#this is how you know the festive season has began at my house

[sampilled]

I’ve ate basically a full baguette 🥖 today. Life is worth living 💕💗🙌🏻❗️✨🥰🫶🏻😋🤩✨💕❤️‍🔥

[jyoongim]

🎻 ℜ𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔐𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯 ℜ𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔬🎻

Chapter One

————————————————————————————————

The bitter cold of winter has finally given way to the refreshing warmth of spring. As the spring season rolls in, life and flowers are back in bloom. But that is not the only thing in bloom, no no no.

Many youth from prestigious families are in bloom as well. The refreshing air of spring has given way to the start of the biggest social event in the South.

The Marriage Market.

A time where once youthful elites, now must enter society and find a suitable match, whether that be for love or business, to secure high status.

Will this season’s market be successful? Will there be scandal? Will there be a love match made and a wedding this season?

Well, I guess that is something we should wait to see isn’t it my dear readers?

———————————————————————————————

The gentle rocking of the carriage was luring you to sleep as you watched the scenery go by. The greenery and the smell of honeysuckles always had a special place in your heart. You always loved the country, preferring the quiet hum of the bayou over the hustle and bustle of the city, but you guessed you didn’t mind the jazz and festivities that lied in the city.

“Dearest?” The sound of your mother’s concerning tone made you turn your head, not knowing if she was referring to you or at one of your sisters. She was staring at you with a quirked brow.

Yep. Definitely you.

”did you hear me?”

you gave another look out the window, shaking your head “what did you say?” Your mother sucked her teeth “I asked if you were excited. Its your first season.” A soft smile appeared on your lips “hmm I don’t know yet. Maybe it’ll finally set in once I debut. I am excited to see my friends”

Your mother smiled “I heard Charlotte was debuting as well, oh I can’t wait to see how that girl has grown”

Your sisters were chatting  among themselves quietly. 

Your mother continued “We have much to prepare for dearest. This season I am hoping to have a wedding to plan by the end. Your brother wrote to me that he has found several prospects for you to look into” You rolled your eyes “Oh because he has such great taste in the marriage world. Mama please.” You laughed.

The carriage stopped and your mother stepped out. The servants bowed in greeting and began to gathering y’all things to bring into the estate.

Your sisters ran ahead inside to their rooms and you and your mother walked inside, your mother calling for your brother.

”Ah! Mother! Sister!” A voice called excitedly and your brother appeared smiling. He embraced your  mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek and you as well.

You figured they had business to discuss and left them be as you went to the balcony.

Many families were returning and you catch sight of Charlie. You waved once you caught her attention, sitting down watching the people.

Antony, Angel, hollered up at you when he jumped out of his car, making you laugh when his mother hit his shoulder to get inside the house.

You hoped to have a chance to speak with them while the events were happening.

The season.

You were the first daughter of the prestigious Biche family. One of the most influential and wealthy families to live in the South.

Your family made money by investing in sugarcane fields and horses.

You knew you were the potential prize to many of the men of the ton

”Why don’t you rest up dear? You have a busy day ahead of you” your mother chirped from the drawing room, unpacking a few knick knacks.

You nodded and headed upstairs to your room.

The servants already had your nightgown out and you changed and got into bed.

You read a little until the sky turned dark and laid there, staring up at the ceiling.

Tomorrow started the beginning of the season. You didn’t know what to expect, but you felt a little excited.

Will you meet the perfect gentleman? Would you be able to find a match? You hoped to marry for love, you didn’t need status or any material things. Just a nice man who loved you for you.

You remembered how your father was with your mother and you hoped to find those same qualities in a man.

After all…marriage was about love right? That’s what your mother always said.

——————————————————————————————————

Taglist:

@yourdoorisunlocked @certifiedcrybabyyy @aliyaharnold01 @alastor-simp @alastorsgirl48 @dickmastersworld @memoire-du-ciel @alastoralltruist @hazelfoureyes @kahlan170 @nkirukaj @voxsmalewife @theangeliclibrarian @purplecatsandhearts @amurtan @zombiesnips-blog @alastwhore666 @alastwhore666 @rulesareshadesofgrey @alastorsaries @alastors666creampie @thewinchestah @okay-babe @yunimimii @southern-bayou-beau @karolinda007-blog @justtnat @preciousbabypeter @vexendoe @evedenn @cxrsedwxrlds @cutiebimbo @orangethecarrotcoloredpaperred @sirens-and-moonflowers @alastorthirsty @siiv3r @theangeliclibrarian @nightshadelm @blubugg13 @smoky000 @boney-horse @sweet-radio @charlottemorningstarsdarling @im-so-tired52 @nyxenyo @cinnamon-galaxies @wisteria-seal @kaylopolis @prosciuttosblog @callmeoncette

[actuallysaiyan]

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day(Tomura Shigaraki/Tenko Shimura Christmas Fic)

warnings: smut, unprotected sex, angst, fluff, Christmas imagery, mentions of passed trauma, love word count: 3.3k a/n: for @jellyfishsart!! Merry Christmas! Here is my gift to you for the @pixelcafe-network 's Secret Santa exchange! Hope you enjoy!! All pictures in the moodboard(except for smiling Tenko) are from Pinterest, I do not own any of these photos. dividers by @adornedwithlight

Tomura hadn’t really had what someone would call a traditional Christmas since he was a kid. Remembering the holidays he spent with his family hurt too much to think about. And while Kurogiri had done a decent job at giving him something to look forward to when he began to take care of Shigaraki. But nothing was really the same.

Not until he met you. You were this beautiful angel who came into his life. After the final battle, he never thought he’d get another chance at life. With All For One gone and the rest of the League disbanded, Tomura was beginning to feel at ease. Even though there was some lingering pain that would probably last for some time, he found his solace in you.

When he said he hadn’t really experienced a Christmas since he was child, this is when you began to plan. You told him that he could come with you to your parents house. He felt a little nervous about meeting your parents. Especially since he felt like he would be intruding on such a tradition.

“It’s okay, my love. I want you to be with me...”

Your words reassured him, of course, but it was still frightening in a way. He wasn’t sure what would happen when he finally met your family. He was so worried that they’d shun him and hate him for all the atrocities he committed not so long ago.

But with gentle coaxing from you, he packs his bags and pledges to spend time with you and yours during the festive season. Tomura is very nervous, but when you kiss his cheek and hold his hand, he knows he’s able to do so much more than he previously thought.

You two take the train to your hometown. The view is beautiful with the softest amount of snow falling. Tomura feels like he’s living his life anew. It’s like he’s getting this second chance to view everything through a new lens. And he knows that he will make the very best of it.

When you arrive in your hometown, you two make your way to your childhood home. He knows your parents are aware of who he is and what he is, and this makes him even more nervous. Parts of him wished they didn’t know anything about him, but you reassured him multiple times that everything would be okay.

Your mother is sweet and your father is supportive and kind. Both of them are very willing to welcome him into the family. It’s all so much for him, but Tomura does his best to put on a happy face and go along with it. Your father offers to bring your bags up to your childhood room while you two go mingle with your mother.

She has a lot of questions for the both of you. Something about her demeanor and her looks remind Tomura of his own mother. He’s trying not to cry, and you’re so quick to catch on with what’s going on. When your mother offers to prepare a snack, you tell her that you want to show Tomura around the home you grew up in.

You two climb the stairs to the second floor. As your father passes you, he gives you both a warm smile. It’s unlike how it felt to be around All For One or even his own father who was scolding him often. Tomura likens it to the warmth that Kurogiri used to show him. While that should comfort him, it only makes him feel like he’s spiraling even more.

So you guide him into your childhood bedroom. He looks around in awe. Finally, he gets a glimpse at your room. There’s a soft laugh that comes from him when he sees the All Might posters on your walls.

“You’re not the only one who was a fan,” you explain.

Finally, you help him sit on the bed. He looks exhausted. You give him a little kiss on the cheek, running your fingers through his hair. Tears cascade down his cheeks as he tries to calm himself, but it’s all so much to take in.

“Take it easy, my love. Don’t worry about not feeling yourself. It’s a lot to take in and I am forever grateful you agreed to this. But you are allowed to feel your emotions.”

Tomura lets your words sink in. It was true, he was allowed to feel his feelings. You were so good at helping him with these types of issues. He’s gone to many therapists and is taking so many medications to finally be able to have this relationship with you. You, the one person who finally gave him the attention and love he needed and he was fucking it all up.

When you kiss his cheek again, he finally remembers to breathe. He looks around your room once more, smiling to himself at the cute posters of pop idols amongst the All Might ones. The blankets on your bed are so soft and warm. You help tuck him in.

“Sleep now, my love. You’ve had a long day.”

And with that, Tomura falls asleep. He’s tucked safely in your comfortable blankets. He’s surrounded by soft fairy lights. Everything about this feels so magical. It’s helping him calm down.

You stay with him for a little while, making sure he’s feeling okay. And when he begins to doze off, this is when you decide to head back downstairs to talk to your parents. You know that Tomura needs a little time to adjust. You don’t mind, not one bit.

When he wakes up, he’s alone in your room. He groggily gets up, rubbing his eyes. Then he slips on the slippers that were left for him and he goes downstairs. He finds you with your mother at the dining table, organizing Christmas cards that need to be sent out. Your father is watching some old sappy movie on the couch. Tomura smiles shyly and he approaches you. Your mother smiles up at him,

“Tenko dear, are you hungry?” She asks, getting up.

“Oh uhm…yeah I could eat.”

She’s gentle with him, guiding him to sit next to you. Then she’s rustling up something in the kitchen. You reach over and give his hand a gentle squeeze, reassuring him that it’s okay. It’s not long before a steaming bowl of soup is placed in front of him. 

“Dig in, dear.”

Tomura feels like he’s in heaven. He begins to eat the soup and he listens to you and your mother chat about the people who still live in the neighbourhood. He’s not sure about these people but he’s happy to listen in anyway. You often take a second to explain to him who the people are in relation to your family.

For the first time, Tomura actually feels like he’s a part of this family. This feeling sticks with him even after he finishes the soup. He helps your mom with the dishes and he’s happy to spend time on the couch with all of you as you watch the rest of the sappy movie.

Once snuggled up in bed with you again, Tomura vows to make sure that this Christmas will be one to remember forever.

⋆꙳•❅*°⋆❆.ೃ࿔*:･*❆ ₊⋆

The next day is filled with a bit of hustle and bustle as he follows you into the town you grew up in for some last minute Christmas shopping. The two of you feel like little kids as you look at all the toys and new things that have come out just for this season.

There’s a bit of snow falling all around you. He loves the way you keep leaning against him for warmth when you go from store to store. It makes him feel so lucky to have such a wonderful lover who wants to be near him.

If this experience has shown him anything, it’s that he feels so loved when he’s with you. It’s the most beautiful thing in the world and he’s going to cherish this feeling forever.

Despite all the hardships and the atrocities he’s committed, Tomura realizes that he really has been given another chance at becoming a person. There is no more All For One. No more League of Villains(though he will admit that he misses his friends). There’s just you and him and your family and this Christmas right now.

“Come see!” You tug on his hand, pulling him towards a very decorated kiosk.

In the center of it is a bearded man. He dons a red suit and there’s a sack full of candy canes on the ground next to him. His laugh is very jolly. In a way, it almost reminds Tomura of All Might’s laugh. This warms his heart as you two approach.

“Have you ever taken a picture with Santa?” You ask him.

He shakes his head. “Nah. not that I can recall.”

You walk up to the kiosk and you ask to have your pictures taken. Tomura is laughing a little. How could you possibly want to do this right now? But it is part of the traditional Christmas events.

So you two get on Santa’s lap, making silly faces and doing poses. The man playing Santa is a good sport about everything. He asks you both what you want for Christmas, and Tomura says he wants to be happy. This stuns Santa, but he’s quick to recover and tells Tomura to be a good boy. Tomura smirks and then he lets out a laugh.

This is the photo you two select. The candid one with a smile on Tomura’s face. It’s the perfect picture to encapsulate just how beautiful he can be. 

You two rush home with your bags in hand. Tomura feels lighter as he looks up at all the beautiful decorations. There’s loads of decorations decorating the surrounding areas. The lights are so gorgeous as they catch your eye. You look so breathtaking like this. Your cheeks are flushed from the cold weather and running back to your home with all the bags in your hands.

Once back inside the comfort of your parents’ home, Tomura helps you bring the packages inside. You two make yourselves comfortable on the living room floor as you wrap gifts and listen to comfortable and quiet christmas music. It’s one of the most magical moments in his life.

The way you look when you’re wrapping gifts and fighting with the tape or trying to find the scissors. It makes Tomura laugh so much. You love seeing him so happy and opening up. It’s so adorable to see him in this way. He’s so beautiful, but to see his smile and hear his laughter just seems to boost his beauty even more.

When your parents get home from their own shopping, Tomura shows your mother the picture you two took with the Santa at the kiosk. She’s overjoyed at the sight.

“How adorable! Oh I need to frame this!” She coos, taking the picture in her hands.

It’s not long before the photo is in a frame and it’s on the wall next to childhood photos of you and your graduation photo. Tomura looks at it, noticing the way his whole body feels warm. He realizes that maybe this is what it means to be a part of a family. A real family.

