#noodle arms aside 💕

[eliteseven]

…They’re offended…

[astheskycries]

Who we craving for characters?

Also I've been thinking of Steve and Maggie. Ifk I just think Maggie teaching him to cook would be sweet

For my sweet, supportive Amber, I hope you enjoy this little Drabble 💕 It isn't much, but I think it's a cute little window into their world.

This follows the final chapter of Protected, please read the first book here to avoid spoilers. Also using a homemade pasta recipe I got from here, so any other parts that are wrong are 100% mine.

I hum to myself, setting the sponge aside and quickly washing my hands. "Well, if you're willing to pay..." I notice Steve's grin, smiling as he takes my place to clean up. "Is there anything specific you'd like, Captain?"

His hip nudges mine, smirking as his blue eyes seem to sparkle in the heavy light of the kitchen. "Maybe something nice, I have this girl I want to impress."

"She must be a lucky lady," I wink, turning on my foot to stretch for some ingredients. Steve's hand moves next to mine to grab it for me, the other resting easily on my waist as he passes it to me. "I'll show you how to make some lasagna, my first instructor gave me the recipe and it's the best thing I've ever tasted."

He smiles, happily grabbing ingredients from shelves for me while I grab a few extra ingredients. "That sounds perfect, where do we start?"

"You'll want to put the flour on that board and make a hole." I smile as I watch him move, admittedly enjoying seeing him be less graceful than he is on the field as he follows the recipe. "Now you crack the eggs in the center..." I can't help but giggle as he accidentally knocks some flour on himself, not only managing to get it on his black shirt but a bit on his cheek that nearly spreads it to his long eyelashes.

"Go ahead and laugh sweetheart, soon you'll be just as covered." He smirks and peers at me through his lashes, laughing when I blush. "What's next?"

I pad over and check his dough, smiling. "This is perfect! Now you'll run it through the roller a couple times to get it even and smooth, and we can cut our noodles and start on the sauce."

Steve hums, watching my face instead of my directions. "You know, I could use a partner..."

I laugh, shaking my head as I start working the dough through the roller. "I don't think the Avengers need a chef on the team, Captain."

He hums, gently brushing some flour from my cheek. "Then maybe for dinner?"

I smiled set the dough aside, rising on my tiptoes and wrapping my arms around his neck. "I'd like that."

"Yeah?" He gently grabs my hips, holding me closer as his forehead rests against mine. "Even without the shield?"

I smile, gently brushing his nose with mine. "Always."

Going to add tags as well since I'm finally back to writing 🥰

Tags:  @janeyboo  @mylittlefandomfanfictions  @palaiasaurus64  @averyrogers83  @guera31  @soulmates8  @coffeebooksandfandom  @sweater-daddiesdumbdork  @pegasusdragontiger  @mizzzpink  @onetwo3000  @see-you-again-my-sun-and-stars  @sleepylunarwolf  @wheresmyplums  @smoothdogsgirl  @marvelouslyme96  @esoltis280  @jtargaryen18 @k-evans-writes  @rainbowkisses31  @buchanansebba  @katiew1973  @patzammit  @time-for-a-lullaby

Protected Series:  @brooklyn-1918  @jennmurawski13  @mrspeacem1nusone

[littlepadika]

Infinity + 1 l Frankie Morales x f!Reader

Warnings: DDLG, fluff, age play, mild bunny/pet play

For sweet bunny anon who likes sparkly stickers and whose love language is all of them. Hehe bb i'm sure your birthday is not a "forgettable" time of the year when you're with the right people 💕 I ship you with daddy frankie bc he loves in allll the love languages.

You got home completely exhausted from big girl work. You instantly melted into little mode when you walked through the door and saw Frankie. You put on your bunny ears and told him all about your day. He listened attentively while carding his fingers through your hair. Whenever he stroked your hair you'd immediately turn to jello. He encouraged you to take a nap while he made dinner, despite your protest.

"You deserve some rest after your big day, bunny."

"But-but I wanna be with you, daddy." You pouted.

"I'll be right here when you wake up. We'll have special playtime tonight..." He dangled that reward so you agreed. He dressed you in your fuzzy pjs and turned on some quiet relaxing music on your little boombox.

"I'll be right out here if you need anything, bunny." He kissed your forehead then your lips. "I love you, beautiful girl."

