#yes advent is pre Christmas

[self-made-cages]

In other news I opened my last advent calendar box this morning, we’re just stacking up early wins today!

[softpascalito]

Double Shift - 2003!Joel Miller x Reader

Summary: Joel is in over his head with the amount of shifts he's picking up at the construction site and Christmas coming right up. You help out.

Relationships: 2003!Joel Miller x Reader WC: 1800 Tags/Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Christmas, Crying, Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Pre-Cordyceps Outbreak Joel (The Last of Us), Pre-Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Established Relationship, Financial Issues, This is pretty sad yall im sorry Read on AO3 full advent calendar (updated daily)

notes: hello loves! sorry this is kinda late, my week is so incredibly stressful and im super behind on writing but hey we're only 5 hours late! i hope you still enjoy this and please READ THE TAGS. this one is a lil sad!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Joel doesn't even remember the last full day he has taken off. It seems to him that he knows the house they’re building better than the one waiting for him at the end of his shift. And he hates it.

He spends every possible second on the construction site, every other possible second with Sarah, helping her with math homework in the evenings, taking her out on the weekends when he can.

And every second at night, when it's too late to be out working and when Sarah is asleep, he spends worrying about money.

It's been a rough year, both financially and emotionally. But he doesn't have time to dwell on it, to complain about it, hell, he doesn't even have time to grieve. He has a daughter at home and that's the one thing he knows, the one thing that keeps him going. It's always her.

That's his thought anyway when you meet during the summer and it's his reasoning for keeping you away for a while. But as the leaves turn orange and the air crisp, he brings you home more. Sarah and you get along great, the girl instantly taking a liking to the way you do things differently than her father or her uncle.

Joel finds himself thankful to have someone to watch Sarah on weekends, someone to also spare him awkward conversations about tampons and boys (or girls) - though he always insists Sarah is still too young for the latter.

By the time Christmas rolls around, the three of you have settled into a routine, with you watching Sarah twice during afternoons, often staying for dinner on Joel's demand. It’s almost like a little family night.

Today, a text lets you know there'll be no such luck.

Have to finish the flooring tonight, will take a few more hours. Tell Sarah she can order some food. See you next week, baby.

It's past ten when the truck finally pulls up in the driveway, Joel letting out a heavy sigh as he sits in silence for a moment. It takes him every ounce of strength not to cry. He’s tired and it’s Christmas week and he still hasn’t ticked off more than one thing off Sarah's Christmas list. He knows this will be a sad one, the few presents he has waiting in the linen closet, wrapped in the daily paper. The thought has been looming over him for weeks. He sees lights on in the living room. It looks like something dim, definitely not the big light - maybe the TV.

When he opens the door to the kitchen and hears music drifting from the living room, he’s certain about what he’ll find. Sarah asleep, curled up on the couch with the TV on and some leftover food in front of her.

Last week, he found her having a can of ravioli for dinner- something they usually only keep stocked for their camping trips. It was the moment he realized he may not have been as sneaky about keeping their financial struggles to himself as he would have hoped.

It's the only time he curses when thinking about how smart his daughter is.

Joel damn near passes out when he does enter the living room. Because yes, Sarah is there, asleep on the couch. But she’s curled up against you, your hand gently stroking her back. And yes, the TV is on. But the source of light he’s seen from outside is a Christmas tree in the corner, decorated with colorful lights and bulbs and a golden star on top.

Your head turns as you feel his presence in the doorway and a small smile spreads over your face. Your voice is barely a whisper, trying not to wake the girl beside you, “Surprise.”

It’s the second time Joel wants to fucking cry tonight. He makes his way over to you, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips before turning towards Sarah, “I'll take her to bed.”

You give a small nod, shifting slightly to allow him to pick his daughter up. You watch him as he carries her up the stairs, moving carefully to make sure not to bump her head.

It barely takes a minute before you hear him closing Sarah's bedroom door and coming back downstairs. He stops in the middle of the room. And he looks so lost.

“You did- uhm- you did this?” He asks, a little choked up and you yawn a little as you let your eyes wander over to the tree, “I know I should've asked but Sarah told me last week that she really wanted a tree and I thought...” you drift off, carefully watching his reaction.

“What, so you made my daughter conspire against me?” It comes out a lot rougher than he intends, if your face is anything to go by.

“Are you mad?”

Something about the way you ask so quietly, so softly, draws a sigh from Joel's throat. God, he’s an asshole.

Whatever words he prepared a moment ago are washed away and he shakes his head, “No. No, I'm sorry, it's just been a long day.”

“It hasn't just been one long day,” you say gently as you climb off the couch to stand in front of him, wrapping your arms around his slightly stained shirt. He smells like wood and paint and sweat. The mix of those scents smells like home.

“Look, I’m not- I’m not trying to overstep my boundaries. I just want her to have a nice Christmas, that's all.”

“I do too,” Joel mutters, bowing his head a little, his eyes wandering over to the tree in the corner. He blinks a few times but it doesn’t help. The tears still come.

“I don't want to fail her.”

The lights blur in his vision, the colors dancing around in long stripes as the tears gather in his eyes. It looks so beautiful. It would look so beautiful. If his heart could only stop hurting, if his chest would stop being so tight.

And then you're there. Making yourself a little taller than you are, one hand pressed to his back, the other pulling his head into your shoulder.

“You're okay. Come on, you're okay.”

You whisper the words into his ear. It hurts to see him like this, it always does. He rarely shows emotion, no matter if it's about Sarah or you or the grief.

The only time you've seen him cry is the night the hospital called. He hadn't cried on the phone, had only nodded along, taken some notes, asked a few questions. Then, he had gone to Sarah's room. Her sobs alone had made you cry, despite the fact that you weren't even a part of this family. Not yet, at least.

Joel had held the small frame of his daughter, letting her tire herself out with crying, shushed her whenever the sobs got too loud, stroked her hair for what must've been hours.

He had insisted that you could go home for the night. You had insisted on staying.

His tears hadn’t come until you were both in bed, when his body began to shake and you felt him beginning to cry silently beside you, forcing himself to make no noise in case Sarah could hear.

You had let him sob into your chest, tucked him so close to you it almost felt impossible to have your bodies so flush together. It was the only time you saw him cry.

Until now.

You pull him onto the couch with you, still holding him close. When he has calmed down enough for you to lean over, you reach for a small package hidden behind the couch, “I was gonna make this a surprise for both of you. But maybe- we should make it a surprise for her rather than that.”

Joel frowns a tiny bit, reaching out to lift the lid of the small box- and being met with three tickets to a Halican Drops concert. He knows what they are worth. He’s been starting at the price on the ticket office poster every time he passes it.

“You shouldn't-”

“But I will. In fact, I already did,” you smile gently, putting the box back into its hiding place. “I got her some other stuff too. And I will get you some proper Christmas paper to wrap everything in, by the way. But this we could- it'll be from both of us.”

When he continues to stare at you, you go on, “I got a small Christmas bonus. You know I don't have anyone else to spend it on. And I want her to have this. And you. I want you to have this, Joel.”

“I want to have this,” he whispers back. You're both not really talking about the concert anymore. It doesn't matter. You’ve always been good at speaking this way, both reading between the lines, knowing what the other one means. Noone has understood you that way until him.

“I don't know how I got so lucky,” he mumbles, sighing a little as he looks around the living room once more. There’s the tree and some garlands, a few dried orange slices dangling in front of the window, “And the decorations are-?”

“Well, the bulbs are yours. I just got some new lights. Pretty sure the old ones were a bigger fire hazard than your cooking.” It draws a small chuckle from his throat. “Sarah had the idea with the oranges. I think they turned out real pretty,” you explain as you reach to touch one of them.

“Yeah, they did.”

You’re halfway through whatever Christmas movie is on during the night when Joel looks over at the tree again, pondering something for a split second before he speaks.

“I'll get you a key for Christmas.”

You frown a little, “I have a key. You know that. I wouldn't need it if Sarah didn't forget hers every day but-”

“No,” Joel interrupts, shaking his head a little.

“I meant, I'll get you one if you want. For you. To use it. So you can-” He swallows a bit, turning his head to find your face next to him. Soft, brown eyes, so close that you can see the patterns of his iris. There’s a speck of gray in the brown.

“So you can come here. After work.”

It takes you a second to follow his train of thought. And then you realize what he's saying.

“Are you asking me to move in with you? Because if so, you're doing an absolutely horrible job at it.”

“But will you?”

You smile a little at how nervous he suddenly seems, his hand sliding over your thigh and squeezing slightly.

“Yeah. Yeah, I will,” you mumble, leaning in to kiss him, sighing against his soft lips when they part for you.

“Merry Christmas, Joel.”

“Merry Christmas, darlin’.”

[baby-alien11]

A Nonsense Christmas (Y/N Ulrich Universe)

Merry christmas and happy new year 🎄🎄

taglist: @volturi-girl-imagines @dessxoxsworld @camiesully @ethanlandryluver @nowitsmissing @aliciacat20 @gabbylovesreading @nikfigueiredo @itsaaliyah2

Christmas were always one of your favorite festivities along with Halloween, helping to decorate the house, buying gifts for family and friends, hearing christmas songs (this year fruitcake by Sabrina Carpenter was your obsession), baking your traditional red velvet, peppermint, gingerbread and sugar cookies that you started to make during the quarantine, watching christmas movies and opening advent calendars

And since the last christmas you spent it with Jack, Anna and their family in Virginia, this year the two families will be spending the holidays together, and after having your fyp of Tik Tok full of the Scream'd Musical Parody, you and Jack decided to recreate the 'everybody' part, and because both of you knew that the second the music start, you would start laughing and it will be a complete mess

That's why after an early trainning, Josh and Hayley let you film it in their house so the surprise wasn't ruined

"Can I ask again from where did you got the idea?", Josh asked after finishing breakfast

"There's a Scream musical parody that a theater group was doing in Las Vegas and it went so viral on Tik Tok because it's amazing and hilarious", you started to explain while having Rogue in your lap who was entertained tracing your tattoo snake with her little fingers, "So, I started to play it on the living room TV just to mess with dad, and because I enjoy the performance"

"And then we started to joke about performing it for our families, until it wasn't a joke anymore", Jack continued between bites of the peppermint cookies you brought for the family of three, "We started to learn the entire number based on the Tik Tok videos and the audios in there, but we decided to send them an email to ask for permition to recreate it"

"They accepted and even sent us an audio without the audience noises", you continued, "So, at first we were planning on doing it live during the christmas dinner but let's be honest, we're going to lose the concentration and start laughing, so we decided to film it and present it after the dinner"

"Instead of doing a christmas card or a JC Penney photoshoot, we're doing this"

"With full production, costumes, fake blood, fake knife and gun"

"And you want to use our kitchen to film it?", Hayley asked

"Yes, please", you nodded, "Or any space that you want, we promise to don't do a mess"

"We would do it in any of our houses but there's always people in there and this surprise needs to be perfect"

"We also talked about going to the original house, but is a seven hour trip, and we would raise suspision"

"Guys, you can film the musical number in here, we have no problem", Josh nodded, "But, can we saw the video first?"

Nodding, Jack took his phone to show them the performance while you turned to talk with Rogue who now was engrossed with your bracelets

"Hey, Rogue", you called her softly causing her to look at you with a smile, "I'm going to make you a swiftie, you're going to love Taylor, I promise"

"What era she'll be?", Jack asked taking one of her hands

"She seems like a Fearless with a bit of 1989"

"She'll need friendship bracelets of that eras"

"And merch, that will be her christmas gift"

"This is hilarious", Hayley laughed after the video ended, "And it's going to be a fun christmas video"

"Just leave it all in order after filming, and don't break anything", Josh instructed

Happy because everything was doing as planned, you and Jack smiled mischievously to each other

When the 24th arrived, the house since early in the morning was busy with the preparations for the dinner that night, especially with everyone in the kitchen doing different dishes

"Tornado, how much time until your cookies are ready?", Skeet asked prepearing the turkey, "We need to start pre-heating the oven for the turkey"

"A minute or two", you responded checking the oven

"It doesn't make sense that you made like thousands of cookies since the start of december and now you are making more", Jakob commented mixing the cream for the cranberry salad

"It's because those were to gift or give to community centers", you responded puting your gloves to get the cookies out of the oven

With the help of Jack and Megan, the three of you got the trays of cookies out of the oven to leave them in the dinning table so they can cool off

"The cats are trying to eat the dinner again", Anna warned trying to make Tatum, Butters and Ivy go away from the kitchen

"Okay, time to put the christmas sweaters on them", Naiia sighed cleaning her hands with a cloth

"I'll continue with the mash potatoes", Stutz said taking her place in front of the cooking pot

"Sweet baby Tatum", you sang taking the orange cat in your arms, "Time to put you in christmas spirit"

Going to the Petco christmas gift package they sent a few days ago, that still was in the living room, you grabbed the reindeer sweater to put it on Tatum, while Jack grabbed the santa suit for Butters and Naiia got the plaid dress for Ivy

"I'm sorry, but it can't be that possible that an orange cat can be that calm while putting clothes on", Jakob said noticing Tatum was calm

"I can't believe the beef you got with my cat, and her color is strawberry blonde", you exclaimed adjusting the sweater, "It's christmas eve, let it go"

"It's not my fault that your sweet angel baby Tatum hates me", Jakob claimed, "She scratches me everytime she sees me"

"This time she hasn't though", Megan pointed

"Thank you Megan", you said, "You're the best"

Interrupting what was going to be a small disscussion, the front door opened, revealing Georgina with her suitcase and travel bag

"Hello family", Georgina greeted, "Sorry I'm late, the airport is pure chaos, and getting a cab or Uber is worse"

"Mom!", you and your siblings exclaimed while running to hug her

"Hi, babies", Georgina smiled returning the hug, "By the way, there's a package at the door"

"That's weird", Skeet frowned, "We didn't have anything to be delievered today"

"It says Prada on the box", Georgina pointed

"Tornado, that's for you", Naiia said helping with the suitcase

Getting through the front door, you saw a big box next to the door that had the Prada logo and a 'fragile' precaution along with your name and direction

"Babe, can you please help me?", you called Jack

"Coming!", Jack responded running from the living door to where you were, "This is huge"

"I know", you laughed, "I'm curious about what's inside"

Carrying the box between the two of you and dodging everyone in the house, you carefully left the box in the floor to open the card box revealing another white box which was left on the center table

"You know what, I'm going to open it first and do the video later", you concluded opening the box revealing four spheres

"Those are gorgeous", Naiia commented sitting next to you, "There's a note"

Grabbing the envelope which was on the lift of the box, you opened it to see a handwritten note

"Y/N, happy to share with you the Prada Holiday gifts and the magic of the holiday season through the fantasy of an imposible voyage, a journey in your own sphere", you read out loud so everyone can hear, "Well, we got the spheres for next year"

Leaving the note aside, you opened the another part to see two drawers, in which the first were some skincare products and a red patent leather mini-pouch, and in the other there was a red Prada Galleria patent leather mini bag

"I wouldn't be surprised if you become an ambassador for them next year, angel", Anna commented sitting next to you watching the spheres, "Or for any brand that you've wore"

"That would be incredible", you nodded

Once everything was ready, and the turkey was in the oven, everyone went upstairs to change into their christmas sweaters, yours was a Krampus themed one on top of your red and white pajamas and gingerbread man slippers

"I can't wait to see everyone reactions to our gift", you laughed laying in your bed while 'Christmas with the Kranks' was playing on the TV, "It's going to be hilarious"

"The greatest thing is that we managed to film it in one afternoon", Jack pointed getting out of your dresser with a red shirt with a Santa Claus picture and black pajama pants with Butters' face on it, to lay by your side to watch the movie at what you moved to put your head on his chest and he cirled your waist with his arm, "I swear that they were waiting for us to finish so they can kick us out"

"Rogue was having a blast though", you pointed, "I love that girl so much"

"I remember the day they told me they were expacting her, I was screaming that I was going to be her older brother"

"You're her oficial older brother", you nodded openning the fruitcake that arrived a few days ago as a gift from Sabrina Carpenter along with the EP vynil, a hoodie and a shirt, "Want some fruitcake?"

