#Babs Margarita

[zx-ta]

I’m so out of my comfort zone and I just love Babs ♥

South Side Bridge from The Urbz.

“ “Hey buddy, wanna buy some fireworks?” If so, you’ve come to the right place. Browsing among the old tin-roofed red brick buildings you’re sure to stumble on Louie’s Flameworks, home of the bootleg fireworks production plant. Louie is always short-handed and looking for new blood. Some skill with a sledgehammer and a willingness to mess with Louie’s competition are also a plus. A familiar double-wide goon is guarding the door to the Lucky Six casino where games of chance and a self-serve juice bar await Urbz who are in the know. The well-appointed bathroom, with leopard skin rug and Mission-style bookshelf, is a great place to refresh yourself. ”

[loverhymeswith]

Congrats on the milestone, Katy!! I’m not surprised because you are such a beautiful writer 💖✨

Could I request Chris Smith x Reader - fluff or smut - forced proximity and mutual pining - Train!

Haha is that too out there? 😆 when I was looking through the options I imagined Chris trying to squeeze into a sleeper cabin with reader -both trying to change and get ready for bed. As always, only if it inspires you, bby - Babs 💕

All Aboard | Chris Smith (Peacemaker) x Reader

Follower Celebration

Summary: Spending your week off in a cramped train cabin with Chris was not at the top of your to-do list...

Word Count: 666

A/N: Thank you @babblydrabbly for the prompt!💕 This is my first time writing for Chris, so a big thank you also to @lorecraft for beta-reading and reassuring me that he sounded ok! You guys are the best!

Staring out of the small rectangular window as a blur of rich green forest streaks by, you let out a quiet, dejected sigh. This is most decidedly not how you had envisioned spending your week off. Instead of relaxing at the beach and being served unlimited margaritas by jaw-droppingly handsome waiters, you find yourself squeezed into an impossibly small sleeper cabin onboard the overnight train from Austria to Germany. The scenery itself might be spectacular, but the less said about the company, the better.

“You wanna get changed first, or should I?”

The sound of your companion’s deep voice drags your attention away from the window and when you turn around you find yourself a matter of inches away from Chris’s broad chest. Waller’s briefing had instructed the pair of you to dress incognito, but while Peacemaker had ditched his red and cream uniform, the form-fitting black t-shirt he had opted for instead did little to hide the mountain of the man beneath.

Grumbling under your breath, you turn back around without answering his question and continue to stare out of the window. “Economos could have tried a little harder to get us a bigger cabin, don’t you think?”

“Actually, sleeper cabins are the most comfortable and spacious option when it comes to the night train. It’s basically like staying in a moving hotel.” 

Forgetting that Chris can’t see your expression, you pull a face at the glass; the man seems to have an answer for everything, but on the matter of space, you would be inclined to disagree. Even disregarding his impressive stature, there is barely enough room to swing a cat in the cramped compartment. Like it or not, you’re in for a cosy night.

“So, are you getting naked first or am I?” Chris continues. 

The comment causes a rush of heat to flood your body. You’re glad he can’t see your face; the last thing you want is for him to get a glimpse of your flustered expression. You’ve fought hard to ensure he remains oblivious to the shift in your feelings towards him over the last few months and you’ll be damned if Waller’s last minute machinations are going to change that.

“How about no one gets naked,” you suggest tightly, eventually turning away from the window. “Anyway, one of us should keep watch.”

“Keep watch for what exactly?” Chris frowns, taking a step closer to you. “The mark is in Frankfurt. No one knows we’re here. Relax.”

You open your mouth to argue, but he stops you by pressing a long, thick finger against your parted lips. “This was supposed to be your week off, right?” He ignores your startled expression and continues, his finger still resting gently against your mouth. “So how about you enjoy the trip? Let your hair down. Have some fun.”

In a gesture so slight, so subtle, that you almost wonder if you imagined it, he brushes his finger across the swell of your bottom lip, letting it linger for just a moment too long, before withdrawing his hand altogether. 

Dangerously close to your jaw hitting the floor, you snap your mouth shut and stare at Chris incredulously. He’s been flirting with you for months – half-hearted attempts to get into your pants – but this is different. It’s the first time the two of you have truly been alone together, and it’s almost as if he knows your feelings towards him have been rapidly thawing. 

The air seems to crackle with electricity as he proceeds to squeeze past you, his arm purposely brushing against your side. As if you’re no longer fully in control of your own movements, you turn your head and watch, heart racing, as he begins to strip out of the tight black t-shirt.

One way or another, you can’t help but suspect that this is going to be a long night.

[deehwang]

Tidak ada yang lebih mencemaskan dari karir seorang penulis--ini lebih dari menahan lapar, honor yang lewat tempo, bahkan masuk penjara--daripada menghasilkan karya yang didikte. Bukan karena ketidakmampuan. Mimpi buruk itu adalah kehilangan kewenangan menulis; dilarang menulis sesuatu yang telah menggerakkan nurani mereka, dari apa yang diyakini secara pribadi. Karena ketika kerja kreatif tak bisa dilakukan secara independen, masa depan karya tidak mujur terbaca, setidaknya yang lahir bukanlah sesuatu yang organik.

Ketika para pekerja seni dituntut tak lebih dari memproduksi produk propaganda, dan penyensoran dilakukan agar sejalan dengan yang dikendaki penguasa, proses kreatif akan membusuk sampai ke akarnya, karena pembatasan adalah kejahatan itu sendiri. Terjawablah, bahwa yang sudi menentang suara hatinya sendiri, yang takut kelaparan karena di jalan kepenulisan ia sadar ia bisa saja sendirian, para penggentar ini sebutlah demikian, adalah yang mengalami kesialan kemudian. Dengan segala keruwetan dan hiruk pikuk di dalamnya, buku novel ini bisa digarisbesarkan seperti pembuka di atas.

Berkaitan dengan realitas Uni Soviet, Bulgakov mulai menulisnya di tahun 1928 semasa rezim Stalin, atas alasan penyensoran ini tidak diterbitkan bahkan sampai penulisnya sendiri wafat. Awalnya rombongan setan di tahun 1930an--Behemoth, Koroviev, Azazello, Hella, dan utamanya Profesor Woland (nama yang kurang lazim di kalangan orang Rusia, digadang-gadang terinspirasi dari salah satu nama setan dalam Faust karya Goethe, disebut-sebut prototipe Stalin sendiri)--yang kunjungannya mendatangkan kekacauan di Moskow. Yang disasar adalah seniman, utamanya elit sastra. Di sisi lain, muncul penceritaan tentang Pontius Pilatus, prokurator Yudea. Sementara Master dan Margarita sendiri adalah sepasang kekasih gelap. Master adalah penulis yang namanya tak disebut sepanjang cerita, seorang penulis terasing (akan terjelaskan di paragraf berikutnya), sementara Margarita adalah kekasih yang menjual jiwanya pada si setan, agar si Master kembali menemui kewarasannya.