That night, he snuggles up close to you. He begins to think about how much this trip has meant to him. The hiccups at the start were just what he needed to kickstart him into relaxing and accepting that he can be happy with you. He holds you close, pressing his face into your hair and taking deep inhales of your scent to comfort him even more.

He vows to himself to make sure the rest of the holiday is the best you could ever ask for. Though he may be nervous to meet more of your family and he may feel sad or upset, he knows he’s going to make sure you’re feeling very special.

⋆꙳•❅*°⋆❆.ೃ࿔*:･*❆ ₊⋆

The twenty-fourth comes by quickly. You and Tomura are feeling very excited about everything. He feels a bit more childlike than he anticipated. And he spends the day with you, meeting some of your aunts and uncles and cousins.

Your younger cousins really like Tomura. They think he’s really cool. He’s not afraid to pull out his handheld gaming console and play games with them. Your aunts and uncles have a lot of questions about him. His cheeks burn when they ask if you two have any plans to get married and have kids.

“Not yet, but I don’t think it’s out of the question.” You answer with a wink towards your lover.

Though the questions are harmless, they really embarrass him. He hopes that they won’t pry too much. He spends a lot of his time trying to entertain the kids. Then it’s time for the feast.

On the table are a few buckets of fried chicken, along with some American sides from the fried chicken place. Your mom talks about how she spent a lot of time on the phone with the place earlier in the year just to get this reservation. 

With everyone at the table eating and chatting, Tomura takes the chance to reach under the table and give your hand a squeeze. You smile at him, your heart filling with so much love for the man next to you.

After dessert, everyone begins to open gifts. Tomura realizes just how happy everyone is to receive anything. They all feel loved and appreciated, which really makes him realize how little people need to make them feel happy. When your mom gives him a gift and he opens it to find a very warm pair of gloves, he begins to tear up.

He knows that you’ve told your parents almost everything about him. They accepted him no matter what. But for her to give him such a sweet gift. His hands…oh how they’ve been such a source of heartache and sorrow for him. She saw right passed that and noticed that he just needed them to be warm during winter.

“T-thank you so much,” he says, sniffling softly.

You pull him in for a hug, and your mom gives him a kiss on the cheek. The rest of the gift giving goes well. Your younger cousins have so much fun with their toys. You enjoy your gifts, playing on a similar system as Tomura’s.

It’s not long before everyone is going to bed and you eagerly lead him up to your bedroom.

You turn on the TV, letting something play in the background before you finally push him onto the bed. He laughs softly when you get on his lap, wrapping his arms around you. It’s been a while since the two of you were really intimate and he’s feeling the neediness.

“Pretty girl,” he whispers in your ear before kissing you. “Thank you for showing me such a magical time.”

You smile sweetly and cup his cheeks, “I’d do anything for you, Tenko.”

He leans closer, rubbing your back softly. It’s a very tender moment right now. You can feel his warm breath on your lips before he kisses you eagerly. With his hands on your body, you feel warm and safe.

His tongue slowly pushes between your lips, meeting yours in a sensual touch. You can’t help the moan that escapes you when you two begin to make out. Tomura grunts as he feels his cock beginning to harden in his pants.

His hands are so soft and warm on your body as he slides his hand up your oversized sweatshirt. He chuckles against your lips when he finds your nipples already pebbled. Gently, he begins to tug on them. This makes you buck your hips involuntarily.

“That eager for me, huh?” He asks, his voice a little raspy.

You nod, “Been too long, Tenko. Need you.”

He helps you out of your shirt, throwing it on the ground. His mouth is on your neck as he guides you to begin rubbing against his thigh. Though he may not have the same muscle mass as he used to, he knows you can still get off by riding his thigh.

You let out the cutest little mewls of pleasure as he sucks on your nipples. You keep grinding your clit against his leg, feeling yourself get wetter and wetter. It just feels so damn good like this. It’s only you and him and the magic of the season.

“I love you so much,” he murmurs against your chest. 

“Love you too.”

He helps you onto the bed, laying you down on your back. This is when you look up at him and he knows you are the one for him. You’re his angel, his everything. You are the one who knows him the best, the one who truly has never given up on him.

Within a split second, the two of you begin to undress each other with haste. He feels so needy for you now. His cock slips between your folds, and he’s so eager to tease you. It makes you let out the cutest noises, which only makes him throb against you.

“Tell me you want me,” he says in a desperate tone.

“I need you…”

That’s all Tenko needs to hear to finally push into you. You let out a gasp, and he quiets you with a passionate kiss. The minute he bottoms out, he takes a second to give you time to adjust. You two share sweet little kisses and he gives you words of praise.

“You take me so good, sweetheart. I’ll never get tired of the way you make me feel,” he confesses.

“You make me feel so good too, Tenko.”

With gentleness and tenderness, Tenko begins to thrust his hips. He feels like he’s falling in love with you all over again. You cling to him like he’s your lifeline. It’s such a good feeling to be wanted like this. You make him feel like he’s worth so much.

Soft pants of pleasure and moans of desire fall from your lips as Tenko keeps hitting that sweet spot deep inside of you that makes you see stars. You wrap your legs around him as he begins to pump into you a little faster and deeper. He’s struggling to hold on, but he wants to see you come undone so badly.

Slowly his hand goes down your body, caressing your side before he begins to rub your clit. He watches your face contort in pleasure, and he begins to slam into you faster and deeper and harder.

“Cum for me,” he grunts. “Please, I want you to cum for me.”

You arch your back as the pleasure hits you hard. You hardly realize you’re making a big mess on the bed. All you can think about is how good this feels and how connected you feel to him right now. Tenko moans your name as he falls off the edge, painting your insides white.

Bit by bit, you two come down from your high. Tenko leans his forehead against yours, smiling like an idiot in love. He kisses you deeply, brushing some hair out of your face.

“I love you so much…merry christmas, baby.”

You smile, “Merry christmas, Tenko. I love you too.”

He helps you get off the bed and the two of you clean up. Then you’re changing the sheets, getting ready to snuggle back into the warmth of the covers. He holds you against his chest, skin to skin. Tenko presses little kisses to the top of your head.

“Did you have a good holiday?” He asks.

You smile and nod. “The best. I can’t wait for next year, so we can make it even more special.”

With those magical thoughts in mind, the two of you fall asleep together…

[warriors-wyrms-writing]

merry christmas to @popcornfairy28 who is my recipient for the Phineas and Ferb secret santa event this year! this was my first pnf fic venture, and I hope you like it

(also this is not on ao3 due to personal reasons but if anyone wants to put it there so long as you link back I’d die)

It was the first week of winter, and the first snow of the season had coated Danville in a soft white blanket. The last few fat flakes were still drifting lazily down from the cloudy sky when Phineas and Ferb emerged from the house, bundled up against the cold. Simultaneously, the gate swung open and Buford walked in, still clad in his t-shirt, but with Baljeet tucked under one arm.

“Hey, Dinnerbell,” Buford grunted, and Baljeet squeaked out a greeting. 

Dainty footsteps crunched through the snow behind them, and Isabella peeked through the gate, black hair held back by a pair of earmuffs topped with a bow. “What’cha doin’?”

“Isabella, hey!” Phineas called. “We were actually just deciding that.”

Isabella stepped further into the backyard, her smile white as the glittering snow.

“Do you like my new scarf?” she asked, wrapping the end of it around her hand.

“Oh, yes,” Baljeet told her. “Is that aurora borealis or aurora australis?”

Buford promptly dropped him in the snow. “Speak English, nerd.”

Baljeet rose, sputtering, and brushed the snow from his overalls before turning back to the others. “Is that meant to be a depiction of the Northern Lights?” The scarf was patterned in beautiful striating waves of pink and green as Isabella held it out, and she nodded.

“Yeah! I’ve always wanted to see them for real,” she sighed dreamily.

Phineas turned to his brother. “Ferb, I know what we’re going to do today.”

“Where’s Perry?”

– – – 

Perry the Platypus was shivering hard as he slid down the ice-cold slide to his secret lair. Icicles hung from the bottom of the monitor, and it was evident that snowdrifts had found their way through several of the secret entrances, piled up against the walls. His teeth clattered as he slid into his red chair, and Major Monogram appeared on the screen.

“Good morning, Agent P. I apologize for the cold, but our heater has broken, and Carl hasn’t fixed it yet.”

Carl’s voice came from offscreen. “I’m working on it!”

Major Monogram continued as if uninterrupted. “Unfortunately, our telephone lines have frozen as well, so we don’t know what Doof is up to. However, we know it’s something evil. Go out there and stop him.”

Perry chattered in agreement, and soon he was flying above the streets of Danville. Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated loomed before him, a hulking purple monolith against the grey of the sky. He landed outside, slipping some change into the parking meter, before entering the elevator and making the voyage to Doof’s penthouse on the top floor.

The elevator chimed as the doors slid open with a whoosh, and Perry stepped out. Digging around for a moment, he produced a key and quietly unlocked the door. Faster than he could move, a large red gift bow shot forward and wrapped itself around Perry’s body. He chattered angrily as Doofenshmirtz approached.

“Ah, Perry the Platypus. How unanticipated. And by that, of course I mean completely anticipated!”

Perry remained silent, gazing at Doof.

“Well, Perry the Platypus,” he began, “you know I’ve always been completely ambivalent as far as Christmas. But yesterday, I figured out – why do most people hate Christmas? The awkward social gatherings, of course! So, in order to make me really and truly hate Christmas, I will host the biggest Christmas party in the entire Tri-State Area!!!!”

Perry’s eyes widened, and Doof caught onto the movement.

“Now, Perry the Platypus, I know what you’re thinking. ‘But how will he get enough lights to provide the proper festive atmosphere?’ Behold!” Doof cried. “The Light-Drainer-Inator! With this Inator I will drain every Christmas light in Danville! And there is nothing you can do to stop me!”

– – –

Phineas stepped back from the invention. “It just needs one final touch…”

On cue, Ferb dropped down from the tree, placing a large bow on the top of the machine. 

“Perfect!” Phineas declared.

“Oh, Phineas, it’s wonderful,” Isabella said, a dreamy sigh in her voice.

“Indeed,” Baljeet agreed. “This shall offer unprecedented opportunities for scientific study!” 

“Well, it’s almost dark,” Phineas offered. “Let’s turn it on! Isabella, would you do me the honor?”

“Oh, Phineas, of course I will…” she began, before trailing off. “Wait, what?”

“Well, since it’s your scarf that inspired us, would you do the honor of flipping the switch?”

“Oh! Yes, of course.”

As Isabella turned the machine on it let out a gentle hum, and the five friends stood back. “Here we go!” Phineas cried. “3… 2… 1…”

– – – 

Meanwhile, back at Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated, Perry had escaped from his trap. “Who knew you were so good with knots?” Doofenshmirtz grunted as Perry’s tail slapped him across the face.

“Krrrrkrrrkrrr,” Perry responded. 

“But you are too late!” Doof crowed triumphantly. “The Light-Drain-Inator will activate in 3…2…1…”

– – –

“Mom! Mom!”

“Slow down, Candace, it’s icy!” Linda puffed.

“But Mom, you gotta believe me! Phineas and Ferb have made the Northern Lights in our backyard.”

“Well, I certainly won’t see it if I slip and break my leg. Can’t we just walk like normal people?”

Candace groaned, but slowed her pace accordingly.

– – – 

“Well, that was strange,” Phineas observed.

“Yeah.  It was workin’ just fine, then all the light went out! Weird.”

“I hate to say it, but I agree with Buford,” Isabella stated, an air of confusion palpable in her voice. “The machine says it’s still going, but there’s nothing coming out!”

“It seems as though there is no longer any ‘Lights’ aspect of our Northern Lights,” Baljeet voiced, and the rest of the group sighed.

“Yeah.”

“But hey, it was fun while it lasted!” Phineas said.

“It really was,” Isabella told him. “Thank you, Phineas.”

“Of course, Isabella!”

Just then, Linda appeared at the door. “You ki8ds are out late. Why don't you all come in for some hot chocolate?”

Her proposal was met with enthusiastic assent. As they trooped inside, shaking snow off their boots, Candace stood stammering. “B-b-b-but…”

Phineas reached down to pat Perry, curled up by the fireplace. “Oh, there you are, Perry.”

Ferb was the last one in. “You know,” he said, “some people have reported the aurora making sounds.”

[sempersirens]

yes, chef | part three

summary: domestic bliss doesn't last long with a man who doesn't know how to regulate his emotions at the idea of losing someone he loves

pairing: no-outbreak!au, chef!joel x f!reader

content/warnings: lots of angst, swearing

a/n: omg as a brit writing stories set in the US i always forget how far states are from each other.... wym you can't just hop on the train from houston to new york?

In theory, you'd always wanted to be a morning person.

You envied the ease of Joel's body slipping out from the sheets each morning, never fighting with his eyelids for just five more minutes of rest.

The break of dawn was probably your favourite time of the day; you just preferred to soak it all in warm and semi-lucid from Joel's bed. The ambience of car engines on the street below slowly waking up mixed with Joel's coffee pot singing on the stove felt like a hymn sung only for you. You'd shut your eyes - only momentarily, before hearing the door creak open and the large white mug you'd claimed as your own being set down beside you on the nightstand.