"Yes please"

Sitting against your headboard, both of you started to eat the fruitcake, sometimes feeding each other while still watching the movie

"Siblings and couples meeting", Jakob anounced entering your room along with Megan, Naiia and Stutz, all with their christmas outfits

"What's wrong?", you frowned

"We know that you didn't make that fruitcake because you still don't know how to do it", Jakob said causing to roll your eyes, "Where did you get it?"

"We also got eggnog", Megan said raising a bottle with some cups

"Sabrina Carpenter sent it", you responded giving them forks so they can eat too, "Along with the EP, a shirt and a hoodie"

"A Taybrina notice only this year?", Naiia pointed sitting on the bed, "Tornado just tell us when is rep TV releasing"

"What are the vault tracks?", Stutz joked helping to serve the eggnog

"I wish I knew the answer to those questions", you sighed, "We have a lot of theories of when is going to be released"

"One of the strongest was that she was going to anounce it during the Brazil concerts", Jack pointed recieving a cup of eggnog, "But she didn't"

"Next year will be", Jakob shrudded, "Well, cheers for christmas"

"Cheers", the rest of you repeated before drinking

"Is this spiked?", Jack asked sensing an unsual flavor

"Yeah, we put a bit of rum in it before coming", Jakob nodded

"Dad and mom, and even Anna are going to kill you when they find out about this", you said still drinking it, "And you might forget the fact that our dad is Billy Loomis"

"And we haven't seen the movie", Naiia remembered refering to her and Jakob, "And they don't need to know if we don't tell them"

Waiting until the older adults called all of you, the six of you stayed in your room watching the movie and eating the fruitcake and drinking the eggnog, and even starting to watch 'How The Grinch Stole the Christmas', until footsteps started to be heard in the stairs, which caused Jakob and Stutz to hide the bottle of spiked eggnog underneath your pillows

"If that bottle start leaking, I'll kill you both", you threatened them, "And not with my blingy fake knife"

Just as you finished threating them, there was a few knocks on the door before it was open to reveal Georgina

"Hey kids, dinner's ready", Georgina said

Standing from the bed and bean bags, the six of you started to go downstairs where all of you helped to put the table and preventing the cats from trying to eat the food by giving them and the dogs their special dinner, and taking the family photos, before sitting at the table to eat all the food that was made since the previous day

An once the dinner was finished and the dishes used were cleaned, you and Jack made everyone sit in the living room with the pets, already with the TV prepeared for the video

"Okay, we know that the gifts are tomorrow, but we wanted to gave you this one at this moment", you said trying to not burst in giggles

"Most of the times, the youngest of the family decide to do a little show, so we decided to to the same", Jack continued, "So I hope you enjoy this"

Stepping to the side and leaving everyone intrigued, Jack pressed the play button while you took out your phone to film their reactions

"You did not", Skeet groaned when he heard the music

"Yes we did", you laughed

"Is that Josh and Hayley's house?", Anna asked seeing the familiar kitchen

"We filmed it the day we went with them for breakfast", Jack nodded

During the whole video, everyone tried to hold their laughs but it wasn't possible causing to giggles and laughter to be heard in the room, while you and Jack were singing and dancing the choreography in the back

Once the video ended and the credits (yes, you did ending credits) started to roll, everyone started to clap still laughing

"Well, I guess we don't have to watch the movie anymore", Naiia joked, "This was amazing"

"Can we have a live performance of this?", Stutz asked

"There's bloopers at the end that will answer that question", you pointed

Returning the attention to the screen, the credits ended to show the bloopers who were of one of you or both laughing mid scene, forgetting a step, almost tripping at some steps, accidentaly dropping the fake guns, and even Rogue walking in the middle of the take

"Dad, as Billy Loomis and one half of the first ghostface, we would love to hear you opinion", you said after the video ended

"First of all, after you played the original performance in the TV every single day of october and november, this is my favorite version", Skeet responded, "And great acting on the Billy and Stu parts"

"Great camera work and acting", Georgina pointed, "What camera did you use?"

"The iPhone one", Jack answered

"And don't worry, everyone will have a copy of this video in their email tomorrow, as well as more of our friends", you continued, "That way you can watch it everyday"

Last night, after rewatching the video because they wanted to film a bit to their instagram stories, everyone went to sleep, not before you forced Jakb to get the spiked eggnog out of your room

The morning of the 25th, while the six of you were still asleep in the bedrooms, the adults where bussy filling the stockings and organizing all the gifts that were left in the living room under the tree

And while thinking in a good way to wake you up, Skeet took a speaker to put it in the middle of the aisle of the second floor, to blast Master of Puppets by AC/DC on full volume causing the six of you and the pets to wake up abruptely

"Welcome to christmas morning on the Ulrich household", you murmured with your face against your pillow and laying on your stomach

"Is the same song every year?", Jack asked laying next to you in the same way but with an arm on your waist

"Yeah", you responded feeling how Butters and Tatum started to walk around the bed, "Merry christmas babe"

"Merry christmas gorgeous"

Finally getting out off bed and taking the cats and your throw blankets of each others faces, both of you got out of your room to see the others in the door of their rooms watching the speaker with pure hate

"What if we kick it until it's broken?", Naiia suggested hugging Ivy

"He would make us buy him another one and better", you said hugging Tatum, "And none of use have partnerships with any electronic company to get one for free"

"Kids, get here now!", Anna exclaimed from the first floor

Turning off the speaker and taking it with you the six of you went downstairs to have breakfast and then going to the living room to open the gifts

And after recieving a Vivienne Westwood bag from your mom, a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet (which your mom, Naiia, Meghan and Anna recieved in diferent colors) from your dad, the new Bratz videogame and a new case for your nintendo switch from Jakob and Meghan, and personalized golf sticks from Jakob, books (The Great Gatsby, Wildfire, Taylor Swift Book of Lyrics, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Falling off the Cliff) from Naiia and Stutz, and the Frankestein and Bride of Frankenstein Monster High from Naiia, a Dyson Airwrap from Jack, and the Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic book from Anna

After openning the main gifts, the Chiefs vs Raiders was on the TV (principally to see Taylor on screen), all of you were openning the stockings, in yours there were lip glosses from essence, a snake hairclaw, a new airpods case, a Grinch plushie, candy and chocolates, but what weirded you a little bit was the Mercedes white hat almost at the bottom of the stocking

"I apreciate and like the hat, but I only watch Formula 1 when I'm bored", you said putting the hat on your head

"There's something more on the stocking", Georgina pointed

Introducing your hand at the bottom of the stocking you pulled a set of car keys with a keychain of the ghostface mask with a tiara

"No", you murmured, "No way, are you serious?"

"It's in the front porch", Skeet said

Almost running with the rest following, you went to the front door to opened it to reveal a Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet black with a pink ribbon on top

Feeling the tears dalling off your eyes, you sat in the steps without stop looking at the car sensing how Jack sat by your side hugging you at what you hug him too noticing how your siblings were filming your reaction

"Thank you very much", you cried watching at your parents and holding their hands, "I promise to take care of it and not crash it or having fines, I promise"

"We trust in you", Georgina nodded kissing your head

"Besides, you earned it", Skeet added

"Thank you very much", you repeated

Recovering from the shock of getting a car for christmas, all of you returned to the interior of the house to continue to enjoy the day

[descriptive-tickles]

The Advent CalendLER!

(Okay, the name may need some work) but..

Are you wondering what to get that lee or ler in your life for Christmas and wanting to add that personal touch bringing the gift of joy and laughter (mainly laughter) to this time of year.

Two versions of the calendler are available: the first is pre written so it is a surprise to the recipient what lies behind each door. Maybe it’s a tool, a tickle spot, a time limit all building up to a special treat behind door 24 😜

The other version is one you can personalise yourself. Yes, you get to make them specific to your ler or lee and you can put anything you like into each day. Double down on those most ticklish spots if you see fit.

Calendlers, out now:

[thedrarrylibrarian]

🎄 Christmas 2022 🎄

Festive Melody by @crazybutgood (90 words, rated G)

For show-and-tell one day, one of the children at Harry’s at-home daycare brings an intriguing Christmas ornament she’d found collecting dust in her attic. After fiddling with it, she soon learns why it was banished when it starts playing Christmas songs on a loop, impossible to stop, driving everyone up the wall.

An Unlikely Hero by @st0rminthecassl (172 words, rated T)

Draco is beside himself that someone would treat a hero this way.

This is for me? by @phoebe-delia (283 words, rated G)

"Who's it from?"

Harry shrugged with poorly-feigned nonchalance. "Check the card."

Decorating by MarsInsane (304 words, rated G)

Draco decorates.

A fine piece of candy by @lalalaartje (466 words, rated G)

When Harry keeps telling Draco he doesn't need a Christmas gift from him, Draco comes up with a silly little plan.

Advent Calendar by MarsInsane (469 words, rated G)

Short little fluff piece featuring Drarry and candy.

Playing Games by @ladderofyears (505 words, rated T)

Harry and Draco talk, and play board games, in a Christmassy Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Wintergreen by @dreamsinthewitchouse (1,430 words, rated T)

Draco shoots him a scathing glance, but the corner of his mouth quirks up into something resembling a smile. “Okay, then.”

“Okay you want me to kiss you?”

“Okay I want you to kiss me.”

Merry, Muggle, and Magical by @typewriteringalaxy (2,478 words, rated G)

Draco and Harry on the hunt of the perfect gift for each other.

Word on the Street by cloudlings (6,131 words, rated E)

The quill finishes writing, and Harry’s instincts warn him that the worst hasn’t even left the reporter’s mouth yet.

Then he speaks again.

And there it is.

“Let’s talk about Draco Malfoy.”

The Red Jumper by toomuchplor (14,907 words, rated E)

Draco's plans for Christmas Eve are as follows:

1 - Sleep as long as possible 2 - Have sex 3 - Drink wine 4 - Eat too much food 5 - Repeat above

It’s just gone eight in the morning when Harry begins to derail Draco’s plans.

First Christmas by orpheus87 (22,680 words, rated G)

Sometimes, being floored by a Labrador isn't such a bad thing.

Harry and Draco went to the same university and although they each knew who the other was, they weren't close friends. When they bump into one another five years later, in a park in York, one conversation leads to another and they soon become closer than they imagined.

Aere Perennius by @onbeinganangel (23,195 words, rated M)

Upon Narcissa’s death, Draco Malfoy lets his best mate decide on a new place for him to live and set up his flower shop. Pansy, the meddling witch that she is, picks Godric’s Hollow. Specifically, the oh-so-conveniently available space next to Harry Potter’s bookshop. What could possibly go wrong? According to Hermione, only everything. According to Ron, this is exactly what Harry needs. Blaise is only there to watch the whole thing crash and burn, and Luna saw it coming years ago.

Changing with the season by @harryromper (36,255 words, rated T)

Harry's determined the first time he hosts the extended Weasley clan for Christmas will be a success. The Grimmauld Place advent calendar has other ideas ... until Draco shows up to help.

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by gglow (52,163 words, rated M)

At thirty years old, Draco Malfoy has successfully obtained a reputable degree in Ancient Languages, has proceeded to shut himself into the basement of London Library as their Head of Archives, and is wilfully nursing a problematic relationship with a man Blaise eloquently describes as “a sleazy piece of trash”. So yes, he’s got it all worked out, ta ever so.

It’s only too bad that when Harry Potter—the youngest Head Auror in a century—happens to need Draco’s help with a case, a string of encounters ensues that turn Draco’s pre-perceptions of him on their head. To make matters even worse, Potter brings Draco tea, and carries his bags, and says things that are much too straightforward for comfort. And if it makes Draco question why he ever hated the speccy git in the first place, well, that’s no one else’s business but Draco’s… right?

Will flying South for Christmas spare Draco from heartache? And does it make sense to salvage the dwindling fire with his elusive beau, or will the kindle of a new flame give Christmas a whole new meaning?

A Melody of You & Me by @academicdisasterfic (64,838 words, rated E)

Draco Malfoy has a Christmas choir competition to win, and Harry Potter has an orphanage that needs funding. When Luna Lovegood intervenes, they agree to help each other out: Harry will join the choir if Draco chooses to sponsor his charity.

But agreeing to work together also means getting to know each other again - in new and unexpected ways.

Ft. a chaotic festive choir, scheming friends, a healthy dose of mental health issues, one very irritating ex, and boys learning how to love and be loved.

Kaleidoscope by Saras_Girl (104,284 words, rated E)

If Harry’s honest, the last thing he needs is a house full of Draco Malfoy, but partners are partners, and perhaps, the thing he wants the least will turn out to be absolutely everything. 2021 advent fic, completed.

Be sure you don't miss out on @babooshkart's amazing art and fic recommendation for A Melody of You & Me!

❤️ As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the creator a kudos or comment ❤️

🎄Lots of Love and Merry Christmas!🎄

[jessysapphireblue]

One Piece Advent Calender Door 12

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Door 12 : Christmas without cookies? NEVER!

You hummed a Christmas melody while displaying the fresh cookies, decorations and frostings at the ready. Smiling happily, you made everything ready to decorate and of course not to dirty the kitchen itself. “Sanji-kun~ we´re back”, Nami and Robin came through the door. “Sanji is bathing. Welcome back. Coffee tea, hot chocolate?”, you smiled. “Coffee”, both smiled. “You were quite busy” “Yes. Now I´m going to decorate the cookies” “Ah~ cute! May i Join?”, Nami beamed at you. “Yes! Oh, I´d love to. Here, your coffee” “Thank you”, both girls sat down and toon cookies. “Must they be Christmas themed?” “No. Heavens. Draw what you like on them”, you give each one a plate where they could put the decorative treats.

And so you began to draw and sprinkle. “This is quite fun”, hummed Robin. “Robin? What should that be?” “Why, Soma”, Robin smiled brightly at Nami, who sweatdropped. “Aww, when you present it to him, he will love you so much more” She chuckled and continued. “Je, what are you d-Why are yours so good?!” “Hm~ Nami, you know my baking” “Yes, the sunny looks incredible but this, wow” “I find it amazing that you can´t draw but this, you can” “If I knew why I would use it for drawing”, you admitted.

Both were done and you took their plates to the side. “Thanks, Je” “I must thank you two, they look amazing!” Nami hummed with an >are you serious< face. “Why, I mean it” Smiling softly, the door opened and Sanji came in with Brook. “WHOA! MELLORINE!!!!” “We see us Je”, smiled Robin and both walked away. “Yohohohoho~ Goddess-san, what are you doing?” “Decorating Christmas cookies” “Why this sounds nice. May I join?” “Yes! Nami and Robin also joined so I´d be happy if you also make some” “Ah, my beloved! May I-” “I would beg you to join”, you admitted and Sanji explodes with a big heart above him. “Be-Be-Begging~”, he made his perverted face, imagine you begging.

