#yes that image was on my birthday cake last year

[unemployedemployee]

This is where i post from. Btw. If u even care.

[cecilysass]

Shine On (8/16)

Read on AO3 | Tagging @today-in-fic

Chapter 8: is William okay

Farrs Corner, Virginia February 22, 2015 5:00 pm

The trip back to Mulder’s house is superficially quiet. There is the hum of the engine and a few polite words from the two adults in the front seat, who also occasionally treat him to concerned looks. But of course it isn’t really quiet for Jackson.

Scully’s thoughts and feelings are like some mixture of a thunderstorm and an orchestra in his brain, some pieces discordant and frightening, some beautiful, some just nonsensical, almost all overwhelming.

Sometimes he looks out the window and tries to limit all of the input down to only words, to just the part that is language. That seems more manageable, but it never entirely works. What emanates from her is never purely words. It’s always interrupted by jarring pops of some sharp emotion.

—maybe a neurological impact, which is something we should have him examined for oh god why didn’t I when he was a baby? I should have done it then, maybe I could have prevented something—maybe he can hear this, think about something else—so easy to depend on Mulder, too easy, so much his old self, looks so good, so happy, is he frustrated with how I am acting? just so obvious I’m such a fucking mess—William, back then I was such a selfish coward, oh no God think of his little baby face, his sweet baby smell, how could I, why did I, I should have—

He can’t stand it. He can’t stand listening to such a steady current of pain.

As they come into Mulder’s house again, Scully looks pale and withdrawn. She sinks down on the couch, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning her head back. Jackson can’t help but think of the last time he saw them both here, at this house, when Mulder and Scully were fighting two days ago. She seems so different now, like she belongs here. Like it’s her house, too.

He knows from both of their memories—and from what Mulder has said—that it was hers, that she lived here, too, for several years. That they had been together until relatively recently. Nothing either one of them has thought or felt really explains why they’re not together any more.

Mulder has carried in a square cardboard box with the bakery logo that Jackson knows is a birthday cake. Somehow, Scully hasn’t noticed it at all; she’s just so completely distracted. Mulder’s gone to set the box down in the kitchen. He calls out to them.

“Either of you want something to drink?”

Jackson and Scully, both on the couch, look up simultaneously. “No, thank you,” Scully says. Jackson shakes his head.

It doesn’t feel as bad as it did, right now. He still definitely feels it, the waves of feeling from her, but he thinks she must have calmed down. Or that she is making a conscious effort to quiet her mind and heart.

He’s still wondering if he can go hide in the guest room upstairs, discreetly trying to get as far away from her as he can, when her phone begins to buzz. She reaches into her pocket with a confused expression, as though she forgot she owned a phone. She lifts it to her ear.

“Hello?” she says. “Marco, hi.” She stands, walking away from the couch to a corner of the room, lowering her voice. “What? Why? What’s going on?”

Mulder walks back towards the couch, a glass of water in his hand, and Jackson doesn’t miss how his eyes sharply fix on her as he sits.

Marco? The single word from Mulder’s mind plummets through Jackson’s shine, weighted down with worry. Marco.

“What?” Scully breathes into the phone. Through her, Jackson’s shine receives a flood of images of a fancy house all … messed up, torn apart, drawers pulled out of dressers, papers scattered across the floor, windows smashed. “Oh my god.”

Mulder sits up straighter on the couch, his expression now one of concern.

“Yes, that’s—yes, that’s the thing to do,” Scully says quietly. Her eyes meet Mulder’s across the room for a moment, and then she looks away again. “Thank you for helping, Marco. And for letting me know.”

There is another beat while she listens. “No,” she says, and Jackson feels her conflict. “I don’t think I’ll go back tonight. I’ll stay here. At … a friend’s.”

Mulder stirs restlessly on the couch, crossing and uncrossing his leg, and even without focusing on him, Jackson picks up fragments of thoughts coming through from him: anxious, aching, wondering.

“Yes,” Scully answers on the phone. “Thank you. I’ll check in tomorrow. I really appreciate all of this.” She begins to walk back towards the couch. “Goodbye, Marco.”

Jackson and Mulder watch her as she steps over Mulder’s legs and sits wearily between the two of them on the couch, rubbing her temples. For a moment she doesn’t speak.

“You and I need to do a check of the grounds around the house,” she says to Mulder, sounding tired. “Are your security systems still up and running?”

“I turned them back on the night he got here,” he says. “Why? What happened?”

“My house has been ransacked,” she says. “It sounds like… someone was looking for something. Maybe information. Which means…”

“Someone knows he came to find us,” Mulder answers. “Probably someone is looking for him. And if they’re at your place, they’re probably eventually here, if not already.”

He stands up right away, reaching towards the spot in his jacket where Jackson already knows he conceals a gun.

“Do you have another weapon?” Scully asks. “I’d rather be armed if we’re going to walk the perimeter.”

“Yeah,” Mulder says, nodding. “Of course.”

Jackson watches them in awe as they get prepared, these dangerous former FBI agent biological parents of his. It’s hard not to feel a little impressed, although he’s also nervous.

He’s surprised by Scully’s feelings, and Mulder’s too, because they aren’t nervous. Not about this, anyway. For them, this is just something that needs to be done. His shine detects that hard, hot quality in Scully again. Inside she is glowing like a poker in a fireplace.

“Is your … house okay, Scully? All your stuff?” Jackson asks her before he can stop himself.

Scully had been loading a gun of Mulder’s, but she looks over at Jackson. Her eyes widen at his question, and he feels something lighter, something airy enter her.

“Yes,” she says quickly. “I mean, it will be. It’s a mess. Marco—my friend—he says he’ll call the police and straighten up a little for me.”

“That’s nice of him,” Mulder says blandly, turning his back to her as if to check out the window.

“It is,” she says absently. Her forehead wrinkles. “But I don’t think I should go back there tonight, in case it’s under surveillance. I assume I can stay here, Mulder?”

Jackson snorts, and both Mulder and Scully look at him, startled. He can’t explain the joke, which is obvious to him but apparently not to either of them. Of course she can stay here. Doesn’t she see that Mulder would have her stay here all the time, forever? It doesn’t seem like you would really need a shine to see that.

“Yeah,” Mulder says, his eyes cutting sideways at Jackson a moment. “Sure, no problem. As long as you need.”

Her gun now loaded, Scully looks down at her attire and bites her bottom lip.

“Do you think I could maybe … borrow some clothes before we go outside? This is an expensive sweater.” She grimaces as she looks at it, and Jackson’s shine takes in a series of images he doesn’t entirely understand: shoes with broken heels, torn dress pants, a blazer with a gaping bite out of it. Memories, he assumes.

Mulder nods, shrugging. “You know where they are.”

She nods, and turns to go up the stairs. Mulder sits back on the couch, examining his own weapon in melancholy silence. His mind is a particularly dark and twisty path, but Jackson can guess what he’s thinking about. He honestly feels sorry for him.

“Marco is her neighbor,” Jackson informs him impulsively.

Mulder looks up at him, his eyebrows raised.

“They, like, watch each other’s houses when they go on trips. She isn’t … in a relationship with him or anything like that. Marco’s married to a man named Joe. I could shine her memories and it was all, like, watering plants and small talk.”

“Oh.” Mulder nods, looking embarrassed. “Right. Yeah.” He bites his lip. “You don’t happen to see if there is someone in particular that she’s seeing…” He stops himself, shaking his head. “Never mind, fuck, Jackson.” He lets out a frustrated breath. “I’m way out of line.”

Jackson just watches him curiously, thinking of his friend Louis and his doomed crushes on girls. This isn’t the same thing, really, but Mulder isn’t as different from Louis as he might have thought. For such an old guy and for someone who was basically married to her, he doesn’t seem to know anything at all.

To his surprise, it’s almost like Mulder knows what he’s thinking, because he meets his eyes and smiles shame-facedly. “I guess I seem pretty hopeless.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why aren’t you guys together anymore?” Jackson asks. “Why did you break up?”

“You can’t see that in her mind?”

“Not really,” Jackson says.

Mulder sighs heavily. “It’s complicated,” he says. “But I think part of it is that … sometimes I can be a tough person to love.”

Jackson thinks about that, tries to make it fit with what he has seen. “I don’t know,” he says. “That doesn’t really seem right.”

Mulder’s eyes meet his just as Scully thumps down the stairs, wearing an enormous hooded sweatshirt that says “Martha’s Vineyard” on it and some rolled up sweatpants.

“All right,” she says briskly. “Let’s do this.”

Mulder stands, nodding his agreement.

“You stay inside, right here on the couch, okay?” Scully tells Jackson. “Don’t move near the windows.”

Just in case of gun fire, she thinks. But don’t want to scare him.

Jackson lifts his eyebrows. “Got it,” he says. “I’ll lay low.”

It’s not until they walk out the door that Jackson realizes that he could have told them whether there was anyone else on the grounds. His shine can get a read on who is around, or at least whether someone is around and where they are. And right now, the only minds he senses nearby are Mulder’s and Scully’s, both of them popping and crackling with feelings and thoughts.

He stretches out on the couch, lying down and closing his eyes. He listens for any sounds outside. He can’t hear much with his ears. It’s quiet here at Mulder’s house.

In Mulder’s kitchen there’s the sound of a clock ticking.

Then a sharp slice of anguish. Of pulsing anxiety.

Mulder. Oh Mulder, no.

Jackson springs up on the couch, his body rigid.

There is the sound of a gunshot. Then another.

His heart pounding, he pushes out his shine desperately around him, feeling for either of them, confirming they are still there.

Is he okay is he okay is Mulder okay

Scully. Thank God.

Jackson wraps his arms around himself and rocks back and forth on the couch. They’re both alive, anyway. He feels overwhelmed with relief, and he’s not sure whether it’s coming from him or them.

William William William is William okay

Could anyone have gone inside? I didn’t see anyone. Is he okay? Is Jackson okay?

It’s like they’re both tugging on him, pulling hard on his shine to come towards them. Jackson doesn’t think. He just acts. He runs to the door and throws it open, and he sees them both, maybe thirty feet away, guns extended. They are staring back at him in the door.

“Stay inside, Jackson,” calls Mulder urgently. “Don’t come out.”

Jackson doesn’t listen. He runs outside, feeling an overpowering urge to be near them up close.

