#which just leaves me and this one lad that im friends with

[vesprynna]

Today is my 34th birthday, aaah!! Toot toot the birthday flute!! 🥳🙌 As per usual, here's my annual birthday pinup 💖 This year features my soft forest monster lad Khalan lounging in a refreshing forest pool 💖 He's from my WIP comic project DEAREST!

A hi res downloadable version of this year's pinup + a timelapse is free for everyone to enjoy on my Ko-Fi 🥰🙌

Here are the other versions of Khalan and Willow over the years! I feel like celebrating their journey too 🥳 Which one is your fav?

🌱🌻🌾🌷🌾🌻🌱🌻🌾🌷🌻🌾🌱

Now, Im going to be a bit sappy so... Bear with me, or just enjoy the art and go on with your day, whatever suits you. Thank you for being here regardless 💖

To imagine that 20 years ago I didn't think I'd live to see my 20's... But I'm still here, and I'm so happy that I am 💖 Life's been rough, and it will continue to be at times, but thankfully there's pockets of joy to be found in the chaos. It really can be as simple as a funny tag someone leaves on my art, my best friend @unicornia93 doodling something funny to cheer me up, or the boundless enthusiasm my fiance has for ANY idea I share with him or my family being their goofy but wonderful selves 😂💖

I also want to extend a sincere Thank You to everyone who's supported and followed me over the years. Every year when my birthday comes around I always wonder how I got so lucky to be blessed with great friends, a wonderful fiance and my small but loving family... And to also be part of a community both online and offline amongst kindhearted, passionate people and artists. I don't say this often enough, but I truly appreciate each and every one of you! From my regular followers who always, always like my art (yes, I see you 💖), and to my friends, family and fiance for giving encouragement and critique to help me grow as an artist and person. You guys are absolutely wonderful!! 💖🙏

I'm glad I stuck around to experience all that life has had to offer so far. Thank you for being here with me in this moment, I hope you will be here next year too 💖💐

[jammiesjars]

NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE | MDNI

Warnings: Medium amount of plot?, horribly written medieval times smut, loss of innocence, virginity loss, female anatomy and terminology (??), unrealistic sex, slight coercion, breeding (only a little)

Seems to be the warrior’s picked you.

You were a shy thing. Didn’t get yourself involved in any social gatherings unless necessary, didn’t leave the safe confines of your modest hut unless dragged, and certainly didn’t talk to anyone unless by force.

You were polite, no doubt about it. And though as much as you hate it, people seemed to be drawn to you.

So when the cherished and highly praised warrior that John McTavish is decides he wants you, he will have just that.

It’s not even a question wether or not you want him. You wouldn’t deny the man his right to a pretty little bird like yourself, would you?

No matter, he’ll sneak around; arrange something with your parents so you won’t find out until its too late to stop your matrimony. But God, seeing you smile up at him so naively without a clue in the world that everynight he tugs at his thick cock to the mere thought of you in his arms makes him wish it’d happen sooner.

It was only a matter of time until you found out, anyway. Your parents were off planning some ‘suprise’, your mother teaching you about a wife’s duties all of a sudden and the whispers from the folk in the village only got louder.

“I can’t believe she’s marrying Johnny-“ the girl whispers to her friend, pointing at you.

Your blood runs hot, the same aching need you get when Johnny talks to you in a sultry tone shooting to your core at the mere mention of the rumor; at the idea of being his betrothed. And so you storm off to find him, barging into his office on the compound, blabblering about what you’ve overheard whilst he looks at you with a shit-eating grin.

“Have ye’ got an issue with that, M’eudail?” He’d drawl, his eyes glimmering with the same mischief you’ve come to know. “Don’t tell me yer suprised.”

“Johnny, you can’t be serious.” You’d breathe, the corset taught around your waist suddenly feels ten times tighter, and the furs settled on your shoulders 10 pounds heavier.

“Am always serious about ye, Lass.” He’d coo, leaning back in his chair. He beckons you closer with his hand. “Why? Don’t tell me ye fancy another lad, birdie.” He’d grunt, his calloused hands from years of battle pawing at your hips.

His touch brings out that familiar ache; a coiling need. One you never understood, never knew how to satisfy. “No..“ You’d breathe, responding to his call and stepping into his reach. “But I deserved to know, you cant keep tha-“

You’re silence by a low groan from Johnny. “Och. Quit worrying so much and let yer husband do the thinkin’. Be a good girl and let me take care of ye.”

Playful blue eyes meet yours.

“Keep bein’ at my beck and call, jus’ like ye are now. I’ll do the rest.”

Christ, you’re sure you’ll melt into the floor here and now. It’s not like you can deny anyway, you found out too late. Just as planned. That aching feeling is amplified tenfold and you know Johnny can tell.

He offers a lopsided grin. “Yer all worked up, aren’t ye?” It’s almost a growl. “Don’t worry, lass. I’ll take ye on the altar if you’d ask. I’ll make sure ye never have to go without once yer mine.”

He’d pull you close, so tender despite the vulgarity he whispers in your ear. And above all, you have no clue what he’s talking about.

Even unluckier for you, the scot picks up on that. “Oh, Mo Gràidh..” he’d purr, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Bet ye ache, don’t ye? You’re poor cunt..” He’d tut, shaking his head.

“Do ye know what that feelin’ is, lass?” His eyes hold a dangerous gleam, to which you shake your head and he looks like he could salivate. “C’mere. Let me take a look at ye.”

He flips you around to press your hands to his desk, whilst he’s holding your hips. He flips up your skirts. “Johnny-“

“Quit yer whining, im doing ye a favour.” He coos, hiking up your petticoat and layers underneath to reveal your glistening cunt. “Ain’t that a sight for yer sore eyes..” He almost chokes on his words.

The man had plans, intentions, to wait until your wedding night. To take it nice and slow with deep languid thrusts that had you seeing stars. All of that was thrown out the window as he took in the sight of your untouched opening.

“Ye trust me, lassie?” Johnny grunts.

“Johnny, I-“

He grips your thigh.

“Tryna be nice here, pretty. But it’s damn hard.” He growls. “Do ye trust me?”

You swallow your pride, nodding.

“Oh,” he groans at the confirmation. “Good girl..” Large hands grip your thighs so his tongue can lick a fat stripe up your cunt. The taste of you is so right to him, so… perfect. You were built for him only and he knows it; fated to be his pretty little wife he can come home to after battle.

You’re moaning, biting on your hand to muffle the sound. By god, you’ve never felt anything like this.

Then suddenly, it’s gone.

“Shouldn’t do this to ye, lass. Not one bit. Not proper of me at all, aye?” He pants, leaning back. You almost choke on nothing at the loss of his tongue.

He pulls your skirts down, flipping you back around. “Promise ye. I’ll never let ye go needy once I get that ring on ye finger. Just a couple for days, mo gràidh..”

He’s pressing his face against your stomach, arms keeping you standing between his legs.

“Right…” You pant softly, the loudest sound in the room.

So did you go through with the wedding without a single complaint? Yes. Could you even say you enjoyed it? Sure.

But what came after? That was the entire focus of the evening, apparently.

“Oh, I remember my wedding night..” Older folks would gush.

“Tell us all about it!” Married friends would tease and prod.

You were fed up. What was to come? (You, many times) You couldn’t seem to figure it out, not even as Johnny sat you on the bed with darkened eyes and a firm tone. “

Strip, lovie. Don’t make me do it for ye.”

“J-johnny-“ You mewl, sweat clinging to your body. Your wedding dress is long forgotten on the floor with John’s kilt.

“I got ye, M’eudail. Let go f’me.” John murmurs against your clit that he was just sucking on, whilst his fingers are pressing up into that sweet spongey spot inside of you.

You grip his hair, the feeling making you want to tug him off. “Wait-“ you whimper, hips bucking to chase the feeling that so desperately confuses you.

Johnny doubles his efforts, the smug bastard. “Oh, sweet girl..” There’s that shit eating grin again as he watches you from between your legs as your back arches off the bed. “Troublin’, hm? Don’t know what to do with yerself.” He tuts. “Let go, lass. Let me think for ye.”

His words have you cumming quicker than you’d care to admit.

“Don’t even know what yer feelin’, do ye?” He murmurs, his scottish brogue heavy with lust. “Mm.. ma sweet wifey.” He rides you through your orgasm with lanquid strokes of his thick fingers before climbing up the bed so his forearms rest either side of your head.

“Look at ye…” He grins down at you whilst you catch your breath; utterly ruined. He pushes your hair behind your ear, pressing a sweet kiss to your swollen lips. How awfully tender, considering he just gave you your first orgasm.

“Johnny..” you mewl, hands coming to rest on his broad shoulders. You can feel the thick cords of muscle roll beneath your palms

“Aye, sweetheart. Right ‘ere.” He grunts, reaching a hand down to pump his stupidly thick cock a few times. “Deep breath, lassie. Dinnae go stupid on me.” He coos. He presses at your poor, weeping cunt; his tip slick with precum.

He begins to press in, earning a broken whimper from you.

“Johnny-“ you gasp. “I can’t- I can’t take it-“

“Nae. Don’t say that, Mo Gràidh. Little more. Jus’ for me.” He groans, hissing lowly at how perfect you squeeze him; you were made for him.

You cling to anything for purchase, your jaw slack and eyelids fluttering shut. “No, no no-“

“Ye can take it, good girl… relax for me, lass. Let me in.” He grunts, his words an attempt so soothe your panicked confusion.