While the three of you decorated, Zoro came in. “What are you doing?” “Decorating Christmas cookies. Join us, Zoro-san” “No. I don´t like sweets”, he yawned. “Oh, and I made some decorations especially with alcohol for you”, you looked away and he slowly turned his head to you. “Why, it´s true”, you admitted. “As if” “Mosshead! As if our Goddess jokes about that!” “Be quiet you onion-cutter! I didn´t ask for any of you stuff” “Now now, don´t fight. Leave him Sanji. Perhaps Zoro can´t draw so he doesn´t want to”, you admitted. “Can´t draw?! I can make better stupid cookies! Give me that shit” You smirked while Brook laughed.

“So, what should that be?” “An Oni Giri” ”...A what? Where should that-”, Sanji was shocked. “Oh yeah. This is the shape and here the swaweed” “Ha! She knows it” “Zoro, only idiots can reconize other idiots drawings” The boy laughed while Zoro flushed red before storming out. “Why did Zoro just cursed and went out?” “Because the idiot swordbrain can´t decorate cookies~”, sang Sanji at Franky and Jinbe. “Yohohohoho, thank you, Goddess-san. It was wonderful” “No! Thank you all for making such pretty cookies. It warms me to see so many decorated kinds” “WHAAAA! Little SiS!”, Franky picked you up and sniffled. “There, There Franky. Would you like to join?” SUPER YES! I make the best ones” You chuckled.

Jinbe also joined in with decorating. “Sorry, it seems that I´m not good as others” “Jinbe that is fine. Nobody is perfect. You can do other stuff better than this” “HAHAHAHAHA! Thank you” “Super! my little sis is the best one!” “As are you, Robo-bro hentai~” “Oi oi~ don´t fluster me”, Franky blushed as Jinbe and you laughed heartful.

With Franky and Jinbe gone, it was quiet again before Chopper and Usopp came in. “Christmas cookies! Christmas cookies!”, Chopper directly sat down next to you. “Robin told us you needed some help decorating”, smirked Usopp. “If you want to, that is” “Yes! That´s why we came! Let us help you” “Of course. And you, master painter, present us thy work of craftiness” Usopp smirked. “Oh, that I will. Your eyes will be blessed” “Looking forward to it...wait, wasn´t Luffy with you?” “He and Soma went on their own. Don´t know where they are”, admitted Usopp.

“DONE!”, Cheered Chopper and eagerly showed you the drawings of cherry blossoms and a hat. “Dr. Hirluk hat?” “Yes!” You tapped the reindeers nose. “Looks amazing, Chopper” He laughed. “And now, low and behold! my beautiful work!”, Usopp presented his cookies. “They look amazing Usopp” “Haha! Top that!”,he laughed at you, making you smile.

Alone yet again, the door opened again. “Ah! JE!”, Luffy bounced to you, still covered in snow and pressed his cheek against yours. “Hello, boys. And? How was your adventure?” You asked while Soma nuzzled into your arms. “We got lost!”, he beamed. “Bub...that isn´t something to be proud off” “Right! why did Usopp looked so down?” “Ah, I beat him in decorating Christmas cookies” Luffy looked at the full table. “WOW!” “Yes. Everyone made a few beside you...and you”, you scratched the chin of your dragon. “YOSH! As captain I also make a few” Shrugging his winter jacket off, he sat next to you, looking at your fingers. You smiled how Soma helped your boyfriend bringing stuff over.

It was a mess. Icing and sprinkes all over Luffys face, a bright grin on his face. His cookies were the messiest of all, declaring he was done. “See! This is you and me!” He held a cookie to you and you smiled, kissing his cheek. “Looks wonderful” “I did my very best!” “I saw” “here, this one is for you”, you handed him one of yours. “WOW! Je you´re incredible! How cool! Soma look” “I´m also done. Want to help me clean up?” “Yeah...can I eat it?” “If you want. These are cookies” “And good cookies! mmmh~”

“Are you two done here?”, Sanji came soon inside. “Yup. Everything cleaned and stored away. Thank you for letting me use it” “Ah, my goddess, always~” “When is dinner ready Sanji?” “2 hours”, his voice went icy to your boyfriend. “Wha?! So long?” “Yes”, he simply said and you whispered something in his ear. “YES! I go on ahead!”

Using his devil fruit, he grabbed something. “Oh!”, he blinked before giving you a short kiss. “I´m back!” You bursted out into laughter. “Welcome home” And with that, he was gone, Sanji being yet again, deeply depressed.

[hekate1308]

There Are Berries This Year On The Holly, A Drowley Advent Calendar, December 5

Read it on AO3

Masterpost

Crowley had no idea what he was doing here. He certainly had not been invited, if he didn’t count Dean telling him to just come over when they had first met, and that had been a few weeks ago now, and he had not made any plans to go and ring on Dean’s doorbell. He hadn’t even known he was about to until he’d suddenly left his house.

But here he was, standing on a porch that looked like it was the front of a Christmas store, having just pressed the doorbell.

It didn’t take long for Dean to open the door. His face immediately lit up, and there was a strange feeling in his breast. “Crowley! Do come in. Sam just dropped by too –“

Now, that was not something he had anticipated, and more than that, he was reasonably sure that he probably should not be meeting –

Dean laid a hand on his arm – the first time he had ever touched him – and drew him into the house. “Come in before you catch your death.”

He didn’t think that he would do so in such a short amount of time, but he had already learned that Dean was something of a mother hen – otherwise he would hardly have run though the entire neighbourhood to make sure everyone was safe when the power was cut – and so allowed himself to be drawn into the house.

Which proved to be just as he had foreseen – Winter Wonderland. And he’d thought that there were more than enough deocrations on the outside… A whole class of pre-schoolers could not have objected to the place.

Dean led him into the living room, where the tall man he had indeed correctly identified as Sam Winchester was nursing a beer. “Sam, this is Crowley, my neighbour I told you about. Crowley, this is Sam, Sasquatch and my younger brother.”

“Yeah, yeah, jerk” he rolled his eyes as he got up and shook Crowley’s hand. “Heard a lot about you.”

There was a warning in his voice and eyes that Crowley had only very rarely had directed at himself, and one that was entirely useless. It wasn’t as if he and Dean had gotten up to anything of that kind, and even if they had, it was hardly Sam Winchester’s business, although Dean seemed to tell him everything that went on in his life.

“Nice to meet you” he therefore said because it was what he was supposed to, and Dean hurried to get him a drink.

He sat down and looked around. Yes, this was exactly how he had thought his house would look – even apart from the decorations. Everything was neat and comfortable, and there were many books in different languages, some of which he recognized and some of which he couldn’t even read, lying around.

“You’re a lawyer, Dean tells me?” he then asked.

Sam nodded. “And you own your own business?”

It was his turn to nod as Dean returned. “Yeah, Sammy, better be nice. There might be a lucrative job in it for you one day.”

While Crowley usually didn’t appreciate someone else volunteering his business to someone else, he didn’t mind too much. He knew that Sam Winchester was Ivy League educated, and if he was only half as clever or competent as his brother, he was bound to be a good lawyer. And he didn’t think that even Dean’s pride in Sam would cause him to lie about something like that. Plus, he didn’t much like his current lawyers anyway…

If he had known that Sam Winchester was there, he would not have come, it was as simple as that, but for some reason, he didn’t find the evening nearly as annoying as he would have supposed. It was Dean, of course – apparently he was much more… amenable when it came to talking with others when Dean was there.

What another interesting development. And it seemed one he would have more than one chance to keep studying this, since there was no doubt in his mind that Dean would continue to come see and invite him.

“This was fun” Dean told him when he accompanied him to the door later – Sam having elected to stay even longer – “And hey, if you want, you can come over Saturday. It’s Christmas movie time.”

Apparently, whatever qualms he had had about Crowley not celebrating the holidays were long gone, but that might easily have been his own fault since he had certainly not objected to anything Dean had done so far.

And really, he suddenly found himself wondering if it would be so bad to watch Christmas movies with Dean… and his friends, as it quickly turned out. Or the gang, as he had called it.

Well. Seemed like he was of them now.

[scienceofsustainability]

'Consumption and Materialism' Reflective Journal - Part 1

October 24

The things people will buy… On social media today I saw an advertisement for a Sephora ‘advent calendar’.  It includes a gift item per day. Days of opening personal care items, probably unnecessary, the wrong color, something a person doesn’t even use as a rule. It’s like going into the store and picking up any random 12 items…and heading to the checkout to pay for them. It’s like buying items for a skin condition that you don’t have, or a replacement product for a trusted personal care item. All separately packed. This makes no sense to me at all. Why would I buy makeup and skin care items that I don’t need or use? Sephora is a popular brand, and for young men or parents wanting to make their girl happy at Christmas time, this may seem like a great purchase. Do we care if they will actually use the 12 items inside? Probably not.  Will she even use half of these items? Probably not. But we feel satisfied because we think this is a fun gift idea that she will love.  She will probably even be excited when she sees it! But the reality is that the surprise bag of goodies contains mostly useless items that end up in the trash.  The Christmas season brings with it the desire and usually the feeling of pressure to purchase things for others, most times unnecessary items, just so that we can buy ‘something’.  It’s wasteful and prompts the continuation of such trends or traditions. Commercial business capitalizes on all of this and generates even more products, marketing, and advertising. 

Credit - Sephora

October 25

I bought the bell…!  My 21 year old daughter asked me to take her to the mall about 20 minutes from our home.  At her age, the desire to have nice clothes is an important aspect of life, as going out with friends or to the gym requires looking good.  No longer do most people throw on old sweat pants and go out to the garage to workout, many people today go to local gyms, pay membership, and feel the need to wear particular brands of workout clothing and footwear:  “You can’t show up in that.” Purchased ‘Pre Workout’ powders are part of the routine too, so one can show up with a serious beverage in hand, and big name headphones waiting to blast motivating music.  So as she looks throughout the athletic clothing, I excitedly head over to look at… ahhh, Christmas decor…. It is an exciting time of the year.  For me, it is the decorations that I love.  I enjoy making the house feel cozy and beautiful. There it all is… so much to look at and choose from.  So much in the way of wreaths, blankets, cushions, little houses, signs… all different colors, sizes, styles… Looking at it all creates anticipation for the upcoming season.  Some remind me of childhood.  Some I look at and question “Who would buy this?” What a waste of hard earned money. Other stuff I love, and wonder how it would fit in my home? Do I need it? No. I have so much already… Does it make the holiday any better? No. Do I have the money to spend on it… maybe… but could that money be spent better somewhere else? Yes. I realize that I am better at talking myself out of purchases now than I was in the past.  Even though I probably have more disposable income now than I did ten years ago.  Maybe that is why I hold back more?…Maybe I am learning.  I do love those gold-colored rustic bells though... And last year when I seen them in Toronto, I felt that I had won the shopping lottery and bought two.  Here they are right in front of me, in Sydney no less… I hymn and ha over it and decide to allow myself to get one.  I think to myself, ‘some of my Christmas decor is dated, and it’s probably a good idea to add a little bit of new?’  I remind myself that I will have this for many years to come, and someday I may be able to pass decorations on to my grown children. And I resisted choosing anything else to buy… it’s only one thing. After I check out I realize that purchasing something provides a little bit of a boost, a happiness, something to look forward to when I start decorating, to set out, to look at.  I can’t wait to show it to my daughter.

Credit - Instagram

October 27

Dollar stores… where were dollar stores years ago when I was young and newly married?  We all could have saved a lot of money on things. If my mother were alive today, she would love this store so much. Everything is so cheap, and this store is filled with things that we could easily pay two or three times as much for somewhere else.  Dollar stores provide consumers with everything from personal care products, to toys, household necessities, craft supplies, and everything else you could need.  How many of us have wondered how in the world these items could be made and then sold for so little money? The materials alone. Then there is the labor, the workmanship making this basket… transportation costs, and wages? How is this only $2? But most of us dismiss that thought soon after, and keep looking for cheap treasures. Buying food here doesn’t seem like a good idea to me at all.  There is some reason why all of these items ended up here, and if there is an issue with a food item, then I don’t want it. However, I notice that some people shop the food aisle, and fill their basket with items that are much lower in price than Sobeys.  It doesn't matter if I need these right now,  but I am always looking for paint brushes so I will grab four or five, since they are only $2 each.  By the time I walk through the aisles, I have a few items in a basket.  Most of these items I would've bought somewhere else anyway.  I found myself picking out a Halloween card for my niece in Ontario…  I’ve just spent five minutes looking at the different options, then realize that it is too late to send a card, and that maybe that is not necessary, so I put the card back.  When I was young, nobody ever sent me a Halloween card.  That really is a crazy idea, probably another way for companies to sell me something.  As we purchase these cheap treasures, we are often ignorant of the natural resources that have been sacrificed, and to where these items will likely be in just a few short months.  Many of us will fill a bag with donation items this holiday season, to make room for more stuff, and drop it off in the local donation bin.  We walk away feeling satisfied believing that it will be reused.  The less consumers know, the happier they are. 

October 28

It’s the weekend and I need to start housecleaning for the winter season. There is so much stuff in this house it’s a bit overwhelming.  The storage room is full. I often can’t find particular items that I need, and I know that I sometimes re-purchase things that I already have. The girls' rooms are messy looking, as too much stuff prevents ‘tidying up’ from really making an impact. They don't think they have too much stuff. They love going to Walmart and the Dollar Store and coming home with new things. Their rooms look fine to them. But I am at the stage in my life where I like it clean, simple, organized.  Where do I start?  I want to purge so much stuff.  As I head to the storage room with bravery, and an attitude that I am going to clear it out, I soon lose my battle…It is so hard to part with things that I may ‘need’, the girls may look for, or that there is a memory attached to… I feel defeated, and these items feel heavy on me.  I really thought that I was going to make a big difference here today. I feel disappointed.  I lost the battle with our stuff.   I remind myself to stay out of the stores…

October 29

“Things you didn’t know you needed”... There is something cool about watching her put it all together. I think of how well equipped my daughter’s car is as I watch the video.  I like the idea of being prepared and organized. But do we really need all of that stuff in our car?!  Tik Tok shares ‘great Amazon finds’, and some are focused on restocking your car.  There are these sweet little car bags that have pretty little items in them, all compact and attractive, looking like you are prepared for anything. It makes you want to buy all of these items and also pack up a neat little bag to store all of your car ‘essentials’, such as lotions, lip balm, a variety of perfumes, deodorant, a migraine stick, are those face masks?...   There is a large compartmentalized bag filled with a variety of snacks, drinks, blankets, and everything you can think of.  There are more personal care products in that car than in my two home washrooms combined. This advertisement for car organization is satisfying to watch, and you have to admit that some items are cool, like the car window film, and vent sauce holders...  Who knew you needed a small diffuser in your car?  I end the video realizing that I don’t even have so much as a box of Kleenex in my car.  

October 30

She ‘can’t wait until her Shein order comes in’.  I’ve heard these words uttered many times.  Shein is a website that my girls like to use to pick out clothing.  It is easier to shop online than to find time to head to the mall and walk from store to store looking for items.  It can be done here and there in spare time. The added benefit is that you are provided with reviews and photos from other people who purchased the item.  Every few months the girls will put an order together.  While it may be good that we save gas driving to the mall, and the items are fairly inexpensive, the risk of something not fitting or them not liking and not wearing it, is likely.  But the clothes are cheap, so it’s worth the risk to them. Many people order from Shein, and also shop on other sites and at other stores such as Urban Plant, because the clothing is cheap. Cheap clothes means we can afford to buy new items, or more clothing more often.  I am aware that this is fast fashion, and that these clothes come from China.  I also know that the work conditions of those who make these clothes are probably not equitable.  I am aware that these are not quality items, so they will likely end up being donated in a few months.  I encourage the girls to go to the mall and look for better quality clothes. Things that will last, and that are basic and not trendy. I have sweaters and pants that I have had for many years.  They have served me well. If you spend a good amount of money on an item, but you wear it many times, the cost-per-wearing can be pretty low, and the item serves many years of service.  