Strategically, it was lucky that Joel always had to get to the restaurant hours before you. But each morning you wished you could pull him back under the duvet and sink yourself into his chest until it was impossible to decipher where you ended and he began.

Showering after spending a night with Joel felt like sacrilege. If it wasn't for the sweat and other fluids clinging to your skin, you would wear the remnants of his touch and scent on your body like an expensive French perfume.

The restaurant was always hectic, but now nearing the festive season everything seemed to intensify rapidly. However, screwing the boss did have its perks; you'd managed to sneak a couple of days off last week to visit a friend from culinary school in New York.

While you were there, she'd taken you to one of her favourite spots in the city, introducing you to the head chef who was a friend of hers. He'd asked about your current role and you told him everything about working for the Joel Miller - strategically omitting the parts where he has you pinned against the stove after hours.

You'd thought nothing of it after that, knowing it would mostly be inconvenient to hire someone halfway across the country when culinary grads were lurking on every corner in the city. You didn't want to leave Joel, either. You didn't plan on staying at his restaurant for the rest of your life - even he didn't, but things were good. You felt secure for the first time in your life.

Finally arriving at the restaurant, you sang a chirpy "Mooorning!" into the kitchen before dumping your things into your locker. As you tied your apron around your figure, Joel emerged from the office, eyes dark and trained on the floor.

"Good morning, chef." You cooed in a low tone, letting your voice rasp every so slightly.

He kept his eyes on the ground, grunting something inaudible vaguely in your direction before stalking into the kitchen.

Weird.

Whenever you and Joel got a moment alone he would always take advantage of your solitude, even if only for a couple of seconds. He'd seemed fine at the house this morning, you'd heard him singing along to The Supremes while making breakfast. Maybe the wrong amount of stock had been delivered; the tiniest of setbacks were often enough to dictate his mood for the entire day.

You pushed the encounter to the back of your mind, redirecting your attention to your prep for the day.

"Has anyone seen my boning knife?" You shouted over your shoulder after all but turning your station inside out.

Before you could turn your head, a heavy hand slammed the knife in front of you.

"Was on the floor when I got here this mornin'. Watch your shit and clean your station." Joel growled, loud enough for the rest of the kitchen to hear.

"Yes, chef." You bowed your head, cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

You were more than familiar with his sharp tongue and short temper, but there was something about the way he spat his words at you that sent an unease through your body. He'd made you feel small. Why couldn't he have left the knife on your station for you when he found it? It seemed like such a petty thing for him to do.

Not wanting to let his mood rub off on you, you brushed it off and carried on with your tasks before service started.

The morning rushed past in a haze, and soon enough orders were coming through. Joel had remained eerily quiet for the majority of the morning, you almost wished he would shout at you to simply acknowledge your presence.

He hadn't found a single excuse to touch you, an act of affection he often employed while he made his rounds through the stations. You felt like you were a child being given the silent treatment by your mother, all of a sudden you were six again, tugging at the hem of her dress begging for her to look at you.

You were in the midst of prepping a monkfish and kohlrabi main with cauliflower and dates, almost ready for it to go to the pass, when you felt his presence behind you.

"Sauce ain't reduced enough."

"With respect, chef, it has two more minutes on heat."

He left before returning with a spoon, dipping it into your saucepan of monkfish stock.

"Needs lime."

"I'm going to add lime before it goes on the pass. As I said, it's not finished yet."

"Fuckin' useless." He muttered quietly under his breath, but you caught it.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?"

"I said you're fuckin' useless. Slow, no attention to detail, don't know why you're still in my kitchen."

Your heart sank deep into the pit of your stomach, sweat coating your palms. All eyes were on you both, and the sizzle of your burning sauce on the stove was the least of your worries.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" You fought for your voice to not waiver.

Was this part of your act? Had he taken the game you both played too far? There was no softness in his eyes, no remorse or realisation that his words had stung you.

Before he could dismiss you from the kitchen, you untied your apron and threw it to the ground, letting your hard work char and spit on the stove.

You didn't say a word as you snatched your things, bustling through the back door without another glance.

"Where the fuck d'you think you're going? You don't get to walk out of here mid-service just because y'needed more damn lime." Joel called from behind you.

"This isn't about the fucking lime, Joel. How could you speak to me like that? I thought, I thought-"

"You need to get some thicker skin. They ain't gonna coddle you like I do in New York."

The words must've slipped out of his mouth judging by the way his eyes widened at the mention of New York.

"What are you talking about?"

"They called me this mornin' - for a reference. Told me how impressed they were meetin' you."

You wanted to reach out and touch him, to console him and tell him how this was all just a horrible misunderstanding. Then his words replayed in your head. Every time you looked into his big, angry eyes all you could hear was useless, fuckin' useless.

"Grow up, Joel. Maybe if you'd have talked to me about it like a fucking adult I could've told you it wasn't like that."

"Oh yeah, what was it like? You plan on fuckin' your way to the top there too, or that just with me?"

He was being unjustly cruel and he knew it. This wasn't a power play for you, and he knew that. Although you'd never said it, you loved him, and you were almost certain that he loved you too.

But this was too much - he had pushed you too far this time. There was no coming back from this.

"Fuck you, Joel."

taglist: @cool-iguana @skysmiller @lhymer1995 @brittmb115 @moonlightdivine @reallyidontcare @nana90azevedo @spookyanamurdock @lovely-ateez @spookyanamurdock @bbyanarchist @joeldjarin @nostalxgic @axshadows @jenispunk @noisynightmarepoetry @thoughtfulmoonchild911

[allisonreader]

This is my second Christmas @inklings-challenge story for this year. I did not intend to write TWO Christmas stories this year and this one’s focus isn’t directly related to Christmas, but takes place near Christmas and includes discussions about Christmas related festivities. And truthfully this is a story written after rewatching a Hallmark Christmas movie which prompted the thought of the conversation between the two characters in the story. Everything else is just framing and an excuse to have the conversation and still have some plot.

This story takes place after the main events in Tales Of A Frozen Sailor. I have tried to include enough background information so that if you’ve never read the main story, that you don’t have to to understand it. Hopefully I’m not retreading the ground too much throughout the story.

And if you are interested in the full story, go to the Master List for Tales Of A Frozen Sailor .

Like always, I feel like I haven’t edited this enough, but also couldn’t look at it anymore. So it is what it is and that means that I’m not particularly happy about how I ended it. I just feel like the ending feels like what it is. Sort of a rush to just get it done. Anyways enough of my blabbering and onto the story.

Jessica's Christmas Surprise

The latest news on the last Titanic witness.

Jessica Hudson (now Piston) was a young woman who sailed on the Titanic as a sailor under the guise of being a man named Jesse Hudson. A fact that had only been known by her family and fellow sailor John Winters for many years.

Jessica had been assigned to man a lifeboat with John, but instead had been locked inside a room deep inside the Titanic. She was left for dead as the ship sank and for nearly a century it had been the perfect murder. If it wasn’t for the fact that her body was found and brought up nearly a 100 years later.

Once she was brought up, she was thawed from the position that she was found in and in a turn of events that can only be called miraculous, as Jessica thawed, she began to wake. Revival efforts were then focused on.

Jessica’s revival was unexpected and allowed her to connect with nieces and a nephew who hadn’t been born when she went down with the ship.

Jessica's story was then able to be told in full with her perspective.

Since then, Jessica has been finding her own way in the modern world. These days Jessica tries to keep a low profile.

Recently though, she has been spotted with her husband Erik coming out of an ultrasound clinic together. Not only did they come out of the clinic together, but it does appear that Jessica is sporting a bit of a baby bump.

Neither Jessica nor Erik have made any announcements about expecting at this point, but it seems to be evident that the couple will be adding an addition to their family, come sometime in the coming new year.

For further details on Jessica's story turn to page 12.

📰📰📰

"Why can’t they just leave me alone?" Jess grumbled, glaring at the article that included a picture of her and Erik walking out of the clinic, making her belly look larger than it actually was. Or at least it seemed so to her. "This is a hard enough season this year without others talking about our private life Em," she complained to her husband.

"I know, but people find you interesting, and something like our daughter is news worthy to anyone who's been following your story. They forget that you’re just a person like them and that you don’t even consider yourself a celebrity, though others do. Nobody is going to give a statement to any of the press though. It’s going to stay within the family that our baby, is in fact a little girl, our little girl," Erik reassured her as he pulled up and stopped in front of the small guest house on the backside of the Piston family estate.

Someone had decorated the house for Christmas, lights were all along the roof line and down the columns of the front porch and banisters. There was a wreath on the door and a Christmas tree lit with white lights in the front window.

Erik offered to help Jess out of the car, but she shook her head wanting to do it herself.

Once she had gotten out of the car; the article in the magazine left was behind. Erik noted to get rid of it before Jess got back in. She snuggled into his side, allowing him to wrap his arm around her and rest his hand on her belly.

They walked quietly the short distance to the front door, which Nanna was opening before they even were close enough to have knocked. Having been expecting and anticipating them.

"There the two of you are. Come in, come in. Emery, your grandfather is out back. Before you head out to him, give me a hug and a kiss-" Nanna tapped her cheek where she wanted the kiss- "while I get Jessica comfortable so we can talk about her appointment this past week."

"Yes Nanna." Erik agreed, letting go of Jess and kissing her cheek before going to hug and kiss Nanna as instructed before leaving to find his grandfather.

"Stay out of trouble Em, don’t let John drag you into anything," Jess warned.

"I won’t Jess, and I promise that I won’t lollygag around too much."

"I hope not."

"I’ll be back before you know it. Have fun with Nanna. Don’t let her get you into too much trouble."

Jess stuck her tongue out at her husband teasing her about her warning about John. Nanna watched with Jess as Erik left to find his grandfather and then leave to visit Jess's family and drop off their letters and gifts for the season. Something that Erik had already done at least once since they had found out that she was pregnant.

Jess let out a sigh. It was for the best that it was just Erik going back to visit her family. She stared longingly at where Erik went down the hall.

Who knew what would happen to her or her baby girl if they time traveled while she was pregnant. It wasn’t worth the risk. But that didn’t mean that her heart didn’t long to visit her family over Christmas.

Nanna startled her as she wrapped an arm around her back and rubbed her one shoulder.

"Come now my dear. I have a fire going in the front room where the tree is. We'll make ourselves cozy and then I suspect that you have some pictures from your ultrasound appointment to show me, hmm?" Nanna said, gently guiding her into the front room, where there was indeed a fire roaring. Jess nodded as she allowed herself to be lead to be sat in front of the fire.

The two of them discussed the incredible invention of ultrasound technology allowing them to see the baby and tell that she was going to have a girl. How Jess had never anything like it would be possible and how Nanna had been unaware of its invention that had happened in the same decade as her son’s birth, at least not until years after when it became more common.

Jess showed Nanna her ultrasound pictures, and discussed how much of a taint the picture of her and Erik coming out of clinic, ending up in the news and gossip rags left her with on the experience.

"Learn to ignore them my dear. I know it’s hard in this day and age, but ignoring them will be better for you than worrying over them." Jess just nodded in acknowledgment and excused herself to the bathroom.

While Nanna waited for Jessica to come back, she turned back on the sound of the Hallmark movie that she had been watching before Jessica and her grandson had arrived. It didn’t take her long to re-pick-up the plot and become engrossed again.

"Nanna? What are you watching?" Jess asked when she returned.

"Hmm? Oh, just a Hallmark holiday movie. One that you might relate to a little too much in part to a degree. The main character is a nurse from 1945… 46… one of the two. Feeling a little lost and out of place in her own time, but has been pulled forward by forces unknown to the modern day and is having to try and fit into this strange time to her," Nanna explained.

Jess blinked a couple of times. "Really…?"

"Oh yes my dear. These type of stories have been popular for many years already. Long before most people were ever aware of your story and existence. I dare say that they might have had a bit of an uptick since your story has become known, but they’ve been around as long as fairy tales have been. Why else do you think your life is so fascinating to people? You have all the marks for the best types of stories, but perhaps best of all to many people is that your story is true," Nanna said.

"What are the other marks…? Do I want to know them?" Jess asked.

"None are bad my dear, just interesting to people. Your connection to the Titanic is a large one. That ship has fascinated people from the day the news broke that it was sunk by an iceberg on its maiden voyage, with so many elite on it. I’m afraid that your Mr. Winters didn’t help with his insistence that something happened to you beyond being reassigned and you just not making it. Then there is the fact that once you were found on the ocean floor in the ill-fated ship; something that shouldn’t have been possible, it was found out that you were in fact a woman, not a man as claimed when sailing. Let alone the fact that your John was proven to be correct that something had happened to you. Beyond that is the fact that you survived your miraculous revival. It’s all very interesting to people. As much as you’d love to just live your life. To others you are a celebrity."

"I don’t want to be a celebrity," Jess pouted.

"I know my dear, but sometimes that is out of our hands. The best that can be done is what you are doing. Living your life to the fullest and keeping a low profile by not reaching out to the press yourself. While there will always be people interested in your story, it will eventually fade over the years. But at the moment, it’s still relatively new for people and it will take years to die down."

