#Polish Gingerbread

[suetravelblog]

Kraków Poland January 2024

[fullcravings]

Piernik - Polish Gingerbread Loaf Cake

[magazynkulinarny]

Piernik żydowski - mój ulubiony

Uwielbiam ten piernik! Przepis przejęłam od mojej Mamy, która dostała go od swojej Teściowej.

Tereska piecze go od lat w święta Bożego Narodzenia. Zrezygnowała z eksperymentowania z różnymi recepturami, bo ma przepis na coś, co wszystkim smakuje i nigdy nie zawodzi. Przygotowuje dwa lub trzy bochenki, a gdy wracam do Warszawy pakuje mi część do wałówki.

Piernik żydowski jest wilgotny, ciężki, wielowymiarowy w smaku i bogaty w bakalie. Jedząc go nie wpadlibyście na myśl, że zawiera aż szklankę mocnego naparu z kawy (wraz z fusami)! Ani na to, że są w nim jabłka!

Nie musi dojrzewać, robi się szybko i - z tego, co mnie pamięć nie myli - zawsze się udaje. Same zalety.

Składniki:

500 g mąki pszennej 250 g miodu 250 g cukru szklanka naparu z 3-4 łyżek kawy mielonej jajko 1-2 jabłka 60 g masła 2 łyżeczki sody oczyszczonej paczka przyprawy do piernika 2-3 łyżki skórki pomarańczowej 20 g rodzynków 50 g orzechów włoskich 1/2 łyżeczki soli

Wykonanie:

Piekarnik nastawić na 180°C.

Do dużej miski wsypać cukier, dodać miód i wlać jeszcze gorący napar z kawy (wraz z fusami). Mieszać do momentu rozpuszczenia się cukru. Dodać przyprawy.

Gdy płyn wystygnie wsypać mąkę, sodę i sól. Wymieszać. Wbić jajko, dodać miękkie masło i zmiksować mikserem.

Obrać i pozbawić gniazd nasiennych jabłka. Zetrzeć na grubej tarce. Dodać do ciasta wraz ze skórką pomarańczową, rodzynkami, uprażonymi i grubo krojonymi orzechami, a następnie całość wymieszać.

Klasyczną keksówkę wysmarować masłem i obsypać tartą bułką. Wlać ciasto i piec ok. godzinę (do tzw. suchego patyczka).

[sideprojectillustration]

50 Poland icons! Flaticon.

[budgerigorous]

I made this recipe for the third time (with no anise, espresso instead of coffee, fresh zest of two lemons added, and lemon juice/lemon extract instead of milk in the glaze).

[victory-cookies]

just spent nearly four hours on nail art for a contest lol. end me

[leviscolwill]

7. "if you win, i'll kiss you" with trent!!!!! 😩😩 bc we know he’s a competitive son of a bitch <333

congrats again on 600 baby! 🫶

- @lomltrentarnold 🪽

so come here and give me some kisses ★

pairing: trent alexander arnold x reader

note: thank u soooooo much for your request my lovely hana,, i hope u like it, i love writing competitive trent 🤭

this blurb was inspired by this video <3

now playing six thirty by ariana grande...

your relationship with trent was ambiguous to say the least. you liked him, well it was hard not to. and you knew he liked you too. hell, everyone at st george's park knew you liked each other. but he had yet to make any concrete move towards you.

trent was standing in front of you, getting mic-ed up for another pr video. they were never his favorites, but if he had a chance to beat his teammates, he'd always take it.

while you were polishing up the last details before filming with your colleagues, you shot a quick glance at trent looking oh so adorable in his apron. he walked towards you and rested his chin on your shoulder, giving you a quick smile.

“you know you're never winning this one right?” you told him in a cheeky tone with the sole purpose of riling him up. you knew just how competitive he could get, even with something as trivial as a bake off opposing him to hendo, dec and kieran.

“are you doubting my baking skills right now, love?” his accent thick and sassiness dripping from his voice.

