#tigger shares food and they sleep together

[midnightmindcave]

we learned that the cat we adopted a couple of years ago was the ‘cool babysitting uncle’ of his colony so we finally got him a kitten

[witches-and-cows]

Kisses and Cocoa

pairing: aziracrow (or ineffable wives) / fem!child!reader

requested? no but i do have requests to do djsiggfb

synopsis: just a little down time in the snow with our favorite angel and demon, and their baby girl

warning(s): fem!reader, it’s the wives cuz honestly i love them and they deserve more, a little blood, reader is like, 5

a/n: i gotta do those requests jdishrv so know that i’ve got a peter parker x reader in the works, and a crowley x platonic!reader; school’s overwhelming so

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

Aziraphale was awoken by your childish excitement. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, sitting up and subconsciously carding her fingers through her partner’s vibrant ginger hair.

“Mmm....five more minutes, Angel. It’s cold.”

Crowley snuggled further into her lover’s chest, kissing her collarbone. Aziraphale yawned, and started counting down, waiting for you to burst through the door. 

“And 3, 2, 1--”

“Mum! Mummy, snow! There’s snow!” You climbed up on the bed, your chubby toddler hands grasping the blankets excitedly. Crowley kissed her teeth, sitting up. “Good morning, Giggles. How’d you sleep?” She pecked your forehead, and sat you in her lap. “Fine, mummy, but there’s snow!” You wiggled out of her grasp, and pressed your face up to the cold, foggy window, your eyes full of wonder. 

Aziraphale set her feet on the floor, and gasped softly, the cold shocking her. “Good heavens, it’s freezing!” You barely registered your mummy’s voice, now drawing in the fog of the window and humming to yourself. Aziraphale felt the overwhelming love she had for you bubble up into her throat, and she quickly wiped at her eyes. 

Crowley watched her with an amused smile gracing her lips. She’d never thought she’d get to have days like this with the angel, curled up in bed, watching their daughter grow up, and experience her first snow.

She loved Aziraphale, so damned much it nearly made her double over. And she loved you, with your wide [e/c] eyes and bubbly laughter (thus why they called you ‘Giggles’), and your love of cookies and Scooby Doo. She had her little family. She was, dare she say, grateful for you two everyday.

She was taken out of her little reverie by Aziraphale leaving a kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to brush my teeth, and help [Name] make up her bed and get ready for the day. Would you be so kind as to make breakfast?”

“Of course, Angel. Any requests?”

You turned and faced your moms, a wide smile gracing your features. “Can we have [pick a breakfast food]?” Crowley winked, saying, “Are angels real?”

“Yes! Thank you, mum!”

She chuckled, watching you tug on Aziraphale’s robe sleeve as you both walked out. 

Aziraphale enjoyed helping you get ready; It was one of those domestic activities that she’d miss as you got older. She picked out a cream colored shirt with seafoam green accents, and a pair of black overalls, humming softly along to the children’s program on the television (some magical ‘girl power!’ type cartoon that she also enjoyed; it was called Lollipop? No, LoliRock. She found it quite entertaining.) 

You flitted into the room, allowing Aziraphale to help you into the clothes, and talked about the dream you’d had (something about the Cars franchise and unicorns battling to the death over the Eiffel Tower), adding in little ‘oohs’ and ‘oh, dear!’s to indicate she was listening.

Once you were dressed and your hair was done, she had you wait downstairs in the living room of their cottage, letting Crowley entertain you with stories about mythical beings and the stars. Crowley was flipping a pancake when she sat next to you at the table, placing a napkin in your lap. 

She set a plate of food in front of you, smiling as you stared out the window, singing about how you’d like to go outside and build a snowman. “Do you want to go outside, Giggles?”

You nodded excitedly, practically bouncing in your seat. “Can we? I really want to!” Aziraphale bobbed her head in agreement, putting the juice Crowley poured for you on your placemat, and taking her cup of Earl Gray out of her hands. “Yes, we can, but eat first.” You went to work, not noticing the small smiles and brief touches that your mothers shared across the table.  

You finished your juice, and hopped out of your seat, impatiently waiting for one of your moms to finish. “C’mon, we’re busting daytime!” Crowley threw her head back, a raucous laugh leaving her mouth. “D’you mean burning  daylight, [Name]?”  

“Oh, yeah,” You responded, giggling. 

Crowley stood, and watched you run ahead to your room, screaming, “SNOW SNOW SNOW!” as you went along. She turned to Aziraphale, wiping tears from her eyes. “Busting daytime, that’s funny.” Aziraphale looked at her partner lovingly. “Go on, then. She’ll need help getting into her snow gear.” She said, amusement laced in her words. Crowley sauntered down the hall, whistling the tune of Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon.

You were already mostly undressed when she got to you, hastily tugging on your thermal underwear. “Oh, you’re quick,” She quipped as she picked up the clothes you discarded and placing them on the bed. “You know Mummy doesn’t like you leaving your clothes everywhere.”

“I know, but you said once or twice it’s okay.” 

Crowley, looked over at the toys lining your shelves, raising a brow at the Lightning McQueen car, before going to help you button up your snow pants. “Fair enough; You’ve got to have a smidge of demonic influence, don’t you, [Name]?” 

You giggled, letting her pull a jumper over your head, and put on your bubble coat. “Damned zipper,” She muttered, eyes narrowed in concentration. She eventually got it and then moved on to put your hat on your head, and wrap a scarf around your neck. You stopped her as she picked up your gloves, saying, “I can do it, Mum! Look!” 

She watched, pride glinting in her golden eyes as you successfully pulled the fingers of the gloves over your fingers. “That’s my girl, [Name]!” You let her put on the boots, though, saying, “I can’t do the boots, can you help?” She nodded, and did them for you, then letting you run off to find Aziraphale. Her attention then drifted to the toys again, and she fixed them to go in order of franchise then size. “Gosh, you really like Cars,” She mumbled.

Aziraphale had just gotten her own boots on, and was pulling on her hat as you hopped toward her. “Ready!” She picked you up, walking you to the front of the house, setting you in the snow. You fell back, making a snow angel and laughing. “Look, Mummy! It’s you!” 

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

 A while later, Crowley came up behind Aziraphale, examining the snow angel from earlier, and a smiley face you made by walking in circles. “Wow, kiddo, that’s really good!” She then held out a carrot, and the buttons she’d picked up, saying, “I thought we wanted to build a snowman, Giggles?” You got to work, rolling the base and dodging snowballs from Crowley. Aziraphale worked on the midsection, snapping her fingers discreetly. 

You put the snowman’s head on, and Crowley lifted you so you could stick the nose in. Aziraphale stuck on the eyes, and put a bowtie on the divide between it’s head and middle. Crowley snapped a leather jacket on it, and you put some mittens on it’s “hands”. Then you all admired your handiwork. 

“They’re perfect,” Crowley confirmed, nodding her head. Aziraphale hummed in agreement. “Now what?”

“I saw a tutorial on how to build snow forts. We can try it?”

Crowley looked around, before snapping her fingers and watching an igloo build itself. Aziraphale made sure you didn’t get hit by ice blocks as the structure formed. 

You squealed, and went into the fort, laughing. Your laugh however, was cut off by a sneeze. Aziraphale perked up, brows furrowed. “Maybe we should head in,” She muttered, Crowley agreeing and gathering you up in her arms. “C’mon then, in we go.” 

“But--”

“You’re freezing, kiddo. We can go make hot chocolate, watch a movie.” 

That quietted your protest, and you burrowed your face in your Mum’s neck, your time outside wearing you out. 

Aziraphale opened the door, making sure the heat was up, before shedding her winter gear. She took you out of Crowley’s arms, letting her take hers off, then the both of them got to work on you.

You let them strip you of the wet clothes, and put a towel on your shivering form. “C’mon, let’s get you into a warm bath, then we can watch [favorite kid movie].” Aziraphale cooed, as your head lolled. “Dearest you get the bath going, I’ll get the cocoa.” 

Crowley nodded. “Alright, Angel.” She made her way to the bathroom, snapping her fingers so that the tub filled with warm water. “Step in for me, Giggles.” You did so, and Crowley quickly bathed you, humming Queen’s greatest hits, chuckling when you tried to join in with her. 

You finished up, and she wrapped you in your fluffy Winnie the Pooh hooded towel. (it was Tigger; Since you happened to hop around like him often, when Aziraphale saw it, she immediately thought of you, so she bought it.)

