning in slightly with a smirk.

“Yes.” He answered resoundingly, a determined look on his face as he leaned in as well. The two of you only a hair breadth apart.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” You whisper, not wanting to break the sudden shift in the atmosphere, as you looked at his plush lips, before meeting his gaze.

“Do you want me to kiss you again?” His voice was lower, a little strained as he looked at you, his eyes jumping from each feature before settling on your lips.

“Yes.”

“Then come sit in Santa’s lap.” He leaned back, patting his lap with a smirk, making you blanch as you pull a disgusted face.

“Okay. I changed my mind.” You leaned back, before he came closer, his hands cupping your face.

“No no! Sorry! I just have always wanted to use Santa puns and you’re the only one outside of my family who knows and I don’t kn-” You cut off his rambling with a kiss, a soft, quick one on his lips that made his breath hitch. He recoiled a little in shock, staring at you before pulling your face to his and crashing your lips together.

This kiss was neither soft, nor short, but a flurry of emotions as you both tried to express what you couldn't in words. His lips were firm against yours as his hands moved down your body to pull you closer by the waist. A soft groan left his lips as you parted yours and he wasted no time starting to explore your mouth, his tongue meeting yours. His plush lips moulded against yours and you couldn’t help the moans that fell out of your mouth. You had missed his mouth against yours, the feeling as refreshing as the crisp sun after a blizzard. He tasted like coffee and you sucked at his tongue with fervour, eliciting a shocked moan from him as his hands left your waist to find your ass, gripping it harshly to pull you into his lap. You wasted no time straddling him, as you grind your core against him, making him groan. He bit your bottom lip as he pulled apart to catch his breath. Staring down at your heaving chest, he traced his hands on your hips, before breaking into a smirk. Gone was the rambling man from earlier, his eyes clouded with lust as he took you in. He leaned closer, his lips on your neck as he kissed from your collarbone peaking through your thin pajama top to your ear.

“Now that you’re finally in Santa’s lap, tell him what you want for Christmas.” He whispered, nipping at your earlobe. Wow, he really was not going to let this go. You groaned in annoyance, cupping his face to pull him away from your ear to face you, ignoring the pout on his face.

“For you to shut up.” You kissed him, tilting his head slightly to give you access, before he pulled away, shaking your hands off his face till they rested on his broad shoulders.

“Come on! Let me have this!” He whined, his pout bigger as he looked at you with puppy eyes. You chuckled at his antics, shaking your head as you leaned in for another kiss, missing the taste of his lips already. His hands moved from your hips to the hem of your shirt, slowly moving up under it, tracing over your ribs, just below the swell of your breasts, leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

Moaning gently, but not one to be outdone, you mirrored his movements, moving your hands down his built chest, feeling the soft material, and groaning in annoyance as you reached the stupid stuffed toy stitched to the centre. You reached the bottom of his sweater, but before you reached under it you pulled away, Seokjin chasing your lips.

“Will this dumb sweater shock me if I put my hands under it?” You huffed and played with the hem of his sweater as he smiled goofily, as if realizing he was wearing it for the first time. The goofy smile didn’t last for long as he moved his hands to cup your chest, massaging gently as he leaned in kissing your sternum, visible from the top button that had somehow loosened during your makeout. 

“The only shock you’ll get is how loud you’ll be screaming my name when you cum.” He pulled on your nipples, making you mewl as you involuntarily arched your back, rolling your hips on his. You felt breathless, and you couldn’t believe his stupid wordplay was making you this wet.

“Big talk for someone whining about Christmas puns.” You moaned out as he tugged harder on your nipples in reprimand, his hands pushing against the fabric, as he bit the sensitive skin of your neck. Forgetting your earlier concerns, your hands go under his shirt, feeling his soft skin, the tiny hair on his abs tickling your fingertip, as you push the sweater as high it would go revealing his golden skin.

“Yule be sorry for doubting me.” He finally gives your sore nipples a rest, as his hands move to pull his sweater off, momentarily getting tangled up in, making you chuckle, which he mistakes for praise aimed at his puns, wiggling his eyebrows as he emerges from the monstrosity. If you weren’t so whipped for him, you would have made him leave. You didn’t know if this was a one off, if he really wanted things to progress or he just wanted sex but all thoughts fell out of your head as his lips reattached to your neck, his hands on your hips making you grind against him as the two of you made out like teenagers at prom.