“oh no, i wouldn't dare. ‘m just saying dec has a much better shot at winning than you.” you wouldn't trust declan with your kitchen even if your life depended on it, too scared you'd lose your whole flat in a house fire. but the sight of trent, chuckling to himself at your words was enough to spur you on.

he was a confident man, confident enough to know you didn't mean a word you said. also confident enough in his baking skills to know that he’ll win no matter what. but your teasing made the gears in his brain spin faster. “what do i get if i prove you wrong and win then?”

you took a quick look around to: 1. escape trent's face that seemed to get closer to yours by the second, 2. check if any of your colleagues caught up on the somewhat intimate moment you were sharing, only to find out they all left to do whatever they needed to do.

you thought a few seconds of what to tell him before an idea popped in your head. it might seem too bold, but truthfully you were sick of waiting for trent to make a move on you. “mmmhh...” you pretended to think for a couple seconds, “if you win this, i'll kiss you.”

trent looked stunt at your proposal, his brown eyes looking even wider than usual. “yeah! i mean, are you sure?” as much as he tried to keep up a façade, you could see right through his false confidence. the skin of his ears turning into a reddish tone and his eyes looking anywhere but in yours.

you quickly nod, before pecking his cheek. trent didn't get the time to fully register your action, you were already gone god knows where.

the next time your eyes meet, you were standing behind the camera with the rest of the communication team. trent was torn between exchanging knowing glances and smiles with you or focusing on baking his gingerbread man. he chooses the latter, well aware of the reward awaiting him when he'll win.

after some more baking, the results were in. and you could feel trent's stare on you while he was waiting expectantly for his name to be called as the winner.

and once it inevitably happened, trent locked eyes with you in a stare that could only mean one thing: ‘i told you, you know what happens now’.

your name was called and you had to leave before trent was done wrapping up the video. this gave you time to mentally prepare yourself, you didn't regret your impulsive bet but you were overthinking everything that might go wrong.

in the midst of your turmoil, two hands gripped your shoulders making you turn in surprise. you weren't too surprised to see trent behind you, you gave him a warm smile before making sure none of your colleagues were in sight.

“i told you i'd win.” his face was still glowing from his earlier triumph.

you reciprocated the smile on his face, meeting his deep brown eyes. “i know... i knew you'd win this.” you let your hand wander over his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body slowly taking over yours.

“i thought we had a deal...” trent's voice brought you out of your daydream. your movement suddenly stopped to look up at him.

you didn't give him a verbal answer, choosing to stand on your tippy toes before pressing your lips against his. you felt his lips turn into a smile against yours, before kissing you back with more passion than words could ever hold. his hands cupping your face to bring you even closer if that was possible, not ready to let go of you just yet.

once he did pull away, he looked at you with admiration sparkling in his eyes. his thumb stroked your cheek softly, while you felt the heat rush to your cheeks. what did this kiss mean for the two of you? were things going to be weird now? could you even kiss a player without consequ-

“so, i think the next step should be me asking you out?”

[rosepompadour]

Making her first recorded appearance at the English court [during the Cheateau Vert masque in 1522] was Perserverance, she who would go down in history. A dark-haired figure; not beautiful, but polished to the glitter of a gemstone by a youth spent at the continental courts. An accomplished performer and markswoman whose arrows would indeed strike right to Henry's heart, but who would in the end be herself the one destroyed by the courtly fantasy. At the end of the evening, at a banquet of custards and candied fruits and gilded gingerbread and flavored spirits of wine, the masquers all divested themselves of their disguises. When Perseverance unmasked, it was revealed she was that newcomer to court, that expert performer. . . Her name was Anne Boleyn. - Sarah Gristwood Anne Boleyn was neither saint nor villain; she was not even a particularly bad person. Her virtues overwhelmingly outweighed her vices. We have not yet troubled to look properly at her charities, her friendships and the tidal wave of compliments that were hers in the days before notoriety drowned her. We ignore her controversial attendance at a Requiem Mass for the butchered Cardinal Fisher, her locking of herself in her oratory and bursting into tears at the news of Katherine of Aragon’s death, or the commendable image of a woman horrified and disgusted by the burning to death of heretics. She was a mass of contradictions – much good, some bad – but in the end we must allow her this, for it reminds us that this extraordinary woman really lived. - Gareth Russell

[64yrsold]

WINTERING 6. gingerbread house

twelve days of christmas writing prompts by @abiiors wintering masterlist previous (5)

“Are you tired?” He asked, quiet from across the room.