She put you together, and carried you to the living room, where Aziraphale was putting a tray of cocoa and cookies on the coffee table. “Oh, dear, you look adorable, [Name]! I love your Stitch onesie.” You made grabby hands at your Mummy, and she smiled sweetly, taking you into her arms and kissing your cheek. 

“My little [Name]. My dearest,” She muttered into your head, taking in the scent of your body wash and your natural scent. You reveled in the affection, mumbling, “I’m not little.” Crowley sat down, patting the seat next to her. “Of course not. You’re our big girl, [Name].” You bobbed your head, content with that. 

Crowley put on your movie, putting an arm around the back of the couch. Aziraphale snuggled into her side. As you slowly drifted off, Crowley kissed Aziraphale’s lips softly, “I love you, Angel.”

“I love you more, my dear.” 

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

please i love them sm we’re craving this domestic shit

[crownedfreehummingbird]

I quietly stumble, with one eye open, out of the bedroom and with a book in hand. The clicking of slow heavy claws hit the wooden floor as Tigger is by my side and right behind us a soft but faster pitter-patter comes from Bandit. They follow me hoping to get food first thing but they should know the routine by now.

I rub my eyes as the coffee brews and spits out of the single serve Keurig, that comfort smell fills the house. Adding just a dash of creamer to change the color, I head to the back door. Grabbing the three same pillows to sit on as we do not have a comfortable area to sit outside. Two decorative pillows I got cheap at Walmart and one from the old, scratched, and broken couch we kept our large friend Tig to lounge on for himself. Stepping down to our screened-in patio I place my book and coffee on the colorful indoor outdoor rug to arrange the pillows. Using the wall, I place a pillow to cushion my back, the large couch cushion under me and a thin seat cushion for my feet.

I can't see because it is dark and my eyes have still not gotten the sleepy out. I blink and rub for a few minutes with a yawn here and there, asking why I get up so early. Is it even worth it?? Losing sleep, snuggle time with my husband, later in the day feeling the effect of my early bird rising. Then the music of frogs and crickets, as they play around the pond behind our house, erases all those questions. It's still quiet out in the world which makes their music sound louder.

I say out loud "God, no Father! I'm here, half asleep but I'm here. Good morning". A smile cracks on my face. The sun changes the black sky into a faint blue, before I know it singing erupts as birds of all kinds join together with the frogs and crickets. As the sky lightens giving shape to things in the distance, Birds swoop in around the pond for a morning drink. The Roar of cars start fading in and out as more and more people rush to get to work. I tried to ignore the cars and enjoy the calm and beautiful sounds of nature, as I know I will be joining them soon.

As I continue to watch, white herons circle to find a spot around the pond, smaller birds swoop down in flocks, and ducks waddle to glide and flap on the surface of the ones still waters. I begin to thank God for getting me up so early and the tired wears off. I think Him for the two dogs who found a spot on the rug so they could be close to me, for our home, the plants and flowers that we have planted to make it beautiful and useful land, and for the pond that brought life to our backyard.

I often wonder what makes a good story. Is it the way you tell it or the order of events? Is it the person telling the story and how people can relate to the characters? Does it have to have action, romance, or death to make an impact? I'm not sure but I do know I have read books that changed my life and I want to impact just one person's life by sharing my story. I'm going to explain who I am now, the past that brought me to where I am, and then take you on the journey as I grow and change.

God Bless you!

[swansouled-blog]

                          AND A SUPER HAPPY BIRTH                          TO A SUPER SPECIAL FRIEND!!!                                                  @jjillekkot

Hello Nina! I want to tell you how much you’re very loved but it isn’t just on your birthday. It’s every day !! This day is just a herald of happy reminders of how wonderful it truly is that you exist. For those of us who are lucky enough to call you an important person in our lives, and a precious friend, I’m just one of many who adore you! But I’m not gonna let this super special day pass without rejoicing in the existence of you. Now buckle down, Piglet/Haruka/Rue because I’d love to give my share of that love to you!

So, we started out just talking about Kagome I think? And then you reached out to me! I think my life would be far less bright had you not, and so I’m thanking you, on THE SPECIAL BIRTH(TM) to remind you how wonderful it’s been since we’ve steadily gotten to know one another, and continue to! That’s such a journey and adventure in itself! Nina, I love your kindness, I love our tea-dates, I love your incredible hard-working self, (though please sleep oh my god) and your wisdom, your bright soul - how you are so much stronger than you know, so much more loved than you know!

 I love watching Ghost Adventures with you, getting into calls with you, feeling like our friendship is one that loves itself and takes care of itself, in a way, it fills in our differences, it delights in our similarities, and enjoys our consistent - and yeah we sure do laugh a lot, laughter. 

Friendship is so special when you know you can laugh with someone. When you can be raw and real but also be able to just be casual and ask how the day went - and to know it’s growing wow that is such a privilege for me! It’s about things like going to get some chai tea or babble about a food or story that drove us bonkers in our lives and smile together. 

Well, your voice sounds like it’s smiling when you’re happy, I know that much!  and like many, I wish I could be here with you in person today. We’d get some huge gummi bear bags and whatever you pleased, make a blanket fort or I guess like normal people sit...on something, watch every single show you ever liked, play X-2 (we’d have to start again if you’re okay with that because I’m so behind now or another game or a movie it’s all about you!) and I’d give you all the warm hugs and treaties (treats ok)! I still gotta make you my special spaghetti.

 But today I’m just here with you in the soul and the heart. I think that’s part of friendship, to me, personally two people decide to carry someone’s heart as part of yours because hey, that’ your friend and you wanna be there, rain or shine, and Nina, I’m always here to be another person who loves you to do that, and I plan to be here for you to do so! I’ll blow up your phone with Tutu gifs and goobery Lizzie/Tigger/Ahiru/Minako. 

You being happy makes me happy, I have so much love in my heart, so much gratitude. So thankful I have a friend who brightens my day just by being online, trusting me, having silly times with me, having serious talks with me, smiling even if we can’t see-it’s with me, that you’ve become a very important friend, and the joy of this journey bright, valuable Nina, is that you, and me, are on an adventure together in our own friendship as it evolves. So let’s have fun in it! Let’s celebrate today! 

Hey Nina? You’re existence is irreplaceable? No one can do what you do. No one can be you, and no one can exist the way you do. You are incredible just by waking up each morning, sleeping each night, just BEING! If you hadn’t been born I never would have met you, I never would be able to have my tea-dates and show-dates and talking-dates and laugh-dates, deep-talk dates and calls with you as your friend. I can only speak for myself, but I am so happy I met the kind, sassy, hard-working you, the wonderful you of so many things. I wouldn’t change her for the world, and it’s a blessing in MY life, having her part of mine. 

Thank you Nina for being born! Thanks for landing like the kick-ass comet you are! This world would be utterly missing out on the type of treasures only you can give it to make it better, kinder, braver, truer. So live your life and keep your head up high always! Especially today, knowing you are powerful, valuable, irreplaceable and deserve only the kindest, softest, brightest things this world can give. My heart and thoughts are gonna stick by you every step of the way. 

And know I’m here for you every step of the way if you’ll have me! Let our adventures continue in the natural wonderful way they do, okay? You up for it!? Gosh, I sure am.

I love you Nina. Your presence brings happiness and truth into life, into others, into my life, and endless adventure and realism - and every part of you is great. And nope you can’t argue because friends love each other where they’re at - and with friend-vision you love super hard! You’re stuck with me that way, haha.  Isn’t that hat’s the great adventure after all? So here’s my invisible cake, my arms are wrapped tight in words and all I can say over and over again - 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NINA! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING BORN! I’M SO HAPPY YOU’RE IN MY LIFE, THANK YOU FOR BEING IN IT AND MAKING IT BETTER! 

“I carry your heart with me. I carry it in my heart.”  - E.E. Cummings.

Love you always, your friend Lizzie.

[shootwinterfest]

All the Ways I Got to Know Your Pretty Face and Electric Soul

From @kuromikoneko​

 A snowball fight between Root and Shaw is both a rare and marvelous event and hardly ever sticks to simple snowball throwing. They almost always end up wrestling in the snow, getting the cold slush on warm skin where their clothes don't quite meet fully after being pushed up or down in their bout. However, it's even more rare that they have Bear and even Gen tagging along, though to be fair, it was the kid's idea to play in the snow after the massive storm the previous day. It had been pure luck they were housing Gen this week before Christmas.

 The first day she had shown up at their door unexpectedly, Gen questioned why Shaw was eating melon, to which she got a gruff 'hey' and a disappearing idol. Root has explained it was part of the Yalda Festival and though Shaw wasn't a devote believer and hated melons, she would make the exception each December to honor her mother. A fact she only mentioned when she and Root were alone in the middle of the night unable to sleep because of their shared nightmares waking them. Root didn't mention the latter, but fondly remembered those moments of sharing.