Master-Margarita. Setan-Yeshua. Master-Margarita-Setan-dan-Yeshua bersilangan kisahnya satu dengan yang lain.

Si Master ini sempat dirawat di rumah sakit jiwa setelah membuat satu manuskrip yang beririsan dengan agama (kisah penghukuman Yeshua Ha-Nozri oleh Prokurator Yudea). Ia mengirimkannya ke penerbit, walhasil dikritik dan dicemooh habis-habisan di koran-koran oleh kritikus kenamaan. Ini tentu membuatnya patah arang hingga dibakarnyalah manuskrip itu (hal ini dalam kenyataannya juga sempat dilakukan Bulgakov pada manuskrip pertamanya). Lantas apa kedudukan Master? Seseorang baru bisa menjadi penulis--dan diakui bahwa ia penulis dengan identitas, terlebih-lebih disejahterakan--apabila ia tergabung dalam semacam perkumpulan penulis di Soviet tempo dulu. Kenyataan yang disebut Koroviev sebagai sesuatu yang konyol, karena 'penulis tidak ditentukan oleh kartu identitas apa pun, tapi oleh apa yang ia tulis'. Dalam hal ini, terjelaskan posisi si Master, sebagaimana keenganan ia memberitahu namanya.

Sedari bab pertama pembaca telah diberitahu bahwa sekelas penyair sekali pun (nama pena Bezdomny) boleh dikuliahi si editor kondang Berlioz, untuk bagaimana caranya menulis sebuah puisi panjang anti-agama, menempatkan tokoh tertentu sebagai mitos belaka. Bagaimana pun caranya menyangkal keberadaannya. Sekali lagi, penulis diletakkan sebagai pion-pion politik yang dituntut ritme kekaryaannya dengan kebenaran versi penguasa. Isu yang diangkat dalam novel ini juga adalah tentang ateisme. Namun mari fokus pada olok-olok si narator tentang ideologi yang dipegang Uni Soviet kala itu, tentang penyamarataan kelas. Dengan kontrol semacam ini, akibatnya, para penulis malah tidak sibuk pada karyanya, melainkan berfokus pada properti yang bisa mereka miliki dan makanan-makanan yang tersaji di restoran mewah di gedung Massolit. Tokoh-tokoh yang, kamu tahu, menganggap ketidaktahuan sebagai kebahagiaan tertentu, tidak hanya untuk orang lain tapi juga bagi mereka sendiri. Maksudku, bagaimana bisa seseorang masih bisa mengunyah dengan lahap setelah mendengar kematian Berlioz yang tentu, cara kematiannya sama sekali tidak mengundang selera makan?

Kisah ganda mengalir sepanjang pembacaanku selama dua Minggu ini--dari Moskow ke Yudea, dan sebaliknya. Ada kebimbangan mengenai persepsi baik-buruk. Kehadiran rombongan setan yang justru memberikan 'keadilan' (aku agak kesulitan mengikutinya karena nama-nama Rusia amat mirip satu dengan yang lain), sudut pandang Pontius Pilatus yang memerintahkan melindungi namun kemudian membunuh Yudas, kehadiran dua sisi yang menegaskan bahwa baik buruk, benar salah, hitam putih, amatlah kabur batasnya, persis kematian dan kehidupan dalam buku ini dimana saking gampangnya ia seperti kepala yang diputus kemudian disambung lagi! Semuanya adalah persepsi yang gampang berbalik, dibangun dari kepentingan apa ia untuk kita dan dari bangku mana kita menonton semua kejadian itu.

Novel klasik ini padat makna, full of images, ilustrasi sampul dan isi yang sama memikat dengan referensi yang tersedia karena mempermudah bacaan, dan lucu--di beberapa bagian aku terpingkal oleh kekurangajaran Behemoth, si kucing hitam berukuran babi, dan Koroviev, menyoal uang asing di dalam toilet Bosoy ("tapi adakah saksi mata?" Bisiknya). Aku suka buku ini. Terlebih ketika Woland menyampaikan bahwa "manuscript don't burn", memperjelas duduk karya yang, sekali pun ia melawan sensor, sekali pun ditiadakan, ia akan tetap ada di ingatan orang-orang yang mendukungnya.

.

Instagram : @hellodeehwang | ©deehwang | Tidak diperkenankan mencuri gambar untuk diunggah ulang.

[socalwriterbee]

Delayed

I'll just get to it. Lets see if I remember how to do this! I'm going into a holiday daze.

Book: Open Heart

Characters: Tessa Martinez (MC) x Ethan Ramsey

Word Count: 1844

Rating: Fluff

A/N: I'm participating in @choicesficwriterscreations Holiday Event. A little spin on the prompt of a flight being canceled

A/N2: I've also used a prompt #23 by @choicesflashfics which will be in bold 'there's a snowstorm. I guess we're stuck in here together until it passes'.

A/N3: please forgive this Southern Californian on anything snow related. please also forgive any writing errors, the editor has clocked out.

Characters and other Open Heart mentions belong to pixelberry

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Logan International Airport was buzzing like a crazed beehive. Announcements of gates being changed or flights being delayed or canceled coming over the speaker system at the boarding gates around her. Tessa sat by her flight’s gate watching as families, couples and single travelers, like herself, frantically walked by occasionally stopping and looking at the departures screen to get the latest information on their flights. 

None of it was good news, her flight out was delayed for the second time. She hoped it wouldn’t be delayed for a third time or worse canceled, Tessa was counting down the minutes of boarding and getting out of the frigid cold of Boston and heading towards the warmer climate of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It had become an odd family tradition of the Martinez’s, a few years ago, swapping the warm layered clothes and holiday drinks for bikini’s, flip flops and margaritas. 

It would be a Christmas without Ethan, her request had been approved but this year luck was not on their side. Ethan was not sitting next to her, reading the latest in The New England Journal of Medicine. His grunts and sighs as he read was something she was missing. Tessa had wanted to cancel the trip but Ethan wouldn’t hear it, he wanted her to go and spend time with her family. His family lived close, so it was easier to spend time with his dad before or after the holiday. But because her family was on the other side of the country, he couldn’t let her let this time off slip away.

Tessa straightened up in the chair she was sitting in, her back beginning to ache from sitting for hours. The novel Sienna had given her in her hands, reading and rereading the first sentence unable to get past it with everything that was going on around her. Her fingers tapping against the paperback, her mind wondering to Ethan, his shift ending soon at Edenbrook, maybe she should call or send him a text.

“Getting a bit angsty are we?” A delicate older voice asked her.

Tessa turned to see a lovely older lady giving her a warm smile. Dressed in a Christmas sweater along with a candy cane necklace and matching earrings. A gossip magazine in her hand, Tessa gave her a smile of her own.

“Just a bit.” She answered, extending her hand out and introducing herself. “Tessa.” 

The soft and delicate hand takes hers. “Barbara. But you my dear can call me Babs like my husband does.” Removing her hand from Tessa’s she pats the thigh of the man sitting next to her, one Tessa assumed was her husband. “Pat, dear, this is Tessa. She is also on her way to Texas.”