“Hm?” I mumbled, half asleep on the couch. He had insisted I didn’t spend the whole day in bed, and I would heal faster if I moved around. I doubtfully dragged myself to the couch, trying to stay awake while he described his highlights from the past year. His voice mostly put me to sleep, the guilt smaller than the comfort of unconsciousness.

“Back to bed?” He stood in front of me, hand reaching for mine.

I hummed, taking it without thinking. It wasn’t fair, really. I was vulnerable, exhausted, and sick. Whenever I was sick, I craved to be cared for, and lost all my will and independence.

I wondered if he knew that.

“You should go home, Matty,” I whispered, crawling into bed. I felt half-asleep under the covers, wanting a kiss on the cheek and a nice dream.

“I can stay,” he murmured, kneeling beside the bed. I looked at the lamp light on his skin. His forearms pushed against the sheets, head dipped low. He breathed so slowly, I wondered if he was praying. I smiled at the idea of him praying for me, praying I’d get better, or let him into bed. “What?”

I blinked, “Nothing.”

“You want me to sleep on the couch?” He reached for my hand again, thumb brushing over mine. He was much more careful with me than he had ever been before, polishing my skin with his fingers. Turning my hand like crystal.

“Yes,” I said, proud when it came out. I still had a bit of my mind with me.

“Not here?” He looked to the spot beside me. I shook my head slowly. I felt so angry with him, looking at the soft spot on his lips I wanted to taste. I flickered between adoration and resentment with him, but I preferred the adoration. I held on to the resentment in case he felt the same.

“Goodnight,” I said, closing my eyes. I fell asleep to his touch on my fingertips, soothed by his warmth between my fingers.

✴︎

I woke up coughing, sitting up in bed quickly and searching my nightstand for water. My heart flipped when I saw him sleeping on the floor, arms piled under his head. He stirred when I coughed again, and I tried to quiet myself, only making my spluttering louder.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes, “You alright?”

“F-fine,” I managed, coughing again. My face reddened. This is why I wanted him home, it was embarrassing to be like this in front of him.

“Oh,” he frowned, a hand on my back before disappearing into the kitchen. He came back with water, tilting the glass to my lips, watching me drink. My blood had pooled in my cheeks and throat, and I took the glass from his hands. He sat on the bed beside me, hands folded together.

“Thanks,” I whispered, hoarse and groggy. I pulled the blankets around me, settling into the pillow again. My head throbbed.

“You need anything?” He tucked his hair behind his ear, yawning wide. It was so hard, sitting in front of him, everything my heart wanted, and seeing him tired, awake just for me, begging to help me, being exactly who I wished he had been the first time. I thrashed with this unfairness, looking at him without saying anything. 

He took my hand, bringing it to his lips. My breath stuttered, his lips on my skin so warm, his breath against me so familiar. 

“Goodnight, then,” he smiled, crinkly and tired, dropping my hand and walking to the living room. He slept on the couch, I thought, and I laid in bed, heart pounding until morning.

[izpira-se-zlato]

Munich Gig Report (04.12.23)!