“Feels good, yeah? Too much to handle, aye?” He soothes, his gaze piercing as he looks down at you. “I’ve got ye. You’re doing so damn well, shh sh shh…”

You softly gasp, your grip tight as he bottoms out. It doesn’t let up, especially as Johnny decides you can handle even more, and starts pulling out slowly before pressing in again until your hips click together.

“Aren’t ye just fuckin perfect? Aye- look at me. In my eyes, pretty girl. Ye, tell ye husband how good he makes ye feel. Tell me lass.” He coos, a hand lacing into your hair.

“S-so good-“ you whine, hips bucking. “Johnny-“ you choke, his slow, sensual movements becoming more primal.

“That’s right,” He groans, his head dropping to rest against your shoulder. Johnny’s pants are much more obvious as you feel his breath against his shoulder. “Makin’ ye feel so good. Pussy clampin’ around me like a fuckin’ vice.” He groans, his cock pummeling your poor cunt again and again, his pace never slowing.

“Gonna fill ye up nicely. Make you a mam to me heirs..” He growls, his hips stuttering as you cum.

Its a burning hot pleasure that rips through your body, making you feel weak in the legs.

“Ooh,” Johnny intertwines his hand with yours. “There we go… lettin’ go for me like a good girl would. Gonna fuck ye stupid one day, love. Make ye forget ye name.” He growls, his hips slamming against yours as his seed spurts inside you.

“Such a good wifey..”

[suugarbabe]

Hey bub, im back again (so sorry 🙏 dont feel pressured to write any of these pls). Hows your October going??

I have (another 😭) request my love. I was scrolling tiktok and it was one of those slytherin react videos but its gave me another idea.

What about around the time of the yule ball reader just walks up to ( Mattheo/Theo/Enzo ) who's conversing in the hall and just straight up pulls him by the tie and kisses him then walks away. Just super unprompted and out of no where (theyre friends though, like part of the 🐍gang). Hes just speachless, going between shocked, confused, extatic and back to shocked. Maybe reader throws something about going yule ball shopping together the next day before she leaves but he hadnt even asked yet.

Anyway darling, thanks for your amazing fics and i tell you when i saw that we'd become mutuals i nearly dropped my phone x

I'm on an enzo kick so that's who it's gonna be 🤭

You had made the decision earlier that day. You knew what you had to do in order to get him to ask you to the Yule ball. You had went over the plan with Pansy earlier and at first she had laughed. But when she saw you were serious she wholeheartedly agreed that it was the only surefire way to get his attention.

There had been a couple of opportunities to come up to him earlier in the day, but he had mainly been alone. You knew that if it were going to make an impact, he had to be surrounded by his friends.

Which is how you found yourself walking up to Enzo while in the middle of the conversation with the rest of the boys. At first none of them really noticed you coming toward them, too engrossed in whatever they were talking about.

When you finally reached them, you didn't even give any of them time to greet you before you reached out for Enzo's tie, grabbing it close to the knot by his neck and pulling his down into a searing kiss. You expected him to freeze up, not know how to respond, but you were pleasantly surprised.

Barely a second after you pulled his lips to yours his hands were on your waist, you ran your tongue along his plump bottom lip, him immediately granting you access to his mouth to further deepen the kiss.

For a good twenty seconds you were full on making out with Enzo Berkshire in front of the rest of your friends. When you finally broke away, Enzo was short of breath, eyes searching your features for any explanation.

Instead of giving him one you simply straightened his tie while stating, "Meet me at Gladrags this weekend so you can help me pick out my dress for the ball, okay?" Enzo was at a loss for words, the most effort he was able to give was a simple head nod. You smiled sweetly at him, giving him a pat on his cheek, "Good boy." And with that you walked away.

As you did so you heard the the other boys start to chatter, hearing thumping that you were assuming was them patting Enzo on the back.

"For fucks sake, Enz, when were you gonna tell us you finally asked her to the ball? Let alone started snogging her like that?" Mattheo was clearly proud of his friend in this moment.

Enzo just shook his head, "I, erm, I haven't asked her yet. But, erm, I'm going to catch you lads later I need to do something." Enzo then stalked off, taking on a light jog to catch up with you to discuss the details and properly ask you to the ball.

[rookiesbookies]

Seeing your hc of greek god!ghost made me think of how much of a disaster it'll be if he found someone he's into only for them to get cold easily and wears like 5+ layers everywhere they go

So I have bad circulation and a neurological condition that makes my extremities get very cold, which is why I believe I am qualified to write this. There’s nothing I love more than grabbing my partner with my cold fingers or touching him with my cold feet, my friends are also victims. As I write this one of my hands is ice cold and the other is a completely normal temp. Wish he was here so I could rub my hands over where he’s ticklish and make him shiver (im evil)

I had a lot of fun writing this ask, I do want to do more with this AU later so I love getting asks about it but I do need to clean up my master list😭

Fic under the cut

Masterlist is pinned on profile as always, don’t forget to leave me a comment or a request in my inbox to let me know what yall want to see!

Price was sent a younger maiden one other time. She had been just under the age he liked and he truthfully believed she would work better with someone else.

SO he delivered her to Simon’s doorstep in the underworld. Simon looked through the peep hole to see you holding a pie and a note from Price. When he opened the door and read the note (something along the lines of : she’s too young for me but seems more like your type) he tried to shut the door. Luckily for you, the future mother in law was there - Persephone was not having any of her son’s shit.

She quickly read the note herself and set you down, sending Simon to go make tea while she got a good look at you. Poor thing, so nervous, dropped on this doorstep, she wasn’t having any of it.

Then she noticed how cold your hands were and cursed her husband for giving their son such cold hands, he was always so clammy he just had to pass it on.

She quickly yelled for Simon who rushed in with the tea, telling him to start a fire.

You tried to tell her it wasn’t a problem with a nervous smile and laugh but she wouldn’t listen. So you told both you didn’t want to be a bother.

“Ya think yer cold?” Simon said sharply before grabbing your ankle with an ice cold hand from the floor where he was sitting trying to start the fire, the sudden chill made you let out a soft shriek. He giggled behind the mask.

Persephone saw that. She heard it too.

“I'm calling Hades and we’re planning the wedding!”

Simon’s eyes bulged out of his head.

“I can’t marry someone I’ve just met,” you awkwardly laughed between sips of tea.

“Well it takes time to plan a wedding, you’ll both know each other quite well by the time it comes around!”

Simon groaned, “just because you and Hades-”

“Shush!” And Simon shut up quickly.

And with that, Persephone fled the house.

“I would have thought because of how she was taken by Hades-”

“Stockholm syndrome, I'm sure of it,” Simon grumbled. Pulling off his fur cloak and throwing it over you. “I’ll sleep on the couch until I can sort this out.”

“Oh but I can’t take your bed from you-”

“Did I ask?”

You shake your head and quietly sip your tea.

Now lets time jump just a bit. Assume they both bond at some point and a month or so passes, they’re trying to cuddle, right?

There’s nothing that brings Simon more joy than torturing you with his cold hands. Making you whine and shove them under your arms to warm them.

“You’re colder than a dead body!”

“Why do ya think the lads call me Ghost, love?”

After more time, he chooses a new favorite place to warm his hands.

“Simon, we are at dinner! You can’t do that in front of others!” You hushly yelled at him.

“Come on, they’d be jealous that's all, not judgin ya!” He laughed.

“Simon this is so embarrassing,” you mumbled. His hands gently holding your tits. One hand over each.

“It’s my favorite place to warm em.” He shrugged then grumbled. “Plus Johnny made a comment about ya rack and I gotta remind him whose it is.”

You let out a whine, “your hands are so cold! I didn’t sign up for temperature play!”

He chuckles, “here, I’ll distract you. Two goldfish are in a tank-”

“You’ve told me this one so many times,” you giggled as he massaged your chest with his cold hands. You smacked his hand, “I'm only doing this to warm up your hands, this isn’t touchy time.”

He groaned in disappointment. “Price wouldn’t notice or care!”

“Oh he definitely would, especially if it was at his dinner table!”

“What are ya love birds whisperin on about?” Johnny holard from the other room.

“SHUT.” Was all Simon had to yell back.

[insert-stupid-username]

Ranking drivers based on how badly I want be there friend. Dont hate yall this is soley for fun:

Max Verstappen: I feel like he would enjoy the random tik toks I send him, also I think we would have so much fun playing minecraft and I want to introduce him to the sims. also I really want to be able to send him the really bad f1 POV's on tik tok, like the funny joke ones where the drivers say pookie and baby girl every single line and it ends with kimi or oscar going I am here also

Lewis Hamilton: Roscoe. I want to meet and play with Roscoe so bad. Thats like the main reason. My side reason is so I can ask him so many questions about brosadies. Also wouldnt it be hilarius to find and send like nico rosberg edits...OR HAMILTON EDITS TO HAMILTON

Alex Albon: his animals. I think he would be a good freind to have and that he would care and listen but I REALLY love animals so the main reason I want to be friends with him is for his pets

Charles Leclerc: leo leclerc. that dog is amazing. Also if Im friends with Charles that means I can become frineds with Alexandra. Like she is so amazing and I want to be her friend so bad. If i have to go through charles I would.