Jess scowled at the thought.

"I don’t want my daughter to become some spectacle once she’s born."

"We’ll shield her from it as much as possible. Especially at first when she won’t be able to protect herself, but she will learn."

Jess nodded, still wary, but there was nothing to do about currently.

🎄🎄🎄🎁🎁🎁

Erik went and poked his head in to see Jess and Nanna now that he was back. He found them both finishing off a Hallmark Christmas movie, just catching the end of the credits.

It had taken Jess a bit of time to get used to tv, even now she’d often avoid watching it unless there was someone else watching it with her. He smiled fondly at Jess's one hand resting on her belly, thrilling him once again that he was going to be a father to a little girl. He didn’t need to be distracted by those thoughts currently. He had a wife to surprise.

He entered the room slowly and quietly. Coming up to beside where Jess was sitting. Watching Nanna's smile grow as she caught sight of him.

"Hey you, I made it back," he said softly in a low voice. Jess smiled back at him. Nanna got up and quietly slipped out of the room.

"How’d it go? How is everyone?" Jess asked.

"Good. They’re all good and the trip was successful. The gifts, cards and letters are all delivered to the 1920's…. And- John didn’t drag me into any trouble."

"Good. He doesn’t need to-"

"But, I might have dragged him into some trouble."

"Em… what do you mean?"

"I guess you’ll just have to come with me and find out then won’t you," he held out his hand to her.

"Emery… what do you do?"

"Come on, off the couch. Your family sent a surprise along with me."

"What kind of surprise….?"

"You’ll see for yourself."

"Emery Erik what kind of surprise is this?" Jess asked, starting to sound cross.

"One that you’ll love; come, let me show you." Erik helped her off the couch as she warily stared him down and followed him to the back porch.

Nanna was sitting with his grandfather on the porch swing, but standing just off the porch was Jess's surprise. Jess stilled the moment she first saw them, before bounding down the stairs to where her siblings and John were waiting.

All three of them embracing Jess in a hug together.

"You’re here! Why-? How…? …I didn’t think I was going to see you until after my baby came," Jess stammered in surprise.

"Erik planned it all out. Well, at least for the most part. My mom and Amelia and her family are looking after the kids today. Joan would have loved to come, but thought it would be best to stay as an extra pair of hands. But otherwise, we’re here for the day and to finally see a little bit of this time that you’re living in." John said.

Jess started to tear up as she soaked up the attention from Ruth, John and Henry being here in her chosen time. Ruth gave her another hug.

"I can’t believe that you’re here…" Jess

"Oh Jess…. We should have thought to come sooner."

Jess shook her head. "No, this is perfect. It’s the best Christmas gift…. I have so much to show you…"

Erik and his grandparents gave Jess and her family some space at first. Giving them the chance to reconnect and let the four of them time to catch up and for Jess to explain certain things without any of them interfering or interrupting. Allowing Jess to share her pregnancy update and share her ultrasound pictures and to show her visitors any technology that she thought might interest them. Pointing out that they wouldn’t have the chance to really get used to those in any capacity.

Nanna only interrupted them once the meal was ready. It brought all of them together for the rest of the day. The conversation and jokes flowed freely. Until it was finally time for the three to go back to their time and back to their kids. Jess gave all of them a long hug before Erik took them home. With promises to keep them all updated.

[once-upon-helluvaboss]

Rewrite of the end of 'Loo loo land'

Stolas gives a sigh of relief seeing his daughter in one of the apple-themed rail cars, she was crying but she was safe.

“Octavia! There you are, I’m so glad you're okay!” Stolas exclaimed as he came towards the cart walking alongside it.

He jumped a bit at the glare she shot him when she picked her head up from her knees, “I… take it you're not having a good time…” Stolas said cautiously stepping into the cart.

“Gee, I wonder what gave it away!” She growled back throwing her arms up, “I didn't even want to come here!” She cried dropping her head back into her knees as she sniffled

“I-I thought you liked it here…” Stolas responded quietly

“I did, back before it reminded me of when my parents didn't hate each other!” She hiccuped before continuing. “And when my dad could go more than five seconds without flirting with some red dickheaded imp!” She cried once again.

“Via, your mother and I don’t hate each other, it’s just…” Stolas sighed, “I’m sorry, I know everything has been a lot for you and I should've listened!” He continued scooting closer to her.

Octavia sniffled again, “I-I just want to go home but home doesn't feel like home anymore…” Octavia responded nearly choking on her tears.

Stolas stared at her with a pit in his stomach, “Darling, you need to understand... your mother and I... I just-... I've felt-... Lately, she’s so ... I haven't been- sa-... There's just always been... I'm sorry, I- I- I don’t know how to explain! It's all so complicated I barely understand it myself!” Stolas responded with a breathy laugh at the end of his half-baked spiel.

Octavia raised her head from her knees again, trying to blink away her tears, “What about that imp? Are you going to run off with him, a-and leave me behind? Far away where... I can't find you?” She asked the tears beginning to pool in her eyes again.

Stolas’s eyes widened in horror, he quickly pulled her into a hug and began rubbing her back.

“No, no, no never! Nothing and no one will change ever that, I’m so so sorry I ever made you think differently.” Stolas responded quickly hugging her tight.

The tears still fell out of Octavia's eyes, but they weren't sad ones, they were happy, she was happy in her father's warm and loving embrace, as he whispered frantic apologies in her ear.

After a moment of them sitting there, the cart came back to the entrance and Stolas pulled away, “Now come on let’s get out of here.” He said picking her up bridal style and leaving the cart.

Stolas carried Octavia out of the Fun House chuffing her a few times as they walked. Above them, an imp begins to grin from a space above the drop ceiling, looking down on Stolas and his daughter. It dropped down flicking open a switchblade. Stolas snapped his head around, eyes glowing brightly red, the Imp immediately turned to stone before getting knocked over by a pendulum.

Octavia’s eyes opened at the sound, “What was that?” She asked looking around the area.

“Nothing you need to worry about darling, now how about we go that —uh, taxidermy shop you like?” Stolas asked a bit awkwardly

Octavia immediately perked up at the suggestion, “You mean Stylish Occult? You never want to go there, oh thank you, Dad!” Octavia squealed as she hugged him.

Stolas chuckled as he hugged her continuing to walk to their car before a massive explosion rocked the park, sending the employees of I.M.P. hurtling through the air, Stolas and Octavia both jumped as they all three landed directly in front of them.

_______________________________________________

This was a quick little rewrite, with better formatting and grammar!

Because of the AU (I guess) I'm writing other things from previous episodes that need to be changed to fit a bit better. But considering that season one is mostly fine, I think the only other one I'll do is the harvest moon festival and again only part of it.

[katolginagmaydako]

Holiday Season of Joy and Reflection

The holiday season comes round every year, bringing with it a set of emotions and experiences that shape our lives. Christmas this year was no different. It was full of joy, family bonding, and heart-wrenching loss. Here are my reflections on the various experiences that marked my Christmas this year.

A Joyous Christmas Party

The holiday festivities began with a bright Christmas party that lit the atmosphere with laughter and cheer. The moment I entered the house, the warmth of celebration over me was something that really brought it all in. The friends and family gathered there were telling stories and having good times together over delectable food and festive drinks. Music was playing; the sounds of chatter and joyful laughter echoed in the air.

I think what made the evening so delightful was actually the gift exchange, which brought out a playful spirit in everyone. Always a pleasure to watch how happy and, above all, astonished you are by unwrapping a gift from your loved ones, it is such a beautiful way to celebrate the season, carrying memories forever.

Family Celebrations

Christmas represents family, and this was not to be different since I spent more time with the loved ones than on previous holidays. We assembled in the dinner table, where all of us contributed our lovingly prepared feast. There was just so much easy talking and recall of past holidays and hopes for the future.

It feels so magical to celebrate Christmas with your family-to share the warmth of togetherness, laugh over the same traditions, and have that comfort of knowing you have each other. When we were exchanging stories and laughter, I felt deeply grateful for the bond we share. It was a reminder that no matter what life throws our way, family is always there to anchor us.

It's a Goodbye

At the tail end of December, we had witnessed one unbelievable loss: the loss of one of my cousins. The news really shook up our family, and it left a shadow on the holiday spirit. It was such a harsh reminder of the frailty of life and how one has to cherish each moment that comes his or her way.

We all shared stories that make you laugh and cry. It was painful but a beautiful way to remember him: the joy he brought into our lives. Amidst our sorrow, we helped one another, realizing again that being a family is not just bloodline but bond during times of memories.

Conclusion

It has been, as Christmas is always, the tapestry of experience: joyful celebrations, heartfelt connections, sorrow, and reflection. It reminds me that life swings both to the up side and down, yet everything is bearable since the treasure will always be with me - family. With those experiences, I'll face the new year, grateful for the love and memories we've created together. To every moment in life, through laughter and tears, to loved ones and in the darkest of times, I'll rise.

[evasgelions]

Christmas 2023

Christmas, a holiday I remember fondly growing up: baking cookies, visiting family members, looking at the houses lit up with hundreds of lights, movies, tv specials, and festive music filling the radio stations.  And who can forget about Santa Claus? There’s a religious aspect of it too, but that isn’t what my child brain was looking forward to. That was a normal Sunday morning for me. Just like other aspects of growing up, at some point the Christmas season starts to lose its sparkle. The magic that you experience as a child fades away over time. The memories of waking up before sunrise to bask in the glory of the Christmas tree. The plastic branches adorned with lights and ornaments. The stacks of gifts piled high all around. Something I once loved so much has now become something entirely devoid of meaning. 

Christmas is supposed to mean something right? The birth of Jesus, savior of the world. It’s sacred, is it not? Even from an entirely secular view, the Christmas spirit is the driving force of the holiday. Aren’t we all meant to be joyful, giving, and kind to one another? Isn’t that the condition you must meet to avoid a stocking full of coal? I once thought so, but as I grow and see the world for what it really is I’m not so sure this was ever the case. 

I am an adult now, so it’s no surprise that I’m not as jazzed for Christmas as I once was long ago. The strange thing is, it feels like I'm in the minority. My coworkers have been decorating the office and buying little gifts for everyone all month, we even did a secret Santa. I don’t want to sound ungrateful here, I like the idea of trying to spread the joy that they all obviously still experience. I just don't feel the same way.

Since the relentless bombing of the Gaza strip began on October 7th, celebrating a holiday that seems to do nothing but print money for the already wealthy corporate executives feels wrong. Buying gifts for my loved ones used to be a fun experience, aside from slight financial stress. This year, I can only think about how the corporations that supply the manufactured cheer are complicit in the crimes against humanity occurring not just on the other side of the world, but here in the United States as well.

With access to news 24/7 I have learned a lot about how the world works. Prisons in the south are using their inmates as actual slaves. American factories have been exposed for violating child labor laws by employing young children to work with dangerous chemicals and machinery. TikTok after TikTok showcasing the horror of endless bombs dropping on a highly populated civilian area. Images of children covered in dust with eyes that tell a story better than any words ever could. We also can’t forget about the deplorable conditions of the cobalt mines located in Congo and elsewhere. Men, women, and children forced to mine the precious mineral by hand so that we in the West can continue to get the newest iPhone, just like the one I received for Christmas when I was 14.

These images have stuck with me, I couldn’t forget them even if I wanted to. Walking through any big box retailer, I am haunted. The batteries powering the season's hottest toys represent the suffering of enslaved peoples across the world. The new pair of name brand tennis shoes were made by a human who would not be able to afford the same luxury. The holiday bonus offered by some employers, is cursed by the federal taxes taken and sent overseas to fund never ending wars in the name of American imperialism.

Where I once saw a beautiful gift wrapped up in a bow, I now recognize the true meaning of Christmas all along: mindless consumerism. I can admit that I am cynical, but I don’t know how to see anything else. When you open your eyes to the suffering that I naively thought was in the past, you can’t go back. While hope is hard to have, the only thing I can do is fight for a better tomorrow.  

[futurebiblestudies-blog]

Genesis 39

Doctor "Poochie P", Doctor Hando Doctor, Doctor Thao OBP, the eternal butterfly. Since then, Pepe's Egyptian zoo has changed colors and gained traction, and his boasts began to improve.

So, you're a starfish, and he's a half starfish. Madam, you are alone, and he is half alone.

Please make a plan based on the price of Magic Hands, the age of your child, or even the member-priced version.

So, that season, I saw blessings in his eyes and sent him to his old Kentucky home, while I was handed over to the hands of my own Zen. I spent the entire weekend that season under his watchful eye and he drove me to his mansion to hand me over to him. These are your old ones. This is your sieve.

So he brought a mullet into his home and took everything he had, and Nush blessed the Egyptian's home with cloth. So it's the most important. He took us home, brought back everything else he had, and painted people's houses and blessed them. The good words were almost over.

So I had to learn to eat persimmons because I didn't know they could be eaten in anything other than bread. I didn't know that you could eat salt during the festival, so I mentioned that it's convenient if you eat salt. So Joseph is a good guy and was there again. Joseph is a very understanding person.