Very haphazard report in no particular order under the cut

no Kris NGVOT :( genuinely sad bc I'd been looking forward to that

I finally broke my no-Jance-ASTP-curse

they almost fell down the stairs after the final SSOL. I say "fell". I mean "Jan almost tackled Nace on stage and then down the stairs." Well, he jumped on Nace's back on the stage and they kinda wrestled/hugged a bit and almost tumbled down the stairs

Jan said Ho Ho Ho in the ASTP intro and it was adorable

Bojan learned of the cancelled flight during the gig as he was telling us not to wait for them because they'd leave immediately (and they did)

Bojan spit so much water onto Jan during Omamljeno telo that Kiki had to come out with a towel and dry off Jan's guitar. My arms were noticably wet. Why, Bojan.

Bojan caught lots of bracelets out of the air

I handed over the gift for Nace between Katrina and ASTP and hoped to catch his reaction but he didn't look at it then. He did give me a plec in return, which I hadn't expected and so caught me by surprise 😂

they got oodles of presents and didn't take them backstage between Carpe Diem and SSOL 2, so I didn't expect Nace to have taken the shirt, but he must have because he came back to thank me before SSOL2 and I blue-screened

Nace started the pedalboard shenanigans and then Jan flipped switches and pushed buttons on his and I'm pretty sure I caught it on camera but I need to actually... post it, oops

we got drums and bass during Novi val, which was neat, but not as cozy as usual

I saw Kris in his Stožice outfit again and it's hot ngl but I was low-key hoping for the white one. Bojan in the cummerbund :(

Kris wore Hot Mess glasses and wiggled adorably and sat very cutely on the stage, and yeah I know I'm talking about a 1.9m tall dude or sth but still. Yeah.

Nace's bass was out of tune and of course Jan was the first to notice and tell him

we were so close to the stage I would have been able to hear Nace and Jan talk if not for my earplugs

the sound was amazing -- it might have been the best sound I've encountered especially for front row

I never want to be this close to Bojan's crotch again

Bojan had a snapped string on his acoustic guitar, and Jan's guitar also had issues that Kiki quickly fixed and Bojan meanwhile told the story of how Tokio came to be

Jure came back eating a Brezel, and Bojan basically stole it from his mouth (Jure looked happy to let him)

they got a Lebkuchenherz (gingerbread heart) with "Joker Out Munich 04.12.23" written on it

two of my friends sang Umazane Misli! And the way Bojan looked at them was amazing

Bojan was so, so delighted by the German version of Umazane Misli

there was a five-year-old or something in the audience and Bojan was very charmed, I think

during Tokio, Nace and Kris got really up close and personal with each other

Bojan looked so good during the gig and jfc I hate coming out of gigs a temporary Bojan girlie (gn)

this might have been my favourite gig ever. Berlin was amazing. Dublin was awesome. But yesterday was just. Above and beyond even without the shirt. I was worried I'd be disappointed about not being able to give the shirt in person, but Nace looked so, so happy in the story and aaaah

it was a really nice crowd, and the queue was so so chill. The numbers system worked magically

apparently Jan got briefly distracted by Nace's ass near the beginning (but I missed it)

Bojan said having the audience so close was their favourite

we once again sang happy birthday for Nace and Jan

Kiki gave me a setlist! And had lovely lavender nail polish

[retrowaving1]

In relation to my last post about Ukrainian and Polish gingerbread cakes I would like to make a little poll:

[blue-jisungs]

Hi axe! Since you're a fellow polish person here on tumblr what polish names would you assign to your moots? Love your works and hope you're doing okay 🙏❤️

ONH HIYA ANNONIE!!! this is such a fun ask ilysm im kissing u on the forehead virtually rn!!! 🥹 i tried to do all/most of my moots so it was a bit of a challenge lmaosjwk tysm dear and i hope you’re doing well too!! <33

also disclaimer: in polish names are purely feminine or masculine, there’s little names that could fit both genders so i tried my best w the male names!! also fun fact that no one asked for – all female names end with the letter a!! :D

sorry for such w long post, i got too excited 🫂🥲

@slytherinshua would be zuzanna, zuzia for short!! even tho i have some trauma connected w that name lmao it just fits perfectly !!