“Jackson, don’t,” Scully repeats.

“Who was it?” Jackson asks breathlessly, reaching them. “Who did you shoot at? What did they want?”

“A man,” Mulder says grimly, grabbing his arm. “And I’m not sure. Let’s go inside.”

Scully is looking all around them, her eyes scanning the area, her weapon still raised. “I don’t understand, Mulder. I know I hit him.”

Mulder’s jaw is set. “Yeah,” he says. “I think we’re lucky we weren’t in closer proximity, or his blood might have made us sick.”

Scully’s head snaps towards him. I didn’t think there were any left. I thought they had been killed off years ago.

“Inside,” repeats Mulder. “We need to get him back inside, Scully. Now.”

Scully nods her agreement. They take hold of each of Jackson’s arms and practically lift him off his feet into the house. Mulder turns to lock the door, then immediately crosses to his desk to start going through a drawer.

“Are you okay, Mulder?” Scully watches him, her body swaying slightly back and forth. Jackson can still feel terror pulsing off of her in tiny waves. For a moment there, he knows she’d really thought Mulder could be in danger. He felt her desperation. It’s exhausting to Jackson, the intensity of her emotions. He stumbles back over to the couch and sits down.

“Yeah,” Mulder says. He produces what he was looking for in the drawer, a tool shaped like a sharp spike. “I was looking for this. We may need it.”

“I thought the shapeshifters were long gone,” Scully says. “You think that’s what he was? Why?”

“Shapeshifters?” Jackson asks. “For real?”

“All I know is that you didn’t kill him,” Mulder answers Scully. “Despite a direct hit. And I thought … I thought I saw something green where your bullet hit.”

“If they’re still around, then who else is?” Scully asks in a tense voice. “Who’s coming after him?”

Mulder and Scully look at one another. Jackson’s eyes bounce back and forth between them. “I couldn’t sense him, with my shine,” he comments. “He was invisible to me.”

That gets their attention; both of their heads swivel to look at him. “Oh yeah?” Mulder says. “And that’s not something that usually happens?”

“No,” Jackson says. “It’s not.”

Scully’s eyes examine him, and Jackson again is hit by what he’s coming to consider her signature combination: fear and love, white hot steel.

“We should call Skinner,” she says in a quiet voice. She’s looking at Jackson but speaking to Mulder. “We need the X-files. We need to do whatever it takes to get the X-files back.”

***

Mulder and Scully sit at Mulder’s dining room table and talk on the phone to this man Skinner for a long time, maybe thirty minutes. He’s their friend, Jackson gathers, but also their former boss. And he must be someone they trust, because they tell him more than he would think they would, although not everything.

Jackson reclines on the couch for a while and listens, wondering if anyone will remember they need to eat dinner. He thinks of his house back home, of the regular meals, of his mom and dad across the table and their cheerful conversation about topics like the new Wal-Mart and who was going to win the World Series and how Jackson’s grades were. He wonders if these biological parents ever have normal conversations. If they ever do normal things like have Taco Tuesday.

Dinner seems unlikely to happen any time soon, so he decides to go up to the guest room. He could use a little privacy.

He kind of likes this guest room—the room that was supposed to be his, he reminds himself uneasily as he walks inside again.

It’s a small room with one window, a dresser, a bookshelf full of Mulder’s random books, and a single bed with a crisp navy and white patchwork quilt. The bed is messy—Jackson didn’t make it this morning. There is a book (Ghost Stories of Virginia) sitting on the pillow with a corner folded down to mark his place. Jackson picks it up again, flops down on the bed, and starts to read.

He hasn’t read for very long when he has the distinct sensation of somebody nudging at his mind. Like a poke at his shine.

It’s the weirdest feeling.

He lays the book down on his chest and blinks, trying to open his shine up to see what’s out there.

Tomorrow morning. Seven o’clock. Go out to the grove of trees behind the farm.

Jackson sucks in a breath. He can hear Rose’s voice, every word as clear as if she is speaking in the same room.

Make sure you aren’t followed. We can talk then.

Imperceptibly, Jackson nods his head, even though he knows she probably can’t see. His heart is thumping again.

She’s going to talk to him again. She’s going to help. He feels almost shaky with relief.

Almost without thinking he lets his shine drift and linger for a moment on the anxious, busy energy between Mulder and Scully downstairs. On their intense focus. On their surprising, desperate need to protect him.

***

[thewardenisonthecase]

14 Days of Circle Mages: Upbringing/Arrival/Phylactery

Read on AO3

This is my contribution to the @14dayscirclemages following the life of my Rook, Dawn Thorne, long before the Veilguard.

Chapter Summary: A little look into Dawn's last day with her family and her arrival at the Gallows.

A/N: Tw for child abuse (mainly, a 6 year old gets slapped in the face)

9:24 Dragon - The Anderfels

The Thorne family had always been a very religious family. Every night, before tucking her into bed, Dawn’s mother would sing to her parts of the Chant of Light. By age three, her favorite story to hear was of how Andraste pushed back against the evil Tevinter mages. 

Magic is to serve man, not rule over him, her parents would say. This is why we have the circles, to keep mages in check and make sure they can never hurt anyone. 

Apostates are to be feared, her brother would tell her. They are maleficarum. They cohort with demons and use blood magic. Magic is a powerful and dangerous thing, and no mage is ever safe from corruption. 

There had never been a mage in the Thorne family because they were very faithful, Dawn’s mother assured. As long as they continued to believe in Him, magic would never harm them. 

.

Dawn’s last day with her family had fallen on her birthday. 

The Thorne family followed its usual traditions. Both of her parents woke her up, kissing her face and wishing her a good day. Her mother let her eat anything she wanted and in the evening, while her father and brother worked, Dawn’s mother combed her hair, a song on her lips. 

The night is long

And the path is dark

Look to the sky

For one day soon

The dawn will come

She giggled. “That’s my name!” “Yes, it is.” Her mother kissed the top of her head. “My little Dawn. I named you after the hymn.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes.” Her mother began braiding her hair as she continued. “You’re the light of my life, brought into existence by the Maker. I had to give you a fitting name.” 

Dawn hadn’t understood what her mother meant but she didn’t question it. Her mother tied a blue ribbon at the end of each braid and turned her around, giving her a kiss on the forehead. 

Her mother stood up from her chair, and walked to the drawer, retrieving a small wooden box. There was a sort of key mechanism on it, which she turned around three times before handing it to Dawn, telling her to open it. 

Once she did, the box opened, and an image of Andraste spun around and the sound of the music that her mother sang played from it. 

“My mother gave me this when I was very young, Dawn. I want you to have it.” 

The little girl looked at her, green eyes wide and bright. 

“Dawn, what do we say when someone is nice to us?” 

“Thank you, mama!” 

“Goog girl.” She kissed her forehead. “Your father and brother must be done now, go call them for dinner, its time for us to eat.” 

She nodded and excitedly ran outside, clutching the music 

“Papa!” She shouted as she saw her father. He was a big man, tall and imposing, but once he saw her, his face lit up as he picked her up and kissed her cheek. 

“Ah, my Dawn, you look so pretty.” He said as he held her and she smiled. 

“Look at what mama gave me!” She showed him the music box. 

Her father put her on his shoulders and she handed the box to her brother. He examined it for a second before giving it back to her. 

The three of them walked back inside the house, and soon, they were all set at the table. Before they could eat, her mother began to pray.

We thank the Maker for the food we have today, and for the life we were given. Most importantly, we thank Him for giving us Dawn. 

There was a cake on the table, the candles on top of it unlit. Her parents struggled to find a way to light them. 

As Dawn looked at the candles, she began to feel a kindling in her fingers. Perhaps if she could just…

With a wave of her hand, she lit the candles, giggling to herself. Her brother stood up from his chair and looked at her horrified, as her parents turned around confused.

“Witch!” Her brother pointed at her. 

Dawn began to cry, not liking her brother’s tone, as her mother kneeled in front of her grabbing her shoulders. “Dawn, what did you do?”

“I only wanted to help you.” She sniffed. 

“She created the fire. She’s a mage.” Her brother told them. Her parents shared a look, before her mother lifted her up. “Let’s go to bed.” 

The next day, the templars had shown up in her door, and Dawn was only allowed to bring the music box with her. 

.

9:24 Dragon - ???

Dawn did not know where they were headed. She tried asking the templars on board but they either ignored her. Some even looked at her with fear. 

There were others like her aboard the ship, mages. Some were much older than her, while others seemed to be her age. Everyone looked terrified to be there. 

Inside her small cabin, she’d hold on tight to the music box, replaying it for hours on end. It was her only source of comfort. Why did no one explain to her what was happening? 

Dawn wanted to go back home. She had cried to the templars and they ignored her. She’d have nightmares, seeing her brother’s face. Where once her father would hold her tight and comfort her, now she’d be awakened by angry men with angry faces as they told her to shut it. 

When they finally arrived at their destination, the young girl was greeted with the sight of scary, golden status of hungry men covering their faces. 

She did not want to leave the boat but the templar gave her no choice. They all exited the boat and there were more statues around them. Dawn and the other mages were brought inside the building, where a tall, blond woman, with cold blue eyes, stood in the center, a greatsword in hand. 

“I am Knight-Commander Meredith and this is the Kirkwall Cirle of Magi - the Gallows. It’s where you’ll stay and learn to control your magic.” 

Dawn swallowed hard as the woman began to list all the things that they could and could not do - their clothes had to be circle appropriate, they couldn’t leave whenever they wanted, they were to stay in their rooms unless they were in class, they were not to cast spells outside of class, they weren’t allowed to speak with outsiders. 

All in the name of them being deemed too dangerous. She held onto the music box even stronger than before. 

Once the knight-commander was done, they were made to stand in line and wait in front of a room. One by one, they were called in, until it was Dawn’s turn. There, two other templars stood. Next to them there was a wooden table with several glass vials. 

They motioned for her to step forwards and she did.

“Your hand.” One of them asked.

“What for?”

“It's for your phylactery.” He answered and Dawn frowned, tilting her head in confusion. 

With a huff, the other one explained. “Their vials, filled with your blood. If you, or any other mage, tries to escape, this will ensure we’ll be able to track you down and bring you back to the circle.”