After I said that, the husband left. Uncle Sudo said: "Please come with me." Well, I was a mushroom. Uncle Sudo said, "Please come with me," and went to the man's wife.

When he heard this, he said to his master's wife: the beautiful child didn't even look at me to see if I was doing anything inside the house, and left everything to me. "That cute girl doesn't mind me doing anything and leaves everything to me."

There is no me in this flower. He misses you because you are his wife. It's like, how could I think something like this, what kind of evil?

And while his girlfriend was talking to him every day, he couldn't listen to what she was saying, couldn't lie next to her, couldn't be with her. There is no me in this flower. You are my boyfriend's wife, but he is lonely without you. I'm here.

At that time, the reliable one was at home for work. At that time, I was at home for work. That's why both genders weren't there yet.

So she grabs his wonderful fortune and asks him to sleep with her. She asks him to use his great talent to be with her.

Dr. Tortoise, Paz, and Wency the accountant then adjusted the expenses from the ground members to the new version and confirmed the proposed amount. They have created a new lineage from the lewd side.

My girlfriend was calling the guy home and I had a drink while he worshiped me. Girlfriend is calling the men of the house. As he worshiped, I drank.

And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, when he heard me start crying, he left his clothes with me and ran away for help. He fled, he got out.

And she helped with the girls' expenses, helping with the poop expenses, helps with their poop, and admires the turtles. She pays the girls' living expenses, admiring the sea turtles.

And I'm going back to school. He did it inside me to tease me. On my way back to school he was doing this, in my mind, to tease me.

And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. What happened was when I yelled, he left me with my clothes on and ran away.

And the doctor passes with a tortoise, as he passes by with the turtle, the doctor raises his voice and shouts the plan, and from the hand to the left the cost is with me, he shouted the plan aloud, paid me with his left hand, so that the plan is given to the king. He handed the plan to the king.

So, the owner of the gangster took him with him and appeared in a criminal dream. King Gangster had nightmares.

Leading Fund Planning provides techniques for its members to consume equal percentages of suppliers and trains Japanese suppliers in large funds cash sales techniques executed using remote financing method services. A covered phone can leave some people feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable.

And the prison administrator committed a crime, and Joseph's hand worked in the prison. So the police chief took action and decided to bribe the police. And the lifeguard: Oh, I'm so tired. "Oh, I'm tired. I've watched it from beginning to end," the director said.

The prison warden did not wake up, but everything was in his hands. And that is until the end, and until the very end.

[booksbydlwhite]

#SampleSunday: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS- I'm a meddlesome old woman

It’s about that time again! It’s another #samplesunday and another week closer to having Reid and Sabrina in your faces! I should have a release date soon-ish. Still has to go through editing and a release date is dependent on when I get it back. Until then, enjoy the samples!

Catch past Sample Sundays on the blog HERE.

I have back cover copy! WOOT!

"I need to be clear that I like this. I need this, especially on a day like today, but...”

“That’s all it is, Satisfying a need."

Reid Gallagher hasn't returned to Potter Lake because he misses his family, or because he wonders how his hometown has fared since he left.  After many years away, his visit is strictly business, under the guise of visiting his family.

Sabrina Ward has escaped a crumbling marriage to her Aunt Cara’s comfortable home in a slow, southern town. As the first snow blankets Potter Lake in a winter wonderland, Sabrina Ward and Reid Gallagher give in to an inconvenient yet irresistible spark of attraction.

With Reid's departure looming, a lucrative opportunity could turn a casual holiday fling into a new life and a chance at love. Come for the festive holiday lights...stay for the magic of a quaint lakeside town where couples find love and gain a second chance at happiness.

Home for the Holidays is a heartwarming novella of hope and love in the most unlikely place. Brimming with cozy small-town charm and steamy romance, it is a story that will resonate with fans of Hallmark movies and anyone who believes in the magic of the season.

The memory of that night with him made my body pulse. I’d spent so long—half of my life— putting up with subpar, just enough to get by sex. Now that I was entering into an era of freedom, I would not waste the chance to be stroked into oblivion again.

I felt renewed, full of vigor and boundless sexual energy. I also felt basic knowing that all it took was one extremely handsome man that paid attention to give me a whole new lease on life. I meant that text I sent—if that night was standard operating procedure, I was first in line for another ride.

I rushed through the rest of my shopping when I remembered that that the ride I was looking forward to could not happen until Aunt Cara had made dinner, we had eaten, and she left the house for Bingo.

When I got home, I found Aunt Cara in the kitchen, washing vegetables. “Find everything okay, honey?” Her waves framed her face beautifully as her eyes swept over the items I unloaded from paper bags.

“I got everything on the list,” I confirmed, lining everything up on the counter.

Aunt Cara returned to her vegetables after directing me to open two cans of Cream of Chicken soup. She had changed the music while I was gone. The O’Jays Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas soared through the speakers. The album had a favorite in our household growing up. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was my mother’s record.

“I ran into Reid while I was at the store,” I mentioned, nonchalant as we worked side by side.

“Oh?” She transferred the vegetables to the cutting board and began sluicing the knife through them with chef-like precision. “I hoped you would see him there. Patricia told me she had a long list of tasks for him.”

“Aunt Cara, you’re a sly one.”

“Can’t get a thing past my brilliant niece.” She chuckled softly, chopping away. “Pull out my white Corning Ware baking dish. It’s in the cabinet next to the stove. And get that chicken ready to rinse before I season it up.”

I set the dish on the stove, then unwrapped the package of chicken breast and discarded the Styrofoam mold it sat in.

“So, what time did you tell Reid I was leaving this evening?”

I froze with a cold, limp chicken breast in hand. “What?”

“Well, I made it a point to tell you I was leaving for Bingo tonight, and I sent you up to Pinkney’s knowing you would run into him. Don’t tell me you didn’t take advantage of that massive coincidence.”

“Of course, I did. I just...” I shrugged a shoulder and added, in a mumble, “I thought I was being sneaky.”

“I am a meddlesome old woman, aren’t I?”

A prickly warmth crept up my neck at her words, realizing she was setting me up. “Thanks, Aunt Cara,” I murmured. “I told him you were leaving around 7 o’clock, if he wanted to come over. He’s going to call me about 7:30. I guess to let me know if he can get past Patricia.”

“Oh, I’ll do you one better. I’ll see if they’re coming to Bingo tonight. It’s a cash game, and Earline is still out of town, so there’s a better chance at winning. Not that we don’t love that old bat, but it’s nice when people don’t feel obliged to let her win everything because she works for the mayor.”

Nerves and excitement about my impending evening plans shot up like a rocket.  

[itsageneticthing]

The Teal Pumpkin Project

There is a cool crisp in the air. The birds are beginning to migrate to the south, and the leaves are starting to change color and fall off the trees. Autumn is once again among us, and the holidays are quickly approaching. Halloween is tomorrow! Many people are in good spirits around this time of year, planning festivities as the end of the year inches closer. A lot of people have parties and parades for the Halloween season. Spooky season is also the first season that brings us into colder weather, which is when so many people like to roast marshmallows, and snuggle up next to fireplaces with hot chocolate. Halloween is known for being an exciting time to carve pumpkins, tell scary stories, and go to haunted attractions. Although that is true for most people, for some, the scariest part of anything is the fear of the unknown.

Trunk-or-Treat

Halloween is a fun time for many children to go trick-or-treating and eat candy. Even though Halloween may have looked a little different for me while I was growing up, my parents were very supportive and helpful when it came to my galactosemia. When I was younger, my mom would order diary-free chocolate for me from Chocolate Emporium. When I was really little, she would give it to our neighbors, and they would hand it out to me when I went to their house. As I got older, she would order chocolate and put it out for me to have as an option after I went trick-or-treating. Now, society is more aware of food allergies than they were 20 years ago, and there are even more options available than ever before. Including for Halloween, in which families around the world now participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project.

The Teal Pumpkin Project

The Teal Pumpkin Project makes trick-or-treating safer and more inclusive for children living with food allergies, and many others impacted by intolerances and other conditions. Placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep shows that, in addition to candy, you offer non-food toys and treats, such as glow sticks or stickers. This simple act encourages inclusion for all trick-or-treaters.

Origins of the Teal Pumpkin Project

The Teal Pumpkin Project began in 2014. It was inspired by a local awareness activity that was run by the Food Allergy Community of East Tennessee (FACET), but has since grown worldwide. Teal is used because it is the designated color for food allergy awareness, and it has been used for medical conditions that are food-related for over 20 years.

Why is The Teal Pumpkin Project Important?

Halloween can be a hard time for families who are managing food allergies. Many traditional Halloween treats are not safe for children with life-threatening food allergies. The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages inclusion, safety and respect of individuals managing food allergies. This worldwide movement offers an alternative for children with food allergies, as well as other children whom candy is not an option for. It keeps Halloween a fun, positive experience for everyone!

The Teal Pumpkin Project Map

Adding your home to The Teal Pumpkin Project Map makes your house easy to find for those who are looking for non-food treats. The more houses added to the Map, the more inclusive and fun we can make Halloween!

Moving Forward

I wish that the Teal Pumpkin Project was around when I was growing up. It is a worldwide movement that will only grow larger, as more people spread awareness about it. I was lucky enough to have parents who helped me navigate my food intolerance when I was younger, though. I am glad to see the progress that we are making with the steps forward to make Halloween and other festivities inclusive for all. I can’t wait to see where we go in the future!

Below is a video sharing tips on how to keep Halloween safe, specifically with food allergies. Everyone have a safe and fun time trick-or-treating this year!

Happy Halloween!

[fugitive-96]

Maid for Christmas (TG/FTF/ID)

Snow filled the dark grey sky of the winter day, trickling down to the ground below, before a pair of boots scraped through them, crinkling their way up towards a large manor house.

A group of eight people stood in the entranceway, all eagerly waiting to be let in. They had all seen an online advert for a Christmas temp position which many of the group figured was easy work, and had been invited to a group interview session on this very day.

The advert said the owner of the house needed several new employees for the Christmas season given the upcoming festivities. The exact nature of the job was unclear, but a job was a job and money was money.

Eric looked around in awe of the massive house.

"Man, wouldn't mind living here." Eric said to himself. He was a fairly tall decently built guy in his early twenties, with short brown hair and a pale face that was reddening from the cold.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure a place this grand is probably pretty old, don't think it'd be easy to heat this time of year." Troy replied, who was a more average build with black hair.

"I don't know, maybe Eric's right. It'd be nice to get all warm and cozy in a place like this" Justine replied, throwing Eric a smile which he reciprocated.

The group of eight were all of similar age, all clearly in their early to mid twenties, save for one of them, Toby, who was clearly at least in his mid thirties.

Eric, Troy, Jake, Sean and Toby made up the male population of the group, whilst Beth, Sarah and Justine were the only three women. The entire group were fairly average looking, Sean seemed especially nerdy however with his large glasses and slight acne on his face, whereas Jake was slightly larger in build than the others.

Beth looked to be a bit more reserved, overdoing it with the number of layers she was wearing and having her hair block most of her face, whilst Sarah seemed a lot more outgoing with her makeup and fashion sense, Justine was somewhere in between.

"So, you guys doing this whilst studying?" Sean asked.

Most of the group nodded save for Toby, Sarah and Jake.

"Still haven't decided what I want to do yet, figured I'd just earn some money for now."

"Same." Jake replied.

"Oh, I graduated a while back. Just been doing small jobs here and there ever since." Toby replied, feeling a bit out of place amongst the group.

"Man, really hope they let us in soon." Eric said shivering on the spot.

"You said it, my nuts are freezing out here." Troy replied through gritted teeth.

"As opposed to roasting on an open fire?" Justine replied in a playfully witty tone.

"Ha ha." Troy responded sarcastically.

Beth walked up through the group and pushed lightly on the door, finding it to be open.

"Seriously?! It's been open this whole time?!" Said Sarah.

"Just figured I'd try, no-one else seemed to."

"Hang on, we sure were not supposed to be let in yet?" Eric said.

"What are they gonna do, fire us?" Troy replied as he entered, the rest of the group following suit.

Once inside they were immediately greeted by warmth. The interior was very spacious, with lavish wooden walls decorated with various engravings and sculptures, along with feminine statues lining one side. The place was old, but clearly well maintained, there wasn't a speck of dust or a cobweb to be seen with how much it glistened with a spotless sheen.

The group had little time to take any of it in as just then, the click of heels came from the hallway before a maid appeared from around the corner.

She was dressed in a latex maid outfit and carried herself very professionally, head held high as she addressed the group in a heavy French accent.

"Ah. You are ze new employeez vor madame?" She asked.

"Um... yes! We were told to wait here?" Justine said slightly nervously, she along with the rest of the group all being rather taken aback by the sight of the maid.

"Parfaite. If you will follow moi and I shall began your tour of ze home." She said gesturing for the group to follow.

"First we have ze lounge. Zis is where Madame will have ze guests during ze Christmas party." She said opening a set of double doors leading to a lounge room. It had an extravagant design to the walls and ceilings, with various silver decorative pieces littering the room.