 And soon it would be the Festival of Fire, two days after the Christians' Christmas. Root was trying to figure out the best way to celebrate with Sameen (again, in honor and respect of her mother), but where would the best place for a bonfire be...?

Today, the three found New York City covered in nearly a foot of snow, the streets and sidewalks already clear by the time Gen woke and hobbled sleepily into the open kitchen and living room. Excited about the view over Central Park, she begged the couple to bundle up with her and all take Bear for a walk. What her deviousness had in mind, however, was some fun in the snow and soon as she got the opportunity, she let rip with a well packed snowball heading toward Shaw's back.

~Smack!~

Giggling madly, Gen immediately sought protection behind Root, claiming, “Snowball fight!” and hoping Root would be on her side.

“You asked for it, kid,” Shaw warned, crouching down to pack a snowball together. Circling Root, who felt oddly unsure if she should protect Gen or let Shaw take the shot, kept her body between the pair for the moment, arms spread. Seemingly finding a flaw in the plan or simply not caring, Shaw threw her snowball and it hit Root straight in the face.

Root heard Gen gasp behind her, imagining mittened hands over her mouth as she wiped the snow from her face to avoid too much moisture down under her collar to her clothes. “Them's fightin' words, sweetie,” she threatened, glaring at Shaw before grabbing Gen's shoulder to find better cover.

“No cheating, you hear?!” Shaw called out after them. Root wasn't sure if She was listening today, but would honor Shaw's wishes even if The Machine chimed in.

As the battle raged on, their outerwear sufficiently spotted darker thanks to their successful hits with snow, Root eventually made a daring move. Spotting Shaw closing in on their location, she inadvertently used Gen as both distraction and bait, while she moved to one of Shaw's blindspots. Confident that Shaw hadn't detected her, Root leapt at the smaller woman, and they both collapsed to the ground and began battling for dominance in order to pin the other.

Gen stepped out from her hiding place, trying to aim her snowball, but decided either way she wouldn't be able to gauge who would get hit, and threw it softly toward Bear nearby. “Grown ups,” she grumbled with a secret grin toward the dog. Bear's head tilted and he huffed lightly. “Don't worry,” Gen said, petting his head affectionately. She took a seat on a bench after wiping it down of snow.

Huffing, Shaw managed to pin Root to the ground, an arm around her shoulders, the other holding a wrist firmly. “Gotcha,” she grinned.

“So you do...” Root smiled adoringly up at Shaw, head tilted slightly. Shaw visibly gulped, blinking once before she took a breath and sat back on her knees. “What's the matter?” Root asked, sitting up as well.

Shaw shook her head.

“Sameen...”

“It's stupid...”

“I don't care.”

“Just...the way you look at me. It...it's like I'm suffocating,” Shaw explained through her grit teeth, unable to look at Root.

“I'm sorry,” Root tried to say what Shaw wanted to hear, but Shaw shook her head.

“Don't be. It's something I'm not...equipped for.”

“That you're uncomfortable with?”

“I can deal with it,” Shaw spoke curtly.

Root smiled. “Good. Because I'm pretty sure the way I look at you is indicative of my feelings for you, of my looooove for you,” she leaned further forward and nipped at Shaw's jawline, hoping to relieve some tension with a joke.

Shaw's eyes rolled. “Nerd,” she grumbled before turning her head and capturing Root's lips with her own. Root hummed in agreement, a giggle escaping due to the vibration of their lips. “Come back here,” Shaw murmured, resting a mittened hand on the back of Root's head to kiss her again.

“Are we getting hot chocolate soon?” Gen asked as she finally approached the pair, Bear running circles around them in excitement.

Sighing, the pair broke apart and Root winked at Gen. “Sure. Maybe get some food too. I imagine this one's tummy is grumbling,” Root suggested.

“I am no Pooh Bear,” Shaw argued as she stood up, making a point by not offering to help Root up. Root managed to get her feet beneath her on the second try, a patch of ice below her feet the first time. Shaw scoffed in amusement. “You okay there, Eeyore?”

Root glared at Shaw with pursed lips. “Okay, fine, I'll accept Eeyore, but whom else would you be if not my cheer up pal, as Pooh so often is for Eeyore?” she asked defiantly looping her arm with Shaw's.

“That's Bear. Bear is everyone's Pooh. Finch is Piglet. Gen can be...Tigger. Reese is...Rabbit--”

“Wait, no. I think you're Rabbit with everyone not touching your stuff,” Gen piped up from Root's other side.

“Yeah...you have to have a place in this too, sweetie,” Root agreed. “Plus you and Rabbit share grouchiness in personality.”

Shaw huffed. “Fine. Then Reese can be...Owl and Fusco is Gopher. He's the weird one, right?”

“Gopher? Yeah,” Root confirmed.

“This is a strange analogy,” Gen commented.

“You're a strange analogy,” Shaw directed her comment to Root.

“Well...”Root began, grinning down at Gen. “Shaw calling me 'Eeyore' all started one day in the court houses....”

[beckettsthoughts]

1-100. Yes. All the questions cause I'm feeling generous and cause nobody ever asks me shit, so I'll ask others instead. Ur welcome~~~

Oh man, this is amazing! Thank you so much

I’m a huge fan of answering questions, so this really means a lot to me. It took a while, meaning some of these answers are in fact relevant to early this afternoon and not right now, but everything else is still accurate. It’s going to be a long ride, so I hope you’re ready ^^

1: Is there a boy/girl in your life?

There are several boys and several girls in my life, and a variety of non-binary people, none of whom I’m dating. My best friend is the #1 boy, though.

2: Think of the last person who hurt you; do you forgive them?

If I’m honest, yeah. Wouldn’t really want to be close with them again, but I can’t hold grudges. It’s just not nice or entertaining or fun, anymore, being bitter. Letting things go is the easiest route.

3: What do you think of when you hear the word “meow?”

I mean, I think of cats? Which is fairly obvious. Particularly the old cat that used to live next door to us who made a home out of our garden; his name was Tigger. Perhaps also the cat I used to look after when some of my neighbours went on holiday, who was called Bill. I’m actually allergic to cats, though, so aside from Bill I’ve done my best not to get too close to them.

4: What’s something you really want right now?

An acoustic guitar. Or a polaroid camera, but I’m actually getting that this afternoon.

5: Are you afraid of falling in love?

No, it just doesn’t really appeal to me. I’ve never had crushes, and I’m content with my close friends. I’m indifferent, really.

6: Do you like the beach?

Not really. It’s nice to go for walks along the beach in the winter, but the whole atmosphere of a hot, crowded beach loses its charm after living near one for so long. I don’t like the sea, because it hurts my skin, and sand isn’t much better. The sun gives me headaches, too. I’m not very outdoorsy, one could say.

7: Have you ever slept on a couch with someone else?

No. I’ve slept on a couch before, not often but a few times, but never with anyone else. It sounds uncomfortable, to be honest.

8: What’s the background on your cell?

Currently, it’s the souvenirs I bought from the Louvre. Before that, it’s always been landscapes from around the island.

9: Name the last four beds you were sat on?

My own, my mother’s, my best friend’s, and a hotel bed in Paris.

10: Do you like your phone?

Yes I do. My old one was on it’s last legs before I renewed my contract and got my current phone, I forgot what it’s like to have a phone that works properly. It has a decent amount of memory, it links to my laptop and it works better than any phone I’ve had in the past. So yeah, I like it.

11: Honestly, are things going the way you planned?

Surprisingly, yes. I really didn’t think I’d get to this point. I’ve been set on the path towards university since the age of eleven when I decided I wanted to be an author, and here I am with a ferry ticket to the mainland and an unconditional offer for a Creative Writing course. I finished my GCSEs, which were the toughest two years of my life, and I completed my A Levels, which were the best two years of my life. Back when I was fifteen I didn’t think I’d even live this long, let alone fulfil the plans I’d laid out for myself, but I think it’s happening. I’m so happy it’s happening.

12: Who was the last person whose phone number you added to your contacts?

My friend Alex, actually. I’d never had his number before I was invited into a group chat with him, so that was the last contact I made on my phone.

13: Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler?

A poodle. They’re so fluffy and they seem like really sweet dogs. I have a lot of fond memories of having toy poodles in Nintendogs, but in real life I think I’d like a miniature poodle the most.

14: Which hurts the most, physical or emotional pain?

Emotional pain, by far. Can’t take painkillers for a broken heart like you can for a broken bone.