“I will literally murder you if you make another pun.” You moaned out, losing yourself in his touch, his lips leaving behind blooms on your skin. If he kept moving your hips like this you were going to cum. You grabbed on to his hair as you moaned at the sensation your body lit as your clit grazed his length through the layers of clothing. Your legs shook as the feeling in your stomach tightened and Seokjin chuckled against your neck.

“Yeah murder me with that pussy.” You could feel his grin but all your annoyance was forgotten as you felt yourself let go, mewling his name, your orgasm washing over you in waves, your grip on his hair tightening. 

He kissed you as you came down from your high, his erection solid against you as his tongue explored your mouth. When he pulled away he looked almost crazed, the lust in his half lidded gaze mirroring yours as his hands moved to your top, slowly unbuttoning it. “Fuck that was so hot. Let me unwrap you, baby.” 

He wiggled his eyebrows again as he looked at you. How could this man be this sexy and this dorky was beyond you. Wanting to see him writhe over you, you started kissing his neck, moving to his chest, leaning him back as you inched closer to the waistband of his jeans.

“You first!” You exclaimed, wasting no time to unbutton his jeans as he sighed in relief, moving to remove them completely before you reached for his boxers. You were a little taken aback when his cock popped out. It was bigger than you thought, head red as a bead of precum glistened in the late morning sun pouring in from your windows. Your mouth watered at the sight and without thinking you licked up his length, his groans egging you on as you bent over him.

“Shit so perfect! So good to me,” he moaned out as you looked at him. His head lolled back as he leaned against his hands behind him, his wide chest rising heavily due to your ministrations. He let out a loud moan, resembling almost a whine, as you wrapped your mouth around his head, sucking softly. You loved that moan, wanted more of it as you took him deeper, his hand coming to rest on your hair. He panted loudly, his moans filling your room, your mind, as you gazed at him looking at you with awe. “This look soots you.”

He really had to make another dumbass joke, didn’t he? You pulled off his length, sitting back as your hand replaced your mouth, slowly stroking him as you scowled at him. God, you wanted him to beg you so bad.

“That better be suit with a u-i or I swear I’m not gonna let you cum.” You gripped him harder, twisting your wrist as your panties get wetter with power. He mewled a little, twitching in your hand as you grinned. His head lolled to the side and suddenly he looked at you, his eyes sparkling with challenge as your words finally processed in his mind. 

Before you could react, he was on you. One hand gripping your wrist and other behind your head as he leaned you over till your back was on the cold hardwood floor and he hovered over you. He smirked at you before he leaned in to kiss you sloppily, making you lose all senses.

“Aw sweetheart, it’s cute you think you’re in charge.” He cooed, as his forearms trapped your head, his kisses becoming softer, reminiscent of the first time he kissed you a week ago. He took his time, his weight a comforting presence on top of you as you melted into the floor. He looked at you with adoration when you broke apart, his nose touching yours and a soft smile on his face.  

“But seriously, Y/N. I didn’t come here for this. I want this so bad but I want to take you out, I want to hold your hand, drink a milkshake with two straws together. I don’t know! I wanna spoil you!” His voice was low, but his words were fast, like he just couldn’t hold them in any longer. You giggled in disbelief, caressing his back. This man really was going to be the death of you.

“Seokjin you’re naked and you want to hold my hand?” you chuckled as he nodded, his eyes glinting and smiling wide. He reached out to hold your hand, lacing his fingers with yours as he leaned in to kiss your cheek sweetly, an oddly saccharine contrast to the way he was devouring you moments ago.

“I mean I also want to rail you hard, but yeah I don’t want it to be just sex.” You felt your heart flutter at his words, your face heating up more than it already was and you leaned up to kiss him.

“Me neither.” Your grip on his hand tightened and his cock twitched against your thigh, bringing your lust back to the forefront of your mind as you kissed him again, much more hungrier this time. “So come on get on with it. Choo choo!”

He leaned away looking at you with wide eyed surprise before breaking into a shit eating grin.