Liam Lawson: I want to watch cars with him and also share my realisation that there was a cars 9/11 and cars mcr and cars twilight and cars fanfic and cars fifty shades. I know this all becasue in cars 2 there was TSA and TSA was created becasue of 9/11 I feel like he would either be horriffied or delighted that cars smut exsit both smut of the cars in the movie and smut in the cars universe. (side note but wtf would that even be like?) (if you want more cars implications let me know I WILL go down the rabbit hole) I just want him to thinkabout the implications (yes this was all realised at a very VERY late night strike a few years ago)

Carlos Sainz: I feel like if I tried to have one deep convo with him he would no longer be attractive to me. I dont even like the dude but holy hell he has some attractive moments where I forget that I dont like him

Oscar Piastri: I want to meet lily. Also I think based on the few irl freinds I have that we would get pretty good. Also I want to show him the sims, I think he would be a nice person to rant about my fixations to

Logan Sargeant: I like swimming and like tubbing, I think it would be fun to convince him to try and kill me while tubbing. Given the fact that he does race fast cars I bet he would drive a boat fast and fun ESSPECIALLY when I want to get dumped in the water. Also I feel like he would like he would have some fun random opions on things. like have you met frat guys? there so hit or miss but when they are hit they HIT

Yuki Tsunoda: I want to swear with him. I think it would be fun. Immagioning the stuff we could get up to sounds like so much fun

Franco Colapinto: Dude being friends with this guy would either help my celeberty crush or hurt it. he flirts with EVERYONE which can be so fun, but like if he flirted with me even as a joke it would be so awkward.

George Russell: I just want to see how long hell last until he gets too annoyed and leaves

Lance Stroll: I want to see how long I last before I say something rude and a tiny bit mean, cause if anyone can push my buttons in a way that gets me talking its rich people. even if they are nice rich people I still get annoyed

Zhou Guanyu: he seems like a nice lad but Im not sure what we would talk about

Daniel Ricciardo: I want to know EVERYTHING I feel like I could get him to spill so much info, but also that shouldnt be a reason to be friends with people cause thats not nice

Valtteri Bottas: I would like to introduce him to martial arts than sit back cause I will either laugh or be impressed

Fernando Alonso: I want to know how long I could go before I want to punch him

Checo: How long could I resist the urdge to start yelling and storm out the room

Nico Hulkenberg: I cant think of anything good or bad he just reminds me of my father

Esteban Ocon: I dont know why but I think we just wouldnt get along

Kevin Magnussen: again he reminds me of my father. Nico and Kevin are like the same person different fonts to me

Pierre Gasly: I think I would try and punch him too much, like all the f1 videos hes in I just find him pretenshus and a bit rude

Lando Norris: I just dont like this man. Everything he says gets on my nervs. The only reason he is not booted from my list is cause I think SOME of his friends seem like people I could mabye get along with

We have discovered that I really like animals and want to be friends with most of the drivers soley to pet there pets and send them annoying tik toks

[player1064]

Loved your Jamie Carragher character thesis statement post! It actually made me think of a prompt or short story if you are still doing them. A 5+1 story of Gary making Jamie contradict how he acts/personality. Maybe from the viewpoints of others and the +1 can be Gary defending Jamie personality/character. Again love your drabbles and stories!

im ngl i DID set out to do this as a 5+1 but I. ran out of steam a bit (bitches when their meds are out of stock etc). so instead have a 4+0 😅

---

Philip.

Phil has abandoned the boardroom and is wandering around Hotel Football in search of snacks when he comes upon a small kitchenette where Jamie is busy swearing at a kettle.

He hadn't realised Jamie was here too, he and the other lads have been stuck in a meeting with Gary for hours now and there'd been no mention of it, but it's not that surprising when he thinks about it.

"Alright, Carra?" he greets, and Jamie turns to him with a muttered fuck.

"Hi, Phil," he says with an exasperated sigh. "Your twat of a brother asked me to fetch him some tea, and –”

He gestures hopelessly at the counter behind him, which is in such a state it looks as though a small bomb has gone off.

"Oh," says Phil. "Tea is really difficult, to be fair. Can't you find one of the staff members to help you?"

"No, I –” Jamie runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "He asked me."  

Redders.

Jamie sees it moments before it happens, in excruciating slow motion – like when a gun goes off in films. Gary’s hovering around Carra, trying unsuccessfully to get his attention, and when he gives up and reaches to jostle Carra’s shoulder Jamie waits for the inevitable snap.

Except, Carra doesn’t snap. He doesn’t jerk away, he looks at Gary and he beams. If it was any other person Jamie could’ve sworn he was leaning in to the touch, because Gary’s hand stays in place even while they talk.

When they’re setting up to film, Gary shifts his chair closer to Carra’s so that their knees are touching, and Carra doesn’t roll his eyes or move away. When Carra tells a joke that’s got Gary doubled over with laughter, Gary spreads a hand between Carra’s shoulder blades and nothing happens.

The whole day is full of things like that, tiny casual touches which should be normal, which are normal for anyone other than Carra. Jamie, worried that he’s gone mad and misremembered a fundamental fact about Carra, even tries an experiment once or twice: he claps a hand on Carra’s back, or he throws an arm around his shoulders in a friendly side hug. Carra twitches at the contact every single time, a miniscule reaction honed out of years of needing to be polite, and he carefully shifts away from Jamie’s touch with a suspicious side-eye.

When they’re leaving the studio that evening to go to the pub, Gary slaps Carra’s bum as he walks through the doorway and all Carra does is grin.

Stevie.

“Who the fuck are you texting?”

“Huh?” Jamie blinks, looks up at Stevie over his glasses like he’d forgotten he was there. “Oh, just Gary.”

“Didn’t yous see ‘im earlier today?”

“Yeah, why?”

Stevie is lucky if he gets one text a month from Jamie, even luckier if he sees him in person more than twice a year. It’s never bothered him much, he knows what Jamie’s like, knows that anyone not sat directly in front of him is prone to being dismissed as a distraction. There aren’t really friends in Jamie’s world, just allies and enemies.

So he’s not really sure what to do with this version of Jamie, the one who leaves Gary Neville’s company (and Gary Neville, really?) only to immediately open his phone and start texting Gary Neville.

Every time his phone pings he opens it up and does a stupid little snicker at whatever Gary’s sent him, never mind that he’s meant to be mid-conversation with Stevie. Every bloody anecdote seems to start with ‘so me and Gary were –’, or ‘Gary was saying –’. Even the stories that aren’t about work – as far as Stevie can figure out, there’s rarely a moment that Jamie’s not with Gary, or talking to Gary, or thinking about Gary.

It's weird. It’s almost like how he used to be about football.

Micah.

Micah can’t believe what he’s seeing. It’s time for Sky’s yearly ‘film Neville and Carragher making fools of themselves racing each other in a thinly-veiled attempt to rack up more views’, and Jamie is losing.

Jamie’s a runner, he runs. Gary does fuck all cardio beyond the occasional group fitness class, he should not be a full pace ahead of Jamie at the halfway point, and yet. Gary can’t seem to believe it either, because when he glances back at Jamie he grins and picks up his pace with a gleeful little laugh.

Jamie rolls his eyes for the sake of the cameras, but there’s a moment where Micah could’ve sworn he saw him skip, like he was deliberately trying to slow himself down. Which is impossible, because Jamie would happily out-sprint a child if someone told him it was a competition.

And yet.

When Gary wins he grabs onto Jamie’s arm to support himself while his whole body shakes with laughter, squawking out insults every time he’s able to catch his breath. Jamie laughs along, makes up some poor excuse about his hamstring going, but when he catches Micah’s eye he winks as if they’re both in on the same joke.

[berriblossom]

KUKI MY LAD!!!

ITS ME AGAIN! (v)

( Barely proof red im half awake ^^" )

I've been seeing some very good responces to the other ask i had done, and i've just had so many ideas! But i really didnt want to stress you out, do im leaving you with this mini ask ( please dont push yourself to start it, i dont want this to become a chore instead of a little side hobby)

This is another papa zhongli ask, with the beast swan little baby reader (i love them so much platonically ♡♡♡)

Are you able to do a uncle put down for me? (Its like putting a kid to bed) with xiao ? Or... mayhaps a auntie put down with like.. ninnguane or something!! (Idk how to spell her name off the top of my head, i also just see her as the rich aunt typa person)

Once again, please take your time and make sure to have fun! (Btw if its alright with you, i might start leaving little incouragemental askes every once in a while ^^)

Im so eepy TT

GOODNIGHT FRIEND !! (ITS 5 AM HELP ME !! )

- (v)

Ahh, more ask! Im totally fine with all the encouragements! These ask make my day! Headcanon time!

When evening comes, who will tuck you in and kiss you goodnight?

Featuring: Childe, Beidou, Ganyu, Ningguang, Shenhe, Xiao, and Papa Zhongli.

✄-----------------------------------------------

Say what you will about the Fatui harbinger. He may have tried to bring the fall of Liyue, destroy its economy, and somewhat helped in the brutal slaying of its archon before the people's own eyes.

Childe [Uncle TarTag]

But he will be the best uncle no matter what. No matter what.

So when it is time for you to go to bed, he will sometimes procrastinate when you plead with him. "One more game, Uncle Tartag! One more movie, Uncle Tartag! One more!" You bet any money he will watch your favorite movie or read your favorite stories with you before putting you down for a nap or for bedtime.

When he is tucking you in, he is a little rough, to say the least. When you're tucked in. You are tucked in. Like you can't move too much, his strength gets the better of him.

Your bedtime story will have some sort of fighting or violence, which Zhongli has lectured him about. You might be an illuminated beast, but you are still a child. He even got in trouble for telling you to say, "The Tsarita is better than Morax" in a story he told you, and Zhongli wanted to murder him.

Rating: 7/10, he is trying but needs some work in the story department.

You will never be sleeping on her ship. Nit at night, at least. Zhongli has a fear thar if you sleep on her ship, you'll be in another nation by dawn. So yeah, no sleeping on Aunty Beidou's ship. But you can take naps!