"I love you times infinity." You replied.

"I love you times infinity plus one." Frankie replied with a wink. It was the same back and forth you always did when he would say I love you. At this point if he didn't say it you would be upset.

"Can I have milkies, daddy?" You asked, batting your lashes up at him. That always helped you get to sleep.

"It's not bedtime yet, bunny. Just naptime." Frankie struggled to say no. You were more tired than you thought.

"But-"

"We can have special play later. Promise." He pressed a finger to your lips to quiet you.

"Okay..." You sigh, opening your mouth and letting him slip his finger inside. You sucked on it, getting some comfort.

"There you go... see you're already sleepy." Frankie hummed, eyes trained on your lips fused around his finger.

He stayed with you, stroking your hair until you were asleep. Then he got to work on your favorite pasta dish.

He was rolling the homemade meatballs when he felt two arms encircle his waist.

"You're supposed to be relaxing bunny..." Frankie looked back at you.

"But I miss you, daddy." You grumble into his shirt.

"I'm making dinner. Your favorite." He moved aside so you could see.

"Meatballs!" You clapped your hands together. "Can I help?" You asked. Frankie found this very sweet since you normally didn't like cooking. He agreed, helping you roll the meatball, his big hands guiding yours. Your tall bunny ears were getting in the way so he bent them down so he could see over your head. If he moved away to get something you'd immediately whine until he was back at your side.

"Good girl, bunny. Thank you for helping daddy." He praised when you held up the perfect ball. Then he helped you pinch off some more meat and roll another one. You didn't mind the sticky mess. You giggled at the sensation. Frankie wiped your hands off with a wet towel so you didn't get on any on your clothes.

"Now what, daddy?" You asked looking at all the meatballs neatly placed on the pan.

"Now we put them in the oven and let them cook. Then we make the sauce and the noodles."

"That's so many steps." You complained, wanting your daddy all to yourself.

"It takes a lot of work to keep a baby bunny fed." Frankie snickered, tickling your sides. "You can go play while I finish making dinner. It's okay."

"Only play with you, daddy!" You wrap your arms around him expectantly. "Special play! Pwease!" You jump up eagerly.

"That does sound fun." Frankie chuckled "I thought you were tired though."

"Me all better now." You said proudly.

"Well..." Frankie felt his resolve crumbling under your cute and eager expression. He squeezed your butt lightly. Dinner could wait a little longer...

There was a knock at the door which interrupted his thoughts.

"Who could that be?" He frowned, heading for the door.

"I come too." You take his hand and follow him. Frankie was still very protective from his military days and he hid your body behind his as he opened the door.

"It's a package, baby girl." Frankie pulled it inside. "It has your name on it..." He handed it to you.

"STICKERS!" You screeched in excitement when you have the box open. "Daddy it's the holo stickers me wanted! Thankie daddy thankie times infinity!" You waved them around. You teared up at the thoughtful gift, hugging Frankie tight.

"Something told daddy you needed them to add some sparkle to your planner." He laughed at your reaction, loving to see you so happy.

Frankie oohed and awed as you showed him each one even though he was the one who picked them out. You hopped off to put them on your planner immediately.

"Be careful with how you put them on." Frankie called after you. He'd prefer to watch you do it just in case you messed up or needed help. However this was the perfect opportunity to work on dinner.

Again you came back way sooner than expected. Frankie dropped the spoon he was holding when he saw you were completely naked.

"Hey fuzzy bunny where did your clothes go?" He put his hands on his hips. "Oof" You had hopped over and wrapped your arms around his neck, leaning against him. He swallowed hard, feeling your warm curves under his hands.

"Special play now pwease. You pwomised daddy!" You used your puppy eyes and watched Frankie's resolve crumble. He was such a sucker for you.

"You're not going to let me forget that huh?" Frankie chuckled, giving in and kissing you. He grunted into your mouth when his fingers found your fuzzy bunny tail nestled between your cheeks. "Naughty bunny... you put this in without any help?"

"Mhm. It felt good when I did it, daddy." You whispered it like it was a secret.

