#Homemade Simple Syrup

[askwhatsforlunch]

South Side

This refreshing South Side, a cocktail invented in the 1910s, and a variation on the Gimlet, is a lovely sip on a warm Saturday afternoon! Have a good one!

Ingredients (serves 1):

hald a dozen large mint leaves, plus a sprig to garnish (flower optional!)

30 millilitres/1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) Simple Syrup

a small lemon

60 millilitres/2 fluid ounces (4 tablespoons) good quality London Dry Gin (like Hendrick’s)

8 ice cubes

Tear mint leaves in a shaker and muddle to release their oils and essence. Gradually add Simple Syrup, still muddling.

Thoroughly squeeze the juice of the whole lemon and pour into the shaker. Add Gin and ice cubes. Close shaker tightly, and shake energetically, until well-chilled.

Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with mint sprig, if desired.

Enjoy South Side immediately.

[ringneckedpheasant]

went out to lunch w/ my 2 favorite siblings, hung out at my sister’s all day crafting & she made me a Really Good birthday cake 😩😭 9/10 birthday only bad parts were all the driving and sensory overload towards the end bc i’d been around loud kids all day

[hearts-hunger]

alright i'm drunk on cranberry bourbon punch and fucking miserable so let's be h word on the dash

[thermesiini]

it’s just a bisexual man and his snacks and beverages against the world

[crazyicebuzz]

Siesta cocktail! A luxurious modern drink. I love grapefruit most :）

I made this with a countertop nugget ice maker. More about ice maker at icemakerpedia.

[yummydessert]

A fantastic British recipe: Mary Berry's Treacle Tart

A fantastic British recipe: Mary Berry's Treacle Tart

A traditional British treat that baffles many non-Brits is treacle tart. The dessert's earliest recorded recipe can be found in cookbooks by English author Mary Jewry from the late 19th century. It is created using short-crust pastryf with a thick filling consisting of breadcrumbs, lemon juice or zest, and golden syrup, often known as light treacle.

The mary berry treacle tart with cream is typically served warm or hot with a dollop of custard, ice cream, clotted cream, or regular cream. Some contemporary versions incorporate cream, eggs, or both for a softer filling. Similar to soda bread but with the addition of treacle, treacle bread is a homemade bread that is well-liked in Ireland.

Popular Marry Berry Treacle Tart Cultures

Sweetheart is called a "treacle tart" in Cockney. The 1968 British fantasy movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang featured this dish, The evil children shouts that he is giving away free candy to draw kids out of the basement. That’s mary berry treacle tart chitty chitty bang bang.

Marry Berry Treacle tart, a dessert frequently served at Hogwarts feasts, is Harry Potter's favorite dish in the Harry Potter book series. In the Pie-Off on episode 108 of the Dave Dameshek Football Program, it just edged out the Pecan Pie.

The Mary Berry treacle tart in harry potter is mentioned in the first episode of Season 3 of Downton Abbey when the servants are eating lunch, and Carson remarks, "That treacle tart hit the spot, thank you, Mrs. Patmore."

Treacle tart Marry Berry – what is it?

A thick, creamy confectionery filling sweetened with treacle is baked inside a flaky short-crust pastry shell to create the classic British delicacy known as treacle tart. Simple grocery essentials like heavy cream, breadcrumbs, eggs, and lemon juice are mixed with this sweet syrup to make a decadently decadent dessert filling with undertones of caramel. This nineteenth-century rustic treat is ideal for teatime nibbling or as part of a holiday dessert presentation. Despite its lengthy history, treacle tart is probably best known to Harry Potter fans worldwide as the preferred dessert of a specific boy wizard. The name "treacle tart," which rhymes with the word "sweetheart," is also a favorite in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Treacle Tart: What Does It Taste Like?

The syrupy ingredient that gives treacle tart its name, treacle, provides the tart's prominent flavor. The classic treacle tart varies including black treacle tart, dark treacle tart and chocolate treacle tart. There are two types of this thick, gooey substance, which is prepared from partially refined sugar: light treacle, often known as golden syrup, and the more rich, darker black treacle (aka molasses). Both black and light treacle has a syrupy consistency and a sweet taste, but black treacle has a slightly bitter flavor, whereas mary berry light treacle tart tastes more caramelized. For this reason, treacle shouldn't be replaced with corn syrup, which is sweet but essentially flavorless. With overtones of lemon and a creamy, rich flavor, this treacle tart dish, which uses light treacle, has a buttery tart crust.

