#when you pour the milk onto the cereal it's a sauce

[volasaurus]

Does this also mean he can't have cereal?

[dashboardcat]

I Try One of Everything at Salt City Market (Part 2)

Remember like 3 weeks ago when I did a write-up of a food hall in my hometown, guaranteed to attract the attention of like, 2 people?  Well, it’s time for more of that! 

Attempt #1

While there wasn’t a line outside this time, the market itself seemed just as busy as it was the day after the grand opening.  I also tried to make a point to take in more of the decor, but I don’t think I really have anything new to add other than the fact that I watched not one but two people struggle to stuff the big paper bags their food came in into the trendy, tiny-opening trash cans.  More importantly, I forgot that like, half of the stands are closed on Mondays, meaning I would have to come back another time to finish my quest. 

ERMA’S ISLAND- Jerk Pork (half portion)- $10

I want to say right off the bat that of all the things I’ve tried from this market, this was hands down the best smelling.  And thankfully, the pork pretty much tasted as good as it smelled.  It was tender and juicy, and the sauce was complex, with a good amount of heat that didn’t overpower the other flavors.  The rice and beans that it came with, on the other hand, was a little bland, but that’s nothing that mixing the sauce into can’t fix.  

Unfortunately, I can never show my face there again, because when the cashier asked me if I wanted the half or whole portion, I said “Yeah,” and made her repeat herself like 3 times.

MAMMA HAI- “Marco Polo” Banh Mi- $10

Yes, that’s pepperoni on a banh mi.

The roll was nice and crusty, and to be honest, that’s like 90% of what makes a good sandwich for me.  Unfortunately, the pickled veggies and cilantro (and this blog is pro-cilantro, get over yourselves, haters) sort of overpowered the pepperoni and the char siu pork, which is a shame because I wanted that pepperoni to shine.  If this was a $5 banh mi, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, but at $10 I would have liked a little more meat, or at least for the already existing meat to make its presence felt.  The pate and mayo kinda also get lost, but do present a bit of richness in about every other bite (and, for another controversial sandwich opinion, I don’t necessarily think that every bite of a sandwich has to have an even distribution of everything, otherwise the flavors sort of just blur together after a while).  Overall, it’s a fairly decent sandwich, but left me longing for something more.  They also have a curry chicken banh mi, maybe that one has a better balance of flavor.

CAKE BAR- Locus Cake- $6.50

One thing about Cake Bar that isn’t made apparent by looking at their stand is that, according to their website, it’s meant to resemble a Vietnamese cafe.  In hindsight, this kinda explains the wide variety of specialty teas (specialteas, if you will) they also had available.

The chocolate cake was moist and had little crispy bits running throughout it.  At first, I thought it was eggshells, because I’m an idiot and always assume the worst.  After picking out an especially large chunk, I realized it was broken up bits of Biscoff cookies! (Further research has shown me that the parent company that makes Biscoff cookies is called Locus, thus, y’know, the name of the cake.  Probably should have put that together sooner, it literally says “Locus” on the cookie, one of which was lodged into the top of the cake.)  The buttercream was surprisingly light, and the caramel on top had the perfect consistency, gooey enough to stay put but not so gooey that it turned into a stringy mess after running your fork through it.  The only negative thing I really have to say about the all-around experience was that the box they used made it kind of difficult to get the slice out of it (as you can see, I ended up just tearing the sides up).

Attempt #2 

Since the market is relatively close to my work, I figured I would drop by after work one day to bang out the rest of the list.

BAGHDAD RESTAURANT- Beef Shawarma- $6.99

At first, I laughed to myself upon seeing it in one of those gas station sub bags.  The laughing faded pretty quickly, though, upon seeing it was, in fact served on a sub roll. I'm not a shawarma expert. maybe that can be an acceptable way to eat it? The beef was well spiced and that perfect sweet spot between tender and still having something to sink your teeth into.  Unfortunately, that’s more or less where my compliments end.  What little sauce the menu promised (just called “sauce,” don’t ask me what it is) has soaked into the bread and completely disappeared, making the whole thing somewhat dry and lackluster.  Also, they didn’t cut it, which was fine with the heartier banh mi’s baguette but with the softer sub roll didn’t have the structural integrity to be picked up whole without a struggle.  My biggest gripe with it is mostly on me, though, as the juice from the pickles tainted most of it with pickle stank, which could have been avoided entirely if I had just ordered it without.  

SOULUTIONS- Mustard and Berbere Fried Chicken ($6) and FIRE MAC ($4)

(Note- the $6 order of chicken comes with 2 of these chicken cutlets, but I carelessly ate one before taking the picture.)

I do want to clear the air here and say that yes, I did accidentally order fried chicken and mac and cheese from both of the soul food places.  I was originally going to get the burger, at my friend’s recommendation, but the menu board by the register suspiciously didn’t have the burger on it, so I panicked and ordered the fried chicken again.  

While the breading was stained yellow from mustard, the honey mustard taste was very subtle.  I also have to admit to not knowing off the top of my head what berbere (I had to google it, it’s an Ethiopian spice blend) tastes like, so i can't tell you if this tasted like that.  But, despite not being especially strong in either of the namesake seasonings, it definitely is a flavorful piece of chicken nonetheless.  Flavors work that way sometimes.

The Fire Mac may not have delivered as strongly on cheese as I may have liked, but it definitely did deliver on the fire, drizzled with a tangy buffalo-esque sauce.  And Topped with crumbled bits of fried chicken skins? Can’t go wrong with that.

JUICE AND FLOWERS- “Root | 12” Juice- $8

Misleading name, I didn’t see any flowers anywhere.  Zero stars. 

The beet and lemon were the most pronounced of the flavors, with the ginger lingering on the palate and, unsurprisingly, the apple and carrot mostly being there to round the whole thing out.  The employee that waited on me was very passionate and knowledgeable about the juice, informing me that 2 pounds of produce had gone into this little bottle, and that it’d have a shelf life of 3-5 days.  Which is good, because I put it back in the fridge after I got home to chill it back down, and then proceeded to forget about it for 3 days.  It’s also a very thick and hearty juice, so it doesn’t feel that weird to only want to drink half a bottle in one sitting and, y’know, make this $8 bottle of juice last a little longer. 

Attempt #3

Knowing fully well that I was going to have a long night shift ahead of me, I decided to check out the Coffee Bar side of the market for what would be my third trip over the course of 5 days.  I feel like I should also point out that the Coffee Bar, as its name literally breaks down as, serves coffee during the day and a full bar at night.  I also noticed during this visit that the Coffee Bar has a patio seating area under construction, cheesy string lights and all, that I am looking forward to.

Fruity Pebbles Latte- $6

Against my best judgement, I got it “for here” for the sake of the pic, even though a.) I had to break my rule of not eating in places because this fucking pandemic isn’t over yet and b.) I was nervous about being late for work the whole time (I did, in fact, get there on time).  As I waited, I could see their secret recipe fruity pebbles milk sitting on the counter.  It was, in fact, fruity pebbles and milk.  

I didn’t really think the Fruity Pebbles would work with the espresso, having had been burned before by places that just dump them onto things with no regard of the flavor profile just for the sake of the burst of color.  But, somehow… it did work.  Maybe it’s because cereal milk is never quite as strong as some might hope, but the subtle fruitiness of the milk played well with the chocolatey notes in the espresso.  The espresso itself probably also had the best crema on it that I’ve ever seen on a latte (and yes, I had to google the pretentious espresso-snob term for the foam that floats to the top).

Also shoutout to the pour over, which on their menu board is priced at "4-ish"

I’m so glad I’m living with my parents again at the moment.  Otherwise, this whole thing would’ve been like, a month’s worth of my food budget.

[ericsonclan]

Family Fun and Competition

Summary: The Garcias gather together for a night of family fun.

Word Count: 3719

Read on AO3:

It was a cloudy day today. The sky looked slightly grey and gloomy and the wind outside was cold and dreary. But that didn’t seem to bother the sleeping couple. Javi’s arm lazily moved forward and wrapped around Santiago’s waist. Santiago muttered something in his sleep about the fantasy novel he had stayed up far too late reading. Shifting his body back, Santiago basked in his husband’s warmth as Javi moved his face closer to Santiago’s back. After a moment the couple’s legs moved closer together, gently intertwining as Santiago blindy reached for Javi’s hand. Giving it a sleepy kiss, Santiago quickly fell asleep. Javi hummed at the soft kiss on his hand and wrapped Santaigo closer to himself. He buried his face into the crook of Santiago’s neck and exhaled deeply. The warm breath tickled Santiago who laughed and wiggled around.

“Stop, that tickles,” Santiago mumbled and snuggled his face further into his pillow.

“Sorry,” Javi whispered and yawned loudly. Tilting his head back, he slipped his arm off of Santiago’s waist which his husband didn’t seem happy about. Santiago made some comment while still half asleep which made little to no sense to Javi. Javi looked at the alarm clock, blinking a few times to make sure he read the time right. “Shit, it's already ten thirty.”

“So? It's Saturday - we get to sleep in and cuddle,” Santiago reached for Javi’s arm and wrapped it around his waist again.

“Babe, we have to get up,” Javi tried to resist the urge for more cuddle time; the bed was so comfy and Santiago was so warm.

“Why? It's not like we have any plans today,” Santiago intertwined his fingers with Javi’s.

“Actually we do. Gabe and Nurgul are coming over for family game night and Mariana is here with Tenn for the long weekend.”

Javi’s words made Santiago shift around and get up. His hair was all messy and fluffy. “Shit, that's right,” He searched around blindly for his glasses. After a moment or two he was able to find them and placed them on his face. Looking over he saw the loving smile of his husband.

“Good morning,” Javi surprised Santiago with a kiss that definitely helped wake him up.

“Good morning,” Santiago returned the smile before lifting up his pillow to rest his back against. “So, what things do we need to do in preparation for tonight?”

“Make pudding, wash the blankets, go shopping real quick for some snacks and order the pizzas.” Javi listed item after item on the to do list, lifting up a finger after each one.

“Alright, breakfast first then we make pudding,” Santiago stole a kiss from Javi then hopped out of bed. Getting his morning slippers on, Santiago opened the bedroom door and the two walked to the kitchen together. Breakfast wouldn’t be anything fancy, just some cereal and orange juice. The two quickly poured their cereal and milk and made their way to the table. Both were quiet for a minute or two, letting themselves wake up and hoping that the food helped with that too. Santiago glanced up and saw that Javi was smiling at him. “What?” he asked before taking a bite of cereal.

“Nothing, you’re just making eating cereal look sexy,” Javi gave a flirtatious smile while Santiago’s eyes grew large at the compliment. He could feel his heart fluttering from the line. Javi lifted up his cup of orange juice and was sipping it happily when Santiago spoke.

“Not as sexy as you drinking orange juice,” Santaigo smiled when he saw Javi choke on the orange juice. It soon changed to concern though when Javi started coughing. “Are you okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting that.” Javi smiled and soon the two resumed eating their breakfast, casually talking about this and that.

Once breakfast was done and the bowls, cups and spoons were washed the couple moved onto the first task on their list. “It's pudding time!” Javi had a bright smile on his face while he got out two mixing bowls, one large and one small, a pot to cook the pudding in and saran wrap. Meanwhile Santiago was getting out all the necessary ingredients: sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and milk.

“You still got your bedhead,” Javi laughed as he ruffled his husband’s hair.

Santiago blushed lightly and reached for Javi’s hair. “Yours is pretty wild too!”

The two laughed together as they played with each other’s hair before returning to the task at hand. Santiago read the instructions while Javi placed all the dry ingredients in the small bowl and mixed them. Santiago then reached over and grabbed the milk, measuring it out then placing it in the pot. Turning on the heat, Santiago gently whisked the milk while Javi poured in the dry ingredients.

“I want a turn stirring too,” Javi smiled over at his husband.

“Okay, I’ll give you a turn for a kiss,” Santiago looked over at Javi who quickly agreed and gave Santiago a kiss before grabbing the whisk. Javi hummed happily while he stirred the pudding, singing a little tune about the tasty treat. Soon the chocolate pudding had formed and Javi took it off the flames.

“Oh! Maybe we should make some vanilla pudding too,” Santiago suggested then opened the fridge and peeked inside. “We have caramel sauce too so we can make it extra special.”

“Nothing’s ever wrong with more pudding!” Javi declared happily and soon the second batch of pudding was put on the stovetop as Santiago whisked away. After a few minutes both puddings were ready and had cooled down enough to be placed in containers. With some quick saran wrapping the pudding was safely secured and placed in the fridge.

“Okay, that's one task down. On to the rest!” Santiago led the way to the next task. The couple shared a smile; they couldn’t wait for tonight and were sure the others felt the same way.

“I think the dough’s risen enough, Nuri!” Gabe called out to his wife who was currently giving their black and white husky Arwen some ear scratches.

“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,” Nurgul rose up and started to make her way to the kitchen with Arwen in tow.

“Where’s Luka?” Gabe glanced back at his wife.

“He’s asleep. He tired himself out from playing so much with Arwen earlier but I’ll wake him up before the babysitter is here.” Strolling over to the sink, Nurgul quickly washed her hands and dried them off while her husband worked to take the risen dough out of the bowl. Gabe fumbled around with the baursak dough with one hand as he placed some flour down on the counter. After a minute or two he began to roll out the traditional Kazakh style dough when suddenly Nurgul peeked her head out from behind him to take a look.

“Oh, baby, you should put some more flour on the rolling pin,” Nurgul instructed. She grabbed some flour and dusted it on the roller. Placing her hands on top of Gabe’s, she began to help roll out the dough. Gabe could feel his heart flutter and felt his cheeks growing warm. “Now you’ve got the hang of it.” Nurgul looked up and smiled at her husband who was glancing back at her. She moved her hands away when suddenly Gabe reached out for them.

“Wait, it’s more fun to roll out the dough together,”

Gabe’s words and his sudden action made Nurgul’s heartbeat quicken. “Okay,” Nurgul had the softest smile on her face that made Gabe’s heart melt. He quickly stole a kiss from his wife then continued to work. The couple rolled the dough together in harmony as Nurgul lightly hummed a tune.

Once the dough had completely been rolled out they began to slice it into patterns. Gabe made his baursak pieces square while Nurgul made circles.

“Not doing too bad with making baursak,” Gabe smiled over at his wife who chuckled softly at the flour that had gotten on his orange beanie. Gabe looked confused until he followed Nurgul’s gaze towards his beanie. “Oh shit, did I get dough on it?”

“No, just some flour. Your beanie will survive,” Nurgul moved forward and captured her husband’s lips in a gentle kiss. Gabe could feel his ears grow hot and wanted to cover them with his beanie but his hands were covered in dough and flour. Nurgul didn’t seem to mind his reddish ears though and continued her work. “I think you’re doing a great job,” she commented as she finished up her last few circles.

“Thanks,” Gabe cut the last few squares with his knife then went over to wash off his hands. Arwen looked up from her spot in the corner of the kitchen, her ice blue eyes searching for snacks, but soon saw they were not ready yet and went back to sleep.

Nurgul moved over and looked at the pan that was filled with some oil for frying the dough. Seeing that it was bubbling a bit, Nurgul turned down the heat to medium for a few seconds before she began to place the dough to fry. She was about halfway done with the first batch when the strings to her apron became undone. Nurgul was busy trying to balance all the different things in the kitchen and couldn’t seem to find a second to re-tie her apron.

“It’s okay, Nuri. I got you,” Gabe jogged forward and wrapped his arms around Nurgul’s waist to reach the strings. After a few seconds he had tied them and turned his attention to his wife whose face was extremely close to his. The two were flustered in that moment, both wanting to go in for a kiss but their minds were overloading. Nurgul was quickly pulled away from it though when she could see the dark exterior of the baursak.

“Oh, damn it,” Nurgul refocused on cooking and Gabe soon joined in as well. Luckily for them they had been able to rescue the fried bread just in time before it burnt. After a few more batches the baursak was made and placed in bowls and saran wrapped to be transported over to Javi and Santi’s place.

“Looks like we finished just in time,” Gabe looked up at the clock on the oven.

“That's good. Can you get the cinnamon sugar while I send Javi a quick text that we’re on our way?” Gabe nodded at Nurgul’s words and sharing one more quick kiss the couple went to work on getting ready to go.

“You grabbed everything right, Tenn?” Mariana looked up at her boyfriend as she reached for the items she had placed in the island of the car.

“Yep, I have the drinks and the Switch controllers,” Tenn displayed the custom controllers decorated with a design he and Mariana had made.

“Awesome!” Mariana pocketed her phone and keys then closed the car door before jogging over to intertwine her hand with Tenn’s. It took some maneuvering with all the items Tenn was trying to carry. “Here, let me carry something,” Mariana offered and took a pitcher of lemonade before her boyfriend could protest. Mari smiled and leaned forward, getting on her tiptoes to give Tenn’s cheek a soft kiss. “Alright, ready to win game night?” “Yeah, I think we can win this time,” Tenn smiled softly at his girlfriend.

“That’s the spirit!” Mariana swayed their joined hands back and forth as they walked up the driveway to her uncles’ house. With an energetic knock, Mariana waited by the front door with Tenn. They heard some footsteps before Javi pulled open the door with a big grin.

“Mari! Tenn! You’re finally here!” Javi gave them both hugs before helping them with their supplies as they entered the house.

“Sorry we’re late, traffic was bad,” Tenn apologized but Javi waved his hand dismissively.

“It's all good. In fact, you must have a secret pizza sense I don’t know about, Mari, because you two arrived just after the pizza man left.” Javi smiled teasingly over at his niece.

“What can I say - it’s a gift of mine,” Mariana gave a smirk then placed down the pitcher of lemonade.

“Mari!” Nurgul’s gentle voice called out as she moved her way through the kitchen to give her sister-in-law a big hug. “It’s so good to see you! You too, Tenn.” Nurgul pulled back from Mariana and wrapped up Tenn in a soft hug.

“It’s nice to see you again, Nurgul,” Tenn smiled kindly while he glanced over to see Gabe had made his way over to hug his sister before Mariana began to tease him.

“Ready to get your ass kicked in Super Smash Bros again?” Mariana had a smug expression on her face.

“Yeah right. I’m winning this time!” Gabe returned the expression then looked over at Tenn. “Hey, Tenn.”

“Hey, Gabe. Should we grab some dinner?” Tenn offered. That made everyone’s attention return to the pizza. Soon all of them had grabbed paper plates and were piling their plates high with pizza. Everyone let Nurgul have first pick for pizza since they knew she would gravitate towards the margherita pizza. Once everyone had gotten pizza and salad they began to catch up on life. Santiago had quickly gotten caught up in discussing a fantasy world with Tenn who listened with a gentle smile on his face while Javi gushed about how proud he was of the pudding he and Santiago had made for dessert.

“So, Mari, when are you going to pop the question?” Santiago asked when Tenn had gone to grab some more lemonade.

“What?” Mariana’s face grew warm. “I, well, you see- Is that flour on Gabe’s beanie?” Mariana’s distraction worked for a second as Gabe swore under his breath. He had forgotten to get the beanie cleaned off before heading out.

“Alright, guys, that enough,” Nurgul reached out a hand and rested it on Gabe’s arm which made him seem to calm down from his heated argument with his sister.

“What did I miss?” Tenn sat down next to his girlfriend who wanted to speak up and warn him about what he had just stepped into.

“We were wondering about when Mariana would propose,” Javi said with a smile, making Tenn choke on his lemonade.

“Tenn!’ Mariana patted his back while he continued to lightly cough.

“Oops, maybe that was too much for Tenn to handle,” Santiago gave a teasing smile.

“You two,” Mariana glared at her uncles, trying to come up with a new distraction to get the heat off of her and Tenn. “Remember that time Gabe was getting ready to propose and he messed up his practice speech and asked where the bathroom was in Kazakh?” Mariana’s diversion worked and the table started to all talk at once about that. Gabe tried to defend himself while he pulled his beanie down to cover his ears that had grown red with embarrassment.

“I think it was very sweet that Gabe wanted to ask for my father’s blessing in Kazakh.” Nurgul smiled lovingly towards her husband and soon the conversation shifted again. Javi and Nurgul had gotten up to grab the pudding and baursak while Tenn had offered to help make tea with Santiago. After a few minutes dessert was served and everyone enjoyed the tasty sweets.

“Mmmm, this baursak is really good,” Javi exclaimed and dunked another piece of fried bread in cinnamon sugar before tossing it into his mouth.

“Aww thank you,” Nurgul smiled and took a bite of the chocolate pudding. “This is delicious too.”

“I’m glad. Santi and I have become the masters of pudding,” Javi declared proudly and sent a smile over to his husband.

Everyone continued to enjoy the pudding and baursak. Gabe ended up consuming way too much pudding and rolled onto the couch with a groan as Tenn worked with Javi to set up Super Smash Bros Ultimate.  

“Are you okay?” Nurgul asked her husband while gently rubbing his back.

“Too much pudding,” Gabe’s face was covered with his beanie.

“Sounds fake but okay,” Mariana’s words made Gabe pull up his beanie to glare at his sister.

“It’s not.”