“That’s wonderful dear. Nice to meet you.” He says as they shake hands. “Have you been Dallas?”

“I haven’t. But its only a layover I’m afraid, I’m on my way to Mexico. Which at this rate doesn’t look like I’ll be making that flight out.”

“Oh don’t you worry my dear everything will work its self out. You’ll be where you are meant to be.” She pats Tessa on her knee. “Someone special waiting for you in Mexico?” 

“Babs leave the poor girl alone.” Pat tells his wife.

“Hush. Don’t pay him much attention.”

Tessa fights back a laugh at little banter of Pat and Barbara. “My special someone is here. My family should be arriving in Mexico as we speak. My boyfriend and I couldn’t get the time off together this year, I don’t blame the hospital, it’s a busy time. We had been lucky in the past.”

Barbara’s blue eyes light up at her words. “You’re a Doctor?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Oh why didn’t you say so, there has been this thing bothering Pat for sometime. Maybe you can help.”

“I—uh…” Tessa stumbles with a response. Not that she wouldn’t help Pat but the airport was not the place to discuss personal medical information.

Before she can come up with something to say her phone chimes with a familiar tone she set up for one Ethan Ramsey.

“Excuse me. I need to get this.” Tessa tells the elderly couple before standing and grabbing her bag and carry-on.

“Of course, of course dear. We’ll try and save the seat for you. It brings me comfort to know there will be a doctor on the flight.” Barbara gave her a soft smile as she made her way away from the gate area.

God!

Of all the things for Ethan to say!

She couldn’t believe he would say such a thing. Now it was bound to happen it, was out there in the universe. 

There was a coffee stand near her but she eyed a bar a few more steps down. The smart choice would be to go for another cup of coffee, at this point she needed something stronger. It’ll be a reminder of what is waiting for her, Tessa thought. 

One margarita was harmless after all.

After making herself to the bar, she settled in as she waited for her drink. Tessa let the images of the tropical town in Mexico take over. The soft sandy beach, the warm sun tanning her golden skin. One that has gone pale with the season. One of many margaritas in her hand as she listened to the waves of the ocean crash onto the shore.

The buzzing of the airport seemed to get louder but that could be from the people watching whatever sport was playing on the screens as her drink was delivered. 

Taking a sip of the margarita, Tessa opened up her phone and went to the weather app to see if what Ethan had told her would be true. 

Surely enough, a blizzard was forecasted to start late in the evening. Tessa silently cursed Ethan under her breath, even though she knew it wasn’t his fault but he wasn’t here so he wouldn’t even know. 

From where she sat, Tessa could see the departure board, and like lights on a Christmas tree, right before her eyes, flights were lighting up canceled red. Frantically grabbing her things and leaving her barely touched margarita behind, Tessa weaved and excused herself after bumping into fellow passengers. 

She searched for her flight information, breathing a small sigh of relief as its still displayed delayed.

After staring for what seemed like forever to make sure there was no change as she walked away, her drink long forgotten, Tessa made her way back to her gate. Looking around, the once semi full area was now almost empty. Babs and Pat were no longer in the seats she sat next to. Maybe she should go back and wait for them to return, a conversation with them would make time go by.

Instead she took a seat that looked out on to the tarmac, Tessa began to see the white specks of snow beginning to fall. She closed her eyes, praying that it was just that specks of snow, before pulling out her book once more. This time Tessa was determined to get past the first line.

Unfortunately after some time, she didn’t know how much of it had passed, she closed it. The gossip magazine she purchased here calling her name. A faint smile spread across her face at the words Ethan said to her through their chat. He knew her like no one else did. 

As she opened the magazine, a bit of sadness creeped in. Not because it was beginning to snow and the higher chance of the flight being canceled was more than likely as time went by. It was this certain doctor back in town that she was going to miss. How carefree he became with her family, how truly relaxed he became under the Mexican sun. 

Tessa let out a sigh.

“Your secret is safe with me Tess.” A deep familiar voice said behind her.

Tessa slowly turns and right before her eyes there he stands, all six foot and three inches of him. Dressed in his usual dark slacks, blue button up shirt and tie but instead of his white coat, Ethan has on the camel colored overcoat she had gotten him.

His blue eyes soften as she smiles at him. “And what secret is that?” Tessa asks him.

Before answering Ethan takes the open seat next to her. “That you prefer this celebrity magazine.” He taps on the magazine in her lap. “Over the book your best friend got you.” He finishes.

“I would hope so. I didn’t beg you for a gossip queen and a tattle tale Ramsey.”

Tessa took his warm hand in hers and interlaced their fingers and leaned in to him and placed a soft gentle kiss against his cheek.

“Ethan, what are you doing here? How did you get pass TSA?”

“That’s the thing, I don’t have much time before they come charging.” He chuckled.

“Oh god! It’s a Christmas miracle!” Tessa playfully gasped. “The Ethan Ramsey made a joke!”

“Haha…very funny.”

A small moment of silence fell between them, Tessa rested her head against Ethan. On instinct his head rests against hers as its done many times before. Until it hit Tessa once more and she wondered how did Ethan got to her gate. He wouldn’t would he? That would be the only way, right? Or had his request been approved last minute and he was lucky enough to buy a ticket on this flight? Now that would have been a Christmas Miracle.

“I bought a ticket Rookie.” Ethan answered the question running through her mind. “I didn’t want you stuck at the airport alone when—.”

“The flight gets canceled.” Tessa finished. “Besides being back home with you was sounding better than being in another country without you.”

“Thank you Tess, but I know that’s a lie. You love being somewhere warmer than the frigid cold of the East Coast.”

Tessa lifts her head and faces him.“Ok you caught me, that is true but I loved it because you were there too. A relaxed, worry free Ethan takes over and that is one of the things I love to see.”

Without responding Ethan leans in towards her and places a soft kiss against her lips. He was about to kiss her again when there was announcement coming from the airline counter.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, today’s flight from Boston to Dallas has been canceled.”

Tessa didn’t hear the rest of what was being said. She turned and once more rested her head against Ethan, giving his hand that were still interlaced with each other a soft squeeze. The once light white specks of snow had now turned into a heavy downfall, covering everything outside.

“Looks like there’s a snowstorm. I guess we’re stuck in here together until it passes.” She tells him. Barbara’s words from earlier coming back to her, this right here with Ethan was where she is meant to be.