"I av been informed that two of you will be stationed here for your first introdhuctory lesson. Once you are done, you shall be given the tour of the remainder of ze house." The maid said gesturing for Beth and Troy to stay, before leading the rest of the group away.

"Guess we've got the job then?" Beth said.

"I guess so, don't get why they didn't tell us that on the invitation email, or why they said it was a group interview?" Troy replied.

Beth and Troy were left standing in the lounge before hearing the soft patter of heels against carpet coming from another doorway in the room, through which walked another maid dressed with a large grey coat over her outfit.

"So, you ah mine for ze day?"

She had a mysterious yet sultry confidence to her voice and the way she carried herself, easing her way out of her coat allowing Beth and Troy to fully take in her figure encased in the sleek uniform, not noticing that she too was eyeing them as she removed her coat.

"I am Antoinette. I will oversee your... induction." She said coyly.

"Firstly, it is important that you adhere to ze strict dress code. All staff wear uniform of a similar style, but the materials are ze same." She said running her hands up and down her body, her fingers catching on slight folds and creases in the latex that caused it to crinkle and squeak loudly, all the while showing off her tightly encased figure.

Troy suddenly felt his temperature rise, it was hard to deny how sexy the woman was being, honestly it was bordering on something he'd see in a strip club, but for whatever reason something told him to just continue watching. He pulled at the collar of his shirt before releasing it, locked in on the view of Antoinette, but as he let go it did feel tighter around his neck, and the material seemed thinner and sleeker to his touch.

Beth too was feeling the heat as she watched, causing her to breathe heavily, her layers suddenly didn't feel as heavy over her anymore, and the feeling of weight on her chest seemed to grow slightly.

Antoinette then took a tray and carried it over to the nearby table, sliding it on in an exaggerated manner.

"Uuh! Madame's guests expect... *moan!* Good presentation." She spoke between strained exaggerated moans.

"Hence your uniforms, ze are designed to highlight your figures."

Beth and Troy were both struggling to register what they were being told. They were both ensnared, their eyes and minds locked on the sight before them. With that Troy didn't notice his perspective shift slightly, his eyeline now being lower than before. His breathing had also become sharper and he generally felt somewhat lighter in his torso.

As she continued thrusting, the pair watching on couldn't take their eyes off her ass that jiggled with each thrust, with only a vague awareness that their clothing continued to make strange sounds, like they were straining or crinkling, especially somewhere low behind them that for both felt heavier than before.

As Beth watched on, she felt a need to instinctively reach a hand up to twirl a finger through her hair, but she never used to do that. Not to mention, it seemed shorter and curlier than before and more out the way of her face, like it had shortened, or something was holding it back on her head, like a cap or something.

Troy continued staring on, but he could vaguely notice some kind of straining sensation around his chest, with the crinkling sound being more like a pair of balloons slowly inflating and some degree of extra weight and sensitivity in that area.

The crinkling sound was now coming from all over the pair's bodies, with them feeling a sensation of tightness and encasement, but also a sensation of bareness, like whatever it was was a second skin to them. They could now register more of how their forms felt, even if their vision was still locked on Antoinette. Beth seemed to feel slightly more exaggerated in places, whereas Troy felt as though his entire body from the neck down was alien, completely unfamiliar to him.

Antoinette continued on, carefully placing items on the table whilst she flexed and bent her body into various positions to show it off, the material of her uniform still squeaking loudly.

The pair rubbed their legs together as they watched, causing audible squeaks of material with a slick sound like it was pulling up, roughly to where a skirt would reach. Beth felt the material become looser in that area compared to Troy's which was to him felt tighter, more constrictive, tight enough to notice it feeling like something that was once between his legs was now gone. They heard the material move again, this time shortening their sleeves, causing Beth to feel a radiating sensation from her bear skin becoming exposed, as though it were more tanned than before.

They were completely entranced, unable to think or process anything resembling concern or fear at whatever was happening to them. Any trace of free will was sapped out of them with each second they continued looking on, completely ensnared in Antoinette's web.

"Organization and presentation is key."

Troy bit his lip, which the longer he held onto began to feel larger, along with the trace of a moan escaping his lips that was a far higher tone than his usual voice. Similarly with Beth she teased her lip with the tip of her tongue, hers also began to feel it was enlarging slightly, whilst also having a glossier texture than before.

"Her staff must adhere to the physical specifications she requires, your image reflects her image."

"That is, after all, why Madame hired you." Antoinette said playfully eyeing them as she arced her leg back into the air.

"They expect to be fully served, and your bodies are fully capable of such varied... positions."

Troy pulled his face into a pleasured expression, which led to a small crunch, pop, and jolt at his head, it feeling lighter and sharper, nd generally more delicate than before, along with him hearing his hair trickle down the material in a ponytail against his neck.

Beth widened her eyes, causing her to feel a similar crunching sensation but not as extreme, more so feeling the weight of makeup on her face.

With that their clothing began gaining their final details, with white lining in places and a printed on apron for each, polished black heels on their feet, along with the area around Beth's chest lowering to show off her new cleavage. With that, there now stood two new maids for the manor.

Beth still somewhat resembled her prior self, just less reserved and more lively in expression whilst Troy bared no resemblance to his old self, his black hair now blonde, his face and wider form fully feminized, and overall he appeared more collected and mysterious with how 'she' carried herself.

"I expect you to dedicate yourselves to your tasks." Antoinette said in a slightly presumptuous tone, like a parent talking to their children.

"Of course, absolutely." Beth replied as she clapped her hands together, now sounding far more confident and outgoing with a wide-eyed expression, with her far more pronounced chest shaking with every movement she made.

"We have much to do before the guests arrive. The room definitely needs further decorations for th-zis time of year. Are there any specific expectations about additional services?" She asked casually.

"I take it you are eager?" Antoinette replied.

"Well, we do have to fully dedicate ourselves to zeir service." Beth replied playfully giggling in response, her voice occasionally dipping into an accent.

"A time will come for zat. First, it is impehative that you know how to carry yourself."

"Like this?" Troy replied giving her leg a slight kick, holding out her hands in a delicate manner whilst giving a slight confident look to her face that was reflected in her voice.

"Parfaite Mademoiselle!" Antoinette replied admiring the way the young woman was perfectly showing off the grace of her feminine figure.

"You av clearly trained very ard for this position."

"Merci, words cannot express how long I av wanted to be a part of ze staff ere, serving Madame." Troy replied, initially mimicking Antoinette's accent, before her voice completely shifted into a French accent.

"Aah, you will be a fun one." Antoinette said closely approaching Troy, resting a finger on her chin as she inspected the new maid.

"We av a few hours before we are expecting guests. I will show you ze rest of the uose, and we will then find ze rest of ze new staff."

"Ooh, I am so looking forward to meeting zem!" Beth responded, her bubbly voice now fully gaining an accent.

With that the three maids walked out, hips and arms swaying in a confident seductive manner as they ventured off into the rest of the manor.

To be continued?

[spinningwebsandtales]

Imagine Staying Inside For A Cozy Halloween With V

V X FemReader

Rating: G

Warnings: None

Word Count: 854

(A/N:) This is my last Halloween DMC imagine I had planned. And I have four more to write until I have all my Halloween ideas written out and finished! So this may be my last post until Halloween! I plan on posting the last four on the day of Halloween so I go out with a big bang! I’ve enjoyed being able to write more for this spooky season and I will see you my dear readers on the night of all Hallows Eve! Stay spooky and until next time happy reading! ~Countess

Halloween has always been a holiday that you enjoyed be never went overboard with. And while you hadn’t had any particular plans of going out and celebrating, the fact that this Halloween was storming with no sign of letting up, you felt bad for the children that had waited for this night. You couldn’t lie to yourself though that bad storms did make your anxiety levels rise a little. So as thunder shook the house and lightening sizzled through the sky, you cowered a little in the living room. V sat on the couch an open book in his hand (one of his many books of poetry) reading the night away oblivious to the raging storm outside. You flinched at another searing bolt of lightening carving it’s way through the midnight sky before thunder quaked the house. Now V looked from his book seeing how uncomfortable and frightened you were.

“It’s just a storm,” he soothed. “You’re alright inside. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

You flinched again, “I know. It’s just kinda creepy such a storm on Halloween. It’s spooky alright.”

He chuckled scooting a little bit before patting the couch cushion beside him. Abandoning your spot another bolt and thunder caused you to jump and rush to V. He raised an arm letting you nuzzle into his side before wrapping said arm around your trembling form. The comfort that V gave you had the fear easing while the storm still continued it’s fury outside the cozy house, but you were more focused on the black haired man who held you tightly as he read. It was moments later you began to investigate the book in his hand. It was hard to see the cover due to his large hand taking up majority of the front cover. You could see some words in the title, finally you gave up with a huff and decided to ask him.

“What you reading,” you asked looking up at him with doe like eyes.

He smiled warmly kissing the top of your head before placing a thumb in the crease of the book. He folded the book over, thumb still holding his place. Now the cover was revealed to you and you couldn’t help but giggle.

“Edgar Allan Poe,” you giggled more. “How festive.”

“I guess you could say that,” he cooed. “While William Blake may be my absolute favorite, Poe does have his merits.”

“Which poem are you on now?”

You were so focused on V and the talk of the works of Edgar Allan Poe you couldn’t even hear the storm outside no longer. “Next one is A Dream Within A Dream,” he said before showing you the next page.

You snuggled in deeper, “Can you read it to me?”

“Of course.”

V’s voice echoed through the living room. You felt yourself transported into an old castle, with candelabras, a crackling fire in a fire place, hot tea upon the table, and wooden desk in the corner. While V caressed your arm as he spoke every line with his strong voice.

“Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow — You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.”

You sighed earning a elated look from V as his voice continued to carry as he started the next paragraph.

“I stand amide the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand —How few! Yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep — while I weep! O God! Can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?”

V finished and you had melted further into him. Though some of the poem saddened you, there was just something about the way V read it that warmed your heart. Before meeting him you wouldn’t have said that you were a consumer of poetry, but when it came to V and his love of poetry you found yourself enjoying such creations. The storm had ceased, like V had calmed it with his words like they had calmed you inside.

“Shall I make us some tea and continue to read more of the more Halloween type writings,” V asked still holding you tightly.

“I think I would enjoy that very much,” you answered eyelids becoming droopy. He kissed your cheek before placing the bookmark you had bought for him when you both had first met. You watched him leave for the kitchen leaving you in the living room. While Halloween had started out unexpectedly, you begun to think you both had started a new tradition. One you were going to be glad to have every single year when Halloween came back around.

[pink-sparkly-witch]

Soulmates: Chapter Twenty-One – Trying

Summary: Ava heads to Vancouver with the kids to spend her remaining hiatus months with Jensen. While anxiously awaiting her arrival, he tells the story of how their marriage almost ended before it began.

Characters: Jensen Ackles x Ava Ackles (OFC), Maddie Ackles, Gracie Ackles, Jared Padalecki x Gen Padalecki, Misha Collins, Rich Speight, Jr., Rob Benedict, Briana Buckmaster, Kim Rhodes.

Warnings: TW: Fertility problems, TW: depression, TW: marital struggles, TW: pregnancy, angst, language, smut, fingering, unprotected sex, daddy!Jensen.

Word Count: 4.3k

A/N: Well, it can’t all be smooth sailing, right? Who wants a bit of angst? Don’t worry. It all gets resolved – of course, it does! This is my fairytale couple, after all! We go back in time a little for this one, as it’s mostly flashbacks. This hasn’t been beta’d. All mistakes are mine. Feedback and comments are welcome!

You can catch up here!

My Masterlist     AO3    Ko-Fi

March 2014

There was a buzz around set. VanCon was fast approaching, and the recurring stars of Supernatural were descending upon the city. Everyone was invited to the set in anticipation of the weekend’s festivities. Today, everyone was here to plan the Saturday Night Special concert.

Jensen was on cloud nine for another reason; Ava was coming to town for two months before going back to Georgia to begin filming season five of The Walking Dead. Her flight would land any minute now, and he was as giddy as a kid on Christmas Eve.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Misha sighed dreamily as he watched his friend pace excitedly with a lovestruck smile permanently gracing his face.

“What’s beautiful?” Rich asked.

“Watching how excited Jensen is that Ava’s on her way. I love seeing how much they love each other. It’s romantic and pure! They are both insanely good-looking people, and they make a gorgeous couple. Honestly, they’re just too precious for this world!” Misha gushed.

“Both of them are! Jensen and Ava, Jared and Gen. They’re disgustingly beautiful couples,” Rob laughed at the looks of mock contempt being thrown his way by the leading men of Supernatural.

“That’s true!” Briana said with a laugh. “I’m super excited but also stupidly nervous to meet Ava.”

“Why?” Gen asked with chuckle.

“Well, for one, The Walking Dead and American Horror Story are two of my favourite shows. Two: she’s my favourite actor, and three: she’s incredibly talented and an inspiration to me.”

“She’s also probably the most down-to-earth person you’ll ever meet,” Jared said, trying to relax Briana a little. “She’s really friendly and has the most wicked sense of humour. Trust me, you will get along like a house on fire. Don’t be nervous.”

“Who’s nervous?” Jensen asked as he put his phone down after checking the flight arrivals for the millionth time.