October 31

What am I going to do with all of these treats?  Nine trick-or-treaters showed up tonight.  That is it.  Although I did not have many last year, three years ago I had about 60.  So on the way home from work, I felt that last minute concern that I should stop and get more pop and treats, and prepare more treat bags.  When my girls go out in the neighborhood at Halloween, they always come back with these amazing treat bags, with endless treats inside. I wonder how much money my neighbors actually spend on treats.  At some level, I have to keep up. When I was a child trick or treating, I would have had to go to a dozen homes to get all the treats that they get in now in one door knock… I shake my head because children really do not need all of this junk food, and I question how we got to this point where the reward is so great for dressing up and knocking on doors.  Now I have all of these bags of treats and I wish that I could return the items to the store. It’s a strange game we play trying to be sure that we have enough, worried that we may run out. Only to end up overspending, and stuck with food items that we don’t want, and certainly do not need. 

November 2

It’s all very confusing and I feel like none of them are probably safe or nutritious.  Yet, I am pushed to purchase the most expensive option, and that big price tag is supposed to help me to feel like it is the best choice.  There are so many brands of dog food, and each one claims that it meets the nutritional needs of my dog.  Each brand has many options to choose from based on the age and activity level of your pet, so it seems like you're selecting a custom formula.  There is even dog food formulated for specific breeds only, with a cute picture of a perfect happy Yorkie on the bag. How many people buy into that? Plenty I bet. What a marketing idea that is.  But of course, you should never buy your pet food from a grocery store, the place where you buy your own groceries...  That food is not good… No, if you love your pet and are a good owner, you must purchase your pet food at a Veterinarian's office or at a reputable pet store.  I’ve been made to feel guilty for not buying my dog food at the vet.  Turning them down made me feel like less of a pet parent.  Unworthy of a good dog. Our new puppy came with instructions from the breeder to only feed him Royal Canin puppy food. This brand claims that “Each formula has been created to deliver nutrition tailored to your pet’s health needs”. But really, don’t they all claim that?  Shouldn’t they all be striving to provide that?  Animal health experts often speak out about processed dog food, and claim that its nutritional value is very low because it has been cooked, altering food's chemical structure, and making it difficult for a dog to digest.  Yet, the 13 lb bag of brand name puppy food just cost me $102 with taxes paid.  As a consumer, I am not sure what else to do, as I try to provide the best for my dog, while also not being fooled into thinking that I actually am…

Theo

November 3

Instagram provides me with daily images of house decor that I love.  Simple, clean, cozy rooms with gorgeous throw pillows, lamps, throw blankets… I love it all. And of course, I wonder how I could make my house look more like this.  I even find myself snapping screenshots to put in my album ‘Home Decor Ideas’ on my phone.  I follow a few decorators on social media, and there is one in particular, I love all of her ideas.  Of course that means that I need to change my paint colors, and get a new kitchen table.  I’ve gone to local furniture stores looking for something similar to what she has, but I can’t find it.  I allow myself this to some degree because I do not spend a lot of money on clothing or anything else, home decor is what I enjoy. But it never really ends.  It is a cycle of changing up paint and decor items as the trends change.  I quickly tire of patterns, and want something else.  What I think will really spruce up a room, only satisfies me for a short time, then I grow tired of it, and want a change. Of course, with each season you need to be ready to change, if you follow social media.  They have all of these different things for each and every season.  You can’t just have one chunky throw blanket, you need 4 or 5.  Presently I am looking for a clay-based lamp and a clay vase or two.  The current decor trend is homey, simple, neutral, and organic.  I’ve been in plenty of local stores looking for such things, yet can’t find them.  Cape Breton is sure behind in the times when it comes to decor!  So I go online and find some, however they are very expensive. The sticker shock stops me, and I wonder if it is really a good idea to pay $350 for a single lamp.  I tell myself that I don’t really need it, and snap back to reality.  Yet each time I see her posts on Instagram, I am drawn in, and making mental notes of a few items that I could add to my decor list. 

Credit - Instagram

November 6

‘What do you want for Christmas?’  Now that my three daughters are grown up, I usually ask them what they want for Christmas.  I love surprising them with nice gifts, but I certainly do not want to buy anything that they won’t use or won’t like.  I have family and friends who go into debt during the holidays just so they can fill a room with endless gifts for their loved ones. I have never been in the habit of buying things just to say that I did.  I always try to get them something they’d really like and will use, as well as any new clothing items that they need for the upcoming winter season. In recent years, they don’t even know what to ask for. There is not much they need. But I have to buy them something, so I start looking for options and hope that something good comes along.  I often think of the other seasons and wonder if they could use a new lawn chair for next summer’s concert, or if I should start them on collecting necessary items for a future home. I am pretty good at avoiding a lot of the hype about the best new technology, and my goal is not to spend a ton of money.  I have always tried to make Christmas about the traditions and the family time.  For a number of years now, we have been filling a donation box of clothing and food items to donate to those in need.  It is a tradition that they now look forward to, and they put thought into the best food items to purchase to place in the donation box.  This is the best gift that I could get for Christmas, seeing them think of and care for others. 

November 7

‘It looks like a store in here’... How much camo can a guy have?  As I am housecleaning for the upcoming winter season, I walk into the room in which my husband stores all of his hiking and hunting gear.  It is overwhelming the amount of things that he has.  I can remember when times were simple, and hunters had an orange vest and a rifle.  Not anymore.  Did you know that it is necessary to have different types of camo for different seasons and animals that you are hunting? Now that we have large scale hunting and fishing stores such as Bass Pro, outdoor activities usually involve expensive gear.  No longer do most people make their own ice-fishing tents.  Stores sell quick set-up tents with convenient pouches for holding essentials, and viewing holes and windows to look through.  Things that used to involve individual creativity, recycling of materials, and people coming together on homegrown projects, have now been replaced with commercial items, and the need for significant money to be spent.   Perceived obsolescence means that a person feels pressured to buy these items, and that the old ways of doing things are no longer acceptable. Hearing these outdoor adventurists talk about their hobbies usually involves them discussing items they need to acquire, and the newest item that you can get, not the actual fun that they have while out there doing it. It’s sad that these wholesome activities have been overtaken by commercialism. 

Credit - Eskimo Products

Shifting Patterns of Consumption - Part 2

In an effort to reduce my consumption, and to help the planet, there are a few things that I do, and I hope to add many more actions to the list.  The first is that I try to use online grocery shopping whenever possible.  This helps to reduce point of purchase sales, and helps me stick to the list of things that I ‘need’.  I feel that online grocery shopping is time and cost efficient, and allows me opportunity to ensure that I am only adding items to my cart that I will use.  Less impulsive purchases also means less waste, and less money spent. 

Another thing that I have changed about my habits is that I never put any plastic in the garbage.  I always put it in a recycle bag, in the hopes that it will indeed be recycled.  I used to put plastic food packaging and other types of plastic in my kitchen garbage.  Not anymore.  It pains me to see plastic takeout containers thrown in the trash.  Plastic bags may have been removed from shopping stores, but many items still come wrapped in plastic, such as wood pellets, frozen food products, some pet food, and a host of other items. If any of these items can be reused or recycled, and I sure hope they can, then I will always do my best to make sure they don’t go out with the trash. I have been encouraging my children and my students to always do what they can to help our planet. Every one person can contribute to an overall impact.

[amicidomenicani]

Question Good evening Father Angelo, I am a 24-year-old guy who is very interested in how to “pattern” my life according to the liturgical times, because I think my attitude should be in accordance with what the Church has established in agreement with Jesus. Throughout this Lent that is ending, I have wanted to deprive myself of certain things (except on Sundays), to live this period of penance in preparation for Easter in the “hardest” way possible. To the well-known practices of Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and every Friday of Lent, I added daily commitments such as: abstinence from music, sweets and meat (when I decided what to eat), almsgiving, the Stations of the Cross on Fridays, two weekly fasts, individual prayer (e.g., Rosary) on my knees. I am not telling you this to boast, because I know well that religious people like yourself perhaps fast every day of Lent, but only to illustrate my personal timetable for this period, which I experienced with great joy. In view of the upcoming Easter period - 50 days of feasting - my intention was to stop fasting and not to do “hard” penance on Fridays, because I see this period as a big Sunday. So, I thought I would cancel all Lenten penance practices and not worry in case I happened to eat meat or fancy foods on Fridays.  After Pentecost, of course, I would return to the Friday penance for the whole Ordinary (abstinence from meat, sweets and music, almsgiving, Rosary on my knees) and to the pre-Sunday fast.  I would have done the same during Advent (with one less weekly fast) and Christmas. Reading some answers on your website, I gathered that every Friday of the year is a day of penance, so I wanted to ask you how best to live Easter and Christmas Fridays: how to “differentiate” them from Ordinary Fridays for example. I also ask you for some advice on how to avoid reducing these intentions to a monotonous, childish and superficial practice. Thank you for your attention, for this website, and I assure a Holy Rosary for you and your brethren, Lorenzo Priest’s answer Dear Lorenzo, 1. the "roadmap" you have given yourself for Lent is very nice. All these practices undoubtedly give your life a penitential slant. I urge you never to neglect them in these two seasons of Advent and Lent. 2. I would add a few things from a spiritual point of view. First, I would tell you to often revive the motivation and also the spirit for which you perform these practices. It is the motivation, and it is the spirit for which St Paul says: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church” (Col 1:24). So here is the motivation: in atonement for your sins and for the conversion of many. These “many” can be identified in certain persons dear to you for whom you desire conversion. Or in a general way they can be understood as everyone. The spirit with which you must perform them is the joy that impels you to do something for the Lord: “Now I am glad”. It is the joy of being able to give, of being able to give up something in order to give it to Christ and for the building up of his kingdom. This is the reason why the holy Curé d'Ars said that what it costs in these things is only the first step. Then you get a taste for it. Yes, one gets a taste for loving, for giving, for building, It is that taste for which St Paul again said: “All this I do for the sake of the Gospel” (1 Cor 9:23). 3. In addition to these motivations, which must be present every day of the year, and not only in Advent and Lent, I would suggest that you also perform other exercises, which are exquisitely sanctifying. I point you to fasting from sin, especially the sin of tongues. I point to the tongue because Holy Scripture says: “who has not sinned with his tongue?” (Sir 19:15). And when I speak of the sin of tongues I mentio

n charity. Impart, especially in these two times, not to speak evil of anyone, even if someone’s evil were in the light of day. St Paul says that charity “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 13:7). The previous translation, instead of “it bears”, said “it covers”. Everything that covers engages more. There are actions that cannot be excused, only deplored. And yet, instead of talking about it out of itching to say and listen, for the love of the Lord we want to cover everything up, as indeed the Lord continually does towards us. How many times, living in certain environments and with people who don't suit us, does the desire to tell the latest about them come about. Well, to “cover” it for the Lord's sake is a sanctifying action, it is an action that, according to St Peter, covers many sins in the world (“Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins”, 1 Pt 4:8) and attracts us many graces (Ps 133:3). 4. Concerning the specific question on how to behave at Easter and Christmas time, you have already guessed what my answer might be. Apart from the Friday of the octave of Easter, which is like an extension of Easter Day, and the Friday after Christmas, which is counted as a solemnity, abstinence is obligatory on the other Fridays (unless they coincide with special solemnities such as the Epiphany, St Joseph and 25 March). On the other hand, we must never neglect a minimum of self-control over ourselves and at the same time we must remember that many continue to go away from the Lord even during Christmas and Easter and need our cooperation to be brought back to Christ. At this time, you may perhaps mitigate or cancel the penances you impose on yourself but continue to do those that the Church commands you to do. I thank you for your beautiful testimony and for the opportunity you have given me to add to it. I remember you to the Lord and bless you. Father Angelo

[sserpente]

A/N: Requests from three anons. Naughty, naughtier, naughtiest. Enjoy, everyone!

Words: 2426 Warnings: shameless Christmas smut

Additional NSFW warnings: dom!Loki, usage of anal sex toy, orgasm control, forced orgasm(s)

-

Feeling all warm and fuzzy, you snuggled in closer to your mischievous boyfriend. After three weeks of persistent persuasion, you had finally talked Loki into watching Christmas movies with you and to be quite frank, you were convinced he secretly enjoyed them.

A comedy was on tonight, of a young couple suffering from the usual pre-Christmas stress including eccentric in-laws and turkeys burnt to a cinder. You had been giggling throughout, knowing very well it was a rather accurate representation of how chaotic Christmas could be. In fact, you could hardly wait for this year, given it would be Loki’s and your first time celebrating it together as a couple.

“I recall you telling me that those sex scenes in films are staged unless you watch a… what was it?”

“Porn movie?”

“Yes. I must admit, she is terrible at staging it.” You quirked an eyebrow at him.

“She is doing it on purpose. She is faking her orgasm.” You explained, staring at the screen. The male protagonist was wearing a Santa hat and a fake white beard—nothing else. He had surprised his girlfriend who had just gotten home from a long and exhausting day at work and even though she appreciated it, she was just too tired for sex.

“Why in the nine would she do that? That is rather pathetic for the male part.”

You blushed. You too had faked your orgasms sometimes when you were in bed with Loki.

“Um… well… she doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. You know women take longer to get there and sometimes… they’re just too tired or not in the right mind set.” You yawned. “Much like today.” You added.

Loki paused the movie with but a wave of his hand and turned to face, looking you dead in the eye. “Are you implying something?” Oh, shit… you had a feeling this would bruise his godly ego.

“I… I-I only did it a few times. Once or twice. Okay, maybe a little bit more often than that. B-but that doesn’t mean I don’t ever—“

“You are what?” He bellowed. There we go.

“Loki! Listen to me, you are the most mind-blowing lover I’ve ever had. It’s like I just said, sometimes I’m too tired or have so much going on at work that I can’t let go… it’s got nothing to do with you!” You insisted.

“That is unacceptable.” He said after an uncomfortable break.

“W-what does that mean?”

Loki gave you a meaningful look. His tone was downright spiteful when he spoke again. “Let’s just finish the movie, shall we?”

You were a little surprised he let you cuddle with him again but you couldn’t focus on the film anymore anyway.

“Are you… mad at me?” You chirped after a while, your cheek against his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat.

“No. I am not.” You were not convinced. He was up to something.

-

The next morning started all but merry. You woke Loki with a few wet kisses, quietly singing O Christmas Tree to elicit a response.

Loki groaned, a smile playing on his lips. He didn’t need a lot of sleep but he truly didn’t like being woken up by anyone but his own body when it deemed him rested enough.

You giggled, his raven hair tickling your skin. You barely made it out of bed to open the very last door of your advent calendar and then moved to get dressed. As usual, Loki was a lot faster, simply magicking clothes onto his body without so much as blinking.

You were late. The Avengers were probably already waiting for you in the living room where Tony had put up a massive Christmas tree. And massive it was—it stood almost twenty feet high, about six metres, as far as you were concerned, and the billionaire had had to use his suit to hang up all the baubles and ornaments as well as the shining star on top. And before you had gone to sleep last night, you had sneaked your presents for everyone under the tree.

You bit your lower lip, hoping that Loki wasn’t still taken aback by your involuntary confession last night. You had meant what you had said. He was an amazing lover but sometimes… you just weren’t feeling it but still didn’t want to disappoint him or let him down. A sigh escaped your lips.

