#CTM - The Way A Mouth Is A Mouth

[atlasradioclub]

DENMARK I

SOUNDCLOUD          MIXCLOUD  

First Hate - Meditation Interlude Lueenas, Ida Duelund, Maria Jagd - Loro Astrid Sonne - How Far Suzanne Menzel - Summer Rain Goss - Thank God For Fitness CTM - The Way A Mouth Is A Mouth Loke Rahbek, Frederik Valentin - You Everything Kasper Marott - Mosens Tone School Of X - Mi Sueño Favorito Synd og Skam, Jonas Okholm - Interlude GENTS - Essential Oils Anders Rhedin - Equilibrium Atlantis Transit Project - Bird Perspective Dinner - Copenhagen First Hate - A Girl Called Friday

[naradivision]

The day was slowly winding down, turning daytime into night. Just a few more hours more and it would mark the end of Yuuya's birthday. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door. Ceasing what he was doing for the moment, he opened the door to find a large package outside the door. Blinking, the former high school student picked it up and groaned as he had underestimated its weight.

Lugging the large package, whatever it was, inside the house and to his bedroom, he sighed as he finally dropped the thing on the ground. Opening it up, the part-time worker looked at what was inside, his eyes growing wide.

It was an electric guitar, at least to the untrained eye. But if you knew music like Yuuya, you'd know this was a Platinum ESP FRX CTM FR Electric Guitar, worth over $35 grand. You'd have to save up big time in order to even acquire one of these. And now... Yuuya, the boy fresh out of high school was now in possession of one.

As he held it in his hands, his eyes sparkled and he couldn't help but give it a few strokes. Even just random notes on this thing sounded spectacular. He was almost hesitant to hold it because he was afraid it might disappear. As he did hold onto it, a thought came to his head: who left this for him?

As if to answer his question, a note was plastered on the back of the package, which read:

'What up, birthday boy?! Heard it was your birthday today, so I decided to thank you for sending me those purses and sunglasses last year for my birthday. So I went out and bought you this electric guitar! I heard you were a music fan and loved music, so what better way to celebrate than sending you a fuckin' electric guitar, you know? So have fun with that thing, kid! And don't worry if you get cracked or something, it's insured! So go fuckin' nuts! And happy birthday again!

Sincerely,

Meari "Bloody Mary" Miracle'

“Huh? —Eh??! Really?! What’s happening? Is this really from ‘Bloody Mary’ ???”

The birthday boy’s brain had just stopped functioning for a moment as there was nothing but a surprised noise fumbling from his mouth when he discovered what was hidden in a mysterious package he accidentally found at his doorstep. “The lead singer of famous 86 herself was the one sending this to me?!”

Who would have known that one day he was going to get a hand on this very exclusive brand-new electric guitar this soon… And even far beyond his imagination, it was from one of the artists he (and his clubmates) held in great admiration! He would have never expected her to recognize him from all a massive number of her fans though.

“What’s the matter, human!? Hey, be careful!! You almost dropped your phone!” Shrieked ANGE who was currently displaying on his phone’s screen until she caught a glimpse of something shining in his hands. “Wait— Have you got a new gift?! Lemme see! Lemme see!”

Perhaps her enthusiastic voice snapped him back from being stunned with surprise, even Ojou-chan who was lying with her eyes closed was perking up her ears and jumped down her beloved cat tree to check on him.

Yuuya cleared his throat a bit in embarrassment before adjusting his phone’s position for his cybernetic roommate to get a better view.

“Ahem, well, you see… The note said that it’s Miracle-san from Minato Division who had given me this wonderful present. Now it looks like I don’t have to worry about borrowing the old buds from my club room anymore.”

Yuuya gave his brand-new guitar few testing strokes and let its vibrant sound echoed in his room. Maybe he would get this cool lad some tune up by tomorrow since today was already getting late at night. By the way, he just couldn’t wait to find out what part he could add it in his current work-in-process!

The electric guitar was one of the instruments that gained its exclusivity at his club. Since the good instruments were quite hard to afford by students, especially by those who had to work hard in order to support their own lives such as him, originally he and others in the club had to play with a single handed-down one in their club room —And yeah, to gain its accessibility became a bit difficult as he had already graduated from school.

He also didn’t have one at home before he was gifted by Maeri. The only guitar he owned was the acoustic one his father used when he was just a beginner. In truth, he thought he had seen a lot more fantastic instruments back when he took him to visit his workplace. But, as heart-wrenching as it was, there were no more of those days since everything was now gone like a whisk of smoke…

One memory of 16 candles shining brightly on a pound dessert was still haunting him at every beginning of summer.

With a vacant chair on the opposite side of his seat, no matter how long the day was or just or how short the night of that year had become, a part of him still kept wondering…

…If only that time he wouldn’t be greedy, if only that time he wouldn’t be too ambitious asking his dad for too much, or if somehow he could make a flawless work, he wondered if anything would have changed way back then.

The sun had long disappeared with a scent of aromatic incense diluting in the air.

—Thanks for the gifts! And sorry for my very late reply!

[izzyspussy]

You require motivation, you say?

I went a looking and see that you are writing a thing what is called "Curse the Messenger"...and it sounds incredible.

Please tell me more!

What are the witches like in this setting

How does magic work (if it is indeed called that)

What sort of things do the MCs find through their P.I. business?

Do you have a favorite snip from it?

Hi! Thank you! That's actually not what I need motivation for at the moment lmao. This blog (my main) is my fandom blog, so when I post about writing on it it's almost always about fanfiction lol. Curse The Messenger (and other original projects) stuff is on @calicohyde! CTM specifically will be under the tag #witch noir.

The witches have a loose secondary society, somewhere around the halfway point between a counterculture and an actually separate sovereign. They have a matriarchal gerontocracy and are ruled in small jurisdictions called covens. Each coven is led by however many crones happen to be members of the group, crone here being defined as a woman who has gone through menopause (it's cis/perisexist, bioessentialist, ableist, misandrist, etc as an intentional flaw). Covens have communal ownership over the natural resources within their borders, and borders and inter-coven laws - called taboos - are decided on by multi-coven meetings of crones called masses.

The magic is almost magical realism. Witches are born with innate inherited magical abilities in certain categories. The wider categories are called families, obviously since they run in families lol. There are four: Clairvoyants, Naturalists, Rooks, and Composers. Each family has subtypes, and each subtype as a limited and very specific set of or a single magical ability. The rarer a type and the more glamorous the magic's societal use, the more generally respected and socially valued the witch who has it is. For example, Strangers, a type of Naturalist, are the rarest type overall and have a power set that lends itself to otherwise difficult or impossible medical care, so they are actively sought out, recruited, and privileged by covens, and often become famous. Meanwhile, Emenants, also Naturalists but the most common type overall and with a seemingly mundane power set, are often deliberately institutionally neglected.

The entire family of Clairvoyants are also prejudiced against, in a more active way than Emenants. They are thought to be weak and/or to have a disposition toward evil, when in fact they are just vulnerable. "Sixer" and "sixthist" are slurs against Clairvoyants, referring to their heightened sixth sense. Bigotry toward witch types is called "craftism".

At the beginning of the book/series, Fred and Eddie, the clairvoyant P.I. orphan siblings, take your typical theft and infidelity cases. They take both witch and secular (non-witch) clients, all by word of mouth. The plot at its most basic is Jessica, a secular femme fatale, requesting that Fred and Eddie help her solve a really weird alleged murder with disappearing evidence that the police allegedly refused to take a report of.

[zimcard-artblog]

Does Cube in the swap AU just CTM but not full of rage most the time

Kind of, yeah. I did say the reason she's very defensive and hostile is because it's a defense mechanism due to her rough childhood and never being taught about what trust is and how to give and receive kindness in a way (The corrupted knights are responsible for that because they wanted for her to grow into a strong independent warrior but were actually feeding into her paranoia and treating her more like a warrior in training instead of a child who needed familial love and care)

CTM, despite her demeanor, has taught herself some self control. She doesn't lash out THAT much and even if she's not that expressive, she has a soft side she tries so hard to hide because she feels as though if she reveals her "weakness" then someone will take advantage of that.

Pretty sure when she and Blixer started to grow more close (after she kidnapped him cause he wouldn’t spit out the Artifact after he shoved it into his mouth) she has second thoughts regarding Blixer's true intentions and suddenly paranoia starts kicking in. She was scared that Blixer is just warming up to her to lead her into a false sense of a security, then striking when she least expects it. She doesn't know how to verbally express her worries and she's scared of getting hurt emotionally because for the first time in forever; she felt like she had a close connection with someone.

And Blixer doesn't know this, of course he knows what it's like to be insecure and question the things around them but he never had a full grasp of the complex situations outside the garden he resided in with Lycan and the flowers. He wasn't aware of the paranoia Cube had, he wasn't aware of it and he worries too that Cube wants the Artifact more than she wants to get to know him.

They both struggle verbally expressing their worries because they were never taught about it. They feel like there's still a forming barrier in between them.

But despite that, they both want one thing: to be seen as an individual.

CTM likes to read in her free time, she listens to music in her room and would cook herself breakfast or try to learn how to bake because she still has yet to pick up that cook book she borrowed from Cuda and Rave's library, she likes to watch sitcoms late at night, she likes bird watching whenever she's out of the house, she'd probably love to play competitive games but would have a hard time teaming up with other people, her favorite ice cream flavor is pistachio with chocolate chips, and there's so much to her.

Now that's normal swap Cube but let's talk about when she harnesses- or, well, receives the Artifact's power and turns her into what's similar to a "New Games" form which would be, well, her Close To Me form.

Unlike how the Artifact had forcefully retaliated against the Corrupted Knights, eventually creating the Unnamed One which represents the discord/chaos that the Artifact has now caused. It's good to note that the Artifact here is deemed as a living thing/animal with supernatural abilities that almost make it God like but still has the same mental capacity of your common critter.