“Whatever you say. Either way you’re losing the match.” Mariana smugly stated as Tenn walked over and sat behind her, softly wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Bold words, but all of you are losing to us!” Santiago dramatically pressed the button to select the game.

The opening song and visuals began to play before Javi worked to set up the first match.  Santiago got first pick for stage and chose Yoshi’s Island. Once that was complete all of them chose their characters. Nurgul immediately selected Jigglypuff and changed it so that her Jigglypuff had a bow on it. Nurgul smiled softly at the sight. Gabe chose Roy and Mari chose Ike while Tenn moved the analog stick towards Rosalina and Luma. Javi and Santiago were the last to select their fighters. Javi decided on Captain Falcon and Santiago went with Yoshi. The stage soon loaded and the fighters were all ready to duke it out.

“You may be wondering why I chose this stage,” Santiago pushed up his glasses with a smug smile. “It's for the home field advantage!” He pressed a series of buttons that made Yoshi get in his egg and roll directly towards Roy and Ike. Gabe and Mari dodged it easily though and before Santiago could redirect the egg it flew off the stage and he lost a life. “Damn it.”

“It’s okay, babe. You still have two lives,” Javi smiled at his husband then used a fire punch directly on Yoshi. Santiago’s eyes grew large and he chuckled.

“Oh, so that's how we’re going to play it!” Santiago charged at Javi. The two were completely lost in their own battle while Tenn and Nurgul were getting in crucial hits that would knock out the others. Gabe and Mariana had ended up losing lives easily too because they had gotten caught up in their sibling rivalry. After some heated gameplay and competitive talk, Tenn had won the first match. Rosalina and Luma struck a cute pose while the rest of the characters applauded begrudgingly.

“Good job, Tenn!” Mariana leaned back and gave her boyfriend a kiss. The romantic gesture flustered Tenn who was just as surprised as everyone else that he had won. Nurgul was the next to pick the stage and choose one of the Pokemon Stadiums. Everyone stuck with the same characters and the rivalry continued. Gabe stared at the screen. A pineapple that would heal him stood before him. The only issue was that Mariana’s character Ike was right beside it.

“Go for the pineapple, Gabe,” Mariana taunted her brother who debated on it before ultimately charging forward. It was the wrong move as Ike lifted up his sword and harshly knocked Roy off the stage.

“Damn it!” Gabe yelled and fell backwards on the couch.

“Ha, ha you always did fall for the simple traps,” Mariana smugly declared before Santiago sneak attacked her. Yoshi made a sound and stuck out his tongue, swallowing Ike before pooping him out in an egg that fell off the stage.

“Hey! Uncle Santi, no fair!” Mariana looked over at her uncle who was rather pleased with that sneak attack.

“All’s fair in love and Super Smash Bros,”

Those words fueled a fire within Mariana. “Gabe, truce! Let’s kick our uncles’ asses!”

“Wait, why am I getting targeted too?” Javi asked while he avoided a sleep attack by Nurgul before tossing a pokeball which let out a Vupix who blew fire at Jigglypuff.

“One, you’re married to Santi, and two, you just attacked my wife so all bets are off!” Gabe did a flurry of sword attacks on Captain Falcon which made Javi panic before getting competitive.

“Oh, I’m gonna teach you how to really play this game!” Javi sent a fire punch at Gabe that sent his character flying up before he used another fire attack that grabbed Roy and exploded him.

Mariana and Gabe tried their best to win. Nurugl and Tenn had already gotten all their lives used up and were watching and cheering on their significant others as they charged ahead to attack their uncles. Sadly for the siblings, Javi won that round and was pretty proud of it too.

“You just wait until we start this match!” Mariana selected the Temple stage and soon the fight continued. Javi had grabbed a mine and tossed it within the temple before using taunts to annoy the others.

“Show ya moves! Show ya moves!” Captain Falcon declared loudly and saluted.

“I’ll show you some moves!” Gabe moved his character forward and attacked only for Nurgul’s sleep attack to reach him. “What the-”

Mariana laughed. “Looks like Nurgul’s sweet lullaby put you to sleep,” she teased her brother who was growing flustered.

“Shut up,” Gabe grumbled before his eyes grew large when Nurgul set up a devastating attack while his character was still asleep. “Wait, Nuri!”

“I love you,” Nurgul said with a sweet smile before Jigglypuff viciously attacked Roy and sent him flying off the stage. “Sorry,”

“It's okay. I love you too,”

“Whoa, your wife kicked your ass,” Javi laughed and hopped forward, accidentally stepping on the spot where he had set the landmine. Within seconds Captain Falcon flew off the stage. After a few minutes all fighters had been defeated except for Mariana and Gabe. The siblings shared a look before they both slammed their thumbs on the analog sticks, making their characters dash forward. It was a close match; both of them only needed one more good hit to win. Mariana set up an attack and was sure Gabe would fall for it but to her surprise he didn’t and made her waste an attack, leaving herself wide open for the finishing blow.

“I win!” Gabe used a harsh sword attack and threw his sister off the stage. He jumped up and cheered loudly as Roy stood with his victory pose.

“This is just the beginning,” Mariana’s words made Gabe sit down and soon the matches continued. Everyone was really getting into the game and having a blast. It was another great family game night together.

[yikeswtfmate]

Saccharine

Summary: Bucky is trying to cook again and Y/N is afraid he will starve to death one of these days. Surely, no one can eat something that smells this horrifying? 

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x you

Warnings: swearing; a small sexual innuendo?; alcohol consumption; that’s it?

A/N: Based on the prompt My neighbour’s at my door, asking if everything’s alright, because it smells like something is burning, and I was only trying to cook for once and this is embarrassing but they decide to help me fix this mess although I’ve changed it a bit

Feels a bit rushed to the end imo, but this is what happens when I’m getting super excited about another idea and I can’t think about anything else

masterlist

There’s a distinct smell of burnt onions in the kitchen. I can smell it even from my place on the sofa, distracting me from my phone enough to raise my nose into the air and take a lungful of what now seems to be…rotten eggs? I wouldn’t be so confused if it weren’t for the fact that no one is currently cooking in my kitchen but as I make my way to the open window, I can bet good money that my neighbour is trying to cook again. It’s the third time this week that I’m wondering whether that long-haired handsome man is actually a vulture, coyote or freak of nature because how can someone eat something that smells so vile? His only redemption is that I know thanks to the impossibly thin walls of the building that these cooking endeavours inevitably end up in him ordering takeout after a couple of hours of cursing and what must only be whatever he’s been trying to make dumped into the bin.

This is it, I think. There is literally no possibility that a human being can survive on takeout alone. I go to the bathroom and make myself presentable, because let’s face it, I’m not going to face that pretty man looking like I’ve just hibernated for a week (which I have, but he doesn’t need to know that), put on a pair of slippers and with a long inhale get out of my apartment. In front of his door, I shift my weight from one foot to the other, now my exasperation at his culinary inabilities suddenly vanishing in the face of uncertainty. What if he’ll think I’m rude? What if he has someone over and I’m interrupting? What if he’ll think I’m weird? We’ve never spoken before after all, with the exception of the nods of acknowledgement in the mornings when we would occasionally meet.

As I ponder my decision, there are more curses flowing over the sound of sizzling. Fuck it, this man needs my help or he’ll starve. I knock on his door, waiting for a few seconds after I hear a shouted “coming.” The door flies open and my neighbour, this beautiful specimen of a man, is surrounded by steam and the smell of…does he have a wet dog inside the house? His hair must have been tied at the back, but now long strands are stuck to his sweaty forehead. He brings a hand to his face, wiping away at a red streak, only to be replaced by a black smudge. The kitchen towel he’s holding is dripping with something orange and the sleeve on his other arm is scorched. Has he been trying to cook an armchair?

“Hi. I know this might sound weird, but are you trying to cook?”

“Uh…Yeah. I’m failing miserably, as you can see.” He says with a frown, moving away from the door so I can look inside his apartment, which is now starting to fill with smoke.

“Uh – I think you might want to take off whatever you have on the stove now or the fire alarm will start going off soon.” I advise and with bulging eyes, he just turns around and runs toward the kitchen.

He leaves the door open so I take that as an invitation to come in and close it, just so I can spare the rest of our neighbours from the appalling smell. Following him, I inspect the damage and I can say hand on my heart that I have never in my entire life seen such damage. I let him take the pan off the stove and into the sink, although I should warn him that it’s probably not a good idea to pour cold water onto boiling oil, but I’m not even sure that is oil. I find some paper towels and wipe the cracked eggs off the counter and into a bowl that is full of skinned…peppers? I throw that away after I locate the bin, take a wet washcloth and clean the kitchen island, which is full of burnt meat, I’ll presume. As I inspect a purple sphere surrounded by slices of cucumber on a plate, there’s a grunt in front of me on the other side of the island and I look up with a consoling smile.

“This looks worse than it actually is.” He says.

“Well, it certainly looks better than it smells.”

“That bad, huh?” He scratches the back of his neck and extends a hand after he wipes it on his jeans that are actually covered in flour. “I’m Bucky by the way. I’ve never had the chance to introduce myself.”

“Y/N.” I shake his hand, noticing the rough skin – definitely not a cook then. At least I’ve established he’s not poisoning anyone else. “What were you trying to make anyway?”

“My friend Natalia gave me this Russian recipe for pirozhki, but I’ve just realised that she’s a worse cook than me so I should’ve never trusted her.”

He takes a sit with a grunt and a shake of his head. He offers me the chair next to him, reaching over an opened bottle of wine that was sitting on the island, next to a few mismatched glasses. I grab two, letting him fill them to the brim. It’s one of those nights, apparently.

“I’m pretty sure pirozhki are made with cabbage not…is that hummous?” I frown at yet another plate with an unnamed content that has started to get a green tint.

“It’s alright, I’m used to the cheap noodles by now.” He shrugs and takes a sip of his drink.

“Tell you what.” I say, now more emboldened by the wine. “I’ll whip up some pasta so you can enjoy some homemade food tonight and I can have some company on this fine Friday evening. What do you say?”

Bucky shifts in his chair to look at me with a confused expression that slowly turns into a soft smile. It suits him so well, rough edges becoming sweet, his eyes suddenly my only focus. It cuts the air out of my lungs, and if I were younger, I would’ve blushed to the roots of my hair. It still manages to make me tighten my grip on the tall glass I am holding.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I insist.”

“I don’t have any spaghetti though.” He says, still smiling, still looking directly into my eyes.

“Oh, I’m not going to cook in here, honey. This whole kitchen needs to be decontaminated, sterilised and cleansed with holy water.”

He laughs, which would have knocked me off my feet if I were standing. It seems this man can be very unhealthy for my state of mind, legs and lungs. With a chuckle he asks me to lead the way, bottle of wine in his hand and we’re now in my kitchen, a place I would have never seen him in in a million years. Maybe in some scattered fantasies, fleeting moments when I remember the broad line of his shoulders right before I fall asleep or the shape of his thighs in that particular pair of jeans he sometimes wears when he’s downstairs checking for his post.

“In my defence, I never had to cook for myself. After I moved to college, Steve would be the one cooking all the time and let me tell you, he did not like it if people meddled with his sauces.” He tells me two hours later after we’ve finished our bowls of pasta and we’re now sitting on the sofa, legs stretched on the coffee table and the tv turned on just for background noise.

“I don’t know, Buck. It’s kind of embarrassing not knowing how to at least make an omelette.” I laugh as he pours what is probably my third glass of wine.

“Now listen here, missy. I ain’t French and I do know how to do one thing.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“I know how to pour milk over my cereal.” He says with a serious face. I burst out laughing, dropping the spoon I was holding directly on my t-shirt.

“I’ll tell you something though.” He offers me a napkin from the table, and I try to focus on wiping the chocolate cream off, but I’m suddenly seeing double and everything is ten times funnier, although to be fair, Bucky turned out to be the best company I’ve had in a long time. “I’ve never eaten so well in a whole ass time. But don’t tell Steve that or he’ll rip one of my arms out.”

“I’m sure everything is better than boiled leather, Bucky.” I smile.

“Nuh-uh. The pasta was divine. And this cake…Y/N, I’ll have to marry you just so I can eat this for the rest of my life.”

I bump my shoulder with his, but there is a feeling that I’m not sure I want to ignore. He’s been sweet all night, complimenting the food, which to be fair, in my eyes is not only the way to a man’s heart, but to mine as well. He’s making my heart sticky, a syrup running through veins with viscous sugar and honey, and he’s candy-coated, teeth-rotting saccharine.

*

Bucky knocks on my door the next day, a lazy Saturday that I’ve spent baking cookies and reading a novel that’s been twisting my gut with want. When my eyes meet his, my legs involuntarily twitch, scenes replaying in my head, but the smile I offer in return is nothing but genuine.

“I smell something delicious.” He says instead of a greeting.

I let him in, pouring him a bowl of soup after he reluctantly admits he only ate an apple the whole day. He protests at first, claiming that he only wanted a cookie, but ends up asking for seconds and finishing an entire batch of raspberry filled cookies.

Three hours later, I’m somehow curled up into his side, watching The Office because he committed the heinous crime of never having watched it. He absently curls a strand of my hair around his finger and I’m drifting asleep, wrapped in a cocoon of powdered sugar.

*

“You’re making me fat.” He says, around a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

“Excuse you, James. You’re making me an alcoholic.” I retaliate, raising yet another glass of wine.

Bucky is sitting in my kitchen, eating my food, as he’s been doing for nearly every evening for the last four months. We’ve fallen into a strange routine, where he’s just drop by, claiming he smelled “something delicious” on his way in after work and I’d just learned to cook dinner for two without questions. I got so used to spending this time with him, that whenever he’d text he won’t be joining me, it would feel off, somehow unbalanced without him on the other side of the table.

I watch him as he moves around the kitchen with ease, putting the empty dishes in the sink, cutting two slices of cheesecake, pouring me another glass of wine. It felt strange having him in my apartment at first, but now it’s just normal, easy, sweet. He takes the plates with the dessert to the coffee table, and I join him in the living room. He’s already dug into his slice, unholy moans escaping his lips, and I just purse mine. Sometimes I wonder if he does it on purpose.

“Stop judging me, this is heavenly.”

“I’m not judging you, I think you’re an idiot.” I laugh. “It’s just a cheesecake. And I’ve made this before.”

“It’s not just a cheesecake. It is the most marvellous thing ever. It is transcendental.”

“Ok, I think you’ve had enough wine.”

We settle into comfortable silence as I turn on the tv and look through the selection of films that seems pretty slim at the moment, considering the amount of Netflix we’ve been consuming lately. Bucky shifts on the sofa next to me, clears his throat, closes his mouth after opening it to say something, rubs the back of his neck, picks at a piece of strawberry on his plate, turns to me, takes his hair out of its bun, fiddles with the band.

“Spit it out already.” I say, without even sparing him a glance. He does this sometimes, this little dance of his when he locks himself up and is unsure of how to voice whatever’s on his mind. I continue to look through the list of unwatched films, but I have a feeling I’ll just introduce him to Parks and Recreation tonight, because this man has apparently been living under a rock for the past century.

“My birthday’s coming up soon. I was wondering if you’d like to come? I’m not throwing a huge party, just a little get together with some friends over at my place. I’ll just buy some beer and order pizza, but I’d like you to be there as well.”

He’s looking at me expectantly, uncertainty clear in his voice, which is stupid because he could ask me anything and I’d do it without second thoughts by this point.

“Of course, you moron.” I say with a roll of my eyes. “I’ll be expecting my formal invitation in the mail though.”

*

It’s two weeks later and I am running so late. My mother insisted to have a girls’ day out, which I’ve tried getting out of, considering that a) I know my mother too well not to be aware that even dinners with her usually take decades to end, b) my very cute neighbour is expecting me to make an appearance at his birthday party, and most importantly, c) I haven’t seen him for three days already and I miss his smile more than anything. As the hours have been progressing, my fidgeting became worse, to the point that mum had enough of it and finally released me of my captivity, two hours later than I promised I’ll be there.

“That boy better be worth it.” She laughed, holding me in a hug as we were parting. “I hope you’re feeding him well.”

I am now faced with his closed door, voices and laughter interlacing in the apartment before me, and I suddenly feel very nervous, a reminder of the first time I knocked at Bucky’s door. I hope his friends like me, not only because I have been programmed since birth to need to be loved by everyone, but also because I gathered from all my conversations with Bucky that he holds his friends’ opinions in high regard. I better not fuck this up, I think and with a deep breath, I knock on the door.

Someone shouts after Bucky, and I can distinctly hear a commotion set into motion, that makes me wary. There are yells, a loud line of cursing, and the clatter of what must only be a shattered glass on the hard tile of the kitchen. The door opens and I’m greeted by a man who’s holding a bottle of beer and looks as if he’d just stepped out of a Fourth of July commercial.

“You must be Y/N. Come in.” Mister America says and lets me step in.

The first thing I see is Bucky being held in a headlock by another man who seems too happy to be sober or sorry that his friend can’t breathe at the moment. Bucky looks like he’s trying to fight against an eagle, flailing around like an overexcited puppy. I am standing in the middle of the hallway, trying to stifle the burst of laughter that is taking hold of me.

“Come on, Barnes, don’t be rude. Your girlfriend’s here and you won’t even say hi to her? Where are your manners? I thought you couldn’t wait to see her after you’ve been worried all night she won’t show up.” Bird Boy says.

I raise my eyebrows, but Stars and Stripes is the only one that can notice my reaction. “That’s Sam.” He says nodding to his wrestling friends. “You probably already know that their relationship is…intense. I’m Steve, by the way. We’ve all heard a lot about you.”

A hand slams onto Steve’s shoulder before I try to pry information out of him. Bucky seems to have broken free, Sam closely following him, and I’m now faced with three broad-shouldered men that could easily pass for the planet’s bodyguards. I extend the cake tin to Bucky and he takes it, looking at me with those huge eyes that would be more fit for a cartoon character.

“Did you bake something for me?” He asks incredulous.

“Figured you’re too much of a dumbass to order a cake, so…” I shrug.

Bucky gives Steve the tin, without even opening it, as I would have expected him to do. I worry at my bottom lip, thinking maybe I overstepped or that a bottle of wine would’ve been more fitting, when he literally swipes me off my feet in a hard embrace. He snuggles his face into my neck, tickling my cheek with strands of his hair, and I can clearly smell the alcohol on him. He’s drunk, I realise, which can only mean that he’s past the point of being funny, now he’s just going to downright say whatever’s on his mind.

“Easy there, tiger. You’re gonna break her spine.” I can hear a woman passing by saying, but it’s too muffled by Bucky’s entire display of affection to figure out whether that’s Natalia or not.

“You didn’t have to bake me a cake.” Bucky murmurs. “You are enough.”

“I wanted to, Buck. Happy birthday, honey.” I say when he finally lets go off me and I can stand on my own two feet again. He brushes his thumb over my cheek and looks at me for a long moment, until he takes my hand in his and drags me into the living room, where there are more people sitting on the sofa, on the armchairs, and even on the floor.

“Everyone, this is Y/N. She saved me from starvation, she is the love of my life, she has the softest hair that I’ve ever touched in my entire existence and if anyone lies a finger on her, they’ll be dead within the minute, just so you all jackasses know, so don’t try anything, Thor!” Bucky announces with a flourish of his hand.

There’s no time to process what he just said, as his guests start yelling their hellos and introduce themselves. I try to shake as many hands as possible, and even give hugs back when they’re offered, and I’m surprised to notice that it seems as if I already know all these people from Bucky’s stories.

A few hours later, I’m sitting next to Bucky on the floor of the living room, after being lured into playing a variation of Truth or Dare, that would make no sense for a sober person. There’s yelling, popcorn flying over heads when a dare is not deigned to be fulfilled, empty bottles scattered around the floor, and too many paper plates to count. I wonder fleetingly how much all of this will take to clean tomorrow morning and I make a mental note to offer my help, before a hand rests on my knee. I turn to look at Bucky, who seems unaware of his actions, his vision clearly hazy with alcohol, but I’ve also consumed enough to just enjoy it and not read too much into it. I lean my chin on his shoulder, which makes him cut his shout short and direct his attention to me. Our faces are a few inches away from each other, alcohol mixing from our breaths, pupils dilating in the dim light, and we sit there, looking at each other before a cushion comes flying right to our heads.

“Get a room!” Someone shouts and there’s an eruption of laughter, but no one else pays any attention to us anymore.

Bucky stands up and holds his hand out to me. I take it and follow him through the apartment without a word. He leads me to the fire escape, climbing out the window into the fresh cold air. With a shiver, I take the space between his legs, leaning my back on his chest and letting him warm me up with his arms. He’s the one to rest his chin on my shoulder now, and I play with his thumb, suddenly more sober than I was in the heated apartment, but I have to know, before my ounce of bravery is gone.

“Did you mean it?” I whisper, half wondering whether he’s too drunk to understand what I’m saying.

“What?”

“Back there. When you introduced me.”

“That you saved me from starvation? Well, yeah, did you forget I am completely useless in the kitchen?” He laughs.

“Not that.” But I really don’t want to give him any more clarifications.

“That you have the softest hair?” He murmurs into my ear, kissing my temple. “You do. That I’ll kill anyone who would even look wrong at you?” He kisses my cheek. “That you are the love of my life? I’m not a hundred percent sure about that, but I’m more than certain that I’ve never loved anyone the way that I already do you. And I haven’t even kissed you yet.”