Beidou [Captain Aunty Beidou]

Beidou will tell you her stories at sea, how she defeated Haishan, and the stories of her crew. She will never sing any sea shanty's...for reasons. But she'll let Kazuha tell you haikuu's. You can run around the ship until. You're tired out and come lay on her lap for a little nap.

The ship and crew will try to be quiet under Beidou's watch and orders for your nap. She'll let you use her coat as a blankie and kiss your forehead to let you have a few minutes of nap time.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10, only because you can't spend the night but she is good!

Ganyu [Big sister Ganyu]

Now, Ganyu is the queen of naptime with you. Putting you to bed, a little different.

When she puts you down for sleep, she slowly falls asleep, too. She makes your bed extra confy when you're at Jueyun Karst, too comfy. When its bed time, shell read you a bedtime story about Rex Lapis, the Adepti like Aunty Cloudy [cloud retainer].

But slowly and quickly, she will fall asleep with you. She has a small Qilin night light for you, similar to her Cryo globe she makes. She'll have some cool warer near your little setup and some snacks.

By the time she is done reading, she'll be laying beside you, drifting off into sleep with you. She'll let you cuddle her and hold her is you get scared like a good big sister.

Rating: 8/10, she is just a little sleepy, but you're not complaining.

Ningguang [Aunty Ning-Ning]

The times Ganyu has accidently had late nights with you, Ningguang is more than honored to let you hang out with her. Your day is filled with shopping, museums, arts trips, and all the natural beauty of Liyue presented to you on a platter. All for her little swan. Zhongli was fine for you to stay in the Jade Chamber as long as you are respectful and polite.

Ningguang would set you up in a room not far from her desk area or place you on a couch near her office area. She'll get you blankets of the finest cotton, silk, or any fabric. She'll give you some nice cushions for comfort and a nice cup of tea to help you settle down for naps.

She will kiss your head, give you some delicate cuddles, and place you down on her lap if you asked her politely.

If she is in a meeting? Oh, put it on hold real quick, her little swan needs their nightly cuddles and she needs to get it done. Want some tea before bed? Oh, she has it done and will have you in some beautiful silk pajamas while she is at it.

Want to sleep in her expensive bed with her and your plushie, oh she will make some room and let your plushie have its own pillow too.

Ningguang can be really serious at times but if you need her to tuck you in before bed and ask her to tell a story, she will buy the best children's literature book ever written just to read it to you and kiss you goodnight. Yes, she will.

Rating: 7.5/10, your rich Aunty has you covered.

Shenhe [Big sister Shenhe]

She would be lost at first, she knows you aren't human so why sleep like one? But once Ganyu and Cloud Retainer gets it through to her that you are raised in the human world despite being an Adeptus, you act the way you do. Similar to your sleep.

So in some ways, your situation is the opposite but similar to hers.

In comes protective Shenhe mode.

Whatever you want for your nightly routine, she is going to find it, get it, or make Ganyu buy it. She'll learn from Zhongli and Cloud Retainer how to brew and make tea, just for you.

If you ever call her "big sister Shenhe" in your sleep, her yearning to keep you safe even in your dreams grows. Do you want her to kiss your duckie goodnight? She will and tuck it in too beside you. Similarly, with Childe, she can be a little harsh on tucking you in, but over time she learns how to reel it back in.

Do you like her cryo spirits that swirl around you? She'll use them to keep your room cool at night during warm nights.

Want her to tell you stories? She will spend time with the traveler just to come back and tell you about it.

Rating: 8/10, she's a little confused but goodness she has the spirit.

Need him to hold your hand when you get scared of the dark? He will ask Verr Godlet to borrow a night light for you. Or better yet, he will find or make one. He will also still hold your hand.

Xiao [Big Brother Xiao]

Now, this big brother, the conquerer of demons, is the only surviving Yakasha.

He will spoon-feed you almond tofu if you need it before bed. Hell, he will learn the recipe and make it for you. Want to sit on the terrace of the Wangshuu Inn and say hello to the moon? He will have you in his lap while you do it.

Need a little cool air because the room is stuffy or warm? he'll use his anemo vision to bring in a gentle breeze. He will have everything you like and don't like down on a list.

Too much noise? He will find the source and silence it.

Want a bath before bedtime? He will test the temperature himself, and make sure to get your rubber duckies in too.

Need some tea? What's the brew? What type? Hell, where is the leaf so he can pick it himself and make it?

Xiao would sleep beside you too even if he is tense and still as stone. But he will mellow out once hearing you have your big brother here to protect you. Yeah, he will be there to protect you.

Rating: 8.5/10, he will do it only for you. Only for his little sibling.

Zhongli is the standard setter of what bedtime should be like.

Zhongli [He needs no introduction]

Zhongli will not only have your bath ready for when bedtime comes, but also your favorite night-time tea is on the stove ready too. He will pull out your little dragon onesie, with the horns on the hood too. And a little tail, and will put your little yellow socks on too.

You can run around while he folds up your towel and clothes for the next day saying you're a dragon and he will play along, even teaching you about how real dragons act and fly. Zhongli will give you the tea in your special teacup with two pinches of sugar just for you.

Want a little snack? He will be making you little biscuits to enjoy with your tea like little cookies.

When it's really time to settle you in, he will have your nightlight on while reading you a bedtime story. He is the king of bedtime stories he can tell you a story you've heard 100 times like it's never been told before. Want a story about Rex Lapis and the Adepti? He has one, and wants one about the Stove God? he will tell it all.

He will tuck you in gently, making sure you are fully covered and secure. The window will be cracked slightly for some fresh air, and also the coolness.

Have a nightmare and need your Papa?

He will hold you close to his chest and will console you while you cry and talk about it. Assuring you, that your Papa will always come and save you, even from the dark.

He will kiss your forehead and cheeks goodnight, even your plushies too. Repeating how much he loves you, how happy he is to be your papa, and how lucky he is to have you, his little swan with him.

Got scared and want to sleep in his bed?

He will pull you beside him and let you talk to him until you go to sleep finally. He may be exhausted but he will listen to your rambles before bed like it is his morning news.

Rating: ∞/10. No questions, comments, or concerns here.

[rom-e-o]

The Call - Ebenezer/Constance Modern!AU

A continuation of Ebenezer and Constance's meeting in a modern and AU setting. Here, they FINALLY set up a first date!

This story also includes characters from @quill-pen and her universe, including her Ebenezar/Wolf, Bess, Addie, and Gal, as well as characters like Eddie and Pippersnipe that have manifested through shared headcanon discussions!

The sound of the doorbell added further chaos to the already bursting cottage.

“Oh, yay! Pizza’s here!”

“I thought we were only making snacks for tonight. I just popped popcorn!”

“Who the heck complains about pizza?”

“You gals are like bloody garbage disposals – how can you eat so much?” Eddie asked. 

“Oi, ladies, can we start this flick ‘ometime in the next fifty years?”

After each woman had filled their plates with pizza and grabbed a glass of their favorite wine, the group filed into the cottage’s cozy living room and piled in front of the television for a much-needed movie night.

“Here you go, Eddie,” Constance said as she handed the older woman a hearty plate of food and a flute of her favorite blackberry liqueur.

“Tryna to get me liquored up, are ya?” she asked playfully as she accepted the very full flute.

“That’s what sleepovers with the girls are for!” Constance teased in return, giving her shoulders a playful squeeze before making sure her blanket with tucked in place.

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen ‘Anastasia’ – it’s a classic!” Bess exclaimed to Addie, who giggled as she assumed a spot on the floor. She put the bowl of freshly popped popcorn between them. “Gosh, I used to watch this with Millie on repeat when she was younger. I could probably recite it word for word.”

“Try t' contain y'self, Lass,” Gal said, stealing a fistful of popcorn as she fell into her seat of choice.

“Sorry, I’ve just … never had a reason to see it,” Addie reasoned with a shrug. “But I’m excited! Is it a romance?”

“Oh-ho! 'Tis a MUSICAL ROMANCE!” Gal corrected. She was lying across one of their tufted armchairs, her back resting on one armrest while her legs rested atop the other, socked feet bobbing up and down. “Wit' talkin' critters too.”

“How are you familiar with ‘Anastasia’, Gal?” Bess asked curiously as she twisted her long, dark hair into an updo. “It doesn't quite seem like your type of movie?”

“Eh, I dun'mind a princessy tale now and again,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. When the stares from her friends didn’t relent, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Also, Jake fancies it.”

Amused cooing erupted from the other ladies.

“If ye tell 'im I told ye, I'll knock ye brains out an' serve 'em as fritters!”

“Eh, leave the poor man alone, it’s a cute little movie,” Eddie added, who was comfortably situated on the room’s other armchair, which sat opposite of Gal’s. “The mousy lad she falls for is quite the darling. A little young and an awful dresser, but I think I could fix him up nicely.”

“Shhh, no spoilers!”

“I haven’t seen it either, Addie,” Connie chimed in, reaching down from her position on the couch to take her hand, lace their fingers, then swing their hands like a pendulum back and forth. “We can be surprised together!”

“Seriously, you too?” Bess asked. “How did I not know that? I would have fixed this long ago!”

The redhead shrugged. “I just don’t watch movies very often.”

“Now, that is not true, Con,” she refuted, poking her friend in the knee. “You have a weird taste in movies, not a non-existent one. I know WAY too much about what happens in the ‘Sex and the City’ movies because of you alone.”

“W-Well…” she went to argue as Gal snickered from her position in the chair.