15: Would you rather visit a zoo or an art museum?

Probably the zoo. I love art museums, I do, but I love conservation zoos a lot. I’ve been to two particular zoos several times, Durrell Wildlife Park (now just called Jersey Zoo) and also Marwell Zoo, both of which do amazing work in caring for and helping re-establish endangered species. I know zoos have a lot of ethical problems, but if you can find a trustworthy zoo that focuses on research and conservation I think it’s justifiable.

16: Are you tired?

Not really. The summer is one of the few times I can actually get enough sleep.

17: How long have you known your 1st phone contact?

My whole life.

18: Are they a relative?

Yeah, it’s my mum.

19: Would you ever consider getting back together with any of your exes?

Don’t have any exes, but if I did I’d probably say no.

20: When did you last talk to the last person you shared a kiss with?

Again, never had a kiss in the romantic sense. In a non-romantic sense, my mother, and I spoke to her this morning.

21: If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today?

No, even if I had a “right person” I’d want to get through university at least before marrying them.

22: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

No answer for the romantic context of kissing, but on the platonic side again it’s my mother so again, yes.

23: How many bracelets do you have on your wrists right now?

Two; a woven rainbow friendship that a friend gave me and also a black faux-leather cord bracelet.

24: Is there a certain quote you live by?

Per aspera ad astra. Through adversity to the stars.

25: What’s on your mind?

The appointment I have this afternoon. I’m getting kind of anxious about it.

26: Do you have any tattoos?

No, but I would love some florals.

27: What is your favourite colour?

I don’t have a single favourite colour, but I really like pale oranges and dark purples.

28: Next time you will kiss someone on the lips?

No idea.

29: Who are you texting?

My best friend, @skyward-sheik. He asked about making an angsty vampire playlist, so now I am sending him song suggestions.

30: Think to the last person you kissed, have you ever kissed them on a couch?

I’m genuinely considering ignoring most of the ‘kissing ones’, now.

31: Have you ever had the feeling something bad was going to happen and you were right?

Uh, yeah. Many times. I can’t think of a specific occasion, though, but I know it’s happened.

32: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?

This is a complicated question, for me. I don’t technically have an opposite gender and I don’t really think in terms of opposite sex, but I have plenty of friends who differ from me in one or both aspects. Like, most of my friends, probably. I am friends with plenty of other non-binary people too, though, it’s just that most of the people I know are cis or binary trans, which is different to me.

33: Do you think anyone has feelings for you?

I’d be surprised. Literally only one person has ever had feelings for me and that was when we were like, twelve.

34: Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?

Surprisingly often. I don’t think they’re particularly remarkable, but they’re quite bright blue. They can look especially bright, depending on my hair colour at any given time. I like them.

35: Say the last person you kissed was kissing someone right in front of you?

No comment.

36: Were you single on Valentine’s Day?

Always, but my best friend wished me a happy Valentine’s and I wished him the same in return.

37: Are you friends with the last person you kissed?

No comment. Sorry, there are a lot of questions about kissing that I can’t really answer.

38: What do your friends call you?

Beckett, or Becks for short. I also get B, Bucket, and Pineapple, all of which I’m very fond of.

39: Has anyone upset you in the last week?

My stepfather. But that’s like, daily.

40: Have you ever cried over a text?

Yeah, I’ve had some pretty brutal ones. I’ve spent lot of time crying over texts and messages, but thankfully not very recently.

41: Where’s your last bruise located?

My right shin.

42: What is it from?

Bashed it against a table-leg. Surprise, surprise; those things are lethal.

43: Last time you wanted to be away from somewhere really bad?

The last time I wanted to escape was on the ferry back from my last holiday. I have a phobia of sickness, emetophobia, and I started feeling seasick halfway through the two-hour journey. I rarely get seasick any more because I have over-the-counter medications for it, but my usual brand were unavailable and this new and supposedly better brand clearly didn’t do it’s job. I had to go out on deck in the freezing cold, without a coat, and stay there for the last half hour of the trip. I was shaking both from the cold and from the fear, and I honestly would have given anything right then to be on dry land.

44: Who was the last person you were on the phone with?

I really hate phone calls. My mother is the only one who’ll call me despite knowing this. So, her.

45: Do you have a favourite pair of shoes?

My lace up boots are one of my most prized possessions.

46: Do you wear hats if you’re having a bad hair day?

I wear hats even when I’m having a good hair day. But yes, I definitely wear hats to hide it when my hair won’t behave the way I want it too.

47: Would you ever go bald if it was the style?

Yeah, probably. I already want to buzz my hair really short at some point, shaving it completely feels like the logical next step. I’d probably only do it if it was a really huge trend, though.

48: Do you make supper for your family?

Uh, no. I make food for myself, every lunchtime, but my mum makes tea in the evenings. I don’t think they’d let me cook for them, in all honesty, I don’t have the best track record when it comes to making food.

49: Does your bedroom have a door?

Yes, thankfully. I don’t know if I’d be able to cope without one. I mean, with the amount of times people walk right in without knocking it may as well not have one, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

50: Top 3 web-pages?

Tumblr, Youtube, Google Drive.

51: Do you know anyone who hates shopping?

Not off the top of my head. I’m sure there are people I know who hate it. I hate it, depending on the type of shopping. Shoe shopping is the ultimate adversity, I think, but regular food shopping is a close second.

52: Does anything on your body hurt?

Not really, right at this moment. I have a mouth ulcer that’s been painful for the last week or so, but it’s pretty much healed now.

53: Are goodbyes hard for you?

Yes and no, it really depends. It’ll be hard to say goodbye when I move off the island in September, though, that’s for sure.

54: What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself?

Water, thankfully. I don’t drink much else.

55: How is your hair?

Pretty messy, underneath my hat. I’m going to style it properly before I go out this afternoon, though.

56: What do you usually do first in the morning?

Check my phone, drink something, and then go through my morning skincare routine.

57: Do you think two people can last forever?

Yeah, but it’s very dependent on circumstances.

58: Think back to January 2007, were you single?

Yes. I was also eight years old, so it’s not much of a surprise.

59: Green or purple grapes?

Purple grapes.

60: When’s the next time you will give someone a big hug?

I expect I will hug my nan before I go down to the bus stop, so in about half an hour.

61: Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?

I wish I was in Los Angeles, always.

62: When will be the next time you text someone?

I will text my mother to let her know I’m on my way to meet her.

63: Where will you be 5 hours from now?

Probably where I am right now, on my corner of the sofa. I’m going out soon, but I’ll be home by then.

64: What were you doing at 8 this morning?

Sleeping.

65: This time last year, can you remember who you liked?

Never had crushes, but obviously I liked people in the platonic sense. Most of them I still like now.

66: Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?

Yes, and that person is @skyward-sheik. I’m also going to give this to @clarinooty, who is a veritable ray of sunshine.

67: Did you kiss or hug anyone today?

Not yet.

68: What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?

I was thinking about the story I’d just been reading, and also about my plans and schedule for today.

69: Have you ever tried your hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end?

Yes. In a work sense, this is always happening, but I’ve also experienced this with friendships before.

70: How many windows are open on your computer?

How many windows? Like 3. How many tabs though? 29.

71: How many fingers do you have?

Eight fingers and two thumbs, the whole set.

72: What is your ringtone?

Boulevard of Broken Dreams, but my phone is always on silent and do-not-disturb so I rarely hear my ringtone.

73: How old will you be in 5 months?

Nineteen.

74: Where is your mum right now?

At work.

75: Why aren’t you with the person you were first in love with or almost in love?

Never been in love, so I can’t really answer this.

76: Have you held hands with somebody in the past three days?

No, I don’t think so.

77: Are you friends with the people you were friends with two years ago?

Most of them, yeah. I actually met my best friend just a little bit over two years ago, and look at us. There have been a couple of pretty significant changes, but I feel like the two of us are stronger than ever.

78: Do you remember who you had a crush on in Year 7?

Again, doesn’t really apply.

79: Is there anyone you know with the name Mike?

No, weirdly enough.

80: Have you ever fallen asleep in someones arms?

I’m sure I have, when I was younger. Pretty sure most people do when they’re like, babies and toddlers. Not since then, though.

81: How many people have you liked in the past three months?

In a crush sense, nobody. In a platonic sense, too many to count.

82: Has anyone seen you in your underwear in the last 3 days?

No.

83: Will you talk to the person you like tonight?

I will talk to a person I like, in a friendship sense. I talk to my friends every night.

84: You’re drunk and yelling at hot guys/girls out of your car window, you’re with?