Making The Best Marry Berry Treacle Tart: 4 Tips

Bakers can successfully make this traditional dish of all levels of experience. Make the most of your treacle tart by using this simple advice.

Start by making the crust. Schedule to ensure you have enough time to blind-bake your homemade short-crust pastry. If you're short on time, you may significantly reduce prep time by using a store-bought pie crust as the foundation of best mary berry treacle tart recipe.

Make your breadcrumbs, step two. Use handmade breadcrumbs rather than those from the store for the most delicate flavor and texture. To create homemade breadcrumbs, toast some fresh bread or leave it on the counter for a day, then pulse it in a food processor or blender until fine breadcrumbs form.

Modify the fat. Even though this recipe asks for butter, try substituting half of the butter for lard for a vibrant and fluffy tart. This traditional pastry component will result in the flakiest crust imaginable.

Don't use corn syrup or Karo instead of golden syrup. If you can't locate golden syrup, create some at home instead. It's simple to accomplish and essential for making an actual treacle tart.

Marry Berry Treacle Tart- Easy Recipe

Ingredients for treacle tart：

12 ounces of all-purpose flour

kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon

1 cup cubed, cooled unsalted butter

ice water, 1/3 cup

For the filling for treacle tart:

Light treacle, 1 cup (golden syrup)

fresh white breadcrumbs in a cup

1/4 cup of heavy cream

One has a gently beaten egg.

One lemon's juice and zest

Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or clotted cream (optional)

How to Make the Perfect Marry Berry treacle tart:

1.Make the short-crust pastry in step 1. The flour and salt should be beaten together in a sizable mixing dish.

2. Using your hands, incorporate the excellent butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

3. Add the cold water to the pastry mixture, stirring to blend until slightly crumbly. All of the water might not be necessary.

4. Transfer the dough to a surface lightly dusted with flour and give it a minute or so of gentle kneading.

5. Roll the dough into a disk approximately an inch thick and flatten it.

6. Chill the pastry dough in the fridge for an hour by wrapping it in plastic.

7. When the dough is nearly done, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and gently butter a pie plate or 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

8. Take the dough out of the fridge and lay it on a surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.

9. Carefully place the dough in the pan and use your fingers to press it gently into the tart mold. The dough should be more comprehensive than the pan, or around 10 inches.

10. With a fork, pierce the dough five to six times at its base.

11. Cover the crust with a sheet of parchment paper and fill the middle with dry beans, rice, or pie weights.

12. Place the mary berry treacle tart in tart pan in the oven and blind-bake the crust for 10 minutes or until mostly firm.

13. Take out the dried beans and parchment paper from the crust and bake it for an additional 10 minutes, or until it starts to brown.

14. Prepare the filling in a medium bowl. The treacle, bread crumbs, cream, egg, and lemon juice are all thoroughly mixed.

15. Top the blind-baked crust with the treacle filling.

16. Return the tart pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is firm and golden brown.

17. After taking the tart out of the oven, let it cool for ten minutes before cutting.

18. If desired, top the treacle tart with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or clotted cream before serving.

How to Prepare a Marry Berry Treacle Tart

Marry Berry Treacle tart is delicious in any climate. However, serving this delicacy warm with clotted cream, whipped cream, or even ice cream on top is the typical British way to enjoy it.

It is understandable why the treacle tart is one of the most favored British sweets with its flaky, buttery crust and thick, gooey inside. Harry Potter also likes it; he even noticed it when he was near the Amortentia love potion! It's a simple dessert you can make and serve with afternoon tea. It's made with golden syrup, lemon zest, breadcrumbs combined and heated to generate sentimentality, and a deliciously buttery, flaky short crust.

If you don't have any immediate plans to travel across the pond, this luscious Marry Berry tart is worth trying. It would be ideal for serving during a birthday celebration with a Harry Potter theme. With some whipped cream, clotted cream, or a serving of homemade custard, serve your treacle tart.

The Marry Berry Treacle tart is simple to make and has a delicious flavor that is difficult to pass up. This simple Marry Berry treacle tart and fudgy or cakey brownies I've shared before are a must-make dessert if you want to host a traditional afternoon tea with friends!