“Blood?” Dawn’s eyes widened. Her mother always told her stories of wicked maleficars and their twisted use of blood to power their spells. “But…if you’re using blood…isn’t that blood magi-”

Before she could finish her sentence, one of the templars backhanded. “How dare you insinuate such a thing?!” 

“But-”

“Silence! You will do as you are told.”

Dawn lowered her head, as a tear ran down her burning cheek. Roughly, they grabbed her hand, slicing her palm open and squeezing the blood into a vial. Quickly, they wrapped a bandage around it and kicked her out of the room, where she was eventually reassigned to a dorm. 

The other mages around her spoke, but Dawn just laid on one of the beds, holding on tight to the music box. That night, before she fell asleep, she silently prayed to Andraste for answers: what had she done that had been so evil and vile to be cursed like this? And when would her parents rescue her?

For the first time in her short life, Dawn felt like no one had listened to her prayers. 

.

Thanks for reading! If you liked this fic, please consider reblogging it and leaving a comment, they're extremely appreciated!

[vilandel]

Sister's Gift

Summary Instead of a lonely birthday, Nozel has the surprise to greet Noelle on his balcony.

A/N A little fluffy oneshot I wrote last year for Nozels birthday. And since today it's his birthday, I will post this one here as well.

Ao3 link

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

There was never something special for his birthday since his mother died and Nozel had no intention to change that. It was his way to punish himself. Besides, except Fuegoleon, no one actually remembered his birthday, not even Nebra and Solid. Only for them to get in a panic during the last day of the year afterwards and getting him last minutes presents on the first day of the new year. Plus those presents he got each year since a decade, only put on his bed with any message.

There was no reason why his birthday this year would be any different. But when Nozel entered his bedroom after a long day of work, he heard a strange noise coming from his balcony, as if someone had a rough landing.

Opening his balcony door quickly, what he discovered surprised him greatly.

“Noelle?”

“Hello, brother… Ah, sorry I landed so unfitting for a royal, I actually got better with flying a broom, but not really, but I couldn’t take my Valkyrie Armour this time, in case I lose control, plus I had to transport things that are easier to transport with a broom than an armour spell, although I still don’t understand why, but Vanessa said that and I know I should have taken my own opinion about it, but-“

“Calm down and come in first.”

Nozel hold his sister the door open while Noelle gathered all her stuff. It was strange to see her, but he refused to complain. Their bond had gotten better after Spade and Nozel refused to let slip any occasion he could spent with his baby sister. He did so many mistakes before. Not anymore.

It meant the world to him. And to his biggest surprise, it also meant the world to Noelle. During her last visit, she bluntly told him that she loved spending time with him and Nozel had seen in her eyes that she didn’t lied just to make him feel better. She meant it. He still believed that he didn’t deserved her kindness, but making his beloved little sister happy was now more important than punishing himself.

Noelle put a cake box on his office table, a big present and a strange, almost creepy tissue doll that looked exactly like her. Nozel frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Should he be offended that someone dared to sew such a thing with the image of his little sister or would he offend Noelle if he would point it out?

Noelle turned towards him and took a deep breath, as if to give herself some courage. “Happy birthday, brother. I know you don’t celebrate your birthday, but I actually find it sad since I got birthday parties with the Black Bulls and I really wanted to give you my birthday gift personally this year.”

“Wait… during all those years, those secret presents… They were from you?”

“Yes! I really hope that you’ll liked those. Besides, you also gave me birthday gifts in secret during all those years, it’s only fair I show you the same kindness. And I really wanted to give you something on your birthday, since only captain Fuegoleon seemed to remember that the 30th December is your birthday.”

“You knew it was me?”

“I saw you once sneaking into the palace in secret, when I was seven years old, with a huge bunny plushie. And I got that very same plushie for my birthday the day after. So, yes… I knew from quite some time. Does it bother you?”

“No, not at all.”

Nozel just didn’t know what he should say. For so many years, Noelle actually knew that he was the one giving her birthday gifts in secret during all those years, even after she joined the Black Bulls.

“The Black Bulls were always surprise when I got secret birthday gifts, they are even taking bets. All of them already lost those, but they don’t know. I only told Vanessa, because she noticed that I never was surprised about those gifts and she tickled me, until I spilled the beans. She was surprised when I told her it was you, but she promised me to keep the secret. Vanessa actually finds it cute, so-“

Noelle suddenly interrupted, because Nozel pulled her into a hug. It might be awkward, but Nozel didn’t know what else he could do to thank her. And his mother always hugged him when she wanted to thank him for something, so there was that.

He felt his little sister freeze in his arm for a second, but she immediately gave in the hug. Nozel could tell that Noelle was happy. He made her happy with this hug. This was more than he ever dared to wish before.

The hug lasted a while, before they sadly had to break it. But Noelle absolutely wanted to give him this year’s birthday gift.

“Sorry for the doll, but when Gordon somehow found out that I was going to make you a birthday gift, he insisted that I give you this creepy doll. It’s not a spell or anything, it just looks creepy and Gordon always means well.”

What Noelle didn’t told her brother yet was that Gordon also made her a Nozel doll and that she was sleeping with said doll in her bed. Along with an Asta doll.

“Well, mother always said that the gesture means a lot, so it would be rude of me to refuse that doll.”

And having some kind of Noelle plushie didn’t seem so bad in Nozels books, even though it looked kinda creepy. But if it was made with love, the doll also seemed a bit comforting, thank goodness.

Nozel sat down on his bed to open the gift, Noelle right next to him. She seemed pretty excited and also nervous. It was clear that she certainly put a lot of thoughts in this gift.

Three books appeared soon after. Three books from the same writer. And not just any writer. It was from Aciers favourite novelist. Romance novels, but certainly some of the best ones.

Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion and Sense & Sensibility.

Did Noelle knew that the writer of those novels was their mother’s favourite?

“I really hope it’s okay for you. I saw you once read a novel from this author so I thought it was fine? Except Finral and Gordon, no one of the Black Bulls men appreciates romance novels and make even fun out of it. And I wanted to get you the other three from this writer, but sadly I couldn’t find them at the bookstore. Okay, I could have searched in other bookshops, but I’m sure I couldn’t find prettier covers like those and I wasn’t really patient, and-“

“Noelle, it’s okay. I love this writer. Actually… it was the favourite novelist of our mother. And Persuasion was her favourite novel.”

“Really?”

The happy on his sister’s face was one of the most beautiful things Nozel ever saw. He couldn’t help but hug her. She gifted him so much more than three wonderful novels.

“Nozel, are you ready for the cake? Charmy made it and it’s one of her latest creations. Lavender cheesecake. Trust me, it is delicious.”

“I would love to try.”

Noelle was right, that lavender cheesecake was one of the best cakes Nozel ever tasted. Sweet and soft and even refreshing.

It was a nice birthday, just staying with his little sister in his bedroom, chatting a bit more openly and eating a delicious cake. Nozel wasn’t sure still if he deserved it, but Noelle was so happy and he couldn’t help but feel happy and at ease too. It wasn’t bad at all.

Maybe one day, Nebra and Solid could join them. Maybe one day, they could heal enough to have proper birthday parties.They still had a long way in front of them, but… maybe one day, they could become the family they always should have been, like their mother always wished. 

[changingplumbob]

Pancakes Household: Chapter 9, Part 6

Onyx finishes their last day attending active high school solo

Onyx: Anyone seen Mrs T

Mrs Hensley: For your information Mrs Tinker is taking the younger class today, you’ll just be stuck with me

Onyx and Carson pull faces at each other over Amie’s desk. Mrs H is not a favourite of theirs. She is much more strict than Mrs T and Carson won’t soon forget when she yelled at him for not being in class before class even started. The idea of an hour of math led by her does not fill the soul with joy.

Mrs H: For today’s lesson we shall be focusing on the pie chart. Now there are several types of pie chart…

Darwin: *whispers* Apple or raspberry

William: *whispers* Definitely apple

Darwin: *whispers* Hot with ice cream, the only right answer

Mrs H: We will be focusing on teaching you two types which come in different forms, and yes- this will be on your exam

There is a general murmur of discontent through the class at the idea of exams.

After the class draws to a close Onyx realises the girl they gave Halloween candy to is sitting behind them, and decides to go say hi. She’s a little confused at first, after all she never saw their face under the helmet, but she gladly goes to lunch with Onyx and their friends, explaining that the bus from her town to the school only started recently.

Mr A: Pancakes. Were you paying attention in class

Onyx: Yes I was. You know my brother is starting this week so you’ll have to refer to me by my name soon

Mr A: But Pancakes is your name

Zhafira: *whistles* Wow, what a jerk

Onyx: I think he just finds calling us by our last names easier, he seems pretty daft for a principal if I'm honest

Carson: What did you do in art then

Scarlett: Oh we got to do these magazine collages, trying to represent one colour through various images

William: *sighs* I miss Mrs T

Onyx: You want to check out the roller rink?

Carson: I’ve still got some science homework to do, sorry Nyx

So Onyx goes and mucks about on the computer until it’s time for science class. Something glitched though and everyone got called to class at 3pm and the class day ended at 3:15... I have no explanation.

Back home Bob has the house to himself and Ginger while the younger Pancakes are off to their after school activities, Onyx has cheer-leading and Fergus has drama club. Bob is pretty happy with how the visit he and Eliza paid to the social worker went. They seemed to make a good impression and the woman assured them they were being put on the wait-list. Bob doesn’t normally like the idea of cheating his way through something but has called Aaron asking if he can keep an ear out for any situations that could get him and Eliza an infant sooner.

At the moment he’s running names through his head. If they’re lucky and get a young enough one they should be able to pick a name. The drone beeps reminding him that he’s meant to be talking to his fans, whoops, lost the train of thought there. Bob is able to cook a little on auto pilot these days but he should be following along with the baking closely to avoid disaster. Luckily the cake comes out perfectly! All ready for Fergus' birthday.

As Bob leaves for shift the kids arrive back and Onyx goes straight to setting the table.