I don’t really get the wording of this? I guess it means who would I be with? I don’t drink, but if I did I would probably be with my best friend and our other two close friends.

85: If your boyfriend/girlfriend was into drugs would you care?

Yeah, I would. Probably not if it was just like, weed, but anything else I would be pretty unhappy about.

86: What was the most eventful thing that happened last time you went to see a movie?

Uh, I can’t think. The last movie I saw was Wonder Woman, but there was nothing eventful that happened when I went to see it. I don’t know if our grotty little cinema could cope with eventful happenings, if I’m honest.

87: Who was your last received call from?

My mother.

88: If someone gave you $1,000 to burn a butterfly over a candle, would you?

No, I’d feel awful.

89: What is something you wish you had more of?

Money, which is the obvious answer, but also musical instruments and cool gadgets.

90: Have you ever trusted someone too much?

Yeah. Way too much. I would say I’ll try not to make the same mistake again, but I’m pretty easily trusting. Having all of my insecurities thrown back in my face was the worst feeling in the world, though.

91: Do you sleep with your window open?

No, I can’t stand open windows. It’s just like, willingly inviting annoying insects into your room.

92: Do you get along with girls?

Yeah, usually I do. Pretty much all of my friends in school have been girls, because I naturally tend to gravitate towards them. They’re much nicer than most of the boys at my school were, and I found them way easier to speak to and joke about with. I have a mix of friends now, but yeah. I get along with girls.

93: Are you keeping a secret from someone who needs to know the truth?

No, not that I can think of.

94: Does sex mean love?

Not inherently, no.

95: You’re locked in a room with the last person you kissed, is that a problem?

No comment.

96: Have you ever kissed anyone with a lip ring?

No comment.

97: Did you sleep alone this week?

Yes, just like I have every week of my life.

98: Everybody has somebody that makes them happy, do you?

Yeah, I mentioned already but my best friend is that for me. He can lift my mood just by saying hi, you know?

99: Do you believe in love at first sight?

Nope.

100: Who was the last person that you pinky promise?

I don’t think I’ve made a pinky promise since primary school, meaning it was probably my best friend at the time. He’s still a very good friend of mine now, but I couldn’t possibly remember what our last pinky promise would have been about, or whether or not we kept it.

[mypersonalrambling]

Promises

“Harry, STOP!” You yelled. He had you pinned to ground, tickling you anywhere and everywhere he could. Both of your arms were pinned to the ground, so you couldn’t fight back.

“Nope, m’not stopping,” he laughed. He kept to his word, and didn’t stop until you were able to get one of your arms free and get him back. Now that you had the advantage and you weren’t going to give it up easily.

Underneath you he’s wiggling around trying to escape you. You knew that he was holding back because he was definitely strong enough to overpower you. “Babe! You win, you win,” he was out of breath from all the tickling and laughing.

 Your eyes suddenly opened feeling something jump on you. Looking down you saw Tigger, the little kitten that Harry had bought for you for when he was away, walking up towards your face. He stood on your chest, looking at you with big eyes. Taking him off your chest, you set him beside you, where Harry normally slept. Damn you thought, it was just a dream. You missed him so much; he’d been on tour for six months now. He’d planned on coming home a few times, but every time something came up.

The two of you had been dating for a little over a year now. You’d started off hot and heavy and were together almost every day. When he first went back on tour you were fine. You talked whenever you could, and there was a hope of him coming to visit every once in a while. But now you had no hope of him coming home anytime soon.

Harry told you that he knew his life was hectic and not everyone could take it. You told him you’d be fine, honestly thinking you would be. But your emotions are getting the best of you. Every time you rolled over to the empty side of the bed it reminded you of his absence.

Even knowing the tabloids were trash it was hard to see the rumors of Harry always hooking up. The media had been a struggle since day one. In your mind you knew everything being said about Harry was a lie and yet it still was able to tug on your emotions.

There were times you’d sit staring at the pictures or playing the story on repeat, only making yourself cry. You’d cry until there were no more tears left. He was always around beautiful women and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a little worried. You didn’t think Harry would ever cheat, but it’s a natural feeling to be a little worried.

You were wide awake now. All you could think of was how lonely you felt. You felt lonelier now than you did when you were single. Everyone always thinks the nights are the worst when you’re missing someone, but that was a lie, at least for you. You missed him the most during the day when you were busy.

Anything you did, you couldn’t help, but imagine what it’d be like if Harry was there. Even just simple every day things like grocery shopping. You always made a list before you went to the store, but Harry being the child he is would just throw extra things in the cart. It used to annoy you, but now you’d do anything to have him throwing random things.

The longer he was on tour the less you two talked. He was constantly busy and it didn’t help many times you were in different time zones. You’d text him when you woke up and if he did text back it was normally while you were sleeping.

The conversation of him being away was one of the hardest conversations you’d ever had to have. Harry didn’t cry very much, but he cried almost the entire conversation. He shared his fears. He told you one of the reasons he wasn’t in a relationship before you was because most people couldn’t handle his life. Of course you assured him, you could. You assured him that yes you’d be lonesome, but you could deal with it.

His biggest fear was investing the time into someone who would only be temporary. He had enough temporary people and he didn’t need a temporary significant other. You let him get everything out before saying anything. After he had said everything he wanted, the only thing you said was you would be with him no matter what, and you promise nothing will tear you two apart.

He left a few days later with the thought that he’d come back to you still there. That’s why you couldn’t believe you were going to break his heart. The one thing you promised that you wouldn’t do. You never would have made him the promise if you knew how hard it was with him being away.

Shaking, you picked up your phone. As you dialed his number tears fell on the screen. The wait for him to answer was one of the worst moments of your life. Time seemed to stand still, if only you didn’t have to do this. It was going to crush him. You weren’t sure if he’d ever forgive you. He’d given you his heart and trust and you were about to throw it back in his face.

“Hey love. I was jus’ about to text yeh. Is everythin’ okay?” Tears fell faster than before not being able to catch a breath. Harry must have been able to hear you because you hear him say, “Love what’s wrong? Please tell me, so I can help.”

His voice sounded so desperate to help. Even being thousand miles away he would do his to comfort you anyway he could. “I…wanna…I …wanna…break up.”

“Wha’ was tha’?”

“Harry I want to break up.” There was silence on the other end. You thought maybe he still hadn’t heard you, but then you heard the sobbing. It was such hard sobbing that you were sure he wasn’t able going to be able to speak any time soon. Instantly your heart was broken into a million pieces. How could you be so heartless?

“NO, YEH CAN’ DO THIS! Yeh promised nothin’ would tear us apart.” His voice was hoarse.

“I know Harry, but I can’t handle it. I thought I could, if I’d known how hard it was going to be I would have NEVER promised you. If you think this isn’t breaking my heart as much as it is yours then you’re dead wrong. I love you so much, and that’s why I have to let you go. It’s not fair to either of us.”

“Y/N, you can’t do this, you can’t. It’s not fair, yeh promised. How can yeh say yeh love me when you’re breaking my heart?” He was sobbing so much that you had to piece together what he was saying. It almost made you want to change your mind, but you knew you couldn’t bear it.

“Harry I have to. I’ll have all my stuff moved out by the time you get back. Goodbye Harry, I love you.”

“Y/N, I…” You hung up before he had a chance to say anything else. He was very persuasive and you didn’t want to be roped back in.

The next morning you began to pack your things. You weren’t in any hurry at all because Harry wasn’t due back for another at least two months. You started with everything you needed the least. By mid afternoon almost a fourth of your stuff was packed.

The next day you called your family and told them what happened. They told you of course you could move back in. They wanted to find out as much as possible, but they didn’t push you to talk. You put as much as you could in your car and drove to your parents’ house.

When you returned back to Harry’s house, all you could do was ball. You had held it in at your parents, but you couldn’t anymore. They were coming over tomorrow to help move the rest of your things. Instead of eating like you should have you, you went straight to bed.

You promised. You promised you wouldn’t leave. How can yeh say you love me, when you’re breaking my heart? You woke up in a sweat. The words kept rolling around in your mind even when you’re asleep. Although you knew this would be the best thing for you in the long run, it still hurt knowing you’d broken Harry’s heart.

You tossed and turned all night, only catching little bits of sleep. By seven you’d given up on going back to sleep, so you started packing what was left. You’re parents arrived by nine to help. As boxes were filled and taken out, it started to hit you more and more that this was actually happening.

With four people packing, it didn’t take very long at all to gather and pack everything. By four everything was in the cars and ready to be transported back to your parents’ house. You’re family left before you, leaving you alone for one last look.