[thetockablog]

Bombay Crush

Bombay Crush IngredientsMilk Jelly250ml water125ml milk1 tbsp china grass powder/agar agar Bombay crush4 cups vanilla ice cream, plus extra for serving1.5 cups milk1-2 tbsp rose syrup, or more if needed1/2 tsp ground cardamomPinch nutmeg1 tsp basil seedsCrushed pistachios, for serving, optional MethodMilk JellyAdd the water, milk, and china grass powder, and whisk into a saucepan. Place on…

[parveens-kitchen]

French Toast with a little twist

Classic French toast with a little twist! I made these with plain white bread and added a bit of salt for extra flavor. Then, I topped it with yummy maple syrup, juicy blueberries, and tasty berry jam. It’s a breakfast that’s both sweet and savory – a real treat for the taste buds!Recipe is below for my simple French toast recipe for you using white bread slices: Ingredients:– 4-6 slices of…

[whyhellocynthia]

Chef John's Whiskey Sour - Drinks

[kitchenwitchtingss]

RECIPES I KEEP IN MY ONLINE KITCHEN WITCH JOURNAL #2

I love making these oh my gosh.

Why?

It's really fun

It's been a while since my last one

I get an excuse to try yummy recipes

You all are way too good at what you do

It's fun x2

Teas, Drinks, And Syrups

🍊 Orange Peel Tea 🍊

Violet Lemonade

Coconut Summer Drink

Dandelion Honey

The Best Hot Spiced Cider recipe you’ll ever try

Apple Cider is basically a homesteading spell

Rose Lemonade Syrup

100-Year Garlic (Garlic Honey)

Fire Cider Spell for Winter Protection

Blackberry & Apple Jam

Witchy Recipes - Blackberry Lemonade

Baked Goods + Sweets

Prosperity Bread

Lavender Earl Grey Cookies

Easy Rosemary Focaccia Loaf for Love and Protection

Heavenly Lavender Scones

Honey Vanilla Peach Butter 🍑

Pumpkin Pie Dip 🎃

Vanilla-Pumpkin Cupcakes

Soups, Stews, And Dinners

Super simple secret potato soup

Forest Porridge

Heartwarming potato soup

Perfect Homemade Garlic Bread

Creamy vegetable soup

Springtime Soup

Stuffed Maple dijon glazed roasted butternut squash

Summertime stir fry

Sabbat Stuff

Litha Orange Honey Cake

Litha Thyme Chicken

Stuffed Apples for Mabon

Mabon Mug

Imbolc Pretzel wreath

Oatmeal Bread for Lughnasadh

Samhain Mulled Cider

Samhain Irish Apple Cake

Angel's Best

(my favorite recipe posts I've made over the years, plus backstories that sound like your grandmother's reminiscing over the past.)

LATE WINTER BUTTER ROLLS

My first post I ever made. I was pretty new to the tumblr community at the time. I loved kitchen witchcraft, and I'm the type of person who will ramble on about how much I love cooking and baking. This blog gave me an outlet to express my love of cooking, baking, paganism, and witcraft. And these rolls are very tasty, I make them to this day!

WITCHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Tasty, simple, and a crowd-pleaser. It's perfect for a beginner kitchen witch! It was also the second recipe I ever posted.

SWEET CREAM BUNS

It was a recipe given to me by one of my good friends at the time. Every time I make it, it gets devoured in less than 10 minutes. It was also my first recipe to get over 50 notes. I was shocked but ecstatic that so many people would even give it the time of day lol.

WITCHY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

These ones were just fun to make and delicious lol.

A WITCH’S COZY BUTTERNUT WINTER SOUP

A quick soup that feeds a lot of people during the fall season. Fall is my favorite season, so of course I'm very biased lol.

SAMHAIN PUMPKIN BREAD

I love pumpkin bread and apple cider... So why not combine the two? This one was definitely one of my favorites of all time. Moist pumpkin bread and chocolate chips have to be one of my favorite things on this planet. It also makes for the perfect gift for friends and family. Yummy!

ANGEL’S AWARD-WINNING LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

I love dessert loaves of any kind, so naturally, this would be on the list lol.

MAPLE BUTTER COOKIES

Super simple comfort food! I love any time of cookie with brown sugar.

BRING ME POSITIVITY PECAN FRENCH TOAST BAKE

I love French toast, and I love positivity~

SAMHAIN SOUL CAKES RECIPE

These are really good! And traditional. If you celebrate Samhain, I recommend you make some soul cakes and have friends and family help decorate. I give the littles a bag of orange frosting and let them go crazy lol.