The Unnamed One is... how do I describe this? Do you know how there are animals that inject toxins into their opponent or prey in hopes to immobilize them or completely change their entire bodily function and brain chemistry to the point it's almost like an active sickness that has taken over? Yes. The Artifact fighting back was akin to an animal retaliating by sinking it's fangs into its opponent and expelling toxins into their system.

Instead of, well, killing the Corrupted Knights; it resulted into a tragedy which the Unnamed One is formed. This is due to the Knights having already tempered and damaged the Artifact beforehand with their powers.

Now what about Cube? Well, she got her powers thanks to Blixer-- or, well, Corrupted Blixer. With the Artifact Corrupted and in a frenzy, affecting its surroundings and practically held hostage under the Unnamed One, this does affect Blixer to the point he becomes NG.

NG's goal is to get the artifact like an enraged motherly animal finding out their cub had been picked up by poachers. It's like triggering the 'caretaker' in him that takes over his entire body and now he's just, like, a mama bird holding the egg close and will peck anyone who tries to take the egg.

During a very epic and very destructive battle, which Lycan and the flowers end up participating but were blown away due to the disasters, the corruption slowly spreading to the flowers. Lycan decides to assist Cube as it has reached the point that at any moment, an irreversible danger will spread across the land with the Artifact eventually destroying everything and everyone.

Due to the flowers being given life by the Artifact YEARS ago, they decided to give Cube the power to harness whatever is left of the Artifact's energy. This leads to the flowers becoming normal flowers and even Lycan... Cube, now turning into CTM, is now on a mission to put things right.

In a way, she's the protagonist of the story. She does the right things for good reasons and the stakes depend on the person she cares the most. She wants to save Blixer, she wants to out an end to this tragedy, she wants things to be normal with a few good changes. She has dumped her normal plans of world domination and has replaced it with the simple goal of a better future for her AND her loved ones.

It's funny how far you're willing to go for people you care about. It's nice, to Cube, to feel a sense of closure once all is done. She feels like the hole in her heart has been filled with flowers with a little note that says "I love you". While she is in a now happy romantic relationship with Blixer, she also made new friends.

...so that's what Close To Me really stands for! She wanted closure!

[afreakingdork]

The most recent chapter of CTM had me foaming at the mouth, I got that sinking feeling when Donnie was trying to find out how he could have possibly messed up a simple walk in the park, what the mc was thinking, why it was all so bittersweet, honestly mwah, love the way you write their thinking process, especially Donnie's.

And I am so unbelievably HAPPY THAT WE GOT THE KISS, also Donnie's thought of how much he had dreamt of having another chance, I'm so glad he wasn't about to mess that up AGAIN DAMN

-Chaos

When I added the line about Donnie hoping for another chance, there was a moment where I wondered 'should I expand on this?' Then I thought, no! It would be harping! It's been mentioned time and time again that he's done nothing but ruminate over everything with that big ole overthinking brain of his. It seemed unquestionable that he'd want a meteor shower do-over 💞

Thank you so much for saying that, Chaos. I remember when I was nervous shifting to Donnie's perspective when we hit about the halfway point of the fic, but now I feel so much more comfortable with it, not that I need to anymore

[uss-copperright]

So I made a cybernetic design for Terrence

I’m back! I know it’s been a while, and I actually no longer have access to my electronic drawing software, so expect mostly hand-drawn stuff for now. I’ve wanted to create a cybernetic design for Terrence Suave, and I finally pulled the trigger and did it. I hope you enjoy!

Look below the cut for more information and some story background

So my idea for this is that Terrence was revived relatively shortly after his death, when cybernetic technology was still pretty basic. I did my best to make this design look like an amalgamation of styles, what with the screen on the right and the laser eye on the left. I headcanon that Terrence was overthrown in Reginald’s signature style: literally being dropped off whatever base was in use during his leadership. My thoughts behind that was that his head probably would not have all that much physical damage since the rest of his body took the brunt of it, but his brain would be in bad shape and need to be repaired with cybernetics, hence the fairly extensive augmentations.

We have evidence that Terrence is vain (see his portrait from CTM, where he’s holding the gold-plated gun) which is why I opted to go for gold plating on the supports for his laser eye.

The most fun part of this design, that honestly I couldn’t figure out how to draw, is the idea that his mouth is a literal zipper. Short of having to reach up to open it, it functions the same way. I liked the idea that the top and bottom would look like one piece until they separated. Plus the idea of having literal metal teeth felt like it fit him.

Share your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to know what you think.

[eastbaypieco22]

Here Are Some Tips To Help You Get The Most Out Of Eating Pie

If there is one food people of all ages enjoy, it has to be pie. It is delicious and versatile, and you can see its popularity as it makes its way to various celebrations. Pie also makes the perfect food to greet our neighbors and loved ones during the holiday season.

You can make your own delicious pie with the right ingredients and recipe. But if you want to enhance your experience better, look for the best service delivering different types of pie, from beef and stout pie to saffron-infused apple pie, chicken masala tikka pie, and more that are handmade and pressed with the best custom pie press and contain no chemicals or additives.

The following also discusses some tips to get the most out of eating pie. Read on:

Try a pie flavor at a time.

Of course, you can eat a variety of pie flavors. But a great way to enjoy pie is to have a pie flavor at a time. While you do so, concentrate on its taste and texture and feel the moment. Ensure you give it a few minutes before you move to another pie flavor. This will also help you determine your favorite pie flavor, as there is no mixed taste in your mouth.

Some of the best pie flavors you should consider eating include Beef and Stout Pie, Cardamom Spiced Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Maple Pecan Pie, Saffron Infused Apple Pie, Jamaican Style Curried Beef Pie, Chicken Tikka Masala or CTM Pie, and Moroccan Lamb Tagine Pie.

Opt for healthy and delicious pies.

Tons of services on the market offer different types of pie. But to enhance your experience, opt for a service offering healthy, delicious pies. East Bay Pie Co is one of the best services delivering unbaked pies. All its pies are handmade and pressed with the best custom pie press. The company believes in simple, natural food without weird chemicals or additives.

Know how to pair pie with drinks.

Pies often go well with your beverages. But ensure you choose a drink that will go well with your pie flavor. Here are some tips you can consider:

Pair raspberry pie with champagne Apple pie with cider Meat pie with any kind of beverage, such as natural beverages, fruit juice, yogurt, and milk Cinnamon pie with coffee, and Chicken tikka masala pie with lemonade

Eating pie is a great way to comfort ourselves when we are low. It is an excellent food to have when we crave eating something good. Consider these few tips to get the most out of eating pie. Also, start looking for the best service delivering healthy, delicious pies, from beef and stout pie to saffron-infused apple pie, chicken masala tikka pie, and more.

Author: The author is a blogger, and the article talks about tips to get the most out of eating pie.

[kayla47]

Faith and Certainty

Patrick waits and worries. Some words of wisdom show him where he needs to be. Episode addition to S6x08, set between Patrick's telephone conversation with Sister Julienne and his arrival at home.

Sister Winifred stepped through the doors of Kenilworth Row maternity home to be greeted by the peaceful silence of late afternoon. The bustle of arriving visitors had passed leaving just the gentle murmur of voices behind the closed doors of the ward and the occasional piercing cry of a newborn. Surgery having ended, the reception area was in semi darkness being lit by a single desk lamp and the last low rays of pale winter sunshine slipping through the window blinds. Hanging her coat on the rack in the corner she proceeded up the steps at the far end of the reception area. The open doors on either side of the corridor revealed empty rooms and the promise of a peaceful night shift ahead of her.

Light spilled from the doorway of the Doctor's office. She approached with the silent footsteps common to all the religious sisters, her arrival going unacknowledged by the man sitting behind the desk. His elbows were on the desk, his head resting in hands whose fingers curled through his tousled dark hair. Sister Winifred couldn't tell if he had noticed her in the doorway so spoke softly to avoid startling him.

"Doctor?"

His head shot up and he frowned as if trying to recall where he was or what he should be doing.

"Sister? Can I help you?"

"I was just wondering if there was any news from Sister Julienne? How are things progressing with Mrs Turner?" She was aware that the Sister had been called to attend their most precious mother-to-be and was anxious for reassurance that all was as it should be.

Patrick gave a half smile that was quickly replaced by a frown.

"Sister Julienne said that everything was 'ticking over very nicely' but she wouldn't let me speak to Shelagh and that was some time ago." He glanced at his watch with a sigh.

After a slight hesitation Sister Winifred walked fully into the room closing the door behind her and took a seat at the desk opposite the doctor. The man was clearly worried about his wife and she wanted to offer him some comfort but wondered if she was being presumptuous, they had been colleagues for nearly four years but although she had developed a close friendship with Shelagh in that time the same couldn't be said for her friend's husband. Nevertheless she felt she had to try. Wringing her hands together she took a deep breath and plunged ahead.

"Everything is fine, I'm certain of it. If it wasn't Sister Julienne would have let you know."

Patrick opened his mouth to speak but Sister Winifred interrupted him.

"Doctor, in our work we see so many problems and even the occasional disaster but we also see far, far more births that are trouble free with a happy, healthy outcome for both mother and baby. I know you had a scare early on but Shelagh has been perfectly well in all her checks since then and baby has been developing normally, there's no reason to anticipate any difficulties - a textbook mother and baby in fact." She smiled warmly at him.

Patrick sighed and a little of the tension seemed to leave his body. He rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"I know that but it's hard not to think of everything that could go wrong, these things so often come with no warning."

"They do, but not this time", Sister Winifred stated with conviction.

Patrick gave her a quizzical look.

"You can't know that."

"There are many things in this life that I can't know but that I believe with all my heart," she answered with a beaming smile.