Frankie growled quietly before pulling you towards his room. Once you were naping and sated from pleasure he'd finish dinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

1k drabbles

littlespace taglist @lafresamilk @dobbyjen @mamacitapascal @prettypedros, @marstheplanet @takochansugoi @oceanablue @iwishtobeastorm @dincrypt, @bac-1, @spacenerdpascal, @cranberrypills @punkerthanpascal @breezythesimp @djarinsimp @mylittlesenaar @bbybunbun @phnyx @xwalltoast @dreadwolfxoxo @xwalltoast @mswarriorbabe80 @bearcina @lokigirlszendaya @pedroslilbitch @star-wars-fan-2005 @din-jarhead @hillgoth @m4ngoj3lly @crabbae @im-a-mcsimp-for-mchotties @girlofchaos

[foreverethereal123]

Look who learnt how to add a line break🤩🤩 lolol

Okay, now back to this story! I absolutely love what you’re doing with this AU. These little pieces of information we get from all these one-shots you do aside from the main series just make me so happy❤ Even though some moments are painful and incredibly heart-breaking, we get to see Trevor being by Tatum’s side through everything🥺🥺🤧

And I hate their parents soo much. I can handle Character deaths (quite happily actually) but I get so angry whenever there are kids and shitty parents involved, dude. You know, I get why Tatum’s mom left, the guy was abusive and a real piece of shit. But what I really don’t get is that, even after she knew what kind of a motherfucker he was, she left her kids with him! Just...ughh! Trevor and Tatum deserved so much better🥺🥺🥺🥺💔💔💔

“Tater Tot?”

That nickname🥺

When she tried to hide, he caught her by the arm, twisting her wrist until they both heard a crack. Dropping the terrified little girl on the ground, he grabbed his keys and left. That was almost eight hours ago.

I’LL KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!! I cannot possibly imagine how terrifying that must’ve been for my little baby!😭😭💔 Any sort of childhood trauma lives with you forever and the more I find out about Tatum’s story I just get 😭😭💔💔 I’m just glad he’s dead right now. Give him the most painful, excruciating death ever😌😌 Crucio, you little bitch, David!😊 That’s a Harry Potter reference if you didn’t know lol

It had only been a couple of months since Ethan and Tatum had taken the plunge, agreeing to exclusively date each other again.

SKJDHJKSHKJSHJDKHLSJHJKSKSKSBSNJXBSFASKJ! THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER!!! YAYYY!💕💕💕😍😍😍

“I want Thanksgiving, Trevor,” she whines. “Why does everyone else get Thanksgiving? And leftovers? And berry sauce?”

🥺🥺🤧💔💔💔

THANK FREAKING YOU, for writing that kind lady! I was crying and questioning in what world you considered this, I quote, ”fairly fluff”! Like, where Em??😂😂 And then she came in and helped these babies have some of that Berry sauce and gave them Ramen noodles! They needed a warm figure like that🥺🥺💕

Look, I love Sienna. We needed a best friend who was not hitting on us constantly and she was perfect for it. But..sometimes...I just felt that..she was...too bubbly..and happy...and annoying. Yeah. Annoying. That much brightness and smiles are not my cup of tea. 

Peeking inside, she notices instantly the content: two cups of ramen noodles and a can of cranberry sauce. She abruptly looks back up at Ethan, tears gathering in her eyes.

😭😭😭😭😭

And Ethan is her family. He always will be.

I - 🤧🤧

Well, I cried after reading this. You did such a phenomenal job and...ahh! Just straight up, perfect!💕

Edit : I just read it again (I loved this, okay?) so I just read that Sienna is pregnant?!?! And Idk how I missed that!! OMG!! She's going to be a great mom to her kids! Even though I find her annoying she's my best friend. Can I just say, I love how you have built this contrast. We see Tatum and Trevor, two kids with big hearts but they didn't get a good enough parent!🤧🤧 But we see Rafael and Sienna, two of the sweetest people ever, have their own kids, and we know for a fact that...they're always going to love them and let them have "good parents", the ones who stick by your side! Forgive me, while I go and cry my eyes out😭😭😭

Book: Open Heart

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

Song Inspo: "Everything We Need" by A Day to Remember

Summary: While attending the Bloom's Thanksgiving dinner party, Dr. Tatum Erikson reminisces her earliest memories of the holiday, and learns quickly that those humble traditions won't soon be forgotten thanks to her new family

Word Count: ~3920 (+/-)

Warning: a smidge of angst, but this is fairly fluffy; a few curse words; reference to child abuse and neglect; reference to grief

A/N: Better late than never! I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! Most of these characters belong to Pixelberry; huge thanks to @kat-tia801 and @ao719 for pre-reading some chunks of this piece.