FEEL BETTER CHICKEN SOUP

One of my most recent is my witchy twist on chicken noodle soup!

[necromelli]

your first christmas with finnick was a few months after your games. you had isolated yourself in your new home, refused to talk to anyone or do anything, but somehow, sixteen year old finnick and mags managed to drag you out of your house. finnick pretended something happened to mags and he didn't know what to do, and despite the smirk that threatened to dissolve his lie, you followed anyways.

you were greeted with the smell of homemade cooking, even from the outside of mags house. some sort of fish caught fresh cooking. fresh seaweed bread, and all sorts of desserts splayed out on the counter. you were greeted by mags smiling face, outstretched arms, and a big kiss to your cheek. the first thing she handed you was a soft, knit sweater that was specially made just for you. with a simple glance, you saw finnick's grinning face as he held up his own matching sweater. he was so excited that you couldn't help but feel excited too. mags insisted you stood near the tree with finnick so she could get a picture of her 'two favorite kids' (it's one of your favorite photos, and you keep a tiny version of it with you wherever you go).

then, finnick is far too eager to open the few presents that are under the tree. you don't remember the last time you ever saw the boy so excited — childishly excited — and so you try to burn it into your memory. despite the fact you didn't prepare any gifts for you, mags and finnick still had three little gifts wrapped for you. mags got you a nice notebook and spiced, wintertime tea set. finnick got you new pens to go with your notebook, obviously planned. and really, you're having a ton of fun despite the fact you weren't planning on celebrating the holidays.

then, mags is in the kitchen cooking again, and she tells both you and finnick to get out so she can concentrate in peace (finnick is bursting with energy). so, the two of you go sit down by the beach, and as you're sitting there with your new gifts, wrapped in the soft sweater mags made, you decide that you like this little family. while finnick is knee deep in the water saying 'it isn't that cold', you're drawing on three hagstones you found (it was perfect, really. they were all in the small spot, waiting to be found) and pulling fishing wire through to make an ornament. it's got three little stick figures in varying heights, meant to represent the three of you.

and mags tears up when you show her the present, and when you give finnick's his, he's definitely sniffling. (by the next holiday, you realize finnick is just overly sentimental during holidays). you mumble out something along the lines of 'hagstones are supposed to provide protection and you guys make me feel safe and I wanted you guys to feel safe too'. it's cheesy when they both hug you, but you don't mind. even when finnick laughs at you for crying, despite the fact he was crying too. and then mags scolds you two for fighting, but it doesn't last long because christmas dinner is done and you're all eating.

then, just when you think it's over, you three end up on the couch, wrapped in some big, fluffy, duvet drinking hot coco listening to music. you swear they put sleep syrup in your coco without you noticing because you feel so safe and content, for the first time since the games, that you're falling asleep tucked under mags arm like an eight year old listening to her and finnick talk.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Last Best Party Gin Slings

“‘Now,’ she added, ‘pour us a drink from that thermos, and let’s see these letters.’ Phryne had prudently obtained a supply of gin slings and had borrowed a couple of glasses from the drinks tent. Her expensive English Thermos flask kept things ice cold as well as piping hot, just as the advertisement had said. Nicholas laid down his bag of letters, and poured drinks as requested. He wasn’t used to strong cocktails and sipped carefully.”

Whether you’re attending a days-long end of the year celebration in the stifling Werribee heat or in cooler (although much less cold than recently) climes, these last few days before the New Year dawns are meant to lean into pleasure, something one Miss Phryne Fisher always remembers, even in the midst of an investigation! Thus, mix a couple of Last Best Party Gin Slings, sit back, sip, and relax!

Ingredients (serves 2):

a dozen large ice cubes

2 small, ripe lemons

120 millilitres/4 fluid ounces (8 tablespoons) good quality London Dry Gin

45 millilitres/1 1/2 fluid ounces (3 tablespoons) Simple Sugar Syrup

4 dashes Angostura bitters

chilled eau de Seltz (sparkling water), to top

Place 3 ice cubes in each of two long drink glasses. 

Add remaining ice cubes into a shaker.

Squeeze the juice of one and a half lemons, and pour into the shaker, along with Gin and Sugar Syrup. Add Angostura bitters. Close shaker tightly, and shake energetically, until well-chilled through.

In the remaining lemon half, cut two thin slices and add them to the glasses.

Strain cocktail onto the ice and lemon slices into both glasses. Top with chilled Eau de Seltz.