"I wish I had your faith, Sister. If anything were to happen to this baby I don't know how Shelagh would go on and I don't see how I could survive if I lost her." He leant back in his chair, blinking away the tears that threatened and swallowing hard as he attempted to control his emotions.

"Faith doesn't always come with certainty, Doctor, you should know that more than most."

The questioning tilt of his head encouraged her to continue.

"Last year I suffered a period of doubt. Sister Julienne had sent me to help at the school when one of the teachers left suddenly. It reminded me how much I loved teaching and left me questioning whether I was really called to nursing. Shelagh somehow sensed that I was struggling and one afternoon when we were alone I found myself pouring my heart out to her. She was really quite wonderful," the nun smiled wistfully at the memory, "I could tell that she didn't like to talk about it but she told me how confused and alone she felt before she left the Order. She explained how her call to the religious life had been so strong that when she felt an equally powerful call to leave she was left doubting her ability to recognise what God wanted from her. Shelagh's faith is as strong now as when she first came to Poplar but she told me that certainty only came when she opened her heart to the love growing within her. She said that's when she came to realise that God wanted another path for her." She paused briefly before continuing. "I felt then, and I still do, that she was wrong."

Patrick shot upright turning an angry glare on the Sister. She raised a hand and cut him off before he could speak.

"Not wrong to leave the Order but wrong in thinking that she was taking a different path. It seems to me that this was just another turn in the same path, the path that had led her to the Order, to Nonnatus House and, ultimately, to you. You and Timothy needed her, God knew that and the Order was the door that He opened to bring her to you."

The anger left Patrick and for the first time in hours his face relaxed into a warm smile.

"We did need her. We still do."

"Yes, and she needs you too, that's why I'm so certain that all will be well with Shelagh and the baby. You and Shelagh have what everyone in this world is searching for Doctor, the certainty that you are just where you are meant to be, in the place that is the perfect fit, where you are loved for everything that you were and are and can be. God knows how much you all need each other and He hasn't finished with you yet. You all have so much love still to give, the way you opened your hearts and home to Angela is proof of that. This baby is God's thank you gift to your family for accepting the path He's sent you down."

Still smiling, Patrick nodded and got to his feet. As he walked around the desk Sister Winifred rose to meet him.

"You're a wise woman, Sister Winifred, and I think this conversation may be one of the reasons God brought you to Poplar. Thank you." He took her hands in his, squeezing them gently in gratitude. Sister Winifred blushed red under his warm gaze.

"If that's true then it's God you need to thank." Composing herself she took a step backwards as he released her hands. "Now, surgery's over, why aren't you home with your wife?"

"Because she didn't want me to be at the delivery. She wanted us to be just like any other couple." Patrick sighed, resigned to following his beloved wife's wishes but still not fully understanding them.

Sister Winifred shook her head.

"I've seen many marriages in the course of my work, Doctor Turner. Some are just a companionship, some are filled with love and some have no love at all. I've never seen a couple more bound by love, more meant for each other than you and Shelagh. You're not like any other couple and you both know it. Go home Doctor, be there when she remembers how much she needs you to hold her. Go home and be there with her to welcome the gift that God is giving you." She took his coat from the hook on the door and held it out to him.

Patrick didn't need telling twice. With a nod and a grin he grabbed the coat from her and dashed out. His parting call of "Thank you, Sister" echoed down the corridor as the surgery door slammed behind him.

Sister Winifred allowed herself a moment to offer a brief prayer of thanks to the Almighty for helping her to find the words to comfort the Doctor before hurrying off to start her shift. She couldn't help feeling that perhaps she had already done her best work of the night.

Notes:

This is my first ever story in the CTM fandom (and the first of any variety that I've written for many years). I adore CTM in general and Turnadette in particular. This 'fill the gap' story started going round in my head and in the end I couldn't resist the urge to write it down.

[levinson-mannion]

Currently watching Call the Midwife Series 6 Episode 1 and ruining commentary will probably be added.

Under cut and for the first point calling all CTM Turnadette writers XD

1. Omg can you imagine if Sister Bernadette was still in the order and Sister Ursula was put in charge, even before her questioning. Can you imagine her questioning as well??? Please can someone write this as a fic.

2. On the subject of Sister Ursula the way she told Sister MJ hurt and I despise her.

3. SISTER URSULA KNEW THAT SHELAGH WAS PREGNANT. Or at least had strong suspicion, the comment on eating for two, she can’t if not meant any thing but a jab by it.

4. Sister Monica Joans little hitting of the duster on to the chair is both heartbreaking and sweet because of how much she cares at the same time.

5. Little Mickey is so cute.

6. From the first time I watched this I knew Leister was trouble.

7. SISTER URSULA TOOK THE TV AWAY I HATE HER MORE!!!!

8. Love Delia and the radio.

9. Ugh the party.

10. The worry when the lady seen Phyllis.

11. Tom is so enamoured.

12. The fact that CTM show a domestic abuse couple to me is perfect- showing what happens in real life and how anything can happen to anyone.

13. Also I will throw Leister in prison with ‘Dock road’ up where the sun don’t shine.

14. Mickey 🥺.

15. Favouritism shown by Phyllis to Sister Julienne, not that I am complaining- I would as well.

16. Sister Winifred and Shelagh’s conversation sends me into a fit of giggles every time 😂

17. And the face expressions from the two 😂

18. Not bloody boxing mate.

19. Not everything fine Barbra

20. You can not call yourself a father mate.

21. The panic in her eyes 🥺

22. Well he can't throw a good punch if he can't see and is scared.

23. Peter!!!!! :)

24. I mean, what Peter said is not helping but I still like him, he is just doing his job.

25. No Sister Ursula, you are killing the conversation not the television love.

26. Everyone's expressions says it all.

27. The company will never be enjoyed when you are around Sister Ursula.

28. The police really messed up their.

29. She stood up! Not the best decision but I love her for it.

30. Playing a game 😭

31. DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO SISTER MARY-CYNTHIA.

32. She's out!

33. Sister Juliennes ‘Hurry’.

34. Shut up Sister Ursula.

35. They seen the burns. The look of worry on Sister Mary-Cynthia's face in particular.

36. Dr Turner!!!! THE WAY HE TALKED ABOUT HIS KIDS LITTLE DOES HE KNOW HE IS GETTING ANOTHER I’M SQUEALING!!!

37. When she said church bells I thought of Carrie Underwood’s song Church Bells, which fits situation

38. Yet again, SHUT UP SISTER URSULA!!!

39. You go Sister Julienne! You go girl! She is an icon.

40. What the hell is Leister doing here. He can go to hell.

41. Shelagh 🥺 nothing else to say.

42. Tom marks everything.

43. Little insensitive Barbra.

44. Trudy is amazing- she is so brave!

45. You can see Dr Turner really wanted to kill Leister then

46. Sister Mary-Cynthia 🥺🥺 the PTSD is showing so badly 😭😭

47. The hug.

48. Shulienne moment 🥺 it's so serious BUT I WILL LOVE IT IN TWO SECONDS.

49. The sickness!!!!!

50. ‘Breakfasts have been impossible’ EKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!! I am grinning ear to ear.

51. The way the two understand each other and how happy Sister Julienne is for her- I mean the little ‘Breakfasts?’ I'm dying eeek!

52. She's the first to know 😭

53. Sister Julienne is so not afraid 😭 she is to happy.

54. She never stopped praying!

55. I KNOW HOW YOU ARE GOING TO TELL HIM!!!

56. You tell her Phyllis!

57. That mother is a pig.

58. Dr Turner and Sister Mary-Cynthia 🥺

59. Patsy’s letter omg.

60. Phyllis said that so aggressively I laughed but I shouldn't 😂

61. Oh no Patsy.

62. She is brave, so so brave.

63. I yet again say shut your mouth Sister Ursula!

64. North field! I mean it works.

65. IDIOT SISTER URSULA! You sent her away and I promise that won't help.

66. Unscheduled is one word for it.

67. Patsy and Delia is so cute.

68. Phyllis and Trudy!

69. A ring! 

70. The voice over!

71. Almost time for telling Patrick!

72. Angela watched Shelagh!!!!!!!!!! Also, if Laura can draw in real life I want to see

73. Special is the understatement if the century.

74. Yay for Trudy!

75. AHHHHH SHELAGH US ARRIVING I’M DYING

76. THEIR LOVE LANGUGE IS LETTERS AND NOTES

77. From me and someone else.

78. He opens it so fast 🥺

79. Please will you be/marry my day I'm crying 😭😭 their relationship is so pure

80. The smile and nod!!!!! 🥰

81. The spin and holding each other!!

82. The way she is wearing her Nurses uniform shows so much development. (I mean if you want to go further she was in her postulant clothes when she probably first read anything of his) She first read the letters in her Habit, she read the proposal in her new lay clothes, she did not really have a place at that point, then she signed Angels adoption papers in her housewife clothes, kind of stuck between jobs, and know she has a husband, a family at Nonnatus and a family which is expanding and a job- as in a nurse with full character development (well there is still more to come but whatever)

83. Phyllis wave is everything 😂

[icecreambeach]

a prompt I hope you saw coming: McCree, sunning his butthole

I did my best to live up to this real-life comedy gold.

So this takes place very early on in the gang’s reunion, when they’re still training as a team and Hanzo/Genji are still a little tense with each other. (Hopefully I kind of conveyed that through context clues alone but just wanted to be sure since I didn’t want to spend a lot of time polishing this because I have lol zero time.)

I hope it TAINT bad.    : - D

-

The simulation is set: nine opponents, fourteen hazards and two environments. McCree figures the first will be blizzard—why else would Mei be up in the box, waving down at them with that innocent smile?—but he has no clue on the second.Probably it has something to do with Genji, since he’s over half an hour late.