----------

Small fleeting vapors of her warm breath dance across her crimson lips into the brisk Boston sky; her cheeks glow rosy pink, making her bright eyes sparkle like sapphires even in the darkness of night. Marveling at the glittering twilight, Tatum Erikson steps out further onto the quiet balcony, wrapping her arms around her body. Feeling the goosebumps on her normally soft skin, she wishes she hadn’t let the kind greeter take her jacket. For starters, she wasn’t sure her company for the evening would be approving of the blanket of filigree and lace inked across her entire shoulder cap. But, now that she is chilled, she could really use the extra warmth of her glen plaid peacoat. Who has a coat check-in at a Thanksgiving dinner anyway? Leave it to the Blooms. So pretentious. She had to escape--just for a moment--from the crystal stemware, from the aged brandy, from caviar-garnished, well, everything.

Tatum inches closer to the balustrade, resting her hands on the frigid smooth stone. A simple, flesh-colored surgical scar on her delicate wrist catches her attention before she adjusts her rose-gold bracelet to hide it from sight. The silver crescent moon flirts with her attention, pulling her into the deep sea of her memories: back to a simpler time, back to a time when she still believed in magic and wishing on shooting stars. Basking in the blue moonlight, she cinches her eyes tightly closed. The sounds of obnoxious laughter and the clanging of china from the affluent dinner party diminish into silence. A single, familiar voice echoes softly.

“Tatum?”

Her eyes startle open just in time to watch the remnants of celestial dust streak across the sky. Gasping into a toothy smile she flutters her eyes closed again. And makes a wish.

“Tater Tot?”

And all she can see is him.

“Did you find one?” Eleven-year-old Trevor Erikson grabs an extra blanket, wrapping it snuggly around his six-year-old little sister Tatum. She shakes her head no, her bottom jaw trembling from the cold as she coddles her wrist close to her body. “Well, keep looking, silly! There are plenty of stars out there. We just need one.”

“I’m hungry, Trevor.” Her quiet, innocent voice quivers. “Do you think Mommy is coming to pick us up? She said I could have berry sauce.”

“Cranberry sauce, Tater Tot. It’s called cranberry sauce.” Trevor kindly smirks, playfully gripping her pink-nose between his knuckles.

“Maybe she got lost.” A tinge of hope soars through her tone. “She hasn’t been here in a long time. She might have forgotten.”

Trevor slowly sighs, his face falling as he tries to find the right, tender words to share with his little sister. “Mom was supposed to pick us up this morning for Thanksgiving, Tate. I don’t think she’s coming.” He gingerly rubs her back, “But, hey, I’ll cook us something when Dad gets the power turned back on.”

Tatum nervously looks back outside, her breath fogging up the bedroom window. She hugs her wrist again, her eyes darting back and forth down the dirt road as she looks for the truck’s headlights.

She didn’t mean to make her father mad again. She actually has been trying extra hard not to make him yell as much in hopes for a new pair of shoes from Santa Claus. But, at the mention of her mother, young Tatum became the target of his wrath. When she tried to hide, he caught her by the arm, twisting her wrist until they both heard a crack. Dropping the terrified little girl on the ground, he grabbed his keys and left. That was almost eight hours ago.

Tatum stares intently out the window. This time, she would be prepared. This time, she would be good. This time, she would hide before he could get angry with her.

Trevor continues to look for items that will help keep them warm throughout the night. He has watched his dad burn brush and trash in a barrel outside plenty of times, but he can't find a single match. His father has a secret stash of lighters next to his pack of Marlboro reds in the truck, but once again, he and the truck were nowhere to be found.

Trevor decides to work on the next problem: food. Opening up the pantry, he is dismayed to find bare shelves and empty containers. He discovers a bag of rice, but without power, he is clueless as to how to cook it. Reaching far back in a cabinet, he pulls out a can of cream of celery soup, but they only had an electric can opener. He found a bottle of soy sauce and mustard, but he wasn’t about to feed that to his baby sister, let alone himself.

Frustrated, he storms into his room. He digs into the back of his closet, pulling out an old, tattered shoe box. One by one, he pulls out $1.81 in change. He then slips on his coat, a skull cap, and gloves.

