#this is best wishings best tidings and happy holidays

[gramforgram]

salut.

okay. today is pay day, literally three days early, my parents legit came through for me and gave me rent money plus some, and I've got a community for the first time in a while.

I've got new love(s), new friends, new lovers, and I'm about to start T. I've been busting my ass celebrating yule and yuletide, making up feasts, trying to spread hearth where I can.

I think I'm getting good return on that. so let me spread my hearth to here, to the internet, to you. wishing you a blessed yuletide, and a season of rest, a breath from toil, and peace

— ❄️💚🐺

[phelanxroen-blog]

I’m wrapping presents and drinking whiskey, but had to take a pause to make this and share. I hope every one has a good season, whether you celebrate anything or not ❤️

[sitp-recs]

15 Christmassy fics to read (or reread) this month

This rec list is for @annakendricks who sent an ask about Christmas reads and also dedicated to @lettersbyelise for supporting this idea 💜 Despite the winter blues, December will always lighten up my mood with the holiday spirit. This month has been pretty hectic for me but I can’t wait to get some time off and indulge my fave Christmassy rereads. Come and join me if you like! Here you’ll find a little bit of everything: soft and contemplative, smutty, crack-y, movie AU, holiday romance and even Gen fic, which is not my usual fare but fit the theme perfectly. Pick your flavour and Happy Holidays!

🎄A Christmas Happenstance by Only_1_Truth (E, 5.5k)

The Hogwarts School for the Gifted and Supernatural had classes year-round, but the dormitories emptied out regularly on holidays as if the students were suddenly becoming allergic to the walls. Both humans and non-humans mingled freely in the surrounding town of Hogsmeade. Draco Malfoy, however, isn't feeling in the mood after a rather spectacular break-up.

🎄A Charitable Christmas by Alisanne (E, 5.6k)

Hermione’s plans to raise money for war orphans do not meet with Harry’s approval. Fortunately, Draco steps in to help him come up with a much more enjoyable strategy.

🎄A Hippogriff for Christmas by @xanthippe74 (G, 6.4k)

Draco is desperately trying to fulfill four-year-old Scorpius’ dearest wish for Christmas: a visit with a real Hippogriff. Harry is desperately trying to be left alone, safely tucked away from the attention of the wizarding world as Hogwarts’ Keeper of the Keys and Grounds.

🎄Surviving the Horde by FleetofShippyShips (T, 7k)

Draco has managed to avoid Christmas at the Burrow for ten years, but not this year.

🎄Tidings of Comfort by @blamebrampton (G, 10k)

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. Luckily for Draco Malfoy, London has places where the tired can rest and recover.

🎄Love, Actually, is All Around by @punk-rock-yuppie (T, 10k)

It's Christmastime, and Harry has just started as the new Minister of Magic. It just so happens that Draco works in his office as well, a holdover from Kingsley's tenure. Naturally, love is in the air.

🎄break the bad luck in my life by seaworn (E, 12k)

Draco and Harry are both brooding on Christmas Eve.

🎄All Roads Lead Home by @dracogotgame (G, 15k)

Draco is strong-armed into spending the first Christmas after the War with the Weasleys. And Harry Potter.

🎄Love All Lovely by @shealwaysreads (T, 19k)

Draco comes home for Christmas, and discovers that sharing is the best way of celebrating old traditions, and new ones too.

🎄Waking Up Slow by @sweet-s0rr0w and @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm (E, 22k)

'Twas the night before Christmas, although it’s July / Draco’s a shopkeeper, no-one knows why / There’s hiking and witch caves, freak snowfalls and more / Bad Christmas jumpers, nosy neighbours galore / Narcissa’s here too, but… something’s amiss / And what’s in those chocolates that’s making them kiss?

🎄I'll Floo Home for Christmas by jadepresley (T, 39k)

The Ministry Christmas party is the biggest event of the year and Harry absolutely does not want to plan it, and he certainly, one hundred percent, does not have a crush on Draco Malfoy.

🎄The Romantic Prawn Who Loved Christmas by @bixgirl1 (E, 39k)

When Draco, forced into sharing a room with Potter for the year, finds out that Potter has a sleepwalking problem, he expects the odd conversations and the weird games of chess. What comes as a complete shock are Potter's other activities...And why he seems so intent on having Draco join him.

🎄December Never Felt So Wrong by @maesterchill (E, 50k)

'Twas the month before Christmas and sixteen year old Draco Malfoy had never felt worse. His attempts to kill Dumbledore were failing and, as usual, Harry Fucking Potter was a constant thorn in his side. All that suddenly changed when Draco woke up 15 years in the future and discovered that not only was he allegedly shagging Harry Fucking Potter, he also had thinning hair and a five year old son, and no fucking clue how he got there.

🎄A Room Up There (And You In It) by @the-starryknight (T, 59k)

When Preservationist Draco Malfoy was assigned to work on Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, he was excited to delve into the gorgeous Black family antiques. His excitement quickly ended when something in the House decided it did not like his presence one bit.

🎄All Must Draw Near by Saras_Girl (M, 61k)

Harry doesn't have time for rumours; he has a shop to run. Which is just as well, really.

[bongbingbang]

I wish to be turned into a muscular gym-obsessed Krampus for the holidays

Christmas morning, you discovered an unusual ornament on your holiday tree. You were sure it wasn't there on Christmas Eve.

But for you, a disciplined young aesthetic bodybuilder with the body to prove it, every day was gym day, wasn't it? Even Christmas Day.

Spending time with loved ones didn't matter. Figuring out where that odd ornament came from didn't matter.

Your ever-improving body was the only thing that mattered. Self-obsessed? A bit.

Working your way from machine to machine, you're suddenly meeting, then exceeding, your all-time bests, moving mind-boggling amounts of iron as if it didn't weigh anything.

This was awesome. You never felt better, stronger or more powerful. When your body is all that matters, and you had a day like today in the gym, you chalked it up to all your hard work finally starting to pay off.

Until you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

Your bros were in awe of your pump today, dude. But there was no time to worry about appearances or stare at yourself in the mirror. You felt like you could keep lifting for a few more hours.

So you did.

Nothing could stop you. Your body was feeling like you always dreamed it could feel. Your strength felt unlimited. Because it was.

And then you didn't need to worry about your body anymore. Your body had finally become what it was meant to become all long:

The Krampus.

This meant you had a new long-term priority from then on:

Frightening little children who misbehave.

Now you'll get to enjoy your new body, Krampus, until the strike of twelve midnight on January 6th when the holiday season comes to a close, and you'll be returned to your normal body, just as requested. You'll be ready to return to work by the second week of January 2024. Somehow, that strange ornament will have disappeared as well.

Just kidding. The change is permanent.

Happy holidays, Krampus!

And joyous tidings to you for the years and years and years and years to come.

Thank you for your wish. Fulfillment has been completed.

[thiswasneverthat]

him as your bestfriend (who's secretly in love with you.)

happy belated birthday, sweetest christopher.

First and foremost, the term 'secretly in love with you' didn't quite apply to Chris.

It was not because he ever vocalized his affection; but rather, the poor guy's emotions weren't the type that could easily be concealed. There were times when the heat would slowly creep up his cheeks at the moment you unconsciously grabbed his arm during movie night; or when you simply sit a little bit too close to him.

From the very moment you crossed paths in college, your lives became intertwined. Fast forward a few years, and even in the professional world when the two of you worked at the same company, nothing had altered. You and Chris remained inseparable, like two puzzle pieces that had found their perfect fit.

All along, you were acutely aware of his feelings for you. It wasn't like he was the master of subtlety, despite his best intentions. He convinced himself that his emotions were a well-kept secret, solely because he never uttered a word about them.

But, oh, the truth was far from his perception.

Your mutual friends, the ones who witnessed the sparks fly whenever you two were together, were not as oblivious as he thought. They quietly shared knowing glances behind your backs, exchanging unspoken truths that floated in the air, forming an invisible thread of connection between you and this affectionate but seemingly covert admirer.

Knowing Chris for years had granted you an unparalleled understanding, almost as though you possessed a special ability to read him like an open book. It was in the subtle nuances, the unspoken gestures, and the way his eyes lingered on you just a moment longer than anyone else. The way he uttered your name held a unique cadence, a tenderness that set it apart from the rest of the world.

His actions also spoke volumes, a silent declaration of his affection. From those daily post-work rides that ended at your doorstep to the steaming cup of coffee that appeared magically in your hands each morning, even though he was no coffee aficionado himself. As if it was the most natural thing, he wove his affection into your everyday life.