Eliza: Are we ready for dinner

Onyx: Yes, I’ll grab Fergus

Eliza: I think you two should know I got promoted today

Fergus: YES! Treat time

Eliza: Why do you say that

Onyx: Mum last promotion we got the treehouse

Eliza: That was for rebate day

Fergus: *scoffs* Like that’s a real day

Ginger: *whines* I want to go walkies

Onyx: I know Ginger, I know, just let me finish this homework

Ginger: *whines* Hurry up, it's been 15 years

Onyx: Alright, pie chart done. Where’s your harness

Ginger: *barks* in my pockets

Onyx sets her up and then the pair head out for a night walk. Luckily they live in a good area so Onyx isn’t worried about their safety.

President, just two steps away from the top of the corporate ladder! Eliza feels proud she’s managed to get this far. The promotion also came with some bonus vacation days she’ll be able to use as substitute maternity days when they can get an infant. She continues the needlework she was doing and despite pricking herself once or twice finishes it off nicely.

Ginger: *barks* Is it bedtime mother

Eliza: Don’t worry Ginger, as soon as Bob gets back and eats, we’ll go to sleep

Ginger: *barks* I call dibs on the middle of the bed

Bob had another uneventful shift, before he can get a promotion he needs to increase his fame and baking. Nevertheless despite being gloomy he feels like it’s slowly getting closer. After finishing his meal he heads to bed to find Eliza sitting up awake.

Eliza: What did Aaron say? Can he pull any adoption strings?

Bob: He’ll put the word around to keep an ear out but it could take some time. Don't worry, it'll happen

Previous ... Next

[greensagephase]

I saw on one of your recent posts that you mentioned your birthday is on Wednesday so I wanted to take the time and wish you a very happy birthday!! 🥳✨ (but if I'm early then happy early birthday!!) You are absolutely the sweetest and nicest person I've ever talked to and the first moot I've ever just interacted with this much on here!! and I truly enjoy every one of our conversations and of course, your amazing stories!! Reading your stories and taking the time to talk with you on here has made the rest of my year so much better, really!🥹 Especially with school and everything, and you’ve also given me so much inspiration to draw after not doing so after some time. I’ll try not to make this too long but Alondra, you’re an amazing and wonderful person (and writer!!), and I wish you all the best, always!!! ❤️✨

Also wanted to make you a little drawing/card for your birthday!! ✨ I wanted to include the color “Rosa Mexicano” with some of the flowers as you mentioned wanting to include it with your spidersona to honor your Mexican Heritage and it's such a beautiful color. Also wanted to include the color sage green (or at least a version of it) because I’m guessing you also like that color too from your username! (and it's also just a great color!) I hope you have an amazing birthday Alondra, you deserve the best!! 🥳🥳

There's about ten minutes left before the 6th is over for me and THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO END MY BIRTHDAY ❤️😭 @sunsetdoodler I started to freak out as soon as I scrolled down a bit to keep reading and saw there was an image attached and then I saw it and STARTED TO SCREAM - I LOVE IT SO MUCH OH MY GOD!!!! IT'S PERFECT AND SO SO SWEET THANK YOU😭😭😭 I'm literally crying as I type this because it's one of the best gifts I've ever received, THANK YOU !!! I'm just going to keep saying it, I'm sorry !! But oh my god!! Yes, I love the color sage green!! I like green overall but sage green is one of my favorite shades of it!! I've had this username for about two years since I started liking the color and I thought it was just going to be a phase, so that's where my username came from lol but I'm still in love with it two years later! THE FACT YOU INCLUDED ROSA MEXICANO, NO, I LOVE YOU FR!!! THANK YOU for including it ❤️❤️ also the decorations on the cake!!! They look like poinsettias to me and I absolutely love them!! My mom gets me an arrangement every year for my birthday, so I'm just delighted by that detail, I'm seriously crying right now but they're happy tears!!! 🥹 I'm really sorry for screaming but THEN THERE'S MIGUEL - STOP IT, I'M CRYING EVEN MORE NOW!!! HE LOOKS SO SWEET AND SOFT AND HIS SMILE????!!! SCREAMING AND CRYING!!! AND THE LITTLE BLUSH??? I'M LITERALLY GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET WHILE CRYING !!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT - YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!! ❤️😭

Thank you so much for the sweet words and birthday wishes @sunsetdoodler😭You're one of the few moots I interact with and it has also made my last half of the year so much better!!! I genuinely didn't think that I'd be on here interacting much since I had no plans to write this much, which is really funny to think about now, haha! But I'm so thankful I'm on here and that you went off anon because we're moots ❤️I really enjoy talking with you when possible (which by the way, I meant to reply today to part 8's drawing but today just kind of went by, I'm sorry!!) and just getting to interact with you and hear about your schooling, which I hope everything is going well with, and life overall!!! You've given me so much inspiration for Miguel, too and your drawings, as always, make my days!!!! Please know that I truly cherish everything and us being moots makes me so happy I decided to start writing on here!!!!!❤️

@sunsetdoodler my birthday was a great one this year!! I had the amazing opportunity to spend it with my loved ones again and I had some bomb food as well (barbacoa and rice with homemade tortillas and some agua de Jamaica to drink!). It was already an amazing day and your drawing/card and sweet words and wishes were just the best way to end my 25th birthday!! THANK YOU SO, SO, SO MUCH!!!! It means so much to me, seriously, thank you from the bottom of my heart @sunsetdoodler❤️❤️❤️ I hope everything is going well with school and life in general, as always!!! And I'm sending you a warm virtual hug!!! THANK YOU ( I said it so much but seriously, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!)!!!✨❤️✨

[happysparklingshadows]

Time May Change Me

Epilogue  ❀  Chapter 1 

Summary: The first time Lola came to Jackson and found her home. The first time in seven months she had found genuine safety and kindness in the world that she thought had long been kill off. It’s the beginning of a whole new life and that becomes overwhelming for the stranded 13 year old girl. 

Warnings: General Last of Us canon violence, Mentions of past abuse/assault, depiction of mental distress and mental illness, and general story building. OC character but is vaguely described outside of her hair being washed and later braided. 

Word Count: 2.7k

Note: This story will be set before the canon events of tlou2 and the story of the game. I have aged Ellie up in her Jackson!era to be 18 years old. I want this to be for every reader in the fandom so I will be open for edits of my story is not diverse for everyone. I am a Jewish woman with thin curly black hair, so it I say something that I think is a universal with hair and it isn’t, please let me know! I imaged the TV Show versions of Maria, Tommy, and Joel, but Ellie is still Ashley Joshson!Ellie. This will be a multipart series and I hope you will be here with me as Lola and Ellie’s relationship develops. @jinxtheplanet​

“Please tell me what happened to you,” Maria asked, her arms crossed and eyes soft with patience. She stood firm and stern, but her eyes were the kindest thing I have felt in a long time.

My lips quiver, and my eyes look at anything but her. Hands were desperately holding onto the other to keep the shakes becoming uncontrollable.

Maria looks at me, and I know what she sees. She sees a dirty little girl with matted hair and the smell of a corpse on me.  My shirt once was light pink with bears and colorful words, a care bears shirt my mom gave me on my 12th birthday. It was the last gift I was given from my mother. I remember her weak and shaking hands when she handed me the folded shirt. The shirt was caked with mud, blood, and sweat from the months I’d traveled. Everything about me looked as I felt. Dirty, scared, and alone.

“Where are your parents? Were you in a group?” Maria asked again, softer. She stepped one step closer; I pushed myself closer to the back of the wooden chair.

“N-no, ma'am,” I whispered back at her and felt myself grow even smaller under her eyes. My voice is brittle and meek, and my hands hold even tighter.  

“Okay, Honey…” She spoke, stepping closer again with her hand out, saying she wouldn’t hurt me. “How about where you are from? Can you tell me that?”

“I am from the Kansas City QZ. My dad was from Detroit, and my m-mom was from there.” I spoke. I had said this line more times than I could remember. I remember the times I talked to the other kids in the military school about my parents and the times I would cheerfully speak about myself without a care. It felt like a hundred years had gone by since the last time I was safe in the QZ with my parents.

A resounding painful ping rings in my chest when I remember my parents.

“That’s a long way away from Jackson.” She chuckled. And she continued her watchful eye on me as she kneeled in front of me, forcing me to look into her face. She had a look of sympathy and disbelief. “Were you alone?”

My eyes start to well as I look at her kind face. “Y-yes, ma’am.”

She closed her eyes slowly at the confession with a sad sigh. Maria felt the pain that was crusted on my face, and she then smiled at me. “Well, you’re not alone now, okay, sweetheart? You are safe in Jackson.” She reassured me, and she placed her hand on my knee. Touching the blood-caked pants and not caring for the filth. “Let’s get you some food and some new clothes.”

My eyes widen, and I shake my head. “It’s okay.” I gasped as I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes, “I don’t need anything, I would like a knife, and I will get out of everyone’s hair.”

“Sweetheart, I will not do that. You are welcome here now.” She said with an even wider smile. What I said was a standard line she had heard many times over. “Listen, we have kids your age here and animals and gardens, and we are more than willing to house you and keep you safe. You understand what I am saying. You don’t have to fight anymore….” She explained, but she stopped.

I felt my hands calm down, but my chin started to shake. I felt a tear fall on my left cheek and another on the right, falling without consent or permission. I felt my body shake to stop myself, but I couldn’t stop.

“Okay, sweetheart, let’s get you better.” She whispered as she put her hands on my upper arms. My body shivers at the contact, and a sob escapes from me.

“It’s okay; what is your name? We never got your name.” She said, holding onto me as I leaned into her touch. The ebony woman with braids lost all the sternness in her as she looked at the young girl in front of her.

I tried to say my name, but my voice wouldn’t let me. My tears choked me, and I couldn’t stop the cries. I bawled to her, “L-Lola.” 

“Well, Lola, this is my home, and I would like you to stay here if you wouldn’t mind?” Maria asked with a honey quality to it. “I have an extra bedroom and wouldn’t mind your company.”

A sob fought out of my mouth and made every cry I held onto for the last seven mouths spill to Maria. Maria then slowly moved her arms around me and hugged me, and I desperately hugged her back as the pain I caged inside of myself finally broke loose. She holds me close and places a hand on the back of my head.

“Please-Please don’t hurt me.” I cried into her shoulder.

“I will try not to, Lola. Let it out, honey, let it out. It must have been terrifying to be out there all alone.” She comforted me as her hands caressed my matted hair. The violent sobs didn’t stop throughout the afternoon.