“It’s not like him,” mutters Angela, a little too opaque to show any judgment.Hanzo’s judgment, however, is very clear; he snorts loud enough for even Winston to look over, and he’s all the way up in the box with Mei.“I’m sure he’s just puttin’ the finishing touches on things,” Jesse drawls, nudging his boot into the concrete to scratch an itch on his heel.

“My brother is not one for keeping to a schedule,” says Hanzo. The effort to keep any bitterness out of his tone must’ve been monumental.

Jesse’s a quickdraw with more than a gun, so he’s a little miffed when Reinhardt gets to be magnanimous before he can: “I have seen people change in greater ways and in far less time  than in our Genji.” He clasps a hand on Hanzo’s shoulder and Jesse feels even more miffed when the archer doesn’t bristle and brush Reinhardt away like his usual character would dictate. “Perhaps he will surprise you.”

Hanzo seems to hum and cough at the same time. Reinhardt takes his hand back and Jesse licks his teeth behind his lips. “Dunno ‘bout that, Rein. Dickin’ off to meditate is still dickin’ off.”But both Reinhardt and Hanzo give him looks of disappointment and displeasure, respectively. Jesse coos out air like the room is getting hot, looking up at nothing, then turns instead to Angela, who is masterfully ignoring the entire situation.

“You get those new bio-shots in yet, doc?”“Not yet. But the shipment should come any day now. It’s not unusual for that kind of order to take so long. I once tried to have two gallons of e-CTM delivered to a safe house in Bucharest and the driver—”“Oh thank Christ,” Jesse mutters when Genji jogs into the room.“Forgive my lateness,” says Genji. “Torbjorn had not yet finished our suits.”The whole team squints at him. “Suits?” says Reinhardt.

Genji sets down twin crates and hits a button on their sides to let them snap open. “Winston wanted me to set the environment today, so I decided on fire.”Hanzo scoffs even louder than before. Jesse gets the feeling there’s some joke he’s not in on.Reinhardt, ever doe-eyed, persists: “fire?”“Yes. But these suits are not fire-repellant. They are fire-attractive.”Angela actually sounds intrigued, if a tad apprehensive: “come again?”“They will attract fire.” Genji takes out a suit and holds it up; it looks like a Tour de France onesie, only with far shorter shorts. Jesse thinks he’d be shocked if they even cleared his inner thighs. “Particularly to the torso and head.”“Gotta be shittin’ me,” mutters Jesse, turning away, spurs clicking.“Ridiculous,” rumbles Hanzo.“I do not see why I deserve such dissent,” Genji says, his robotic voice a lofty, melodic drawl. “I have designed this course to mimic the eventuality of a burning building. Something most of you would have difficulty overcoming,” he adds with a carefree lilt and tilt of his head. He leans towards the room com link on the wall and holds down the button, carrying his voice to the box above as well as the entire room. “Winston, Mei—you’ll find the simulation code under command 12-A.”

“If you are selecting an environment in which you are already an expert,” Hanzo drawls back, his own voice the total opposite of carefree, “then what is the point of your participating?”“It will still be a challenge for me. I have not been in the position of having to assist other teammates during a battle for a long time.”“Yes,” Hanzo crosses his arms, and Jesse pre-winces before the man even finishes, “Your position is more often far behind enemy lines, getting yourself injured and then calling for help.”Genji crosses his arms, too, though he keeps his tone light. “Now, brother. That was long ago.”“So that has never happened, then?” Hanzo quickly fixes his intense gaze on Angela, who hesitates just one second too long; Hanzo looks back at Genji with the most superior smirk Jesse has ever seen.Genji rolls back one shoulder, seemingly unperturbed. It’s hard to tell with the mask. “Overwatch is based on teamwork. We have all been in the position of requiring help from time to time. That is the reality of working with others—something that you, perhaps, could benefit to learn.”“I have worked in groups many times, as you are well aware.”“And the general of a group, what is their position, often?”“I do not have to explain myself to you.”“No, you just need to adhere to the new order of things.”“You should adhere to—”“I can’t wear that!”Everyone turns to look at Jesse.

The gunslinger clears his throat—he hadn’t really meant to shout—and squares his hips towards Genji. “I can’t put that on.”Genji lowers his arms and puts one hand on his hip, obviously sensing another mutineer. “And why not?”“There’s no way those things ain’t gonna ride up my groin like they’re goin’ for a chokehold. You ever see those boxer-briefs where the legs are just a tad too short on a guy with big thighs? Turn into tighty-whities before you can—”“Oh, please,” says Angela, barely suppressing an amused, if a little grossed-out grin. “I’ve seen you wear far more uncomfortable things for a mission, Jesse. It will only be for a couple hours.”“Certainly!” Reinhardt half-lifts his axe, “Remember those wet-suits in the North Sea? I could hardly breathe! And we were in those all day. Also, my thighs are far—”“Well I wasn’t dealin’ with localized bodily damage at the time, Rein.”“Damage?” Angela looks him up and down. “Are you hurt?”“Naw,” Jesse pulls the brim of his hat down, which he quickly realizes he should not have done, because most of them know him well enough to take that as a clear signal that he is hiding something. “I mean… not in any… it wouldn’t interfere.”

“It seems to be interfering now,” says Genji.“Jesse, if you are injured, you cannot just keep it to yourself. What if we had to ship out today?”“Tell us what it is, Jesse,” says Winston over the room com. “Better to take care of it now.”“It don’t need takin’ care of!” Jesse grumbles, his voice growing louder without his consent. “I just… I can’t be wearin’ shit like that.”Genji looks at the suit still in his hand, then slowly back at Jesse, who feels all the hairs on his arms stand up. “Is it a…” He gestures vaguely to his own pelvic area.“No! Jesus. I mean… not in the way you’re…”

Jesse’s throat closes up as he realizes the deep, deep hole he’s dug under his own feet. Everyone is staring at him with varying levels of suspicion, except for Hanzo, whose face looks more like… alarm? Apprehension?

Jesse sighs. Just get it over with.

He mumbles under his breath.“Sorry?” says Angela. Genji takes a step closer.“I sun-burned my perinmhihmm,” Jesse mutters a little louder, still barely legible.“Wait,” says Genji, who physically removes the com-link from the wall and holds it up to Jesse’s mouth, holding down the button so that his voice echoes like God’s judgment. “Can you just,” the cyborg almost trips over his barely-suppressed laughter, “Can you repeat that please Jesse?”Jesse stares him dead in his green-lit visor and, in his most confident drawl, announces to the entire room: “my pucker hole is crazy burned.”

The laughter hits them all differently: Genji’s head flies backwards with a sharp bark that dissolves into ludicrous snorting, Reinhardt brays one loud note that bounces off the walls again and again, Angela covers her mouth and laughs until Jesse sees her whole face turn red, and Hanzo, also hiding his mouth with his hand, lets his chuckles mostly just shake around inside his chest. He’s the only one who doesn’t look away from Jesse.

“Alright.” Jesse looks up towards the box where Mei is leaning over a console as if having a heart attack and Winston is trying to make sure she’s okay through his own chortling. “Alright, now. Ain’t that goddamn funny.”“Are you shitting me?” Genji, barely able to stay upright, shakes his open hand fingertips-first at Jesse, “How? How could that have possibly happened?”“It’s… it’s a type a’yoga! Shit. You never heard of it?” Jesse puts his hands on his hips, decides he might as well own it. “S’called ‘perineum sunning.’” While Genji collapses into laughter all over again, he goes on, “S’all about absorbing the sun into your body through your… your grundle.” Genji is almost on the floor now, repeating the word ‘grundle’ to himself like it’s a holy mantra. “I been having, y’know, trouble sleepin’ and the like… thought it’d boost my auric field with the power o’the sun and whatnot. Keep my life force from leaking out and all.”Now Genji is repeating ‘leaking’ to himself in a very high-pitched voice while Angela, bless her, manages enough self-control to speak. “Joking aside… Jesse, that does sound serious. Have you… done anything…?”“No! What am I supposed to do? Stick a biotic emitter up there and hope for the best?”“N-no,” says Angela, still fighting giggles but blessedly stepping in front of Reinhardt and Genji, who are both using Reinhardt’s hammer as a kind of crutch for their hysterics. “But some burn ointment may help. Do you have any aloe vera?”Jesse snorts. “Yeah… probably in my kit somewhere.”“You should apply some. Perhaps… perhaps you should sit out this session to do so. We can… ping Lucio to replace you.”“God, yes, please,” Genji wheezes, “Please let’s bring Lucio out here.”Fully aware that Lucio is not really an appropriate replacement for what he brings to the table, Jesse grumbles a thank-you and turns heel for the door. But right before he exits (since Genji and Reinhardt are still laughing), he sticks his head back in to add: “it’s an ancient fuckin’ Taoist practice!”

-

An hour later, someone knocks at Jesse’s door. He almost ignores it, but at the second knock—faster, snappier—he gets up to at least see who it is. If it’s Genji and Lucio come to taunt him, he can at least open the door with his gun in his hand.But it’s Hanzo, standing all regal with his hands resting inside his kimono jacket. Obviously still amused but doing a good job of trying to hide it. A much more welcome sight, despite everything.

Jesse taps the door command and leans on the frame with as much swagger as he can muster. “Well hey there. Sim went by kinda quick, huh?”“Yes,” says Hanzo, those perfectly-shaped lips toying with a smirk, “It was difficult to achieve adequate team cohesion after your… announcement.”“Well, ain’t my fault we’re workin’ with a couple’a gigglin’ frat boys,” Jesse sighs, stepping aside.