“Trevor?” Tatum chases after her older brother. “Trevor? Where are you going?”

He grabs her jacket, handing it to her to put around her. “We are going to celebrate Thanksgiving. Let’s go get food.” He stops to give a reassuring nod to his sister. “Is that okay, Tater Tot?”

“Tate?”

“Tate?”

A man’s wool sports coat is slipped onto Tatum’s chilled arms; the frigid air suddenly swells with the warmth of Ethan Ramsey’s comforting, woodsy smell. She delicately grabs the lapels, pulling the oversized jacket around her body.

“I know you have to be freezing out here,” he sardonically chuckles, gently combing her curled, blonde locks out from being tucked under his jacket. He then firmly strokes her arms to warm her up before tightening her into an effortless embrace. He presses his lips against the shell of her ear. “Any shooting stars tonight?”

Tatum bites her bottom lip as Ethan’s pout returns to her ear, finding his way to barely grazing her neck. Twirling around in his arms to face him, their mouths meet sweetly, pecking once, twice, three times before she rests her head against the firm planes of his chest.

It had only been a couple of months since Ethan and Tatum had taken the plunge, agreeing to exclusively date each other again. No relationship is perfect; but, even though they each had a ton of baggage to unpack from the last fifteen years, being together was the answer. It had always been the answer.

“Nope. No shooting stars. But you're here now, so I don't need one,” Tatum sweetly whispers, gazing dreamily into Ethan’s eyes.

Clearing his throat, Ethan purses his lips together, choking back a laugh. “Wow. Want some wine with that cheese?”

“Really?" Tatum's face drops into a scowl as she scoffs. “You’re not even using that punny phrase correctly." She rolls her eyes, letting out a dramatic exhale as she pushes away to jokingly pout. "I was trying to be romantic, asshole.”

“Ahh, see? There’s the whine,” he snickers into a knowing smirk. Tatum can't help, but smile in defeat.

Ethan gently takes her elbow, guiding her back into his protective arms. Planting tender kisses in her hair, her eyes flutter, relishing the moment. Finally looking up towards Ethan, his lips instantly find hers, melting into a warming kiss.

A sudden roar of laughter from inside the dinner party abruptly pulls the couple apart. “Well, I guess we better rejoin the group,” Tatum suggests, a clear reluctance in her tone.

“That’s why I came out here.” A look of sorrow flushes Ethan’s stoic demeanor. “There’s a case in the ER needing an ethics committee--”

“Oh no,” Tatum clenches her teeth, giving a mournful look, “that poor family. And on Thanksgiving--”

“Exactly. It’s Thanksgiving. Are you--?”

“I’m fine.” Tatum laces her fingers with Ethan’s. “Duty calls, Chief,” she smiles brightly, jovially saluting him. More than anyone, Tatum understands the demands of Ethan’s job, and likewise, he respects the exigencies of hers.

But, Ethan is right: it is Thanksgiving. Trevor gave Ethan the heads up back in medical school while the soldier was visiting the couple for Christmas between tours. Although she conceals it well, major holidays are bittersweet for Tatum. She wars with herself every year between basking in the joy of the season or getting lost in memories of the past. It's unintentional, but her ghosts are real.

She feigns the role of supportive partner today for him, but mainly because she wants to look and feel normal. But in reality, she needs him. And she hates herself for being that girl.

"Try to have fun, okay?" Ethan offers a crooked smile, pulling Tatum into another hug, finishing with a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll call you.”

Watching him bound out the door, Tatum takes a couple of deep cleansing breaths before rejoining the Bloom's dinner party. Entering the room, she was greeted immediately by several guests, including several newcomers to the party.

“Tatum!”

“Tatum,” Trevor reaches out for his little sister’s hand as they walk into their local Seven-Eleven. The trek was frigid in the sub-freezing temperatures, but luckily the convenience store was less than a mile away. “Stay close to me.”

They walk together over to the ready-made food, their eyes growing large with excitement. Looking at the rolling hot dogs and greasy pieces of pizza instantly made their hungry stomachs growl with glee. But, unfortunately, they were only able to afford one hot dog or one piece of pizza.

“Let’s see if there’s something else that will warm us up and fill us up,” Trevor grins while informing Tatum. He wasn’t about to tell her that he is clueless as to what--or when--they would eat next.