Serve and sip Last Best Party Gin Slings immediately!

[wordsinhaled]

ok, actually coffeeshop AU has consumed me because just imagine

morpheus pining for hob, in his kitchen at midnight in his black t-shirt and skinny jeans and bare feet, blasting "the lovecats" and "just like heaven" and making fancy truffles... his sister letting herself into morpheus' flat in the middle of the day and it smells like coffee and kahlua; she comes into the kitchen to see morpheus assembling a tiramisu, humming "i melt with you"...

("who's got you singing, then?"

"no one, my sister.")

morpheus takes his next wedding cake contract without complaint, when normally they make him maudlin because he hasn't been in love for so long, and that's when people really know something is up with him

hob pining for his nameless customer, making his own homemade flavored simple syrups, roping any friend who comes over to his place into trying a new coffee drink, all, "what does it feel like to you, when you drink this?"

("what do you mean, man?" "in your heart. what does it make you feel?" "caffeinated."

"ugh—no—i mean, yes, obviously, but... do you feel cared about?"

"...i suppose? you could just give him your number, you know." "god, are you serious? he'd toss it in the bin straight away. he barely even looks at me." "and you think your extra-special flat white or your rosemary latte or whatever is going to change that?" "i can hope! and it was lavender. though he might think a rosemary one is nice, thanks for the idea—")

just... the two of them both losing it over each other and yet completely convinced that's not the case

@levionok @valeriianz

[theblackdahliaemporium]

Herbalism 101: Lavender

Fun Fact: Lavender is a part of the mint family; making it a natural insect repellent.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is an excellent way to add a mid-summer pop of color to your garden or patio. Planting is somewhere where you can enjoy its beautiful scent. English lavender is more tolerant of colder temperatures common in the Marquette area than French lavender, making it an excellent choice for herb gardens and perennial borders. This is a member of the mint family features aromatic leaves and flowers that are popular for cooking purposes, medicinal use, and home projects.

Lavender is prized as a culinary ingredient. Lemon and lavender make a great combination for baking cookies, cakes, and other delicacies. Lavender can also be used to infuse simple syrups for cocktails or lemonades.

Lavender’s lovely scent is known to reduce anxiety and calm the mind. The calming fragrance of a lavender plant is thought to provide relief from stress, depression, and migraines. It is also considered anti-inflammatory and has antiseptic properties.

Lavender attracts beneficial pollinators to its flowers. Adding lavender to your garden will attract butterflies, bees, and other helpful insects.

Lavender plants are deer resistant. Making them a welcome addition for many homeowners looking for plants they don’t have to share with the local wildlife.

Lavender from your garden can be dried and used to create items such as homemade lavender soap, bath salts, potpourri, sachets, and cleaning products.

Lavender does well in most climates. The plant is drought resistant and will form a large swath of flowering plants. The blue flowers are not only beautiful but smell fabulous. You can harvest the blooms through the summer and prune the plant back in the fall.

-flower works blog

Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family that’s easily identified by its sweet floral scent. It’s believed to be native to the Mediterranean, The Middle East, and India, with a history dating as far back as 2,500 years.

 According to everyday health blog, Possible health benefits of Lavender include:

May help improve sleep.

Can help treat skein blemishes.

May offer a natural remedy for pain.

Reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

Could relieve asthma symptoms.

Help combat fungus growth.

Potentially promotes hair growth.

Helps relieve stress.

Lavender hasn’t been approved by the FDA, so it’s important to be aware of potential health risks or side effects of using this herb.

📷© Pinterest

[bcyhoods]

can I request steve taking care of a sick shy!reader?

the universe knew i needed inspiration and they said BAM, now ur sick :P so essentially……..this is self-indulgent, i apologize in advance | 1k fluff, fem!reader

You’d first assumed that the itch in the back of your throat was trivial. The cold morning air had irritated your lungs before and it would usually go away within the first hour of being awake. But something about this particular itch could not be satisfied, no matter how many times you’d cleared your throat or how much water you drank. Then your nose started running.

A few harsh, involuntary coughs and an empty tissue box later, you’d reluctantly accepted your fate. You were sick.

When you called to tell Steve, you didn’t expect him to make a big deal about it. You severely underestimated just how tight you had him wrapped around your finger. Not even half an hour later, he was at your doorstep with a giant paper bag full of cough syrups and other remedies. He sported a cute frown upon seeing you answer the door with a chapped nose and a blanket draped over your shoulders.