“Come on, Trickster, let’s see what Santa brought.”

“Hold up.” Loki said. “Turn around for me.”

You raised your eyebrows, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. So you did as you were told and gasped when he forced you to bend over so your upper body came to rest on the bed again, your backside in plain view for him to admire.

“Hey! Loki!” You giggled during your weak protest, then bit your lower lip. Did he want to… now? Hmm… Christmas morning sex. Your heartbeat sped up as you wiggled your behind a bit, arousal already pooling between your legs.

You heard him chuckle behind you but instead of his hard cock at your wet entrance, you suddenly felt something hard and cold press against your back entrance.

“L-Loki…” You had tried toys of the like before, especially right before sex and you had enjoyed it very much but now was definitely not the time. You were about to head downstairs to the Christmas tree, exchanging presents and having a hearty breakfast with the Avengers, there was no way you were going to…

You gasped when he slid the clearly lubed plug into your rear, and it went in with little resistance. Loki knew your body so well it almost scared you. That, and you were already soaking wet and responsive to your butthole being pampered in such a way.

“Hmm… are we enjoying ourselves?” Loki mused, smirking as he led you over to the mirror to let you admire his work. The plug was a little bigger than what you were using for sex but still oddly comfortable to wear. What stood out the most to you, however, was the fact it was golden, with a green jewel attached to it and decorating your buttocks. “You are positively dripping, my dear.”

You bit your lower lip once more, mouth all of a sudden completely dry.

“It looks hot and beautiful at the same time.” You admitted, meeting his blue eyes in the mirror.

“Consider it a Christmas gift.” He said with a wink. Your eyes widened when he slid your comfy trousers back on and turned to leave the room.

“Hang on there. What are you doing?”

Loki tilted his head, playing innocent. “I am meeting my brother and his silly friends for Christmas.”

“W-what… oh my goodness. This is about last night, isn’t it? You want revenge, is that right?”

Loki smirked. “I have no idea what you are talking about, my love. Now… let us head downstairs, shall we?” You only glared at him in response, tensing up when his hand wrapped around your arm and stopped you in the threshold. “You will regret it dearly if you secretly try to take this out before I allow you to do so.” He hissed into your ear. Your walls clenched. This was certainly going to be your most interesting Christmas yet.

-

You had been right indeed. Crouching down to get the presents out from under the tree proved extremely difficult wearing a butt plug—at least, it proved extremely difficult to not moan in front of everyone.

Loki’s smirk never faltered, not even when he received your present and thanked you with a passionate kiss right in front of the Avengers. If only they knew… you had no idea what else Loki had in store for you once the two of you were alone again.

Christmas dinner posed as equally difficult. Sitting calmly at the table, enjoying the delicious turkey and treats and conversing without wiggling around like a child was nearly impossible. For the first time ever, you were glad when the festivities were over and you could finally retreat to bed, hoping that Loki would fuck your brains out before you fell asleep tonight.

You stood in front of him, arms akimbo when his clothes melted off of his body and he threw back the covers of the bed to get comfortable when you returned from the bathroom.

“Are you serious? Loki!”

“Oh dear… I almost forgot.” He lied, once again smirking like a cat that got the cream. “Lie down, little minx. Tell me, are you aching?” He teased, chuckling darkly.

“No!” You spat sarcastically, unable to hide your amusement. “I have been horny all day, you tease!”

“Have you now?” He was grinning now. Your heart skipped a beat when he snapped his fingers and then pointed at the bed for you to lie down. At this point, you did not even want to pretend to resist and be bratty for a bit.

Eager for your release (and knowing fully well this was his vengeance) you climbed on the mattress and gaped up at him with anticipation. But Loki took his time. Slowly and while eyeing you like a wild predator he joined in bed, tugging at your clothes in the process.

“Take them off.” He growled. You were panting when you did as you were told, all until you were completely naked except for the butt plug still snugly inside of your rear. A squeal escaped your lips when he lunged at you with a start, grabbing your hips and pulling you into a lying position. His scrutinising and downright lustful gaze never left yours as he sneaked his hand between your legs, right where you wanted him the most and dipped a finger in your folds.

“My… you are gushing.” You bucked your hips up against him, too impatient to listen to him talk dirty like that but his hand was already travelling upwards again, fingertips ghosting over your skin and leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. You gasped when he circled your left breast and played with your already hardening nipple until you were whimpering for him.

“Loki, please…” You begged, biting your lower lip to appear innocent. The God of Mischief chuckled.

“So desperate?” He uttered, fingers returning to your cunt. You shivered when his thumb ghosted over your clit, giving it a gentle stroke. You had been on edge all day it would not at all take you long to finally be granted your long-awaited relief, even less so when Loki buried two of his long fingers inside you without any forewarning, curling them to massage your g-spot and circling your impatient clit with his thumb. His fingers were magic. No, he was magic. If only the world knew what a skilled lover Loki was they would change their mind about him being a megalomaniac villain and shower him with affection and fanmerch instead.

Moaning, you threw your head back, meeting the thrusts of his digits by bucking your hips hungrily. Loki could tell you were close already. You were tightening around his fingers, your breathing so fast he feared you might lose consciousness.

A satisfied growl escaped his lips when you came, milking his fingers as endless waves of pleasure rolled over your body, making you moan his name. Only Loki did not stop once all the bliss slowly started to fade away, your clit complaining about the ongoing stimulation.

“Again. Now.” Loki growled.

“W-what?”

“I want another. How can I be sure you truly came, after all?” He mused. You groaned. So it was revenge after all. He knew exactly you had come.

“I d-did… w-what… I can’t… Loki… oh, fuck…” He knew you could. He knew your body could. Still fingering you relentlessly, he tossed you straight into another hot orgasm as his thumb returned to your clit. Your back arched, fingers digging into the bed sheets as you clenched rhythmically around his long digits. Heavens, it felt even more intense with the butt plug still snugly inside of you.

“L-Loki… stop… s-stop, please…” You breathed, unable to form a proper sentence.

“Oh no, my dear… you can give me one more. Just so I can be completely sure.” He replied hoarsely, knowing that you could take it and would react differently if you truly had enough. It was the mix of pleasure and your strong feelings for him that made your mind turn like a spinning wheel, unable to stop or escape the tornado of emotions and relentless bliss. So he kept going, tormenting your already overstimulated bundle of nerves until your toes curled.

“Don’t you ever dare fake an orgasm with me again.” He growled into your ear, his hot breath brushing against your skin. Pleasant shivers ran up and down your spine, yet you were unable to answer him. Instead, you wrapped your arms around him and dug your nails into his back, pulling his upper body closer to yours to urge him on, his name leaving your lips like a prayer as he brought you to a third orgasm making you see stars.

Panting, it took you quite a while to come down from your high again as Loki helped you ride out your climax before finally removing his now slick fingers and licking them clean with relish. When he made no move to position himself between your legs and get some relief himself, you let your head fall back into the soft pillows, making Loki chuckle.

“No falling asleep just yet, my love. Let me remove the jewel from that lovely behind of yours first.” Your eyes fell shut nonetheless, an acknowledging sound the only form of communication you could still muster as you let Loki gently take out the plug. You would have drifted off to sleep there and then, without a blanket, if Loki didn’t scoop you up like a cherished bride and wrapped you under the covers before cradling you in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, Loki.” You muttered, eyes still shut tiredly.

“Whatever for?”

“I never meant to offend you when I faked, I just wanted you to have your fun even when I wasn’t in the mood.”

“I know. Don’t lie to me again. Ever. There is no point for me to take pleasure from you if I am unable to return the favour.”

You smiled. You really had the most amazing boyfriend in the world. Well… which was probably because he was in fact, not from this world. No Christmas present could ever compete.

-

A/N: If you enjoyed this story, I would appreciate it so much if you considered supporting me on Kofi! It’s either for caffeine or red wine, I’ll take both. ko-fi.com/sserpente ♥

[txemrn]

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f! OC (Tatum Erikson)

Warning: language; pregnancy, premature labor and delivery discussion; infant abandonment; brief medical discussion; mention of drug use; innuendos, brief implications of sexting

AN Big thank you to our friends @openheartfanfics! Thank you for hosting this advent event, and for letting me be a part of it this year! Huge thank you to my partner-in-crime @kat-tia801 for pre-reading and encouraging me to finish strong! Ethan and Edenbrook belong to Pixelberry.

Merry Christmas! 🎅🏼🎄☃

----------

"Order 538. Order 538."

The salutations of the shopkeeper’s doorbell chimes a brief stillness into the indistinguishable chatter amongst the patrons at the Bostonian delicatessen. The popular ‘Ma and Pop’ shop mirrors the hustle of the rest of the city as everyone anxiously completes their last-minute holiday shopping.

Ethan Ramsey sends off a quick text message before adjusting his gloves and herringbone flat cap. He steps forward in the long line with his ticket.

“Cmon, people. 538– oh! Hey, Doc!” The restaurant owner's tone quickly changes as he greets his long-time customer. “Merry Christmas Eve to you!”

“And to you as well, Clyde,” Ethan curtly nods with a kind half-smile. “Is Ruth-Anne home with the children?”

Clyde leans in conspiratorially. “And my mother-in-law.” He rolls his eyes. “But, hey, what about you?" At that moment, a deli worker places Ethan's order on the counter: two giant brown paper bags with three trays of sandwiches and cookies. "You got enough food here to feed an army, an army that might include--" he clears his throat, "--a certain beautiful blonde doctor–?”

A warming pink swirls across Ethan’s cheeks as he avoids divulging his private life. “Feeding an army of labor and delivery workers. Yes–”

“Ah-ha–” clicks the old man’s tongue, “so part of this order is for a certain beautiful blonde doctor."

Stifling his wide grin, Ethan shifts his gaze to the door, fumbling with his wallet. “She's working a thirty-six, and I’m heading up to Providence in the morning, and, well, um–” Ethan turns back to a cheeky-smiling shop owner. “Yes,” he sighs, chuckling to himself as Clyde pounds his fist victoriously on his wooden workstation. “I will be seeing Dr. Erikson this evening--”

"Aww hey, that's great, Doc!" He tinkers a few buttons on his register as Ethan hands him his credit card. "She's quite gal, ain't she?"

Ethan looks down, fidgeting with a button to his winter coat, searching for a response. Finally turning his attention back to the owner, he nods his head, a soft, doting gleam pours over his countenance. "She's--" he tries to hide his smile, "--she's pretty great."

"Ahhh, I know that damn love-fool smile," jokes Clyde, handing Ethan his card. "Well, I think she's an absolute doll. I know she makes all our days brighter when she stops in for lunch." He staples several pieces of paperwork and receipts to the paper bags. "It's funny. When you placed this order the other day, I thought I recognized part of her usual--”

"Half pimento cheese, half turkey pastrami on marble rye--" both men said in unison, exchanging a knowing expression.

"But here," continues Clyde as he packs a cup of baked potato soup, adding it to one of the bags. Ethan tries to refuse the kind gesture, but the generous owner insists. "Trust me, Doc. We've been out of this soup for two weeks now." He puts the bowl in the bag. "Bring this to her," he leans in, lowering his voice. "Sleigh bells will be jingling." He winks as he stumbles into a gut-busting laugh.

Ethan shakes head, the redness returning to his cheeks as he rolls his eyes. He grabs his order before heading towards the door.

"Merry Christmas, Clyde," he smirks.

------

As a light dusting of snow begins to fall, Ethan makes it back to Edenbrook with the delectable food trays in tow. Overall, the hospital is fairly quiet; many workers have already left town for the holiday. Not having to wait for an elevator, he pushes the button for the Birthing Center, the lift quickly climbing to the fifth floor.

As he rounds the corner to the nurse's station, the silent hallway quickly fills with squeals as he sets down their Christmas Eve platters of treats.

"Dr. Ramsey! Is this for us?" Chimes in Wanda, an older charge nurse who has known the Chief since he was an intern. She slips an arm around his back, hugging him in appreciation. Other nurses crowd around Ethan, making small remarks of thankfulness as they start to dig into the sandwiches.

"Of course, this is for you ladies," he smiles cordially. "But first, I need your help with something." As the nurses and technicians give him a questioning look, a mischievous grin crawls across his face as he pulls out his cell phone, turning his attention to the doctor’s lounge.

------

Chewing on the side of her mouth, Tatum takes a deep, cleansing breath as she hovers her computer mouse over the email 'send' button. This was it: her very last electronic correspondence before Christmas. Monday morning would inevitably clutter her inbox, demanding for her attention. But for now, she is ready to enjoy the holiday--even though she would be spending it at the hospital.

As she watches a pixelated envelope fly across the screen into her outbox, she lets out a satisfactory sigh. She closes her computer, quickly flopping onto the twin size mattress in the on-call room. She toggles through her phone, and instantly starts blasting the screaming lyrics of Asking Alexandria. Her eyes fluttering shut, she feels the tension leaving her body as her joints begin to pop and relax.

Her music is suddenly interrupted with the chime of a text message. Sitting up on one of her elbows, a playful smirk creeps across her face as she turns to continue the conversation.

Tatum pauses; she raises an eyebrow before tenderly sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. Was he asking for a naughty picture?

She jumps up from the bed; after inspecting the empty lounge area outside of her room, she locks herself into the on-call room. She anxiously skips back to the bed where her phone is dinging again.

Tatum wiggles nervously as her eyes shift around the room. She decides to play along, rolling up her scrub pants to expose her Charlie Brown Christmas compression stockings. She lays back on the bed, propping her legs against the painted brick wall, nonchalantly crossing her ankles. She quickly snaps a photo, sending it to her boyfriend.

Tatum hangs her head in her hands, scoffing at herself. "What am I? Seventeen again?" It wasn’t a question of if she trusted Ethan; that was very much established when they decided to date again. And even though their intimacy met no boundaries, Tatum is painfully aware her body has changed since their days in medical school. But, he didn’t seem to even notice.

Blushing, she shimmies down her scrub pants, exposing her ruby red, lace thong with a tiny jingle bell on the front. She lays back, coyly posing with one knee bent and snaps another photo. Tatum giggles to herself, laying the phone on her chest waiting for his response. After about three minutes, her phone chimes.

Tatum furrows her eyebrows. Wow? That's it? She sets down her phone, relaxing back on her pillow. After a couple of minutes, she receives a text notification.

Tatum giggles mischievously to herself, kicking her legs jovially in the air. She stands up, tossing her phone on the bed as she pulls off her jacket, scrub top and undershirt. Undoing her messy bun, she tosses her head sultrily back and forth, her untamed blonde tresses falling over her shoulders. Biting her lip, she returns to her phone.

Tatum looks in the full length mirror on the back other door, and begins to laugh at her sweat-stained sports bra. This isn’t sexy. She removes the undergarment before returning to her bed. She grabs her phone, crawling onto her knees. She snaps a few random angles of herself in various vulnerable positions. She decides to test the waters and removes her underwear, taking a few clever shots with her hands positioned just right.

First, Tatum sends the pictures in her red panties.

Then, she sends her completely nude photos.

Tatum smiles cheekily to herself as she lays back on the bed. Her thoughts become consumed with Ethan, her body becoming thirsty for a taste of him. She’s eager to hear what he has to say, but she refrains from sounding too desperate; she knows he’ll take control in a moment like this.

Suddenly, Tatum’s pager begins to chime a high-pitched buzzing sound. She jumps up, grabbing the device and instantly recognizes the heart-stopping message: obstetrical code 9-1-1. As the on-call in-house physician, she is expected to be there within a few short minutes.

Fuck. Tatum searches for her underwear as her phone begins to ring.