Suddenly, a deep raspy voice of an older woman, wearing a vest with Seven-Eleven logo on it startles them. “Can I help you?” Her face brightens when she recognizes Trevor. “Oh, hey, kid! Your dad want the usual?”

“Oh, no, ma’am,” Trevor cordially shakes his head. “My sister and I are just grabbing some snacks--”

“It’s sorta late for you two to be out.” Her piercing hazel eyes shift from Trevor to a shy Tatum, hiding behind her big brother. “Don’t you have Thanksgiving leftovers?”

“Oh, um,” Trevor grins, “we wanted something different to eat.” He grabs Tatum’s hand and walks down another aisle.

“Trevor?” Tatum innocently whispers, “what are 'Thanksgiving leftovers'?"

"Remember how Mom talked about all the different types of foods? The turkey? The rolls? The casseroles? The--?"

"--berry sauce?" Tatum interrupts, a smile crawling across her face at the mention of the dish.

Trevor sighs into a chuckle. “Cranberry sauce, Tater Tot. Well, there’s so much food, no one can possibly finish it. So, there is food ‘left over’ for another meal.”

“Wow!” Tatum’s eyes widen with shock. “That’s crazy!”

Trevor leads the way to a shelf with styrofoam cups of pre-packaged Asian noodles. “Now we’re talking,” he breathes a sigh of relief. He smiles when he sees the price: $0.89 for each cup. “Do you want beef or chicken?”

“Can I get berry sauce instead?”

Trevor looks over at his sister who is tenderly holding a dented-in can of cranberry sauce. “Tatum, we can’t--”

“Please, Trevor?” She pleads.

“Tate,” he shifts his eyes around, ensuring no one was listening. “You need to eat something that is going to fill you up and keep you warm. Cranberry sauce is like dessert. It tastes good, but you’re going to be hungry.” He grabs the can, placing it back on the metal shelf. “Besides,” he lowers his voice, “we don’t have enough money.” He hands her the cup of noodles. “Here. I bet you they have a microwave here--”

“No.” Tatum crosses her arms, refusing to take the container.

“Tate?”

“I don’t want noodles. Or-or rice. Or soup.”

“Tatum,” Trevor sternly calls her name, reaching out to rest a calming hand on her shoulder; but she shrugs away with a scowl on her face.

“I want Thanksgiving, Trevor,” she whines. “Why does everyone else get Thanksgiving? And leftovers? And berry sauce?”

“Shhh, Tatum--”

“--and a nice mommy and a daddy?”

Trevor froze, watching the thunderclouds build in her innocent eyes. He doesn’t know how to answer, not because he wants to spare his little sister’s feelings. He honestly doesn’t know the answer to her questions. And, he probably never will.

“Come here, Tate.” He motions for her to come closer, giving her a hug. “I’m sorry--I really am.” He turns his attention to the noodles in his hands. “But, this is the best I can do right now. I promise--next year will be different--”

“‘Scuse me,” the kind, older clerk from earlier interrupts their whispers. Unbeknownst to them, she had been listening to their entire conversation. “Are you two ready to check out?”

Trevor smiles politely. “Yes, ma’am.” He hands over the two cups of noodles while she quickly grabs another product from the shelf before leading the way to the register. Once behind the counter, she inspects Tatum’s small frame and smiles. “That sure is a pretty coat.”

Tatum beams, coyly grinning as she models her purple winter coat, playing with the drawstrings with her good hand.

“What do you say, Tate?” Trevor prompts with a low voice.

“Oh! Thank you, ma’am--”

“Darlin’? What happened to your arm there?” In the midst of showing off her jacket, the deep discoloration of her wrist was exposed for the clerk to see.

“Oh,” Tatum fixes her eyes to the ground, her voice growing quiet. “I was talking to Daddy about Mommy and picking us up for Thanksgiving, and then--”

“--she accidentally slipped and fell off the wooden deck earlier while she was playing,” finished Trevor. “She gets pretty clumsy.” The clerk narrowed her eyes, glaring at Trevor before training her eyes on Tatum. Noticing the suspicious look on her face, Tatum begins to nod her head, agreeing with her brother’s story.