After looking in every single room to make sure nothing of yours was left. It didn’t look like anything was left. You took one last look around, leaving your key on the kitchen counter. The drive to your parents’ house was almost unbearable. You were instantly regretting the decision to break up with Harry.

A few days later, you’d barely left your bed. You mom would bring you food and water every once in a while. Your family knew to not talk to you when you were like this. It would do any good and it would just make you agitated. Tigger was by your side the entire time.

Your phone had been shut off for the last couple of days because Harry wouldn’t stop calling. The only way to get over this was to not talk to anyone. If you were lucky the hardest part of this would be over in a month. However you knew it would a lot longer to get over Harry completely.

Once everyone went to bed you made your way downstairs to lie on the couch. You wanted to leave your room, but didn’t want to have to talk to anyone. Turning on to the T.V. to the first trashy reality show you find to make you feel better about your life.

 About two episodes in there was a banging on the door. You got up slowly seeing that it was really late wondering who could be at the door. Peeking in the peephole you saw Harry on the other side. Taking a deep breath, you unlocked and opened the door still unsure if it was the best option.

 The first words out of his mouth cut you to your core. “You actually left.” Neither of you said another word for a few minutes. “Can I come in n’ talk?”

 You moved so he could get past you. Getting to the living room, you sat on two different sides of the room. “I didn’ think you’d actually leave. I thought we coulda worked it out. M’so sorry that I didn’ come home like I said I would. But yeh made a promise that nothing would tear us apart.” He sounded like he wanted to say more, but he couldn’t get anything out.

“Harry I didn’t want to hurt you. I can’t handle you being away. It’s too much for me. I miss you way too much. The thought of being without you one more day, hurt me and I couldn’t take it anymore. And it’s not fair for me to feel lonely all the time.”

“Please give me one more chance. I swear I’ll be home more. N’ I’ll call you whenever I can. Hell you can even come on tour with me,” he sounded so desperate.

“No Harry. I don’t want that. I want someone who is here for most of the time. I can’t travel, I have school and work. This just isn’t going to work out. I’m sorry, but I want you to leave now.”

You could tell he wanted to say more, but thankfully he didn’t. Seeing him intensified the feelings that you’d already been having. You still wanted to be with him, but it would never work. You would never be able to deal with Harry’s lifestyle. You knew growing up was going to be difficult, but you never knew it was going to it you this hard.

[heavenlyfcclings-a-blog]

five times kissed

Send me five times kissed for a drabble about five times our muses kissed

First

First is their disaster of a date, where the restaurant they chose literally started on fire in the kitchen, making everyone evacuate from the building despite the containment to the kitchen. Angel, giggling nervously, stayed close to Robbie, hoping everyone was alright, huddled in the parking lot of a chilly evening. The building paid for their food, thankfully. Then there’s the movie they planned to go to, completely overbooked, so they couldn’t possibly get tickets even to sit on the floor up front. They wound up not going to that one, then, vouching to walk along the boardwalk, talking and window shopping. They found an arcade that ate their quarters, but Robbie did manage to win a little stuffed sock monkey in skeeball. And when they finally make it back to Angel’s apartment, Angel counts it as a disastrous, but wonderful date, being able to hold hands with another man, in an area of town that was safe for them and their relationship, where they didn’t get any terrible looks or pushed about. Watching the sky on the cab ride home. Everything that could go wrong certainly did, and his jacket has a stain on it now, but he gets to stand here with Robbie and thank him for a nice night out. They stand there awkwardly for a moment, and Angel goes inside the building. A few minutes later, as he’s stepping into the elevator, Robbie comes running down the hall, having caught the door from someone on their way out. He stops the door, smiles at Angel, and pushes his way inside, capturing Angel’s face tenderly, and pressing a soft kiss to soft lips, ignoring the fact that this certainly isn’t Robbie’s building, that he should be going home.“Almost forgot.”

Second 

It’s the second time since the start of their relationship that Robbie has shown up on Angel’s doorstep, holding flowers, a little drunk, and bloody from a fight. He hopes this won’t become a habit for them, even as he invites Robbie up, encouraging him to sit on the kitchen counter while Tigger struts across his lap. Angel gets the first aid kit from the bathroom and brings it to the other. As he tends to Robbie’s wounds, he winces with him, always apologizing for every dab of alcohol soaked cloth to open skin. Robbie, meanwhile, in his drunken haze, draws his fingers across the cat, along Angel’s hips every time his shirt raises as Angel steps up to his toes. Goosebumps trail in the wake of those fingertips. His knuckles brush along the taller’s lips for a few moments, at which point Robbie captures his hand and presses a kiss to the back of Angel’s hand. “G-gotta, to stop fi-find, finding tr-troub-trouble,” he states after a minute, gently sewing together the deepest cut with almost medical precision. “An-and don’t te-tell me tha-that troub-trouble finds, finds you. You, you ca-can hide.” His hands hold gentle to Robbie’s face, and the other looks so precious he can’t resist pressing a kiss to his forehead, soft and sweet, completely wary of the wounds. Angel pulls away a bit, sighing, thumbs drawing over the other’s cheeks again. “Y-you, you g-gott-gotta be, be care-careful.” And Robbie seems so overcome by the display of affection that he forgets about the flowers in his hands, smacking against the back of Angel’s head ( softly, thankfully ) and pulling him closer. Lips crash into lips in a messy, wet kiss, but Angel can’t say he minds, hovering between the other’s knees, knowing he’s now safe and sound in Angel’s home.

Third

It’s the third consecutive morning where Angel wakes up to Robbie, laying in bed next to him, the two of them fully clothed, a tangled mess of legs and limbs. Light streams in through curtains early and casts the room in grey shadows, a single patch of light crossing over Robbie’s face.He doesn’t want to wake him. Oh, no, not like this. He’s so peaceful, just staying there, eyelashes fluttering against his cheekbones. So Angel does his best to, ever so quietly, ever so slowly, lean onto his side, grabbing his sketchbook and pencil, eyes always watching Robbie, waiting for any slight change. The next two hours are filled with nothing more than the sound of four pairs of lungs ( Pooh and Tigger curled up by their feet ) and the scratch of graphite against paper as Angel proceeds to draw out the sharp angles and familiar corners of Robbie’s face. For a short while, he stops to consider what they really are, if they’re just friends who hang out together, sleep in the same bed, hold hands as they walk down the street. He hopes there is more to it ( mentions it in his quiet morning prayers he swears he doesn’t do anymore but can never break the habit to stop ). When Robbie does finally wake, it’s somewhere around nine, and Angel’s side of the bed is littered with sketches of Robbie from all sides, though the most detailed involves the shade of a crown upon his head, something Angel wants to commit to but isn’t sure about just yet. Angel himself has taken to just staring at the other, watching familiar eyes flutter under eyelids, their breathing syncing up for a while. He smiles when he catches a glimpse of Robbie’s eyes. “Morni-ning, swe-sweetheart-t,” he mumbles, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of Robbie’s nose, speech slurring a little as he slowly brought his voice back into the world. “Sleep-p ok-kay?” And he waits for Robbie to nod before he moves his things, moving closer to the unfamiliar warmth of a familiar body, still trapped between the covers. It’s then, with their gross morning breath and messy hair and sleep still in their eyes, that they share their quiet, almost special kiss, hidden away from all the world. There’s no mint toothpaste to taint just yet, no food to linger on teeth and tongues. There’s just the two of them, sharing the moment, hands not quite awake moving through unkempt hair. 

Fourth

There are four of them in this building now, almost constantly. Angel, Tigger, Pooh Bear, and, the most recent edition, Robbie. Angel has gotten oddly used to the sound of three other pairs of feet in the house. One with nails that click and clack against hardwood floors no matter how short Angel asks the groomer to trim them. One who only makes noise when leaping up to points where he shouldn’t and knocking things over, or curling around your legs and purring as you enter the house. One that should be in bed nursing that cold but is definitely moving around, doing something or another while Angel makes lunch. It’s all very familiar to him now.He thinks Robbie’s gone back to bed, and he’s grateful. There isn’t enough walking around the room in pointless boredom, and Pooh must have hopped up onto the bed because Angel can’t hear the clicking of nails anymore. Trusting his instincts, he gathers the things and turns around - only to run straight into his boyfriend. Juice spills against his ( stolen ) hoodie, the sandwiches for the pair of them instantly ruined and Robbie’s just got this expression of oops on his face. Angel just wanted to do something nice and Robbie happened to be standing right there; no one is to blame. He feels terrible, though, and tears begin welling in his eyes as though to prove his point. One, two, three, four tears drip from his eyes as he cleans up the mess he’s made, trying to hide in the neck of his hoodie, pulling the cover over his head as quickly as possible. Robbie stops him, though, immediately taking off his hoodie and giving it to Angel. And he changes, right there, using the now wet clothing to mop up more of the mess, pulling on the warm jacket smelling of Robbie. Stop, again. This time, more impatient, Robbie takes Angel’s face in his hands, kisses his forehead, tells him everything is okay. And he can only stand there, pressing his cheek to his hand, trying desperately to keep it all inside. Once more, he’s stopped as he’s pulled away to get everything in order. Robbie holds his hands in his, makes him look at the other, and promises that everything will be alright. One, two, three, four kisses chasing saline tears back up the length of Angel’s face, ending with a grand finale of that kiss, lips to lips, sending sparks flying this way and that along Angel’s nervous system.