Early in the morning, I had finally started moving through forested Wyoming, trying to get to the next empty building to rest my tired feet. My backpack was lighter than usual; no gun or knife was inside, and only held a few things. My Walkman, my cassettes, an old ChapStick, matches, a journal, and a bag of dried beans I stole out of an old gas station.  My mission was slowly becoming more and more of a dream for me. The words of my father haunt my every step.

Lola, you need to keep going. Keep going until you find a home. Never stop moving until you find it, and never let go. Go West. 

Home. The idea was cruel to me now. My feet slide when I walk on the wet, melting snow, and my eyes look around the field before I leave the tree line.

My eyes glued onto the other side of the clearing, my head muffled by my father’s words. I hardly even feel the impact of my loneliness if I keep moving.

Suddenly, from behind me, the sound of horses racing towards me. I started sprinting away, not needing to look back as fast as my body could let me. But because I haven’t eaten in 4 days, my muscles quickly succumb to the fatigue. I trip onto the grass and feel a calm panic come over me.

 I had nothing to protect myself, and I had nowhere to run. There was nothing I could do but just let whatever was going to happen happen. I look back to find five men on horses, cowboy hats and bandana-covered faces, and guns strapped to their hips with a dog on a leash beside them.

“Stop! What are you doing here?” One of the men shouted at me. I started to shake, my hands had the talent to shudder whenever I heard people lately, and my lips began to move, but nothing came out.

“Miss, I will ask again, what are you doing here?” He asked again, with a louder tone to it this time. The dog barked and tried to get loose from the leash. I am going to die.

“I-I I am trying-“ I start saying, but the words don’t come out right. I took a deep breath in. Become the strong one, the voice in my head whispered to me. I look back at the man and say, “I am trying to find somewhere to rest for the night. I don’t have any weapons, and I have no interest in you all. I am trying to go west. Please leave me pa-“

“Why are you going west?” Another man interrupted me. I look closer at their faces; they all look slightly taken back from me. Why?

 “I-My dad told me to go west before-“ I cut myself off. I looked at all the men individually; they all looked like they were trying to hear me. They didn’t seem like they wanted to harm me, which made me even more scared. “I am just going west.”

The man with the dog let the dog go, and I shrieked and tried to step away from the animal slowly. The dog walks up to me and sniffs the air around me, and the German shepherd comes to my leg and sniffs me. He simply sits before me and looks up with eyes pleading to be petted, and I don’t move my hand.

“Miss, would you like us to take you to our town?” The first man said as he took off his mask. “We have a settlement three miles from here and take in refugees. Do you have anyone with you?”

I panic, and my hands shake when I look up from the dog. The words scared me, and the men terrified me. But towns of people are even scarier.

“I don’t know you,” I said in the sternest voice I could muster. “You don’t know me.”

“All I need to know has already been answered, young lady. You’re not infected, and you are alone. What are you, 16?”

I step away one step. Men talking about my age has never been a good thing. Men I have met throughout my time alone have been nothing short of disgusting and scary. The kind of men to think I couldn’t possibly be a beast just like them. Men loved young girls, and they loved to hurt them. I always was told that and believed it sincerely. Every single time, a man mistook my age, and my loneliness as a weakness always ended up dead. Men who would call me a little girl never saw the knife in my hand. 

“What’s it to you?” I say back with some darkness leaking out. “I am 13 and don’t need your help, sir.”

The man chuckled at my comment. “I am sure you don’t need it, but you need to come with us. We will feed you and let you go off on your journey if you want. You look like you need to come with us.”

“I don’t know you.”

“Okay, we know that, but do you have anywhere else to be?” Another man said and took his hat off. “Take a leap of faith here, and you will be okay. I promise you.”

So, I did, and I took a leap of faith and got on the back of one of their horses.

Maria’s hands massage my scalp as the kitchen sinks water my hair. Though Maria doesn't tell me that, dirt, blood, and small bugs fall out of my hair, and she just keeps washing my hair with tender fingers. 

“You held your own with our men.” She commented to me. She smiled down at me and saw the empty look on my face after I stopped crying.

“I tried to,” I replied. “I was scared, though, and I didn’t have anything on me.”

“If you did have something on you, what would you have done?” She smirked and looked at me. It feels like she already knows me.

“I would have tried to get away,” I told her. I smile at her, longing for her never to stop touching my hair. “But if I had any, I wouldn’t have been here, and I am starting to think it was meant to happen.”

“Maybe it was,” She smiled and continued to rinse my hair; she brought out a small-toothed comb, “What happened to your weapons?” She asked.

“I was with some people… And they took my things, and they left me.” I said and felt myself distance myself from my surrounding again. I pushed myself away from this, from reality. I hated to feel alone, and I hated what being alone meant for me. But being seen for me was too much for me, to have people know and see how I am… It was better inside my head. It feels better this way. “They were a father, mother, and a son. He was little. I am not even mad at them. I just wish they didn’t leave me alone.”

“I am sure it was better that they left you alone. They sound like bad people to leave a young girl alone in this world.”

“I am not that young. I am 13.” I sassed back to the woman. I hated being treated like I couldn’t handle myself, probably because I knew I could care for myself and know what I have done to protect myself, what I have done to grow so much darkness. 

“Oh, okay then.” She sassed back, slightly taken aback by my tone. She took a bar of shampoo and started lathering an old rag. “That’s why you didn’t have any weapons?”

“Yeah, you let go of the small stuff, you know.” I sighed as she started to rub the rag on my head. The feeling of comfort started to overwhelm me. “I would have found something to protect myself again, but I didn’t find anything before your guys found me.”

“That’s because we have taken everything like that around here.” She commented as she rubbed harder on my head, trying to break up the small locks of hair that matted together at the back of my head. “If you don’t mind me asking again, what happened to your parents.”

“What happens to everyone’s parents.” I sighed back at her. “My mom died in the QZ, and we don’t know how she died. The doctor said it was skin cancer, but we don’t know why. She just-“ I took a deep breath before continuing, “She just withered away. The QZ had a lot of food shortages, and there was no medicine for us to give her. My dad tried to get some pain pills, but she died anyway. Me and my dad left after she died.” I mumbled. “Anyways, he got bit a few weeks into our journey west. He ran away from me, and I am guessing he killed himself or that he is out there infected… I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”

Maria was quiet as she washed my hair. She had nothing to say and didn’t want to push me to go on. She just washed my hair as best she could, and she dried my hair with the fluffy towel that rested on my shoulders. She gently pulled me out of the chair and placed me at her dining room table. She grabbed scissors and cut the parts she couldn’t save in the wash. 

Maria cleared her throat and combed through my hair, removing the ends. “I had a son before this all started. Kevin. He was only three when the world fell apart, and he died like everyone else,” She said, her voice calm and soft. I heard the small tone of sadness inside her words, “I was alone for a long time after that. I didn’t want to be near anyone and couldn’t let go of my anger. But then, I started to let people in. The more people I let in, the more the pain of my loss healed. I don’t think I will ever be over Kevin, but I don’t cry when I remember him. I smile. It’s hard being on your own, sweetheart. I know you will find your peace, too, okay.” She said. Her speech to me was almost calm and something I didn’t need to discuss. I didn’t say anything back as her scissors continued to cut. 

“Okay, I want you to take another shower upstairs after I am done with your hair. I will get you some clothes.” She said softly.

“Maria…” I say as I look at my hands again. My hands were covered in minor cuts, my cuticles were broken and raw, and my skin cracked and irritated from the cold winter I traveled. “You are very kind. Thank you.” I whisper the last part.

Maria smiled at me, brushed the hair off my shoulders, and finished her cut. “Make yourself at home.”

[cardsweetheart]

Birthday Gift

Charlie content seemed to grab people's attention so here's him and MC being menaces.

(Aka self indulgent, slightly out of context stuff I want out of my drafts)

“But it’s my birthday”

“You know, you said that last year, and the year before that.”

“And every year you shove me in front of your brother.”

“Your boyfriend”

“One of them.”

“My brother.”

“I put glasses on him.”

Charlie pauses, the snappy back and forth coming to a halt at the comment. He shifts his weight on his hip, arms pressed closer to his chest now. The vision of his brother with glasses passed over his mind, but the pieces didn’t fit right. At least not with his frames. Another image flashes for a second before he mentally pushes it away.

“Do you, now?”

“Mhm. It’s part of my birthday present.” She continues to pick at the cake plate in her hand. 

“Bet he loves that.” 

“He likes what it does for me.” She brings the fork to her mouth and looks up at him through her eyelashes. 

She’s bluffing. She has to be. He wants her to be. The smirk at his contemplative silence makes him worry. His eyes wander to the dress they shoved her in this year and he wonders if she had any say in it. White and red, all ruffles, bows, and hearts scattered across the layers. He couldn’t deny how much the motif suited her, and he’s sure she knows it. The thought crosses again, flushed face and giggles. 

“You say my name too?” He asks, daring her to push.

“Charlie, come on. I can behave myself.”

“Can you?”

“Wanna find out?” 

He looks over her, scanning the courtyard for a familiar mop of red hair and comes up with nothing. He looks back at the prefect standing in front of him, all dressed up like a goddamn cake. Wrapped up in a bow for fucks sake. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought of taking her up on it every once and a while. 

Sometimes when Ace drags her home for holidays, and he’s sat across from her. She doesn’t act like this in front of the rest of the family. He’ll catch her stealing glances but for the most part it’s subtle. Seeing her in casual clothes that aren’t the visual assault of the Heartslabyul uniform, led his imagination to wander. Sometimes he even waits in anticipation for the approach, instead of cuddling up to his brother on the couch after dinner. 

He looks her over again. Her eye line has begun to wander from him and that irks him. If she’s going to be tempting, she could at least commit to it. 

“Hey.’ He pulls her attention back.

“Yeah?” She feigns ignorance.

How easily he falls for it, “You’re a fucking tease.”

“Teasing only works if it’s causing a reaction.” She reaches up and adjusts the glasses slowly slipping down the bridge of his nose, “I’ll let you keep your 20 bucks.”

The older man sighs does one last once over of the crowd for anyone that would notice them missing. 

“I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to steal the birthday girl away before someone starts looking.”

“My record is an hour.”

“That’s it?”

“Is that a yes?”

He quickly wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close, “You’re a pain in the ass.”

“That’s not a no.”