He was here to bear witness to your sickness in all its raw glory. You’d feel more embarrassed if it wasn’t Steve. Nonetheless, you shrink into your pillows as he dotes on you.

“Hmm.” He presses the back of his hand to your forehead. He’s sitting on the edge of your bed, right beside your legs as you sit up against the headboard. His nose scrunches and makes his wire frames slip slightly down his nose.

“You feel a little warm, but I don’t think you have a fever,” he deduces. He hauls the paper bag off the floor to sit in his lap while he digs through to find the proper medicine bottle.

You see, Steve had no idea how sick you felt when he was speeding over to the general store. He didn’t want to get you something that’d be completely useless. So with the help of Joyce Byers, he practically raided the aisles and purchased as many daily capsules and herbal teas that he could get his hands on. Your medicine cabinet will be stocked for at least the next couple years.

A sound of satisfaction pulls your attention to the bottle of cough syrup in his hand. The bright orange liquid taunts you as it sloshes against the plastic when he pushes it your way.

“Do I have to?” You whine, lips beginning to curl at the mere memory of its offensive taste, “It’s gross, Steve.”

“I know, honey, but it’s just one spoonful. You can do a spoonful,” he tells you so confidently that it makes you hiccup.

Upon seeing the twist in your expression, he sweetens the deal with the promise of homemade chicken noodle soup and a few kisses — the latter you begrudgingly refuse so as to not pass the cold.

He pours the syrup into the shallow bowl of a spoon, chuckling at the grimace that’s still present on your face. You push yourself to sit up straighter and sniffle as he moves the spoon closer to you. Your stomach dips when you see him smile and nod in simple assurance before you’re opening your mouth.

Your lips wrap around the metal and you’re immediately recoiling at the foul flavour.

“See? I told you, you could do it. Look how easy that was.”

It makes your chest flutter. He’s reaching down into the bag again to grab a water bottle and your arms spring for it. Steve chuckles at your eagerness as he watches you quickly unscrew the cap and chug. The remnants of the medicine burn the back of your throat and your eyes briefly water at the sting.

“You okay?” He caresses your calf over the thick comforter when he asks. It makes your shoulders droop — you ache to feel his cold hands in your warm skin. You nod sheepishly and avert your eyes from his stare.

“Thank you, doctor,” you say without much thought.

Steve perks up. There’s a playful glint in his eyes as he hums and takes the bottle from your hands.

“Doctor, huh? Are you into that? Doctor Harrington?” He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

A cough of surprise pushes out past your lips and you can feel your heart beating wildly against your rib cage. Your leg burns where his hand rests and the sensation rushes right to the top of your head. His taunting gaze makes your hands fly to your cheeks and a shy grin fights its way onto your face.

“What? No, I…” Steve’s brow jumps up to challenge you. You attempt to steel yourself, but eyes dart everywhere but his face. “I’m into being healthy,” you reply, voice shaky.

“Right, yeah. Totally. But you’re also into me, right?” He scoots closer to you as his hand slowly inches up toward your thigh.

“Steve,” you scold him and shut your eyes.

“Oh. You’re so into me, it’s making you sick, my poor girl,” he teases before leaning over to kiss your jaw down to your throat. You giggle as tufts of his hair tickle your cheeks and then you’re pulling him back. His lips drag up the column of your neck until he’s reaching your lips. It’s feather-light before you’re pulling back.

“I’m gross right now,” you mutter with a frown, referring to your cold. But Steve takes great offense. He pouts.

“This bug got you good. Making you delirious.” He dives back in for your lips. It’s firm this time, like he’s proving a point. It makes you sigh and grab at his biceps as he’s pushing you up against your headboard. When his hand moves to cup your cheek and pull you closer, you start pushing at his shoulders.

“Steve,” you whine into his mouth, “I’m gonna get you sick.”

“Come on, I have a solid immune system,” he insists, “I’m basically superhuman. I think I can handle a few kisses.”

Steve thinks he’s just about the luckiest person in the world when you smile and laugh. And also because he’s got you to take care of him when he inevitably gets sick the following week.

[rachalixie]

a/n: wishing the happiest of birthdays to my love @sweetestcherrywine. i hope you have the absolute best day. you're my pillar, my comfort, my safe space, i can't even express how much i love you!!!! you're easily one of the best people i've ever had the pleasure of meeting. i'm sending you 10000 hugs and kisses and cuddles i love you so much

you wake to a hand gently brushing through your hair, fingers long and gentle as if handling something precious. he chuckles when you stir and nuzzle into his hand a bit. 