“Hrmm, well, then,” the clerk gives a sympathetic smile. “Best be careful on that deck next time, hrmm?.” Tatum nervously nods. The attendant turns to Trevor. “That’ll be $1.91,” she sympathetically smiles.

“Oh, ma’am? I thought they were eighty-nine cents a piece,” questions Trevor as he digs into his pockets, pulling out his coins.

“Plus tax--”

“Tax. Of course.” He spills out his pocket of coins, counting out his $1.81. “I’m sorry. I-I guess I don’t have enough,” he bows his head in shame. “I didn’t mean to waste your time, ma’am--”

“Y’know?” she interjects, resting on her elbows to talk closer with the children. “We get a lot of impatient truckers from the interstate, stopping by here. You wouldn’t believe how many times they tell me to keep the change from their transactions because they don’t want to wait for me to count it out for them,” she sarcastically snickers. “Here.” She reaches below the counter, pulling out a dime. “That oughta do the trick,” she grins, scooping the silver coins in her hand.

A flood of relief washes over Trevor as he wraps his arm around Tatum. “Thank you so much, ma’am--”

The clerk nods, winking at the young boy. “There is a hot water spigot next to the coffee burners, but be careful. It’s boiling hot.”

Trevor gives a grateful smile as he turns with his sister to head back to the coffee burns.

“Um… say, what are you two going to eat for dessert?” The young boy turns back, his eyebrows furrowed sorrowfully at the clerk before shrugging his shoulders. “You gotta have dessert on Thanksgiving!” The attendant joyfully smiles as she pulls out the dented can of cranberry sauce. “Listen, I can’t sell this can lookin’ like this, so I have to charge it back to the company in which they will tell me to throw it away. Would either of you be interested in some cranberry sauce?”

Tatum’s eyes light up, fixating on the can. “Can we have some, Trevor?” She tugs on his arm. “Pretty, pretty please?”

With a chuckle and a curt nod from her older brother, the friendly attendant came out from behind the counter with the precious can of cranberry sauce in hand. While Trevor prepared the cup of noodles, the clerk went back into her office, looking for a can opener with no avail, but was able to find a knife, a screwdriver and a hammer. After several innovative attempts to crack open the aluminum can, they were finally able to create a big enough hole for the gelatinous confection to pour out into a bowl.

While Trevor finishes preparing their dinner, the attendant takes Tatum to her warm office. Sitting in her rolling chair next to the heater, she sweetly lifts the little girl to sit in her lap while they adjust a bag of frozen peas onto her tiny bruised wrist. “I know it’s cold, darlin’, but we need that swellin’ to go down.”

“Swelling? Like when your boo-boo gets bigger?”

“That’s right,” the clerk raises her eyebrows in surprise.

“Did you know that your body knows when you have a boo-boo? And-and it sends fluids to help make you feel better? That’s what makes it bigger.”

“You’re a smart little cookie, aren’t cha?” The attendant chuckles to herself, wrapping a warm embrace around Tatum. “You just might be a doctor someday, little one.”

“Noodles are ready!” Trevor bounds into the room, taking a seat in a metal folding chair next to his sisters and the convenience store worker. Without missing a beat, the two children dive into their feast, eliciting sweet moans of joy of finally eating food.

“You know what this means, don’t cha?” The clerk interrupts. Both of the children curiously return their attention to the older woman. “You have a new family tradition,” she kindly smiles.

“What’s a family tradition?” Quietly asks Tatum.

The clerk sweetly combs Tatum’s blonde wisps behind her ear. “A family tradition can be anything. It’s doing something special to help you remember something important about the past. It could be eating a special meal to remember a loved one or playing a specific game to remember a fun memory or watching a holiday movie because everyone loves it. The most important part of family tradition is that it brings family together, no matter how big or small.”

“So,” Tatum slurps up a noodle, “what could our tradition be?”

“...but the most important part is the orange zest while the cranberries are boiling. But, I highly recommend juicing them before you zest them. Easy-peasy!”

Tatum plasters a fake smile to appease a very pregnant Sienna Trinh-Aveiro, although the obstetrician is pretty sure she blanked out during the pediatrician's animated retelling of the recipe.

"Orange zest," Tatum nods as she scoops a small helping of the deep red relish onto her plate. "I'll be sure to, um, remember that next time. Would you excuse me?"