The angle is strange, him towering over me although he’s only sitting a step above me, his arm wrapped around mine, while his other hand makes its way around my face, pulling it towards his. Strands of his hair fall over his eyes, but I can see the gentleness in them in the light pouring out from the kitchen. His nose brushes over my brow, breath ghosting over my skin until I close my eyes and his lips are like honey, melting like butter in a hot summer day. I feel syrup pouring over my soul, coating it in cotton candy, that leaves my insides sticky with sugar.

“Now I’m certain.” He whispers and I smile. I kiss his nose and snuggle closer into his arms. We stay like that for some time, that could have been either hours or mere minutes, the party dying down slowly inside the house. The sky is still dark, and I’m slowly drifting to sleep, but from Bucky’s shiver I know we should be going back, although he won’t admit it.

“You wanna know a secret?” He asks.

“Yeah?” I really don’t want to move

“My only saving grace is that compared to the kitchen, I’m amazing in the bedroom.”

I groan and bump my shoulder into his chest. This man will be the death of me. I climb my way back inside, closely followed by Bucky who is laughing behind me. He grabs my wrist and turns me around, loosely resting his arms on my hips and looking down at me through clear eyes. At least he’s sober now.

“Thank you for making my birthday wish come true.”

“You wished for a birthday cake?” I snort with a raised eyebrow.

He kisses my forehead and murmurs sugar-coated word into my skin. “I wished for you.”

***

Taglist:

@imma-new-soul

[opes-magnas]

selcouth.

 forget milk first or cereal first. this man was terrifying.

Renee watched in sheer disgust as he put two spoonful’s of honey in his bowl, poured in an unhealthy amount of lucky charms and poured water. Cody studied her expression, confused. why was she so taken aback? this was normal for him. he then pulled out a jar on the counter and added some of the mixture in it into his bowl. milk powder?!

‘sometimes if you’re stressed, you can switch it up with some white wine instead of water!’, he said

blasphemy.

‘want some?’, he asked while fixing his glasses.

‘no, thanks!’

Renee thought she was on a date with the devil himself. how was she going to steal that watch now?

she met him two weeks ago, when he moved into the apartment opposite to hers. He looked ric-, no self-sufficient; he owned designer pairs of shoes, clothes, whatnot. he wore a lot of black and glasses. tall, lean, looked intelligent. he had everything she didn’t care about in a man. but the beauty that caught her eye was that beautiful Daytona Albino Rolex on his wrist. that piece of silver happiness was all Renee could think about.

but was this man- he was the most unusual person she'd ever seen. Renee always found something off about him. why would he, a possible millionaire, move into a small apartment in New York, moreover, pay rent. and to make matters more confusing, why ask her on a date? is she, a conman, getting conned herself?

but she put her thoughts aside. she wanted that watch, and she’d better get it.

‘so, Cody. where do you work?’, Renee asked with a smile.

‘oh, at the bakery that opened up at seventh. you should stop by sometimes, we have some really good lemon meringue pie.’, he replied, eating a spoonful of his monstrous cereal. lie. he was obviously rich. Renee’s hunch about him was driving her crazy. although she was being foolishly optimistic, she was still holding her hopes.

‘sure!’  ———//////———  

another week had passed and Renee was still not close to her goal. sure, she could steal his damn stuff when he left for work, right? wrong. this devilish of a man hadn’t left his apartment all week. was this guy a freaking bat?

Renee was forced on more dates with him in his apartment. and every time she tried to distract him; every attempt in trying to get him out of the room failed.

Renee was almost about to kill this man for that damn watch. You could call it desperate, but that’s just how true love worked. Cody on the other hand, was fascinated by Renee. he liked it when she offered to make breakfast while he rested, when she got surprised by everything he did. she even offered to clear stuff around his house. he found her adorable when she laughed every time his glasses fogged up when they drank some hot coffee together. her laughter reminded Cody of a soft cloud. oh, this boy was whipped for her. and one fine day, when Renee was about to leave,

‘I’ll be waiting for you at the bakery tomorrow. I wanna see you.’, he said, glancing at her.

Renee’s eyes widened in surprise. Cody felt his blood rush up to his cheeks. ‘not that I miss you or anything! It’s just, uh, the fact that I have some really annoying co-workers!’

good save, good save, good save!!, he thought. he studied Renee’s face. her eyebrows were tied up in a knot and she seemed to dislike the idea of it. maybe he shouldn’t push it…

‘sure, I’ll drop by! for the lemon meringue pie, of course.’, she declared, with a tint of redness in her cheeks.

Cody’s face lit up.

‘I’ll see you then!’

 ———//////———

Renee was happier than you’ll ever be.

Cody was finally going to work that day! after all those ‘dates’, she finally got her reward. looking back, they weren’t that bad, but they definitely were painful. a few more hours and she could say goodbye to that gorgeous face. wait, did she say gorgeous? nope. no way. maybe he wasn’t that bad looking as she perceived him to be, but he wasn’t… he was gorgeous.

she ignored the feeling she felt in her heart when she thought about him and continued her day. so what if a man’s amazingly handsome? her goal was the watch. she saw Cody leave through her peephole and set her plan in action. Renee settled down near Cody’s front door and pulled out a bobby pin. yep, she was going to play by the textbook. she inserted the pin in the keyhole and jiggled it till it gave in. she entered the apartment in all her glory.

from the week’s experience she had of his home, she figured out where he would most probably hide his belongings- his room. duh. she was being as quiet as a cat, even though there was no one there. she was slowly making her way toward the room.

‘Renee?’

Renee froze in her steps. that was Cody. the plan failed. her hands squeezed onto her pathetic bobby pin. she turned around to face him.

And then she ran.

she tried to run past him as fast as her non- athletic body let her. eh, if she runs away, he can’t catch her, right? 

wrong. she was always wrong.

Cody grabbed her forearm and yanked her towards him. realizing he might’ve used a lot of force, he eased his grip on her. but he was extremely confused.

‘Renee, what were you doing in there?’, he questioned.

‘uh, this isn’t Renee!’, Renee said whilst panicking. yes Renee, tell your neighbour that you aren’t you.

‘oh yeah? i wonder who you are then!’

Renee sighed. ‘fine, you got me. yay.’, she said as she finally gave in. Cody’s face seemed as though it was looking for answers. Renee cleared her voice.

‘i was planning on, well, stealing-  now wait, i wouldn’t say stealing but somewhat along the lines of it - your stuff. and uh, you know, it didn’t work out.’

damn right it didn’t work out!

Cody’s eyes widened in surprise. he was bewildered. Renee tried to clear matters immediately.

‘but you know what’s important? I’m sorry! yea, and I’ll just, you know, go back into my apartment and you can pretend i never existed!’, Renee said. she clapped her hands together. ‘problem solved!’

‘no wait.’, Cody interjected. he had guts to look half amused in all this mess. ‘why would you want to steal from me?’

Renee clicked her tongue. was he really going to play his ‘I’m not rich’ character forever?!

‘uh, you’re rich?!’, she responded.

‘uh, I’m not?!’

‘yes, you are! how do you explain all the designer clothes, shoes, and that amazing damn Rolex?’, Renee was clearly annoyed now.

Cody threw his head up in laughter. Renee was baffled. what was so funny? wait… this girl had the IQ of a goldfish.

‘they’re fake. all of them. my co-workers at the bakery swapped my entire closet to cheap replicas of ‘designer’ clothes, shoes and that amazing damn Rolex as a prank and I’m just rolling with it.’, he explained whilst grinning ear to ear. Cody studied his neighbour’s stupefied face.

‘i told you they were annoying!’

Renee was as red as a tomato now. she still didn’t justify why she thought of committing the theft. he probably hated her now anyways.

‘i-’

‘financial problems, huh?’, Cody interrupted, knowing the matter was getting a little serious.

Renee nodded in response. ‘I’m so sorry, Cody. but the dates, i really did enjoy them.’

‘really?’, Cody asked. cause, i was actually hoping to ask you out today, you know, for real.’

‘oh, oh really? me? whoa, okay. well, i guess you won’t-’

‘the offer still stands.’

Renee was rendered speechless. why would he still want to hang out with her? what’s wrong with him?

‘as long as you don’t steal anymore.’, Cody stated. ‘so, what do you say?’

Renee considered the offer, and she decided to listen to the weird feeling in her heart.

‘I’d love to, Cody.’

 ———/////———

Renee observed at Cody as they walked to the bakery. she noticed how he liked humming cotton-eyed joe and swinging their linked arms a lot. a weirdass man with a weirdass girl. wonderful.

he liked broccoli on pizza and didn’t eat his fries with the sauce (it was one less thing to argue about).

Cody was very unusual. but boy, was he marvellous.

[bthenoise]

Quaran-Dine & Chill: Here are 12 Homemade Food Recipes From Some Of Your Favorite Bands

Look, we get it: You’re bored. You’re stuck at home with nothing to do and to top it all off you’re absolutely starving with no idea what to make except for a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. 

Thankfully, we knew this would happen so we reached out to some amazing artists to see if they had any recipes to help us all get through this never-ending period of social distancing. 

Submitting for a feature we like to call “Quaran-Dine & Chill,” bands like Mayday Parade, The Used, August Burns Red, Atreyu, Periphery, New Found Glory and more have all pitched in some of their most favorite recipes to make from home. 

To check out how to create Groovy Toast, cook some of Herbie’s Homemade Chicken Taquitos or even put together some Veggie Pasta with Vegan Ass White Sauce, be sure to look below. Afterward, remember, before making anything to eat, WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS!

Oh, and there’s also a special 35-song Quaran-Dine & Chill playlist at the end of all this. Listen to it as loud as you possibly can -- we hear it helps the food taste better. 

Enjoy! 

JAKE BUNDRICK - MAYDAY PARADE

JAKE’S OVERNIGHT OATS

Ingredients 1/2 cup oatmeal (any type will work but I personally like Old Fashioned or Rolled Oats) 1 cup water 1 scoop protein powder (It's not necessary by any means but I prefer French Vanilla from TrueNutrition) 3/4 cup of either frozen berries or fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries... you can either add this now to soak overnight or wait until you're ready to eat and then add berries. It's up to you) 1 banana sliced 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter

Instructions Mix oatmeal, water, protein and frozen berries together in a bowl or jar (frozen berries are optional). You could forego this and choose to add fresh berries later.

Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight or for a few hours -- your choice.

After soaking, add fresh berries if you haven't already. Then add bananas and peanut butter.

Enjoy.

MATT HALPERN - PERIPHERY

REALLY HEALTHY “CEREAL”

I love cereal but I don't want all the bad stuff associated with most cereals. So I came up with a healthy alternative. It's pretty simple.

Grab a bowl

Add Trader Joe's Go Raw Trek Mix

Slice up some strawberries and add them too

Throw on a couple blueberries

Add 1% milk

And there ya have it! Really hearty, really healthy, easy to make “cereal” that actually fills you up!

MATT GREINER - AUGUST BURNS RED

DEER CAMP BREAKFAST CASSEROLE 

Ingredients 18 eggs 2 cups of milk 1 cup cheddar cheese 1 lb bacon 1 lb loose sausage 1 ts salt 1 tb pepper 1 pack hash browns

Instructions Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Brown sausage and bacon separately-drain

Pan fry hash browns until golden brown

Grease a 13” x 9” baking pan and line the bottom with hash browns

Add a layer of bacon

Add a layer of sausage

Whip the eggs in a large bowl, then add the mix, salt and pepper, mix well

Add the cheese to the eggs and mix again

Pour the egg mixture over the meat and hash browns

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes 

Remove foil and bake until the top of the casserole begins to brown. Then remove from the oven.

BRENT WALSH - I THE MIGHTY

B-LEE'S BREAKFAST FEAST

Ingredients Hash browns 2 eggs Onions Garlic Mushrooms Peppers Cheddar cheese Black pepper Salt Ketchup Valentina (black label, extra hot) hot sauce Olive oil

Instructions First, get the hash browns going in a frying pan with lots of oil. They take the longest. 

In a second pan, get all the veggies going adding garlic when everything else is almost done so that you don't burn the garlic.

When the hash browns are done, plate them and immediately add the cheese to taste. 

The veggies should be about done by this time so add those on top. 

Fry the eggs (I like mine over medium) in the original pan you cooked the hash browns in and add salt and pepper while they cook. 

I like to top it all off with some black label Valentina hot sauce and a little ketchup. 

Add a coffee and mimosa on the side and boom, you got yourself a good ol' quarantine breakfast feast.

MARK HOLCOMB - PERIPHERY

SRIRACHA TUNA SALAD

Take two cans of tuna, break it up in a mixing bowl, toss with two tablespoons of celery, half an onion and some chopped fresh parsley.

Add 1/3 cup of mayonnaise (or veganaise if you’re a tree-hugging hippy like me), 1 tablespoon mustard, and several tablespoons of Sriracha depending on how spicy you want it.

Top off with some ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste.

Also feel free to add half a diced apple if you like some sweetness and crunchy texture in there.

Delicious, healthy and super simple.

JEPHA - THE USED

GROOVY TOAST

Soak a cup of any kind of nut (almond, cashew etc..) overnight in water.

Next day, strain most of the water except for a little bit to help blend it.

Put soaked nuts in blender with a dash of lemon, a pinch of salt, pepper, two tablespoons of olive oil.

Blend until smooth.

Optional fun: slice something spicy like a jalapeño.

Add “Groovy cheese” to either toast or crackers.

Drizzle olive oil and lemon on top of “Groovy Toast” with a spicy, spicy jalapeño and let your mouth party like your stuck at home for the next month or so 🤙

CYRUS BOLOOKI - NEW FOUND GLORY

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients: Ground Beef (or turkey, or chicken, or any kind of meat for that matter) Onion, diced (optional) Frozen veggies (1 bag of pretty much anything you have, normally a carrot/corn/peas mix, but seriously, anything will do) Worcestershire Sauce (optional, but check the back of your cupboard because you probably have a bottle that’s been sitting there for years and is still good!) Potatoes (again, any kind of potatoes will do) Cheese (cheddar is the standard, but use what you have!)

Instructions: Cook your meat in a skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper and adding diced onion if you have while cooking.  

Cook/microwave your bag of frozen veggies and add directly into the meat and stir.

Now’s the time to find that Worcestershire sauce if you have it -- if not, don’t worry, this is awesome without it too!

Add a cup of cheese in there and also 1/2 cup of liquid (could be water, could be chicken/beef broth if you have). Stir to combine all ingredients and turn to low heat to keep warm.

Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes however you can (whether by hand or with a box) and when done layer these two things in an ovenproof dish — meat/veggie mix on bottom, mashed potatoes on top.

Toss cheese all over the top of that and throw it in the oven on medium heat for 20 minutes to melt the cheese.

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy your dish whether with family or all alone. It’s a full meal all in one, tastes even better the next day and you can even freeze it!

BRANDON SALLER - ATREYU

WINNER WINNER ISOLATION DINNER (Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs)

Ingredients Bone-in chicken thighs w/ skin Salt (coarse salt works best but any will work fine) Pepper Garlic powder Mixed herbs or Italian seasoning Desired veggie - Whatever you have (ie broccoli, green beans, asparagus, zucchini) Italian dressing (your favorite)

Instructions Preheat oven to 400º  

Pat dry chicken on both sides with a paper towel

Season both sides of chicken liberally. Especially the top. The key to this chicken is the well seasoned crispy skin.

Place on sheet pan and roast in oven for about 40 minutes. You are looking for the chicken to be cooked through and skin to be browned and crispy.

When chicken has about 20 minutes left, put marinated veggies on a sheet pan and roast until chicken is done.

When finished, let chicken rest for about 5 minutes as it just came out of a 40-minute fiery hell and will 100% burn your mouth.

ENJOY!

IRA GEORGE - MOVEMENTS

TACO SALAD

This is a very easy and fluid dish that you can make on your own with ease. Whether you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can make this fit your lifestyle.

Ingredients 1 bag of chopped romaine 1 can of black beans 1 frozen bag of white or brown rice 1 cup of frozen corn (thawed) Soyrizo (or any type of ground meat) 1/2 bell pepper 2 Roma tomatoes 1/3 yellow onion 1 avocado Cilantro 1 lime Taco sauce of your choice Cilantro dressing (or something comparable) Diced jalapeños Shredded Mexican cheese Handful of tortilla chips

Instructions Dice the bell pepper, yellow onion and Roma tomatoes

Chop a handful of cilantro

Thaw corn in microwave

In a small pot heat up the can of beans

Cook the soyrizo or other meat in a pan at the same time (if you are using meat you will need to season to your liking)

Heat rice in microwave (if using uncooked rice have it ready before everything)

Grab a big bowl and put rice down. Add the cilantro and lime and toss together

Now add everything else however you want. Remember this is a completely fluid meal, add or takeout any ingredient you feel. Get creative with it! DON’T FORGET TO ADD THE AVOCADO AND SAUCES!!

NICK VENTIMIGLIA - GRAYSCALE

HERBIE’S HOMEMADE CHICKEN TAQUITOS

Servings: 12 Calories: 241 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 20 min Total time: 40 min

Ingredients 3oz cream cheese 1/4 cup salsa of your choice 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 1/2 teaspoon of taco seasoning 2 fresh cloves of garlic, minced 3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley 2 scallions diced 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or whatever protein you desire 1 cup Mexican blend cheese or whatever you want 12 6in flour tortillas Cooking spray Kosher salt

Instructions Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, taco seasoning, garlic, cilantro, and scallions until well combined and creamy. Add in the cooked chicken and cheese; stir to thoroughly combine.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 10 seconds).

Spoon 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly.

Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone, making sure the taquitos are not touching each other.

Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little kosher salt (don’t skip the salt!)

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

BALSAC THE JAWS 'O DEATH - GWAR

I offered up my recipes for Feline Fricassee and Poodle Wellington but my publicist informed me that things hadn't yet gotten to the point where most people are ready to eat their pets. Instead, here is a recipe that you should be able to throw together without having to take that dreaded trip to the supermarket. 

Now more than ever, everyone should be able to hunt and kill their own food. So the first thing you will need to do is grab your favorite battleaxe, knife or shotgun and go in your backyard. Look for the happy yellow flowers that are probably taking over your poorly manicured lawn. Pick as many of these as you can find, making sure to pull them out from the roots keeping the long dark green leaves intact. You may be asking, “What do I need this shotgun for?” The weapon is in case your neighbor sees you and tries to shake hands!

DOOMSDAY DANDELIONS 

Ingredients Dandelion greens 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine vinegar or balsamic work best but whatever kind you can find in your cupboard. It is the apocalypse after all) 1 tablespoon mustard (Dijon if you've got it but who am I kidding, you only have that horrible yellow crap!) 2 cloves garlic minced Salt and pepper 2 teaspoons dry herb (use whatever you can find. What are you saving that stuff for?)

Instructions Pick the flowers off the dandelion greens (these are edible too, I suggest beer battering them and frying them, but that's another recipe and I'm not getting paid for this). 

Trim the hairy roots from the greens and discard. 

Wash all the dirt from the greens, cut them in half at the base keeping the leaves attached and soak in clean cold water. 

Wisk all other ingredients together until they are a cohesive solution. 

Drain and pat dry the greens and dress them with the vinaigrette. 

Enjoy by yourself!!

SCHUYLAR CROOM - HE IS LEGEND

VEGGIE PASTA WITH VEGAN ASS WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients 1 medium onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic Red bell pepper julienned Broccoli florets Mushrooms sliced thin Zucchini halved and sliced Yellow squash quartered and sliced 1 or 4 splashes of white wine

Finisher Sauce 1/4 cup of unsweetened oat milk 1 or 2 tbs coconut oil 1/4 cup vegan mayo A few handfuls of vegan cheese (I used a vegan pepper jack by Daiya and a bit of Follow Your Heart Parmesan) 1/3 cup of Nutritional yeast Fresh basil

Herbs and Spices Kosher Salt Fresh ground pepper Herbes de Provence Some other optional shit

Pasta Fettuccine noodles ( I like that Ancient Grain in the blue box.)

Instructions Boil salted water for your noodles and in a separate pot boil a few cups of water to blanche your broccoli. You’ll be mad if your water is not boiling before you start sautéing your veg... that shit goes quick, watched pots never boil.

In a large saucepan over med/high heat: Sauté onion for about 5 minutes until it is soft and almost translucent. Add chopped garlic until that smell wakes up your girlfriend. Boom you’re cooking. Salt and pepper that junk.

Add the peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and squash, hit it with some more salt and pepper. I like to throw in some Herbes de Provence and a TINY SPRINKLE of cayenne (a little goes a long way) plus some truffle salt because I’m fancy.

By now the lil pot should be boiling. Throw those broccoli guys in there and when they turn dark ass green drain them and throw them in the pot with the other veggies.

Shit’s all steamy now. It smells crazy good. Your girlfriend and your dog are in the kitchen salivating.

Hit those veggies with some white wine. I say a few dashes, but you’ll know. You’re gonna want to let that cook off for 3-5 minutes.