How was he ever going to be able to deny her. The way she leans against him so easily. The giddy smile on her face at finally getting what she wanted. He respected the hustle, the persistence. He’s not used to losing the chase. She smells like chocolate icing and the coffee he would down every morning. She felt right tucked up to him. 

In a swift motion, he grabs the corner of one of the dorm banners hanging near the pair. It swoops in front of them and she hears a snap. When the banner falls to the ground, all that’s left is a toppled over half eaten plate of red velvet cake. 

[naushtheaspiringauthor]

~Child Of The Storm~

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

Image by - @brokendreamtale2

Warnings- Bits of violence, ptsd, traumatic flashbacks throughout the chapters

taglist- @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy

..............................................................................................................................

Ch-8~Birthdays and bondings~

A few days later she remembered that her birthday was coming around. The weather had become hotter, and the kefta she had with strands of fur on the edges of the collar and a thick fabric, was now replaced by one with a much thinner and comfortable material.

She remembered her birthday of last year when Inej and Jesper had tried to bake a cake for her, but had failed miserably.

Jesper was supposed to keep track of the time and take the cake out of the oven, but he'd forgotten to do so, and the oven had caught fire.

She smiled to herself as she remembered the day. She ran a hand over her hair as she woke up on the day of her birthday. She'd expected for the day to be the same as the others as no one had knowledge of the fact that it was Anaya's birthday. 

She just hoped to go by the halls at the end of the day, and have some kvas, along with the other grisha. Usually, Nadia and Marie would drag her along with them on the nights when they weren't too exhausted by the day.

Anaya went up to the mirror and took out her necklace that was hidden beneath her clothes. Her mother had made it for her, on her sixth birthday. It was an ocean coloured pendant with an aquamarine stone. It was oval shaped and covered with silver patterns on the sides. It was the only belonging she had from her mother.  Her mother was a skilled fabrikator and she had made the pendant for her because she knew how fond of the sea Anaya had been. 

She hated how she'd come to be afraid of the very thing she once loved. She remembered the time when she wished to see the true sea, set foot on a ship and travel faraway lands. But the experience hadn't turned out to be as jolly as she'd anticipated.

She finished up with her training and went to the dining halls during lunch.

"It's your birthday today isn't it, Nasarzareen?" Zoya came by and sat down to her left.

"It's Nasrazeen, and yes it is. How do you happen to have that information, Nakyazelensy?" She responded in a mocking tone, trying to hide how surprised she was.

Zoya rolled her eyes, not bothering to correct her. "I tend to remember details about my enemies" she responded with a boastful expression

"Huh, well, whatever" Anaya looked away with an uninterested look

"I know your face is just built that way, but what has gotten you in such a mood?" 

"Ugh you wouldn't believe the kinds of torture Baghra does. The other day, I couldn't summon a hurricane so she pushed me into the lake" remembering the events made the burning sensation return back to Anaya

"She pushed you into the lake?" Zoya asked with her eyebrows raised. It was one of the rare moments when Anaya could see her actually have interest in something she'd said.

"She pushed me into the lake. Worst part, it actually worked"

"Oh that's nothing, she once left me outside in a thunderstorm, just so I could learn to control the winds"

"She did that?" asked Anaya with her eyes widened

"Yeah she did, and kept herself from getting wet in the slightest bit. She just stood there, and watched me suffer" Zoya complained with a slightly angered expression

"At this point, I'm so sure that this woman has something personal against us"

"Yeah it's like, she enjoys watching us suffer" They expressed their anger and resentment,  agreeing with each other though they'd never admit it.

"Anyways why am I talking to you? Go away" Zoya spoke as the realization that she was agreeing with her worst rival hit her.

"Huh, why would I go away? You sat here" Anaya responded as she raised an eyebrow

"Fine" Zoya rolled her eyes as she went away to a farther seat.

    ................................................................

Anaya rested her head sideways on her wrist, as she read the book in front of her. She sat in the library at her usual place by the window. She was too indulged in the book to notice someone entering the library.

"Ah Anya, there you are. I've been looking all around for you" She heard a familiar voice from her right.  She looked up from her book to see Genya standing infront of her. Before she could respond, Genya took her hand and dragged her along with her.

"I need your help with something" she said in a hurried voice

"With what?" Anaya asked in confusion

"Just, you'll see" Genya took her outside of the Little Palace and all the way to the gardens. It took her a moment to realize that they were moving towards the Grand Palace.

"Genya why are you taking me to the Grand Palace!?" Anaya's eyes widened

"I've been working on something and I wanted to test it on you" They went inside the enormous gates of the grand palace.  The grand palace was certainly bigger than the little palace with bigger rooms, hallways and the surroundings were shinier. It was the residence to the royal family of the Lantsovs along with their guards and staff.

"So, you want to use me as an experiment?" Anaya raised an eyebrow

"In a way, but only to make you look better"

"Are you saying that I'm ugly?" She gasped dramatically

"No, of course not. But your hair could be better" Genya replied with a teasing grin

Anaya furrowed her eyebrows as she went along with Genya. As they passed along a chamber that looked somewhat like a study. Anaya slightly peered her head to get a view of the area.

The room had several small shelves that contained various books and documents. There was a table in the center and several maps and documents were spread on it. Infront of it, there was a boy standing with his back facing Anaya.

He was dressed in a plain white shirt with a tawny vest, and his sleeves were rolled up. He had golden hair that shone perfectly in the rays of sunlight. Before Anaya could take any further action, Genya grabbed her hand and dragged her along. "Come on, let's go"

Genya showed her to her chambers. She was a member of the Queen's personal staff so she'd acquired a personal chamber in the Grand Palace.

She gestured Anaya to sit infront of her vanity and opened a box filled with several different potion-like things and something wierd in a few small jars. Anaya looked at it with a disgusted look.

"Those are cells, human cells. They are used in tailoring faces" Genya said, as she noticed Anaya's expression."Don't worry, I'm not going to change your face. There's this new thing I have been working on. It can help change hair colours with lesser effort and more efficiently"

"So you want to use me as an experiment?"

"Precisely, yes"

"Fine, but if you ruin my glorious hair, I will haunt you in your dreams Genya"

"Yeah yeah, don't worry. I'll change it back to the way it was. Probably make it better" She spoke out the last part in a lower voice

Anaya allowed Genya to continue. The whole thing lasted for a while and even though she hated to admit, Genya actually made her look better.

In the evening, she went to the tannery to sit in silence and have some kvas. She went back to her chambers, some time after midnight to have some rest. She sat near her window and read a book for some time before finally going to bed.

   ......................................................................

She was looking all around her in her soaked clothes, in hopes of finding someone who was still breathing.

"You did this" her mother spoke from behind her

"We are so very disappointed in you, Anaya. You have failed us" her father joined her

"What use would you be of, when you couldn't even excel in your own abilities?" He continued

"I'm really sorry, I'm- I'm trying to improve I really am" Anaya responded helplessly

"You are a disgrace" her mother spat back at her

"You're a mistake"

"No please"

"You don't deserve to be here"

"Stop, please stop"

"You deserve to rot in those filthy slums"

"Useless brat"

They continued to yell. She felt like the world was closing up on her as her ears started ringing and her body began to tremble. She covered her ears with her hands. 

"Stop!" She screamed loudly

She was jolted awake as she looked around her with panicked breaths. Her throat felt like it had closed up and she'd lost the ability to breathe. Her heart began to beat rapidly, as if it was going to tear it's way out of her chest.

She looked around to realize that she was still in her chambers, surrounded by the dimly lit candles near her bed. Her breathing began to slow down. She had never been more thankful to be here than she was at the moment.

[futurewife]

happy happy happy birthday, ven!!! my moon and my stars!!! my girl!!! i love you so much!!! i think abt how it rlly does feel like fate that we met, finding each other in our little community and finding each other again in the chat of a mutual friend's live stream!!! what are the odds!!! i am so grateful to exist at the same time as you, i am so grateful to know you!!! i hope this new age welcomes you kindly, i hope this year brings you happiness and peace and experiences and opportunities!!! and i hope you have the best birthday!!! i will allow adrian to give you the first birthday kiss but i WILL be smooching your cheek second, and that is a promise. i love you!!!!! 🖤⭐️

my last thank you even though you were the first to send in 😭😭🩷🫶 you know how we are... uno reverse image even though it's not your birthday (if we had had the same birthday that would have been a little TOO on the nose) I LOVE YOU TOO!!!! love you to the moon and to saturn etc my girllll 🌠💌 Thank you for your birthday wishes liv in many ways you are a kind of north star for me sometimes and feel a sense of peace and comfort when I think about how you are also a girl like me in this world, and then how much even better it is that we are NOT relegated to being two ships passing in the night but that we connected and found each other ‼️‼️❣️and everytime I think about this life just seems sooo meaningful and hopeful. like wait I gotta keep trying to maintain healthy habits. olivia is out there somewhere.

My actual birthday was characteristically very casual errands and lunch with my dad (which I love doing so no complaints) however we WILL be seeing dune part 2 together in imax this week, yes my present is seeing josh brolin, huge in a dark room I guess. and sometimes that's enough hahaha.

one birthday kiss from adrian and one birthday kiss from liv I'm actually the most blessed girl on earth... he knows you and I are a package deal and when my knife bottoms out in the cake he's gotta share me again too he knows you have my heart 🫀⛓️💘‼️

[triscribe]

Tagged by @pumpking64​, thanks!

Share your wallpaper: I’ve never bothered swapping out the generic “abstract blue-green paint smear” image that came with my phone, but if I did it would probably be to one of my best kitten photos, aka The Scrungly Little Beast

(also the icon for my @triscribeaucollection​ sideblog)

The last song you listened to: Rooftop, by Nick Santos

Currently reading: Working my way through every Sea Beast fan fic on AO3 that catches my eye

Last Movie: The Sea Beast, on Netflix

Craving: Chocolate cake, but I shouldn’t have that for breakfast

What are you wearing right now: Soft green nightshirt, green lounge shorts I pulled on when I first got up

How tall are you: Five feet, three and three quarters inches, or ~162 centimeters for my metric system friends. Why do I specify the three quarters? Because my mom is five foot four inches, and I have been stuck at a smidge shorter than her for years. But my day will come. Maybe not this decade, maybe not the next, but sooner or later she WILL begin to shrink, and then *I* will be the one who is a quarter inch taller! Muahahaha!