And then there were the moments of solace where he held you close when tears welled in your eyes, offering hushed comfort when words fell short. On holidays, Chris became your reliable chauffeur, ensuring you reached your parents' house with ease.

But perhaps the defining moment was when he stepped inㅡ a knight in modern armor, to protect you from the advances of an unruly drunkard during a night out with friends. It was in these moments, when his affection for you transcended mere words and blossomed into the unspoken verse of actions.

Well.. How endearingly oblivious he was.

He carried this fallacy that by keeping his feelings unspoken, they would remain a well-guarded secret. 

More often than not, you also found yourself yearning for a different script, one where Chris would step out of his best friend persona and take the role of someone more than that.

You really couldn't help but wish he would just muster up the courage to articulate those elusive words, breaking free from the confines of the 'best friend' charade that he maintained with such dedication for years. 

The frustration, like a relentless drumbeat, echoed within you because you had lost count of the times you teetered on the edge of confessing your own feelings.

However, in the grand scheme of things, you were very much aware of the added layers of complexity. The cliché was undeniable: you wanted him just as fervently, if not more so. Yet, your hesitation served as a sentinel against reckless decisions.

You understood the profound risk involved. The weight of the question lingered in your mind like a persistent echo: was it worth jeopardizing the treasured friendship you shared for the possibility of something more like.. love?

Because the fear loomed largeㅡ that one day, if the tides turned unfavorably, your beautifully woven friendship with him might fray and unravel.

And more than you would like to admit, the mere thought of losing him shattered you into a gazillion pieces.

So, until the time you would be ready, or until that one point where you just really couldn't take it anymore, you convinced yourself to put on a smile and pretend to be blissfully oblivious as he was. 

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Happy 28th! Here is my October 2023 fic rec, organized by word count, from longest to shortest. Enjoy!

Babydoll Blues by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain (111k)

Louis is a high profile, filthy rich label executive who has the world at his feet - a music god.. Harry is the sugar baby trying to make a name for himself singing in shady bars and hanging off the arm of Louis’ biggest rival. What Louis wants, Louis gets. But what if the game gets too hot and hits a little too close to the heart?

Little Technicolor Things by scary_crow (72k)

Louis is a poor writer and recent university graduate, depressed, anxious, and living in London when he meets Harry, an artist with a secret who likes to paint sunrises and pretty boys from California.

Every Kind of Way by halos_boat / @halohamilton (68k)

"This shouldn't have happened so many times..." Louis trails off, dropping his head into his hands.

He hears Harry shuffle across the mattress until he's behind Louis, forehead meeting Louis' back as he let's out a heavy exhale, his warm breath causing goosebumps to form down his spine.

"He's my best friend," Louis continues, "and you're his ex."

"I know," Harry says quietly.

"Why can't I resist you?" Louis whispers, squeezing his eyes shut.

"For the same reason I can't resist you," Harry says, voice rough and throaty.

The kind-of friends with benefits AU where Harry lands up in the same group of friends as Louis after Louis' best friend dates Harry for a year. The first time they hook up, they agree it won't happen again. But when they do it again and decide on a casual arrangement, feelings start to get involved, and things get complicated.

Adore You by isthatyoularry / @isthatyoularry (66k)

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer.

Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do.

Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

Mirror Touch by pink_heaven19 (58k)

“You know I can see colors in sounds, right?”

Harry nods, confused as Louis knew he would be.

“Well, I have another type of synesthesia, called mirror-touch. Have you heard of it?”

Harry shakes his head, and Louis can feel the tenseness in his shoulders and jaws slacking a little at the unexpected topic.

“It means I feel what other people feel. Literally, all the time.”

OR the one where Harry owns a second-hand clothing store, and Louis is a radio host. Louis has mirror-touch synesthesia, which makes him experience what people around him feel. He feels a lot around Harry.

Where the Tide Takes You, I Will Follow by pinkcords / @pinkcords (53k)

There’s no way around his departure, their inevitable fate. Harry will leave and he will return to London and when he sits in his new flat, wherever it might be, he will think of this summer and the warmth the sun brought him and the way it felt to be loved. He will compare all his future relationships to Louis and when they fall short, he will be disappointed. Harry knows this.

Or, Louis lives in Gloucester and Harry tries to find a way to stay.

Home Calls the Heart by itsmotivatingcara / @itsmotivatingcara (44k)

A series of unfortunate events lands Louis Tomlinson in the heart of Texas. After running from his life in London and a performative marriage, he leaves a scandal in his wake. Home calls the heart, as his Nana always said. Though her words couldn't be truer when he decides to take up her offer to watch over Hyacinth ranch while she travels abroad.

He figured the worst he'd have to deal with would be the meddlesome goats, some repairs and an errant spirit or two. That is, until the gorgeous Cowboy next door makes his presence known.

or

A romcom au.

2 A.M. Texts by everysingleday / @sun-lt (30k)

Harry has just come out and, with his best friend Louis’ support, he might finally be brave enough to go on a date with the guy he’s been chatting with on a dating app. Meanwhile, there’s a cat that wants to murder Louis, a fast-approaching deadline for Harry to find a new place to live, and this minor situation wherein he and Louis can’t seem to stop making out. It’s not a big deal. Louis is just being supportive.

—

aka, a practice kissing fic.

That Shirt You Hate by isthatyoularry / @isthatyoularry (15k)

“Soph,” Louis says to his female executive assistant. “I’m making more money than ever, and I have just realised that I have no one to spend it on.”

At thirty years old, Louis is past halfway to becoming a billionaire, and he needs to find the one. He literally stumbles upon his university sweetheart.

[nahida-official]

a very merry sumeru christmas !

christmas notes compiled together :3

NOTABLE MESSAGE OF SHAME:

from. hat-guy (@the-wanderer-official) What a *wonderful* year you've spent annoying me. It was so special, I don't think we will need any more ever again, so I think it's time to return to your knitting or old lady ramblings. In the gift below I have enclosed a few mora to tide you by as Haravatat slowly falls apart from it's lack of funding. I hope you enjoy finding a new job that will hire someone as old as you. Sincerely with annoyance, the wanderer.

"Hey! Hat Guy.. I think you've perhaps forgotten that i can read all these messages. I told you to at least TRY to be nicer."

Cloud said: Merry Christmas!

from. alhaitham (@alhaitham-official) Happy Holidays. (have a nice time yall -mod)

:> said: STAY SILLY GUYS!!!!!! BE SKRUNKLY AND AWESOME TOO BUT I KNOW Y'ALL WILL DO THAT ANYWAYS

from. corruptdhaitham (@corrupted-haitham-official) This is useless to me. Still, have a nice time or whatever. (happy holidays and such. -moddie)

from. madame faruzan (@faruzan-official) Lesser Lord Kusanali, I give you a cookie. You are a wonderful archon. Hat Guy, may you die in the trenches. @autistic-alhaitham, I am telling you. You meowed at me. You cannot fool the one and only Madame Faruzan. Kaveh, youngster, stay as you are. You are wonderful for someone coming from the loathed Darshan of Ksharewar. @niloupalata you as well are pleasant, truly. And to the lot of you, happy holidays. Except Hat Guy. I hope your holidays are the worst.

"Awh! Many thanks, Madame Faruzan for the cookie. ..But you too. Watch your words. I told you both to be nice or I'd suspend you from "

from. Adi @adi-cat-anon Happy Holidays, and best wishes for the new year! I'm glad I got to meet you all.

from. dunyarzad^^ (@dunyarzad-official) Ohhh!!! Lesser Lord Kusanali!!! You have been such a nice archon!! You really were the one thing keeping me alive back when I was despairing through my Eleazar!! Thank you so much! And now that I've recovered, I can finally go around on my own and since the new year is rolling around, I'd love to take the opportunity to make new friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It's nothing, Miss Dunyarzad. I'm glad I could help! Happy Holidays to you!"

from. kaveh (@kaveh-official) haitham please decrease my rent

from. Candace. (@candace-official) Have a happy holidays, everyone.

from. hat guy (notable message of shame above)

from. love anon (@l0ve-anon) Yall better be ready to see chaos. I will bring it to someone so be ready /pos (bringing up my flirting game)

"I.. I don't know who you are but I do suppose you have a happy holidays? Please try to refrain from causing too much of a major ruckus in Sumeru, though. :3"

from. zzz anon make sure y'all slept before Christmas

from. Bard (@namelessbard-official <-i believe? correct me if I'm wrong!) Venti(@venti-official)--I love you and I'm so proud of you <3 carry on my litle elf!

from. Fang, Annie (@the-chaos-siblings) Fang: Merry chrisler! Annie: Merry Christmas!

from. Cyno (@general-mahamatra-cyno-official) Merry Christmas. Where does Santa keep his coat during the year? The Claus-et.