Maybe you’ve already put your noodles in. If so, they’re ready to drain. If not, get to it 9 minutes after the water starts boiling again (read the box)

Now your noodles are in the strainer. Make your partner divide that into bowls.

After the wine has cooked off, add the veganaise, coconut oil, vegan cheeses and the nutritional yeast and stir all of that up until melty and gooey and combined with the veggies. I like the throw in about half a cup of chopped sliced basil and leave a little for a garnish after you’ve topped your pasta with this creamy ass veggie goodness.

OH! Pro tip: Garlic bread. (Do this 40 minutes ago before starting anything else.)

Take 2 heads of garlic and peel most of the skin off but leave bulb intact.

Chop the very top of the head off the garlic to expose the clove (like 1/16 of the top).

Place it in tinfoil and close it up around the sides. Douse with a generous amount of olive oil and salt and pepper all over that opening on the bulb and close the foil up tight around the top. Create a little oven inside your oven.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. You’ll smell it.

Let it cool well.

Toast a loaf of French bread.

Those little garlic cloves will pop out like little teardrops of pure heaven. Smear that junk on your toasted bread and thank me later. The oil is now roasted garlic oil. You could drizzle that on the bread too or over the damn pasta that’s in the bowl.

(Be careful. You will want to skip the steps of letting the bulbs cool. They are unforgivingly hot and will burn your flesh.)

[writingismyhappytime]

Marry Me (Part 3)

Ricky Horror x Reader

Warnings: Language

Chloe clings to you as the two of you walk through the grocery store, her hand clenching in your t shirt. You're tired, you'd gotten up early to drop by Ricky's to pick her up so he and Ryan could go do something he didn't feel necessary to tell you about.

Really.

Now why the hell did you get roped into babysitting? He's supposed to be spending this Sunday with Chloe, and you're supposed to be putting in a few extra hours on that Honda and replace the power steering before tomorrow!

Maybe you can just do it tonight.

"So, Fruit Loops or Cheerios?" You ask, presenting the soon-to-be six year old with her options. You know Ricky and Ryan only have horrible man food in that house of theirs, so Chloe has probably been eating microwave meals and Ramen noodles.

Chloe purses her lips thoughtfully. Honestly she's the most adorable child you've ever seen. She has Ricky's dark hair --- not black, because Ricky's isn't natural, but dark --- and his blue eyes as well. She's tiny, wearing a little dress with multi-colored flowers all over it and you're pretty sure Ricky is the one who put the bow in her hair because it's definitely lopsided.

"The fruit loops," she says decisively, and you nod as you toss them into the buggy before walking on. You're not exactly sure why she finds it necessary to hold onto you and make it kind of difficult to go around corners with the close proximity, but you're not going to question it.

Kids are just weird.

"So are you having fun at your dad's?" You ask lightly, pausing by the Pop tart section of the store. You've been around Chloe plenty of times to where the two of you are comfortable.

"Yup! Him and Uncle Ryan always let me watch the dinosaur movies." She says, and no doubt that means Jurassic Park.

"Oh. Do you like them?"

"Yeah! The long necks are my favorite, but the --- the waptors are mean."

Waptors?

Oh.

Velociraptor.

"I don't disagree."

You're going to have to talk to Ricky about that; she's a little young to watch those movies!

"So where was your mom going this weekend?" You ask lightly, glancing around before you push out into the main aisle of the store where the coolers are. You make sure to grab a small bottle of milk.

"She said she had to see a doctor." Chloe shrugs her small shoulders, warily eyeballing the blue-dressed store worker stocking some shelves. "Does that mean she's sick?"

"No, not necessarily." A doctor? Like a plastic surgeon doctor, a doctor she's going to bone, or a doctor because somethings wrong? If she comes back with a new nose you'll have your answer, but Claire has always been pretty so you're fairly sure she isn't going to change her appearance.  "I'm sure it's nothing big. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Spaghetti!"

"Spaghetti?" You chuckle, lingering in front of the pasta sauces. "With meatballs?"

"Yes!" Chloe brightens noticeably. "Mommy doesn't like the red sauce, but I do! Can we get this one?" She points eagerly at the garlicky sauce, and you shrug your shoulders as you put it in the buggy. Spaghetti doesn't sound bad to you, and it won't hurt the boys to have a decent dinner for once.

"Are you gonna help me make it tonight?"

"Yup!"

You chuckle; she sounds so eager when most kids would snarl their nose.

"Okay. Let's find some garlic bread, alright?"

~~~~~~

Ricky and Ryan crawl wearily out of the car, both of them stretching. They'd been in and out all day and both of them are pretty tired.

"Hey, did we leave the lights on in the kitchen?" Ryan asks after a moment, hesitating on the sidewalk leading to the porch.

"No. But there's (Y/N)'s car, she and Chloe are here," Ricky says; he'd noticed your car right away, Chloe's car seat is in the back. It's kind of a nuisance trading it back and forth with her mother, and he's been debating on just buying one.

"Oh, cool. I was worried we'd go in and all my guitars be gone."

"Or the TV. Or my guitars." Ricky adds, both of them loudly going up the steps and shoving the front door open.

Almost immediately the scent of food hits his nose, and his mouth waters on cue. He glances back at Ryan, hearing childish giggles from the kitchen as the warmth of the house greets him.

This is nice.

He cautiously makes his way to the kitchen door, pausing just in the entrance. You're standing at the rarely used oven, Chloe on a step stool beside you vigorously stirring a pot that Ricky knows he definitely doesn't own.

"Well this is nice," he comments, causing both of you to look over your shoulder. "It smells good."

"(Y/N) let me make the sauce!" Chloe announces proudly, and you look at her in amusement. She poured the jar into a pot and has been stirring it for fifteen minutes, but you suppose it's all the same. "Daddy, look!"

"It smells great," he says, kissing the top of her head as he glances around. "How long have you guys been here?"

"About an hour." You shrug, your skin pricking from all the heat. Using the oven seriously drives the temperature up like ten degrees and you're starting to sweat. Chloe doesn't seem to mind, too excited, but you have the fan in the corner on to try to help.

"Dude, did you make garlic bread?" Ryan asks as he makes a beeline for the fridge, grabbing a drink out and popping the tab.

"Chloe did."

"Yep! I stuck them in the oven," the six  year old says proudly, abandoning her sauce stirring to instead wrap her arms around Ricky's neck so he can pick her up. "All by myself!"

Not by herself.

Ricky kisses her nose fondly. "You're growing up on me, kid."

You shake your head as you turn away, asking Ryan to grab some plates from wherever they are and put them on the rarely used table. You cleaned the junk off it earlier but you're not really one for pillaging through cabinets, so you'd left the rest for the guys when they got home.

Ricky sits Chloe at the table, getting her settled and practically covering her in napkins --- he knows the impending stains that are coming from the spaghetti.

Claire is actually allergic to red dye, and she basically stays away from anything red in general because of it. Chloe doesn't seem to have inherited that, normally she's just picky, but he's not surprised she's excited to eat.

"So what did the two of you do all day?" You ask lightly as you pull the garlic bread out of the oven. You glance at them over your shoulder, seeing them exchange a look; Ricky had literally avoided telling you what he was doing so hard he'd hung up on you after you'd agreed to watch Chloe for a few hours.

You find it suspicious.

"Just some guy stuff," Ryan says, flopping down at the table across from Chloe and making faces at her.

"Right." You frown, not believing it for a second.

"Me and (Y/N) went shopping!" Chloe announces as Ricky steps to the oven to help you with the food. "She got me cereal, and it had a toy in it!"

"What kind of toy?" Ricky holds the plates as you put spaghetti on them, dishing some hot bread in the corner. You don't give Chloe near as much as you do the guys, and you make sure her bread is cooled off so she doesn't burn herself before allowing him to take it.

"It was a princess ring." The little girl proudly displays the gaudy plastic ring on her finger, but the men ooo and ahh over it appropriately.

You sit down beside her with your plate, handing her the plastic fork to eat with; the house has a suspicious lack of silverware you noticed.

It feels a little strange, sitting down and having dinner with someone. Usually you're just alone or so tired you skip it, but this is rather nice.

The guys talk a little, and Chloe yammers happily about her day; as much as you dislike Claire, she's not a bad mother. Chloe is happy and well taken care of, which you suppose is all that matters. You just dislike how she treats Ricky, who genuinely wants to be a good father.

If it was you in her position, you'd let him see his kid all the time, you wouldn't keep the child from him. The only person that's really hurting in the long run is the kid, not the parents, who'll definitely pay for it later on.

Kids don't forget.

"So when is Mommy coming to get me?" Chloe asks halfway through dinner, spaghetti sauce down the front of her makeshift napkin apron. You'd vainly attempted to wipe it off her chin a few times but it had been futile; the child is going to be messy if it's the last thing she does.

"She'll pick you up after school Monday." Ricky says after a moment, tearing his garlic bread up into little pieces to mix with what's left of the sauce on his plate. "I'm taking you tomorrow morning."

"Okay." Chloe doesn't seem bothered by that, and you relax a little. You know how some kids will only go so long without seeing a certain parent and have separation issues, but apparently that isn't the case here.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Bread, please!" Chloe holds her hand out expectantly, and after a moment Ricky hands her a piece, helping her break it in half and remove the crust. He doesn't seem to mind, and you can't help but watch him curiously.

He's so good with her, he doesn't complain when she accidentally runs a red noodle across his hand or gets crumbs all over the table. He's patient, but you've heard him use his stern voice enough to know he won't let her run all over him either.

It's cute.

"Ryan, you're dripping everywhere." You sigh. Ryan blinks, looking up from his phone to see he has sauce dripping off his fork where it hovers halfway to his mouth. He mumbles under his breath, hastily blotting at the table.

It's like having two children.

You don't know how people do it.

~~~~~

"Thanks for watching Chloe today." Ricky says after a moment, shoulders hunched as he shoves his hands into his pockets. You're both standing out on the front porch, your cook pot under one arm as the light buzzes above you.

"No problem, we had fun." You shrug. "She's a good kid."

"Yeah. She really is." Ricky has to admit Claire is doing a good job of raising her. "So are you coming back over tomorrow?"

"Uh, I didn't plan on it."

"Come back over, I'll take you out for dinner."

"Dinner?" You quirk a brow at him curiously, shifting your weight. You took today off and left the shop in the questionable hands of your mechanics, just so you could watch the child tucked into bed upstairs. "Now that's a little suspicious. Is this about the thing?"

"No." Ricky flushes, knowing you mean the marriage deal, but the two of you are being careful not to talk about it unless you're completely alone. "I just want to take you out as a thank you."

"Ahuh. Still suspicious."

He rolls his eyes. "Can't I do something nice?"

"Not without some sort of strings attached." You eyeball him in amusement. "What are you up too?"

"Just planning a romantic rendezvous on the beach, that's all. Seagulls, salty air, some shells in the sand that gets stuck in our shoes ---."

"We don't even live near the beach, you goof!" You chuckle, but you're relaxing. He's giving you that silly grin of his, letting you know he's just teasing. You're glad to see it, honestly, he's been much too serious lately. You get why, of course, you know he's stressing himself out, but he does need to chill out for a bit.

Maybe a dinner out will be good for him.

"Alright, I'll go. Where do I need to meet you?"

"I'll pick you up, don't worry about it."

"Ah, making sure I can't run away, are you? Clever. Are you going to wear my skin as a skirt next?"

He sighs dramatically. "Sometimes, (Y/N), I really wonder why I'm friends with you."

"You and me both." You grin, and brazenly lean forward to kiss his pale, cold cheek. "Now go back in and make sure Chloe isn't summoning demons with your guitar strings. I'll see you tomorrow."

~~~~~~~

"So you two are going for dinner tomorrow, right?" Ryan asks as Ricky steps back into the house. Ricky doesn't immediately answer, just watches your lights disappear down the street through the living room window. He gives it a few moments, his eyes flicking upstairs before he turns to face his roommate.

"Yeah, she agreed."

"Cool, I'm glad. I mean, I seriously paid that band like fifty bucks for the music tomorrow, so it better pay off."

"I told you we didn't need it."

"Yeah, well, you're going all Nicholas Sparks on her, so if she doesn't punch you because you're too mushy, I at least want the two of you serenaded with decent music," Ryan clucks. Honestly, he's totally on board with the two of you being a couple, you sort of balance each other out in his opinion. You're not going to put up with anyone's shit, so you can wear all the pants in the relationship and keep Ricky from losing his mind when it comes to his kid.

Ryan isn't totally sure why his friends planning such a big thing for Sunday, but he figures it's none of his business. Maybe it's the first date the two of you have been on since sort of announcing you're together, or maybe he's going to officially ask you out or make the relationship public, hell if Ryan knows.

He just knows Ricky is putting a little more effort forth than usual, but it's nice to see him thinking about someone other than his ex girlfriend and the kid they had together.

Ricky stresses too much.

~~~~~~

"Alright, Olson, this is pretty nice." You admit reluctantly, sitting out on the patio beneath some fairy lights, a glass of wine in your hand as a band plays down the street. Their music is just loud enough to hear, and they're pretty good, so that's nice. "But why are you wining and dining me?"

"So I can get laid, why else?" Ricky toys with the pasta on his plate, liking the amused smile on your red-painted lips. You dressed nice again, even if you did settle for jeans and a t shirt. You look much better when you're not resembling a grease rag.

"Har har." You snort, taking another sip out of your glass. Honestly, it's kind of sweet he took you out for Italian food, he knows it's your favorite. There's a few other couples out on the patio, one with a little baby in a swing as they eat. It's so relaxed, if not a little intimate, but you're enjoying it. "I don't remember that ever being in our agreement, and if that's up for discussion, I'll need another two bottles of this," you gesture with your glass, making your point.

Ricky flushes; you're a little tipsy, aren't you? He has no intentions of ever bringing that into your relationship, that would make it too complicated! He just wants to do this right, which is why he's bribed the staff to come out in just a few moments with dessert and a cellphone.

He's gonna do this right.

You thought he wouldn't be able to do it, that he couldn't surprise you, but boy were you wrong. He's got it all planned, no interruptions or distractions this time! Chloe is safe with Ryan, Ryan is, well, moderately safe with her, Claire is out of town --- all he has to do is get down on one knee, make sure he gets a photo of your surprised face, and shove a ring on your finger in public so everyone sees it!

Sure, you make a little of a mismatched couple. He's all tatted up with a beanie pulled low over his head, and you're wearing a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled to your elbows, painted nails gleaming in the dim lights. You look content, though, which makes the situation a little easier, and he seriously doubts you have any idea of what's about to happen.

He didn't take you to a five star restaurant, after all, which is what would have given away the plan immediately.

You both look over as the waitress suddenly appears, holding a slice of chocolate cake the size of your hand. You blink a little in surprise as she sets it in the middle of the table, and your lips part to ask where it came from --- you know neither of you ordered it, but it is your favorite.

"Compliments of the chef," the waitress says with a smile that's just a little too wide, her eyes flicking to where Ricky sits across from you, fiddling with the white tablecloth. You quirk a brow, your fork twisting in your pasta.

Huh.

"That's nice," you comment after a moment, your eyes flicking over to where he sits as the waitress leaves. "Do we know the chef?"

"He probably knows we've eaten here fifty times in the past three months," Ricky says dryly, already lifting his fork and slowly getting himself a bite; you notice the waitress brought two forks so the two of you can share. "They know us on a first name basis, after all."

"Well, yeah, but we normally get food to go," you reply, shamelessly cutting off a large bite; you love yourself some chocolate cake!

"Do you always have to question when people do nice things for you?"

"I do when I know there's an ulterior motive."

"You're so suspicious."

"Hey, I have a right to be." You level your fork at him playfully. "Take you, for example. You only came to see me at the shop because you wanted something. This is the first time we've spent together where there's not been anything you've needed out of me."

Well.

Uh.

About that.

Ricky fidgets, but you don't notice as you eat your half of the cake, finding you're starting to get a bit full; four breadsticks, a salad, and a plate of pasta will do that, though.

He waits until your sugar craving is satisfied before he looks over pointedly, spotting the lingering wait staff in their black outfits and white aprons. He takes just a few more moments before he leans his elbows against the table casually, gazing at you.

"(Y/N)."

"Hmm?" You glance up, a little surprised by how intense his blue gaze is.

"You know we've been friends for a while, and I know I've been asking a lot of you lately. I just... want to say I really appreciate it." He shrugs, but his words are sincere, he wants you to know that. "It means a lot what you're doing for me, and I want to make sure that you know it. I couldn't do this without you."

"Yeah, well, that's what friends are for," you respond, blinking. "Although admittedly, I wouldn't be doing this for just anyone."

Well, he hopes not.

Ricky hesitates only a second more before he rises to his feet, and you lean back in your chair curiously as he stretches his arms out in front of him as casually as he can manage.

"Ricky ---."

"I know this is a little impromptu, and not how we talked about, but," he turns to face you, and after a moment he drops to one knee on the cool patio tiles, reaching inside the pocket of the jacket he has hanging on his chair.

You stare at him in surprise, your cheeks heating as you swivel in your chair. Holy shit, he's doing this now!?

"Ricky..." Oh hell, you don't know what to say! He literally caught you by surprise!

Your eyes flick up, seeing that everyone is looking at you, women flailing at their men so they don't miss the photo-worthy moment of you getting proposed to over chicken alfredo.

Not too shabby, Olson, not too shabby.

"You don't have to say anything, really." He says hastily, presenting you with a black velvet box. You hesitate, watching as he awkwardly pops the box open, revealing a ridiculously pretty ring inside that you don't even care if its real or not --- it's beautiful! "I just, well ---- will you marry me?"

Smooth.

Public proposal, check.

He's already working on your requirements for this fake marriage, and you soften as you realize all the effort he put into tonight and at least attempting to garner to your wishes. He doesn't have too, and you know that, so it means so much more that he does.

You stare at the ring for a few more seconds, liking the way the modest diamond sparkles in the center, surrounded by pretty, if not much smaller, diamonds. You're not much for jewelry, you have no idea if it's real or not, but it's the thought that counts and you immediately like it because he picked it out.

"(Y/N)," Ricky's voice is a little nervous, and you straighten as you realize you've just been sitting in silence, not responding at all ---- okay, too much wine.

"Oh, I --- yes." you manage, flushing; you swear every person on the patio was staring at you with bated breath, waiting for your answer. "Of course, I --- yes!"

Ricky looks relieved, and he quickly takes your warm hand, slipping the ring on it --- now how did he know to get the right size? Your cheeks burn as there's a splattering of applause and cheer all throughout from the gathered crowd, and as Ricky stands you do as well, wrapping your arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"You sneaky fuck," you whisper in his ear, burying your face against his neck. He chuckles, lightly holding you back; you're only hugging him because if you just went back to eating your pasta, it would completely ruin the moment.

"I told you I would surprise you," he murmurs, liking the way your hair smells of vanilla, how soft it is against his cheek. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," you sigh as you lean away, turning so that the ring glints in the light from above. "It's beautiful."

"Is this where I'm cheesy and say not as much as you are?"

You grin, gazing up at Ricky, seeing the mirth in his pretty blue eyes. You know you should kiss him, that would be the normal reaction, but the two of you haven't really talked about that just yet.

Oh hell --- might as well keep the show going!

Your lips brush his brazenly for just a few seconds, lingering just long enough for it to look like a genuine, excited kiss before you lean away. You don't want Ricky to get the wrong idea, of course, but you're thoroughly enjoying the applause and happy congratulations the two of you are getting, and you don't want to ruin it.

He blinks a few times, startled, and you doubt his face can turn any redder.

Hopefully someone got a pic of that, maybe you can see the shock on his face later on.

Your first kiss with Ricky ever, and it's basically under false pretenses.

Still, even later, you find yourself thinking about how soft his lips are, how  warm. It's probably the wine, no doubt, but you want to kiss him again, and again, and, well, technically he's your fiance now, isn't he?

Kissing is sort of a given.

Ricky holds your hands tightly, threading his fingers through yours as the couple across from you chats you up, gushing about the proposal and congratulating you. You're smooth in your responses, looking just as excited as you should be. You play the part perfectly, showing off your ring which he did pay a pretty penny for, flailing a little, giggling with the other wife.

You're too good at this, and he's very sure you're having fun.

He watches you out of the corner of his eyes, his lips still tingling from the touch of yours. He was seriously surprised when you did that, but obviously it was just for show, right? It's not because of anything else, which the two of you do need to discuss later.

Obviously kissing is going to have to be a normal thing, for the wedding and just casually to keep up the act. You're going to have to hold his hand, sit beside him, do couple-y things.

He suddenly doesn't know what couple-y things are.

Movies? No, no he wants to make sure when you're seen together, it's in public. People need to notice that you're together, that he's settling down --- fuck, his social media is going to be a disaster now. And considering the wedding is going to be so sudden and next month... everyone will no doubt assume you're pregnant, why else would the two of you rush?

Lord, Ricky doesn't know what he'd do if he ever had another child, it's not something he wants. He never wanted kids with two different women, he never believed in it, but he definitely doesn't want anymore ties to Claire.

You're good with Chloe, she really likes you and you're responsible enough where he doesn't worry about her constantly when she's in your care, unlike Ryan's.

Who he needs to text and make sure the house hasn't burnt down.