Ethan places a kiss on the top of her head. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Tags: @cariantha @openheartfanfics @txemrn @peonierose @nikirennie87 @issabees @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics

[byneddiedingo]

Anna Massey and Barry Foster in Frenzy (Alfred Hitchcock, 1972) Cast: Jon Finch, Barry Foster, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Anna Massey, Alec McCowen, Vivien Merchant, Billie Whitelaw, Clive Swift, Bernard Cribbins, Jean Marsh. Screenplay: Anthony Shaffer, based on a novel by Arthur La Bern. Cinematography: Gilbert Taylor. Film editing: John Jympson Frenzy is so often called a "return to form" by critics commenting on Alfred Hitchcock's films that it's worth parsing that phrase a bit. What's generally meant is that after the triumph of Psycho (1960), Hitchcock's films seemed to decline in quality: To the critics of the day, The Birds (1963) felt like a gimmicky monster movie, Marnie (1964) an overdone, miscast psychological drama, Torn Curtain (1966) and Topaz (1969) attempts to cash in on the James Bond-era vogue for spy movies. Later generations of critics have found intelligent things to say about some of these films (though there are few ardent defenders of Torn Curtain and Topaz), largely because of their ability to see the Hitchcock oeuvre as a whole and to work in the revelations of the Hitchcock biographers about the director's obsessions and predilections. But Frenzy was for many mainstream critics what Roger Ebert called it: "the kind of thriller Hitchcock was making in the 1940s, filled with macabre details, incongruous humor, and the desperation of a man convicted of a crime he didn't commit." I would qualify that observation with the remark that Frenzy is the kind of film Hitchcock couldn't have made in the 1940s because of the Production Code's restrictions on nudity, sex outside of marriage, and excessive violence. Liberated from the Code, Frenzy is rated R. And I think Hitchcock's delighted rush into the new era of frankness in film may have had a destructive effect on his ability to maintain consistency of tone. A scene like the rape-murder of Brenda Blaney (Barbara Leigh-Hunt) belongs to a different kind of film than the domestic comedy of Inspector Oxford (Alec McCowen) and his gourmet-cook wife (Vivien Merchant), and there's something a little too obvious about the snap of Mrs. Oxford's bread stick as her husband is recounting how Rusk had to break Babs Milligan's (Anna Massey) fingers to retrieve his stickpin. There is no heart in the film, the way there was in films of the 1940s like Shadow of a Doubt (1943) or Notorious (1946), in which we could feel anxiety over the plight of the characters. Hitchcock does seem to want us to feel some real-world horror at Brenda's reciting Psalm 91 and trying to cover her bared breast as she's being raped, but even that invocation of sympathy feels out of place later, especially when Babs's corpse is treated for comedy when her feet keep finding their way into Rusk's face. And a "joke" like that of the man in the pub who quips "every cloud has a silver lining" on learning that the killer rapes his victims before strangling them should never have found its way onto film. There is much to admire in Frenzy: Hitchcock never did a more skillful scene than the one in which the camera follows Babs and Rusk (Barry Foster) up to the flat where we know she's going to die, and then silently retreats back down the stairs and across the busy street. McCowen and Merchant skillfully play the comedy of the husband and wife dinner table scenes -- the soupe aux poissons is particularly unappetizing. I especially like the bit in which Mrs. Oxford offers a drink to the sergeant who brings news of the case to the inspector: It's a new cocktail called a "margarita," she explains, made with what she pronounces "tekwila." The sergeant has to leave, however, so she swigs the drink he has abandoned and then, with a rather odd look on her face, hastily makes her exit. But too often in Frenzy what Hitchcock thinks is naughty is just nasty.

[steelycunt]

if you liked bulgakovs writing and want something light-hearted (ish? is there any russian literature that's truly light-hearted? questionable) then you might like heart of a dog. its like frankenstein meeting sirius black bc the guy makes a human out of a dog. and then chaos ensues.

it's mostly a class commentary but also funny and short!! bulgakov fucking hated stalin bless his heart.

ahh thank you!! that sounds fucking WILD but actually doesn’t surprise me coming from the author of the master and margarita aha. will defo be looking that up thank you for the rec bab!!

[cavenewstimes]

This TikTok Grandma Just Shared Her Recipe for Homemade Margarita Popsicles

Frozen margaritas in popsicle form? Count us in. On hot summer days, there’s nothing quite like enjoying an icy drink while the sun beats down. For me, the most refreshing summer drink is a frozen margarita. Imagine, though, a recipe that’s even better than the average frozen marg. Hello, margarita popsicles! How to Make Margarita Popsicles This recipe is from TikTok’s favorite grandma, Babs…

[babblydrabbly]

I'm by no means organized enough for something like this, but I thought I'd give it a shot. 2021 has been a lot for me, like I know it's been for a lot of you. I started this blog a few years ago and left it untouched because I didn't think my stories were interesting enough to post. Fast forward to August of this year, when I found some truly amazing pieces of fiction and a community of writers that post such amazing fuckin' shit it's crazy. I spent so much time lurking in fandom, and it wasn't until now that all these beautiful works encouraged me to start posting too. Now there's more than 600 of you putting up with the shit that I write? Preposterous. So here's to all the writers/readers/friends who've kept me sane, and a dollop of fics that have brought me oodles of joy. This list isn't everything I've read this year, but it's a lot of rad fics I recommend anybody read if you haven't already. ILY ♥ My Rec Tag || * = Indicates darkfic/dubcon warning

DCEU/Suicide Squad

♦ Rick Flag ♦ ♦ Jealousy by @fearthespork || rick flag x f!reader ♦ "Friends? I don't think so..." by @cockslut-padalecki || rick flag x reader ♦ Venus Fly Trap by @hxbbit || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Distant Heartbeat by @sweetfictionalworld || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Sleepy I Love You by @lorecraft || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Please by lorecraft || rick flag x f!reader* ♦ Panties by lorecraft || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Love Me Now by @greymoonfeelings || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Just Be by @softmamawrites || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Lurk by @spidershmider || rick flag x f!reader* ♦ Break the Ice by @a-reader-and-a-writer || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Disciplinary Action by @foli-vora || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Sex Pollen by @charnelhouse || rick flag x f!reader* ♦ Cafe Desires by @fairchildflag || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Facade by fairchildflag || rick flag x f!freader ♦ Kinktober Day 28 by @lacontroller1991 || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Thawing of a Heart by @mistycreativelilacs || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Lonely This Christmas? by @loverhymeswith || rick flag x f!freader ♦ Happy New Year by loverhymeswith || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Pledge Allegiance by @klmurr || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Pity Me, I need You by @ohcaptains || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Fire and Ice by @blackbat05 || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Made to Heal Series by @priceof-freedom || rick flag x f!reader ♦ A Sharp Reprimand by @clints-lucky-arrow || rick flag x f!reader ♦ C.M. Ceasefire by clints-lucky-arrow || rick flag x f!reader ♦ It's Something Along the Way by @velocibeewords || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Embrace What I Cannot Control by @lady-of-glass-and-bone || rick flag x f!reader ♦ Ten Out of Ten by fearthespork || Special shout out for this fic, for inspiring me to write rick flag fanfiction in the first place. All of their Rick fics are amazing ♥♥♥ ♦ Digger Harkness ♦ ♦ Dreamin' by @floral-and-fine || digger harkness x f!reader ♦ Robert DuBois ♦ ♦ Kinktober Day 5 by lacontroller1991 || robert dubois x f!reader ♦ Reckless by blackbat05 || robert dubois x f!reader ♦ A Good Show by clints-lucky-arrow || robert dubois x f!reader ♦ Harley Quinn ♦ ♦ Imagine Harley and you doing couple costumes for Halloween by @sserpente || harley quinn x f!reader ♦ One day I just wanna hear you say, "I like you" by @rabesbabe || harley quinn x f!reader ♦ Don't Mind by @thewitchandtheassassin || harley quinn x f!reader ♦ She's One of a Kind by @harleen-isleyy || harley quinn x f!reader ♦ Crazy In Love by @forever-more-never-again || harley quinn x f!reader ♦ Poly!Squad ♦ ♦ Bionic Exile Series by lacontroller1991 & @yelenas-lova || rick flag x f!reader x takeshi kovacs (altered carbon) ♦ Kitty by lorecraft || rick flag x f!reader x robert dubois ♦ More Sharing by lorecraft || rick flag x f!reader x bucky barnes (mcu) ♦ Poison Ivy x f!reader x Harley Quinn by @babyjordy ♦ A Work of Art Series by lorecraft || suicide squad x f!reader* ♦ Kinktober Day 8 by lacontroller1991 || rick flag x f!reader x digger harkness ♦ Within and Without by @rosemaremembrance || rick flag x f!reader x harley quinn ♦ Rick Flag x F!Reader x Harley by charnelhouse