Truth be told, it would be nice to have the distraction of a movie for the evening. While Connie was doing her best to play it cool, her mind and heart were still racing from her morning shift.

That was when, motivated by her friends’ insistence and reasoning, she had found the courage to write her phone number on the cup of Ebenezer Samuel Scrooge’s morning order. It had taken weeks of build-up and peer pressure to take the seemingly small step, but it had been preceded by maddening amounts of flirting.

As if giving him her cell number wasn’t enough, she’d written the note ‘Call me~” right beneath it, and signed it with the letter ‘C’ for good measure.

That had been seven hours ago. And not a single call or text had come through.

Crickets.

Nada.

Goose egg.

With a sigh, she slipped her phone into the kangaroo pocket of her oversized sweatshirt and took a bug gulp of her wine. Well, she’d probably just lost her best customer. That would be fun to confess to her boss on Monday.

“Okay, everyone ready?” Addie asked as she reached for the remote to start the film. “Annnnd … play!”

About halfway through the film, after the two jumbo pizzas had been demolished, Constance felt a buzzing from her pullover’s pocket. She’d silenced the phone for the movie, not expecting anyone to reach out to her (after all, all her friends – aside from her mom and their landlord Mr. Pippersnipe) were in the room with her.

Constance glanced down at her phone and saw a familiar number flash across the top of the screen. She hadn’t created a contact profile for the number yet, but she knew it by heart already after weeks of seeing his number amongst her daily orders.

“It’s him!” Constance exclaimed as she all but shot out of her seat. “H-He’s calling me! H-He really is!”

Gal practically spat out her drink.

The other girls collectively gasped while Bess turned to shush them. “PAUSE! EVERYONE SHUT UP!”

“W-Who? Wait, is it that handsome man from the coffee shop?” Addie asked, which made Constance blush bright red before nodding. “Oooooh, it is!”

“I’ll be damned – the blighter has a backbone!” Eddie cheered, hoisting her flute. “Now you can check that front-bone of his, too.”

“Eddie!”

“MISSION CONTROL, WE HAVE CONFIRMATION THE ADONIS HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE SUN!” Bess continued, scrambling for the television remote. “Pause! Ugh, at least MUTE, darn you!”

‘Adonis’ was an affectionate nickname Constance and her friends had given to the silver-haired man that frequented the New Grounds Coffee Co. daily. It never needed explanation because, as soon as one saw a picture of the man, the reason for the name was evident.

“W-What do I do?” Constance asked.

“ANSWER IT!” all the girls cried in unison (“And put ‘em on speaker!” Eddie chimed in loudly before Addie frantically shushed her).

Constance took the deepest breath she’d ever taken before accepting the call.

“Um, h-hello, this is Constance,” she spoke timidly into the receiver.

“Constance! I’m glad you picked up. Um, hello. I-It’s Ebenezer.”

Her heart did backflips at the excited tremor in his voice. “H-Hi! I thought I recognized your number, haha. I’m glad you called.”

Now on her feet and pacing around in her black shorts and crumb-covered pullover, she was so thankful he hadn’t opted for a video call. While it was always nice to see him (literally, he was a treat for the eyes), she knew she looked like an absolute mess, with wine-stained lips and her hair in an updo that nothing but a shower could help.

She they talked, she saw her friends watching in intrigued, their reactions running the gambit from eager cheering to sly, flirtatious lip puckers.

“Are you busy?” he asked.

“Um, not really,” she replied truthfully, frantically gesturing for the girls to stay quiet. “I’m just at home. I-I hope you are too. It’s cold out.”

From her vantage point in the kitchen, she could see the beginnings of a gentle snowfall dusting the surrounding buildings in a flimsy layer of frost.

“I just finished at the office, actually,” confided, his voice low. “It’s been a long day, so I wanted to warm up with a drink before I left. I did want to give you a call as soon as I could. To tell you the truth, I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”

Constance was sure she looked like a crazy person as she spun in excited circles at his admission, but she was far too happy to care. “Really? I’m kind of relieved to hear that, actually! I’m glad I didn’t scare you off.”

“Hardly,” he replied with a warm laugh. “I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner.”

“Oh, please don’t apologize! You were working. I’m just glad to hear you can head home soon.”

“You’re very sweet,” Ebenezer said, and her heart leapt again at his praise. His voice always got a little rumbly when he was pleased, and the melty effect it gave her legs was just as effective over the phone. “Constance, I wanted to ask … um, are you off this Saturday? We’re supposed to have a break in this cold front, and I was wondering if might be interested in going out to dinner to enjoy it?”

He was asking her out! It was REALLY happening!

She mouthed out ‘Dinner date!’ to the girls. The reveal was immediately greeted with silent clapping and eager thumbs-ups. Of course, Eddie mouthed back an ‘I told you so’, complete with a pointed finger to accentuate her correctness.

“I would love that,” Constance replied, tousling her hair nervously while she answered. “I’m free all afternoon and evening that day, honestly.”

The second the admission crossed her lips, she felt instant regret. Great, she thought. Now he probably thought she sounded desperate and needy for attention. Yet, Ebenezer only laughed again (goodness, his laughter was so nice – she could listen to it all day, every day).

“Fantastic! Would 8 p.m. work? There’s a fabulous restaurant on the riverfront called Estella’s that I think you’d enjoy.”

Estella’s on a Saturday night? The restaurant was well known for only serving London’s most upper of upper class. Without connections, it was nearly impossible to get a table.

“I’ve heard of it – it’s very exclusive! I-I hear it’s really hard to get in.”

“I think we should be fine,” Ebenezer said, his tone confident but not arrogant.

Unbeknownst to her, he was eyeing a reservation email in his inbox that confirmed the details of the dinner. He’d reached out to the restaurant’s owner and successfully booked the space before even calling to mention it to her. That way if she accepted his invitation, there would be no risk of him not being able to fulfill it. The last thing he wanted to do on a long-awaited date with the first woman he’d had a crush on in literal decades was not deliver on a first-date promise.

 “Can I pick up at 7:15 p.m. or so? I know it’s early, but if we have some extra time beforehand, there’s a lovely lounge on the restaurant’s second floor with a nice artwork display. We could grab a drink or two as well. I-If you wouldn’t mind that, that is.”

“That sounds so lovely,” she answered. Heavens, how long had it been since she’d been on a date that sounded so nice? Why, it probably hadn’t been since before her marriage to her ex-husband, Orin. That would have made it over 20 years.

“Yes, 7:15 p.m. would work perfectly! I don’t think I live too far from you.”

As she gave him her address, she heard the click of a pen and the faint sound of scrawling. He was writing it down.

“Sounds perfect,” he said. “I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.”

He was actually going to drive her? Ebenezer Samuel Scrooge, one of London’s most esteemed philanthropists and self-made billionaires, was going to drive her personally?

“Oh, good! We don’t have a ton of parking here, but when I see your message, I can walk just up the street to the –”

“Nonsense,” he interrupted. “London’s winters are frigid! I’ll not have you walking and waiting in the dark. When I’m there, I’ll get out, ring the bell, and walk you personally.”

This all had to be some elaborate dream, she thought. Perhaps she’d fallen asleep during the movie after all and was just one nudge away from waking up and seeing that their phone conversation was nothing but an imagined flight of fancy.

“O-Okay, that sounds wonderful.”

“Excellent. Well, I won’t keep you, dear. I will tell you that I’m very much looking to our date.”

“Me too,” she revealed. “T-Thank you again for calling. I honestly can’t wait.”

“I’m glad to hear that, and I hope you’ll trust me when I say that it’s my pleasure.”

She laughed, an easy smile crossing her face. She leaned against the kitchen wall and sank down until she was seated on the floor, knees nestled just beneath her chin. “Well, I really hope you have a safe trip home. Goodnight, Ebenezer.”

“I certainly will,” he said. Then, after another beat, he said, “Goodnight, angel. I’ll see you Saturday.”

Constance ended the call. After checking to make sure she’d hung up the phone, even dialing another digit to hear a dial tone click in, she shot up and danced in circles. The woman was just about to run to the living room to alert her friends only to see that they were all waiting in a gaggle on the other side of the threshold.

“So?” Addie asked, already beaming.

“8 o’clock on Saturday,” she revealed.

Bess was the first to cheer and pull her friend into a tight embrace. “I knew it! I knew he would eventually do it!”

“Where’s he takin’ ya?” Gal asked. Upon hearing the answer, her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. “Estella’s!? Blimey, he mighty does like ye if he's takin' ye to a fancy galley like that!”

“You think?” Connie asked, then giggled again as Addie hugged her tight.

“The real test will be the night of,” Eddie said, waggling her glass mid-air. “What he does during the date…and after.”

“I-It’s just a first date, nothing serious,” the redhead said.

Bess and Gal exchanged unconvinced looks. Addie hummed idly. Eddie all but snorted.

“Just don’t forget a change of clothes,” Eddie teased. “Or…do. He may like that more.”

Connie yelped and Bess only rolled her eyes at the older woman’s teasing. Meanwhile, Addie looked slightly lost in thought, eyes glazing at she rubbed her chin and stared with oddly serious intent at the floor.

“Addie?” the raven-haired woman asked. “You okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine!” she said, “I was … just thinking. Um, you said his name is Mr. Scrooge, right?”

Constance nodded.

“Ebenezer, or Ebenezar?”

“Um…Ebenezer?” Constance answered, her brow furrowing. “With an ‘er’ at the end.”

Without another word, Addie suddenly trotted back to the living room. The other woman trotted after to find her crouching on her knees, arm rattling around a small magazine rack they had under their end table. It was a common resting place for junk mail, catalogs, and other unnecessary mail items that didn’t have a purpose or deadline attached to them.