His eyes go back to you, now that everything has quieted and no one is talking. You're just gazing at the ring, shifting your fingers every now and again to make it sparkle. Your cheeks are still flushed, whether from wine or excitement he isn't sure, and you have a small smile on your lips.

Your eyes flick up, as if you sense him looking at you, and you give him a genuine smile.

"You did good, Ricky," you say after a moment, reaching across the table to curl your fingers around his arm. "I was starting to think you didn't have it in you."

"Just biding my time." He clucks, propping his chin on his hand. "I wanted to catch you off guard."

"Well good job. I'm just glad I wasn't shoving a breadstick in my mouth when you did."

He grins.

This marriage is going to be interesting.

Tags:  @ryansitkowskiswifey, @theoneandonlykymberlee,  maelloute,  musicsexandpizza69,  jojomiwbvb6

[its-captain-sir]

Big Surprise

Hey!! I actually wrote something for my domestic AU instead of just vaguely making references to it! Hope you guys like it! :D

Ages: Tup–1, Fives/Echo–2, Kix–7, Rex/Cody–10, Boba–12

~~~~~~~

"Just a minute!" Jango shouted down the hall. He shook the last few raindrops off of his coat and placed it on its hook. It started pouring outside a few hours earlier and he got caught in the rain on his way back from the airport. He was exhausted now, having been on a work trip, but at least his bosses were kind enough to give him the rest of the week off.

The door bell rang again. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" he shouted, making his way to the front door. He had no idea who it could be. He lived alone, except for the weeks he had the kids, and he didn't have visitors often.

The door bell rang one more time as he started unlocking the door. Who could be so impatient that the-

"Kids?" Jango said, looking over them with shock. "What are you doing here?" The wind shifted and started blowing onto the front porch. "Nevermind," he said, shaking his head as Rex opened his mouth to answer. "Just get inside." He stood back in the doorway, waving them through. "Come on, out of the rain." Rex nudged Felix and Eli through the door, followed by Kix and himself, then Cody carrying both his bags and the younger twins', and finally Boba, who carried a sleeping Tup in his arms.

Jango took Tup from Boba and shut the door behind him. "What are you kids doing here?" he asked again.

"Mom told us we were staying with you for a while," Boba answered. There was a hard set to his eldest's gaze as he spoke that worried Jango. He looked out the window and could just barely make out the figure of his ex-wife's car driving away through the rain.

"Go put your bags in your rooms and change out of your wet clothes," he told the other kids. "I don't want you to get sick."

The five of them nearly knocked him over as they raced up the stairs to their rooms, leaving just him, Boba, and Tup in their wake of chaos and shouting. Speaking of Tup...

The one year old shifted in his arms, woken up by all the noise and movement of the last few minutes. Tup blinked up at him with his big, bright eyes and smiled.

"Hey, ad'ika," Jango said, pressing kiss to his soft curls. "You can go back to sleep now."

Tup tucked his head under Jango's and closed his eyes again. Jango smiled as he locked the door and turned back to Boba.

"Your mom's supposed to have you for the rest of the week," he said. "What changed?"

Boba shook his head. "I don't know. She just came to us out of nowhere and told us we needed to pack everything up because we were going to be staying with you."

Jango sighed. What was Kamino up to now? "I'll call her in a bit and find out what happened," Jango said, running a hand down his face. Boba still looked tense though. "She say anything else?" he asked.

Boba sighed, his shoulders finally falling. He may have been twelve, but Jango thought he was way too young to have all this happen to him. "No," Boba replied. "She just- I wish she would have told me what's going on."

Jango patted him on the shoulder. "You and me both, ad'ika." Boba gave him a weak smile then left to go unpack while Jango headed into the kitchen.

Kix was already there, sitting at the kitchen table with some paper and crayons, legs swinging as he worked. Jango wasn't surprised that he was done unpacking, Kix was probably the most organized out of all his children. Cody was the only one who even came close to being as organized as Kix, though he supposed it was too early to tell for the younger twins and Tup.

"Did you have dinner yet?" Jango asked, ruffling his son's hair as he walked past.

"Nope," Kix replied as he batted his hand away. Jango smiled and walked over to the fridge.

"I wasn't planning on having you over so soon, I don't know that I have much in the way of food," he said, scanning the various shelves. He would have to take a trip to the store tomorrow. And find someone to watch the kids while he was out. He'd learned from past experience that it was definitely not a good idea to take all seven of his kids to go grocery shopping with him.

"I might have a frozen pizza and some pizza rolls in the freezer," he said. "Would that be good enough just for tonight?"

Kix nodded enthusiastically. "Pizza rolls!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Jango shushed him, trying very hard not to smile. "You'll wake up Tup if you keep shouting like that."

Kix's eyes darted from him, to Tup, and back again. "Pizza rolls!" he whispered loudly, still with as much excitement as before. Jango couldn't help but laugh and he ruffled Kix's hair again.

"Go tell your brothers dinner will be ready in 10 minutes," he said, pulling the food out from the freezer. Kix ran off, already shouting about pizza rolls halfway up the staircase.

Jango set Tup down in the playpen in the living room and finished putting the pizza rolls in the oven. Then he pulled out his cellphone and moved into the quiet of the back hall.

He punched Kamino's number in, holding the cell up to his ear and waiting as it rang. It went straight to voicemail.

Jango sighed, ending the call. He thought about trying again, but the timer on the oven beeped. He flipped the phone shut and put it back in his pocket. He'd try calling Kamino again after dinner.

Felix and Eli were already sitting down at the table when he walked back in. Felix was rambling on and on to his twin and to Kix, who stood by Rex as they both tried to get the plates down. Jango helped pull them down to a reachable level and left the two of them to pass the dishes out as he pulled the food out of the oven. He set the tray on the table just as Cody and Boba walked in.

"Ulyc, bic nadala," Jango said, right as Cody popped a pizza roll into his mouth.

"Ow, ow, ow, hot!" he exclaimed, nearly spiting it back out onto the plate.

Jango gave a him a look. "What did I just say?"

"N'eparavu takisit, buir," Cody mumbled through his full mouth.

Kix pulled a few off the pan for himself and the younger twins, shaking his fingers and blowing on them afterwards. "Hot, hot, hot!"

"Hot, hot, hot!" Eli repeated back. His son had a habit of repeating nearly everything he heard, earning him the nickname "Echo" from most of his family. Even Felix had taken to calling him by that name.

Said twin was now eyeing his plate carefully. He took a deep breath and tried to blow on the food.

"Udesii, ad'ika," Jango told him as his face started to get red. "You'll make your head hurt.

"Udesii!" Eli shouted. Jango looked over at him and saw that he somehow managed to get pizza sauce all over his hands.

"Alright, come here, my little Echo," he said, lifting the two year old out of his seat. "Let's get you washed up and then you can go back to eating." He turned the faucet in the kitchen on and held Eli over the sink so he could rinse his hands.

"Me and Cody were never as bad as them, were we, Dad?" Rex asked from behind him.

"Oh no," Jango said, shutting off the water and grabbing a towel. "You two were much worse."

"Hey!" they shouted in unison.

Jango smirked. "Well, at least you were better than Boba. The stories I could tell about that kid-"

"Dad!" Boba hissed, cheeks and ears quickly growing red.

"Ooh, Dad has stories about you?" Cody said, resting his chin in his hands and looking more devious than a ten year old had any right to be.

Rex, always following the lead of his twin, moved his chair closer to Boba and grinned. "I bet those stories would be very interesting to hear."

"Dad!" Boba hissed again.

"Adike, gev," Jango replied, sitting Eli back down in his seat. Rex and Cody backed off. For now at least. They would make another attempt at getting dirt on their ori'vod later, Jango was sure.

"Well, Boba, since I came to your rescue," Jango smirked, "mind getting Tup and feeding him for me?" Boba narrowed his eyes, but nodded his head and got up to get Tup. Jango grabbed the cereal from the pantry and poured it into a bowl along with some milk. He set it down in front of Tup's highchair just as Boba walked in with his youngest brother.

They set Tup up in his chair, the one year old watching their movements with wide eyes. "Boba's gonna feed you, alright?" he said. Tup looked over at his ori'vod and grinned, smacking his hands against the table and making happy shrieking noises.

"I'm going to go make a few calls," he said to the rest of them. "Can I trust you to stay out of trouble for a few minutes?"

"Trouble!" Eli exclaimed.

"Nooooooo!" Felix moaned, giggling and slapping his palms to his forehead. "No trouble, Echo!"

Jango smiled and shook his head before walking up the stairs to the master bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He pulled out his phone and tried calling Kamino again.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang. No answer.

He sighed as the pre-recorded message played. "Kamino, what happened?" he said, leaving her a voicemail this time. "You weren't supposed to drop the kids off with me till next week. You didn't call, didn't leave a message to warn me, nothing. A few minutes earlier and I wouldn't have been home for them! You-" Jango cut himself off. This wasn't the time for this. He and Kamino could sort out all their problems later. What mattered now was finding out what happened.

"Just call me back soon," he said, hanging up.

He looked down at his phone, debating on whether or not he should call again. Then he remembered. If Kamino wasn't answering, there was another thing he could try.

He dialed a new number, after a few minutes of searching for it, and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" the man on the other end said.

"Mr. Dyas?"

"Ah, Mr. Fett! Nice to talk with you again!" Sifo Dyas, the landlord of Kamino's apartment building, was a kindly old man, and one well acquainted with their family. He helped them smooth out their arrangements back when he and Kamino first got the divorce, and for that Jango would always be grateful. "Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, you can," he said. "Is Kamino there? I haven't been able to reach her on her cell."

The other end was silent. "Mr. Dyas?" he asked.

"I- I'm sorry, Mr. Fett, I thought you were aware," the man stammered.

"Aware?" he asked, worry seeping into his voice no matter how hard he tried to prevent it. "Aware of what?"

"Well..." the old man paused. "I'm afraid that Ms. Kamino has terminated her contract with me."

Jango nearly dropped the phone. "She did what?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fett. I thought you knew."

"No- no, don't be sorry, Mr. Dyas, I-" Jango took a deep breath. "Thank you for telling me."

"Of course." The unsaid words hung in the silence between them. Jango realized he wasn't the only one who saw what Kamino might have done. It shocked Jango. Suddenly, everything felt very, very real. "Should I, uh, send any items left in her apartment to you then?" the man asked hesitantly, cutting through the silence and Jango's spiraling thoughts.

He fought to keep his voice even. "Yes. Please. Thank you, Mr. Dyas."

"Anytime." The older man's voice took on a somber tone. "Take care, Mr. Fett."

Jango nodded, then realized Mr. Dyas couldn't see the motion. "Same to you," he replied, ending the call. He dialed Kamino again right away.

It didn't even ring.

"Sorry, this phone has been disconnected from serv-"

Jango didn't bother listening to the rest of the message. He sat down on the edge of his bed and buried his head in his hands, trying to convince himself that this wasn't happening.

Something similar had happened years ago, before Eli and Felix were born. One day Kamino had just up and left, checked herself into a motel, and didn't come back for four weeks. She left a note for him so he knew where she was, but that was it. He called her, attempted to talk to her a few times in person, but otherwise she avoided all contact with him and their family. No matter how many times he pleaded with her, she wouldn't come back. It was probably the most stressful month of his entire life.

Then one day she walked back into the house and pretended like nothing ever happened. Jango didn't know what was up with her. Every time he tried talking to her about it, she'd change the subject. He would have done anything to help her, but she refused him every time, the tensions between them only getting worse and worse by the day. That was when they decided on divorce.

And now it seemed like Kamino had up and done it again. This time, there was no warning or note left behind. She cut off all contact with them. Jango couldn't help but think that this time she had left for good.

He called a few other friends of the family and all said the same thing: Kamino had cut off all contact with everyone she knew, disappearing without telling anyone where she was going.

That was it then. She really had left.

Jango rubbed a hand over his face, falling back on the bed. There were so many things running through his mind. How he was going to deal with her being completely gone, people he needed to notify about the current situation, gaining full custody of the kids-

The kids.

He bolted upright. God, he had to tell the kids. He knew their relationship with their mom recently hadn't been the best, but this news was going to crush them.

"Dad?" a voice came from outside his closed door. It sounded like Kix. "Are you in there?"

"I'll be down in a minute, ad'ika," he called back, grateful for the fact that his voice stayed even. He heard footsteps heading down the stairs and took a deep breath. It was better to tell them now than to have them find out later.

He went back downstairs. The kids were in the living room. Tup was back in his playpen, Kix was playing on the floor with Felix and Eli, and Rex, Cody, and Boba had all taken up spots on the couch as they watched something on TV. When he came in, Rex moved to sit on the floor to make room for him.

Haar'chak, his kids were so nice. They didn't deserve to have this happen to them.

"Buir?" Kix said, getting up and sitting on his lap. "I overheard you talking about Mom." His son looked at him worriedly. "Is she okay?"

"I... I don't know, ad'ika," he replied, heart clenching at the thought of the conversation he was about to have.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Boba asked, sitting up a bit straighter.

"She won't answer any of my calls," Jango sighed. "...her phone's been disconnected."

"Disconnected?" Rex said, tilting his head back to see them better. Even upside down Jango could see the confusion on Rex's features. "Why would it be disconnected?"

"I overheard Mom say something about selling the apartment," Kix mumbled. Kix turned in his lap and buried his face in Jango's chest. "She was acting weird. I didn't like it."

Jango smoothed Kix's hair away from his face and kissed his son's head, holding him tight. "She say anything else?" he asked. Kix shook his head.

"Dad..." Boba said, eyes wide. "Did Mom sell the apartment?"

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He wasn't going to lie to them. He couldn't. Not ever. "Yeah. She sold it. Mr. Dyas confirmed it."

Boba sucked in a breath, looking pained. Tup started whining in the playpen and Rex got up to let him out, looking between them all warily as he did. "Cody," Boba said, nearly shaking as he grabbed his brother's arm. "When you were pulling our suitcases out of the truck, was there another one in there that wasn't ours?"

Cody frowned. "What? There wasn't another suitcase. The only other thing in there was-" Cody stopped, eyebrows raising as something dawned on him. "I think I remember seeing something all the way in the back, covered by a blanket. It.... it could have been a suitcase. Maybe." Cody looked between him and Boba. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Boba's face fell. "Did she...?" He trailed off, but Jango still knew what he was asking. His eldest was smart, and all the clues pointed to one thing.

"Yeah," he said softly. "I think she did."

Boba bit his bottom lip. He looked like he was trying not to cry. "How could she?" he whispered. Then he scowled, pushing himself off the couch and storming away. Jango let him go.

"You guys aren't making any sense," Rex said, setting Tup on the ground by Echo and Felix. "What happened with Mom?"

Cody moved closer to him, curling up at his side. His eyes held the first traces of tears and the sight made Jango's heart ache. "Mom's gone, isn't she?"

Jango swallowed, nodding. "I'm sorry," he said, wrapping his other arm around Cody and holding him close. Kix started sniffling and Jango pressed another kiss into his hair. "I'm so sorry."

He looked back up at Rex, who was shaking his head like he couldn't believe it. "No, she- she couldn't- how, she can't- she can't just leave us-"

"Ad'ika," Jango said, trying to get his son to stop spiraling. Rex was the type of person who often needed to sort out his thoughts, but sometimes it could get out of hand. "Sushir at ni. It'll be okay, we'll-"

"You don't know that," he whispered. "You don't know that it'll be okay.

"Rex..." Jango tried, but stopped once he found he couldn't think of anything else to say. He didn't know how to comfort his son. Not over something like this.

Rex shook his head, turning and walking away. Cody, after a moment of indecision, got up and chased after his twin. Kix just buried his face further into Jango's chest and Jango rocked them both back and forth. Felix, Echo, and Tup watched them from the floor. They didn't understand what was happening, they were too young. He wondered if they would even remember their mother when they were older.

Because Kamino was gone, and no one knew if she would ever come back. She left them, and now Jango was the single parent of seven children.

Haar'chak, what were they going to do?

~~~~~~~

Mando'a translations:

• Ad'ika– little one, son, daughter, of any age

• Ulyc, bic nadala– Careful, it's hot

• N'eparavu takisit– sorry (literally: I eat my insult)

• Buir– gender neutral term for parent; in this case, father

• Udesii– calm down

• Adike, gev– kids, knock it off (rough translation)

• Ori'vod– big brother, older brother

• Haar'chak– damn it

• Sushir at ni– listen to me

[lovemecharlie]

Dinner@Midnight

Short preggo fluff.

The refrigerator door was wide open, the air giving chills and goosebumps. Charlie sat naked on the kitchen floor between Erik's splayed thighs, milk and fruit loops scattered all over the cool tile as a 90s rnb station played all of the hits over the speaker. Charlie tilted the box of fruit loops over Erik's mouth again as he tilted his head back, nose wrinkling in laughter when cereal poured everywhere. He coughed, chewing the mouthful he caught as Charlie lifted the jug of milk again over his face. "Hold on!" He laughed, blocking the liquid from pouring over his chin. It poured on Charlie's shoulder instead and she snorted, flinching from the cold temperature. "Shut up," she snickered, pawing at Erik as he sputtered, chewed cereal jetting from his lips. She climbed to her knees reaching into the fridge and felt his hands squeezing her boobs as if picking apples from a tree. When she gasped, he tore his eyes from her nipples to see she was holding strawberry greek yogurt, one of her absolute favorite pregnancy snacks since chips, cakes, and cookies were taken out of the picture.

"Gimme." Snatching it, he pulled the lid off while Charlie watched, her greedy eyes large as his thick index finger stirred the thick white yogurt bringing up the strawberry sauce and chunks from the bottom. He swept his finger over her nipples one at a time covering them before suctioning them into his mouth.

Jabbing her fingers into the yogurt, Charlie dolloped it onto her lips, throwing her weight to knock him back. As he braced himself with his hands planted in the tile, she smashed her lips onto his feeling his tongue lap at hers, thick yogurt transferring to his lips. She trailed it down his chest, dabbing more, and he watched her tongue drag, picking up the strawberry flavor from his skin.

"You just hungry," he chuckled watching her focus on the yogurt. She exhaled a gust of air on his sternum with a grin. He was right, she was famished. He watched her take back the yogurt container and stick her tongue into it like a spoon, making a mess of her face as his arm wrapped around her back pulling her closer, his legs trapping her. "Ok. Ok. Ol' food is my life headass." He pulled the container throwing it and her head turned to follow it as it splashed perfectly good yogurt all over the floor. "Stop." He pulled her chin back to face him before kissing her sloppily, yogurt smashing and rubbing between their faces, the taste of strawberry delighting their tastebuds. Her stomach growled causing him to pause and look down to her gut.

"Damn..... That you princess?"

He could feel Charlie snickering into his neck. "See! It's not just me, N'Jada is hungry too," she whispered and he grinned, rubbing her baby bump. "Well if my lil monster is hungry then my lil monster will eat."

"Bacon cheeseburger, fries, extra pickles," Charlie perked earning a strong stare.

"Uh nah, that's for you.. I'm a make HER some salmon teriyaki with rice and both of ya'll gone be good." Rolling her eyes, Charlie stood to watch him make her a second dinner. His poise, the attention focused on the skillet, and his skilled, quick hand drew her attention and she started to lust again. She grabbed the honey from the cabinet squeezing a dab onto his shoulder before licking it off and biting the spot. He shook his head.

"My husband is fiiiine, look at those big trapezius muscles and that strong sturdy neck holding up that giant pretty peanut head."

"Aye chill," he grinned. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her face, belly, and boobs in his back.. smelling him. "You smell like milk and fruit loops," she cheesed.

"Whose fault is that?"

Charlie located and grabbed the third of Hennessy that sat in the liquid cabinet, opening it and putting it to Erik's lips for him to sip as he cooked. "Thank you baby." She made him sip again.. and again.. and again before he looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

"I think you need a little bit more," she smiled holding it up. He snatched it taking a swallow before closing it. "Put it back," he said, voice commanding. "Ooh," she shivered, "Yes sir." Returning it to the cabinet, she rushed back to sit on the countertop and watch him.

"Hmhmhmhm.. hmmmhmhm," she hummed hoping to annoy him. It didn't seem to work so she just watched until the food was done. He plated it neatly with a steady hand and sat it on the table before lifting her from the counter.

"As N'Jada's representative I'd like to request a Sprite."

"Request denied."

"But it's for N'Jada!"

"N'Jada," Erik bent rubbing her stomach. "Mommy got rocks in her head. It's why she's so hardheaded. She tryna have the house on my ass."

Rolling her eyes, Charlie accepted the glass of water Erik sat on the table and settled into the chair to taste her dinner. Heavenly choirs sounded.

"Good?" He smirked. She gripped his arm looking up with all her many thanks in her eyes. "What you looking up at me like that for? I ain't make it for you. I made that for N'Jada," he sneered playfully.

"So the evil neega rears his head. Well, N'Jada says thank you! Her mommy says thank you. Also.. clean up the milk please."

"I'm not cleaning shit, I'm calling in the staff. Naked and all..." His expression cracked when Charlie stared him down unblinking. "Kidding. I'll wait till you finish and go upst-" He moved his foot having stepped in yogurt and it was Charlie's turn to spit her food in laughter.