“Was that a rail- fuck! You’re perfect!” He gushed as he kissed his way down your body, unbuttoning your shirt as he went. He lapped at your nipples, hardening them under his tongue as his hand pulled your pajama shorts off, your panties following quickly after. You wanted to throw another quick witted remark at him, but all thoughts disappeared at his sudden enthusiasm as his mouth made its way to your core. He began to kiss down your slit, light feathery kisses that had you desperate for more, mewling as he continued.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long, it’s really taken a mistletoe-ll on me.” He grinned, his breath warm against your folds. Your retort was forgotten when he slid his tongue inside you, flicking against your sensitive walls before he was sucking at your clit. The pleasure was unbearable and you shook under him, thanking yourself for forgoing carpeting the floors. He put his arm over your hips to hold you down as you chanted his name. You were dripping, your heart beating loudly in your chest as he ate you like a man starved, pushing you closer and closer to your high. You walls clenched around his tongue as you moaned louder, your hands in his hair, pulling him closer. 

“I’m so close!” you whined expecting Seokjin to speed up to guide you through your high. He, however, slowed down, the pressure in your belly ebbing slowly away as you whined his name. “Why did you stop?!”

“Tell me my puns are funny.” He looked up at you grinning as you yelped when two fingers entered you. His fingers curled inside you making your back arch as you moaned his name. “Come on admit it, Dr. Y/L/N”

“No… they’re… stupid...” you breathed out as his pace increased and decreased keeping you firmly on the edge, your walls fluttering, your eyes squeezed shut as you refused to beg. He kept up his taunting till you thought you would lose your mind, every nerve in your body on fire as your legs quivered. He was insane! Not being able to take it anymore, you conceded. “Fuck… please! Please Seokjin! Your puns are hilarious. I give! Please…” 

“Good girl. Knew you were on the nice list.” he exclaimed as his mouth latched on to your clit and before you knew it you were screaming, your body shaking as you had one of the most powerful orgasms of your life, your arousal gushing out of you as Seokjin gleefully lapped it up. You felt a buzzing in your ears, your vision spotty as he coaxed you slowly through your high.

Seokjin kissed his way up your trembling body, and slotting his mouth against yours, he caressed your sides as you tried to catch your breath. When you opened your eyes he was smiling at you, lying next to you on the floor.

“Told you not to doubt me, baby,” he said lowly as his nose bumped yours gently.

“No pun this time?”

“I was gonna say mistletoe-ld but I already used that one.” He grinned.

“Oh my god,” you groaned, facepalming. “Why do I still want to fuck you?”

“Because I’m a sex god.” He wiggled his eyebrows. You stood up, a little shakily, at his comment, looking down at his alarmed face before walking away to your bedroom. Before you reached the door, you looked back at him. Seokjin was still in the same position, looking at you dumbfounded, probably wondering what he did wrong. You rolled your eyes at him as you gestured towards your room.

“Come on Santa, don’t you wanna climb up my chimney?” You laughed at the speed he stood up, his hard erection bouncing funnily as he ran towards you with a dopey smile, placing his arms around you in a back hug as you walked into your room.

“Stop being funny or I’ll fall in love with you,” he whined, rutting against you petulantly, making you giggle. You guided him to your bed, making him sit with his back to the headboard as you grabbed a condom from your bedside table, stroking him to gently roll it over his length. His breath hitched as you climbed over him, your knees on the bed next to his thighs. Seemingly unable to wait anymore, he put his arms around your waist, pulling you into a hungry kiss, a flurry of tongue and teeth.

You rise, your hands on his shoulders as you slowly descend on his, his girth a soothing pain as your walls stretch around him. The two of you moan into each other’s mouths as you stare at each other, face red and eyes blown from lust. For the first time, there was silence between the two of you, your staredown intense as you slowly started riding him. It felt delicious and it took all of your strength not to close your eyes in pleasure.

Your pace increased as Seokjin’s hands were placed firmly on your hips, pulling your hips higher so he could thrust into you. You kissed him at that, no longer able to take his intense stare and he groaned, increasing his speed. His cock rammed into you and you saw stars, clinging on his shoulders as waves of pleasure flowed through you. He kisses and bites your neck, his lips leaving blooms of petals in their trail, as his movements become sloppy. 