The door hisses shut behind Hanzo, who immediately walks to the console. “Athena, cease surveillance of this room. Command three dash eight hundred and four.”“Confirmed,” says Athena.“Still don’t know how you managed to swipe Winston’s command codes,” chuckles Jesse.“It was a crime of necessity.” Hanzo comes up close, presses against Jesse’s front. Chin tipped up to smirk at him. “I don’t want anyone seeing or hearing what I do to you.”Jesse opens his mouth to agree, but Hanzo seizes that opportunity to plant his own mouth there, tugging down on the gunslinger’s chin to line them up. Their arms wrap, their bodies slot, and Jesse lets out a low rumble of pleasure. Hanzo kisses him slower and warmer than he has yet and the effect is melting. Time goes still and Jesse swears he hears a bird singing.

“Wha,” Jesse clears his throat, when it’s over, looks down at Hanzo from heavy-lidded eyes. “What was that for?”“For lying for me,” Hanzo hums. “I will admit,” He playfully unbuttons Jesse’s flannel shirt, “That was the most unorthodox way of getting out of having to show a hickey I have ever heard of, but I commend your creativity.”“Huh?”Hanzo gently pats Jesse’s cheek, still smiling. “Stay with me, cowboy. I appreciate you keeping our time together a secret. I do not know how the others would have reacted if they saw what I did to your thighs.”“Oh.” Jesse takes a half-step back, still loosely holding Hanzo by the elbow with one hand while the other scratches at a side-burn. “Well… yeah, Han. I know you wanna keep things quiet for now.”“It is for both our benefit,” Hanzo mutters into Jesse’s jaw. “It is… I have never done this before. Nothing like this. I want to take things slowly.”“O’course. I mean, I… y’know I’ve had a shaky run of things, too. Though I’d yell it from the top of the rock this afternoon, if you gave the go-ahead.”Hanzo chuckles, that warm, resonant rumble that Jesse is already falling a little bit in love with. “Perhaps someday.”As he goes to kiss down Jesse’s throat, the gunslinger coughs a little. “Well, there’s… I mean, there’s that, but…”Hanzo’s smile fades as he blinks up at Jesse. A shadow of worry crosses his face and Jesse’s heart spasms in pain. “But what?”Jesse sighs again, only with ten times more despair than in the simulation room.“But I really did burn my pucker hole.”There’s a moment in which Hanzo just stares with gently widened eyes, as if he doesn’t understand. Then a bubble of disbelieving laughter makes his chest contract. “You…” More chuckles bubbles up and Jesse thinks it’d be damn endearing, the way this usually self-controlled man can’t hold back his laughter, if he didn’t feel a very real burn of embarrassment spreading across his own face. Not to mention the burn between his ass cheeks.“You what?” Hanzo asks, as if he is really trying to give Jesse the benefit of the doubt here.

“I went down on you for nigh on an hour yesterday on the top of a cliff with my bare ass pointed at a 3pm sun in the goddamn Mediterranean, Han! What did you think was gonna happen?” Jesse pauses, his eyes fly off somewhere up and to the left, then come back to Hanzo with his tone even higher-pitched: “and you don’t think I’d come up with a better lie than that if I had to!?”

“I didn’t… I am sorry, I did not…” Hanzo is practically choking, his hand slapped up over his mouth again.Jesse sighs. He looks at Hanzo, with his shaking shoulders and his bouncing bang-hair, and a rueful half-smile breaks through his irritation. “S’okay, darlin’. You can laugh. It’s funny.”Then Hanzo lets out a bark of laughter even louder and grander than Genji’s, his head tossing back in a very similar fashion. His hands tremble as they hold onto Jesse’s shirt flaps for dear life. The sight is almost enough to make Jesse forget about the horrible, horrible pain.It’s not long before the archer comes back down to earth. “I,” Hanzo starts, wiping away a tear, “I am deeply sorry for this… for your…”“Yeah, yeah.” Jesse adjusts the waistband of his loose sweatpants, which is about the only article of clothing his ass can stand now. “Never gonna live this one down, y’know that? Genji’s probably gonna bring it up at my goddamn funeral.”“I apologize,” Hanzo says, both hands still holding onto Jesse’s shirt. “Why did you not say something sooner?”“Couldn’t find the right words, I guess.”“‘My pucker hole is crazy burned’ now seem like the only right words.”Jesse scoffs and rolls his eyes and cackles into his hand, then winces as the movement makes his thighs shift too much. Suddenly he turns boyish: “it really hurts, sweetheart.”Then Hanzo draws forward with a sound like a low, rough coo, and smoothes out Jesse’s shirt. “If you are truly in need,” his eyes sweep up to Jesse’s and Jesse can’t express how much that adds to his downstairs discomfort, “I can assist you with that aloe vera.”“Really, Han, you ain’t gotta—”“I insist. It is the least I can do after your…” Hanzo gets closer, smirks with those cat-like eyes dangerously narrowed, “…Skilled favors.”Jesse feels a very different kind of burning and chuckles, looking off to the side. “Aww, Han. I don’t think that’ll be as enjoyable as you’re makin’ it sound…”“I will make it enjoyable.” He lowers his hand and palms over Jesse’s cock to prove his point. Licks Jesse’s bottom lip into his mouth and lets it slide out between his teeth.Well, shit. “Alright,” Jesse sighs, “You insisted and all.”

“Mmm,” Hanzo purrs, still rubbing Jesse through his sweats. “And do not worry about Genji. I know many stories of his that more than overshadow yours.”“As nice as that is, darlin’, I really don’t wanna talk about your brother right now.”“Then stop talking and get on the bed.”

[tybalt-you-saucy-boi]

Hello! I was curious to know what some of your favorite Mindcrack moments are in all of their years of existing?

Bro. You are in for a motherfucking LIST.

Off the bat, every single Team Canada Prank. I’ve practically memorized the Sky Shrooms and King of the Ladder episodes. That moment when Guude realized Etho was part of the prank and said “We? Who’s we?” and Etho stuttered and fell backwards off the mushrooms to his death was the first moment in my life that I truly felt alive. #TheOfficeIsAGoodShow #RealMenUseTheirRingFinger

Von Swaying Guude’s house changed my whole outlook on Minecraft. How could someone make something so darn ugly and yet so beautiful? It’s the epitome of doing something for the sole purpose of shit starting creating and having fun rather than aiming for perfect and never finishing. Zisteau is a great addition to any video 10/10 educational content

Just about every moment in Guude/Nebris/Pakratt/Arkas’ TerraFirmaCraft Reloaded series. Had to pause videos multiple times to write down quotes and even then I passed up some good ones! I fully intend on rewatching the series from each perspective. Arkas getting slain by bear, Guude and Arkas secretly growing mushrooms and getting high, Pakratt confusing dolomite and diorite, literally everything Arkas does, THE COWS, that last episode of absolute chaos wtf Pakratt

UHC #ForTheKidsSeven with Single Malt scotch’s skyblock base and rampant cheating from every team except Nebris’. I fucking LOVED that near-kill with the anvil, and all the chaos as the border shrank. Four players stuck in a 1x1 column! The arrow volley between SMS and SkyblockJr. Can this happen every UHC?

Speaking of UHC, Etho and BdoubleO’s epic fight in season 11! He was absolutely on the ball with those potions, I was sure he’d die before he could use them all. And Etho’s fight with Guude right before that was hilarious! Guude high as fuck on percocets and Etho like completely confused at what Guude was doing. The original UHC skybase by Zisteau #I’mALavaExpert and Anderz reaction to the skybase, and then to Guude’s dogs

The whole portal thing in season 3 with Pause, Kurt, and Beef too! That has remained one of my favourite UHC moments since I saw it, there is nothing more classic. Every single season I hope someone will make a portal for no reason and end up in someone else’s base with them. #TheWolfTheWolfAmazing!

Zisteau’s E-Pranker Montage. I legitimately cry every time I watch it, particularly during 0.5 (the fourth prank) when he rebuilds Bdubs’ first house from his Building With BdoubleO series. Bdubs’ moment of realization hits me like a train even though I know it’s coming. Like, if someone built my first Minecraft base to prank me I think I would die on impact, but like in a good way.

And back to UHC! Season 14 episode 5. HOOOOOOLY FUCK! 2spooky4me should have totally been a UHC team! Remember when Zisteau played UHC? It just isn’t UHC without him to be honest. And besides the #BadYouTubers and #ImALavaExpert moments from Super Hostile and Ninja Turtles, Parkas had a great season as well! Shit, everyone was awesome! Parkas listening in on BTC finding a silverfish, Doc listening in on Ole Yeller right before Zisteau-ing himself and swearing, Baj hiding nether wart, every single drunken drink Genny did, Parkas towers “we should smelt some stone to make bricks”, snnnnowballs! :D, HEY JSANO! WHY YOU RUNNING JSANO?, “ooooh, we’re right behind you haha” “BTC, they’re actually here.” Pakratt was slain by generikb, Avidya’s spooky voice echoing around Seth and Anderz “You wouldn’t hurt an old teammate, would you?” “I dunno. It’s been awhile.” Just. God this was a good season.

Season 19 with Vechs and BTC! You’ve heard all the famous quotes, “how did I get stuck with you of all people” “Vechs, Vechs. I don’t hate you anymore” “He’s not dying. He’s just mad right now.” “Did it come from your hand, knocking a teammate off the ledge?” “THAT WAS A MOD!” etc etc. I also like MC’s half heart midnight desert dash, although it took a good 10 years of my life from the stress. Oblivious Pakratt running away from his teammates as they yell after him and then wondering why he hasn’t found anyone yet. Seth’s reaction to MC’s diamonds. Coe’s post commentary, again, you know the quotes: “Left. Chicken. Right. Chicken.” “This bucket has wheels!” “Are you gonna put that dirt in a chest?!” etc. Kurt finding Beef “Sharpness Five diamond sword!” and PiMP turning around. F1 and PiMP in general. SwedishZen and Millbee with the melons.