Fifth

The fifth time Angel takes off his shirt in front of Robbie, he actually turns around. He shows the other exactly as he is, no lights off, no blanket to hide under, and it terrifies him. He tries to remain modest, to cover up some of the wretchedness, but that’s not exactly easy when the scars are at a nearly inaccessible part of his back. So he’s left to stand there, at the foot of the bed, shivering from a mixture of cold and fear, or maybe that’s apprehension. Either way he tastes metal in his mouth and he fears he’s going to fall over, so he sits on the very edge of the bed, only to find that Robbie is there, having moved closer with tears in his eyes. He’s quick to pull his shirt back on, though Robbie’s hands attempt to stop him. Angel won’t force Robbie to look at something that’s going to hurt him, make him cry. He turns, internally vowing to never, ever take off his shirt again, so that Robbie wouldn’t ever have that look on his face again - a mixture of sadness and maybe pity? Angel’s not quite sure but he doesn’t like it, almost hates it, though he couldn’t hate anything. It’s kind of funny, really, that Angel has revealed this intimate part of himself, and then draws Robbie into his lap, holding the larger man close and apologizing for his sins as though he was back in confessional. It stays that way for a moment, perhaps while Robbie tries to collect himself. When the moment passes, Robbie is trying to get him to shut up so he can say something, and Angel knows he ought to stop talking, but he can’t bring himself to close his lips. Robbie solves that.Lips crash into each other and Angel hasn’t realized it until now that he’s been crying, and only because he can feel the wetness as Robbie’s fingers brush across his cheeks, spreading them over his skin. Robbie pulls away, and for a moment he just sits there, on the edge of the bed, but then he’s back to apologizing. Another kiss, longer, Robbie’s fingers in his hair and around his torso and his waist, uncaring of whether or not fingers ran across scars, pulling Angel close. After this, Angel has nothing to say at all. He rests against Robbie’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. “I love you.” Both heartbeats speed a little, pound a little harder. Angel’s from fear that his feelings aren’t reciprocated, unsure of the other’s reasoning. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything - it’s too soon, they’re not like that, whatever the reason. A long pause, and he’s about to apologize again before lips meet his again, and Robbie holds Angel’s forehead to his.“I love you, too.” 

[neptunecreek]

9 Tips for Nonprofits To Boost Resilience During A Pandemic

Our family with adopted senior rescue dog, “Tigger.”

Greetings from shelter in place California!  I have not left my house much in the last few weeks due to being in a higher risk category for COVID-19. If that wasn’t enough stress, I’m either living at work or working from home, along with my entire family. I realized after the first week, that I needed to gather every tool from my Happy Healthy Nonprofit toolkit to try to keep calm, focused, and positive.

If you are feeling COVID-19 anxiety,  you are not alone.  And, it is going to take some adjustments for us all as this piece by Prof. Aisha Ahmad in the Chronicle of Philanthropy points out. We have to not beat ourselves up if we are not as productive during a crisis – and this is not just a weather event. It will be a marathon.

Here’s a roundup of tips for building your personal resilience as you begin to accept how COVID-19 has changed our daily lives.

#1:  Get Enough Sleep, Nutrition, and Exercise

Focus on these three activities: sleep, nutrition and exercise to help strengthen your immune system and feel better.  I continue to use Fitbit to make sure I get daily 10K steps a day, but I’m giving myself permission to get in fewer steps as long I get outside everyday.  The blessing of shelter in place is that you can still exercise by walking, jogging, or running as long as keep your distance from other people. And as much as I want to binge eat all the ice cream in my freezer, I’m trying to avoid that and keep healthy food on my plate.

I’m trying to get the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep per night to help me feel better, although I do admit that in the beginning I suffered from plague induced insomnia.

#2:  Practice Mental Distancing

The public health advice is to social distance, but we also need to mental distance from news and discussion about the virus.  You simply can’t obsess about every news report or the worst possible outcomes. I put myself on a news diet by only consuming one-hour of news a day to be informed enough to keep my family safe.  It is also important to practice information hygiene and consume news from trusted sources, especially medical information. Here’s some more tips on how to practice mental distancing.

#3 Socializing At A Distance

It is very hard not to be able to see family, friends, or co-workers in real life.  So, I’ve been experimenting with how to socialize at a distance using the technology. I’ve been using FaceTime or Zoom to go on virtual walks with people.  Lots of fun to show off our neighborhoods or our dogs.

In the workplace, nonprofits have experimenting with zoom and social activities.  TechSoup has been hosting a weekly themed Happy Hours with staff  Participants get to do a show & tell and of course bring their own beverage. Packard Foundation OE staff hosted a birthday party on Zoom. In addition to Happy Hours, your workplace can also host virtual coffee hours, watercolors, and more.

#4 New Workplace Norms for Meetings 

Since this crisis has unfolded, I have had to ask myself, what expectation of normal am I giving up today?  One of those expectations is that children, dogs, and cats should not be seen or heard on zoom calls.  I think we need to be more gentle with ourselves given that many people are juggling home-schooling with their work.   We have to replace this norm of pushing family away from the camera to this norm of welcoming them.

Here’s a fun process to establish meeting norms during a pandemic that can be done online.

In addition, given that we are all sitting in front of a screen for more and more hours, we need to make desk stretches and energizers norms for meetings as well. Here’s a simple set of desk stretches that you can do alone or as a group. Also, don’t forget to avoid eye strain by doing Eye Yoga exercises.

#5 Incorporate Quiet Time During Your Day

In times of uncertainty, we often get overwhelmed and don’t know what to focus on. As our routines change and we have to shift our behaviors or even the day-to-day tasks that we do, we also spend a lot of time switching between tasks, but not tackling any of them in a disciplined or intentional way. The result is that we feel that we are not accomplishing as much as we should be which adds to our feelings of anxiety and further contributes to our perception of a lack of control.

I had to reclaim my morning routine of doing quiet activities that include stuff journaling, reading, or writing. I have also use that time to set my intention for the day. I use a chrome and firefox extension called Momentum that helps me maintain focus when online. (I’m not always successful or productive, but I’m getting better at it).

It is also helpful to set a regular routine if working from home is new to you.

#6 Focus On Positive Thoughts

Negative thoughts can influence how you feel, increase anxiety, or get in the way of getting things done.  Look for positives. Looks for blessings.  Ask yourself these questions or use them to check-in with your staff at the beginning of meetings.

What am I grateful for today?

How will I get outside today?

What is one thing that me laugh?

What beauty am I creating today?

There is a whole field of scientific research about the power of gratitude practice for not only individuals, but also in the workplace.  There are also lots of ideas for different rituals that your nonprofit can establish to help people keep positive.

#7 Tend & Friend & Spread Kindness

Caring for others or just checking in can help reduce stress. Do calls with friends and family, check-in on elderly neighbors ask them if they need anything.  There are lots of useful resources created by nonprofits to help facilitate kindness and mutual aid.  For example, GivingTuesday has a daily kindness text and email action alerts and you can download this kindness template and use it to check with neighbors.

One thing our family did was adopt a senior dog from Muttville, a local animal rescue. His name is Tigger and he has been a joy to add to our family.

Ask yourself everyday, who will I check in on? What can I do for others?  We are all in this together.

#8 Eat A Rainbow Everyday

My friend, John Haydon, who passed away from cancer last month, shared this one tip on how he remained optimistic in his book, Donor Care.  “Eat a rainbow.’  He was talking about eating a rainbow of healthy fruits and vegetables.

In our neighborhood, there are many families with young kids.  They have taken to using colored chalk and drawing rainbows on the sidewalks outside their house.  Other families walk by and they are counting rainbows.

We need to look at the rainbows yet to come at the end of this horrible nightmare.