“Bri. She’s nervous about meeting your wife for the first time,” Misha chuckled.

“Really?” Jensen said incredulously. “You want the truth? I’m nervous that the two of you are finally meeting. You’ll cause so much trouble, the pair of you!” he laughed heartily, and Briana grinned shyly.

“That’s true!” Gen added. “They’re both right. You guys will get along great, and you’ll probably cause a whole lotta trouble!” 

“You know,” Misha began. “I’m jealous you’ll see Jay and Ava together for the first time! They have a wonderful love full of happiness, laughter, light, and gorgeousness. I know we said earlier that both of you are beautiful couples, and you are, but Jared and Gen’s love is sweet, pukey and makes you wanna gag, in a nice way!” he said as laughter rang through the room. “But Jensen and Ava’s love is unconditional, adorable and delicious,” he laughed as Jensen blushed and shook his head, turning away from the group.

“Yeah, she’s amazing. She makes loving her easy. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve been through some shit and tough times, but we came out the other side stronger and closer, which is a miracle as I thought at one point our marriage might be over before it’d barely even begun,” Jensen chuckled.

“Really? What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?” Kim asked, always the Mama Bear.

“Well, I don’t think any relationship is plain sailing, but we hit a rough patch in our first year and a bit of marriage,” Jensen said as he was transported to a time and place that felt like a previous life as he told his friends – no – family, about the worst time in his life.

“It took a long time - over a year of us trying - for Ava to fall pregnant with Maddie, and things were hard between us…”

2010

Having left Supernatural and with season one of The Walking Dead only being six episodes, Ava didn’t have work as a distraction. Her last episode of Supernatural aired on May 13th, and their wedding was just over two weeks later.

From the day they said their vows until the first episode of The Walking Dead aired on Halloween, Ava had been plagued by tabloid and gossip magazine rumours that she’d quit acting to become a dutiful wife, planning to start a family, support her husband’s career and hold his arm on the red carpet like a trophy wife.

Ava tried to ignore it, knowing it wasn’t true. Still, Jensen knew it got to her more than she ever admitted to him because, other than the ten weeks she filmed in Georgia that year, that’s precisely what she’d been doing. Trying so hard to be everything she wasn’t.

On top of that, Thanksgiving at the Broussard home in Boston came full of questions about when they were going to start a family. Of course, they didn’t know that Ava had come off birth control in April, and they’d been actively trying to get pregnant since their wedding night. Jensen had been ready to step in, but all she said was, “It’ll happen when it happens,” and she smiled as big as she could. Only him knowing it was fake.

He knew she was devastated, but all he could do was wrap an arm around her in silent support and comfort. The next day, they had a huge fight when he suggested they tell their families they were trying. Jensen thought it might take the pressure off a bit, let her talk about her feelings with her mom or sisters and him with his family, but in the end, he knew Ava was right. All she’d hear then is, ‘Are you pregnant yet?’ Then everyone would suddenly become fertility experts. Or worse - sex gurus, and they did just fine in that department all on their own.

Christmas came around, and they were getting ready to go to Dallas to spend it with his family. Ava’s period was a few days late, and they decided to do a home test before going to Texas. It was negative. He told her that maybe it was too early for a positive test. After muttering a dejected “maybe,” she shut herself down again, locked herself in their shared office and avoided him for the rest of the day. That night, she crawled onto his lap and asked him to make her forget, and he obliged by fucking her with his fingers. She climaxed twice that way before she rode him hard and deep to a third.

There was no emotion or words of love, lust, or encouragement. No kisses and no touching other than her hands resting on his shoulders and his fingers in her pussy or holding her waist to steady her. It was just sex. Fucking. She didn’t even take her shirt off and shoved her panties to the side. His sweatpants were haphazardly shoved down, and he still had his shirt on too.

She climbed off him and went into the bathroom to shower as soon as he came. It hurt him a little, knowing she was only using him to try and relieve the pent-up tension that was slowly becoming a permanent part of her. Still, he’d be a hypocrite if he said he hadn’t done the same thing to her several times before.

Ava tried to be quiet, but he heard her low moans as she got herself off for a fourth time in the bathroom, and it almost broke him knowing he wasn’t enough for her at that moment. But he let her be, knowing she was taking this much harder than he was.

As he held her in his arms that night, he whispered words of love and comfort into her ear, but she remained still and silent. To add insult to their injuries, her period came the morning they were leaving for Dallas. He woke up when she quietly and softly untangled herself from his embrace to go to the bathroom. His heart dropped when she gave a bitter laugh and said quietly, “You have got to be motherfucking kidding me!”

The next thing he heard broke his heart. Ava started sobbing. He begged her to open the door, and she did. Eventually. After he began to kick it in. He took her in his arms and held her tight. The broken pieces of his heart shattered further when she said it would be like Thanksgiving all over again, and she didn’t know if she could manage everyone asking her when she would get pregnant. Once again, he tried to convince her to tell their families they were trying, but she vehemently said no.

Ava was right. Every member of his family asked Ava over the three days they were in Dallas when she was going to get pregnant. She smiled the smile only he knew was fake and said the exact same words he’d heard her say a hundred times before, and the shattered pieces of his broken heart crumbled even more. Again, all he could do was wrap an arm around her in comfort, letting her know he was right there with her.

Jensen helped his mom with the dishes, and knowing something wasn’t right, she asked him if everything was okay between them. He led her out to the back porch and made her promise not to say a word to anyone - not even his dad. With a long, loud sigh and watery eyes, he told her they’d been trying to get pregnant since the wedding. He told her about Thanksgiving in Boston and the latest negative test two days ago.

His tears fell when he said that for the past two days, everyone kept asking her when she was going to get pregnant. Then, as if they didn’t like her answer, they asked him when he was going to get her pregnant.

Donna tried but failed to hold back her laughter when he said Josh had to hold him back when Cousin Ted asked why he hadn’t ‘manned up and knocked one into that hot piece of ass yet.’ With watery eyes of her own, Donna pulled her son in for a hug and told him everything would be just fine. Fear began to rise in her gut at his response.

“I’m not sure it will, Mom. She’s devastated. And exhausted. We’re both so tired. Sex has become regimented to her cycle. It’s like she can only bear to touch me when it’s her fertile week or she’s trying to relieve stress, and even then, it’s with the least amount of intimacy possible.

“Her heart breaks a little more every month, and I don’t know what to do. After every period, she shuts me out more, and I don’t know how to get her back. Most of her smiles are fake. I can’t even remember the last time I heard a genuine laugh from her, and I don’t know how to comfort her. Nothing I do works, it only seems to make her worse, and she just pushes me away. I love her. So, fucking much, and I feel like I’m losing her.”

“For now, you’re doing everything you can, Jensen. You’re supporting her and comforting her, and she’ll come to you when she’s ready to, sweetie. I know you hate it, you always want to fix everything and make everyone happy, but you know as well as I do that Ava internalises everything and sorts through her thoughts and feelings in her head before she talks about them. Give her some more time. Maybe support and comfort her from a distance for a while. Give her some space but stay close so she knows you’re right beside her. She must be feeling like a fish out of water just now. She’ll come round, and it’ll all work out, son. You’ll see.”

2011

The next few months went by like the ones before. They both felt like they were failures, unable to give the other what they desperately wanted, and Jensen had never seen Ava so lost. She’d always been so sure of herself and what she was doing, and it had culminated in Jensen thinking he would have to fight for her and their marriage.

Instead, Ava left their apartment in Vancouver a month before she needed to and went home to L.A. because she knew they couldn’t go on the way they were. It wasn’t fair on either of them. She knew that all the tension and awkwardness was her fault. She knew having nothing else to focus on was making her crazy. She just needed a little space to ‘get her shit together,’ have a break from trying and find more work as she couldn’t ‘just sit around and look pretty’ for six months of the year. Especially if children weren’t going to be on the cards for them.

It broke Jensen’s heart when Ava said she felt like she was becoming a trophy wife. She told him she loved him and not to worry. She just needed some time and space to find herself again. It didn’t appease him much because when push came to shove, and he put everything she said together, all he heard was that she needed a break from him. And he yelled at her. He yelled at her about everything he was feeling.

He yelled that he felt like he was losing her. He shouted that she’d become so obsessed with getting pregnant that she’d forgotten everything else, including him. He yelled that their lack of intimacy was hurting him deeply, to the point that he referenced himself as her ‘fucktoy.’ How she could barely bring herself to touch him anymore. How she didn’t care for his feelings through all this. Months of buried emotions, frustrations and negative pregnancy tests left him unchecked, and God, did he regret every single one of them.

Ava took every word without a fight. Not even a smart-mouthed, sarcastic comeback. She shocked him when she apologised to him, adding that everything he said was right and that’s why she needed to leave. His heart dropped when she calmly said she wouldn’t blame him if he’d sought comfort and intimacy elsewhere. Maybe that was why he sometimes struggled to get hard for her.

Devastated at the realisation of how deeply his wife had climbed into her depression, he renewed his promise that he never had and never would cheat on her. He explained there was nothing sexy about being told when he could have sex with his wife, and that’s where the issue came from. That, and he was exhausted.

He finally agreed to let her go after she insisted these were all why she had to go home. It wasn’t for her to have a break from him, but for him to have a break from her and for her to have a break from herself. She’d become her worst critic. She couldn’t do anything right anymore. She’d become so obsessed with trying to make a baby that she’d forgotten how to love him, and she didn’t want him to resent her. She needed time to get back on track and put her priorities back in order.

2014

“I didn’t know things got so bad,” Misha said.

“Yeah, it was the worst few months of my life,” Jensen shook his head with a huff. It hurt even just remembering that painful time in their lives.

“Obviously, this has a happy ending because you’re still married and have two kids now, but come on, man! You’re killing us here!” Rob chuckled nervously.

“So, she went home. I didn’t want her to because I had this feeling that if she left, I wouldn’t get her back. But she promised me we’d be fine, and I had no choice but to let her go.”

“Oh, God! What happened after that?” Briana said.

“She flourished again, which wasn’t good for my ego! When I flew home for hiatus, she looked healthy again. She had an L.A. tan, and she’d put on some of the weight she’d lost. She was in therapy and happier, but she was distant with me. She was affectionate with little touches, hugs, and kisses to my lips or cheeks. We talked, but she wouldn’t talk about how she felt, telling me she wasn’t ready yet.

“I don’t say this to brag, but Ava’s a very affectionate and sexual person, and we weren’t intimate. That really worried me because I was still keeping track of her cycle, so I knew when she was ovulating. She told me later that she wasn’t ready to stop trying, but she also didn’t want the heartbreak of getting her period a few weeks later when she’d be alone in Georgia.

“She got a part in American Horror Story, as you know, and only two weeks into my hiatus, she went back to Atlanta. We talked every day, but with the never-ending Con circuit, hiatus quickly ending, and her travelling between Georgia and L.A. to film, I only saw her once every three weeks for a day or two.”

2011

Once Ava went back to Georgia to film season two of The Walking Dead, she’d only seen Jensen a few times before he went back to Vancouver. Conventions for him and filming The Walking Dead and the new pilot show, American Horror Story for her - had gotten in the way of any kind of quality time they could have together.

They still talked daily, often more than once, and Jensen knew she was happier. She was more like her old self again, and he was genuinely happy for her, but it was clouded with dread. Dread that she’d found her happiness again without him in her life. She reassured him that she loved him every time they talked, but his fear of her leaving him outweighed her words of comfort.

Just over two months had passed with things remaining too busy for them to talk or spend time together, and he knew they would be at San Diego ComicCon together. He’d mentioned on a call with her that he had his hotel room sorted. He was pleasantly surprised and extremely relieved when she said she’d tell her people she didn’t need a room. She asked him to tell his people she’d be staying with him and to leave a key at reception for her. He’d arrive on Thursday, and she was coming on Friday morning due to filming commitments.

When she arrived at the convention centre, her assistant checked her in and took her bag to the room so she could go straight to the CW’s green room and find Jensen, who was talking to Jared with his back to her. Jared smiled at her, patted Jensen’s shoulder, and nodded in her direction. He turned around to see his beautiful wife smiling widely and walking his way.

His heart skipped a beat, and his shoulders dropped slightly as he walked towards her. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, holding her for dear life.

“Hey, handsome,” she whispered in his ear. “I missed you. So much,” she finished as she nuzzled into his neck, inhaling the scent she’d missed more than she could say.

“I missed you too, Princess. You have no idea how worried I’ve been about you. Us,” he said as he set her back down.

Ava looked down at her feet and raised her gaze to his shyly. “Can we talk, uh, before things get too crazy?”

After a long and heartfelt talk where feelings were shared, insecurities were aired, and reassurances were given on both sides. Each apologised for their behaviour, and new promises were made.

Jensen promised he’d never keep his feelings buried to protect her, and Ava promised she wouldn’t shut him out ever again, admitting it had killed her to do it.

Ava had cried when she told him she did it because she thought he didn’t want a baby as badly as she did, now knowing he wanted it just as much as she did but had been hiding his true feelings from her, knowing how hard she already was on herself. Once the air was cleared, they worked the ComicCon panels and photo ops like the pros they were, making sure to give the fans their money’s worth.