Obligatory mentions: “NOOO YOUR DOGS KILLING ME!!!!”, 2Germans1Hole, Zisteau crafting a clock and finding every excuse to use it during the game so that those 4 gold didn’t go to waste, Rob’s jukebox battles, Anderz fighting spiders when a creeper wanders into his hole, Bdubs’ “real” season 9 ending, Nebris going God-mode “HIT ME ALL YOU LIKE”, Nebris and Pause double kill, Nebris and Pyro double kill with Bdubs watching and cleaning up at half a heart and then Etho cleaning up again and finding the potions B left and Bdubs interrupting his video to do facecam to explain that he’s a nice guy who shares and leaves gifts for others (basically whenever Bdubs does facecam in UHC. Let’s face it, when Bdubs whips out the cam you know you’re in for a good show), Team Uppercats season 10. All of it.

Trouble in Terrorist Town when Pyro and Coe pull a long con on Pause and Guude in like episode 9 during the last round. I had to pause the video to take it all in, I was just in awe. That series is one of my favourites! I always watch from Pause.

In original DvZ when BTC got warned for breaking a cake. Also Pause’s helmet!

Team Canada CTM uhhh forgot which series, but Pause and Beef getting stuck in a hole, Etho dying, placing TNT over their heads, and singing “Pause and Beef, best of friends” while Beef panics.

Etho calling Pause fat as a joke and Pause taking it serious and then Etho going “wait, are you actually fat?’ lmao.

Pause yelling about vacations on episode 37 of the podcast with BdoubleO “STOP TELLING PEOPLE I’M GOING ON VACATION IT’S NOT A VACATION!!!!!!!” and every time he’s yelled about vacations or muted his mic.

Baj reading a question and mid sentence switching to talking about the curry he had last night, and then there’s a pause and the rest of Nancy Drew fucking loses it.

On the podcast, Kurt’s “Wake me up, boys!” That whole episode was a blast!

The whole “sitting or standing?” debate and the guests’ reactions to it.

Doc accidentally killing Notch on the Mindcrack server, and Dinnerbone confused about him not dropping an apple.

Doc’s zombie death loop from season 4 with Anderz saving the day and then promptly dying.

B-Team mafia in survival of the fittest, Etho killing Genny, and B and Etho teaming up afterwards. Also B and Pungence talking excitedly at the end was adorable, you can really tell they’re brothers lol. And Etho drinking out of the outhouse! Bdubs’ comment on that video killed me lol. And Etho forgetting his push-to-talk and failing to team up with Doc.

The whole got-dang B-Team trial.

End of season 3 tour “On a scale from Baj to Anderz” “Arkas, say something about your build.” Arkas: “Hello.”

The original Death Games, when Etho reveals his secret to Nebris particularly, and all the trash talking. Also Millbee, MC, and Nebris coming to kill him and Kurt logging on in the middle of it.

Prop hunt, and all the wiener and erect jokes. “Am I erect?” “I just saw a can spying on me while I was trying to put my wiener in the toilet!”

Pause and Rob getting girlfriends in Orespawn, and Rob naming his after Pause, and Pause murdering his.

Andrea talking about waking up with spiders in her mouth in an old Triple Eh Mondays episode.

Nebris “sensually” feeding Beef a banana (and practically begging to do it to) on the Mindcrack marathon, and Beef completely ruining the mood lol

Zisteau accidentally launching CaptainSparklez back into a lava tree column and “Dude, it’s okay. You can just kill me” after Jordan’s hit him about 40 times.

#ForTheHorse

MC accidentally killing his one and only teammate JSano during UHC season 22

Sevadus and Seth playing blindfolded lego with Chad’s underwear on Sev’s head, lots of swearing, bugs in the lego, “Are you sure it’s the grey lego?”, “I don’t think I like kids anymore” etc

All the Pyro and Baj burns on Quiplash, ie “What’s something that absolutely does not make you think of a penis in any way?” “Baj”

Coe and Pak playing that stupid horse/giraffe volley ball game with the stretchy legs and neck, and Coe doing the silly accent

Bdubs calling Nebris a psychopath in Nebs’ first FTB episode because he jumped a dangerous ledge for 2 (TWO) pieces of glowstone dust

Nebs coming outta nowhere and jumping in Etho’s car when he was about to test his race track

The first few episode of CrackPack and the battle between Etho and BTC, and Beef and Nebris

The first building game with potatoes on sticks, the second accidentally dirty and racist building game with bloody toilet capsules, the third actually dirty building game with a viking hat with a penis inside

God, I could go on forever, but I’ve already spent over an hour and a half on this.

[extraspectrumed]

Recap #3!

Here are recaps 1 and 2! This recap picks up right after Bell leaves with Tapp!

◉ With the combined efforts of several askers, a few clues are uncovered on the island above the Sea of Shards. A trace of corruption on the surface of the sand, a ripped red banner, Oddly faded shards with no evidence of struggle, and most importantly, what sounds to be a missing Treeangle! 

◉ We shift back to Spy Mom and Danger Noodle’s standoff. Bond is informed that the snake is Arra’s. It does little to help the situation, but it seems that Wick knows who that is! Reluctantly, Bond allows the snake closer, and after a brief talk, she and Wick leave for Paradise with the snake.

◉ The askers start asking Arra a few questions. It turns out that Arra used to know Wick’s mother! Neat! Also, they have a mouth!

◉ We look back to Gin and Prayer! Prayer doesn’t take too kindly to random strangers trying to touch her, so she returns to the apartment room briefly before being sent off to grab a few groceries. Meanwhile, Gin shares her thoughts on Beastflo and Phae’s attempts to revive a Treeangle.

◉ Hope and Theo meet up with Briga, and Briga is perfectly happy to see them. Theo asks for Briga to take them to the mountain, and soon after relays why. Briga agrees without issue, but warns them that the waters there are dangerous.

◉ Gin opens the door to greet the two flowers. They question Gin about Lyca. The question seems to make her nervous, but Prayer returns with a few groceries before Gin can answer. Gin denies knowing anything about what happened to Lyca, and ushers the flowers out of the apartment. Munflo and Beast Mode attempt to look through their window, but Prayer catches on and shuts them out. Reasonably so, seeing as Near’s triangles are among the groceries. Gin and Prayer share a moment, and Gin teaches Prayer a song that’s important to her.

◉ Meanwhile, Near recounts his experience of being corrupted. Eventually, some anons decide that happiness is not allowed, and a bunch of askers jump to Near’s defense. Eventually, Near gets a bit overwhelmed, and asks to be alone for a moment.

◉ We get to look back at King Meatball! He reveals that his real name is Phae, and it seems he’s found a way to allow his followers to spread corruption. Troubling information for sure. Eventually, he gets the tip that Hope and Theo are headed his way, and he puts his followers on the defensive.

◉ While Near is alone, a stray imp makes him the first shape to be targeted by a corruption bullet. Near is corrupted fully, knocking away his triangles in the process...

◉ Near (Now CTM) is... oddly cheerful. He insists that he has no plans to hurt anyone, and he asks for the askers to stay. He proves to be non-hostile as an asker takes up residence on top of his head, and he claims that he’ll keep anyone close to him safe.

◉ CTM makes his stance on Phae very clear. It doesn’t take very long for askers to start sitting nearby, and CTM is very happy about that! The whole creepily happy thing starts to dissolve as an asker attempts to leave, only to be harshly grabbed by CTM and urged to stay. He also increases his grip on the other askers, but one particular question allows for a good number of them to escape.

◉ CTM quickly becomes distressed and unknowingly reveals some feelings that have been suppressed. Very distressed. Eventually, Near manages to get enough control over the corruption to speak truthfully. Unfortunately, he has little control over the attacks he’s forced to fire.

◉ A few askers get away and ask the Paradise guardians for help. They send Logic Gatekeeper over to help out. LG spots an asker with strong ties to a Treeangle and asks him for help. The asker agrees, and through their combined effort, Near is returned to normal!

◉ Near is shaken, and admits that he had more control over the corruption than the askers thought. Near comes clean with his feelings and struggles. And anon pushes, and Near finally stands up for himself, much to the delight of a few askers! Near takes a moment to explain how songs work in shapes, and LG explains what exactly Near’s triangles were. Eventually, LG offers to escort Near home.

◉ We get a look into Phae’s motivations, and it turns out he might not be as evil as most might think! Though he started out selfishly, his motivation seems to be for his follower’s benefit now. He seems very set in his current course of action, and reveals what exactly he is. He speaks briefly on most shapes’ innate distrust of corruption, and irately explains why playing nice wouldn’t work.

◉ The askers get curious about guardians, and Milky Ways lists off the tells. This causes the askers to turn their attention to Arra. Though Arra denies the claims of being a guardian at first, one asker poses an argument Arra can’t defend against. They admit to being a guardian, and shatter an anon who tries to be cocky about getting the truth out of them. Arra is also doubtful that Phae is able to revive their Treeangle, and is unconcerned about Prayer having the Treeangle seeds.

◉ Phae has paws and it’s very very important.

◉ Arra explains that each Treeangle only has one guardian, and implies that the Paradise guardians are three parts of a whole. 

[bbcshipper]

30 Days of Domestic Fluff: Day 23

I’m dead on my feet tonight, so I have no idea if sense these words make, but I didn’t want to ruin my streak!  😊 And I apparently like to be non-traditional with some of these fluffs, but I give you my top 2 CtM otps on a ‘double date’:

Day 23: Double Dates

Taking one last glance down the hallway and up the stairs to ensure there were no witnesses, Shelagh quietly opened the door to Nonnatus House, quickly ushering her husband inside. Grabbing her waist, Patrick pulled her into a deep kiss. “What did you tell Tim?” Shelagh whispered breathless when they made their way toward the kitchen, “surely not the truth?”

“That my wife's voice was so beautiful on the phone that I had to sneak over to go on a ‘date’ while she's on call at a convent?” Patrick couldn't stifle a laugh, “not a chance! He didn't even ask, he's gotten so used to the rush out the door after a phone call.”