"What a wonderful joke from the General Mahamatra! Hehe!"

test tube said: I genuinely cannot see whatever i picked god help me Merry Christmas if we open these on Christmas Day then I am currently suffering at a party I was forced to go to aaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Oh.. : ( I'm sorry! I hope you'll at least have fun at that party to some extent."

from. the Doctor (@dottore-official) I was told to leave a note if i wanted more funds, so happy holidays I suppose.

from. Zandik (@zandik-official) What is this for..? Even though I don't know, here. Take this. +1 Gears acquired.

from. Sohreh!! (@sohreh-official) Happy Holidays!! Oh, this is so exciting! I wonder who will get this card... I don't know, but to however gets this, have a happy holiday season!

from. layla (@layla-official) Hot coffee everyone?.. I can mix it with chocolate if caffeine isn't to your liking.

from. Tighnari (@fennec-tighnari-official) happy holidays to you all! and please no one get injured, I'm not dealing with this during the holidays.

from. Hydro!Kaveh (@hydro-eidolon-kaveh-official) Hello! I'm sure most of you are in my memories somewhere, but I'd like to let you all know that you are in my thoughts around this special time of year! My Haitham told me a little bit about the holidays and what they mean, but I'm definitely still a little lost on the fact. Otherwise, I know it is a time to decorate a tree and appreciate those that you love, and I want you to know that I love each and every one of you! (I think) Have the best holidays ever!

"Awh! May you have the best holidays ever too!!"

from. serendipityanon (@serendipity-anon) Hello all, I've knitted quilts for each and every one of you in a different color! I'll put them under the tree as well~ I have several pots of tea to share with everybody, and of course I brought fairy lights! Everyone has to take a set home to decorate their home~ I hope everybody has a wonderful day and and incredible holiday season! Love, serendipity-anon

from. collei (@collei-official) Happy holidays to everyone !! :D from. webttore (@webttore-official) I don't know why I'm here ig I'm from Sumeru? But I'm in Mondstadt rn. Anyways I'm gonna steal gifts and kick kids -Webttore

"Get out. We do not condone that here that is not holiday cheer."

from. Xinyan (@xinyan-official) Wherever Yoimiya (@yoimiya-official) has disappeared to, I hope she's doing well.

"Everyone have a happy holidays! From the Goddess of Wisdom and the rest of Sumeru! Directed at not just the people of Sumeru, but truly everyone out there!!"

[intheorangebedroom]

Pleased to meet you, a drabble

Summary: you and Benny have been dating for a little over three months when you finally agree to go hiking with him.

Pairing: Ben Miller x French fem!Reader.

Rating: Explicit 🔞

A/N: @nicolethered, this is a very humble gift for you, my dearest, dearest friend. I know smut is not my strong suit (unfortunately), and I wish I could present you with a much better gift, because you deserve the absolute fucking best, but I did do my very very best to give you the Benny I think you might like. You've given me and this fandom so much. Happy birthday season, ily ♥

I'm tagging every one, I hope no one will mind, because I managed to sneak in a little bit of plot, and, of course, subliminal mentions of Frankie 😜 (I can't help myself)

Count: 2.8k

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A drabble: Proud Mary

You’ve got to give it to this country, it really knows how to do autumn. And autumn is the one thing you love but could never fully enjoy in Paris. A city with a dense urban fabric, there’s not enough space for nature to perform its flamboyant swan song in crimson and golden gradient, the parks and public gardens too tidy, too tamed to your taste. 

In your late 20s, you would rent a car and spend the last week of October by the Normand or Picard shores, on your own, and revel in the colours you’d find along the road. Until you met Éric and, a couple of years into your relationship, he started demanding you stay by his side and accompany him as he attended the many parties and diners of the rentrée littéraire, the most important time of year for French publishers. 

That memory belongs to another life, however. Almost to another girl, it seems. 

Comfortably sitting on the leather seat on the passenger’s side of Will’s truck, your forehead pressed against the window, you take in all the shapes and shades of trees and bushes you can’t name in any of the languages you know. Your new boyfriend’s solid presence next to you, driving under the fiery canopy of an undergrowth country road. A little too fast for your liking, but that’s just how he does everything and, to be honest, you don’t mind, really.

Benny likes the outdoor. He thrives amidst nature. As soon as you two started dating, back in July, he began asking you to come with him on hiking trips upstate, exploring national parks the size of your hometown. You can spend entire afternoons picking pebbles and shells underneath the chalk cliffs of Picardie’s coast, silently observing the rising tides of the Channel, but you’ve never gone hiking, so to speak. You didn’t even own a good pair of walking shoes until you had to gear up for this trip.

This time you said yes, your heart wrapped in an unknown, warm embrace at his enthusiastic and spontaneous reaction. A wolfish howl and a little jump, before he grabbed his phone to text his brother that he needed to borrow his truck, the Mustang far too precious to drive on graveled and dusty country roads. 

What convinced you to come is precisely this: the undeterred fondness with which he steadily reacts, every time you try and push back. The space and time he never fails to give you to be you and do your things. 

And, of course, the prospect of a real North-American autumn. You don’t care what everybody says, you just like autumn. It is, hands down, your favourite season. You’ve debated it over countless times with Rosie, who, of course, only loves summer, laughing at her perennial final and closing argument, “you can’t prefer fall because it’s basic, and you’re not.” 

She says fall, you say autumn. Inches and centimetres, flat and apartment… 

Besides, autumn has Halloween. And that’s the one holiday your gothic heart not only tolerates, but love. The hypothesis -the hope- of being visited by the dead, once a year. You were never good with closure, goodbyes or mourning. The concept of the departed lingering about you keeps you going. 

In an essay about death and its perceptions throughout history, you once read that the idea exists, in one form or another, in many different cultures throughout the world. That it’s about the living convoking the dead to help them prepare as they enter winter. 

Winter sure is bleak. Christmas’s supposed to be fun, you suppose, if you have a functioning family. Which you seldom ever had. No, winter is not your thing.

No light, no hope. 

You wonder what this winter is going to be like. Probably the best you’ve had in a long, long while. 

You’ve got pure sunshine sitting next to you in the truck.

A khaki cap worn backward over his overgrown blond strands, his last haircut a distant memory, he’s wearing his usual worn-out dirty blue jeans that have you questioning whether he owns a second pair, and a faded blue shirt over a camouflage t-shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbow, his strong forearms on display. His massive frame dwarfs the spacious cab of the truck. 

He hooked up his phone to the car’s stereo and Johnny Cash’s Live at Folsom is blasting through the old speakers, his own baritone resounding in the cab and sinking into your chest as he sings along to The Long Black Veil. It’s one of your favourite songs from this album, and you can’t get over how fond of this man’s voice you’ve become in only three months. It’s warm and comfortable and when you try to describe his laughter, the only word you can come up with is “luminous”. 

He sings more and more often when you’re around, and you wonder if you can consider it a tangible proof of your fast-growing intimacy. Or perhaps he’s always singing, and the only reason why you get to hear it more often is because of the increasing amount of time you two spend together. It doesn’t cross your mind you might be the reason why he constantly sings. 

Forgetting about the landscape for a moment, you set your gaze on your boyfriend, his tall figure and his soft face. His brow furrowed over his dark eyes, mirroring the lyrics’ somber melancholy as he joins in the chorus. 

She walks these hills in a long black veil 

She visits my grave when the night winds wail

You found a common ground in music with blues, folk, old country and vintage rock. Old habits die hard and at first, you feared he would impose on you the music plastered in loud album covers on his band t-shirts, Kiss, Metallica, Iron Maiden. You’d been agreeably proven wrong. For that’s not Benny. Benny makes everything easy. Benny adjusts. 

You reach out for his thigh and give it a little squeeze, affection expanding your chest. His expression shifts immediately as he takes his eyes off the road to look your way, flashing you a flirty wink and a toothy grin. Oh, he’s a performer, alright.

You can’t help but laugh and skate your hand a little higher along his leg. 

Hank William’s Alone and Forsaken is next in queue on his playlist, but Benny’s mind is not on the music anymore. 

Every so often, his eyes leave the open road as he throws sideways glances at your thighs with about as much subtlety as a kid trying to nick candy from the kitchen cupboard, and you observe this little choreography with a bemused smile. 

“You know I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing leggings in the city,” you say halfway through the song.

“That’s a shame because your legs look damn good in it. And your ass–” he trails off, narrowing his eyes with an explicit humming sound. 