Later, after dinner with their respective casts, Ava met Jensen in the bar for drinks and caught up with Jared, Gen and Misha. They left earlier, a little drunker than anyone else, and headed to their room. In a twist of fate that had Jensen confident everything would be okay between them after he checked in yesterday, they were in the same room where they slept together for the first time back at ComicCon 2006.

When it dawned on Ava where they were, she laughed gleefully and kissed him with every fibre of her being, knowing, just like him, that everything would work out just fine.

That night and over the rest of the weekend, their bond and marriage became infallible, unwavering, and unbreakable. All weekend long, they had the best sex either of them had ever had, and she’d been louder than he’d ever heard her. But best of all, Maddie was conceived.

Eight weeks later, Ava travelled up to Vancouver during her birthday weekend, surprising everyone. After a heart-warming greeting with her husband that had everyone swooning, she handed him a gift box in front of Jared and Gen. Jensen looked at her with an adorably confused puppy look.

“Wait a minute, isn’t it your birthday, baby girl?” he said.

Ava giggled happily, causing Jensen to break into a goofy love-struck grin. “Just open it, Jay. Please?”

Nodding his head, he unwrapped the ribbon, and everyone held their breath, not knowing what was going on – except for Gen, who’d caught on and had tears and a broad smile on her face.

Jensen lifted the lid and looked in the box, brow furrowing until realisation hit him that he was staring at a positive pregnancy test and a baby grow that said ‘Hi Daddy’.

His mouth dropped open, tears shining in his eyes as he sobbed, “Really?” 

“Yes,” Ava sobbed back.

“You’re sure?” Jensen checked.

Ava smiled as tears ran down her cheeks, and she nodded.

“I’m…” he stopped, huffing out a loud breath as he tried to control his emotions. “I’m gonna be a daddy?” he asked.

Hands came up to faces in shock, and tears rolled down the cheeks of everyone there.

“Yes, Jensen,” Ava said joyously. “You’re gonna be a daddy!”

Jensen sobbed again and hugged her tightly as he openly cried on her shoulder. “You’re gonna be a momma! And I’m gonna be a daddy! Oh, God, thank you!” They stayed clinging to each other and crying.

Misha walked over, panicked, seeing everyone crying, and asked, “Ava’s here? What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Jensen pulled away from Ava and turned to him, smiling and wiping his tears. “We’re having a baby!” he said as he kissed her.

2014

“Do you think you’ll have more babies?” Kim asked.

“God, I hope so. Ava’s a great mom and loves my girls more than anything. She loves being pregnant, and honestly, pregnancy and motherhood look good on her. But it’s her body, and she’s raising them on her own for the most part, so it’s up to her.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that too much, Jay. She’d have a football team if she could!” Gen smiled, “and she’d give you anything you asked for, just like you would for her, so if you told her you wanted another baby, she’d give you one,” she finished.

Jensen’s head perked up, and he smiled as he heard his reason for getting up every morning.

“Let’s get this one a little bigger before we talk more babies, huh, handsome?” Ava smiled as she walked into the room, holding Maddie’s hand in hers and Gracie’s car seat in the other. Jensen’s smile grew wider when he heard Maddie shout out to him.

“Daddy!” the two-year-old yelled gleefully, letting go of her mother’s hand and running to her father, making his smile impossibly bigger.

“There’s my girls! Hi sweetheart!” Jensen smiled wide as he bent down and picked up his little girl, who looked exactly like her mother except for her eyes. Those unmistakable green eyes were inherited from him.

No one could help their big smiles at the sweet scene unfolding before them. Maddie was snuggled into Jensen’s chest, her tiny arms struggling to go around his broad shoulders as he walked over to Ava.

He smiled even wider as he glanced into the car seat and saw a sleeping six-week-old Gracie. Careful not to squash Maddie or bump the car seat, he side-hugged his wife and kissed her sweetly.

“How are you, beautiful?” Jensen asked, emotion evident in his voice.

“I’m good, baby. How are you?” Ava beamed at him.

“Better now that all of my favourite ladies are here! I missed you,” he said as he bent down to kiss her again.

She looked stunning. The last time he saw her, she was still swollen from pregnancy and childbirth. Not that he minded. At all. She created, nurtured, grew, and birthed a child. His child. He didn’t care what her body looked like after it had performed that miracle. Hell, he didn’t care if she never got her body back. He’d told her that after she had Maddie. Ava was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

But as he took in his wife for the first time in three weeks, he noticed that her torso was almost flat again, only holding onto a little postpartum stomach. Her hips were still slightly wider than usual, and her usually generous breasts were bigger and filled with milk. She looked tired but had that new mother glow, and she’d never looked more beautiful in Jensen’s eyes.

“You look great, baby,” he whispered as he shifted Maddie to the side and took the car seat from her.

“Thanks, Jay,” Ava blushed and tiptoed up to kiss him again.

“I told you! They’re too gorgeous and precious for this world!” Misha exclaimed, causing laughter around the room and Ava to look at him like he’d lost his mind.

Next Chapter >>

Jensen / Dean Tags: @akshi8278 @deanwanddamons @siospins2

Soulmates Tags: @deans-baby-momma

[queenshelby]

My Friend’s Father (Part Five)

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Age Gap, Mild Sexual References

Words: 1,848

Notes:

I have decided to make this into a series.

Alright, no judgment. This was a dream of mine and I felt like I had to write it down. Everyone in this Fic is over the age of 18 and this Fic is in no way based on Cillian’s real family life. It’s pure filth.

 *************************

YOUR POV

Two weeks had passed since you visited your friend Denise in Dublin and it was time for the annual Galway Arts Festival.

Denise had been working on a photography project for the past year and had been nominated for a student award in Galway as part of which ten of her photographs were being displayed during the Arts Festival.

Whilst, as you had expected, Cillian didn’t contact you, you knew that he would be there to support his daughter. Being an artist himself, he was very proud of her and her work and he supported her projects not only mentally but also financially with the caveat that she would finish her degree at Trinity College.

Unlike him, he didn’t want her to drop out of university even though she hated it and you certainly understood his reasoning.

Contrary to Denise, you had no creative bone in your body. You enjoyed art and theatre, but weren’t an artist or performer yourself. Instead, you were an A Grade Law Student who had become rather bored in Galway and had recently applied for a scholarship to Oxford University.

Reading was your passion and you had always been known as a geek. In school, you were the girl that no one liked, nerdy, not interested in fashion or social media and wearing braces, which, luckily, had been removed three years ago.

You were shy and it was only for Denise that you came out of your shell. She was popular in school, mostly due to her name, but also because she was generally confident and, over the years, she helped you gain confidence especially after you had left high school.

But, today, you knew you would be questioning your gained confidence once again since, first of all, you would be seeing Cillian again and the truth was that you couldn’t stop thinking about him in an intimate way and, secondly, you were featured completely naked on some of Denise’s photographs.

Whilst the photographs were artistic and not sexual in any way and your most intimate part wasn’t visible on them, it bothered you knowing that people you disliked would see you so vulnerable and you couldn’t remember why you had agreed to being photographed like that.

The other woman who Denise chose to photograph was Amalie. She was 23 and had been Denise’s friend for a while as well but, unlike you, she began modelling professionally when she was just 16. You all went to the same private school together and, clearly, her lifestyle had been largely financed by her parents. She always wore expensive clothes and had no interest in pursuing a career other than modelling, which barely sustained her lifestyle considering the few small jobs she got.

***

Just as you served your last cup of coffee to an elderly lady sitting in the corner of the café you were working at, you saw Denise, Amalie and two other friends of Denise walk in.

‘Hey guys, take a seat. I will be right with you. I am just about to finish my shift’ you said as you hung up your apron.

‘Please tell me you will get changed before the Gallery opening tonight?’ Amalie asked somewhat weirdly and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes as you sat down at the table with her, Denise and the others before ordering some coffees for yourselves.

‘No, I thought I would go like this’ you said sarcastically, looking down at your coffee-stained clothes.

‘I bought a dress for tonight’ you then said, after Amalie didn’t seem to sense your sarcasm.

‘Right’ she then said as she flicked through Instagram and you simply looked at Denise who shrug her shoulders.

‘What are you looking for?’ you asked curiously as her eyes seemed to be glued to her phone.

‘She is looking to find more photos of my dad and Laura Jennings’ Denise said, rolling her eyes.

‘Laura Jennings, as in the actress?’ you asked, causing Amalie to nod.

‘Yes, apparently they have been dating’ Amalie then confirmed, causing you to swallow harshly. You knew that you shouldn’t care but you couldn’t help it. Knowing that Cillian was seeing someone made you feel ill.  

‘And you care about that why?’ you then asked Amalie after an uncomfortable shiver ran down your spine.

‘Apparently, just like you, Amalie thinks my dad is a DILF’ Denise huffed out before telling you how disgusting you all were.

‘Well, he is though…he is super hot’ Amalie then joked before carrying on. ‘And I don’t understand how you don’t know about Laura Jennings and whether this is true or not. You need to find out’ Amalie then said but Denise simply shook her head.

‘My father doesn’t share this sort of stuff with me and I certainly don’t want to know about his sex life, thank you very much. In so far as I am concerned, he doesn’t have sex, ever…yuck! Also, I would appreciate if you could not talk about my dad anymore, please. It grosses me out’ Denise said and you knew that, all of this had become a common occurrence ever since the day the first episode of Peaky Blinders aired on BBC, a show which Denise refuses to watch herself because of the heavy sexual content and a show which you, only a week ago, had begun to binge watch.

Cillian’s POV

When Cillian walked into the basement after you had left, he immediately saw the small folded up note you had left him but, reading it, made him somewhat uncomfortable.

He was torn about what to do with it and certainly knew that he should ignore it. He couldn’t see you again even if he wanted to.

The fact that you were 23 years younger than him and that you were his daughter’s best friend made it all wrong and highly inappropriate and he didn’t know what had gotten into him in the first place when he gave into you.

He had never felt attracted towards you in any sort of way until that last visit which was the first time had seen you since you and your family had moved away.

You changed in many ways and he wasn’t sure what it was that he liked about you. But what he knew was that it was more than just sexual attraction, which was usually something he knew how to supress.

With that in mind, he placed your note into his wallet and decided to ignore it for now. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to throw it out.

***

With his bags packed it was time for him to return to Manchester and resume filming of the final season of Peaky Blinders.

The first week of filming went well and Cillian decided to spend the weekend with his friend, fellow actress Laura Jennings. Cillian and her had developed a friend with benefits sort of relationship. No strings attached and no feelings involved. After his divorce from Denise’s mother, he wasn’t ready for anything else and Laura would certainly not have been the type of woman he would have wanted a relationship with in the first place.

Unlike him, she wasn’t press shy and, whilst they kept their arrangement a secret as best as they could, she was otherwise quite active on social media.

Cillian, on the other hand, only maintained a private Instagram account with the sole purpose of being able to check on his children. Whilst they were adults, he was still worried about them, especially Denise who had recently gotten herself in a lot of trouble after distancing herself from this Jeremy boy.

***

‘Another wine?’ Laura asked as Cillian was relaxing on top of the doonas, wearing nothing but his black Calvin Klein briefs, after they had spent the last hour doing exactly what friends with benefits would do after not having seen each other for over two weeks due to busy filming schedules.

‘Yes please…thanks’ he responded as he reached for his phone after a notification had popped up.

It was his daughter Denise who had posted on Instagram and, since she hadn’t posted for a while, he decided to check it out, hoping that she wasn’t with Jeremy again.

To his surprise, three new pictures of Denise and her friends showed up when he opened the APP and, one of them, there was you.

In the picture, you were wearing accompanied by a man in his late twenties, wearing a suit while you were wearing a dark blue dress and he couldn’t help but wonder who the man by your side was.

You looked simply stunning, with your hair long and open and your shoulders exposed. You were wearing only a little bit of make up and showed your beautiful smile.  

‘There you go Mr Murphy’ Laura then said as she returned to the bedroom with another glass of wine, pulling Cillian’s phone out of his hand and climbing on top of him.

‘Round Two?’ she then asked eagerly as she reached for another condom, but Cillian’s thoughts were elsewhere entirely.

‘Maybe tomorrow, I am tired. It has been a long week, sorry’ he explained, causing Laura to pout with disappointment.

But the second round never eventuated as Cillian left Laura’s house the following morning to drive back to Manchester to resume filming.

On his way back to Manchester, he called his daughter Denise to check on her and while he did, he enquired about your companion on the Instagram posts.

‘Why do you want to know?’ Denise asked somewhat confused but Cillian played it cool.

‘He looks familiar, that’s all. Didn’t he go to your school?’ he then asked, playing dumb.

‘Oh god no, he is 29. His name is Connor and he is an accountant. Y/N wouldn’t date anyone our age. You know she isn’t a normal 21-year-old’ Denise joked, referring to your nerdiness and intellect.

‘Apparently not’ Cillian chuckled before asking another question about the stranger on the picture. ‘So, they are dating?’ he asked.

‘I think they went on two or three dates or something. Why do you care?’ Denise asked.

‘No reason. I was just wondering’ Cillian confirmed before changing the topic.

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