What are your tips for personal resilience during a pandemic?

from Beth’s Blog https://ift.tt/2yrFgw3

[servinglemonade]

Once Upon A Time...(The Disney Tag)

If you don’t know already, I’m a HUGE Disney fan. I have grown up with all these movies and I love to read or watch this tag from other people (because I’m curious). So I thought: “Why not do it myself?”

I just googled Disney tag questions and found these. Here we go!

1. Favorite Disney Movie? Well, this is really hard for me, because there are so many that I love. So I have divided them into 5 categories:

Favorite princess movie: Sleeping Beauty, because Aurora has been my favorite Princess since I was little. But I also have unconditional love for Aladdin, Beauty and The Beast, Mulan, Pocahontas and recently added to this line-up, Moana (even though she is not really a princess, but the daughter of a chief)! Favorite Pixar movie: Monsters inc., Finding Nemo/Dory and Toy Story Favorite live-action: Pirates of the Carribean Favorite movie with animals: The Lion King Favorite DCOM: High School Musical

2. Walt Disney World or Disneyland? I have never been to Disneyland before, so Walt Disney World. I went to WDW two times when I was little, I still have some great videos from those trips! So it has a special place in my heart. 

3. Favorite Disney Character? This is impossible. Disney has way too many good ones.

4. The first Disney movie you remember seeing in theaters? Gosh, I think it was Pooh’s Heffalump Movie.

5. What type of Disney item do you collect? I collect pins, I don’t have a lot, but I definitely want more.

6. Your favorite Disney song? I can’t pick 1 favorite, but all my favorites are in this Spotify playlist!

7. Favorite attraction/ride at the parks? It’s a Small World, The Teacups and Dumbo: The Flying Elephant ride. I haven’t visited any of the parks in YEARS, so I can’t really judge all the roller coasters and thrill rides but these are my favorites right now.

8. What is your dream job at Disney? I would love to be a part of making a new plot for a movie. I have no idea what the official name for that is.

9. Who’s the character you never miss meeting at the parks? I don’t think a Disney trip is successful if you don’t meet Mickey Mouse.

10. What’s your most treasured Disney item? All of the Disney ornaments that my family and I hang in our Christmas tree every year.

11. Which Disney voice actor would you like to meet? I would love to meet the voice actor of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (it’s actually the same man #what), Auli’i Cravalho, who is the voice of Moana. I think she is incredible and Angela Lansbury, who is the voice of Mrs. Potts and an absolute legend.

12. Favorite Disney movie that is not a classic/famous? The Hunchback of Notre Dame! This is such a good movie.

13. If you could say anything to Walt Disney right now, what would you say? I would thank him for all the laughs, the cries, the happy moments and just making my childhood so magical. I would also love to know his opinion on the current state of The Walt Disney Company. Like the parks and all the movies.

14. Your favorite snack to get at the parks? I have never tasted all the famous snacks, like dole whip, the Mickey shaped snacks, and churros, so I don’t know if they’re any good. But I always hear good reviews about them, so that is pretty promising. Although I do remember eating such a delicious crepe with Nutella in Disneyland Paris. So I’ll go with that one.

15. Your favorite parade/show at the parks? FANTASMIC!

16. Flounder, Sebastian or Scuttle? This is so hard, I love them all. But I have to go with Sebastian. He’s so funny!

17. Your favorite Disney memory? STORY TIME: I went to Disneyland Paris for the first time with my aunt, uncle, little niece, and little sister. We went to celebrate my 10th birthday. On our last night, we went to Café Mickey for dinner. It’s a character dining experience. So at one point, music starts playing and it’s happy birthday. So I thought oh cool it’s someone’s birthday. So I kind of start clapping along. Suddenly I see a waiter with a cake coming towards our table with Mickey and Pluto. And then I thought omg this is for me?!?! And yes it was! So everyone in the restaurant is singing and Mickey starts dancing with me and as a 10-year-old you feel pretty special in a moment like that. That’ll always be such an amazing memory!

18. Do you have a favorite pair of Mickey ears? Just the classic Minnie ones.

19. Which ‘forgotten’ princess would you add to the official line-up, if you could? Megara from Hercules! Love her sassiness!

20. Your favorite princess dress/outfit? Aurora’s pink dress, Jasmine’s two-piece, Belle’s yellow dress and Cinderella’s blue dress!

21. Your favorite Disney soundtrack? This kind of changes, but right now Moana is on repeat.

22. Genie, Abu, Carpet, Iago or Rajah? I don’t like these sidekick questions….But if I would have to pick one, it would have to be Genie!

23. Favorite restaurant at the parks? I don’t really have one. But I think when I go back to Walt Disney World (whenever that may be) Be Our Guest would be on top of my list. I really want to try The Grey Stuff!

24. How did you discover the ‘magic’ of Disney? I think I discovered this when I was already a little older, 12 or 13 maybe. I just saw that Disney was something magical and it had taught me so many valuable things in life that when I was little didn’t really know or understand until I was older.

25. What attraction are you most likely to go on when you’re at the parks? I love rides and roller coasters, so I’ll try to get on as much of them as possible.

26. Your favorite ‘iconic’ moment? (ex. Ariel on the rock, Aladdin finding the lamp, Rafiki lifting Simba, etc.) Rafiki lifting Simba, without a doubt.

27. What’s the saddest moment for you in any Disney movie? When someone dies, I always cry.

28. Best Disney kiss? When Prince Phillip kisses Aurora and she awakens from her sleep.

29. If you could live in any world from a Disney movie, which world would you choose? Oeh, this is hard. I think San Fransokyo (Big Hero 6), Neverland (Peter Pan) or Motunui (Moana).

30. Favorite Disney musical sequence based on spectacle/animation? Not really a big musical fan (although I am obsessed with Hamilton), but I would love to see The Lion King on Broadway!

31. Which Disney princess has the best sidekicks? I think every princess has AWESOME sidekicks. I can’t possibly pick.

32. If you could have a party themed around any Disney movie, which one would you pick? Lilo and Stitch! Who doesn’t love a Hawaiian themed party?

33. Are you the only one obsessed with Disney in your family? My little sister and I are on the same level. My mom and dad love Disney as well, but I think me and my sister show it a little more.

34. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth or Chip? But…Why???? Seriously these are 4 are a package deal. You can’t have one without the other. Although I adore Lumiere and Cogsworth! But Mrs. Potts is such a mom-like character and Chip is the cutest. So yeah, I’m not going to pick.

35. What are your top five favorite Disney blogs on Tumblr? @wdwpics @thatdisneylover @thedisneyprincess @world-of-moana @mickeyandcompany

36. If you could choose the plot/adaption for the next Disney movie, what would it be? Maybe something with a group of girls going on an adventure. They don’t have to be princesses though. Or maybe this group of girlfriends meets a princess and then they have to go on an adventure together.

37. Favorite hotel at the parks? I have never stayed in a Disney World hotel, but if I could pick any hotel to stay in, it would be the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My favorite hotel in Disneyland Paris is the Disneyland Hotel! It’s so pretty, the food is great and when you step out of the hotel, you’re in the park. What could be better?!

38. Which Disney movie do you watch when you’re sad? Anything from Winnie The Pooh.

39. The Aladdin show or The Little Mermaid show? The Little Mermaid show.

40. Do you plan to have your honeymoon at a Disney park? Maybe, who knows. Although I think it would be awesome to get engaged there, in front of the castle. #goals #basic

41. Favorite piece of Disney clothing/accessory to wear? My Minnie ears and Disney Christmas sweater.

42. Post a picture of yourself that’s Disney related. I think the picture on top of this post covers that.

43. Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? Both. (Who made these questions?)

44. Which Disney movie, even if it’s not your favorite, will always have a special place in your heart and for what reason? Lilo & Stitch, because this movie has given me a love for Hawaiian culture. I just fell in love with the music, language, and dancing. I have wanted to go to Hawaii ever since. I also love the Ohana-spirit throughout the whole movie. “Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” This line has stuck with me ever since I saw this movie for the first time. My family means everything to me and that is why the line is so important to me. Any Winnie The Pooh movie, because they always give me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It also makes me look back on the good ol’ times High School Musical, because these movies have made me so happy. So many memories have been made with my family and friends because of these movies. I feel like when these movies ended a part of my childhood ended as well. I ALWAYS cry at the end of HSM 3.

I actually had a lot of fun answering these! Feel free to share your own answers with me in the replies! Thank you so much for reading!

Stay Flawless!

XO 

Yenai

Enjoy this GIF of Walt Disney being an actual real-life Disney Princess.