“But what’s the difference with my black jeans, for instance, the skinny ones?” you ask casually, as if he just didn’t light up a small fire in your core. 

“I don’t know. It’s just— it’s not the same,” his voice drags and dips lower on the last words.

It sounds like he’s still singing even when he talks. You start to blush like a bashful teenager, so you immediately counter, opening your legs wider and propping your left knee on the bench. 

His eyes return to the road, with a shake of his head and a chuckle that says you’re not playing fair.

Ike and Tina’s Proud Mary come up on the stereo and momentarily interrupt the game. 

“Oh I love this song!” you exclaim as you lean forward to turn up the volume, “sorry, but I’m gonna sing.”

“Why you’re sorry? You got a nice voice.”

“How would you know that?” you whip your head towards him with an accusatory look. 

“Heard you sing under the shower. I love the smell of your shampoo,” he provides with an apologetic, endearing smile.

“Well I’m singing to this, anyway,” you reply, now downright flustered. 

The song still at its spoken preamble, your voice is a little shaky as you tune in to the first Nice and easy. 

You flick your eyes up to Benny’s and find him already staring you down with a hungry look.

But there's just one thing…

Pulling on the safety belt to give it some slack, you slide on the bench to get closer to him, his eyes flicking rapidly between the road and your lips.

You see we never do nothing nice and easy… 

You rest your right hand on his inner thigh and bite down a victorious smile when he sharply inhales, straining his gaze straight ahead.

We always do it nice and rough…

Your voice turns husky on the last word, a smile lifting the corner of your lips. Head tilted upward, you softly speak into his neck, letting your breath fan the thin blond hair on his nape, and rear back just enough to see them stand up. 

So we're gonna take the beginning of this song…

You scoot closer still, pointedly pressing your breast against his side, his hands gripping the steering wheel, a growing bulge straining against the fabric of his jeans. 

And do it easy…

You poke out your tongue, tracing the shell of his ear, nipping at his earlobe, as he draws in a sharp breath with a hissing sound, his grip on the wheel turning his knuckles white.

But then we're gonna do the finish rough… 

The last word comes out of your throat in a rumble, your hand quickly sliding over to his throbbing erection as you cup him through his pants, pressing down with the flat of your palm.

This is the way we do–

“Ok, that’s it!” he barks, and your laughter tinkles.

—

The truck is parked on a light slope where Benny steered it precipitously, on the side of the road, coming to a halt in the middle of nowhere, barely deep enough into the woods to hide it from view. You slide on the leather bench when you move your leg to straddle him where he came to meet you on the passenger’s side. Your leggings lie on the car floor in a rumpled heap next to your new hiking shoes, and you grasp the headrest to regain your balance. 

“You’re a fucking menace,” he pants, unbuckling his belt before raising his hips to slide down jeans and briefs in one hurried motion. He’s fully erect now and his smooth cock bobs against his clothed belly.

“I was only singing,” you object, giving the blond curls at his base an innocent little scratch before taking him in your hand.

He feels heavy and warm between your fingers, and you want to play with it a little, but he already ripped open the condom’s wrapping in his haste. You take it from him, with a breathless whisper of “lemmedoit”, and you push him against the seat back, pinning him under your gaze to make sure he looks at you when you lick a broad stripe into the flat of your palm, and give him a couple of hard, long strokes. 

“Fuck, woman, just let me inside you, already,” he exhales, his head lolling backward against the headrest. “When you gonna let me fuck you without a rubber, baby?”

You’ve only ever let one man do that, and it’s not something you want to be thinking about right now, so you shut him up, plunging forward and moulding your lips onto his, fisting him harder. He deepens the kiss immediately, licking inside you like a starved man, fucking your mouth with his tongue as he sits up straight and grips your ass, kneading your soft flesh. 

He pulls out to ask, “You wet for me, baby?”

“Huh huh,” you answer, nodding, chasing his lips, but he’s not done talking. Benny likes to talk. 

“Good girl,” he says through another cocky smile, “gonna fuck you fast and good.”

You’d have slapped Éric for calling you a “good girl”, instead you feel another rush of slick pooling down your core, trickling down your spread thighs, as he slides you back on his lap by the flesh of your bottom.

“Been wanting to rip them leggings off your ass since I picked you up this morning, you won’t be able to walk when I’m finished with you.”

You want to shoot back that it defeats the purpose, but he doesn’t let you, skating through your folds and sliding his rough fingers over your entrance, rewarding you for what he finds there with a broad smile. You jump lightly at the exquisite breach when he slides two digits inside you, a hand still loosely wrapped around his length, the one holding the condom lying limply on the car bench. 

“Fuck, listen to that,” he says at the squelching sounds of your wet pussy, as he roughly thrusts his fingers in and out, thinning your clit, his eyes darted down onto where he’s opening you for him. All you can manage is a lewd moan and a hooded look.

“Come on, baby, wrap me up and put me in,” he orders in his musical voice.

He’s still fucking you on his fingers, and you chase his hand a little longer, rocking shamelessly into it, before you finally comply and unroll the condom down on his length.

“Don’t tell my brother what we did in his truck.”

“Jesus fucking– what exactly do you think we talk about when we–”

You can’t finish your sentence, for he just knocked the air out of your lungs, shoving his cock inside your warmth all the way down, after swiftly withdrawing his fingers from your cunt, seizing your waist with one hand and lining himself up with the other. Benny moves surprisingly fast for a man of his size and his strength. Must be all that training for the fights.  

Your forehead drops against his, your head heavy and weak with the sudden spearing sensation. There’s been no nice, straight to rough, his feet are planted firmly on the car floor and he fucks up into you at a dizzying pace, holding you down on his cock with both hands around your waist, a nearly bruising grip, and for a moment there’s nothing you can do but take it. Thinking about how much you like that he’s always in such a hurry to give it to you. 

“Shit, that sweet pussy of yours,” he groans into your mouth, before kissing you again, and he makes it messy, bestial, licking into your mouth with unbridled hunger, it’s absolutely delicious, the way he devours you, always. Somehow your brain resurfaces and you brace a hand on his chest, tugging his hair harshly with the other. You know he likes it, when you pull, and scratch, and bite, and he groans with delight at the sting.

Fisting the fabric of his t-shirt, you shuffle your knees closer to him and start meeting him, rolling your hips in rhythm, fucking him right back, earning yourself a low and strained “fuck yeah” that reverberates in your stomach, the friction of the leather burning your skin.

His right hand skates around your curves to the cleft of your ass, and he tentatively presses there, but you shake your head no, and his voice is like sandpaper on wood when he asks, 

“When you gonna let me fuck that gorgeous ass, baby?”

You tug on his hair harder, then let go, cupping his chin and sliding two fingers in his mouth to silence him. When he responds with an unexpectedly soft suckle, your cunt clenches around him, and his eyes flutter shut, his head rolling back as he groans.

You bear down on him and grip him again, as tightly as you can, and his hips fall out of their rhythm, his fingers clutching your ass in a twitch. You make a mental note of it, so you can give it to him again, later, before biting his jaw for good measure. 

He puts all his strength into the following thrusts and a loud moan escapes you. You might not be able to walk once he’s done, after all. 

“Make me come, Benjamin, I don’t want anyone to walk on us.”

He gives your fingers a hard suck and releases them with the popping sound you’ve come to associate with him.

“Ok but I’m fucking you again as soon as we get there, from behind. And I’m coming on your ass.”

He slides down over the edge of the seat and place both his large hands back on your hips, grinding you back and forth on his cock, ruthlessly, like you weight nothing, your clit rubbing against his pelvis. He’s stroking deeper, harder, brushing against that spot that makes you lose it, the angle is mind-bending, your vision turns white and you brace your hand on the car’s window, your whining voice desperate when you try to warn him,

“Oh shit Benny, I’m gonna come, shit, gonna be loud, can’t hold it–”

“That’s right, baby, sing for me.”

****

Taglist (thank you 💕): @elegantduckturtle @mashomasho @lola766 @flowersandpotplantsandsunshine @nicolethered @littleone65 @bands-tv-movies-is-me @the-rambling-nerd @saintbedelia @pedrostories @trickstersp8 @all-the-way-down-here @deadmantis @hbc8 @princessdjarin

[cherrrysue]

Heyy any Larry fic recommendation without very sad moments and has happy endings

Thank u

i'm sure this is a very old question cause it got into the bottom of my inbox and i've been on hiatus for like almost 2 years and sat in my drafts for a few days but i'm gonna answer it anyway lol. so here it is:

comforting fics with happy endings

Escapade by dolce_piccante

M, 146k

In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.

Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

M, 113k

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

Walk That Mile by purpledaisy

E, 149k

Harry stares at him, the line of his jaw standing out scarily. “I wanted to get the most out of this trip so I planned it carefully.” His voice is low and steady and somehow that’s worse than when he was yelling. “So far, you’ve put your sticky fingers on everything I’ve tried to do.”

“Sticky fingers?” Louis repeats, offended. “Are you saying it’s my fault you got stung by a bee? Had you been alone you would have gotten halfway to the Dotty Diner and ran the car off the road because of an allergic reaction, so don’t go blaming me.”

“Polk-A-Dot Drive In,” Harry spits before getting out of the car. He slams the door shut with a deafening reverb and Louis rolls his eyes. - A Route 66 AU where falling in love was never part of the plan.

we can take the long road home by pinkcords

E, 45k

Late afternoon seeps into the cab, just shy of too warm, and the breeze that crosses window to window tosses their hair in their eyes, around their faces. They ride in pleasant silence, the radio humming softly in the background as they speed down the coast, and when Louis looks over, Harry’s smiling to himself, a private happiness born from whatever’s going on in his head. Louis likes to think it has something to do with him, or at the very least, this adventure they’ve embarked on together, chosen to see through to San Diego. Or, Harry and Louis fall in love down the coast of California.

where the tide takes you, i will follow by pinkcords

E, 53k

There’s no way around his departure, their inevitable fate. Harry will leave and he will return to London and when he sits in his new flat, wherever it might be, he will think of this summer and the warmth the sun brought him and the way it felt to be loved. He will compare all his future relationships to Louis and when they fall short, he will be disappointed. Harry knows this. Or, Louis lives in Gloucester and Harry tries to find a way to stay.

Chasing Empty Spaces by Lis (domesticharry)

E, 79k

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

Adore You by isthatyoularry

M, 66k

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer. Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do. Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

Falling For Me Won't Be A Mistake by Rearviewdreamer

M, 58k

Harry is married to his job and so overworked that he doesn't know how to stop. All it takes is a forced Hawaiian get-a-away, the warm tropical breeze of the island, and the most beautiful, elusive man he's ever seen to make him remember what living is like outside of work. Well, that, and the little souvenir he accidentally takes home with him.

Sodalite & Aventurine by forreveries

E, 80k

The one where, in his travels to find Swan’s elusive treasure, Captain Louis Tomlinson of the Black Dagger discovers he has a stowaway onboard - a stowaway who is rather tall and pretty and pouty and can spout off Shakespearean poetry as though he had written it. A stowaway who is also, unfortunately, secretly Louis’ biggest threat. Captain Harry Styles.

Paint Me In A Million Dreams by green_feelings

M, 112k

Harry's one of Hollywood's biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There's just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry's in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood's biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese's next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity? In short, Harry's in love with someone and doesn't care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn't write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

Our Lives, Non Fiction by indiaalphawhiskey

E, 113k

Heralded as the next Neil Gaiman, Louis Tomlinson does not appreciate being told that his very serious novel is in dire need of a PR boost. Even worse, that it comes in the form of a joint book tour with the UK’s #1 online romance-writing sensation Marcel Styles. Already turbulent at best, their partnership takes a drastic turn when, overly stressed about his looming deadline, Marcel accidentally blurts out a secret: though he’s famed for his scorching hot literary love scenes, he is, actually, a virgin. Convinced that the only way to rid himself of writer’s block is to gain some experience, Marcel asks Louis, author-to-author, to sleep with him – for Science. And of course Louis agrees because, well, what on Earth could possibly go wrong? Or, a lesson in romance that proves that sometimes the best love stories aren’t always by the book.

Time Passed by coffinofachimera

E, 66k

Louis struggles with their relationship as Harry grows into his identity.

beautiful sound beautiful noise by delsicle

M, 53k

Louis is a washed-up pop star who has spent nearly a year hiding away from the world. Harry is a guardian angel who is assigned to live with him for the summer. Neither of them quite get what they’re expecting.

the impossible now by stylinsoncity

M, 64k

A wish on Christmas Eve sends Louis to an alternate dimension where Harry is a member of One Direction

please leave a like and reblog ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

[redgoldsparks]

January 2023 Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon.

Piranesi by Susanna Clark (Bloomsbury Publishing)

I am a big fan of Susanna Clark. I've read Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrel two or three times, and will probably read it again someday. I love The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories but I've been waiting to read this one until the time was right. When I saw a half off paperback at my favorite indie bookstore right before the holidays, I knew that was my moment! I associate Clark's work deeply with winter, and love reading her stories by a warm glow around the shortest and darkest days of the year. This one opens in a House of apparently endless size, filled with statues, great vaults, marble floors, and many staircases. The lowest level is full of the sea, with fish, sea creatures, seaweed and seabirds. The upper floors recede into cloud and mist, which rain at regular intervals. In this cold but beautiful world lives a man called Piranesi by the only other living inhabitant. Piranesi journals diligently about his days, his discoveries, his catalogue of the tides and statues. The Other Man arrives at irregular intervals and gives him tasks and the occasional gift. Piranesi is very happy in his world, but soon it is threatened by outside forces: another person, with possibly malicious intent, begins to invade. The peace of the House is broken. What does this say about the bones of 13 dead which Piranesi has found, and the occasional fast food wrappers that regularly blow in one of the vestibules? Some might savor this book, but I instead devoured it in three days and wished for more. 

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (Katherine Tagen books/HarperCollins)

I will be withholding my review until the HarperCollins strike ends. More info here.

M is for Monster by Talia Dutton (Harry N Abrams)

A girl wakes up on a lab table, stitched together from pieces of a previous girl, Maura, who died in a lab accident. Maura's sister is an experimental scientist and when she wakes up a spirit, she's convinced she's gotten her sister back. But the new girl, M, has no memories from a previous life. She looks like Maura- and when she looks in the mirror she can see Maura's ghost- but she feel compelled to pretend to be someone she isn't. This is an interesting take on resurrection, the afterlife, and identity. It's beautifully drawn in black ink with teal shading, and includes a minor nonbinary character. The book flirts with some real danger and existential fear around our lead, but ultimately takes a gentler route towards a happy ending. 

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi (Atria Books)

This was my fourth Akwaeke Emezi book, and so far my favorite! A lush, interesting romance that tackles grief, recovery, processing trauma through art, and falling for someone in a complicated family dynamic all against the background of gorgeous tropical island. The main character, Feyi, is very tentatively stepping into dating again after loosing her husband five years prior in a car crash. It's taken a long time before she's even felt alive again herself, let alone willing to open her heart to someone new. The writing is so sensual, full of food descriptions to make your mouth water, landscapes and vistas to make you yearn to travel, and witty banter that will make you want to call your best friend to dish about your ex or your new crush. Highly recommend! 

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho (Ace Books)

Jess is a queer, closeted, Malaysian-American college grad with a long distance girlfriend and no job prospects. She decides to move back to Malaysia with her parents, partly to help them handle the move. When she starts hearing voices, she tacks it down to the stress of being broke and alienated in a country she hasn't lived in since she was a toddler. But it quickly becomes clear that the voices are real and one of them is Ah Ma, her estranged grandmother, who was a spirit medium to a violent god called the Black Water Sister. A real estate developer has purchased the land around the Black Water Sister's temple and plans to turn it into apartments. Ah Ma enlists Jess to fight back, not realizing or not caring that this could throw Jess into deadly conflict with both humans and gods. I listened to this as an audio book and enjoyed it a lot, though it does have some semi-graphic violence, and a morally grey conflict. The writing is very vivid and quite different than anything else I've read before. 

Into The Riverlands by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)

Nonbinary historian-cleric Chih and their talking bird companion Almost Brilliant travel to the riverlands, an area rich with myths about near-immortal martial artists and the bandits and monsters they battled long ago. Chih ends up walking a mountain road with two young women- a martial artist and her long-suffering companion- and an older couple, all of whom prove to be more than meets the eye. All of them share tales with Chih, and when they stumble right into an ongoing conflict, Chih realizes that they might be in one of the very tales they'd been collecting. This third book didn't hit me quite as hard with the ending twist as the first two books of this series, but I still really enjoyed it and hope for more! 