“Watch your volume!” Shelagh admonished, though her own giggles were just as loud.

“Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter,” a voice startled them out of their fascination with each other.

“Sister Monica Joan! I, that is, we.. I mean, you should, why are you...” Patrick tried to piece together a coherent thought, but it was proving unsuccessful.

“If you might allow me the beauty of silence to enjoy the company I have chosen to keep,” she turned her attention back to the cake before her, placing a large bite in her mouth, enjoying it slowly before continuing, “unless you have brought something to share in that tin?”

“Of course, Sister,” Shelagh opened the small tin and offered it to her politely, sitting down as the elderly nun nodded to the seat in front of her, “thank you for letting us join you.”

Patrick stood dumbfounded for a few moments, still wondering how much of his flirting with his wife in the hallway had been heard. Reluctantly he took a seat at Shelagh's hard stare, suddenly wishing he was anywhere else.

As if she could read his mind, the Sister simply stated, “you need not worry that I will betray your intentions here, Doctor, for my own date and I will keep silent.” She smiled mischievously as she ate the last bite of her cake and rose to leave with a wink.

[azureaestheticcavern]

HOW TO APPLY FOUNDATION ON FACE LIKE A PRO IN 3 EASY STEPS

They say foundation should look like your second skin and if it doesn’t then there’s something you’re doing wrong. While finding the perfect shade and formula is winning half the battle not everyone is a pro when it comes to applying foundation. So, today let’s go back to the basics and learn the right way of how to apply foundation on the face in just 3 simple steps!

Step 1: Start from the centre

Prep skin with your regular CTM routine and spread a pea sized amount of primer all over the face. Now pour some foundation on the back of your hand and apply on your face starting from the center and slowly blend it out. Take special care around the mouth area which is prone to shadows and discolouration. Don’t forget to apply foundation along your jawline and neck to make it look natural overall.

Step 2: Tap and dab. Don’t paint

There are three ways to apply foundation – makeup brush, sponge and fingers. No matter which method you use always tap or dab the foundation on your skin instead of rubbing it in. While blending is important to remember that it’s your skin and you need to be gentle while applying any beauty or makeup product on it.

Step 3: Set it

The foundation that isn’t set properly can look patchy, therefore use a setting powder or translucent powder to gently sweep over your face. This will keep the foundation in place and leave your skin looking smooth and beautiful. If your skin produces a lot of oil, this will also prevent excessive oil and ensure your makeup lasts longer.

[warddivine-blog]

HOW TO APPLY FOUNDATION ON FACE LIKE A PRO IN 3 EASY STEPS

They say foundation should look like your second skin and if it doesn’t then there’s something you’re doing wrong. While finding the perfect shade and formula is winning half the battle not everyone is a pro when it comes to applying foundation. So, today let’s go back to the basics and learn the right way of how to apply foundation on the face in just 3 simple steps!

Step 1: Start from the centre

Prep skin with your regular CTM routine and spread a pea sized amount of primer all over the face. Now pour some foundation on the back of your hand and apply on your face starting from the center and slowly blend it out. Take special care around the mouth area which is prone to shadows and discolouration. Don’t forget to apply foundation along your jawline and neck to make it look natural overall.

Step 2: Tap and dab. Don’t paint

There are three ways to apply foundation – makeup brush, sponge and fingers. No matter which method you use always tap or dab the foundation on your skin instead of rubbing it in. While blending is important to remember that it’s your skin and you need to be gentle while applying any beauty or makeup product on it.

Step 3: Set it

The foundation that isn’t set properly can look patchy, therefore use a setting powder or translucent powder to gently sweep over your face. This will keep the foundation in place and leave your skin looking smooth and beautiful. If your skin produces a lot of oil, this will also prevent excessive oil and ensure your makeup lasts longer.

[sincerelybluevase]

Fanfic Friday: Breathless, Chapter 10 [FINAL]

This chapter is longer than the other ones, but there was a lot to be resolved! I could’ve opted to split it into two chapters, but for structural reasons I wanted this fic to have ten chapters. I hope you guys will enjoy it; I certainly had a lot of fun writing it 😉.

A little disclaimer: everything I know about childbirth is through the internet and CtM.

The contractions started in the night. Shelagh felt them, decided they were probably Braxton Hicks, and forced herself to go back to sleep. When she woke again, Patrick had already left for work, leaving a hastily-scribbled note in his illegible handwriting.

Shelagh made breakfast for herself and Timothy, doing her best to ignore the pains in her lower back.

“Are you all right?” Timothy asked her, frowning. The way he knit his brows was exactly the same as Patrick’s.

“Yes. Don’t worry about me. You must go to school,” she said, giving him a tight smile.

“You look pale.”

“Yes, well, your little brother or sister is not giving me much time to sleep,” Shelagh said, patting her belly. “Baby keeps moving around an awful lot.”

“That’s good,” Timothy said, spooning the last of his porridge into his mouth. “And it’s normal, isn’t it? For babies to move around a lot in the last few months?”

“It’s perfectly ordinary,” Shelagh agreed. Another sharp twinge of pain sizzled along her nerves, robbing her of the breath she needed to say anything more. She bit the inside of her cheek so as not to make a sound.

What if these are real contractions?

She looked at her watch, counting the seconds to see how long the pain lasted.

Forty seconds. That’s not good.

“Do you mind… if I don’t walk you to school?” she asked. She hadn’t done it often, not in the last few months, but still…

“I’ll be fine, Mum,” Timothy said. He took his coat and bag, hesitated on the threshold, and turned back to give her a quick peck on the cheek. “You’ll call Dad if something is wrong, won’t you?”

“Of course, dearest,” she said, smiling that strange, tight smile again, keeping it up till Timothy was no longer in sight. Then, she let her mask slip, and went to the phone immediately, trying not to whimper as another stitch tore through her.

Five minutes since the last one. I need Patrick, she thought as she rung the surgery.

But Patrick was not there, and his assistant had no idea when he’d be back.

Don’t panic. You’re a midwife, for crying out loud, and these are probably just Braxton Hicks, she admonished herself.

She made herself another cup of tea and forced the sweet brew down. To calm herself, she took her Bible, and read some of her favourite passages, singing a hymn or two. There was a familiarity in the words, in the steady cadence of her own voice, even if she was rather short of breath these days.

She rested the heavy book on her bump, stroking the soft leather with one finger, her stretched flesh with another. The pain had eased a little. Shelagh smiled. “What’s all this fuss about hm?” she said, looking at her belly. She splayed her hand on her stomach . “It’s a bit early for you to come out, you know. Besides, you’re perfectly all right where you are. Not to say I don’t want to meet you, of course. Your father and big brother would like to meet you, too. Not yet, though.”

The baby kicked against her palm. She patted the spot softly. “I’ll tell you a little secret: I like having you so near me.” I can keep you safe.

Shelagh did not like admitting it, but she was terrified of giving birth. There were so many things that could go wrong, and she, in her capacity as a midwife, had seen almost all of the worst-case scenarios first hand.

Though a part of her ached to meet this child, this new soul that was part of her and part of Patrick and part of something all its own, there was another part that ached with the knowledge that this baby would have to be ripped from her body.

“Not yet, though,” she repeated.

She stood so she could clear the table. Something inside her popped, sounding like Timothy cracking his knuckles before sitting down to play the piano. Water gushed between her legs, soaking her socks and slippers. She stared at the glistening kitchen tiles in horror.

“I said not yet,” she whispered.

Another contraction rippled through her. She clutched the counter with white-knuckled hands, panting through it.

Every five minutes, and they last roughly a minute. There’s no denying it, Shelagh: these are not Braxton Hicks.

As soon as it was over, she wiped the amniotic fluid from the floor, then made her way to the phone again. She called Granny Parker first, asking the other woman if she could pick Timothy up from school; she could not have her stepson coming home whilst she was still trying to give birth.

Then, she called the surgery. Mrs. Feather, Patrick’s secretary, again told her that he was currently not available.

“Please tell Doctor Turner he has to come home as soon as possible,” Shelagh said, doing her best not to sound desperate. “I think I’ve gone into labour.”

She almost dropped the horn as she hung up. She pressed a hand against her mouth, and sobbed.

What was she to do? She could call for an ambulance to bring her to hospital, but what was the point? She was not in desperate need of that kind of medical attention; she would take up a precious bed that could be used for someone who really needed it. She could suffer through her confinement alone, waiting for Patrick, but what if something went wrong and she could not reach the phone in time?

There was only one thing she could do: call Nonnatus.

Shelagh picked the phone up with trembling hands. Who would answer? Did it matter?

But I can’t face them. They’ll judge me, and I…

A contraction spasmed through her, sending little shocks of pain through her system.

“All right, all right,” she murmured, patting her belly.

She dialled the number, trying to keep her voice steady so the operator would not hear how scared she was.

At least I know the people at Nonnatus. I wouldn’t want to go to hospital, to be treated by strangers. Though maybe anonymity is a blessing in my case.

But she didn’t believe that, not really.

The phone rang once, twice, three times.

“Be strong,” she told herself, glancing at her Bible. The book lay open on the kitchen table, sprawling like a sleeping child.

“Nonnatus house, midwife speaking.”

Shelagh pressed her forehead against the wall, doing her best not to cry. She could not prevent a sob from bubbling from her lungs as relief flooded her system.

“Sister Julienne? It’s Shelagh. My waters broke. I tried to call Patrick, but he’s on a case, and I… I’m so afraid…”

Silence.

“Sister?” she whispered.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’m on my way.”

***

Shelagh had gone to the bedroom by the time Sister Julienne arrived, and changed into clothes not reeking of amniotic fluid. The nun knew where to find the spare key, and let herself in.