The Killing (Stephen Holder)

♦ Enough series by loverhymeswith || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Addiction by @belovasupremacy || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Girlfriend by belovasupremacy || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Nasty Habits by klmurr || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Blue Pill by greymoonfeelings || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Someone Always Gets Hurt by a-reader-and-a-writer || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Can't Stay Mad At You by @heresathreebee || stephen holder x f!reader ♦ Caught In Between by @yespolkadotkitty || stephen holder x f!reader x erik heller (hanna)

Marvel/MCU

♦ Along Came a Spider by a-reader-and-a-writer || peter parker x f!reader ♦ I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies by @boop-le-snoot || dr. octavis x f!reader ♦ Hot Cocoa Kissing by clints-lucky-arrow || clint barton x f!reader ♦ "It's the day of Anne's wedding" by charnelhouse || eddie brock x f!reader x Venom ♦ Need by @yourbucky084 || matt murdock x f!reader*

The Mandolorian

♦ Take a Bath by @green-socks || din djarin x f!reader ♦ Face Sitting with Din Djarin by @autumnleaves1991 || din djarin x f!reader ♦ Do As I Say by @arahxdjarin || din djarin x f!reader x cobb vanth ♦ This is the Tea by yespolkadotkitty || din djarin x f!reader* ♦ A World that We Design Series by lorecraft || cobb vanth x f!reader x original male character

And lastly, just a Happy New Year shout out to all the people who I see on my dash or on my posts, or who just brighten my day around here. Hello friends, ILY ♥

@reysorigins || @nerdysuperchick || @nikixie || @marvelousmermaid || @knivesareout || @deadangeluniverse || @dangelus || @femalefilmaker || @riddikulus-obsessions || @t-i-n-y-d-i-n-o || @weallhaveadestiny || beardburnsupersoldiers || aestheticallywinchester || princessmisery666 || lawfulgranola || rrtxmct || rexorangecouny || a-girl-who-loves-disney || billhaderginsberg || spookyssidepiece || natashawhinterar || laprvphette || girlnred ||

[collectivefandomstuff]

Bruce: [walking through the manor. Stops in front of the door to one of the guest rooms because he can hear voices and music inside]

Bruce: [opens the door to see Stephanie, Cass, Harper, and Babs lounging around the room to the tunes of Taylor Swift]

Steph: [sitting on the bed, putting on eyeliner] Hi Bruce what's up?

Bruce: I... didn't know you were here.

Babs: [with an avocado face mask on, sipping mimosa through a straw] it's the best place for girl's night

Harper: [doing Cass' hair but stopping to drink her margarita every few seconds] we can all have our own bathroom

Cass: [soaking her nails in oil] Jacuzzi

Bruce:

Bruce: Why aren't you in Cassandra's room?

Steph: [moving on to mascara] vicinity to the pool

Bruce: oh

Bruce: Well, as long as you're staying safe-

Babs: what kind of danger could we possibly be in?

Bruce:

Bruce: [serious] I'm going to level with you. I am an only child and I mostly raised boys. I have no idea how to parent in this situation, and when that happens I just say "well, as long as you're staying safe" and hope for the best.

Babs: [thoughtful] That explains a lot of Dick's fashion choices

Steph: You know it's fine to just leave, right?

Harper: It IS girl's night

Cass: No boys allowed

Bruce: [relieved] Ok.

Babs: Why are you here anyway?

Bruce: I heard the noise when I was looking for Tim-

Tim: [pops up from behind the bed with his hair braided and a full face of make-up] yeah?

Bruce:

Bruce: what

Tim: [waves a bottle of nail polish] I'm doing my toes

Bruce:

Bruce: Well, as long as you're staying safe-

[666mistyday]

as your local alcoholic im gonna tell you what i think the type of drunk each of the (legal) batfam would be and what is their preferred drink (tw alcohol)

Bruce: whiskey on the rocks and some times beer and i feel like he would get drunker on beer and he is a heavy weight, it takes him almost all of the bottle to get drunk. He would be your emotional drunk which is rare that he's actually wasted but when he is oh my god, he is huging everyone his voice is slurred and kinda loud but not a chaotic drunk. He never drinks too much at a gala, he has to be comfortable to let himself be, usually at the manor or around people he trusts.

Dick: is a vodka bitch, in whatever presentation except for shots he cannot do shots, his favorite is vodka soda. Is so touchy and you best believe he does backflips hes like "look guys look" and he starts Cirque du Soleil his ass off. Sometimes he would be impatient and can punch a wall, his emotions are all over the place. Doesn't black out and is the guy who is drinking water in between drinks. He does sleep like a rock afterwards. At a bar surrounded by people he trusts.

Jason: anything, he's not picky but he almost never does it, the vibes have to be right to do so. Likes drinking shots. His face neck and chest gets super red. His favorite drink is a coke and rum. He zones out when drunk drunk, if he is tipsy talks a lot. He has to be with people he is comfortable with and in a familiar place if shit hits the fan.

Babs: piña coladas or margaritas (she also likes jello shots), anything that resembles the tropical weather and not the dark clouds of Gotham. Is not a lightweight at all. She can get a little aggressive and will not say no to a fight, especially if its a guy preying on a drunk girl. I feel like she goes to queer bars and enjoy a good drag show.

Alfred: martinis or wine. Is a cool and classy drunk, kinda giggly sometimes. When tipsy (he never gets drunk) he is like under the lie detector if he smirks he is telling the truth, his cheeks are kinda are kinda rosey. He never drinks outside the manor, usually drinks in special occasions or in familiar stetting.