“Almoooost ...a-ha!”

Addie pulled a semi-smushed, rolled up finance section that had gotten mixed up in their morning newspaper delivery on accident. She flipped through it quickly before finding the page she desired. Then, splaying the pages open with her thumb, she held out the publication for the other ladies to view.

Right there, in the paper’s centerfold, was a featured article title: Scrooge Brothers Diversify Financial Portfolio with Expanding Philanthropic Efforts! Expert panelists weigh in…

There, beneath the headline, was an image of both men, side by side, engaged in some kind of presentation before a crowded room of onlookers.

One of the men was the man Constance knew from the coffee shop. Ebenezer Samuel Scrooge, the man who never ordered the same thing twice, complimented her skills, and remembered her birthday even when all her other coworkers had forgotten.

The other man beside him had the exact same face. Longer hair and a slightly sturdier frame, but otherwise, the resemblance between them was eerie.

Bess poked her head over Connie’s shoulder for a better look. Upon seeing the brothers featured, she grabbed the article and went bug-eyed. “No way.”

“Way. He’s a twin,” Addie said, “An identical twin!”

That had gone well.

Or, he thought it had … hadn’t it?

He allowed himself the pleasure of letting out a little laugh of relief. Bloody hell, he’d been so nervous about calling her. When he’s first seen the note she’d left him, he’d thought he’s been dreaming. Or, perhaps she was pranking him. Regardless, he’d tucked the note in the breast pocket of his coat for safe-keeping. Even the small scrap of paper carried the aroma of lilies and fresh pears, a perfume he’d come to associate with her. It paired quite nicely with the sight of her brightly greeting customers as they came in from the cold. After shuffling down the cold and sometimes hollow alleyways of London, the mere sight of her tanned visage and coppery hair was like glimpsing the summer sun.

Then, when he’d worked up the nerve to call (after the help of some liquid courage and from within the safety of an empty office) the sound of her voice had lured him into a sanctuary of further boldness. Each word from her lips was as clear as a bell, her articulation precise and her tone welcoming. Eager, perhaps. He certainly hoped so.

Ebenezer polished off the glass’ last finger of whiskey before pulling up a new tab on his laptop. After loading the website of a local florist he knew from their work at other charity events, he began to browse through the different flower varieties and arrangement options.

What flowers should he bring? Tulips? Too juvenile. Roses? Certainly beautiful, but still not quite right. Orchids? No, lilies! And sunflowers. An unconventional combination, he supposed, but it seemed so perfect for her. The lilies for poise and elegance, and the sunflowers for the way she lit up even the darkest days in the darkest city with just one smile.

As he clicked through different options, he saw the phone he’d temporarily set aside vibrate gently upon his cherrywood desk.

He was greeted by a text from his younger twin brother.

>>Ebenezar: I can see the office light on from my flat. What the hell are you still doing there? <<Ebenezer: I’ll be leaving shortly. I’m just grabbing a drink. >>Ebenezar: Must be a strong drink – you were pacing around the office with the loopiest grin on that mug of yours. Now, you’re browsing for flowers?

Ebenezer went to the window and yanked the blinds shut. Blast, he’d forgotten his brother lived so close to the damn office.

<<Ebenezer: Spying? Are you so bored at home? >>Ebenezar: I’m not calling on Yankee ladies like you. If that’s what you mean.

How the hell had he known? Blast, he must have heard him chatting about the phone conversation with Bob.

<<Ebenezer: Perhaps it would do you well. You’re handsome enough. >>Ebenezar: ‘He was hilarious.’ That’s what they’ll say on the day someone finally knocks you on the head for your smartass comments. <<Ebenezer: Pot, meet kettle. Like I said, I’ll be leaving shortly. Sorry to cut your entertainment short. When you start calling on Yankee ladies, I’ll warm them of your voyeurism. >>Ebenezar: Smartass wanker.

Ebenezer rolled his eyes and pocketed the device, quite content to abandon his post and get some sleep. It was getting colder out, after all, and Constance had expressed hope that he’d head home soon.

In a way, he wanted to honor her wishes, even if she wasn’t technically present to witness it.

The fact that she cared so much made heat flood his cheeks, and he suddenly doubted if he’d even need his winter coat anymore to keep his blood from freezing.

I really hope you have a safe trip home. Goodnight, Ebenezer.

His heart started again. The blush didn’t leave his face, even after he’d closed his laptop and shut off the lights.

For a man who enjoyed a productive and jam-packed workweek, suddenly Saturday night couldn’t come fast enough.

[yonpote]

thinking about mechanic au againnn wahhhhh i wanna write it i just have to do itttt

i thought really hard if i wanted to write a sex scene. i don't write smut generally speaking but i do wanna try, but. hm idk if i feel the most comfortable... how can i say this.... i don't know if i feel the most comfortable writing about two trans women having sex for a largely TME (transmisogyny-exempt) audience. even tho i am a trans guy, it just wouldn't feel right for me and honestly it makes me a bit uncomfortable reading some fics about trans ppl written by cis ppl. NOT TO SAY THAT CIS PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER WRITE ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE, OR TRANS MEN SHOULD NEVER WRITE ABOUT TRANS WOMEN, EVEN IN SEX SCENES, but honestly truly!! deadass on god!!!!! i dunno if ive read a transfem phan fic that isn't completely barebones or just about sex! which, again! i'm not saying that you shouldnt ever write about trans women having sex if you are not a trans woman, but idk considering the distinct lack of transfems within dan and phil online fan spaces (tho there are a handful and plenty of them watch but dont participate in these specific spaces), it just feels uncomfortable. tho i DO wanna add some allusions to sex i guess, cuz it would still be an important thing for lara AND phil.

ok onto some more character building!

when phil started dating and sleeping with other women, obv it was great she fuckin loved it she got treated so much better than some of the gay guys did, but like. shes the only trans woman she knows of in her really small town, and she's only out to the one gay bar and the rest of the world still sees her as a man as she started taking hormones only recently at that point and doesn't particularly want to change her wardrobe. even tho she connected better with the other queer women, she still felt a disconnect, hence finally moving to manchester to start over fresh. i wrote that shes not out at her mechanic job, but maybe she's stealth. yes, a stealth butch transfem lol but maybe the owner's naivete towards queerness benefits her in this one case where hes just like "yeah girls who look like lads come in to t'shops all the time i dont get it but a payin' customer is a payin' customer"

im trying to flesh out phil more cuz her story is sooooo different from irl phil's, at least at her point of transition, where as lara's is at least superficially similar to irl dan just replace gay with trans. like she realizes it at a young age, keeps it quiet, endures the hardships, until she's finally able to move out and start hrt around 17 (i decided im ignoring how trans healthcare actually works in the uk, out of principle of fucking hating it) and meets a bunch of queer friends in uni! i think she's still introverted in terms of like, she doesn't LOVE going out to the clubs but she'll do it cuz fomo or cuz she knows she has to leave the house outside of work SOMETIMES. also, idk how obvious it is in my art of lara so far, but i decided she's definitely fatter than irl dan, a mix of hrt and antidepressants can cause that. but its not something that bothers her, she spent her childhood as a quite skinny boy so seeing herself heavier makes her happy cuz it means that she's eating well which wasn't always the case growing up near the poverty line.

alright now im at the point of, ok i think i got the characters down. i just need to write the actual story part... *head in hands*

[talesfromeorzea]

Family

FFxivWrite2024 Day 11 Prompt Surrogate

"Hes got no one Ru we gotta do something," Taln stated looking at his partner with pleading eyes.

"I don't deny that Tal, but how do you expect us to take care o him if we're always on the road? What if we get into trouble? I'd rather not have a kid in the midst o some o the stuff we've dealt with." Ruru responded.

"I…well….I mean obviously I aient intending to take him on the road with us but we can't just leave him alone."

Ruru nodded looking down at the young Elezen who was sleeping between their chocobos. It was evident that even the stubborn birds had taking a liking to the kid.

Taln was right the boy, Almault had no one. His parents were victims in a recent attack on their village and the other villagers didn't have enough left from the attack to aid a young orphan. Which left the boy with no where to go and in the hands of a pair of too caring adventurers.

"Seven hells," Ruru hissed to herself, "I'll see if my sister can look after him. Aside from that I aient gotta clue what else to do."

"Really?" Taln asked his tail swishing in delight

She gave him a grin, "Aye, Im not about to abandon the kid. And my sis inherited the family business so he won't go without. Only thing strange for him is there aient many Duskwights in Ul'dah. But kids are kids and Im sure it won't be hard for him to find some friends."

"And we can of course visit him between adventures." Taln added beaming

Ruru laughed, "O course, one ye won't let me hear the end o it if we don't and I have a feeling that Pumpkin and Cinnamon there wouldn't either given how they've curled about him."

Taln nodded then said, "I'll make him some food for when he wakes then we can tell him what the plan is."

Ruru nodded and smiled as the Miqo'te then rushed to their packs and began gathering his cook pan and supplies. Ruru simply watched him amused realizing that they technically just adopted the boy. She then rummaged through her pack till she found a linkshell she had not thought to need to use at all.

She placed it in her ear and channeled the bit of aether to it hearing the triple chime of it activating. After a second set of chimes a voice came over it, "Well I hardly expected to hear from you Uma. Whats wrong?"

"I need yer help Une." Ruru responded, "Me and my partner U'taln have come across a young boy with no where to go. I can't take him with us cause o the dangers so I was wonderin."