"Karma, nigga," Charlie grinned stuffing her face with another mouthful.

@poosypoosy @bastioncarterstevens-udaku @hennessystevens-udaku @itsangeludaku @alyshastevens-udaku @itskimorafireudaku @allhailnjadaka @bidibidibombaclaat @blackpinup22 @destinio1 @hold-me-like-a-heart-beat @leahnicole1219 @vikkidc @thehomierobbstark @trevantesbrat

[djseaward]

my zero waste progress (& DIY oat milk recipe!)

you'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard the term "zero waste" thrown around. next to "adaptogen", i am predicting it's one of those buzzwords of the last year. and why not? even though it sounds like a phase and trendy, i am whole-heartedly on-board with zero waste becoming a thing that we just all do without thinking! zero waste doesn't have to mean that you absolutely create no waste at all, but an overall catchphrase for people trying to make steps to cut down on waste in order to live as zero waste as they possibly can in that time of their life.

making substitutes and compromises for the good of humanity and the planet. i'm all in for that. it also goes hand in hand with a thifty, frugal and minimalist lifestyle.

so i wanted to share some "zero waste" or more ecological changes i've made over the past year and some goals of mine for next year. maybe it’ll give you some ideas or hopefully inspire you a little to try something out! 

i feel proud that 2018 was the year that we've really hunkered down and got more serious about zero waste and the switch to a more ecological, sustainable household.

pre-2018 there have been some really ecological switches we've already made. we started composting within the first two years or so that we moved to budejovice, and lucky for us, our landlords have a compost heap that they kindly let us put our bio into, which in turn fuels our building's garden! pretty neat. since we started doing this, we only have to take out the (small sized bin) trash about once every three weeks! hooray! that may sound strange, but there’s nothing stinky in there since we have a separate compost container which is emptied once every couple of days (choose something with a lid that closes completely!).

of course we've been recycling (no brainer), always bring shopping bags with us when we go (always on foot) to the supermarket and throw almost no plastic away.

we also had been using old holey socks as a dusting rag and plastic produce bags as "saran wrap". we've never bought saran (plastic, cling) wrap here before.

since the beginning, we've bought compostable dog poo bags for ferdie. (tip: it's better to dispose of these in bio bins vs. trash bins where they'll decompose slower because the trash isn't allowed to aerate like the compost is)

i'm very passionate about purchasing only recycled toilet paper as entire areas are deforested just to make new, fluffy toilet paper. #knowbetterdobetter

we bring our own containers, cups and utensils when we travel or go on day trips. i’ve found that glass jars make excellent “tupperware” containers as well as impromptu wine glasses for a picnic. if i were in the market for a new travel tumbler, i’d definitely spring for a stojo collapsible tumbler! that’s always my problem that i bring my tumbler and then it takes up space for most of the trip, unused.

alex is very adamant about unplugging nearly every appliance when not in use. with how expensive electricity is in europe, it helps a lot not to having a computer sucking it up! it's also much better for your battery appliances to unplug from the wall as soon as they are finished charging, so you're also taking better care of your things.

here are some recent changes we've made just over the past year.

-- eliminating use of aerosols. i personally decided i wouldn't buy any more, but the problem for a long time had been: where the heck can you find non-aerosol shaving cream? i found my answer in d'fluff shaving cream in a tub from LUSH. it smells like their rockstar soap and although it doesn't foam, i'm down with this change!

-- we switched to bamboo toothbrushes, which i had to order by mail because previously, there were no local shops that sold them! i have since found a couple so i think we're good to go now. before, i ordered from the bam and boo, which sent them so quickly even with a special, personalized note in czech which i thought was so sweet as they came from portugal.

-- choosing bar soap vs. liquid soap which has to be sold in packaging.

-- eliminating purchasing anything with palm oil or high fructose corn syrup (or glucose-fructose syrup, as it's known here). for years i believed in the myth that HFCS was banned in europe, but you can still find it in everything!

-- the switch from typical supermarket laundry soap and dishwasher tabs to an eco-label laundry soap (made from soap nuts) which is highly concentrated and therefore more ecological and more earth-friendly dishwasher tabs. both of these switches are more expensive than what we used to buy, so i totally understand going more eco-friendly isn't for everyone and all budgets. however, if you wouldn't notice an extra few dollars here and there, why not make this simple switch? i like the czech brand of laundry soap tierra verde out of brno. (why is everything cool is out of brno these days?)

-- switching from disposable feminine products to a medical-grade silicone menstrual cup has been a complete.game.changer. it's one of those things you kick yourself for not getting much much earlier. did you know a tampon applicator takes 500 years to break down? i went with first greener and am really pleased  that i did. as a menstruating human, this seems like one of the single biggest improvements you can make to take steps towards zero waste. cost was an barrier for me with this and not being able to shell out for one for awhile, but the company i purchased from often runs deals for only $10 (that includes international shipping). i’m pleased some companies are making menstrual products more accessible to women of all income levels.

-- right at the end of the year, i finally found reusable produce bags that were a reasonable price. hoorah!

-- we have nearly stopped buying paper towels, using regular old towels or other cloths instead.

-- purchasing our vegetables in the warmer months from a local CSA (community supported agriculture) vegetable box program cuts down both on plastic wrapping, supports local south bohemian farms and is just a fun, healthy way to make sure we eat loads of season veggies. it also challenges me to stop being lazy and cook or make something with them before anything goes bad. (for my local budejovice friends: you can order a vegetable box starting usually around june from u dobraka)

-- alex says he's most proud of our household's switch to alternative milks vs. dairy milk. this helps loads with water consumption, is far more ecological, and much more animal-friendly.  (alternative milk recipe at the end of this post - woo!)

changes i would like to make in 2019

-- one of my challenges is zero waste hair products. most drugstore products are aerosol or just the typical tube. i think i will end up purchasing from LUSH's hair line as not only have i already raved about their products but i so appreciate their commitment to reusable packaging, as well as their vocal stance against animal cruelty.

-- do better with food waste. i have already eliminated a lot of issues i’ve had with food waste over the past year and meal planning helps SO MUCH with not only reducing waste, but also saving some crowns. i’ve made some great strides in the past year, i’d like to do even better in 2019 getting my food waste down to 0%. laziness can be a big (bigbig) factor here, and that’s a tough one to overcome! i will also try making or buying less products that i don’t finish.

-- i'd like to remember to start taking what few glass empties i have back to a supermarket to get a refund. this is extremely common practice in germany, but not quite as common here, and we normally just go to the normal glass recycle bin. it would be nice to start getting a few crowns back here and there vs. nothing!

-- i'd love to invest in a set of cloth linen napkins i'm actually proud to use! will look to a thrift shop or bazaar before checking a store.

-- collectively, one of our main focuses as a household is a reduction in goods which use plastic, single-use, throw-away packaging, such as musli, for example. buying musli or any cereal here in the czech republic is such a headache -- it is either expensive or contains palm oil, for the most part. there is one brand i like, but i find i am eating it over and over and get so tired of it. any of you out there DIY your musli or cereal? please share your wisdom!

easy DIY recipe: oat milk

one of my big goals is to DIY even more. i already do quite a fair bit of DIY in terms of household products and foods, sauces that i can't buy in the czech republic, but i'd like to DIY more with products i already buy to avoid excess packaging and saving money. in the first few days of the year, i've already decided i will no longer buy oat milk at the store (40kc or $1.70 per liter) and instead, make it. it is startlingly easy to do, takes only 10 minutes of active time and can be a huge money saver! this recipe also happens to be zero waste as you can use the remnants.

you'll need...

-- a blender -- cheesecloth (or similar) -- large pitcher -- 1 cup of oats (your choice) -- 1 liter (approx. 4 cups) of water -- 1-2 TB honey or maple syrup -- 1 liter glass bottle

1) soak your oats in plenty of water for at least an hour.

2) rinse your oats and plop them in the blender with the 4 cups of water and your optional tablespoon of honey or maple syrup*.

3) blend blend blend!

4) place the cheesecloth securely over the pitcher (a rubber band helps). pour the oat milk mixture from the blender onto the cheesecloth so it strains, with the milk passing into the pitcher. wring out the cheesecloth to make sure you've got all excess liquid.

5) pour the strained oat milk from the pitcher into a 1+ liter glass bottle which will be your "milk bottle" and pop in the fridge.

6) shake vigorously before each use. consume within 2-3 days.

7) scrape off the oat bits from inside the cheesecloth and store in the fridge - you can easily tuck them into your morning oats when you make your next pot of oatmeal or porridge!

use this oat milk anywhere you would typically use milk: in your cereal, coffee, oatmeal (double down!), wherever.

* 1 TB of sweetness is just enough to give it a similar sweetness as dairy milk has, 2 TB if you like it a teensy bit sweeter - even this does not taste “sweet”, so to speak. experiment.

finally, i feel like i need to give a biiiiig shout out to polly - former expat/travel blogger turned absolute zero waste maven at green indy blog and inspires me every day with thought-provoking topics i hadn’t even realized or considered she has loads of information on her blog, instagram and even runs e-courses helping people cut back on waste and save money.

i do want to state here that i am simply learning and am a student at this whole zero waste thing. i’m not an expert by any means and am not perfect. zero waste isn’t zero. this post is simply keeping track of my progress and hopefully a way to hold myself accountable for my goals. although i don’t think we all should be one of those people who can fit their trash in a jar or anything, there is a lot of work we can do. you don’t have to have a lot of money to “join the movement”. it’s not about going out and purchasing fancy bamboo utensils or whatever. it’s just about using what you already have, being creative and resourceful, and when something you have stops working or breaks, upgrade it (funding allowing) to a more ecological version.

how do you feel about the zero waste movement? i'd love if you shared a big win from the past year and maybe also something you want to improve upon as well! here's to a greener new year. 

ps, you might like how i travel on a teacher’s budget or thoughts on living without stuff.

[beppothebadger]

Chickpea Salad:

Diced tomatoes, canned chickpeas and (ripe, that's important) olives mixed into a salad. If I feel extra fruity (no pun intended), I throw in a handful of chopped dates. Oil & vinegar dressing, some roll or bread on the side, and you have a dish that tastes awesome, gets you full, hardly gets any dishes dirty if you eat straight out of the bowl, and is really quick.

Creamy pasta:

Just throw some cream cheese and herbs onto pasta you just cooked (must be still hot). You can mix nearly everything in that is small.

Gnocchi with tomato cream sauce:

Heat up a can of sieved tomatoes. Add herbs and oil to taste. When it's hot, throw in a pack of fresh gnocchi (those that only take two minutes; the cheap ones come at 1.20€ round here) and cook. Finish off with a small cup of sour cream. Feeds two.

Banana shake:

just blend bananas and oat milk. Add juice leftovers or other fruit to taste.

Oatmeal breakfast:

pour a small fistful of oatmeal into a bowl. Cover with water or milk. Let sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning, add dried or chopped fruit, nuts, cocoa, spice, other cereal, yogurt... Whatever floats your boat.

side note: I've noticed that half a cup of orange juice in the morning does wonders to my mood.

Caprese:

slice tomato and mozzarella, stack, sprinkle with olive oil, add balsamic and/or basil.

Pizza:

Grab a deep frozen plain one (margharita, the cheap stuff) and just shove onto it whatever you want.

That also works with store-bought tortilla sheets and whatever is in your fridge.

Also something, if you have a freezer: cook soup for a whole week and deep-freeze most, or bake two trays of muffins and deep-freeze most in portions of 2-3, depending the size. If you warm that up in a microwave, you have instant love on your plate.

can anyone share their healthy depression meals? like things that are quick and simple to make? its been difficult to eat in a normal way and i dont want to eat super processed stuff for every meal thnx

[bettsfic]

I've just reread "Riptide". It's so good and heartbreaking ;-; are you still planning on writing that Kylux sequel or have you changed your mind? :) have a lovely evening!

i am going to be completely honest with you. i have started this fic over and over again. i don’t know what my hangup is. it’s all in my head. like. all of it. but i just can’t write it down.

here’s the most recent iteration:

The reality of the situation is this: Ben has just undergone a massive breakup with a girl named Rey. He cries all the time now. He lazes about watching action movies back to back even though the glare from the window obscures the screen. He writes lovelorn poetry sometimes on a goddamn typewriter whose keys clack loudly enough to rattle the house, and leaves the tattered shreds of it on the floor beside the trash can. A nest of potato chip bags, Oreos, empty beer cans, and tiny hot sauce bottles make a half-circle around his permanent perch on the couch. He smells. He’s annoying. He’s undisciplined. He’s crass and oblivious and pedantic and cruel and ignorant.

And Hux has been in love with him since they were fourteen years old.

Hux finds Ben’s hulking form curled onto a barstool in the kitchen, tiny iPhone in his massive paw, shoveling Honey Nut Cheerios into his mouth. He’s wearing a rumpled t-shirt and boxer shorts and his pores emanate whatever booze he consumed last night, likely enough to kill most of the population but just enough to put him to sleep.

Hux lumbers past, three-fourths still dozing, and says, “You’re not on the couch.”

This apparently does not warrant a reply. Hux fills the kettle with water, puts it on the stove, and flips the burner on. Ben did the dishes, it looks like--the counter is spotless except for the open box of cereal hiding Hux’s view of whatever Ben is doing on his phone.

It’s been a little over a month since Ben took up residence on Hux’s couch. And it’s not as if his presence is entirely unwelcome; Ben does have some redeeming qualities. He puts Hux’s dirty laundry in with his own and then folds it and puts it away. He pays for all the rented movies they watch with his mother’s emergency credit card (“She’s not going to notice three and four dollar charges,” he says, for the twelfth night in a row). He stays up late with Hux after the movie is over and they talk about it and whatever else until he has one too many beers and starts crying about Rey again, and Hux puts his grandmother’s afghan over him and goes to bed. Some nights after dinner, they sit on the porch and watch the fireflies bumble past while the sun sets, not saying anything at all. Ben cooks decently healthy meals compared to Hux’s norm of take-out, makes playlists for Hux on Spotify to introduce him to new music, and asks questions about, or happily listens to, Hux rant about his job. Ben is the only person alive that Hux knows--with every atom in his pitiful body--loves him.

Ben picks up the bowl and slurps the dredges of his milk. Hux leans against the counter waiting for the kettle to boil, arms over his chest, eying him.

“You look different,” Hux says.

Ben finally looks up at him over the cereal box. “How?”

“I don’t know. Something’s different about you.” Hux reaches over and plucks the cereal box out of the way. Ben slips his phone under the table, still doing something on it with one thumb, swiping one direction and occasionally the other.

“What are you doing?” Hux asks.

“Nothing,” Ben mutters.

“You’re never on your phone. You let it die between the couch cushions most days and I have to plug it in for you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Hux lunges forward and tries to grab the phone. A wrestling match ensues where Ben falls off the barstool onto the ground, Hux manages to straddle his stomach, all four hands are on the phone (which does not have a case because Ben is a fucking savage), and there’s maybe a bit of biting extremities involved. Eventually Ben rolls Hux to his back, and they’ve made their way to some dusty corner of the kitchen where Hux can feel cobwebs in his hair, but Ben’s hips are crushed between Hux’s legs (“Stop it, stop it, just give me my fucking--” “Let me see it, I just want to--”), and Hux realizes:

This is a very bad idea.

Ben seems to come to his own realization and freezes. For one glistening moment, a slat of light shines through the kitchen window into a simulacrum of glass, dusty specs dancing between them, and Ben’s hair is falling out of its ponytail around his face, and their eyes are locked, limbs tangled, wide-eyed and raw.

Then Ben’s face clouds over (or reddens?) and he lets go of the phone.

Victory. Hux presses the unlock button (no password, the idiot) and finds--

“Tinder?” Hux asks. “You’re on Tinder now?”

Ben, settled on his haunches, grabs the phone away from Hux again, who lets him have it. “I just. I need--something. I don’t know. I can’t handle this, okay. This--this emptiness.”

Ben. Ben Organa. Benjamin Lucas Organa. Ben, whose mother forces the most up-to-date iPhones into his hands for Christmas every year, who made a Facebook in 2013 at the insistence of his family and never uses it, who refuses to read eBooks because “paper books are important, Hux,” who only buys and listens to vinyl records except when fiddling with Hux’s Spotify account, who pluralizes “Twitters.” This is the man Hux sees before him, probably swiping right on girls who claim to be laid-back, adventurous, love to travel! Just looking for some fun!! Last pic is my dog!!!

Hux is about to say something when the kettle goes from a whistle to a scream. He climbs to standing, pajamas in twisted disarray, something crumbly falling down the back of his neck, and goes to the stove to take the kettle off the burner.

Once the kettle falls silent, Hux says, “You’re not going to find anyone on there.”

He takes a coffee cup down from the cupboard. Halfway to the counter, he notices Ben hasn’t replied. When he closes the cabinet door, he sees Ben scratching the back of his neck.

“You already have a date, don’t you,” Hux says.

Ben nods. The phone is on the table. It lights up but doesn’t make a sound. Ben picks it up and checks the message.

“What are you expecting, Ben? You’re going to bring her back here to Netflix and chill on my couch?”

Ben types a reply and then says, “No, we’re just grabbing a beer.”

“But--but what if she’s a psychopath? What if she’s luring you to her apartment where some dude twice your size is waiting with an axe to murder you and take your wallet? If you get kidnapped, I’m not paying your ransom. I’d have to take out another mortgage on the house. I’d--”

“And you think I’m obsolete? Jesus, Hux, welcome to the future, where people use the most convenient and readily available technology to find sexual gratification.”

Hux’s lips purse as he puts the filter in the pour-over lid and measures out a tablespoon of coffee.

“Just because you haven’t gotten laid in a thousand years doesn’t mean I have to restrict myself to the same fate,” Ben says.

“I’m not interested in one-night stands,” Hux says. He lifts the kettle and pours the steaming water over the grounds. “I’m looking for a connection, a spark. I’m looking for…” someone better for me than you, he thinks. And he’s not sure that’s possible.

The reality of the situation is this: Benjamin Lucas Organa is a heterosexual who has been in a long-term relationship for nearly as long as Hux has known him. In this time, Hux has dated mostly men but also the occasional woman or non-gender-conforming individual. He’s been on more double dates with Ben on Rey than he cares to count, and eventually in the last few years, dwindled into just hanging out with the two of them as what he perceived to be the third wheel at first, but was in actuality something like being in the presence of a relationship so codependent it was as if Ben and Rey were just two halves of one whole person. Hux never consciously took sides between them, but seeing as how Rey ran off to Europe for a while and Ben ended up on his couch, his loyalties now lie with Ben.

He’s been in love with Ben since the beginning--this beautiful ethereal boy with an uncanny sense of whimsy, an innocent obliviousness, endless love for the most mundane of things, it’s the way he sees the world, Hux thinks, years later, like everything is art--since the three of them were freshmen in homeroom together, and Hux has put up a long-suffering struggle against the feeling, the falling, the this is love, this is love, this is love. Only in the last few years has he given up that struggle, after relationship upon failed relationship where Hux expected his partners to live up to his adoration of his best friend yet fell miles short, and it just never seemed worth it to continue pursuing such a lost cause.

So he’s resigned himself, not to getting over Ben, but getting over the idea of romantic partnership. Curbing his want, like eating less overall so you don’t need to consume as much to feel full. He doesn’t need Ben’s heart, he thinks. He should be grateful enough to have him in his life at all, in any form that takes.

“Looking for what?” Ben asks. His thumb is poised over his phone, paused. Hux can see the glaring white smile of a blonde girl wearing a baseball cap and holding a pomeranian. Left? Right? Outside of Rey, Hux realizes he has no idea what Ben likes.

“I wish I knew.”