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickerson (Tor Books)

I have to open my review with content warnings: violent homophobia, polyphobia, genocide of an indigenous culture by intentional plague spreading, brainwashing, rape threats, eugenics, murder, torture. This is a book about a horrible oppressive empire using the tools of colonialism to try and control more and more of the world. Baru is a child of a tropical paradise, with two fathers and a mother, who is taken away from her parents and placed in a residential school from which she watches the total destruction of her culture. This plants a seed of ferocious rebellion in her heart, and she vows to excel past the wildest dreams of her abusive teachers, to rise up in the ranks of the empire, and eventually to destroy it from within. Baru is a savant in the study of power, money, economic control, and the science of breaking the human spirit. The open question of this series is whether she will be able to achieve her goal without being utterly ruined as a person. This book is brutal, and so well written, by turns a confusing mystery and a heart-pounding page turner. It is not a light read, and I definitely need a break before I continue on in the series, but I can see why this gets put on lists next to some of my very favorite series such as The Locked Tomb and Teixcalaan.

The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente (Tordotcom)

Another strange little tale from Valente! This one is set in the future, when all of the dry land on Earth has been submerged by water, and the remaining humans live on the floating continent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Long before our protagonist, Tetley, was born, people sorted the garbage into huge piles of similar kinds of things, leading to neighborhoods made all of candle ends, or all of pill bottles, or of molding books. This lends the landscape a fairytale-like aspect that reminded me of McGuire's Wayward Children series. Tetley was born to disinterested parents, and committed a crime in her teenage years which turns her into a physically abused and hated outsider. But she still finds things to love about her home and her world- a kind of childlike delight in a hibiscus plant, a plastic trophy, the inventiveness of her fellow survivors at the end of the world. The story takes several unexpected twists and turns, some more believable than others, but the playful language and rich audiobook narrative carried me through and overall I quite enjoyed it. 

Lights by Brenna Thummler (Oni Press)

A rich and emotional conclusion to the series, which deepens the themes of friendship, grief, and healing. I loved seeing Marjorie find ways to balance her commitments to both the living and the dead, Eliza learning that compromise is part of any relationship, and Wendell unraveling the truth of his own story. Thummler has grown a lot as a storyteller over the course of writing and drawing this trilogy. This is the quietest and most beautiful volume so far, and my favorite of the three. The art is absolutely next level, both in terms of color panels and page design. I was lucky enough to get to read an advanced copy for review; the book is due out in September 2023. 

[bangtanwritershq]

BangtanWritersHQ Presents: "Christmas Love” Masterlist

The secret’s out and the gifts have been given!

Some of our wonderful and talented members have come together to create a beautiful collection of stories given as holiday gifts. Each participant was given a ‘Wish List’ from another participant and had to create a minimum of 1k word story using that prompt. We hope these stories bring you much joy and good tidings during this time of year ❤⛄🎄 *Not all stories are Christmas or Holiday related*

KEY:

🔞 - nsfw (mature themes)

✅ - sfw (no warnings)

💖 - smut

⚠️ - other warnings

SET UP - emojis: Title (if link is to another platform) | Author [parts] pairings, genre/aus, rating, word count

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Lifeline (Twitter) | @downbad4yoongi [1/1] Pairing: Kim Namjoon x Reader AU Type: First Responder Rating: R WC: 7,157

✅  The Perfect Gift | @moonleeai [1/1] Pairing: Park Jimin x Reader named Taylynn AU Type: Fake Dating/Friends to Lovers Rating: PG WC: 6,346

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Chasing Shadows | @colormepurplex2 [4/4]  Pairing: Jungkook x Reader AU Type: Modern Day Sherlock Holmes/Brothers Best Friend Rating: MA WC: 21,511

🔞 💖 ⚠️   —tri-wizard trials | myg | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: slytherin!yoongi x gryffindor!reader AU Type: Hogwarts/Brothers Best Friend Rating: MA WC: 7,251

🔞 💖  All I Want For Christmas Is You | @bangtannoonasmut [1/1] Pairing: Jungkook x Reader AU Type: Smut/Fluff Rating: MA WC: 1,277

✅   Enchanted Arrangement (Twitter) | @noonasto​ [1/1] Pairing: Park Jimin x Min Yoongi AU Type: Fake Dating/Royalty Rating: PG WC: 2,366

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Beautiful Jingles (Twitter) | @heathfritillary​ [1/1] Pairing: Seokjin x Jimin AU Type: Fluff/Light Angst w/Happy Ending & Smut Rating: MA WC: 4,522

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Just A Bite (Twitter) | sunkissedwriter [1/1] Pairing: Hunter!Jungkook x Vampire!Reader AU Type: Vampire Rating: MA WC: 1,500

🔞 💖 ⚠️  The Last Christmas (Twitter) | @mrsparkjimin18​ [1/1]  Pairing: Jung Hoseok x OC Allianna AU Type: Christmas/Established Relationship Rating: MA WC: 1,696

Thank you to all of our members who participated in the "Christmas Love" BWHQ Secret Santa Fic Event! All stories copywritten of the specified author. The authors provided consent for their stories to the network to be shared by submitting their stories. Stories posted in the order of submission to the event.  

[digitalworldbound]

honeysuckle

happy holidays to @noctilucentstorm ! i hope that you have a wonderful festive season, and that you like this little gift :) (if you have AO3, lmk so i can gift it to you!)

characters: sora/yamato

summary: unexpectedly, sora finds common ground with yamato. also, gift giving is nerve-wracking.

a/n: this is my first time writing sorato. i apologize for any mischaracterization! also on AO3 and FFN !

Sora smelled faintly of flowers. 

There had been a time when she despised anything with petals. Her mother toiled away with stems, arranging them with such precise care that Sora couldn’t contain her jealousy. Flowers sat mockingly on flat surfaces, staring up at her with unseeing eyes inside crystal vases. 

Her mother’s flowers were poised and perfect; her mother’s flowers were everything she wasn’t.

Initially, Sora fought against it, fought against her mother’s wishes and plans with such a ferocity that it scared her. Often, her outbursts left her with the bitter feeling of regret simmering in her stomach. No matter how hard she tried to reign in her anger and disappointment, the tilt of her mother’s eyebrow or shift in her voice could send Sora’s mood spiraling and spewing, destroying everything in its path.

Despite the blood bath and survival, the Digital World had given Sora a reprieve. For a fleeting moment, she was able to shift her focus from her mother’s expectations to something more substantial. In the Digital World, people depended on her. Biyomon needed her in a way her mother never did. Months seemed to pass them by, full of learning and growing and friendship. At first, she couldn’t understand the others’ want to go home. This new world offered no preconceived expectations or responsibilities. As she laid underneath the stars, she would listen to the steady breathing of her friends. The stars twinkled from up above, the familiarity squeezing at her heart strings until she came to her senses.

Going home meant leaving Biyomon, and Sora refused to picture her life without her. She didn’t want to go home to her mother’s sour words and cold heart. But, the tides of the Digital World were shifting, and Sora was worried that she would be swept away.

The fantasy world they found themselves in turned sour quickly.  An unfamiliar sadness grew underneath her ribcage, straining against the pounding of her heart. As the excitement of the Digital World wore off, Sora’s sadness only grew. At points, it felt all consuming, like an impenetrable wall that surrounded her. With her other friends focused on the task at hand, slipping away had become easy. Sora felt an odd sort of company in her sadness, wrapping it around her shoulders in a vain effort to shield herself. 

If she were one of her mother’s flowers, her petals would perpetually droop towards the ground.

At first, she thought that she was the only one to experience the overwhelming, stifling sort of loneliness. 

That was, until. Yamato came into the picture. 

Like all boys her age, Yamato was rambunctious, moody, and slightly smelly. The Digital World had equipped itself with digital friends, but had yet to install hygiene products. Despite the changes around them, Yamato always tried his best to remain calm. Most times, he was good at it.

Sora couldn’t help but to feel jealous of him. With a younger brother, there was always someone to need him, to want him around. Her mother only cared for her out of obligation, Sora was sure. Yamato had Takeru, who would love him regardless. 

Despite being related to the personification of sunshine, Yamato, too, carried a deep sadness within. It was something only another sad person could recognize - the slight curve of the mouth, nails bitten short and raw. Sora could see the pinched look on his face whenever Takeru chose Taichi to hang out with, or when Gabumon pressed too hard on a sensitive subject. From afar, she allowed her heart to hurt for him, but didn’t dare to come too close. 

Only once their adventure was over, their personal dark caverns conquered, did she muster up the courage to talk to him. In the real world, her inbox overflowed with emails and inside jokes. More often, Yamato would attach snippets of lyrics of songs he was working on, seeking her advice or appreciation. 

It had been years since their first adventure, but Sora’s feelings grew with every chord he played on his hand-me-down guitar and flick of his overgrown hair. 

-

The wind bit at her cheeks, staining them a rosy pink. December had arrived in a flurry of white, her snow boots doing little to fight off the chill. Wistfully, she thought back to that summer years ago when heat came in surplus. 