"If he could stay with me. O course Uma ye know full well mom and da would never let me hear the end o it if I refused. Whats the boys name?"

"Almault, and fair warning hes been though a lot. There was a mess here in the Shroud and his folks had got caught in all o it and I'm pretty sure he saw far more than a lad his age should if ye get what I mean,"

"Poor kid, understood ye bring him by Amber Silk Tapestries and I'll get him settled,"

"Thanks Une I appreciate it, and o course we will not only send money to ye to support him but we will be by from time to time." Ruru responded

"So no chance o this new responsibility having ye two settle down is there?" Une asked an almost wistful tone in her voice

"We've been over this Une, I aein't made for business and dealing with customers. Do you remember the one and only time da had me in the shop." Ruru asked

Rurune giggled over the linkshell and responded, "Aye Silver Wolf still to this day gets a discount cause o how badly ye offended him. I get you its just…I miss having ye here."

Ruru gave a soft smile, "I know sis but look at it this way, Taln and the birds aient gonna let me avoid coming to visit the lad so this'll be a way ye get to see me more often."

Another giggle came over the shell and Une stated, "I'll hold you to that see you in?"

Ruru did the mental calculations, "Three days from where we are in the Shroud. That's o course if the weather don't get to soggy and slow the birds down."

"See you then sis," Rurune replied as the linkshell clicked indicating she had shut it off.

Ruru sighed and looked over at Taln who was carefully measuring out some spices for the rub on the dodo he was preparing for the boy. Looking over at the sleeping Elezen Ruru said softly, "Hope ye like spice lad cause thats what Taln prefers."

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

More on Nobby's social life in preservation

Some buddies of special note:

GER 87: They were together in their Clapham Transport Museum days too, and iirc when the time came they were pulled up to York on the same train. 87's just a very nice lad, uncomplicated, not a bad rivet in 'im. His departure for a smaller museum a few years back was upsetting for him and his friends. Kudos to all these old sods, that time around they finally dropped some of the stiff-upper-lip-ness with which they had pulled through all their long lives... internet therapy is going great!

L&YR Aspinall 1008: An even older friend, from Nobby's days at Horwich Works... and had to make a tank engine friend, you know; life is hardly worth living without one! 1008 is a personable engine, though her flaw is that she prides herself on being "a card." "a wag." "a real live wire!" :D She's good fun. Sorta.

MR Composite Coach: They didn't meet till NRM and in fact it wasn't until well into their tenure there that they discovered that they have a similar outlook. They're both very smart and shrewd and skeptical, and that means that, after a long day entertaining guests and behaving themselves, they can have some great late-night private chinwags where they just read everyone else for filth.

NER 1275: He and 1275 (sometimes known informally as "Hip," sometimes as "Bouch") are an especially close pair in the NRM phase of their lives.  They have a lot of life experiences in common so, when it comes to the most important things, they get each other. But that doesn't mean they are always or even often exactly of one mind. Hip loves rousing music hall numbers, sunny showtunes, even had a disco phase! And, as far as audiobooks, he merely tolerates Nobby's dry, heavy nonfiction until it's his turn for them to listen to stories, veering towards fantasy and adventure. The two of them are affectionately resigned to each other's regrettable tastes.

Notably these friends are all pretty low-key and on the whole less famous than him. Coppernob will insist, year in and year out, that he stays strictly out of the internal politics of the more august preserved UK engines. But he says this because he's lying to you and to himself, lol.

It is true that he was shellshocked and felt out of place when first removed from Barrow. The preservation circuit felt so intimidating and cosmopolitan at times. And even these days, now very much at home in the NRM, he tends to be better at keeping his opinions to himself than he used to ("pah! leave me out of it. i'm not anybody.") But this only heightens his impact once he finally breaks his silence, and the truth is that he relishes that.

[lemonsbakery]

🩷 for the ask game!!

Im just putting a short version of their lore here. use as much or as little of the info as you wish /nf

Rose Checker Cookie: They’re part of a noble family in which their older sister is the head of. They have a sassy personality, but are a good person at heart. They have a special interest in botany and looking after exotic plants. They’re constantly emotionally manipulated by their sister and is gradually pulled away from their best friend until years later they realize that their sister is toxic af and leaves the family only to be poisoned to death by an assassin their sister hired specifically to get rid of them.

OH MY GOD FRST OF ALL THAT LORE IS AWESOME SECOND OF ALL THAT DESIGN IS AWESOME

the first song that came to mind. oh goodness

ESPECIALLY THE ENDING PART also because i watched a play where at the end of that song one of the sisters killed the other but. aya. this song reminds me of that lad like.

"Now I realize, I’m not alone Well, you’re only scared of me But you never cared for me Why don’t you let me free? ‘Cause you’d never dare to be!" /ly

[another-dra-anew]

tsu!!

My identity hc for them

see tomori, strike that, reverse it! he knows he likes guys, and he's kinda just seeing what happens past that! hes vibing w/himself and hes just kinda chilling, hes content without a label for his attraction

aaaand hes a trans lad! similar to tomori sometimes he feels more binary trans sometimes not he's really just chillin ! to make this section longer uhhhm. i think his relationship with his past is like. "i have always been a boy, my body is a guys body, and when i was younger i was a boy, same as today. but also i was a girl once i was a small little girl and she is not alive anymore but also she is still here standing right in front of u when u look at me, same as she ever was and as she always will be. but also i am me myself and i am a boy. okie?" and refuses to explain or elaborate (he probably said this to kouhei. kouhei doesnt ask hes just like "okie". tbh kouhei prolly didnt ask in the first place tsu just started talking)

Thoughts on their home life/family

! yk as special reward for everyone who takes the time to read through this i will give u a spoile-y. as a treat. tsurugi was born when a piece of snow came in through a chimney and landed in the fire. and many many miles away, from the stump of the tree that was cut down to be logs for that fire, tsurugi tumbled out of a naturally occurring divot in the wood. this is very true and i just hope u all know the power that comes with this information!!! <333

(ofc, thats all jokes! tsu is a bunch of ice crystals from a sun halo, all swirled together and gently sent down to the earth)

How i feel about their canonical writing/handling

how... do i not spoil things. u have to have patience with his writing. i promise he is more than like.. manic pixie leftist cop boy. u just have to have patience. boy wears his heart on his sleeve. but also he has a bunch of plastic wrap around it. u can see his heart it is the textbook definition of on his sleeve. but it is obscured and u cannot reach it. every day before i sleep i get on my knees and pray that people have faith in his writing and don't think the way he's written is cringefail.

The one thing i’d want to make canon about them

i cant remember if this factoid has come up but i dont think it has in any posts. tsu's hair is like.... really choppy, if u brushed it out/took a straightener to it to get it all flat, you'd see its alll different lengths. bc he tends to get twigs and sticks and the like stuck in there and just. cuts hair off/"oh this bit is too long! *snip*" a lot. that being said it looks oddly intentional/u cant tell its a million different lengths with how he styles it. he will cry if anyone tries to drag him to a hair stylist.

My number one favorite ship for them

tsuhara. ch1 spoilers this is just text encoded in hex google hex to text decoder and u should be good. 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 77 68 79 20 69 20 77 61 6E 74 20 74 6F 20 72 65 77 72 69 74 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 31 20 69 6E 76 65 73 74 69 67 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 73 6F 20 62 61 64 6C 79 2E 20 69 20 77 61 6E 74 20 74 6F 20 68 61 6E 64 6C 65 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 69 6E 74 65 72 61 63 74 69 6F 6E 73 20 28 61 6C 6F 6E 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 73 75 73 20 69 6E 6E 65 72 20 6D 6F 6E 6F 6C 6F 67 75 65 29 20 61 20 6C 6F 74 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6E 74 6C 79 21

…Now everyone else i ship with them

i mean he is besties with everyone? many platonic ships. he is friend shaped !

The thing i will NEVER ship

like many of the ask meme fills so far: his wrist is limp, your honor...

a dynamic/relationship i wish was explored more (in canon, or in fandom)

tsurugi is incapable of leaving anyone alone. he. nothing needs to be explored more. tsu & alone time perhaps.

thoughts on their design (appearance-wise)

im not even gonna lie trying to work out fits for him always makes me want to explode. i may rework his fit again soon ive already made minor changes which i havent mentioned. that in mind his bandages and bracelets and bruises are alllways gonna be the same! theyre eternal!

A music-related thought- a song that reminds me of them, or what their music taste is, etc

rule #4 - fish in a birdcage was playing when i started this post. the reason its on any of my playlists is bc i heard it and went fuck. uhhhh. yeah rule #4 fish in a birdcage would be very tsu and kouhei except jk!!! there is nothing slightly odd or abnodmal or not right with either of the people i mentioned theyre totally fine. mhm mhm!

anyways funnily enough he actually doesnt have a playlist. uhhh. actually he's got a lot of playlists with other characters but not his own... i started this w/a tsu + someone else song so ill only list individual ones from here on out akjdsjkkjdsdk

i thiiink all of sweet trip's "you will never know why" album (im bad with my memory and dont feel like going to look at it all) but especially your world is eternally complete + milk. hmmm. theres some others but this is good i think!

[timstolejasonscorpseagain]

I just had an... interesting delivery experience.

So whenever i order out, i make sure to check the 'no contact delivery' and relay the instructions to just leave it by my door.

My food arrived, i heard them on the stairs, and i was getting ready to get up n get it, and so i do. I get up when i hear the bag crinkle and get ready to open the door.. only, the deliveryman doesn't leave

And im like ok.. weird, but ok, sometimes they dont see the instructions, and it happens. I'll just poke my head out and take the bag. i can deal

So i open the door, and a teenager (i assume. They looked young, but old enough to drive) is standing there with two bags in hand and says:

"Hi can i ask you something?" And im like. Wat.