With a cordial nod, Tatum saunters through the crowd of the affluent collection of party-goers. Finding solace in a quiet corner, she begins to fidget with the appetizers on her plate, paying close attention to the cranberry sauce. Perfectly cooked with thrilling flavors of tart and citrus, it was garnished with a sprig of mint.

And fucking orange zest.

It didn't come from a convenience store. It wasn't from a can--a damaged metal can that would otherwise be considered garbage. There was no need for a screwdriver let alone a hammer.

Tatum's vision suddenly blurs; quickly blinking her eyelids, she realizes her eyes are flooding with tears. Setting down the exquisite china, she quickly surveys the room, planning her escape. Politely nodding at her colleagues and hospital investors, she stops to specifically thank Caroline Bloom for a lovely evening before retrieving her coat.

"Leaving so soon, Dr. Erikson?"

She holds up her pager, toggling it in between her slender fingers. "I'm so sorry, but duty calls," she fibs.

"Of course," Caroline embraces Tatum, placing chaste kisses on her cheeks. “Make us proud--as usual,” she chuckles, quickly turning back to entertaining her guests. Tatum collects her jacket and hurries out the door to head back to her loft.

After a long warm shower, Tatum cinches her bath towel around her body before retreating to her bedroom. She grabs her phone, noting that she had not received any new messages or phone calls. She considers contacting Ethan, scrolling to his name, but she knows impromptu ethics committee meetings can take several hours. And knowing him, he will want to manage the proceedings.

She tosses her phone back onto her bed, turning to her walk-in closet. She slowly strolls by her rows of clothes, dragging her fingertips across the various fabrics and textures until she comes to his small part of her closet. She leans in, nuzzling her nose into his clothes as she breathes in the scent. Trevor. Her hands tremble as it crosses over his combat uniform, over the embroidered name Erikson. Tears fill her eyes, her heart swelling with pride as she stops to admire his green dress uniform, tinkering with the flashy buttons and awards.

Tatum grabs one of his heather gray ‘Army’ shirts, and quickly slips the oversized fabric across her body. Carelessly pulling her damp, blonde tresses through the neck of the shirt, she hugs the material close to her heart. Ready to say goodnight to the emotionally-charged day, she turns off the lights before crawling under her weighted, ruffle duvet. Relaxing into her sea of pillows, the natural moonlight illuminates the framed picture on her bedside table: a photo of her and Trevor at her white coat ceremony at Johns Hopkins. A crooked smile gently fixes to her face, remembering that day so clearly: it was the first day her family came together; it was the first day Trevor met Ethan.

As her eyes flutter close, there’s a sudden pounding on her front door. Grabbing her phone, she notices it’s after ten; but again, there were no missed calls or messages. With her heart beginning to race, she slips on a pair of her boyfriend’s sweat pants before padding quietly to the front door. As soon as she peers through the peephole, a big grin crawls across her face. With her nerves relaxing, she unlocks the door, swinging it wide open to reveal the one person that could make the day end perfectly. Tatum playfully leans against the door, placing a hand on her hip. She jokingly looks at her wrist as if she’s looking at a watch.

“What?” Ethan cheekily smiles, shrugging his shoulders. With his tie undone and the top two buttons of his oxford unbuttoned, he holds out a brown grocery bag.

Trying to hide her smile, Tatum eagerly steals the paper bag. Peeking inside, she notices instantly the content: two cups of ramen noodles and a can of cranberry sauce. She abruptly looks back up at Ethan, tears gathering in her eyes.

Ethan quickly grabs Tatum’s shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. She buries herself into his shoulder, her breath hitching in her chest. “Hey, hey--” he whispers, pressing his lips against her tousled waves. “Shhh, none of that,” he chuckles to himself, massaging intimate circles against her back. “You know it’s family tradition.”

Tatum looks up, staring deeply into Ethan’s gentle eyes. Wiping away her tears, she begins to titter, nodding in agreement. He's right.

It is tradition.

And Ethan is her family. He always will be.

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[cleverclove]

Hey Phos!! Noodle arms aside I adore Katy he’s an absolute gem and you’re gonna love them 🥺💕✨

i follow clove and I found your blog due to clove saying that you have noodle arms I think that's funny

RGHRMNFGHMNRFGMGMF BELAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA @cleverclove >:((((((((((((( look- look what has happened 2 me... This is my legacy now!!!!! THIS!!!!!