[gothamcitytrash]

Batfam Headcanon #3

Cass , Babs , Steph , Selina , Kate , Harper and Carrie have monthly girls night , Tim is an honorary member , Dick always wants to be invited but they know he won’t be able to be humble once he has a full face of Glam , Damian thinks it ridiculous and he also doesn’t like when Titus and Alfred the cat leave to hang out with them , Jason secretly wants to join but he’s too embarrassed so the girls decide to have a Secret Girls Night and Jason’s place so he can feel included and Bruce and Alfred are just happy that everyone is being nice to each other ( Alfred brings Cookies and reluctantly Margaritas )

[tremendouslychocolatecrown]

I need a reality TV show based on the Real Villains of Gotham.

First off the catch phrases...

Riddler: I’d ask you a riddle, but what’s the point? You won’t get the answer right.

Joker: So a cameraman, writer, and producer walk into a bar and one of them gets shot. *gunshot sound and camera fades to black*

Mad Hatter: Anyone can be Alice it just takes the right motivation.

Catwoman: Diamonds are a girls best friend but a woman needs a variety of friends. Mine are Rubies, Sapphires, and emeralds.

Scarecrow: You can choose to be afraid Gotham or I can take you the rest of the way and show you how to really scream.

Harley Quinn: I have a PHD in psychology and a BAB (boss-ass-bitch) in crime.

Penguin: They say birds of a feather flock together but I prefer to keep my perch to myself.

Second off the drama...

Just imagine the rogues drinking and socializing and talking massive shit about each other.

Crane would be poisoning people’s food and making everyone uncomfortable when he’s at the table.

Eddie would throw a tantrum every time the camera focuses on someone else. Like he’d just do insanely needy things like taking over competing television networks and airing a Eddie super cut version of the show because he’s the star.

Joker would rarely be on the show but always making everyone wish he never signed the contract because he just blows things up.

Harley would be always drunk and trying to pet stray dogs that some how there are animals in the restaurant and they all have plates.

Catwoman would be stealing everyone’s stuff. Jackets, rings, jewels, credit cards. So now everyone just sets up a tab and pays after the meal.

Poison Ivy would cameo on the show to literally just talk shit about the Joker.

Penguin would use the show as a platform to sell a margarita mix and make tons of money on the show.

[brynnmck]

So. BIRDS OF PREY. (Non-spoilery outside the cut.) The short-short version is that this is the woman-driven superhero/action movie I've been waiting for and I have been fizzing with excitement and glee ever since I saw it and I really REALLY encourage you all to check it out because a) I truly feel it might very well improve your lives and b) I want it to make a billion dollars so that they make more because I NEED IT.

Also I want to make clear that you do not have to have seen or liked Suicide Squad, or have read the comics, in order to understand and enjoy this movie. (One of the best tributes I can pay to it, though, is that BOP was/is my first and truest comics love, and even though this movie is a pretty drastically different take on them and in fact leaves out my favorite character entirely, I still ADORED it. In large part because it DOES contain one of things I loved most about the comics, namely: a variety of interesting, complex, and multifaceted women interacting with and supporting each other. And ALSO kicking ass using a variety of skill sets!)

Just. THIS MOVIE IS SO FUN. As a warning, there is some pretty brutal violence in it (though mostly not against women, for a pleasant change). But it's also hilarious, and really cleverly set up and executed, and grounded in real and relatable feelings, and bright candy colored and just the right amount of unhinged and the soundtrack is PHENOMENAL and the costumes are incredible and the fights were fantastic and honestly, I don't recall a single line in the whole movie that made me cringe for the person saying it. All the performances are brilliant, especially Margot Robbie (who gets the most to do, since Harley is the central character here, but she crushes it all), and Ewan McGregor cheerfully devouring scenery, and Jurnee Smollet-Bell is just. The PERFECT stunning badass Dinah. (Also I found out that she does her own singing in this and it has ruined my life because ONE PERSON SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO AND BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS it's TOO MUCH.) Also it is just generally PACKED with extraordinarily hot women who have agency and depth. So. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the ride and I wanted it to be at least an hour longer and I am absolutely going again as soon as I feasibly can.

Spoilery thoughts and feelings under the cut!

Okay, first of all, I have never had strong feelings about Harley as a character but holy shit, I had no idea Margot Robbie was such a good actress, and I loooooooooved what they did with Harley here. She's definitely unstable, but I adored that they kept reminding us how smart she is, and the fact that she's got all this education and this ability to analyze people that's a vital element of her power. And she's so much FUN, and her drive to be her own person and to figure out what that means is so poignant and so relatable, I really thought they struck the ideal balance with her of making her larger-than-life but still grounded and complex, someone we could care about and sympathize with. And I loved that she ultimately came into her own, and ultimately did it in part because she chose to make connections with people who fundamentally value her.

And then DINAH. MY BELOVED. I love that even though she starts out working for the enemy, she still has that essential kindness and sense of justice that I feel like is so crucial to the character, and I thought using her mother's death as context for how she ended up where she is now was really clever and gave the story space to show her becoming a hero instead of just being born as one. (And she ALSO gets to parallel what Harley is experiencing, i.e. she's not sure who she is without the man who's been exerting control over her for so long, but she's increasingly ready to find out.) I loved seeing the way that slowly built in her over the course of the movie, that "I'm not getting involved I'm not getting involved FUCK IT I'M GETTING EXTREMELY INVOLVED" bursting of the dam that happened a few different times in a few different ways, all leading up to the Canary Cry moment, which was SO MUCH MORE than the plot device it could have been because we know EXACTLY what she's choosing to embrace by using her powers, backed by all the catharsis of "I'm not fucking taking this anymore and I'm going to defend what I love and what is right with every ounce of my strength and RAAAAAAAAAAAAR." SO GOOD. Also I never thought I would ship Harley/Dinah but here I am? That first meeting between them in Roman's club hit me HARD, just that moment of connection, and actually that was one of my favorite things about the way the movie was structured: a lot of times with team-up movies I feel like things don't really get going until the team-up happens, but here I thought they included so many lovely moments with different combinations of the characters that they felt connected even when they weren't actually all together, so the team-up was still enormously satisfying but it also didn't feel to me like the rest of the movie was just waiting for that moment. (Also clearly the shipping potential here is OFF THE CHARTS because any or all of the four adults in this movie would be FASCINATING together so I'm very much here for THAT.)

Cass was also DELIGHTFUL despite bearing almost no resemblance to any canon version of Cass that I've ever seen, but she was still a LOT of fun and resourceful and snarky and secretly sweet and her pragmatic-and-then-actually-affectionate bond with Harley was absolutely adorable. I love that Cass is the only one who doesn't know anything about the Joker, so she just takes Harley for who she is, and that's part of what Harley responds to (eventually).

I also LOVED Renee, how SMART she is (her breaking down that crime scene early on was soooooo fucking cool and also HOT AF), how snarky she is, how OVER IT she is. I also loved that she was a little bit older, and obviously CANON LESBIAN YAY (as was Harley being canonically bi!!! see how easy that was???), and I loved that she was flawed but still doing her best (as are all of them, really). I loved the way they used her to illustrate all the bullshit that women face in so many workplaces, and it was INCREDIBLY satisfying when she quit at the end. (Also her telling Dinah that Dinah wouldn't have been abandoned on her watch gave me CHILLS. The conviction!!! The dedication!!!)