Her fingers fidgeted anxiously in her mittens as she walked down the street. The box, wrapped precisely and carefully in green wrapping paper, seemed to weigh her down. 

It had taken three international calls to America and countless hours to decide what to get him. Mimi had been little help, her suggestions ranging from outrageous to downright scandalous. But Mimi’s exuberance gave her strength, and eventually, Sora was able to find the perfect gift. She was excited for him to open it, but anticipated his smile most of all. 

An address glittered up from the screen of her phone. Echoes of chords and microphone feedback reverberated from within a nondescript building. 

Hordes of teenage girls stood outside in the cold, their chatter keeping Sora company as she made her way towards the back of the building. A few of the girls cast Sora an odd glance, but she let it roll off her shoulders. Her mother’s tough critiques had thickened her skin; petty drama could no longer touch her. 

The butterflies in her stomach fluttered about as she rounded the corner. From above, a bird seemingly sang a melody against the clashing of the drums. 

Tentatively, she knocked against the back door. With the collective noise from the instruments, she wasn’t sure that anyone would hear her, but after a moment, the rusty hinges creaked open. 

Amber eyes gazed into shocked blue ones, another flush of embarrassment coloring Sora’s cheeks. 

Late afternoon sunlight reflected off Yamato’s blond tresses. In most ways, it reminded her of their summers spent together, and the way his hair would shine in front of the campfire. 

“Hey,” she managed after a breathless moment. 

“Hey.”

From behind him, the drummer still clamored away while two other boys chased each other around with a dirty sock.

“It seems like band practice is going well.”  Sora struggled to hide her grin for Yamato’s sake, but mirth shone in his eyes.

“The Crusty Sock of Shota is our band bonding activity before every show. Are you sure you don’t want to play? It’s absolutely riveting.” 

The crowd outside of the venue’s door seemed to grow larger by the minute. A light breeze coaxed a chill up Sora’s spine. 

In the silence that stretched between them, Yamato’s gaze shifted towards the box in Sora’s hands. A pair of mittens curled around it almost protectively. Anxiety bubbled up in Sora’s stomach; she had never felt so invested in a gift before. 

“I, uh,” her throat seemed to close up. Despite all of the time they’ve spent together, a strange sort of tension bubbled between them. Sora stood on the edge of something palpable, but struggled to form the words.

Patiently, Yamato stood in place. Having a younger brother prepared him to wait out whichever storm Sora was battling. Still, the corners of his lips twitched upwards at the way her eyebrows scrunched together. The tag on the present stated his name in a careful, yet elegant, font, but Yamato remained silent.

He knew that Sora had the courage to get whatever was resting heavily on her chest out in the open without his help. 

“I bought you something for, you know, Christmas.” The wind blew wisps of Sora’s auburn hair around her rosy cheeks. Her hands quivered as she thrust the box towards Yamato, who accepted it with a flush of his own. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” he insisted. Yamato’s voice was hushed against the ruckus of his bandmates in the background. “I haven’t had time to do any shopping with everything going on.”

Sora glanced up into his crystal blue eyes, her own anxiety forgotten. “You didn’t have to get me a gift! Besides, you’re the only person besides my parents that I’ve gotten anything for at all.”

In the heat of the moment, the connotation of her declaration fell onto deaf ears.

Only once the wind died down and the pair stared at each other for a moment longer did Sora feel the warmth of embarrassment crawl up past her scarf. 

A tentative smile played on the corners of Yamato’s lips, but any retort that bubbled in his throat died out as soon as Sora averted her gaze. 

“Thank you,” he nearly whispered. 

With a light flush, Yamato leaned closer, his eyes impossibly blue against the drab building. For a moment, his face hovered next to hers, his breath ghosting over Sora’s chilled cheek. “You smell kind of like a rose.”

His voice was no louder than a whisper, as if he was afraid to break the gentle tension that surmounted the space between them.

Sora didn’t fight the blush that bloomed on her cheeks. His palm found her mitten, squeezing lightly. He seemed to know that speaking would overwhelm her, instead opting to press his chapped lips against her warm cheek. 

Silently, Yamato slipped back into the bustling building, the twang of a guitar escaping into the winter air. 

Alone, Sora smiled to herself. The prettiest flower was the one that bloomed in adversity, she mused.

[bobbie-robron]

Robron Fanfiction Recommendations (Oct-2023)

The below were recommended during Oct-2023 on Twitter.

Tan Lines (2015) 4.1K words, robronsugsy

It’s February 2016 and Robert and Aaron had been seeing each other since November 2015 and made it public at Christmas. Now back from a long holiday, they are trying to keep a certain (happy) secret from all for a time while still ironing out a few things involving the scrapyard. Well, best laid plans and all… How will the families react when they put two and two together (no thanks to obvious tan lines) and get the right answer?

Strictly Robron (2015) 6.4K words, lullabelle_moon

On Strictly, model Aaron is paired with the popular dancer of the prior year, Robert, to gain a wider public appeal per his agent. Well, it’s oil and water working together and unfortunately for Aaron, he cannot quit the show. But that may not be needed at the end when Robert pulls him in for a kiss after one of their usual heated arguments changing the tide for both. But it’s not smooth sailing as Chrissie is stalker-ish with Robert and the media has her and Robert in a relationship. So, will it be a happy ending for the dance partners or will Chrissie ruin it?

A different language series (2017) 11.8K words, thisissirius

A set of four stories. A deaf Robert is back in the village and his family especially his sister adores him (definitely AU). Aaron is put off at first by not being able to catch Robert’s attention but Vic fixes that post haste. Aaron is reluctant to get to know him but soon enough Robert is working for him at the scrapyard and feelings develop. The additional stories focus on Robert wishing he could hear Aaron’s voice, Robert finally deciding to get a service dog and Robert deciding to get an implant just in time for a special event.

How it feels to be yours (2016) 3.7K words, sugdensquad

Aaron decides to play matchmaker for Finn when a builder bloke, who has an uncanny resemblance to Jackson, shows an interest in him. But as Aaron sets things into play, Robert gets the wrong impression on the situation between the two allowing jealousy to surface. Time for an honest chat to clear this mess up stat!

Lie to me, if you have to (2016) 3.4K words, wafflesofdoom

Robert arranges for a weekend away at a posh hotel for Aaron’s birthday. Unfortunately things are tense at the hotel since seeds of doubts are being planted in Aaron’s head about a certain person who helped arrange things at the hotel. This leads to a much needed honest conversation about the state of their relationship and whether they have a chance to remain together.

Stuck together with all our flaws (2017) 6.5K words, thisdamndesire

Robert and Aaron are two strangers that get stuck in an elevator in a high-rise housing building where one lives and the other uses for both business or pleasure as needed. How did both of them end up in Leeds rather than in the village and will there be more going on in that elevator while they wait to get unstuck.

Let love be your energy (2018) 4.4K words, aarobron

Aaron has been very close friends with Ella since school and now Ella has a boyfriend, Robert, for close to two years but… Aaron has fallen in love with Robert since he’s met him but has kept his feelings hidden as to not to betray Ella. When a house party leads Robert to kissing Aaron, what does this mean to everyone involved? Robert and his relationship with Ella? Will Aaron and Ella’s friendship be forever severed and what of Robert and Aaron?

Alchemy series (2016) 6.4K words, iwillsendapostcard (zoeteniets)

In this two part series, Aaron gets a job at Alchemy, a bar/club in Leeds, which is bought out by Robert and Chrissie. In time, Robert and Aaron begin an affair. What happens when Chrissie finds out about them? The second story follows the now boyfriends taking things slow and Robert’s reactions, jealousy at times, to the punters Aaron serves, both male and female at a new bar.

There’s a thousand things I’ve wanted to say but I’ve never been brave (2018) 4.0K words, storiesthatmakeus

An alternative take to the lead up to Reunion II with Robert not staying on Valentine’s Day because of a blind date with Mike arranged by his sister. Valentine’s is still a turning point for Aaron to realize how much he’s missing Robert and we follow events a little differently but the destination is still their wedding anniversary date. The location though is close to both of their hearts.

Accepted (2016) 2.2K words, Wishful86

Ross has had a taxi wrecked which (bad) gossip suggests Robert was behind it. When Ross goes after Robert, certain Dingles come to Robert’s defense as he’s one of them. This is clearly an AU.