Bcs 1) did not expect this and

2) they were asking in english. They apologised for 'speaking bad english' and i was like its cool, no problem, friend.

But im like.. sure, okay, what's up? And they hand me a bag and ask if i can open and check if its mine, since apparently me and my neighbour decided to order on the same time and same day?

And, for some stupid reason, the restaurant didn't put any order markers on the bags to identify them.

So i tage the bag, and im like uh its a burger and fries, which i ordered, so might be mine? They nod and say that both bags carry the same things, and im like, uh, i ordered a chicken burger. Do you know if one of them is that?

And they then proceed to open the other bag, sniff the burger wrapped in paper, and then ask me to sniff it, and im like. I didn't want to open up the burger in the bag i was holding in case it's not mine, but at this point, i dont have a choice i dont think

So i opened it, and thankfully, it was mine since it looked to be a chicken burger without salad, so i tell them this, and they deflate in relief, and thank me, and it wishes me a good evening

Ofc i thank them and echo the platitudes, and on the inside, my mind goes,'What a polite young lad, how nice' and then i proceed to tell my brain to stop sounding like an old man. Can't say I've ever had an experience like this lmao-

[emcscared-whumps]

we gettin on the sweat tonight lads

i'm sick without really feeling sick (test results pending lol), so tonight, we're gonna see just how fast i can bust out a finished piece >:)

there will be no consequences! because i wont be infecting my client at work tomorrow!! :D

im talking a bust portrait of a character with a simple face angle, simple expression, simple lighting, that otherwise fully rendered and polished

and im going to log-- (OH GOD I SPELT LOG WRONG WHAT THE FUCK)-- the *actual* time i spend on the piece because i found out that clip studio can tell me how long ive had the canvas open, but i'm sure that i leave canvases open for entire days without touching them, so... that is not accurate enough for me

anyways; the reason? a friend and i were talking about art commission pricing and the habits we've noticed in the art community, and i got curious: what would *i* price my stuff if i were to hypothetically sell it?

through some basic maths and reasoning between us, i have discovered that the key to making a good rate is skill at speed

(it's not as bad as it looks, my american friends, i am using aud :) currently, 1usd = 1.50aud, 50aud = 33.28usd)

we talked about how much is a fair price for the product vs how long it takes to make, and i discovered that if you're quick at making a character bust lineart of moderate quality for $15, and can do one in 30 minutes, accounting for *only* time spent drawing, you'd be making $30 an hour, which is pretty cool considering it'd only be bust lineart. ($20 for bust lineart would yield $40/hr, but i'd only charge that of my skills and precision were reliable and en pointe. it could even be pushed to $25, but i wouldnt go more than $30 unless some super complex shit was happening and i happened to be very very good. at which point you still want to be as fast as physically possible)

there was a plot twist though: rendering times.

hypothetically, if i charged $20 for bust lineart, extra $10 for flats, extra $10 for shadibg, and extra ($5 to) $10 for extra finishing details (little backgrounds etc), that would be $50 total for a fully rendered bust. if i took 4 hours to do it (which i think is reasonable time (for me) to do most things by hand), all of a sudden, that's made my $30-40/hr into $12.50/hr.... which is kinda (very) shit lmao

with this in mind, i have one question: just how fast can i make stuff, and what quality will it be? what would i theoretically be paid for my fully rendered bust pieces?

i usually an very VERY slow partly coz i cannot stay focused on a piece for long enough chunks at a time, or, if i can, i will stop halfway through and leave it for several weeks or months, leading to a turnaround that is at such a leisurely pace even *snails* would be envious

ALTHOUGH. last year, my friend (same as above) alerted me to a built-in time-lapse feature in clip studio. i was intensely curious. for whumptober that year, i had a very clear vision of a piece i wanted to do for one of the prompts, so i used that to test the feature. i sat down at about 1700, stopped only for dinner, and had the whole thing exported and posted to tumblr at around 0100, about 7 hours. i have a sneaking suspicion that was the fabled beast called hyperfocus lmao. the [piece] was a roughly rendered full-body shot with a dynamic pose, both hands exposed, and a more complex expression, not bad considering that my pride piece took 10 months :)

bust portraits are my most comfortable style of piece, so i will experiment with those, especially since my character profiles need them, and also i want them all to look cohesive, which means i will re-draw all of my current ones (rip pete, timmy, and kate lol)

(hm, if i took 3 hours instead of 4, that'd be $16.70, if i took 2, it'd be $25... still not even close to that tasty tasty $30-$40/hr... so the solution would be to up the price of rendering since flats are easy. extra $20 (instead of $10) for rendering, since it's as complex as anatomy with lineart, bumping the total price to $60 (which is starting to *really* push the envelope of what i think people would pay for my art). so if i took 4 hours at that price, that'd be $15/hr, 3 hours would be $20/hr, which is better but still kinda shit for all that extra work, and any faster might reduce the quality to a point where it isnt worth that extra $10...)

......... i'll let u guys know the results lol

[kingfishered]

Johnny thought about that for a moment and realised Simon was actually right. He was pretty certain he, at least, had never specifically requested leave any time other than for Christmas, and he’d never heard of Simon willingly taking leave either. Nor Gaz or Price. The Captain would probably be happy if he asked.

The silence after he offered to take Simon to visit his family gave away his answer. He wasn’t surprised to hear his hesitant response. He was prepared for it, even.

“Well, we’ll be waitin’ if ye change yer mind,” Johnny said, smiling up at him. If Simon didn’t feel ready yet, that was okay. But Johnny was determined that, if and hopefully when he did, they would be there for him.

His smile widened into a grin as Simon asked whether he’d have their approval. Little did he know, he practically already did, and they’d never even met him.

“Oh, definitely,” Johnny said with a grin, “They’ve told me they’d love tae meet ye.”

He’d spoken to his sisters about Simon - leaving out any names or identifying details of course, classified and all that, they understood - and they all sounded very enthusiastic to meet him. Of course, they knew quite a bit more about Johnny’s… feelings when it came to Simon. And had probably told his mum, even if he hadn’t told her directly.

What he didn’t realise was that, by saying that, he’d just admitted he’d talked about Simon to his family. Well, that wasn’t the end of the world, was it? He’d also talked to them plenty about Gaz, and Price. Perhaps not quite as… at length. But still, he’d talked about them. It wasn’t an unusual thing to talk about your coworkers to your family.

“My mam would dote on ye,” she did on anyone Johnny sounded interested in these days, enthusiastic for him to find someone already. Yer 26! he could practically hear her saying, Ye shoulda found yerself a lad by now! And then, his sisters, “Beth’s just the sweetest. Likes tae make friends with anyone and everyone. If yer nice tae her, she’ll love ye. And Lorna, well, she can be a bit nosy, but tha’s fine, I’d get her tae shut up fer ye.

“Y’know, there was this one time I brought a guy home, actually,” talking about Lorna’s nosiness had reminded him of the story, and he was already too caught up in telling Simon about his family to stop, “We’re talkin’ years ago now, back when I first passed selection. I went home fer a while after an’ met him while I was there, an’ when I brought him home and Lorna met him she fucking scared him off. By askin’ too many questions! After he left he messaged me tellin’ me tha’ my sister was crazy, an’ if I wanted tae continue seein’ him I had tae tell her tae back aff. Which, obviously, I told him tae piss aff ��cause that’s ma sister he’s talkin’ about, an’ never saw ‘im again but. Yeah. She can be like tha’ sometimes.”

Then, he realised he wasn’t really doing himself any favours with that story, maybe just discouraging Simon further instead. “Don’t let that scare you off though. I promise, she is nice.”

Simon wouldn't have blamed Johnny for not wanting to think anymore about Joseph, God knows he spent most days actively trying to forget. To forget everything that had happened, wipe it from his memory like blood off of a mirror. It would just smear it, most days, and then he could only stare at his reflection through red.

Just like everything after that night. All he saw was red like a filter of death was over everything he looked at.

Johnny was more of a yellow. Warm, like sunshine on a cold day.

He made the red go away.

"Price'll give you the time off, get him off your back about using the leave days up, too," Simon replied, huffing out a soft laugh. "Think it'll be the first time someone's requested leave, not for anything special."

And then, the offer. He didn't want to outright turn Johnny down, you never knew what the future would have in store for you. Maybe, one day, visiting Johnny's family would be on the table. Maybe it wasn't as outlandish as it sounded in Simon's ears.

But, Johnny hadn't yet found out his full qualms with the word 'family', and right now he wasn't quite sure that he was strong enough to explain it.

The last time he had a family, they got slaughtered for his incompetence. 

This time? God fucking knows. 

So, he decided to simply resign himself.

"Think that ship might've said for me already, Sergeant. Families. I don't…" Simon sighed and gently shook his head. "I don't think I have that kind of thing in me anymore."

Could he ever have it again? Did he even want to have it again?

He knew he wanted Johnny, and he supposed that if Johnny came with a family, he'd have to have them, too. He did know better now, never to cross personal life with work, but where exactly would that leave him and Soap? He'd be Ghost all day, they'd go home together and suddenly he'd have to switch back to Simon. It wouldn't work.

Would he be able to figure it out with Johnny?

Simon didn't really know why he was thinking so deeply about it, it wasn't even going to happen. 

He'd just never been invited to meet someone's family before. It was… nice. And he really did want to.

"Think they'd like me?"