Huntress gets left out a little, and I wouldn't have minded seeing her explored more, though I ADORE BEYOND WORDS what they chose to do with her, up to and including her being kind of disconnected until she shows up at the end and she's like "uhhhh, look, I'm just here to kill this guy, I don't want any of this drama," HEEEEEE. But Helena is so broody (though also extremely snarky!) in the comics and I love her very much but it's not my favorite quality, so choosing to show her deliberately cultivating that broody exterior (and somewhat failing at it) was GENIUS and made me love her SO MUCH. Her moment with Cass during the last battle was such a fantastic one, too--that was a moment that very easily could have been skimmed over, and honestly I don't know that I'd have thought of it, but it was PERFECT and such economical character development for her and just generally evidence of a writer/writers who think of all these characters as three-dimensional people with their own thoughts and feelings and experiences. Also Harley's heart-eyes when Helena rolls up on her motorcycle to save her were BEAUTIFUL.

Also beautiful: the fight scene once they all team up, seeing all their different styles and how they support each other and how they take care of Cass. And that scene in the diner at the end was just. ALL I EVER WANT IS THAT SCENE AND THEY GAVE IT TO ME. The snark! The margaritas and shitty food! The exhausted, semi-awkward bonding (Helena being like, "Um… you also… did cool things…! Is this how humans communicate?" was AMAZING)! And even ending with Harley stealing Canary's car was perfect, because at the end of the day she's not really a long-term team player, so I loved them all kind of sharing this moment and then Harley and Cass go on to do their thing, their way, and Renee/Dinah/Helena do THEIR thing, their way, and everyone gets to live their best lives, fundamentally. And it would also be VERY VERY EASY to slot in Babs (Oracle Babs PLEASE, this movie was so good in a lot of ways about diverse casting and I'd love to see them take that a step further) in a future iteration of this, like, I can perfectly see her just being like, "Uh, you guys are doing okay but you could really use some help" and coming in with all her technology and her strategic bat brain and taking things to the next level. (Also Christina Hodson, who wrote this, is also supposedly writing the Batgirl movie, so… hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.)

Basically it was just… everything I wanted and pretty much nothing that I didn't (though I couldn’t help noticing that there were a lot of POC in this movie who were… not great people, though there were also three central POC who WERE great people, and the two main villains were white, so maybe that helps give a more multi-faceted perspective, but). It has SO MUCH POTENTIAL as a franchise but even if this is all we ever get, I think it's a glorious shiny batshit heartfelt gift and I'm so SO glad we got it, and hats off to all of the amazing women involved who pushed so hard to make this as amazing as it was. YOU ALL DID FANTASTICALLY.

[outoftheframework]

things that have 100% happened in the batfam group chat (part 2)

part 1  add to this post :)

Too many name changes to count

From “sidekickz” to “duke thomas fanclub”

To “the real gcpd”

To “jim gordon hotline”

To “babs is making me apologize for changing the name”

To “kill the joker june 17 all invited”

Bruce confiscated their phones for 1 week after that because nobody fessed up to it

They were banned from patrol that night

Ended up staying in and watching the bachelorette

They send photos of every tabloid Bruce is on the cover of

Steph: “stumbled upon this at the convenience store; B needs a stern talking to”

Attached is a picture of a paper with the headline “KING OF GOTHAM SECRET AFFAIR?” and a picture of bruce looking shocked with lipstick around his mouth

(it was really because at a corporate dinner tim order raspberry margarita slushies for the entire WE board and he had to have it as to not look rude)

Cassandra sends pictures of every dog she sees when she’s out on runs

Texting in the gc when they get kidnapped and the criminal didn’t know they have a second phone

“Guys this riddler-ripoff is trying to make me solve puzzles”

“Hold on; we’re almost there”

“Nah, take your time. God knows i need some brain stimulation once in a while.”

Sending mid-fight selfies

A picture of Dick smiling into the camera while the penguin loads a machine gun behind him was Jay’s lock screen for a while

One text is sent and 10 separate “dings” are heard throughout the manor; Bruce mandates a vibrate-only rule after three days

Damian is not good with his phone so he often sends accidental audio clips or selfies

If selfies, he will be immediately bombarded with more selfies recreating the random one he sent by mistake

Memes

3am deep talks about space and existence

Then more memes

Creative profanity

“What kind of sunny metropo-bullshit is this?”

“What in the harleen quinzel did you do-’

“Be safe everyone” texts every night before patrol

(this is very fandom batkids but let’s be real when isn’t it) (send requests :)

[redrobinfection]

Coffee, Coffee Everywhere: Extra

<< Previous (Part 21: Epilogue)

AN: Thanks to Seshat_Writting on ao3 for reminding me in a comment about this series and this extra little scene I’ve had rattling around in my brain the past couple months. Steph/Cass is a thing in this ficlet and past Tim/Steph is mentioned. Enjoy!

---

"Aww, man, you guys started the face masks without me!" Steph groans teasingly, toeing the door shut as she steps into the the small studio apartment. The door locks behind her automatically and she rolls her eyes - of course it does, this being one of Tim's places - but admits it's handy as she juggles her keys, purse and one overflowing grocery bag.

Tim pauses in daubing a bit pale purple mask across Cass' chin. They both look up at her from the floor with twin stares of utter innocence. Steph isn't buying it for a minute.

"We didn't realize you wanted us to wait," Tim replies as he scoops another glob of mask out of a small jar. Steph catches a hint of lavender and smirks.

"You better be saving some of that for me," she comments, turning away to kick off her shoes. She turns back to a stare she assumes is Cass' way of expressing "bitch please" while Tim shakes his head at her foolishness.

"Cass bought two extra jars, just in case. Not that we'll need them," Tim replies, sweeping a glance over Steph. "Not unless you're planning to do a full body mask tonight."

Cass wiggles her eyebrows suggestively and Steph punts one of her shoes at the former Batgirl. "Serves you right if I do!"

She might, just to spite them. It's not like she has a lot to hide from her ex-boyfriend and her current girlfriend. Although, she might have to spread those remaining two and three-quarters jars pretty thin if she wants to do her whole body. Hmmm. Maybe she'll just do her face, neck, and chest tonight - just to tease them.

She breezes past them, headed into the little kitchen, and begins unloading groceries onto the counter. "I picked up three bags of limes for the homemade margaritas,” she calls out. Tim gives a thumbs up and Cass does a little happy dance. “I dunno why the pre-made mix isn't good enough for you," she adds in a mutter.

"Fresh is better," Cass responds primly. Tim has finished applying her mask and Cass is unscrewing the lid to an opaque black container, presumably to apply Tim's. Steph wonders which mask Cass picked out for him this time.

"I also made sure to pick up the anti-tequila for you, nerd wonder, for whatever lime-flavored abomination it is that you like to make," Steph continues, pulling out a bottle of gin with a grimace. "Oh, and some more of that metallic red nail polish you liked so much last time."