[arplis]

Arplis - News: How to Use Life Hack

s Life hacks are quick, relatively easy, and usually fun things that save a bit of time or make your life a little easier. Try some simple hacks when you’re cooking, cleaning, taking care of the kids, or even just relaxing on the beach. You can find endless lists of life hacks online, but always use your best judgment as to whether a hack is both useful and safe. [Edit]Steps [Edit]Cooking and Food Prep Hacks Lay a wooden spoon over the top of a pot to prevent a boil-over. The foaming bubbles created by boiling water are filled with steam. If they touch something at a temperature below , the steam will condense (change back into a liquid) and break the surface tension of the bubbles.[1] A wooden spoon is the best choice because a plastic spoon might melt and a metal spoon will get very hot to the touch. Make Ramen Noodles in a coffee maker for a quick meal. Put the noodles in the carafe and add the recommended amount of water to the reservoir. Turn on the brewing cycle and leave the noodles in the dispensed hot water for the recommended time. Transfer them to a bowl and stir in the seasonings.[2] You can add the seasonings to the carafe as well, but this makes it hard to get the flavor of Ramen Noodle seasoning out of your coffee pot! Make there isn’t a used coffee filter in the machine before proceeding. You don’t need to add a clean filter. Reheat leftover pizza in a skillet to get a crispy crust. Place the skillet over medium heat and add a quick spritz of cooking spray or a few drops of cooking oil. Heat a slice of pizza in the pan for 2 minutes, then put the lid on and turn the heat to low for about 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.[3] Add a few drops of water to the pan before putting on the lid to cook the top of the pizza a bit faster. Be careful, though, as any oil in the pan may splatter. Use a skirt hanger with clips as a space-saving cookbook holder. Use the 2 clips on the hanger to hold the cookbook open. Put the hanger’s hook over a nearby cupboard handle to create an instant and very useful cookbook holder![4] The open book will be at just the right height for easy reference, and it won’t take up valuable counter space. Remove stems from strawberries quickly with a thick straw. Insert the straw into the side opposite to the stem and press it up through the center of the strawberry. When you get all the way through to the top, the stem will pop right up and out![5] A sturdy plastic straw works well, but a reusable metal straw is even better. In either case, use a wider milkshake or smoothie straw if available. Use tongs to more easily squeeze all the juice from a lemon. Cut a lemon in half, then wedge one half between the tongs, cut side facing out. Squeeze the ends of the tongs that you usually use for picking up things to press out as much lemon juice as possible. Repeat with the other half.[6] Consider laying a fine mesh strainer over the bowl or pitcher you’re squeezing the juice into in order to catch the seeds. Use your cereal spoon to keep milk from splashing when you pour it. Add your cereal to the bowl, then lay your spoon upside down on top of it. Pour the milk slowly onto the underside of the spoon’s head. You’ll notice far less splashing than when you pour the milk directly onto the cereal.[7] Alternatively, add the milk to the bowl first, then the cereal! Remove the yolk from a cracked egg easily with a water bottle. Crack the egg into a bowl or dish, then grab a clean, empty plastic water bottle. Squeeze the bottle about halfway (not enough to crush it), place it right on top of the yolk, and release your squeeze. The yolk will be sucked up into the bottle![8] Pit cherries quickly with a straw and a bottle. Choose an empty glass or plastic bottle with a mouth that’s smaller than your cherries, so that you can place a cherry stem-side up on the bottle opening. Press straight down through the stem with a sturdy straw (metal is best), a skewer, or a chopstick. The pit will drop right into the bottle.[9] Dip your finger in water to remove egg shells from a cracked egg. Wash your hands and dry them off with a towel, then dip one finger into a bowl of warm water. Use your wet finger to press down on each egg shell piece and pick them out of your cracked egg one at a time. The water will make the shells gravitate toward your finger, making it super easy to get rid of all the shells.[10] Don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done! [Edit]Food Service and Storage Hacks Chill a beverage quickly in the freezer with wet paper towels. Wet down 1-2 paper towel sheets, then squeeze out the excess water. Wrap the paper towels around a can or bottled drink and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. The damp paper towels help chill the drink much more quickly.[11] Don’t forget about a glass bottle you put in the freezer—if the liquid freezes, the bottle may explode! Store mixed pancake batter conveniently in a plastic ketchup bottle. This is a great way to store extra batter in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it makes dispensing the batter easy! Just squeeze out the amount you need right onto the griddle when making pancakes.[12] Use a kitchen funnel to make it easier to pour the batter into the bottle. Or, find a plastic bottle with a slightly smaller mouth than the ketchup bottle. Cut off the bottom of this second bottle, place it upside down into the mouth of the ketchup bottle, and use it as a DIY funnel. Use a muffin tin to serve a range of condiments at a party. Add ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, salsa, mayonnaise, or whatever other condiments you need to the individual indentations in the muffin tin. This makes serving the condiments and cleaning up afterward a cinch![13] Cut clean slices of cheesecake and soft desserts with dental floss. Cut a length of unflavored dental floss and wrap the ends around your index fingers. Pull it taut and press it straight down through cheesecake, cinnamon rolls, fondant, jelly rolls, and so on.[14] Use the same process to cut through clay with a length of wire. Keep your packaged bread fresher longer with a plastic bottle top. Starting at the point where the cylinder starts to narrow toward the spout, cut the top section off of a clean, dry plastic drink bottle. Feed the open end of the bread bag up through the cut opening and out of the mouth of the bottle, then fold it down over the sides of the mouth. Screw on the bottle’s lid to make an airtight seal.[15] Use plastic lids as simple but effective coasters. Don't have a coaster on hand? A plastic lid from a mayonnaise jar or similar container can do the job! Just place your drink on top and you've got a neat coaster. [Edit]Clothing Hacks Make canvas shoes water-resistant by applying beeswax. Use a clean rag to spread the beeswax over the entire outer surface of the shoes, making sure not to miss any areas. Then, wave a hairdryer over the shoes until the wax melts and becomes invisible. Apply another coat of beeswax whenever you notice the water-resistant coating begin to falter.[16] Iron a dress shirt collar fast with a hair straightener iron. This is a quick fix that saves time versus getting out your iron and board. Just plug in the hair straightener, let it heat up, and clamp it over each side of your shirt collar for about 15 seconds. To play it safe, don’t do this while you’re wearing the shirt![17] This is a great hack if you’re going to wear a sweater over your dress shirt anyway—why bother ironing the whole thing? Use white wine to reduce the appearance of a red wine stain. If you splash some red wine on your white shirt, grab some white wine! Dampen a clean cloth in white wine and gently blot the red wine stain until it becomes less noticeable. It won’t remove the stain completely, but it does a surprisingly good job.[18] If you have a stain remover stick or wipes with you, use them—they work even better. If you left them at home, use them on the stain before washing the garment. Prevent lost socks by pinning pairs before washing and drying. Stop feeding single socks to the “dryer monster” by outwitting it! Simply secure each pair of socks together with a safety pin before putting them into the wash. Keep them pinned together when you transfer them to the dryer.[19] Replace any pins that start to show signs of rusting. [Edit]Housekeeping Hacks Screw a magazine holder onto the back of a cabinet door to hold a hairdryer. Choose a magazine/file holder made of plastic, wood, metal wire, or sturdy cardboard and secure it in place with 2-4 screws. Most standard hairdryers fit perfectly into this spot.[20] Alternatively, use several removable adhesive strips instead of screws. Use coat hooks instead of rods to hang towels in a small bathroom. These take up much less space, since each hook can hold 2 large towels. The towels may also dry faster than if you use towel rods that are stacked one in front of the next. Apply magnetic strips behind cabinet doors to store personal care items. Buy peel-and-stick magnetic strips, or use removable adhesive strips to secure the magnets in place. Use the magnetic strips to hold tweezers, bobby pins, cosmetic brushes, and other magnetic objects.[21] Check to see how many of your personal care items are magnetic before trying this. Buy a scrub brush attachment for your drill to clean tile and ceramic. Instead of relying on elbow grease alone to scrub a tub or toilet, let your drill do the hard work! Look for different types of scrub brush attachments where cleaning supplies are sold. Set the drill to its lowest speed first, then increase it as needed. Follow the brush attachment’s instructions carefully. Don’t use the attachment to clean fiberglass, laminate, wood, stone, or other surfaces unless the brush is specifically marketed for that purpose. Use a clean dustpan to fill a bucket that won’t fit under the sink. Place the bucket on the floor directly in front of the sink. Place the larger end of the dustpan under the faucet so that the pan’s handle is resting over the front edge of the sink. When you turn on the water it will flow through the channel in the handle, go over the edge, and fall like a waterfall into the bucket.[22] Have some towels handy the first few times you try this. It may take a bit of practice to get the placement and water flow just right. Paint your keys with nail polish to color-code them. This is a great hack if you have a bunch of similar-looking keys on your key ring. Gel nail polish adheres best to metal keys, but any type of polish will do.[23] Store your household cleaners conveniently in a shoe hanger. Hang or attach the shoe hanger to the back of a closet or pantry door, then fill the pockets with your cleaning bottles. Choose a shoe hanger with mesh or clear plastic pockets so you can easily differentiate the cleaning bottles.[24] If you have a hanging rod in the closet, get a shoe hanger with hooks. For safety, add a lock to the door if there are kids around. Try different home remedies to remove permanent marker. Different DIY removers may work better for different materials. Give the following a try: For fabric, try hand sanitizer. For your skin or for wood surfaces, try rubbing alcohol. For painted walls, try hairspray or toothpaste. For ceramic or glass, mix 1 part white toothpaste and 1 part baking soda. Soak a crusty paintbrush in vinegar for 30 minutes to ease cleaning. After 30 minutes, use a wire brush or paintbrush cleaner to remove the loosened paint. Then, wash the brush with soap and water, rinse it, and let it air dry.[25] If you heat the vinegar to nearly boiling in a pot on the stove, you can reduce the soaking time to 10 minutes. Reduce the odor of water-based paint with vanilla extract. When painting a room, stir in of vanilla extract per of paint. The vanilla will mask the unpleasant odor of the paint. Essential oils like peppermint work as well.[26] This hack doesn’t work on oil-based paint, since the vanilla extract or other essential oil creates a solution with the oils in the paint—which may negate the pleasant scent you’re aiming for or make the paint smell even worse. The oils aren’t soluble with water-based paint, though, so they remain separate and help mask the paint odor. [Edit]Childcare Hacks Use a rubber band to keep kids from locking a door. Loop the rubber band over one door knob, make a figure eight over the latch, then loop the free end of the rubber band over the other door knob. Choose a thick, sturdy rubber band that is stretched taut when positioned this way.[27] Make a smaller “laundry basket play tub” within your bathtub. Place a standard rectangular laundry basket into the tub as you fill it with water. Put your toddler or small child into the basket, along with their toys. When bathtime is done, just drain the tub and lift out the basket with all the toys inside![28] This is not a substitute for an infant bath basin. Use it only for kids who are big enough to bathe in a standard tub. Supervise children at all times while bathing. Create a child safety bead-bracelet with your phone number on it. Buy a container of colorful bracelet beads and let your child help you thread them onto the bracelet string. Pick out numbered beads and string them on so that they correspond to your phone number.[29] You might also want to spell out the child’s first name. A bracelet is no substitute for proper supervision of a child. Use pool noodles to help keep a kid from rolling out of bed. Lay a foam pool noodle along each long edge of the bed, right on top of the mattress. Tuck the fitted sheet over the mattress so that the noodles are held securely in place. The small humps created by the noodles will make it less likely that your child will roll off the edge of the bed.[30] Use this as a short-term measure for an occasional problem. Invest in proper bed rails if your child rolls out of bed frequently. Trace a kid’s feet on paper when you’re shoe shopping without them. Instead of having to guess whether a pair of shoes will fit, bring their tracing with you. Trace around both their feet, either barefoot or with socks on. If the shoes you’re looking at are larger (but not too much) than the traced outlines, the shoes will fit—at least for a few months![31] Use paper cupcake or muffin wrappers to catch drips from frozen treats. Poke the bottom of the wooden stick of your kid’s favorite frozen treat—like a Popsicle or ice cream bar—through the bottom of the paper wrapper. Slide the wrapper up to the base of the treat and let it catch all the inevitable drips![32] Paper wrappers with foil on the outside work best, but any paper wrapper will do. [Edit]Tech and Home Office Hacks Seal your tablet in a zip-close bag if you like to read in the tub. Use a clear, bag with a secure zip closure. Test the bag first by sealing a piece of paper inside and submerging it for 1 minute. If the paper is dry, your tablet should stay dry too![33] Play it safe and do your best to keep your tablet dry regardless. Don’t try to read underwater! Use springs from used pens to strengthen the ends of charger cables. Charger cables tend to kink, bend, and break right near the ends (where they plug into the wall or your device). To protect these sensitive areas, pull apart several old, dried up pens and pick out the springs inside. Wrap the springs around the ends of the cables to give them more protection while still letting them flex somewhat.[34] Organize cords at the edge of your desk with binder clips. This is a great hack if your desk is cluttered with several charger cables, printer cables, ethernet cables, and so on. Choose binder clips that are large enough to clip to the edge of the desk, but also small enough (if possible) to keep the head of each cable from falling through the binder clip opening.[35] If you can’t fit the head of a cord through the binder clip wires, squeeze the sides of each wire to remove them from the clip. Then, squeeze them again to put them back in place after you’ve pulled the head of the cord through. Organize cords using empty toilet paper tubes in a shoebox. For a smaller cord, stand a toilet paper tube up in the box and feed the cord down into the tube. For a larger cord, use the toilet paper tube as a sleeve and slide it over the cord once you’ve looped it around itself several times.[36] Stand your phone upright in a cup, glass, or mug to amplify the volume. If you tend to sleep through your alarm even when it’s set to high volume, give this hack a try. Put the phone’s speaker (which is usually at the bottom) into the bottom of the cup and get ready for a much louder sound![37] You can use this trick to amplify music, but it may take some trial and error to find a cup, glass, or mug that doesn’t distort the sound of your favorite tunes. Use a cassette tape case as a cheap but sturdy phone stand. Try this hack if you find some old cassette tapes (with their cases) in the attic. Open the case’s lid as far as it will go, then lay the case front-side down on your table or desk. The slot in the lid will hold your phone at a great viewing angle.[38] Some larger smartphones may not fit into the slot. [Edit]Miscellaneous Hacks Carry multiple plastic bags at once with a large carabiner clip. The problem with carrying several plastic shopping bags at once isn’t that they’re too heavy, but that the handles dig into your hands. Instead, buy a large carabiner clip at a hardware, outdoor, or sporting goods store. Clip both handles of each bag into the carabiner, then carry everything more comfortably by holding onto the carabiner.[39] Use snack chips as kindling to help start a fire. Light a loose pile of snack chips on fire, then slowly add wood to build up your campfire. Snack chips are made almost entirely of 2 components—hydrocarbons and fats—that burn readily, so you’ll be surprised how quickly and easily they go up in flames.[40] Cheesy tortilla chips (like Doritos) work great here, but any type of fried snack chip will do the job. Make sure not to eat all your kindling beforehand! Hide your valuables on the beach in an empty sunscreen bottle. Your best option is a bottle with a rounded rectangular shape and a large flip-top lid that also twists off. Clean and dry the bottle thoroughly, making sure to get rid of the oily residue on the inside. Then, stick things like your ID and cash inside it.[41] Unless there is a sunscreen thief around, your stuff will stay safe! Alternatively, you can buy storage containers online that are made to look like real sunscreen bottles. Use your phone and a Gatorade (or similar) bottle to make a lantern. Turn on your phone’s flashlight tool and lay it down so the light is shining straight up. Place the Gatorade bottle right on top of the light—it’s shape will diffuse the light and create a cool lantern.[42] Full bottles work better than empty bottles, and liquids with light coloring (like yellow or pale blue) work better than clear liquids. [Edit]Video [Edit]Tips These life hacks are by no means the only life hacks out there. Do not be limited by the ones listed here. Make up your own! [Edit]Warnings Do not try things that are unsafe. Always use critical thinking and common sense. [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.thrillist.com/home/how-to-hack-a-coffee-maker-to-cook-food-12-other-things-you-can-do-with-a-coffee-maker ↑ https://food52.com/blog/11021-the-best-way-to-reheat-pizza-at-home ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://spoonuniversity.com/how-to/a-cereal-controversy-what-side-are-you-on ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/can-you-use-an-empty-water-bottle-to-easily-separate-eggs-putting-tips-to-the-test-in-the-kitchn-200436 ↑ https://www.rachaelraymag.com/food/the-quickest-way-to-pit-cherries ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-the-easiest-way-to-remove-broken-eggshells-from-a-bowl-2017-2 ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.farmersalmanac.com/tips/muffin-tin-condiments ↑ https://www.cuisineathome.com/tips/how-to-cut-perfect-cheesecake-slices-with-floss/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://vinepair.com/articles/white-wine-remove-red-stain/ ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.onecrazyhouse.com/organize-hair-styling-tools/ ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-clean-hardened-paint-from-paintbrushes-naturally/ ↑ https://www.bhg.com/decorating/paint/how-tos/how-to-improve-the-smell-of-paint/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.kckidsdoc.com/kc-kids-doc/laundry-basket-baby-bath-correcting-facebook-misinformation.html ↑ https://www.danyabanya.com/phone-number-bracelets/ ↑ https://hintmama.com/2014/05/20/todays-hint-diy-frugal-toddler-bedrails/ ↑ http://www.froddo.com/how-to-pick-the-right-shoe-for-your-child ↑ https://www.pennypinchinmom.com/mom-tip-use-a-cupcake-liner-as-a-popsicle-drip/ ↑ http://osxdaily.com/2010/02/08/waterproof-your-iphone/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/ ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html ↑ https://www.safewise.com/blog/hiding-plain-sight-6-sneaky-ways-keep-valuables-safe/ ↑ http://www.shamelesstraveler.com/blog/weekly-travel-hack-the-gatorade-triple-threat

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-life-hack

[nadiashealthykitchen]

Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies

*This post is sponsored by FREEE*

This is my favourite gingerbread cookie/biscuit recipe, but instead of icing it like you typically would do with gingerbread biscuits, I’ve created a cookie sandwich with a smooth and velvety ganache in the middle. So yummy and moreish!

Biscuits have always (and I imagine they always will be) my favourite treat! I would always pick a good biscuit over a slice of cake or a brownie. I just love that crunch you get with a freshly baked biscuit. This Christmas I wanted to create a gingerbread recipe, but with a difference. I thought what could I add to gingerbread to make it even more delicious, and like I find with many of my recipes, the answer to that question is chocolate!

The mixture of the warmth of spices, sweetness of the molasses and bitterness of the chocolate complement each other so well. Add a crunchy biscuit to the mix and you know you have something so special. These gingerbread ganache cookies really are perfect treat for this year’s festivities.

This is my second creation for FREEE, who I’ve teamed up with to create delicious gluten-free bakes that everyone can enjoy this Christmas using FREEE flours. It’s as easy as 1, 2, FREEE!

As well as flours, FREEE also sell a wide range of products from baking mixes, baking essentials, breakfast cereals, cookies and oat bars to pastas making them the home to the no. 1 gluten-free flour range in the UK. You can find their flours stocked on their website freee-foods.co.uk and selected ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose & Partners,andCo-op  stores. Their Gluten Free Porridge Oats are also available with Ocado and at freee-foods.co.uk

To make these cookies gluten-free, I used a mixture of FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour and oat flour using their FREEE Gluten Free Porridge Oats. I really love the combination of those two flours and I feel it works best when making crunchy cookies. The recipe is also completely vegan including the 2 ingredient ganache! It’s really easy to make and a really fun activity to do together as a family, with your other half or with the kids!

Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies

Makes 11-12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

135g FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour 110g oat flour (FREEE Gluten Free Porridge Oats ground up into a flour in the food processor) 55g brown sugar 2 tsp ginger 2 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 55g coconut oil or dairy-free butter, melted 3 tbsp plant milk of choice 4 tbsp molasses

For the chocolate ganache 100g dark chocolate, melted 80ml plant milk of choice

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan In a large bowl, mix together the FREEE Gluten Free Plain White Flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. Pour in the melted oil/butter, milk and molasses. Mix until a dough is formed. If the dough is too soft, wrap up the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured worktop. Roll out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and a small star shaped cutter to cut a star in the middle of some of the cookies to create the top cookie. The baking time depends on the size of your cookies. I would suggest baking for 10 minutes then keep checking every couple of minutes from there onwards. What you’re looking for is golden brown edges. Keep in mind that the cookies will become crunchier once they’ve cooled down so don’t leave them in too long unless you want a super crunchy cookie. I like my gingerbread men crunchy so I baked them for 15 minutes. Leave to cool completely before adding the ganache. Break up the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave. Heat the milk up in a sauce pan and take off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble. Gradually pour the hot milk into the melted chocolate while whisking continuously until smooth. Transfer into a piping bag and pipe onto the bottom half of the sandwich cookies and top with another. Enjoy!

Festive Gingerbread Ganache Cookies was originally published on UK Health Blog - Nadia's Healthy Kitchen

[up-all-night-whydontwe]

In My Dreams - Jack Avery Soulmate Au - 1

Summary - Soulmates are tied to each other though different types of bonds. Your’s and Jack’s are through dreams. 

A/N: I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU DO. REQUESTS ARE OPEN

+++

Jack’s POV

It hurts that I can’t remember her. I know that I dream about her every night. I’m with her every night. When the morning comes, though, she just disappears into my conscious. Every night I know I have these amazing adventures with the love of my life, but when the morning comes, I stare up at my ceiling, hoping that her face won’t fade from my mind again. But she does.

Soulmates are tied to each other in my world. There are different types of soulmate bonds, for example, seeing in black and white until you meet them and your world magically colors in. My soulmate bond is arguably the worst. I get to see her every night. I get to touch her. I get to know her. But when I wake up in the morning, I forget her. I forget what we did, her face, her name. I won’t know her until I’ve met her and then all the dreams will come rushing back.

I pick myself up from bed, holding onto the last milliseconds of remembering the echo of her features. They slip out of my brain too easily. It hurts in my chest and in my lungs that I don’t remember her. That I get to see her and feel her.

I rub my eyes and look at the clock next to my bed. The rest of the boys should be up already so I bound down the stairs of the house I share to get breakfast. I walk into the kitchen and grab some cereal from the counter and some milk and pour it into my bowl.

“Hey Jack,” Tiana says, sitting down next to me, with her own bowl. She pours herself some cereal and milk for herself. I pause in my eating to greet her back. We both continue to wolf down our cereal. We are the only ones awake, to my surprise.