He leans back a little, grabbing your hand to guide it to your clit, rubbing your fingers on it. The added friction to your bud paired with his wild thrusts has you coming undone in seconds. Your toes curl as his name stretches around your moan and you still in his arms, your vision hazy. He cums shortly after, thrusting in you a few times chanting your name before falling lax against the headboard, pulling you against him.

The two of you sat there for a while, till he softened enough to slip out of you, the feeling sending shudders through the two of you. Placing a hand on your chin, he brought your lips to his, before looking at you with a soft smile, his eyes sparkling.

“So… Merry Christmas?” He shrugged making you giggle, as you rolled off him and sat next to him.

“Who knew I’d be a ho ho ho for Santa?” Seokjin laughed, clapping as he squealed with glee, before calming down enough to put his arms around you, cuddling you close, and grabbing one of your hands in his. He played with your fingers as he smiled.

“I’m sorry I ghosted you. I promise I’ll never do that again.” He kissed your temple, tightening his arms around you.

“It’s okay. You made up for it.”

The two of you spend Christmas morning together. You made more pancakes, dressed in only his horrendous sweater as he belted out Mariah Carey in his underwear. Your heart swelled when he placed gentle kisses on your shoulder as the two of you swayed to the music, barefoot on the kitchen floor. You knew you made the right decision when you moved to Alaska, it just took you this moment to realize how right.

----

I hope you liked this fluffy Christmasy piece, for more fics of mine check out my masterlist

[wren-writes-things]

True! Though Marcy does refer to hers as a bugguccino, and the barista lady did too. Which implies it was made of bugs rather than coffee beans. Plus it would require that there already be coffee beans in Amphibia (which is technically possible) and that Marcy just realized she should roast them to make coffee (which wouldn’t shock me at all because this is Marcy).

Though perhaps that name is just as a result of Amphibian convention. Or the name bugguccino could have come from something completely unrelated to its attributes because apparently a cappuccino irl is named after the robes of an Italian religious sect. So it could have a similar background in Amphibia. Or it could just be named because bugs are naturally more appealing and they could sell more coffee that way (though that’s a false advertising risk). Or maybe they add bugs to the top like the world’s strangest sprinkles (an image I never wanted in my brain and now want out) and it was named for that. Or if your theory of Marcy bringing it there was correct she could have just named it that way as a pun of some kind.

Plus I was only considering frogs, it might be that newts can consume a higher caffeine content without becoming “the time lord.” So human coffee could have caught on there more easily because it wasn’t dangerous (though we wouldn’t know without having other frogs and newts test it). Or even just regular amount of caffeine. And that might make sense given that there is a newt who sees Sprig and says “I’ll have what he’s having,” without considering oh no this child is having a caffeine overdose (though do people normally assume caffeine overdoses?)

You know sometimes I consider whether or not coffee in Amphibia is not as strong as human coffee or if Marcy is just immune.

Because you see she consumed most of 8 cups of coffee in what appears to be one sitting and went back for more. Assuming the same average amount of caffeine that is almost double the maximum amount recommended by the FDA. But she shows literally no effects.

Meanwhile Sprig and Hop Pop display immediate extreme effects when consuming caffeine such as getting a huge boost in energy or literally gaining super speed. And both consumed considerably less than Marcy did. (Though Sprig did consume it at a considerably faster rate)

And you see I can’t find any information on the effects of caffeine on frogs in comparison to humans because apparently that is not something that people actively write (or at least not without me having to pay ridiculous sums of money to access it). So to quote Anne, “What science do you even do?”

I did find that caffeine overdoses are lethal in some species of frogs. So perhaps caffeine is a more controlled or limited substance, but that wouldn’t make sense given that Sprig was given 5 of them with no problem. And if it was a controlled substance I don’t think they would allow that. But I don’t know because I do not know enough about controlled substances to reach any conclusions about that.

Anyway my conclusion given my complete lack of evidence in any direction whatsoever is that Marcy is just immune because honestly Marcy being a semi magical being with an immunity to caffeine and the ability to spontaneously (and completely unintentionally) set things on fire amuses me. Either that or the Calamity gem’s power was just actively offsetting how much caffeine she drank.