“happy birthday, my love,” he says, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. you crack your eyes open to see him, hair a halo around him, glinting golden in the morning light. the look he’s giving you is so fond that you need to look away as if he was the sun that you revolve around.

the day moves in frames, one scene after another, clicking in transition. him pulling you out of bed to drag you to the bathroom so you can brush your teeth together. you’re making funny faces around the toothpaste in your mouths, painting an awfully domestic picture that you take a snapshot of in your mind to save for a rainy day. 

click.

you sitting up on the kitchen counter as he cooks you breakfast, pancakes dotted with tart blueberries. he almost burns one because he’s too busy slotting between your thighs to give you kisses, but he saved it right in time. he feeds you small bits drizzled with syrup and whipped cream, leaning in to wipe the cream off of the corner of your lips where it smears.

click.

him massaging shampoo into your hair as you shower together, the steam billowing around you, calming your muscles as his hands move down your neck, across your back, down, down down like the water flowing down the drain.

click.

him sliding a gift box across the table after you eat a candle lit, home cooked meal. it’s flat and long and artfully wrapped, ribbons swirling on the top and edges of the wrapping paper crisp and neat. you open it carefully, not wanting to ruin anything he’s done for you, even though the wrapping was made to be ruined. once you see what’s nestled inside the box, the wrapping paper is forgotten as it floats to the floor in favor of you gaping at the gift he’s given you.

it’s a painting in a simple brown frame, crinkled brown paper with lines of black and blotches of muted colors. it’s a swirling collage of pictures, all of two figures. two figures dancing, two figures kissing, two figures laying together, all interwoven between each other. each was lined precisely in black strokes, filled in with watercolor that’s flooding out of the lines. it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. 

“it’s,” he starts, knocking you out of your reverie. “scenes of us. of us falling in love. i painted it.” he says, blush high on his cheeks as he avoids your eyes. you realize you had been staring at the painting for too long, he didn’t even know if you liked it or not. 

“hyune,” you grab his face into your palms, moving his eyes towards yours and caressing his cheekbone with your thumb. “it’s absolutely perfect. i love it so much.”

his eyes turn into crescents as he smiles, cheeks moving under your palms before he leans in to peck you once, twice, three times. 

click.

him bringing you a single cupcake, candle glowing on top, the icing lopsided but you would never comment on that. the fact that it was so obviously homemade made you warm from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. he holds it still while he tells you to make a wish, eyes closed, and he doesn't know that you don't wish for anything because all you need is standing right there in front of you.

when you open your eyes, the tip of his finger is armed with a dollop of icing, which he wastes no time smearing onto your nose. he giggles and runs, leaving the cupcake in your hands, and later you're batting him away as he tries to lick it off of you.

click.

you standing in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as he makes his way to the rickety old record player in the corner of the living room and slides a well-loved record into the slot. the sun is setting outside, bathing the room in a orangey-pink glow, and you think this must be what heaven looks like.

“dance with me?” he says, holding out his hand to you for you to take like a prince. you grab and he twirls you around and into his chest, catching you when you stumble a bit. you lay your head there by his heart once you get your balance, and he wraps his arms around you, more of a hug than a dancing position but neither of you care as you sway together. he hums the song into your ear, low and deep, the melody of your favorite tune from when you were younger, and you want to stay in this moment forever.

click.

you’re sitting on the couch at the end of the day, happily exhausted with how well this day has gone. you never raise your expectations on your birthday, but he’s moved the bar just a bit higher than where it had sat before.

“hugs?” you ask, reaching both hands out for him and wiggling your fingers. he chuckles, smile bright as the sun, and grabs your hands. he pulls you off of the couch and turns you, making your head spin for a second before he plops down in the spot you were just occupying, you falling on top of him. both of your breathes whoosh out on the impact, and your breathy giggles harmonize with his as you wiggle to get comfortable. you’re left straddling his waist, your legs on either side of his thighs and your arms thrown around his neck. 

“i love you, hyune,” you say, nuzzling your head into his neck. “thank you for the perfect day.”

“oh, button,” he says, voice soft and deep in your ear. “i love you too. you mean the world to me. i would gladly do this every day if i didn’t think you would kill me.”

click.

—

soft hours