“This is Erikson!” She grabs her scrub bottoms, and begins sliding them on by hopping on one leg. “I got the page–”

“We need you in triage bed two STAT!”

“Start two lines, and I’ll be right there Hello? Hello? Fuck!”

Tatum is pulling apart her undershirt from the scrubs, but they continue to tangle together. She finally turns to a shelf in the room that holds spare department scrubs with the hospital’s emblem stamped on them. The only problem is there were only two sizes left: extra-small and extra-extra-large.

She slips on the oversized shirt as she wiggles her feet into her clogs. As she dashes out of the room, she combs her hair into a messy bun, twirling a scrunchy haphazardly in her hair.

She jerks open the lounge door that leads her immediately into the labor and delivery hallway, when suddenly she is met with a familiar set of crystal blue eyes. Ethan. Her sprint turns into a stumble when a toothy grin spreads across his mouth as he waggles his eyebrows. Wanda and several of the other nurses have their mouths covered with their hands as they hold back their laughter. Tatum quickly crosses her arms, ensuring no one can see she is braless–and underwearless– in her scrubs.

“What’s wrong, Dr. Erikson?” Ethan titters, extending his arm to hug her. “You look like you were busy–”

Tatum slaps his arm away. “You asshole!” she yells, holding back a smile. “All of you are assholes!” She screams once more out of breath, but is quickly overcome by her own snickers and tears as she hunches over in disbelief of what just happened. “Were you out here the entire time we–?”

Ethan loosely crosses his arms, rocking on his feet. His smile remains bright–and guilty as he slowly nods his head. “Come here.” He steps forward, wrapping his strong, comforting arms around Tatum.

Tatum stands up straight in his embrace, naturally wrapping her arms around his waist. “I hate you,” she mumbles into his chest.

“I know,” he chuckles, resting his nose in her tousled hair. He begins to whisper sweet sentiments into her ear that only she can hear. A smile appears on her face as she begins to blush. She quietly takes Ethan’s hand, lacing her fingers with his, and excuses them to the physician’s lounge.

“Call me,” Tatum calls out over her shoulder, “ya’know? If any real emergencies come in,” she jokes, winking at Wanda.

—-------

The couple escapes to the on-call room inside the doctor’s lounge. As Tatum locks the door, Ethan paws at the hem of the large scrub shirt, gathering the excess fabric and exposing the skin on her back. The blonde physician spins around in his arms, meeting his lips passionately in a tender kiss.

"Mmmm," she purrs as his lips wander down her jaw, pressing her body against the door. Tatum's fingers gently rake through Ethan's hair, twirling his waves as he nibbles on her earlobe.

"Surprise," he jokingly whispers.

Tatum titters, wrapping her arms snuggly around his broad shoulders. "This--" she softly moans, "-- is, um, a perfect surprise," her eyes weigh heavily, words becoming more difficult as he strokes his tongue intimately on her pulse point. "I thought for sure I wouldn't see you until the day after--OH MY GOD!" Tatum abruptly squeals.

Ethan quickly let's go, looking around in a panic. "Wh-what? Are you okay--?"

"Did you seriously bring me Clyde's?" She interrupts, pushing past Ethan as she zeroes in on the paperbag resting on the bed. "And-and you brought some for the girls, too, didn't you?"

He innocently shrugs his shoulders as Tatum snuggles back into his chest. "My handsome Grinch," she chuckles as he rubs circles into her back. "You and your big heart--"

"Speaking of cardiomegaly," Ethan guffaws, "I need to show you something."

He turns to the brown paper bag, and begins to unpack it. He hands her the half pimento cheese, half turkey pastrami sandwich on marble rye.

"God, it smells heavenly!" She quickly unwraps the butcher paper to take a bite. "Mmmmm," she covers her mouth with a napkin, "Absolutely perfect."

Ethan nods, his mouth full with his toasted pastrami sandwich. "But you can't just eat a sandwich." He reaches back in the bag, pulling out the soup Clyde generously gave to Ethan for Tatum.

"Are you kidding me?" Tatum squeals. "But," she quietly scoffs in disbelief, "how did you--?"

Ethan winks, a crooked smile forming on his lips as he opens the bowl. "I know the owner," he jests. Dipping the spoon in the thick soup, he carefully feeds a taste to Tatum, barely making it in her mouth. Putting the food down on a nearby chair, Ethan pulls Tatum close, carefully kissing the sides of her mouth from erroneous drips of her meal.

Suddenly, Tatum's pager chimes. She raises an eyebrow to Ethan, but he innocently holds his hands up. With a giggle, she leans in for one last kiss.

"I'm sorry--"

"Hey, I'm just happy I got to see you--" his voice grows darker, more gravelly, "--all of you."

Tatum snickers, pulling on his collar for another kiss. "Thank you," she sneaks another peck on lips, "this was the perfect Christmas."

Tatum is met in the hallway with her staff running into a labor room.

"What've we got?"

"Antonia Davidson, 22 year old, G6P5--all preterm--"

"Did the patient tell you she's been pregnant six times and has had five preterm babies?"

"Yes, ma'am." Tatum motions for the nurse to continue with her report. "No prenatal care, LMP early June--"

"So, last menstrual period was in early June--" Tatum blankly stares at a wall, counting on her fingers, "--so we're dealing with a 26 to 28-weeker here." Tatum turns to another nurse in the room. "Call NICU STAT--"

"Already done, ma'am."

"Excellent. Do we have access yet?" Tatum looks to see if the healthcare team has started an intravenous line, but instead of seeing a simple mapping of veins, her face falls at the sight of her multiple track lines, signs of drug use.

As the labor team prepares the room for delivery, Tatum weasels her way into the chaos to talk with the patient.

"Ms. Davidson?" Tatum gently strokes the woman's clammy arm to get her attention. "Ms. Davidson?" She calls out louder. "Can you hear me?" Tatum grabs Wanda, "someone grab the Narcan; let's go ahead and give 0.4 milligrams." The charge nurse nods to the OB as Tatum grips onto the patient's hand. "Antonia? Can you hear me?"

The patient slowly starts wagging her head back and forth, her eyelids heavy. "M-m-make it stop!" She demands with the dry clicking of her tongue.

"Antonia? My name is Dr. Erikson, and I'm here to help you. What did you take--?"

"You think I do drugs, hrmm?" The patient suddenly screams. "Is that what you think, blondie?" She suddenly spits at Tatum as she begins to sit up in the bed. "Get this shit off of me!" She starts pulling at the monitors and her IV line. "All you doctors are the same, all privileged, thinking you can judge me!" She continues to snarl at the staff. "I'm going home if you're not going to help me!" Several nurses descend on the patient, attempting to keep the machines working. "You fucking bitches, get the fuck off me--"

"Ms. Davidson!" Roars Tatum. "No, ma'am! We are here to help you, but you will not disrespect me or my staff--"

"You're trying to kill me! Every one of you--" The disgruntled woman's face drops as she grabs her abdomen. She begins to grimace in pain, bearing down as her breathing quickens. "For fuck’s sakes, make it stop!"

Tatum quickly takes place between the patient's legs, but luckily nothing has delivered yet. She slips on her gown and gloves. As the patient visibly falls asleep, Tatum checks, noting that the baby's tiny head was close to crowning.

"I betcha she can do this without a contraction," Tatum whispers to the staff before focusing on the patient. "Antonia," Tatum calmly addresses the patient. "Can you hear me?"

The patient moans in response without opening her eyes.

"I want you to bear down in your bottom like you need to poop--"

Without moving, the patient follows suit and bears down, birthing the tiny two-pound baby into Tatum's arms. Hastily cutting the umbilical cord, she passes the infant to the nearby neonatal Healthcare team.

Tatum as well as the other nurses help straighten out the patient in bed. She remains asleep as they cover her with warm blankets. As soon as the patient was situated, the NICU was prepared to transfer the infant to their quarters.

"Does Mom want to--?"

Tatum quietly shakes her head as she watches the nurse practitioner lay the baby in a plastic isolette. "Wait," calls out Tatum. She slips on a glove while sneaking her hand into an arm hole of the crib.

"Hey, little one," Tatum smiles as his hand grips her fingertip. Tears collect in her eyes as she watches her colleagues assist with his breathing. She analyzes his tiny features, his dainty nose and rosy lips.

"We better get moving, Dr. Erikson."

Tatum nods. "Well, little one, let's see what kind of fight you got." She hopefully grins, pulling her hand out of the isolette. The obstetrician turns to Wanda. "Call me when Antonia wakes up. No pain meds for now."

Before they could respond, Tatum leaves the room, scurrying quickly down the hall to the locker room in the physician’s lounge.

Turning on the shower, Tatum crumbles to pieces, unable to control her sobs. She has delivered unfit mothers with tiny, premature babies just like Ms. Davidson hundreds--if not, thousands of times before tonight. But for some reason while it's supposed to be the most joyful time of the year, celebrating the birth of a baby under these kind of conditions seems more tragic than usual.

Her thoughts are interrupted with a soft knock on the door. "Tate? It's me."

He waited. "Just a minute, Ethan," she calls out to her boyfriend in a shaky voice. She quickly washes off her skin before wiping away her tears. Turning off the hot water, she wraps herself into a plush towel from home. She walks into the locker room where Ethan is patiently waiting.

"Hey," he softly calls to her, reaching his hand out to grab hers, gripping lovingly as he pulls her to his side. Tatum sat down next to him, resting her head on his chest as he wrapped a comforting arm around her body. "Wanda told me."

"Yeah?" She turns her attention to Ethan's empathic gaze, a tear streaming down her cheek. "Did she--" she clears her throat, dabbing her face with the back of her hand. "--did she say anything about the baby?"

Ethan sighs, squeezing Tatum tighter. "I'm sorry, Tate. So, sorry--"

"Tell me."

Ethan rests his chin on Tatum's head. "He's severely hypoglycemic, and he started having seizures. They're waiting on a CT scan, but Tate," he stops himself, reaching for her hand with his, but she pulls away.

"He's not going to make it through the night, is he?" A single tear strolls down Tatum's nose followed by another one. And then another one. She stands up, pacing the room as she rubs her forehead and temples. "It's just not fair," she whispers. "And of all days-- fuck."

"Dr. Erikson?" Wanda gently taps on the door, "we have a situation."

"C'mon in, Wanda," Tatum opens the door as she fetches a new pair of scrubs for herself. "What's going on?" She shouts out from the on-call room.

"Ms. Davidson just left AMA."

“She left AMA?” Tatum quickly pops her head back into the locker room, snapping her bra into place. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Even though she knows she can’t keep people in the hospital against their will, it irritates Tatum when patients disregard their own health and medical care.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but she just pulled everything and left. Wouldn't listen to anyone--"

Tatum slips on a ribbed undershirt, before throwing her arms around the older nurse. "You have no reason to be sorry." She tenderly strokes her back. "I'm sorry you and your staff had to deal with that tonight. Can you make sure you document well--?"

"Already on it." She smiles kindly as she leaves the room.

Tatum slips on a scrub top before reaching out for Ethan's hand. "Want to meet him?"

Tatum and Ethan slip in quietly to the NICU to check on the premature baby boy. They watched as the team carefully inserted another IV line. High-pitched bells and whistles sounded as his vital signs fluctuated. His tiny body is trying its best; but unfortunately, he wasn't reacting to the various medications.

"It's just not fair," Tatum softly whispers to Ethan as she watches the baby's abdomen rise and fall with the respiratory machine. "He's alone, and in the fight of his life." Tatum stifles a sob as her breath hitches in her chest. Her voice becomes even more quiet. "He's never even been loved before." After a few silent moments, Tatum clears her throat. "I better head back to the unit," Tatum whispers, "and you have a long, early morning drive." Ethan runs his fingers through his hair, but finally nods.

Hand-in-hand, they quietly return to the on-call room to pack up Ethan's things. Tatum crawls into bed, adjusting the blankets around her.

"I can stay--"

"No, no," she smirks. "I'm just being more sensitive today about this because of the holiday. I'm fine--"

"How about--" Ethan conspiratorially shakes a knowing finger, "--you open your Christmas gift? You know, for some cheering up." He hands her a flat, skinny square-shaped present, wrapped poorly with Ethan's questionable creative-ability.

"Ethan," she smiles, "I wish I would've known we were going to do our exchange tonight--"

He waves away her concerns as he sits on the side of her bed. "Go ahead. Open it."

Ripping into the paper, Tatum's breath suddenly catches in her chest as tears gather in her eyes. "Oh, Ethan, I--" her words are lost into her sobs. In her arms, she held her own copy of The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas.

"You said you always wanted it," he chuckles. "I think even Trevor told me once how badly you wanted it."

Biting her lip, she gingerly traces the outline of the dog on the front cover. "I used to check it out at the library right before Christmas break so I could have it for an extra few days," she snickers at her innocent antics. Hugging the Little Golden Book tightly to her chest, Tatum mouths the words 'thank you' to Ethan.

He tenderly cups her face, drying her tears with his thumbs. He leans in, kissing her forehead before kissing her supple lips. "Get some rest," he combs her hair behind her ear before kissing her once more.

"I will," she kisses his hand before he stands up. "Hey, I don't want anything to happen to this," she hands him the children's book. "Can you take it home?"

He nods as he puts it away in a bag. "Night, Tate," he turns off the light.

----------

It was a quiet Christmas Eve. In a sheer panic that she had missed a page, Tatum woke up from a deep four-hour nap. Stepping out onto the floor, she visited with the floor nurses, all of which ensured her that the night had been rather calm after Ms. Davidson had left.

"Oh, good news, Dr. Erikson," calls out Wanda. "Our 28-weeker stopped seizing."

"What?" A joyous grin blossoms across the physician’s mouth. "Seriously?"

"Yes, ma'am. Vital signs are stabilizing. He just might make it after all."

Tatum can barely hide her excitement, bouncing on her heels. "Thanks for the update, Wanda. I'm going to go check on him." Biting her lip, Tatum begins to jog down the hallway to the NICU, eager to witness her very own Christmas miracle.

As Tatum drew closer to the infant's room, she could hear something--rather someone familiar. And to the swelling of her heart, his gravelly, baritone voice was reciting lines from a book she knew like the back of her hand. Taking in the moment, Tatum rested her forehead against the doorframe, cherishing not only her Christmas miracle of a baby, but treasuring the big heart that was Ethan Ramsey.

"...Poky tore open his package. 'My boot!' He cried happily. 'And it's all shiny and clean!'..."

Tatum softly raps on the door before tip-toeing inside the room. As she looks up, her gaze is met with the most endearing sight: Ethan had his shirt unbutton, holding the premature infant securely on his chest, his skin completely exposed to the baby's skin.

Ethan stops reading, and nervously tries to explain himself. "I've read more than enough of your articles about kangaroo care and the importance of skin-to-skin contact. So, I asked if we could give it a shot." He offers Tatum a crooked smile. "He might be in the fight of his life--"

"--but at least he won't be alone," Tatum finishes the thought, her eyes glistening. She pulls a chair to Ethan, leaning in close to kiss his shoulder.

"They said that he's starting to improve," he smirks, staring deeply into her blue eyes. "CT came in about an hour ago, and this little guy has not one brain bleed."

"What?" Tatum gasps. "You're kidding me."

There's a sudden twinkle in Ethan’s eye as he looks down at the cradled baby.

She runs her hand behind Ethan's ear and down his neck. "Thanks to you."

He reaches over, stealing a sweet kiss from Tatum.

"Thanks to us."