...ahem. Moving on...

Piercings: None

Tattoos: Nope

Glasses? Contacts?: Negative on both

Last drink: Sweetened Peach Sparkling Water. My local grocery store sells their own brand in various flavors, eighty cents for a liter bottle. Healthier than soda, at the very least

Last show: Hogan’s Heroes - we have all six seasons on DVD, and they’re good comfort content when there isn’t anything good to watch on television

(”Colonel Hogan, I must know what is going on here!”

“Schultz, if I tell you, you could become a tremendous hero-”

“Or?”

“-shot.”

“...I hear nothing, I see nothing, I Know NO-THING!”)

Lasting thing you ate: Piece of fried chicken for dinner

Favorite color: Turquoise! Because I was the doofus as a kid who couldn’t ever pick between blue and green, so I compromised and went with both at once x’D

Current obsession: Father & son feels between Captain Crow and Jacob Holland from the Sea Beast movie

Unrelated obsession: Master & padawan feels between Tajin Crosser and Dan G’vash from the Elder episode of Star Wars Visions. Totally unrelated. Right.

Any pets: YES. So Many Pets. We’re actually at a low point right now, with only two dogs, two rabbits, seven chickens in the bathroom, and twenty eight cats of various ages (which will go down as soon as we start adopting out the eleven most recent kittens)

Do you have a crush on anyone: ...maybe.

Favorite fictional character: My own? Crant the Wolfen. Somebody else’s? Hmm... Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars), Peter Parker (Marvel), Cassandra Cain (DC), Will Treaty (Ranger’s Apprentice), Tiffany Aching (Discworld), Aizawa Shouta (bnha), Eowyn (Lord of the Rings), Bumblebee (Transformers), Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones), etc etc...

The last place you traveled: Florida, visiting my dad for my birthday a couple months ago

Thanks again! Tagging: @153-centimeters-of-sass​ @blackbeltkitten2​ @catboy-pentheus​ @kaiseaya​ and as always anybody else who’d like to snag a spot ;)

[the-insatiable-poet]

It’s strange the things we are asked in therapy,

“What was your childhood like?”

When I was a child, I was afraid to upset people,

It felt a betrayal;

Like telling them no would be the crushing end weight to their life,

So I never said it if there was ever an option,

Given the choice I always picked what they wanted,

Why did it matter?

I had my life ahead of me,

What did it matter if “yes” began to taste of copper by the time I was eight?

“How did that make you feel?”

By the time I was thirteen I realized it was my role - my sole role - to ensure happiness in my mother’s life,

Her boyfriends never could,

She couldn’t make any friends,

“But you’re my best friend,”

She promise, smiling at me with fangs that had been filed dull,

“Where would I be without you?”

It felt like a vow or a threat,

I could never tell.

“Do you love her?”

My mother and I are the same double edged sword,

She wounds me just as I wound her but at the end of the day we are still connected at the hilt,

I love her just as much as I despise her,

If you had asked me when I was fifteen if I hated her, I would have said yes,

I would have told you how much I howled for help and she never listened,

She would have told you how I wounded her beyond what any daughter should have ever hurt their mother,

There would have been open wounds in our home,

I don’t hate her, though.

“What are you thinking about now?”

I watch the clock flip and suddenly it’s 12 am;

I’m a year older,

My mother has been a mother for another year,

It was her first time being a mom,

She had to deal with her own traumas and pains,

The hand-me-down baggage that came with her last name that her mother had given to her and her mother had given to her,

It’s my first time being on earth just as it is hers,

I feel sad for her.

“Can you explain that for me?”

I remember when I was younger -

My ninth grade birthday party as she made ice cream cone birthday cakes,

When I was eleven and we saw the Nutcracker for the first time and I wore a new dress,

When I was twenty one and she bought me concert tickets on the floor for my favorite artist -

Mothers and daughters have always existed as dolorous versions of each other;

“Is this what I could have been?” The mother cries,

“Are you all I’ll ever be?” The daughter wails.

“Is that how you feel?”

I think my mother and I are sanguine images of each other,

One day, I’ll meet her when she is seven and play dolls with her,

One day, I’ll visit her when she is eleven and crying in her room alone,

One day, I’ll visit her when she is fifteen and questioning everything just to promise her that it’s worth it,

I’ll cradle the child she was and save her.

It’s strange the things we’re asked in therapy.

[sloshout-venues]

Top 5 Birthday Party Photographers in Gurgaon to Capture Every Moment Perfectly

Birthdays are one of the most anticipated events of the year, filled with joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments. To ensure these memories last forever, hiring a skilled photographer is essential. If you’re hosting a birthday party in Gurgaon, you're in luck—this city is home to some of the best photographers who specialize in capturing the essence of your celebration. Here's a look at some of the top birthday party photographers in Gurgaon:

1. The Rich Pages

The Rich Pages stands out for its artistic approach to birthday photography. Known for their creative use of lighting and angles, their team focuses on telling the story of your birthday party through images. Whether it’s candid shots or posed portraits, The Rich Pages ensures that every moment from cake cutting to fun-filled activities is captured beautifully.

2. Shutterdown - Lakshya Chawla

Lakshya Chawla, the talent behind Shutterdown, brings a fresh perspective to birthday party photography. Specializing in both candid and event photography, Lakshya captures the raw emotions and joy of your celebration. His team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, vibrant images that encapsulate the fun, excitement, and togetherness of your special day.

3. Going Bananas Photography

Going Bananas Photography brings a fun and energetic vibe to birthday party shoots. Known for their quirky, vibrant style, they focus on capturing the playful moments of the day. Whether it's kids’ birthday parties or themed celebrations, Going Bananas Photography ensures that each photo radiates the energy and spirit of the event.

4. Ishank Photography

Ishank Photography is a favorite for those looking for elegant and timeless birthday party photography. With a keen eye for detail, Ishank and his team capture every little moment, from the decorations to the guests and everything in between. Their professional and unobtrusive style allows guests to enjoy the event while still ensuring that all the best moments are documented.

5. Slice of Life Pictures

Slice of Life Pictures focuses on candid and lifestyle photography, making them a great choice for capturing the spontaneous joy of a birthday celebration. Their style is more natural, offering a mix of emotional portraits and action shots. Slice of Life Pictures is ideal for those looking for a personal, heartfelt collection of memories that tell the story of the day.

Related Blog: Gurgaon Makeup Artists Reveal 6 Ways to Wow at Any Event

FAQs: Birthday Party Photographers in Gurgaon

1. How much does a birthday party photographer in Gurgaon cost? The cost of hiring a birthday party photographer in Gurgaon depends on factors like the photographer's experience, the duration of the event, and the services included. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between ₹10,000 and ₹50,000 for a professional photographer.

2. How far in advance should I book a photographer for my birthday party? It’s best to book your photographer at least 1-2 months before your birthday party, especially if you're planning the event during peak seasons like the end of the year or around public holidays.

3. What is included in a birthday party photography package? Most birthday party photography packages include coverage for the event, a set number of edited photos, an online gallery for viewing and downloading, and sometimes, a photo album. Additional services like videography or a drone shoot may also be offered as part of premium packages.

4. What style of photography is best for a birthday party? The style of photography largely depends on your personal preference. Candid photography works great for capturing genuine emotions, while posed portraits can give a classic, timeless feel. Some photographers, like those listed above, blend both styles to provide a diverse and comprehensive photo collection.

5. Can I get digital copies of the photos from my birthday party shoot? Yes, most photographers offer digital copies of the edited photos as part of the package. You'll usually receive these photos through an online gallery, allowing you to download and share them as you wish.

Conclusion

Capture every moment of your birthday celebration with the best photographers like The Rich Pages, Shutterdown (Lakshya Chawla), Going Bananas Photography, Ishank Photography, and Slice of Life Pictures. For a seamless experience, book your venue and photographer through Sloshout, the trusted platform for finding top party venues and professional photographers in Gurgaon. Let Sloshout help you create unforgettable memories with the perfect venue and stunning photos.

[vilandel]

Sister's Gift

Summary Instead of a lonely birthday, Nozel has the surprise to greet Noelle on his balcony.

A/N A little oneshot I wrote for Nozels birthday last year. I know, it's not his birthday, but it is still Fluffmay and this is a little oneshot with sibling bonding between Nozel and Noelle, plus I really love this one, so I decided to share it 💘 Little inspiration was this adorable fanart by this artist.

Ao3 link

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

There was never something special for his birthday since his mother died and Nozel had no intention to change that. It was his way to punish himself. Besides, except Fuegoleon, no one actually remembered his birthday, not even Nebra and Solid. Only for them to get in a panic during the last day of the year afterwards and getting him last minutes presents on the first day of the new year. Plus those presents he got each year since a decade, only put on his bed without any message.

There was no reason why his birthday this year would be any different. But when Nozel entered his bedroom after a long day of work, he heard a strange noise coming from his balcony, as if someone had a rough landing.

Opening his balcony door quickly, what he discovered surprised him greatly.

“Noelle?”

“Hello, brother… Ah, sorry I landed so unfitting for a royal, I actually got better with flying a broom, but not really, but I couldn’t take my Valkyrie Armour this time, in case I lose control, plus I had to transport things that are easier to transport with a broom than an armour spell, although I still don’t understand why, but Vanessa said that and I know I should have taken my own opinion about it, but-“

“Calm down and come in first.”

Nozel hold his sister the door open while Noelle gathered all her stuff. It was strange to see her, but he refused to complain. Their bond had gotten better after Spade and Nozel refused to let slip any occasion he could spent with his baby sister. He did so many mistakes before. Not anymore.

It meant the world to him. And to his biggest surprise, it also meant the world to Noelle. During her last visit, she bluntly told him that she loved spending time with him and Nozel had seen in her eyes that she didn’t lied just to make him feel better. She meant it. He still believed that he didn’t deserved her kindness, but making his beloved little sister happy was now more important than punishing himself.

Noelle put a cake box on his office table, a big present and a strange, almost creepy tissue doll that looked exactly like her. Nozel frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Should he be offended that someone dared to sew such a thing with the image of his little sister or would he offend Noelle if he would point it out?