“Where’s T?” Corbyn yells walking into the kitchen. He immediately spots her next to me in the breakfast nook. He rushes over to the two of us, scooting in next to us on the bench. He wraps an arm around Tiana and cuddles her into his side. This causes her cereal to swish around in the bowl and spill a little onto Tiana’s lap.

“Hey!” T yells. She looks side to side to find a napkin, but there are none on the table and Corbyn and I are cornering her in. “Hey Jaaaaackkkkk,” She says, drawing out my name, “Can you go get me a napkin?” She asks. “Ask your soulmate,” I say gruffly. T immediately turns to look at Corbyn and smiles. Corbyn smiles back and bops her nose. He gets up and grabs some paper towels before returning to the seat

“How was last night?” Corbyn asks. At first I thought he was talking to T. After a long pause I look over to see them both staring me down. I swallow my cereal.

“Fine,” I say shortly. My dreams are a touchy subject for me. I’ve always wanted to meet my soulmate, and I get to every night. The only hitch is that I can’t remember her after I wake up. As a result, I hate talking about my nights and my dreams and my soulmate. Even though I love her already.

“Do you remember anything?” T asks hopefully. Her voice is soft with doubt. I soften when I hear her timidness.

“No, not tonight T,” I say. She asks this every morning, as if it’s going to change. All the guys have a soft spot for Tiana. She is the first and only soulmate to have revealed herself to the guys of Why Don’t We. She is also such a sweetheart, that the rest of us could only hope we have a soulmate as nice as she is.

“I’m sure you’ll remember one night!” T says, as she always does. She’s quite the optimist. I’m not.

“Maybe,” I say, finishing the last bite of my cereal.

+++

Y/N’s POV

“Hmmmmmmm…Hmmmmm” I hum, gasping for air in-between ‘hums’. I sit criss-cross-apple-sauce on my bed, with my hands on my knees, meditating. Or at least trying to.

“Y/N, I don’t think that’s how it’s done,” My older sister, Harper, says breaking open the door to my room. “We can hear you from downstairs.”

“Dr. Olsen says meditation may help me remember, Harper,” I say matter-o-factly.

“I have so many questions,” Harper mutters. I peek an eye open to see her looking into the ceiling in disbelief. I close my eyes again. “Who is Dr. Olsen? And I don’t think this is how you’re supposed to meditate.”

“How would you know how to meditate? It’s not like you do it,” I sass back. Not giving her a chance to respond, I say, “Dr. Olsen is a doctor that says meditation may help me remember my dreams.”

“How do you know he’s in your dreams again?” Harper asks, “Are you sure that you don’t have a strange birthmark on your butt or something?”

“I’m sure that’s how we’re connected!” I say, trying to convince her that me and my soulmate are connected by dreams. “I always wake up with the image of his face, but after a few seconds it just fades away and I just can’t remember.”

“If you don’t remember….”

“How can I be sure? I just am, okay? Aren’t you going to be late for class?” I ask.

“College classes ended before your’s did dummy,” Harper says, playfully.

“I know, I just thought you’d be going to summer school,” I say, playing along. We both know that Harper is anything from dumb, but sometimes it’s nice to mess around with your older sister. Harper walks into my room and sits on the bed next to me. I sprawl out from tangling my limbs and lay down sideways on the bed. Harper does the same. The air in the room seems to get thicker as we both stare up at the ceiling.

“Do you think I’ll ever meet my soulmate?” I ask.

“Of course. You are tied to each other. You’re fates are intertwined,” Harper says, with confidence.

“Easy for you to say, you’ve already met Derek,” I say back. Derek is all we could ask for in a soulmate for Harper. He’s good to her and good with her. He used to be the bad-boy type but he really cleaned up his image for Harper.

“You’re still young, Y/N. You’re only 18,” Harper says, stressing the 18 part.

“I know,” I say. We stare up at the ceiling for awhile. I thought of what my soulmate might be like or what I would want him to be like. Maybe curly-haired would be nice?

“Are you excited to go to that concert that Alyssa invited you to?” Harper asks after the long pause.

“The Why Don’t We concert?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah I am. I feel bad for Alyssa though. She’s convinced that Jack’s her soulmate. It’s going to crush her if he isn’t.”

“Well as long as he’s not your soulmate, she’ll get over it.”

[beaute-epoustouflante]

“No, you sit.” She instructed lifting the teapot and pouring the infused liquid into a mug for Bill while the milk and sugar added themselves with Fleurs guidance. “Voilà�� she nudged the mug so it was within his reach before rising to her feet, the chair grating across the kitchen floor. She flicked her wand at the pantry and then the fridge, sauces and spreads flying through the kitchen coming to land gently in an ordered line in front of Bill. “I made you eggs and toast.” She carried the plate she had charmed earlier to keep hot and fresh while Bill finished up in the bathroom. “I can make more if you are still ‘ungry.” She spoke placing the plate filled with seasoned scrambled eggss and warm golden brown toast in front of him.

She took her seat next to Bill again and picked up her warm mug and sipped at the sweet ginger tea which seemed to be easing her upset stomach. She loved these mornings, and despite feeling under the weather this morning it was still her favourite part of the day; when she was reunited with the love of her life and sat in their small cosy kitchen, the day still waking up, the morning still calm and peaceful, just the two of them, a brand new start, before anyone else was awake and the chaos and fear begun again. “Tell me about your night.” Fleur requested watching Bill consume his breakfast.

...

Once Bill had scraped his plate clean Fleur sent him up to bed “Off you go. Into bed.” She kissed him goodnight and turned back to her work in the kitchen with his empty plate in hand. Fleur usually prepared a cooked breakfast for their guests, but her body was not up to such a chore that cool autumn morning. She set the dining room table with plates, bowls and cutlery behind each chair and down the middle she laid out a bowl of fruit, bread, spreads and cereals for them to help themselves once they emerged and came downstairs for breakfast. While she left the Catermoles to fend for themselves she made her own way up to their bedroom, she tiptoed through her and Bills bedroom towards the dresser to pull out clean clothes as Bill slept soundly in their bed just meters away.

She closed herself in the bathroom raising her wand to cast a silence charm preventing Bill from waking as she started the shower. Fleur unwrapped her robe that was dirtied with mud from Bills mucky work clothes, and discarded the rest of her pyjamas in the laundry basket before stepping under the hot spray of water. Normally Fleur showered in the evening, washing off the day, and getting into bed fresh and clean but this morning she felt sweaty and manky. She longed for the warm water to wash off the morning of sickness.

Fleur just stood under the spray, letting the hot water fall and run over her tired body. Her body felt drained from her night full of broken sleep and nightmares. She was tempted to curl back up in bed next to Bill for a do over of last night, but she had a list a mile long to do that morning that she had to power on.

Fleur reached forward and turned the tap, the spray weakened until it stopped altogether once she felt like all of that morning had been washed down the drain. She stepped out onto the bath mat and reached for one of the towels that hung on the railing, wrapping her dripping body in the big white fluffy towel. She winced as she secured the towel against her left boob, it feeling tender from the prod. She made a mental note to keep an eye on the new pain.

With her body feeling clean and smelling like vanilla, a fresh set of clothes and her warm snug slippers on her feet Fleur began to leave the bathroom. As she picked up the laundry hamper, Bill and her worn and dirty clothes mixed in together, something rolled out that had been caught between the rubbish bin and hamper. Her long silvery hair falling over her shoulder and obstructing her view as she bent down to pick it up recognising the pottle right away, which now held a deep pink liquid.

Fleur was drawn back in a memory to early that morning.

As Fleur splashed cold water over her flushed face a small vial that sat on the vanity caught her eye. Fleur had abandoned the vial on the counter top the previous night as she undressed for bed, finding it her pocket where she had stored it before dinner.

As she held the the vial in her hands the dizziness, nausea and hunching over letting the contents of her stomach drain into the toilet began to cloud her memories. Fleur hunted through the bathroom cabinets and found an empty poutle that once held a serum from beneath the sink and filled it with clear urine. As Molly instructed, she measured a teaspoon using her eye, pouring the thick translucent potion before screwing the lid on. She waited sitting on the edge of the bathtub, and waited, checking her watch every minute until she gave up knowing Bill would be home any minute. With no change to the colour she tossed the potle at the bin in the corner as she walked out, but it bounced and fell between the rubbish bin and laundry hamper.

Fleur dropped to her knees and begun rummaging through the trash, she had to be sure what she was looking at was real. Not finding the pottle with her clear urine in, she turned it upside down and dumped the rubbish onto the bathroom tiles. Still nothing, this one with pink liquid must be it...that means... “Im pregnant?” She whispered to herself. Her heart began to race, excitement sored through her body. There was a baby growing in side her. “I’m pregnant.” She exclaimed loudly this time, the silence charm still surrounded the bathroom intercepting her shouts for joy. Fleur jumped to her feet and raced to the door. “B-“ she started as she shot through the bedroom door her eyes landing on Bills exhausted body passed out against the mattress. And in that moment all of the excitement drained from her body and became swallowed by fear. Reality dawned on her, she had forgotten for that brief moment that they were in the middle of the war and all she wanted was to celebrate with Bill, to tell him that they had a son or daughter beginning to grow. Her body sunk against the bathroom doorframe overwhelmed with fear and worry. She watched Bill at peace as he slept, how was she meant to tell him that she was pregnant and drop a bomb right in his face when his world was already a war zone.

Fleur returned to the bathroom with her head hung, picking up her wand from the vanity and pointing it at the mess of rubbish she had made on the floor. She watched as the bin turned right side up and the pieces of trash littered across the titles levitated and found their way back into the bin. This time she yanked open the top draw, hurling the evidence that she was pregnant inside before collecting the hamper and sneaking back out of the bedroom, leaving Bill to sleep, peaceful and oblivious.

...

“Fleur.” A voice sounded down the hallway. Fleur poked her head out of one of the upstairs bedrooms. “Molly? What are you doing ‘ere?”

“I wanted to check on you.”

“I am almost finished in ‘ere I will be down soon.”

Fleur finished cleaning the long splinch down the woman’s arm before wrapping the bandage around her upper arm and over her shoulder joint. “It’s looking much better today Mary, eet eez ‘ealing very well.” Fleur complimented as she cleaned up the blood stained gauze and bandages. It took her back to when she first brought Bill home from the hospital wing after his attack. She would clean and rebandage his lacerations several times a day at the beginning. She had so much practice on Bill that it came in use now when those fleeing to their safe house with injuries, she was prepared to care for them.

“Molly, you didn’t have to come check on me.” She spoke drying her hands on her apron, finding Molly perched on one of the seats in the kitchen.

“How are you feeling?”

Fleur sighed.

“You’re pregnant aren’t you.”

Fleur’s dropped her eyes to her hands that fiddled with her rings and nodded.

Molly’s face lit up with pure joy but she could see in Fleurs eyes that she didn’t feel the same way.

“I ‘ave not told Beel yet. ‘Ow do I tell ‘im? ‘Ow am I meant to keep our baby safe? What’s going to ‘appen to us? to ‘im if eez death eaters find out? I can’t let anyzing ‘appen to my baby.” All of Fleur fears came pouring out, her eyes wide with fear, hot tears running down her flushed face. “Fleur love.” Molly closed the gap between her and her daughter-in-law and wrapped her arms around her. Fleur sobbed into Molly’s shoulder.

“It’s ok, our little Weasley is going to be fine. He or she has the strongest and loving parents ever. Arthur and I will do anything we can to protect our grandchild and I’m certain the order will do the same.”

Fleur stepped back rubbing her eyes with the underside of her hands. “I’m scared to tell Bill, I’m scared ‘e eez going to be angry.”

“I know he didn’t want this, it’s not an ideal situation. He lived through the last war and saw his brothers be born into it but once he finds out he’s going to be a dad he’s going to love that baby with everything, everything else won’t matter. He loves you Fleur he will love and support you through anything.”

Fleur hoped Molly was right.

...

Once Molly had hurried back to the burrow to Arthur, Fleur pottered around the kitchen as a pot of butternut squash soup cooked on the stove, and a homemade loaf of bread cooled.

As the day reached midday, the sun had warmed the air but a cool breeze lingered around the cottage. Fleur gathered the Catermoles for lunch, they choose to sit around the table in the warmth of the house, out of the way of the cool sea breeze. While they shared stories and entertained one another over their soup Fleur stole a moment by herself on the back porch overlooking the ocean. She rested back against the cushions that lined the crisp white swing seat that hung from the eaves. She took a small sip of her soup before placing it on the harm rest so she could adjust the rug around her shoulders. She peered down at her flat belly, her body was yet to show any physical evidence that there was a child in there. “Est-ce que ça va, mon petit?” Are you ok in there little one? She spoke to her belly. “Je ne peux pas croire que tu es là-dedans” I can't believe you are in there. Fleur marveled at the idea that she was growing a human inside her, that she was going to be a mother. She craved for the excitement, for joy, to not have the fear of a war hanging over her baby’s life. “Comment allons-nous parler de toi à ton papa?” How are we going to tell your papa about you? She sighed.

War Time AU║Bill & Fleur 1997

“I am going to start dinner, but keep going wizout me.” Fleur whispered against Bills ear before she stood, using Bills leg to push herself up onto her feet from the sofa that she had been squeezed in between Bill and Tonks as order business was discussed. 

She felt the blood drain from her head as she moved from the sitting room full of order members and into the kitchen where the voices began to fade. She grabbed the bench for support, catching herself while she swayed with dizziness before lowering herself into the kitchen floor. Fleur pulled her legs up to her chest letting her head rest against her knees, her breathing had become shallow and quick as her body fought to pump oxygen to her brain. She took long deep breaths in and out endeavouring to control her drumming heart and spinning head. 

“Fleur?” A voice filled the kitchen sending a jolt though Fleurs body. Her head shot up and collided with the cabinet behind her. “Uh.” She winced before responding to the voice. “Yes?” She massaged the back of her head. 

“What are you doing down there?” Molly rounded the end of the counter and peered down at a very pale looking Fleur. “I was feeling a little dizzy but I am better now.” Fleur spoke using the counter top to pull herself back up onto her feet. Her face flushed red, embarrassment driving her to her feet long before her body was ready to be vertical again.

“You don’t look well Fleur.” Molly diagnosed, “Sit down.” Molly pulled out one of the seats from the kitchen table and guided Fleur into it. 

“I am fine, only tired and I ‘ave not eaten as much as I should ‘ave today, eets been so busy around ‘ere today wiz ze guests staying and ze order meeting. And wiz Beel being away at work all night I ‘ave not been sleeping well.” Fleur tried to explain as Molly moved through the kitchen. The fear grew each evening as Fleur watched Bill disappear into the night for his evening shifts at Gringotts. She worried each and every time that he left out that door, worried for his safety, worried if he would return to her. The dark and eerie nights brought fear that consumed her, it filled her with terror and unrest. The darkness outside shell cottage brought the shadows that moved, the noises that sparked her imagination and the nightmares that plagued her sleep. There was no Bill to calm those fears, just an empty bed and an empty house. Most nights they sheltered wizards and witches that sought refuge and a place to hide in the spare bedrooms of Shell Cottage, she wasn’t completely alone on those nights but they couldn’t give Fleur the comfort and peace that her husband did by just being there by her side. 

“Eat.” Molly instructed placing a piece of chocolate cake in front of Fleur. “If you haven’t been eating your blood sugar will be low.” 

Fleur followed her mother-in-laws instruction, using the fork to shovelled the sweet brown dessert into her mouth, the icing staining her lips. “Thank you Molly.”

“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest?”

“Thank you but I am fine, I will finish preparing dinner.” 

Fleur tried to stand but Molly pushed her back down. “I can do that.” 

“I am fine, I will rest once Beel ‘as gone off to work.” 

“Is this the first time you’ve felt dizzy?” Molly questioned. 

“I felt a little dizzy zis morning and I vomited but I zeenk eet eez something I ate zat my body did not like, I did not ‘ave an appetite since zen, but zere was no time to eat if I was ‘ungry.” 

Molly looked at Fleur up and down. 

“Are you pregnant?” She questioned. 

“Pregnant? Do not be silly No.” she shook her head with a laugh. 

“I cannot be pregnant. My avoir ses règles…menstruations? ‘ave been regular. Ze last one was lighter zan normal i zeenk eet must be all ze stress. Ze same zing ‘appen during ze triwizard tournament.”

Molly looked at Fleur in unbelief and wandered out of the kitchen leaving Fleur alone while she lifted another piece of cake into her mouth feeling her dizziness easing with the sugar her body was beginning to digest.

“Try this.” Molly returned to the kitchen with a vial of translucent liquid. “If you pee in a cup and then add this potion, about a teaspoon, if it turns pink your pregnant.” She explained handing it over to Fleur. 

“Thank you, but eet eez impossible, we ‘ave been doing everyzing we can not to.” Fleur desired to be a mother, to share a baby with Bill but she had agreed with Bill it was too dangerous with the war raging throughout England. Bill had explained how strongly he felt about bringing a child into the world with fighting and persecution and fear. She too feared that scenario, her baby, her love and joy hurt and killed by the death eaters turned her stomach. 

“Just try it.” Molly replied turning to the fridge. 

Fleur studied the vial briefly, her heart wandering off with her mind imagining creating a family with Bill, a little boy with ginger hair smiling up at her while he was snuggled safely in her arms. Quickly the daydream turned dark, death eaters swirling around her, fighting to take her baby. She forced her way back to reality, to her kitchen, pocketing the vial and moving to help Molly. 

               …

Fleur shifted against the sheets, rousing from a heavy slumber, slowly and reluctantly she opened her eyes finding a brightness behind her eye lids. She rocketed up pulling her wrist up to her eyes squinting at the round face, reading 5:40. Her bounding heart slowed as she realised she hadn’t slept through Bill’s return home. She lifted her head and surveyed the room, the lightbulbs were still glowing, illuminating the bedroom from the night before it had been the light fixtures not the sun that she had first concluded. The book that she had been reading the evening earlier was still open beside her. She must have fallen asleep reading last night. That wasn’t normal. Fleur hadn’t been sleeping well while Bill was away working nights, it always took her hours to fall asleep and she never stayed asleep very long before she woke up startled by dark nightmares. She must have been extremely tired if she had fallen asleep so early and slept through the entire night. Fleur pulled back the covers and swung her feet over the side of the bed, her feet searching for her slippers. A wave of nausea washed over her, her head spinning. Her fingers clutched at the sheets below, wishing away the feeling, but it didn’t improve, it only built. Fleur flung herself up onto her feet, using all of her energy and speed to transport herself to the bathroom, just in time for the little of last nights dinner she had consumed to fly from between her lips and into the toilet bowl. She knelt on the cool tile floor as she heaved over the toilet, her heart racing as she tried to force air into her lungs between each hurl. She came to rest against the bathroom wall, trying to catch her breath once the heaving had subsided. 

She forced herself up knowing Bill would be home soon. She splashed cold water against her face and set her toothbrush to work washing away the foul taste that lingered in her mouth before emerging from the bathroom looking washed out and exhausted. 

Fleur stood at the window overlooking the back garden of Shell Cottage, the sun hadn’t yet peaked above the horizon but the darkness was surrendering and the stars had disappeared. The rising sun sent shimmering rays across the hills behind their house, the sky painted with gold and pink flecks. Her eyes scoured the space beyond the window for movement, her ears listening for the sound of an arrival over the chirping of the birds waking. 

With a crack her eyes bolted to where the sound had come from and found a tall shadow crossing the lawn. 

She flung open the door, stepping out onto the porch, pulling her robe tighter as the crisp cool morning air bit at her exposed skin. “My Sweet Ginger Pie.” She exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with excitement and relief, wasting no time she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly against her body. She could feel a dampness press through her thin pyjamas from Bills wet and mucky work clothes but it held no interest to Fleur, all that was important to her now was having her husband back home and in her arms. 

“Ow was your night?” She questioned stepping back, her arms releasing him from her hug but weaving her fingers around his as she pulled him inside, closing the cool morning air behind them. 

“I will start on breakfast if you want to shower?” She rose up on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss against his cheek, sending him upstairs before turning back into the kitchen. 

Fleur was slow in preparing breakfast, pulling items out of the fridge was a battle this morning as she listened to the running water of the shower upstairs. With the pan heating up on the stove top she opened a bag of bacon, reaching in and placing the rashers in the pan, it didn’t take long before the meaty smell wafted into her nose and turned her stomach. Fleur felt her belly lurch, her torso contracted as she gagged, the temporary colour from her face from Bills return now draining. She forced her legs to move towards the sink where her body heaved choking on the last of what was left in her gut. Her fingers blanched white as she clutched the side of the counter. 

When there was nothing left, she lent over to open the window letting the fresh morning air leak into the kitchen and rid the house of the nauseating smell of bacon. She wiped the green bile smeared against her chin with the backside of her hand. I only bought that bacon last week, she thought to herself, covering her mouth and nose with her hand as she turned off the stove with the almost burnt bacon and threw the cooked meat into the rubbish bin along with the bag of raw rashes concluding that it must have gone bad for it to smell that terrible.

Fleur had collected herself enough to throw a few eggs in the pan and toast some bread by the time Bill had returned back down to the kitchen. “Tea?” She questioned from the kitchen table placing her cup of ginger scented tea on the table so she could reach the teapot.