---------

PERMA

@ao719 @charlotteg234 @chemist-ana @foreverethereal123 @issabees @jerzwriter @kat-tia801@khoicesbyk @lovelyladyk88 @lucy-268 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @peonierose @schnitzelbutterfingers @sfb123 @shannonwrote @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

TATHAN

@burnsoslow

[dramioneasks]

Hello! I really like your blog and appreciate your hard work. I saw your post where you ranked a lot of ff tropes, and I saw the huddle-for-warmth. Are there any ffs where D and H need to share bodyheat? I'm dying to know. Thank you xxx

The Watergaw by ectoheart, smokybaltic - E, 10 chapters - In the middle of a war, Hermione is stuck in the middle of nowhere. With Draco Malfoy. Without her friends, her magic, or her books, she has only her wits to rely on to survive her plight- to say nothing of her company. They've declared a truce, but somehow Draco keeps slipping past all her defences. Stranded together in the wilderness, Hermione and Draco are in for cold nights, endless snark, bad wine, and some interesting scars.

The Dumbing Down of Love by inadaze22 - T, one-shot - Hermione is an expert at foiling Draco's plans.

Après Ski by scullymurphy - M, 3 chapters - Ginny's let a ski chalet in Switzerland for a pre-Christmas weekend with friends. It's beautiful, cozy and festive, but there aren't enough beds, which means Hermione and Draco will (reluctantly) have to share. And then, of course, they get snowed in...

Snow Fall by senlinyu - M, one-shot - The first holidays married should be perfect. If only it weren't for all those pesky social obligations that are almost impossible to get out of. “We have to go very slowly,” she says, fighting to keep her voice even and biting back a moan. “To stay warm—” Her voice breaks off in a gasp as he caresses her just the way he knows she likes it. She pulls his hand away and pushes him down until she’s on top. “You can’t just grope me indiscriminately,” she says with mock severity. “ I have to show you how it’s done. There’s a specific technique to all this.” He narrows his silver eyes as he stares up at her, pale skin and hair gilded with firelight. “Yes. This appears to be extremely scientific.” DHr Advent 2020.

Coldfire by Maurauve - M, 2 chapters - Hermione needs to get across the shores. She's had visions of the Iceman, and knows that he is destined to die there unless she follows him there and keeps him from being murdered. DRAMIONE VIKING AU

- Lisa

[rebloged-content]

Recommended Sanders Sides creators

Marry Christmas, everyone! And a wonderful December day to all of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, too. Let’s be honest right off the bat, though: I’m only using the date as an excuse to do this list anyways.

So. Throughout the time I’ve spent as a part of this wonderful corner of the sanders sides fandom over here on tumblr, I’ve often found a new creator and wished I’d found them sooner. It kind of makes me wonder who else I might miss. If you do to, here are a few creators I’d love for you to check out. You’ll probably recognize some of the names, if not all, but maybe you’ll find a new favorite creator here?

And to the creators in question, I really love your content. If you’ve made it onto this list, you’ve definitely cause one or two sleepless nights of reading for me, because who needs sleep if I can have this, right? XD Whatever you’ll find written next to your name is the impression you’ve left on me and… Well, just know that you’ve made some days of my life at least a little happier, all of you. And I hope to repay the favor by telling you how much I appreciate you releasing your content into this world… Well, repay the favor at least a little, I suppose.

Let’s begin, then, shall we?

@5am-the-foxing-hour Because this? This is who you go to if you want to read good Janus-content. You are in a mood to read sympathetic Janus? Wanna see the danger noodle just casually interact with other sides? Go to their short stories. I mean, “the cult”? Prime example of how to tell a story with impact in just a few words. 8 paragraphs, but boy did I read that one on repeat. Or “water spray bottle”, this one is fun, short and will make you laugh. An energy drink for the fander heart, so to say.

Then there’s their mafia-au, “there’s more in me than precious metals”. Six are out so far, and I adore every single word of every single part of this. Protective Remus, sassy Janus, angst, comedy relief, destruction, Roman-Remus-sibling-rivalry, braincell Logan, survival instinct Virgil, working together over a common enemy… This fic has it all, believe me. Take your time and read it, because you will read the entire thing in one go once you start. At least I did, and I didn’t even notice.

And their advent writings? Those had me squealing and jumping around in a way I will deny if anyone ever sees it. I don’t even know what else to say, they are fucking fantastic and that’s that.

So, yeah. Go check them out, before I start fangirling about them even more. You know my personal favorites now, so just go there. You won’t regret it.

Next up is @coconut-cluster. Ah, yes, Lexi. Lexi, whose uni-AU started as self indulgent and has become the loceit story on tumblr. We all know her, or at least most of us do, and we all love her too. And while I also drop everything I do at any point of time I possibly can once I realize the uni-au has any form of new addition, there are a lot of other fics created by her that you should check out as well.

Did you, for example, ever want a sappy prinxiety one-shot with the sappiness only being implied, a mutual understanding of “we’re-not-saying-we-care-but-we-both-know-we-do” born from joking reassurances and a not-a-date-nope-only-a-break? While that may seem to be a tall order, that is exactly what “before the sun goes down” is. Plus there’s ice cream. Or maybe you’re more of a logince fan? Do you want a fic where Roman isn’t the prince but serves His Highness? Do you like sincere talks while you’re procrastinating showing your face to the subjects you don’t really want to rule over? In that case, you really should read “Viva la Vida”. Careful, though, this one is so sweet you’ll probably get a toothache… There also is an analogical fic that I’ve enjoyed very much: “Cracks in the Ceiling”. I love it, because it’s just calm. Fears creeping up on you, thrown away by a trusted friend with a few words, just by being there and playing into the metaphors you head created this time around. It’s calm, and there’s not really a climax or anything, but it doesn’t need one. Because it’s just a glance into everyday life. It’s beautiful in its own right, really.

What I’m saying is, Lexi has a lot more wonderful stories to tell than the uni-au. It’s the most popular one, sure, and it’s one of her best works. But you really should check out her other fics as well. Lexi herself once said that she writs fics she’d like to read. I would figure it’s because of this, but her stories are mostly things you don’t really find anywhere else. Dynamics, stories, world building, all of those are aspects you may find somewhere else. But Lexi is just one of those people who see what they miss in a fandom and create it themselves, and among these creators Lexi is my favorite. She just has that certain skill that makes that approach to writing result in the most enjoyable reading experiences. Lexi’s fics are special, because they’re different, because they are authentic and you can feel that when you’re reading her work.

@djpurple3 is another talented individual I want to talk about. I have to confess, DJ is, as far as original content goes, almost exclusively locked in my brain with the fiction “I just keep loosing my beat”. 23 Chapters so far, one better than the last. It’s a bitter-sweet story following Remus and his children, after the bitch of a mother has been brought behind bars. Abusive piece of shit. Yeah, I don’t like her much. But the story is so full of love and support, everyone trying their best, everyone seeing how much the others deserve the world and wishing they could give it to them… Roman and Remus have a sibling-dynamic I would die for here, too. Patton is just the most adorable friend to Deceit - here Damion - Virgil is a precious bean, Logan is cute and the teacher we all wish he’d had ourselves and… god, I could keep gushing about this fic forever. I’ll stop now, though, before I’ll start spoiler things. Wouldn’t want to do that, especially since I really, really, really want more people to give this a go. It’s not underrated, I just think everyone who doesn’t is missing out by a lot, so… Go over there and read DJ’s fic right fucking now, if you haven’t already read it at least once. Thank you.

@delimeful​, our wonderful lime-friend with a cute cat making a terrifying face in his header. First of all, there is the WIBAR universe, short for “Watch it burn and rust”. 5 chapters in act one, 4 intermissions (one of those with three chapters), one chapter of act two, as well as three extras and an au of this au called “the end of being alone”, and I’ve lost count of how many nights I spent reading those instead of sleeping like I should. (Or interacting with family. Or being productive. Or… It’s really a good story, okay?!) WIBAR is a deathworlder au. So a space au in which humans are regarded as dangerous deathworlders who can survive on a deathworld like earth. In other words, Virgil is the only human, and boy does that scare everyone around him. And the best part? You can feel the development, the shift in mentality regarding Virgil, feel the moment approach in which he isn’t a threat but a companion instead.

And, apart from the fic that inspired me enough to start writing “TINND!R?” over on my writing blog, there are a lot more amazing fics to read on lime’s blog. He wrote “How easy you are to need”, for example. It’s soft, it pulls at just the right heartstrings, it’s achingly hopeful and, god, the ending still has me in tears, even after the fifth - ? sixth? something among those lines - reread. This one’s a werewolf au, actually. Virgil is the werewolf, Logan, Patton and Roman are the humans.

Do you want yourself some of that pre-AA dynamic? I’d recommend “to taste your beating heart”. In this, Virgil gets separated from the rest of his group of vampire hunters and gets turned into a vampire himself, loosing his memories. And he’s “Anx” now, not “Virgil”, goddamnit! He isn’t their friend anymore, why don’t they understand that? Well, probably because they can still see Virgil’s old habits shining through. There’s a lot of tension, a lot of angst and a whole lot of frustration involved in this.

He also wrote some amazing one-shots. They’re mostly so well written that I’m almost sad not to be waiting on a continuation. There’s “the littlest mermaid”, in which Virgil goes to investigate a noise, finding a scared, tiny mermaid in need of help. In “community gardens” we have Remus being Remus, gaining the interest and friendship of the forest’s giant Logan. “Magical mutualism” tells the tale of a witch and a demon making a pact beneficial to both parties and opening the doors neither could have gone beyond alone. The way we’re all confused about our ships not actually having set sail yet comes to a hight in Virgil in regards to his friends in “amateur matchmakers”. And this is the point at witch I stop talking before I actually recommend every single one of lime’s fics instead of just my favorites as I had planed because I started to gush too much… XD

Let’s move on to @muppenthings​. Mupp is an amazing artist and she created a giant mermaid au. There’s this one orca who’s just… We love her, but I actually don’t think she’s the brightest. I really, really love her, though. Virgil himself is being a little protective over his human friends and casually so. I love this comic series for the art style, but I also love the way it makes me crack a laugh at least once per work. Or appeal to my mother-instincts, if it’s about baby Virgil. Too cute for his own good, I tell ya! And the facial expressions! The detail, the jokes, everything about this is wonderful. You should at least take a look.

@whenisitenoughtrees​. Cat got me with “This cup of yours tastes holy (This lie is dead)”. “A slow voice on a wave of phase” was next, later “Infinity and beyond”, “we are not alone in the dark with out demons” and “changing of the guard”. And then, suddenly, the night was over. I’ve read almost all of the fics in one go, and I’ve been semi-frequently visiting her master post ever since. When “There’s an endless road to rediscover” came out just a little while back, that lead to me re-reading through almost the entire list. I don’t regret it, my plans for that weekend would like to disagree.

These six fics I mentioned here are, by no means, the only ones I enjoyed. Those are just the ones I’ve found myself opening up again and again in sleepless nights. Those are the ones that pop up in my head and have me smiling to myself in the middle of god-knows-whatever-I’ve-been-doing-at-the-time.

Angst, fluff, hurt-comfort, you’ll find everything in that list. And something I’ve grown to like about Cat’s fics even more than anything else is the quick change between feeling perplexed, a startled laugh at certain wordings (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it) and apprehension. These fics will have you at the edge of you seat, swooping you away on an emotional roller coaster. And, god, the way Cat writes from Remus’ perspective? The introductions of her stories and the way she redirects to the main topic after going into detail on something? I saved a few paragraphs as screenshots on my phone because I love them and I want to read them again when I’m down. I just… Cat’s great.

Next up is @eliemo. Because Elias Virgil is the royalty of Virgil angst. From the touch-starved Virgil we’ve all had a head cannon of at one point in “Heart of Ice”, over ace Virgil panicking over telling his boyfriends that he his ace and didn’t think to tell them before in “Love our way” to so, so much more.

Mostly EV follows the story arc of an underlying feeling of dread at the beginning, which slowly grows into panic, exploding in a storm of angst and concludes in everyone, or at least whoever is around, coming to the rescue and helping to calm down, with the end being the hope for getting better in the future. They always manage to convey the confusion, fear or just the general thought process so well that you can’t help but get absorbed in the story. They know exactly what to say and what to leave between the lines to get the maximum effect. And, your heart will definitely be shattered after their angst. Still, the way the sides comfort each other and support each other so well every time is just… I love their stories, a lot.

I want to make two more suggestions if you want to check out this creator. A Janus angst fic, which can only be described as “ouch” you’ll find under the name “snake bite”. It hurts in the best way possible, because Janus gets the comfort he deserves.

The other suggestion gets a lot darker. It’s about Virgil having been abused by the “others” before he got accepted into the light side. The others are shocked to find out what has gone on behind their backs and they help Virgil in every way they can to recover. Of cause it’s a rocky path, though. This would be “Learned Behavior”. The series/au has twelve stories so far, one of which has two parts. You’ll find the master post for this pinned to the top on their blog.

If you like angst, you should also give @maybedefinitely404​ a look. Ly has a soulmate-au going, in which they use the concept of “you hear the music your soulmate listens to”. "Music in my head” is a prinxiety fic, but the two of them have yet to meet. Four chapters and two mini-fics in. The reason I mentioned angst is because in this - spoiler alert for the first few chapters here - , Virgil gets put through conversion therapy. Luckily Janus and Logan are better foster parents than the ones who did that to him.

They also have a master list for all their soulmate stories, featuring different ships. Apparently they participated in soulmate month, if I understood that correctly. And to be honest, that was how I even found their account. I absolutely adore their anxceit fic, which takes place in a human au. It’s starting off pretty sad, but the bonding moments are absolutely wonderful. It’s a lovely story, and the ending is one of the best ones I’ve yet to read. Their logince fic took my breath away, too. A flower shop/tattoo artist au, and Logan is the tattoo artist. Stunning writing, wonderful world building, just the right amount of backstory to have everything make sense without overwhelming/drowning the reader in unnecessary details. Their moxceit fiction… Well, this one had me in tears within the first few paragraphs. It’s terrible and you feel for Janus, whose perspective this is written from. The ending, though… Gods! The ending was so indescribably cute. To be honest, all of the soulmate stories are great, these three are just my personal favorites.

Concerning their one shots, you’ll probably have to figure it out on your own concerning this. I haven’t been able to read all of them yet, as sad as that makes me. Definitely palling on doing it in the future, though. I did read two of them, though. “Pippity poppity” really was amusing, and I am so looking forward to the second part of “The Boy who sings next door”. The way they write the dynamics between the sides? I live for that.

Another creator I would like to recommend is @maybe-im-tired.They don’t have a master post, as far as I could see, but they only post their content anyways, so… “Can’t take my eyes off of you” is my favorite out of their fics so far. I mean, the way they managed to fit the sheer chaos that is intrulogical into this one short fic is amazing. And you could take about two thirds of what Remus said and put it up on your wall as out-of-contexts-quotes. Don’t worry, he says them out of context anyways, and they will definitely make you laugh. 

The series of short stories for the human au that starts with “Glowing stars” is another au by them that you will almost certainly like. We have Logan and Virgil as kids (about 7 I think), Remus and Patton as single parents, Roman as the most adoring uncle, Emile as babysitter and Remy as his amazing partner. Remus is a great father, wonderfully chaotic as well. And a teacher! Imagine that, Remus as your teacher... He’s great with kids though, as long as they aren’t entitled villains come to make his precious Virgil feel bad, that is.