[vangenius]

Christmas

Christmas

I’ve always found Christmas to be a difficult time of year for me. I believe it might be in part from the expectations of the season from people, “to be merry and happy and jolly through the entire season”, when I feel my brain doesn't have that capability a lot of the time. I used to find it difficult when visiting two divorced parents and having one feel of them feeling guilty and embarrassed as they couldn’t provide what they believed the other was possibly providing to my brother and myself. In reality I didn’t really feel like I fit in with the Christmas events my father would have as well with his other family at the time so it was always a woeful time of year. Moving from a location you felt as if you didn’t belong to a location where there was sadness for what they believed they weren’t able to provide you always made Christmas a depressing event I wasn't looking forward too each year. A parent shouldn't have to feel that they have to apologise to their children for lack of gifts or money or anything like that, just spending time together is the precious part of it.

I also find Christmas difficult as it’s probably one of the main times I actually do take a holiday from work, as most would know I’m a bit of a workaholic and rarely take leave at all. I would love to see friends and do things with them during this time but the majority of the time they are too busy with their own friends and families to want to do anything or respond to messages, etc. That sort of thing alone can cause your mental health to take a hit.

I also have a tendency to wait on people when I’ve asked them to do something, maybe a board game session, or a hike or even a trip to a café. When they tell me they will get back to me with when they can do it, I will end up waiting for that response and not really planning anything else. I’m unsure if this is related to my ADHD at all or just something else I do mentally, there’s been so many times when I’ve done this in the past and the plans never happened, the people never came back to me and never made a future plan and I’ve just wasted time waiting.

I remember being younger once and being very busy during these holidays, using them to do trips, do activities, receiving a hundred texts wishing you Merry Christmas you had to reply to, etc. I feel as we get older and maybe we end up with less close friends over time, it’s hard to keep this up when the friends you used to do it with have moved on with their own lives and started their own families. It’s also hard to know who close friends are a lot of the time, I know we have interactions at places like work where we may feel someone is sort of close to us in a way but that other person may not feel the same way at all. The whole “work acquaintance” thing has always confused me as I used to have some amazing friends in past jobs I used to do things with and then as soon as the jobs ended, you don’t hear from them again.

Maybe what’s a part of what makes Christmas better for some people, is as they start their own families they can plan their own events, make their own traditions and view the beauty of Christmas again through a child’s eyes instead of just trying to make it work as an adult and figuring out who may want to engage with you. Maybe someday I’ll have something like that with someone special to me and it’ll cause the other parts to fade away and be replaced with rolling tides of happiness in the future.

All I can say for now is Merry Christmas and let us hope for the best for 2024.

[lord-of-the-weird]

Hello and happiest holiday tidings 🎁! It is I your srs… also known as @syndicateanyboat !!

It has been SO lovely to get to know you over the past few weeks! I’d love to continue our conversations— just message me anytime! Happy holidays and much love 💕

hi! so nice to meet you i’d love to continue talking with you!!! thank you for making my december extra bight!

happy holidays! wishing you the best new year🎉

[samwinchesster]

Creative Ways to Use Mini LED Lights for Festive Craft Projects

If you’re looking for an affordable way to jazz up your festive craft projects, then mini LED lights may be the perfect option. Not only are they affordable, but they can be used in a variety of creative ways to give your projects an extra touch of sparkle. Whether you’re looking to display a homemade wreath, create a festive ambience for holiday gatherings, or otherwise dress up the home, these tiny LEDs are sure to make any project come to life! With their ability to add a warm twinkle and punctuate the mood, mini LED lights for crafts can make any project truly stand out. Many of today’s LEDs are designed with versatility in mind, making it possible to customize the light display for any project. Different colors, string lengths, and nuanced brightness controls make LEDs the perfect choice for crafting. With a few simple lights, you can turn a plain tabletop into something beautiful.

Illuminate Christmas Baubles with Decorative LED Lights

Christmas baubles are a timeless tradition and a popular festive element. This year, why not incorporate LED lights into your decorating scheme for a sparkly and enchanting look? Whether you hang them singly or in garlands, they will surely add to the magical ambiance of your holiday festivities. You can choose from a variety of colors, sizes, and varieties to light up your living space. Twinkling starbuks, glimmering snowflakes, dazzling icicles, and sparkling snowmen baubles are some of the decorative LED lights available to brighten up your Christmas decorations. These energy-efficient LED fairy lights come in strings and clusters for you to hang from your walls and windows to give your home an uplifting atmosphere. Each bauble emits a warm, cheerful glimmer, adding a cheerful hue and hue to the festivities. You can also buy battery-operated LED lights, so you don't have to worry about plugging them in or using an extension cord.

Spell Out Inspiring Words with Mini Lights

Words of wisdom and inspiration can be a great way to motivate and encourage each other during the holidays. Spell out meaningful phrases, quotes, and holiday tidings with mini lights for a lovely and heartfelt display. You can install the mini lights on your mantel, near a door, or even around mirror frames. There is a variety of words you can choose from, such as “Happy Holidays”, “Wish the Best This Christmas”, or “Peace and Joy”. Aside from the literal meaning, the twinkling LED lights in the words will give an added sense of magical festivity to your Christmas decorations. You can also find inspiring proverbs and mantras in stores and string these words up for your family and friends to read throughout the holiday season. The mini LED lights will create a luminescent ambiance to your home and reflect a message of peace, comfort, and joy.

Create a Twinkling Luminous Lamp Cover

The lighting in your home greatly affects the look and mood of your festive decor. You can bring a vibrant and luminous glow to your living space by making your own lamp cover using tiny LED lights. First, choose a style and size of lampshade that best fits your aesthetic. For a luminous cover, you can use a clear plastic or a frosted one. To create the twinkling effect, you can use tiny LED rope strip lights. These LED rope lights come in a variety of colors and sizes. Simply measure your shade, cut the LED rope light to fit the measurement, and then wrap it around your lampshade. Make sure to secure the cables to the inside of the lampshade so that the lights don't move or come off. The LED rope light will illuminate the lampshade with a magical twinkle that will create an inviting atmosphere when switched on.

Create a Shimmering Festive Garland 

Garlands are a great addition for adding a festive touch to any space. You can create an especially sparkly garland by using LED fairy lights. These LED fairy lights come in various lengths, sizes, and colors so you can customize the design and create a dynamic garland with many color choices. When deciding the length of your garland, measure your desired length and then clip off the excess lights. You can use the clips included with the lights or some heavy-duty craft glue to secure the lights along the garland. Hang the shimmering garland to the ceiling or around a door frame. The LED fairy lights will create a warm and cheery atmosphere while adding a sparkle to your decor.

Decorate Porcelain Ornaments with LED Lights 

Christmas decorations can be made extra special by adding a touch of LED lights. You can decorate porcelain ornaments with LED mini lights to give your Christmas tree a memorable, radiant look. Decorating ornaments with LED lights is easy and fun! Pick out some porcelain ornaments of varying sizes and shapes. Select multicolored LED mini lights in various lengths (do not exceed the desired length of the ornament). Secure the LED lights around the porcelain ornaments with craft glue, hot glue, or clips. Once secured, hang these dazzling LED lit ornaments on your Christmas tree. The light they exude will fill your living space with a bewitching glow.

Construct a Lively Light Wall Display 

Make your walls glisten and shimmer with a lively light wall display. You can build an accent wall with tiny LED lights that will truly make your walls come alive. Simply choose a color pattern of lights that matches your interior and wallpaper or paint the wall to make the LED lights pop. To make a wall display, trace an outline of your desired design and lay out the micro LED lights on the wall. Install frame rails on the wall to keep the LED lights in place. With the appropriate fixing strips, secure the rails along the edges and drill a hole in the centre for the power cable. Connect the LED light strings and transform your wall into a captivating luminescent display.

Make a Radiant Inspirational Word Mobile 

Hang up a stunning and uplifting mobile featuring colorful LED lights and inspiring words. This DIY project is an easy and creative way to dress up your home for the holidays. You can create the mobile with origami decorations, a coat hanger, and mini LED lights. To begin, choose a paper of your desired pattern and create a few origami decorations and letters that spell out a meaningful word. For a festive look, use glittery, foil paper. Cut the LED lights to the desired lengths and attach them to the decorations and the letters. Secure all the pieces together with string, wire, or a hanger. Hang up the mobile anywhere in your living space and let the twinkling LED lights gicirl the magical message of happiness and love for all to enjoy.

Conclusion

Using mini LED lights for festive craft projects is an inexpensive, creative way to spruce up any home. The mini lights come in a variety of colors, sizes and styles and can easily be attached to fabrics or decorations for an added splash of holiday cheer. Additionally, these lights allow for endless creativity – they can be used to spell out words, string across a mantelpiece, give a plain jar a whimsical surprise, and provide the perfect accent to many other projects. So, gather an array of mini LED lights and get creative.