Tim beams as Cass begins smearing a dark, thickly-textured mask across his cheek. "It's called a 'Gin Rickey'[1] and it's so good! I swear it will convert you to gin drinks if you give it a chance," he tells her.

"Nope," Steph replies, popping the 'p', as she finishes fishing out chips, dip, hummus and veggies. All the best snacks for spa night. Or as Steph likes to call it: Bat-Girl's Night. Plus Tim, naturally. (She figures that if she could be an all-but-honorary Robin for a few months, then Tim could be an all-but-honorary Batgirl from now on and that would make his presence admissible. Babs approved and they've been nice and haven't made him wear the suit yet, the lucky duck.)

"I am good with tequila thank you very- Wait." Steph stares at the mask Cass is currently rubbing across Tim's forehead. "Is that…?"

She stomps across the room and swipes the container out of Cass's lap. "Oh my god it is." She glares disapprovingly at Cass. "A coffee face mask? Really? We just got him off his addiction!"

Tim grins sheepishly. "Well, I mean, I'm not exactly drinking it and it's not like it has any caffeine-"

"It literally says it contains caffeine right here," Steph counters, pointing to the tub. "Why the hell does your skin need caffeine anyway?!"

"Firming," Cass explains, nodding sagely.

"'Wakes up the skin'?" Steph reads. "What the hell? What a load of bullshit!"

Cass ignores her and continues swiping the dark paste of sugar, clay and coarsely ground coffee - real fucking coffee! - across Tim's forehead as he grimaces apologetically.

"Oops, well…at least I'm not drinking it?" he tries again weakly.

Steph pins him with a flat look, then raps her girlfriend lightly on the head. "This was your idea, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It's fine. He's been good. Deserves it," Cass replies without hesitation, reaching out a hand for the tub. Steph sighs dramatically then hands it back.

"I guess..." she concedes, then grins wickedly. "I guess as long as it's his giant, tired-ass eye bags drinking up the caffeine, then it’s all good."

"Hey! They're not that bad!" Tim exclaims.

Cass plops a large glop of paste onto one such eye bag and nods grimly. "Yes, they are."

Tim deflates a little and goes quiet while Cass finishes smearing the dark paste evenly across his face. She sits back with a smile. "All done." She turns to Steph. "Next!"

Contrary to her words, Cass and Tim both rise and wash up before helping Steph apply her mask. On their way back, they stop by the fridge and pull out plastic cups of milky colored liquid with dark blobs at the bottoms. Cass takes a large slurp from hers and Steph perks up.

"Are those boba tea?"

Cass turns around with a shit eating grin and shakes a pinkish-purple one at her. "Yes. Do I win back points?"

"Is that taro?" Steph immediately asks, jumping up to accept the offering of sweet, irresistible nectar.

"Yep."

"Oh, babe, you're the best," Steph replies, stealing a jasmine-tinged kiss off of Cass' lips before punching the proffered straw through the lid and sucking down her own liquid bliss. The tapioca pearls add a pleasant chewy, sweet dimension to the earthy-sweet flavor of the powdered taro root. Steph is almost too distracted to notice Tim creeping away with his own cup, the milky liquid in such tinged just a little too brown for it to be simple black tea mixed into milk.

"Tim. What is that?"

He freezes and turns only his head to stare at her with wide eyes. "Boba tea."

"Yeah, but is it actually tea?" Steph interrogates, expression skeptical.

"Maaaaaaaaybe?"

Cass darts out of the way of the ensuing tussle, which ends, inevitably, with Steph snatching away Tim's cup to steal a sip. She nearly throws her own cup at him when she tastes it.

"I can't believe this! You actually got coffee in your boba tea! There probably isn't any tea in this, is there? Utter travesty!"

Cass chooses this moment to step between them, pass the drink back to Tim, and lay a hand on Steph's shoulder. "Decaf. Mostly milk. Extra boba. Extra ice. He is fine."

Steph's eyes narrow, shifting from Cass who is nodding soberly, to Tim who is sipping warily, and then back again. "This was your idea," she accuses Cass. Again.

The sound of the front door closing shatters the tension. "No, it was my idea," Babs explains as she wheels herself into the apartment. She grins when Cass bounds over, hugs her, then hands her what looks like yet another sacrilegious coffee boba 'tea'. "Cass was just my delivery person."

"Babs, why?! We only just got him off of his coffee addiction!"

"He's been really good about it lately, so I thought he deserved a reward in the form of a compromise. Besides, there's barely any caffeine in that anyway," Babs dismisses, rolling away toward the kitchen.

Steph rounds on Tim. He takes a step back instinctively. She slowly reaches out a hand and smiles gently. "Okay, Tim. I know that you know that that is the gateway coffee to many more coffee mishaps, so just hand it over nice and easy before you end up doing something that you’ll regret."

He clutches it to his chest like and pouts like a three-year-old. "No."

Her expression and tone harden. "Tim. Put the cup down, back away slowly, and no one gets hurt."

He shakes his head and vaults over the couch. Steph leaps to follow. Cass and Babs slurp their boba tea placidly while they watch from the kitchen. Tim streaks into the bathroom and locks the door. Steph rattles the knob and curses that she didn't think to carry any picks on her tonight. It's a simple “pop-in, pop-out” lock so if she can just find a toothpick or a skewer…

She dashes into the kitchen, nearly bowling over Cass in the process.

"He's gonna chug it," Babs predicts in a bland tone as Steph rattles around in drawers..

Cass nods. "Yes." She cups her mouth to carry over the racket Steph is making behind them. "Remember: tapioca, little brother! Don't choke!"

Steph fist pumps when she finds a single toothpick, then vaults the counter. Right as she pops the lock, Tim appears in the doorway, expression triumphant.

"Tim, no!" Steph wails when he raises the empty cup.

He rattles it and grins. "Tim, yes!"  

[steelycunt]

Have you read any books lately? My reading goal for the year was 50 books but I’m only 16/50 😅 I read Young Mungo in June and it’s the last thing I’ve read and I still randomly think about it.

(i'm ASSUMING these are from the same person so i put them together xx if theyre not pretend i didnt do that xx)

hello bab!! i just finished no future which was a book on british punk & its links to politics and youth culture!! which was a bit of a slog BUT very comprehensive and interesting. and now im reading the master and margarita andd a book called punk: an oral history which is a fucking BRICK but its quite easy to read xx and im thinking of starting if beale street could talk soon!! and oh my god im DESPERATE to read young mungo what did you think!! its literally. top of my list but i cant bring myself to pay £16 for the hardcover and the paperback isnt out till april :-( but yeah i soooo want to read that one it looks SO good. my reading goal for the year is only 20 because for the last few years i completely fell out of reading and only read like. 3 books a year excluding whatever i had to read when i was studying englit because that burned me out so much. so im trying to ease myself back into it and im currently at uhh 16? according to goodreads xx and i have not read windeye!! i'll check it out though its on my list thank you!!