Noelle turned towards him and took a deep breath, as if to give herself some courage. “Happy birthday, brother. I know you don’t celebrate your birthday, but I actually find it sad since I got birthday parties with the Black Bulls and I really wanted to give you my birthday gift personally this year.”

“Wait… during all those years, those secret presents… They were from you?”

“Yes! I really hope that you’ll liked those. Besides, you also gave me birthday gifts in secret during all those years, it’s only fair I show you the same kindness. And I really wanted to give you something on your birthday, since only captain Fuegoleon seemed to remember that the 30th December is your birthday.”

“You knew it was me?”

“I saw you once sneaking into the palace in secret, when I was seven years old, with a huge bunny plushie. And I got that very same plushie for my birthday the day after. So, yes… I knew from quite some time. Does it bother you?”

“No, not at all.”

Nozel just didn’t know what he should say. For so many years, Noelle actually knew that he was the one giving her birthday gifts in secret during all those years, even after she joined the Black Bulls.

“The Black Bulls were always surprise when I got secret birthday gifts, they are even taking bets. All of them already lost those, but they don’t know. I only told Vanessa, because she noticed that I never was surprised about those gifts and she tickled me, until I spilled the beans. She was surprised when I told her it was you, but she promised me to keep the secret. Vanessa actually finds it cute, so-“

Noelle suddenly interrupted, because Nozel pulled her into a hug. It might be awkward, but Nozel didn’t know what else he could do to thank her. And his mother always hugged him when she wanted to thank him for something, so there was that.

He felt his little sister freeze in his arm for a second, but she immediately gave in the hug. Nozel could tell that Noelle was happy. He made her happy with this hug. This was more than he ever dared to wish before.

The hug lasted a while, before they sadly had to break it. But Noelle absolutely wanted to give him this year’s birthday gift.

“Sorry for the doll, but when Gordon somehow found out that I was going to make you a birthday gift, he insisted that I give you this creepy doll. It’s not a spell or anything, it just looks creepy and Gordon always means well.”

What Noelle didn’t told her brother yet was that Gordon also made her a Nozel doll and that she was sleeping with said doll in her bed. Along with an Asta doll.

“Well, mother always said that the gesture means a lot, so it would be rude of me to refuse that doll.”

And having some kind of Noelle plushie didn’t seem so bad in Nozels books, even though it looked kinda creepy. But if it was made with love, the doll also seemed a bit comforting, thank goodness.

Nozel sat down on his bed to open the gift, Noelle right next to him. She seemed pretty excited and also nervous. It was clear that she certainly put a lot of thoughts in this gift.

Three books appeared soon after. Three books from the same writer. And not just any writer. It was from Aciers favourite novelist. Romance novels, but certainly some of the best ones.

Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion and Sense & Sensibility.

Did Noelle knew that the writer of those novels was their mother’s favourite?

“I really hope it’s okay for you. I saw you once read a novel from this author so I thought it was fine? Except Finral and Gordon, no one of the Black Bulls men appreciates romance novels and make even fun out of it. And I wanted to get you the other three from this writer, but sadly I couldn’t find them at the bookstore. Okay, I could have searched in other bookshops, but I’m sure I couldn’t find prettier covers like those and I wasn’t really patient, and-“

“Noelle, it’s okay. I love this writer. Actually… it was the favourite novelist of our mother. And Persuasion was her favourite novel.”

“Really?”

The happy on his sister’s face was one of the most beautiful things Nozel ever saw. He couldn’t help but hug her. She gifted him so much more than three wonderful novels.

“Nozel, are you ready for the cake? Charmy made it and it’s one of her latest creations. Lavender cheesecake. Trust me, it is delicious.”

“I would love to try.”

Noelle was right, that lavender cheesecake was one of the best cakes Nozel ever tasted. Sweet and soft and even refreshing.

It was a nice birthday, just staying with his little sister in his bedroom, chatting a bit more openly and eating a delicious cake. Nozel wasn’t sure still if he deserved it, but Noelle was so happy and he couldn’t help but feel happy and at ease too. It wasn’t bad at all.

Maybe one day, Nebra and Solid could join them. Maybe one day, they could heal enough to have proper birthday parties.

They still had a long way in front of them, but… maybe one day, they could become the family they always should have been, like their mother always wished. 

[survey--s]

534.

Do you prefer bar or liquid soap? Liquid, for sure. I hate the feeling/texture of bar soap.

What's the speed limit on your street? 20mph, but it’s normally impossible to even go that fast.

When was the last time you wore your favourite article of clothing? Yesterday.

Do any of your family members have an upcoming birthday? Yeah, my dad’s birthday is in about ten days.

On a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best, rate your last kiss. A three, maybe?

What is your favourite flavour of Jolly Ranchers? I’ve never had those.

Where was your Facebook profile picture taken? At home.

Do your parents smoke? Neither of them do.

Would you rather bake cookies or a potato? Cookies.

Who was the last person to stay the night at your house? Nobody ever sleeps over here.

Do you live close to a park? Yeah, there’s one about ten minutes away.

Is your favourite animal endangered? Yeah, tigers are.

Have you eaten pizza in the last week? Yeah, I had a roasted vegetable pizza on Saturday.

Who was the last person you added to your contacts list? An unknown number so I could look them up on WhatsApp.

How long does it take you to shower? Five minutes. I hate actually being in the shower but I love the feeling of being clean so I just get it over and done with.

Do you prefer a brand of bottled water over others, or is it all the same? I don’t drink bottled water.

Have you used Wikipedia today? Yeah.

Are you better at writing fiction or non-fiction? Fiction, for sure.

Do you know anyone who has moved to a different state? Yeah, I don’t know many people who haven’t lol.

How many pens can you see from where you’re sitting? Zero.

Have you ever dated someone one grade/year above or below you? Of course.

What language do you think you’d be good at? Italian. What language do you think you’d fail at? Any language with symbols lol.

Do you still have a landline phone at your house? No.

What is your current desktop background? Just an outer space image I got off Google.

How big is the television you last watched? It’s about 42″ I think.

Have you ever been stung by a bee or a wasp? Yeah.

How many schools have you been to in your lifetime? Two schools, and two universities.

What is the middle name of the last person you texted? He doesn’t have a middle name.

Are you of legal age in your country? Yes.

Why did you last visit a doctor? To get a sick note for work.

Would you prefer an ice cream cake or a regular cake? Regular cake.

How old is your best friend? 38.

What is/was your high school’s mascot? Schools in the UK don’t really have mascots.

Do you carry pain relievers with you at all times? Not on my person, but I always have some in the car.

Where is your mother right now? I assume she’s at home as she’s showing as online on Messenger.

What was the last thing to make you smile? Toby and Archie giving each other kisses lol.

Are you currently saving up for anything? Nothing specific, no - more just general “life” stuff.

What’s the view like from your bedroom window? Boring. It’s just the front street and the row of houses opposite.

Generally speaking, do you prefer sweet or savoury? Savoury.

What would you do if you got home and you saw your house had been destroyed? Panic? lol.

When did you last go outside, and what for? I went to fill my car up and grab an iced coffee.

Who is your favourite Sesame Street character? I never watched Sesame Street growing up really.

How often do you check your emails? Whenever I see that I have a new one.

Do you have any plans for this Thanksgiving? We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here.

What colour is your backpack? The bag I use the most is black.

Would you slap the last person you talked to for twenty dollars? Hahaha yes. 

What search engine do you usually use? Google.

How much did the shirt you’re wearing cost? About £4.

Patrick Stump or Pete Wentz? Neither.

Do you know anyone who gives way too many hugs? No.

What time do you usually wake up on Sundays? Around 8-9am.

Have you whispered today? No.

What grade did you get on the last test you took? Christ knows, I haven’t taken any kind of test in years.

[sevcasejay1chicago]

It’s my birthday, so I figured I would write little images or whatever on my three favorite men. Yes, there is a SIGNIFICANT age gap, but I love who I love. 🤷🏼‍♀️

How they wake you up on your birthday.

Jay: Jay knows that your mom always made a big deal about your birthday. In turn, you have made a big deal about HIS birthday for the last two years of your relationship. This year, you are 25. You always joked about the SpongeBob episode with the whole “you know what’s better than 24? 25.” Thing. You have told Jay MULTIPLE times that you want a cake with a picture of that scene on it. Jay already woke you up with gentle kisses, cradling you to his chest while he quietly sang happy birthday and then discussed the plans for your birthday. You love snuggling, and Jay doesn’t disappoint in that department, but you also love what comes of snuggling (hint hint). After you guys shower, Jay sneaks out of the bedroom to set up your birthday cake while you blow dry your hair. When you walk in, you immediately burst out laughing. “YOU DID NOT!” You giggle, blowing out the candles after making a wish. “Well, you dropped enough hints. The baker LOVED doing your cake.” Jay smiled, placing the cake on the table as you walked up to him and placed yourself in his arms. “God I love you.” Jay mumbled, kissing your lips. “Happy birthday baby.”

Matt: Matt had it all planned out. Snuggles when you woke up, breakfast in bed, a long hot bath, going to Starbucks and then to Molly’s for the biggest surprise you would ever have, thanks to all of your friends since they are currently finishing set up to accomplish your biggest dream. It all worked out perfectly. Matt let you sleep until 10, waking you up with trailing kisses from your breast all the way to the top of your head and back down to your lips. After some time together, and significant cuddles, Matt runs out of the room to grab your breakfast and card, taking a moment to steel himself for the rest of the day. Your biggest birthday present awaits at Molly’s, a surprise winter wedding.

Kelly: Kelly woke you with kisses and breakfast in bed. In between bites, Kelly would give you a quick peck on the lips or suck on your neck, laughing as you moaned around a full mouth. “You’re are gonna make me choke.” You laughed out, connecting your forehead with his. “Well, it’s a good thing I know how to save you. May even give you a little mouth to mouth.” Kelly smirked, brushing your noses together before kissing you deeply. “I’ve got another surprise.” Kelly whispered, reaching into his pocket. He brought out a velvet box and opened it up. “I love you more than life itself. More than firefighting, which has been what my life was encompassed by until you came along. You are my light, the one I make sure I come home to. I couldn’t be more thankful that God put you in this earth and in my arms. I hope this is the best birthday present ever and that you would make me the happiest man alive and marry me.” Kelly says, kneeling on the mattress on front of me. “Yes.” You breathed.