They also wrote a bunch of “random one shots”. They are all amazing, but my favorite has to be this one. It’s a logince one, once again human au. Patton may or may not tell his big brother’s crush about the feelings he wasn’t prepared to share yet. You know, as small kids do. It’s soft, it will make you smile as much as Logan does, and I love Remus in it. I generally like how they write Remus, okay? I know how much I’ve said it, but I’m not even exaggerating. They always write him differently, and all versions they write him as are so, so lovable and just… I wanna hug the life out of all Remus versions they wrote, okay? Take a look, you’ll know why.

Anyways. Let’s continue with @figurative-siren-song. This is the last account I’ve followed and I’m still sad about it having taken me this long to find them. Little salty, to be honest. (I’ll stick to they/them because they said just not to use she/her, and, well… consistency, you know? Don’t have much, so I have to get what I can XD). When I finally did find them, I went through their entire master list (at least all of the ships with characters I actually know. I’m kinda bad with the shorts characters, so I usually just… avoid them? Idk. Personal preference, I guess), and, well… I would honestly recommend every single fic on that list. They call themself “Repair Fluff King™️” and they deserve that title. But when they warn you that a fic will be angsty, it will be angsty.

I found them through the anxceit fic “A Deal”. Well, through an animatic by their friend on youtube that had linked the fic, but details. I’ve been reading this fic up and down again and again. It’s just so good! And when they talk in the second part and Janus explains why he proposed that deal. Or in the continuation, which i can’t talk about because I will probably spoiler things! So wholesome!

 Also, their losleepxeity fic “We’re worth it”. So soft! The nicknames, the plot, the everything. It’s softer than clouds look, and we all know that means something.

But, really. Everyone will find something for them by this creator. So many ships, all incredibly well written, and soft and fluffy without getting boring in the slightest. It’s as energizing as coffee, actually. And, let’s be honest, this whole fandom drowns itself in angst most of the time. Take a break from that, repair your broken hearts with goof fluffy content that you’ll want to read over and over again. Go check this creator out. You will love them. 

Last but not least… @myfriendsasthesides​ A blog by a creator who just takes the wonderfully chaotic dynamics of a friend group and using that to give us content of incorrect sides quotes. Maybe it doesn’t fit with me going on and on about fics here. I don’t care. Follow them and turn on those notifications, please, because seeing even one post of theirs on your dashboard will make your day. It’s funny, it’s absurd, it’s chaotic, it’s making you jealous of them for having friends like that. Believe me, you will want to see those posts. It’s just… the random shots of serotonin and dopamine out generation needs really fucking desperately 100% of the time. 

That’s it with the list! Eleven creators I absolutely adore, and I’m sorry I was babbling so much all the way through, but… Well, actually I’m not sorry. And actually, half of the reason I even made this post is to tell them how much I love them and fangirl about them a bit. So… Yeah. Well.I love you guys and hope you’ll have a wonderful day! And to everyone else reading this: I hope this helped you ind some new creators you can enjoy. And a good day to you too, of cause.

Sincerely, Joy 🖤

(@joylessnightsky/@sanders-sides-fic)

[aconstantstateofbladerunner]

That whole christmas post reminded me of the time I learned that shops are open on sundays in other countries (my country is heavily culturally catholic) and that really gave me another perspective. Also, big Yes to the christmas oversaturation. It's not as bad as in the US here and I'm already Done. Advent is already four weeks and that's far more than enough pre-party (and even that ammount can barely be excused. What do you people even DO in that time? You don't even have advent markets!)

It sucks because my favorite part of the holiday season is all the decorations everywhere, but them showing up too early too much makes me get sick of them faster, and i can’t stand most other parts like extra obnoxious commercials and the ‘joy on earth’ posturing from the worst people i know. And this is coming from someone who is a cultural Christian. I can only imagine the slog this time of year is for people who aren’t Christians, cultural or otherwise, and the dread of seeing it creep up earlier every year.

[todaydreambelieversfic]

Author Spotlight: Redheadgleek Day 4

Author: @redheadgleek​

What other Glee Fandom authors do you enjoy? Can you recommend some of your favorite fics?

I read so much fanfic so it's really impossible for me to chose favorites and we have so many good writers still active in this fandom. I'm going to give you 5 classic fics that I return to over and over and 5 new fics that everybody should read. (I'm already feeling so much guilt over leaving out so many that I consider my favorites).

The Classics:

1) A Nation of Two by Zoneviled - It was one of the very first Klaine fics I ever read and it's still one that I return to. I love the insecurities and just how "high school" it feels and it's one of the "Blaine transfers to Mckinley" fic, but it twists it by doing it when they were still doing the pre-dating dance.

2) Near Misses by flaming_muse. It's a classic, but I still remember how much it moved and gutted me when I read it. Also check out her episode reaction fics as they always had additional insights into the glee world.

3) Scholars and Gentlemen by MaryFlanner is one of the best fics that I have ever read in fandom, hands down. The exploration of grief still guts me and the words are pure poetry.

4) Do I read every Star Trek AU that this fandom produces? Yes. And do I love them all? Also yes, but this one especially because of how well it fits into canon too. All I Ask is a Tall Ship by AntarcticBird.

She also wrote my hands down favorite story of Jesse being an annoying roommate in What Are the Odds. (I'm also a sucker for every Harry Potter AU and movie AUs and did I mention that I love AUs?)

5) Villiageidiot's fic are some of my favorite humor fic in fandom. The bro code (and Blaine Anderson's guide to breaking it) always has me in stitches.  

(And I'm always on the look out for a copy of one of my favorite series of all time, called the Most!Verse by miggy, which was a gen fic exploring Kurt and Rachel's friendship in New York and was written before Blaine was really a character. Sadly, it's been deleted, but I would give anything to read it again. So message me if you happen to have a copy of it.)

Newer stuff:

1) @klaineanummel​ writes some of the most intriguing AUs that I have ever read. I am drawn into every one of their stories. I highly rec Story of My Life which they wrote for Klaine Advent (I know!) and Eighteen Going on Extinct to get you started.

2) @kuhlaine​ is a new writer in fandom and their stories are stellar AUs that are absolutely captivating in their world building. I recommend One More Day is Not Enough.

3) You all are reading @darriness​'s A Fic A Day series, yes? Which is her second month of writing fic every day, on top of the year where she wrote fic every day, and the times when she wrote fic every day for Klaine Advent. Plus the stories are cute and sweet and just what every day needs.

4) @byebyeblainey​ is another new writer. Her fic about a famous Kurt running into middle school teacher Blaine was delightful. Go read it: When Are You Going to Sing For Me.

5) @gleekto​'s Even Better Than The Real Thing just completed and was a really delightful Famous!Blaine dating an unknown superfan!Kurt romp.

Also, check out all of the excellent stories written for the Blaine Big Bang and Glee Potluck Big Bang. So many good stories that I'm still making my way through.

Five WIPs that I'm currently reading:

1) @spaceorphan18​'s Chasing Pavements (fake dating!) and The Spaces In Between (all about Kurt!).

2) @slayediest​'s Anderson's Ghosts which is just the perfect combination of spooky Christmas AU.

3) @kuhlaine​'s latest WIP  Summer Fling Don't Mean a Thing which is a perfect summer escape.

4) @dizzywhiz When The Night is Over. A faking dating fic? Yes please.

5) It's only updated once or so a year, but the wait is always worth it.That's How You Know by @afterthenovels is the perfect Enchanted AU. I love every bit of it - please read and leave a comment of encouragement.

[lady-divine-writes]

Klaine Advent Drabble 2020 - “Up in the Air” (Rated PG13)

Summary: Kurt is heartbroken after his plans for a romantic Christmas with Blaine are demolished when he gets locked into a flight he'd been trying to switch. Blaine reassures him that it will be okay, that they'll have their romantic celebration when Kurt's feet are back on the ground. But is Blaine possibly hiding a secret that just might sweep Kurt off his feet? (1638 words)

Notes: Written for the @klaineadvent Drabble Challenge 2020 prompt 'join'.

Read on AO3.

“Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!” Kurt grumbles, rushing down the corridor that leads to his gate with his carry-on in tow and his heart pounding, trying to give off the impression that he’s not rushing.

Appearance is everything in the flight attendant game.

He was supposed to get an hour sit before this flight, but the one he was on was late by close to forty-five minutes! He has roughly a minute-and-a-half to reach his destination, covering the distance of two football fields, and that’s not the crappiest part of his day.

“Pick up pick up pick up pick up! Blaine! Ugh!” 

This is the fifth time he’s tried to get a hold of his boyfriend to tell him the bad news. Try his hardest, he couldn’t trade this flight out for one that leaves after the holiday.

His plans to join Blaine for a romantic Christmas have officially been canceled. 

“Pick up pick up pick up pick up,” he chants as he checks in with security and heads for the boarding area. 

“You’re late,” his friend Monica teases.

“I had three seconds to make it here from the complete other side of the airport,” he replies with a forced smile for the waiting passengers. The flight attendants can get away with making snide remarks as long as they keep a smile on their faces.

“At least you did it in flats!"

"Wah wah wah," Kurt teases back, giving Blaine’s number one last try before he'll need to turn off his phone and stow it away for the duration.

He's in for a long night - a soul-crushing series of flights, each one taking him farther and farther away from the man he loves.

Finally, Blaine picks up. 

“Hey! Kurt! I was hoping you’d call!”

He sounds eager, Kurt thinks. Shit! “Hey.”

“Are you okay? It sounds like you've been running.”

“I have.” Kurt stops in the crook of the tunnel, out of sight from both doorways, to catch his breath. He has one precious minute before he has to perform his pre-flight checks with the crew. And here he is, spending it breaking a wonderful man’s heart. “Look …” He squeezes his eyelids tight, on the verge of frustrated tears “… I’m sorry, Blaine. It’s not going to happen.”

A moment of confused silence. Then realization. “Oh, no! Shoot!”

“I warned you there was a four percent chance it actually would. It’s impossible to make plans over the holidays. It would have taken a miracle.”

“Yes, but, Christmas is the time for miracles.”

“I know, I know,” Kurt says in a shaky voice. “Don’t make me feel worse than I already do.”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Blaine says in a soothing voice. “I understand.”

“I know you do.” Kurt sniffles, pulling a handkerchief from his inside jacket pocket and dabbing under his eyes before they can get puffy. “It’s just … I know how I am. I’m the clingy, jealous type. I want to see you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I don’t want you to resent my work. Or me.”

“Kurt, I could never resent you! I knew what I was getting into. This is one trip you couldn’t switch, and I understand why. This is just a hiccup. That’s all.”

“A hiccup on one of the most important holidays of the year.”

“There will be plenty of time after the holiday rush for us to spend together. I’ll see you soon. We’ll lie in bed together, hold each other in our arms, and it will be better again. You’ll see.”

Kurt nods in response even though Blaine can’t see. “I’m trusting you.”

“I appreciate that.”

Kurt hears footsteps hurry down the ramp, Monica whispering, “Hurry up, Kurt! We have to go!” as she passes. He watches her disappear around the corner and onto the plane. He sighs. “I love you, Blaine.”

“I love you, too. Have a good flight.”

“I will,” Kurt chokes out, blowing a kiss into the phone. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

Kurt hangs up and shoves the phone into his pocket. He grabs the handle of his carry-on and continues on his way. Halfway down the ramp, his phone buzzes in his pocket. Before he even takes it out to check it, he knows it’s a message from Blaine.

He should have waited until he got on the plane where there’s a bathroom to duck into because it unravels him more than he is.

I love you, Kurt. And I’m pretty sure I always will.

***

Kurt doesn’t want to be here.

He doesn’t want to be flying over Miami on Christmas Eve. 

Not when he has a sexy man at home waiting to see him again.

Kurt loves his job. He really does. 

He stumbled into it unexpectedly. It was supposed to be a stop-gap while he worked his way to Broadway - something to pad his bank account, keep food in his belly, and a roof over his head while he got to experience life, hone his craft. And even though he's held on to his dreams of Broadway fame, this job stuck. He has never regretted a single flight in his entire career …

… until this one.

God, what he wouldn’t give to be at home right now, watching cheesy movies on Lifetime, snuggled in Blaine’s arms!

Kurt doesn’t pay much attention to the passengers as he maneuvers the beverage service down the aisle, dishing out Diet Cokes and mini bottles of vodka and Crown Royal. He makes eye contact, nods and smiles, but that's it. He can perform this part of his job on autopilot, has perfected the art of appearing engaged while, in his mind, he goes over notes for an audition or takes a stab at writing his memoirs. 

He knows the bare minimum about the passengers on this side of the plane from the things they let slip out of excitement or need - an older lady flying to see her daughter for the first time in ten years, an unaccompanied minor, a row of sorority sisters on a holiday excursion. Everyone is mellow, polite when he stops to ask them what they want from the cart. But there’s always one clown in the bunch.

And Kurt finds his sitting in Row 27, Seat E.

“Soda?” Kurt asks. “Coffee? Tea?”

“A medium drip, please? Or maybe a flat white?”

“A-ha. That's one coffee black for you,” Kurt says, his tone chipper, but sharp around the edges, barely glancing at the man as he hands over his drink. 

"Perfect. Thank you, Kurt."

"You're very welcome." Kurt internally groans when the man uses his name. The airline requires all customer-facing employees to wear a name tag for passenger comfort "in a time of need" (or so says the employee literature). In this age of social media, it's used more by the Karens of the world to flame what they consider 'inappropriate conduct' without impunity. All claims are thoroughly investigated, and require passenger and employee corroboration before disciplinary action is taken. But it's gotten to the point that he doesn't Google his name and the name of his airline in the same sentence anymore. 

It keeps him sane.

Kurt doesn't mind passengers knowing his name.

Just so long as they never use it.

But this man said Kurt's name like he owns it, and that Kurt doesn't appreciate. Not from strangers.

Kurt's eyes flicker up once it hits him.

He knows that voice. 

But how in the hell can it be here?

'I'm projecting,' he thinks. 'I miss my boyfriend, I wish that he was here, but he's not here. No. I'm not going to look at the occupant of this seat and see ...'

“Blaine?” Kurt stares at 27E perplexed. It is him! Unless there's been a gas leak the pilot hasn't told them about yet, Blaine is sitting right there, looking as adorable as ever! Maybe more so, his smile bright and goofy with his master plan revealed. “Blaine!”

“Well, well, well ...” Blaine turns in his seat, attempting a casual recline against the rigid armrest, masking the pain on his face when its sharp edge digs into his back. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“I didn’t know you’d be …! Wha---when did you even get a ticket?”

“A few days ago. Your friend Monica helped me with the details. I had to grease a lot of wheels, seeing as most holiday flights were already packed, but I’m on every one of your connections. I figured we can spend your layover together.”

“And what if I had managed to get the time off?”

“I would probably be out close to a few thousand bucks, but it was a chance I was willing to take.” Blaine tilts his head down so he can look coyly up at Kurt through long, thick lashes. “Are you surprised?”

“Yes! I … I don’t know what to say!”

“Say that you love me," Blaine says sincerely. "Say that you’ll have a little more faith in me.”

“I do have faith in you. It’s just sometimes … I don’t have all that much faith in myself. In my overall appeal.”

“Well, your overall appeal is so strong, I spent a small fortune to take this journey with you.” Blaine chuckles when he notices they’ve garnered attention from other passengers, wondering what happened to the drink cart but watching quietly to see the drama unfold. “So why don’t we enjoy the journey? See where it takes us?”

Kurt grins, his cheeks burning when the sorority sisters occupying the seats behind Blaine awww, and the older woman claps.

Kurt rolls his eyes when other passengers join in. 

Only at Christmas, he thinks.

Then again, isn't this what he wanted?

His cheesy Lifetime movie?

His improbable Christmas miracle?

Kurt smiles. “That sounds like a plan.”