Shelagh burst into tears as soon as her former sister entered the room.

Sister Julienne hugged her, cupping her head and dropping a kiss on her temple.

Shelagh curled her hand in her sister’s habit, groaning as another contraction reduced her world to simple sensation. When it was done, Sister Julienne guided her to the bed. “How often?” she asked.

“Every five minutes for over an hour now,” Shelagh said. Suddenly shy, she looked at the pastel sheets on the bed, straightening a corner.

Sister Julienne took out her pinard, and carried out all necessary examinations. “Baby is doing well, Shelagh. He has a strong heartbeat.”

Thank God for small mercies, Shelagh thought.

Sister Julienne tucked her pinard back in her bag. “You’re not fully dilated, though. I think it’ll be a while yet.” She folded her hands and played with her ring, looking at the golden band.

Shelagh took her sister’s hand and squeezed it. “Sister, we must talk,” she said. They couldn’t sit in silence for hours, the air thick with things unsaid. In the end, their words would choke them, if the air didn’t become unbreathable first.

Sister Julienne looked at her with wet eyes, but didn’t speak, giving Shelagh the change to start.

Another contraction took her breath away. She did her best not to moan, but the pain was intense. When it was done, she was panting a little. “I need to move,” she murmured. To sit here, to have Sister Julienne stare at her, would not make it easier to speak.

“We could walk around the room, if you prefer,” Sister Julienne said. She helped Shelagh up, supporting her with a strong arm, holding her hand. They took small steps, circling the bed till they came upon the wall. Then, they had to turn around, and move in the opposite way, walking a horse-shoe pattern again and again as they spoke.

Shelagh wetted her lips with her tongue. “I’m not sorry for loving Patrick, Sister. Our love is… it’s beautiful, and I’m never ashamed to love.” Baby turned inside her. She stopped walking and inhaled deeply before continuing. “But I am sorry for all the heartache it caused. I never meant to smear Nonnatus’ reputation, but I fear I did.” She wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. “I never meant to cause a rift between us, either,” she whispered. She looked up, trying to read her sister’s face, but her glasses had misted over.

Sister Julienne plucked them from her face and placed them on the nightstand. “Best not wear them. They’ll only slide from your nose later on, and get smeared with all kinds of things if we’re not careful,” she murmured.

“Sister,” Shelagh pleaded.

Sister Julienne turned to her. Her face was vague, undefined, as if Shelagh was looking at it through a window splattered with rain. “I never doubted your love for him, Shelagh,” Sister Julienne said, “But…” She sighed, and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. They resumed their walking. “At the sanatorium, you told me you were a nun, yet you already had… improper relations with Doctor Turner.”

Just once, when we were both hurting so much, Shelagh thought.

They had to suspend their conversation till another contraction had passed. The pain was horrible, and left Shelagh sweating and trembling.

“I was a nun, Sister, I really was!” she said as soon as she could speak again, “But then I changed, and it became only a part of who I was, and no longer defined me entirely.” Confused, she shook her head. “I should not have broken my vow. It was not a decent thing to do.” And yet I feel as if it had become something almost inevitable. When she had gone to Patrick that night, when she was in his arms, it had not felt wrong, or sinful; it had felt as if that was the only proper place for her to be.

“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Sister Julienne said, voice tremulous. “I know you would not have done what you did if it wasn’t for love, but I had hoped you would have come to your sisters for comfort. Why didn’t you?”

“Because I needed someone who wouldn’t talk about religion. His lack of faith in God made me understand my own belief in Him better than anything else could have done.”

Sister Julienne sighed. “Maybe that’s partly why I am hurt: my pride has been bruised. I thought you would always come to me, and you didn’t. I thought I knew everything about you, but I was wrong.”

“Nobody can ever know all there is to know about a person,” Shelagh said.

“I know that, now.”

They were silent for a moment, walking up and down the room. Shelagh moaned her way through another contraction, doing her best not to cry.

It is so bad already…

“There is pain relief I can give you,” Sister Julienne said.

“I know,” Shelagh said, loosening her grip on Sister Julienne’s hand. She stopped walking, and looked at her former sister. “I missed you terribly,” she confessed, the tears that had gathered during the contraction spilling from her eyes.

Sister Julienne swallowed audibly. “And I missed you, too.”

“I want us to be friends again, because… well, because I don’t think I can go through this if I don’t have a friend at my side.”

“Then rest assured, my dear girl, because I am your friend.”

Another contraction. Shelagh grabbed hold of the bed’s headboard as pain rippled through her. She sobbed. “I’m so afraid, Sister,” she confessed.

“I know. But you’ve been afraid before, and you always conquered it. Nevertheless, I shall get you some pethidine to help with the pain.” She studied Shelagh’s face. “But first some water. Your lips are chapped.”

She went to the kitchen. Shelagh sat down on the edge of the bed, rocking to make the pain bearable.

A loud bang shuddered through the house. Someone thundered up the stairs, taking them two or three a step judging by the sound. “Shelagh? Shelagh, please answer me!”

“Patrick?” she whispered.

Before she could raise her voice, Sister Julienne said: “Doctor Turner?”

Shelagh tried to get to her feet, but another contraction made her sink down and grit her teeth.

Her husband’s and ex-sister’s voices came closer, till they were just beyond the bedroom door.

“Please let me in, Sister Julienne! I know you don’t approve of husbands in the birthing room, but…”

“I’m not objecting to your presence, Doctor Turner, but I am objecting to you wearing soiled clothing in the presence of a patient,” Sister Julienne said.

Patrick fell quiet. Then, he said: “Oh. Right. I’ll put on something else, and wash my hands.”

Sister Julienne came back with a glass of water. Shelagh drank it greedily. She hadn’t realised how thirsty she was. “Will you let Patrick be here with me?” she asked.

“It is unusual,” Sister Julienne said.

“I need him by my side,” Shelagh said.

“I know.” Sister Julienne said, smiling a little. She took Shelagh’s hand and squeezed it. “I’ll give you some pethidine. I think you need that, too.” Sister Julienne was preparing the syringe when Shelagh’s womb contracted again. The pain made her turn her focus inwards. Her nightgown lay plastered against her back. Her hair was like damp fur in her neck. She combed a hand through it. Her fingers trembled.

But then, Patrick was by her side, holding her hand, rubbing her lower back. She rested her face in the crook of his neck, smelling his sweat and cigarettes and aftershave. When the contraction faded, she sighed, and squeezing his hand. His wedding ring bit in her skin.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured in her hair.

“You couldn’t know.”

“But still. You must’ve been so scared…”

“How could I be scared with Sister Julienne here?” Shelagh said, and smiled at her sister. “How could I be scared now that you are both here?”

It was true; she was no longer afraid. She patted her belly. “Time to meet Baby.”

***

The pain was still agony, but she had Patrick to hold on to, to ground her. Sister Julienne’s voice was clear as she gave encouragement after encouragement, instruction after instruction.

When it was time to push, Shelagh clung to Patrick, doing her best not to cry. “I’m so tired,” she murmured.

He kissed her brow. “I know, darling, but it’s almost over now.”

“It won’t be long, Shelagh, I promise. Now, you must push,” Sister Julienne said, patting her knee.

She bit her lip and forced herself to do what her former sister told her. After all, she could almost hold her baby, could almost see its face and determine how much it looked like the little face she’d dreamed up for herself. Excitement took hold of her, drowning her tiredness.

She did her best not to dig her nails in Patrick’s hand as she pushed, did her best not to grunt. He planted a kiss just below her ear.

“The head is born,” Sister Julienne said.

Thank God, Shelagh thought. She wanted to sink back, wanted to let Patrick’s thighs cradle her, his arms her blanket, his chest her pillow, but it wasn’t over yet.

“That’s my girl,” Patrick whispered. She smiled, and interlaced her fingers with his.

“Just one more,” Sister Julienne said.

Shelagh pushed, her toes curling into the sheets. Baby slithered out of her, its head cupped by Sister Julienne’s hand. “It’s a girl,” the nun said. The baby opened her mouth and cried.

“Can I hold her?” Shelagh asked, stretching her arms to her whimpering daughter.

Sister Julienne cut the cord, then handed her the baby. The child was slick and warm, her eyes the midnight blue of all new-borns. Patrick’s arms were heavy and warm around her. He stroked the baby’s head with his fingers.

“Hello. You were eager to meet us,” Shelagh whispered.

“We were eager to meet you, too,” Patrick said.

Shelagh leaned against him, cradling her daughter against her chest, dropping kisses against her damp, silken head. “All worth it,” she murmured. The pain, the heartbreak, the isolation…

“Placenta is out, all in one piece,” Sister Julienne said.

“Good.” Patrick kissed Shelagh’s face again. “Must give you a sponge bath, dear.”

“Not yet,” Shelagh said. She didn’t want this moment to end. Here, she was holding her child, was cradled by her husband, had Sister Julienne near. It felt like a spell that could be broken the way cobwebs could be brushed away.

“What are you going to call her?” Sister Julienne asked.

“Angela,” Shelagh said, “Angela Julienne.” She looked up. Her former sister’s face was tight with emotion, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

“Are you sure?”

“Completely,” Shelagh said, looking at her child again.

“She does look like an Angela,” Patrick quipped, tracing the gentle curve of his daughter’s skull with his thumb.

Shelagh twisted her head so she could kiss him. Ever since that fateful night at the surgery, she’d wanted to kiss him all the time. It was a desire that would never fade.

Love, she thought, the word becoming all consuming.

It’s because it’s love.

And now, I will forever realise how lucky I am.

I will be happy.

 Because my exams are drawing neigh, it is really quite possible that I won’t be able to write a fanfic every Friday from now on till about the first half of January. I’ll do my best and I’ll try to let you guys know in advance if there’s no fanfic for a week. Hopefully all will be back to normal after my exams are done!