@eternalgyu hannie,, similarly lol but hanna – hania, hanka for short 🥹🥹 i’ve met some hanias and they were all the most adorable people ever just like hannie

@wheeboo okay pls im so sorry but it was the first thought ever when i saw your name rania. there’s a polish name that’s very similar to yours – renia (the full name is renata). and even tho it’s usually an older lady name lol i think it’s cute :( one of my teachers’ name was renia and i have some good memories w that name ^^

@weird-bookworm okay now idk why but sky gives me jagoda vibes. jagoda literally means berry so both sky n jagoda are physical things (?) so it fits hehe. if you’re curious about the nickname, it could be jadzia or jaga lol. actually there’s a tale about baba jaga (like the witch who wanted to cook hansel and gretel [jaś i małgosia] living in a house made out of gingerbread and it was like standing on a chicken leg) but i don’t think it’s a short for jagoda. just a fun fact 😭

@rubywonu nia… hmm id say natalia!! its literally a polish ver of natalie lmao but it’s cute and it fits ^^ nati for short from what i��ve experienced hehe

@fairyhaos now yena i was struggling w you lmao. there’s no names in poland starting with y so i couldn’t pick anything starting w that letter lol (well technically there’s yasmine but imo it’s not fully a polish name…?). we mostly transcribe y as j, so i went in that direction aaaand chose jaśmina. there was literally a lightbulb appearing above my head when i thought of that. yes, the word root is literally jasmine but it’s so… tender, soft, gentle. just like u dear :’)

@taeiun ehh junjunnie i’ll be honest – yours was the toughest one. i know you use he/she pronouns but there’s literally no neutral names lmfao (i mean there are like a few but they’re meeeh). so if you don’t mind – a more feminine one that i think suits you well + it’s literally so pretty – antonina (yes, like marie antoinette), tosia for short 🥹🥹🥹 on a more masculine side i would settle for jakub, kuba or kubuś (there’s a juice/kids food brand w that name it’s so cute🥹) for short!! :D

@haecien omg pls i was thinking for such a long time but then it enlightened me. and polish moots dont laugh or ill bite you. czesiu. LIKE CMON🥹 the full name is czesław, it’s kinda oldish lol but there’s a singer i like – czesław mozil, he also dubbed polish olaf and i feels like … czesiu, cien… pls it fits sm :(

@planetkiimchi i wasn’t sure so i gave you one of my fav polish names, magdalena. magda, madzia for short!! that’s my irl bestie’s name so i have some good memories w that name too :”) it’s really pretty and genuinely reminds me of good things <3 you could translate it into maggie i think

@kyrjnie same case here, so i settled for milena!! also some good memories plus its really cute!! i’ve known some milenas lol and i never actually used a nickname for them since lena is a separate name 🥲

@etherealyoungk hehe since your and sky’s names r similar i didn’t want to repeat it so i chose natasza!! there’s one natasza i’ve met lol os i don’t know what they usually use for short but if guess nati maybe? it’s such a cute name (yup, it’s the same as for example natasha romanoff teehee its slavic after all)

@writingmeraki i was thinking patrycja, pati or patka for short :D imo it suits you well hehe

@icyminghao hmmm hmmm noelle, noelle… i didn’t want to go for the polish equivalent of your name, which could be something along noemi or naomi. so i decided to pick nadzieja – it literally translates into hope!! it’s such a pretty name :( very optimistic and bubbly, just like you :D

@mirxzii i was fighting my inner demons bc roxie is very similar to roksana!! so if you like it, that’s fine but! imo you give off a żaklina vibe!! it’s such a unique name just like you, obviously in a good n positive way :D

@enluv hmm i was pondering tbh and eventually chose kornelia!! when i was younger i wanted to be named that and was very pissed at my parents for not choosing it as my name >:( it’s so so pretty and the short for it AHHH!! most people use kora and it literally translates into tree bark (i think that’s the name?). there was also a very talented polish singer who used kora as her stage name (sadly she passed away but a lot of people still love her music🥹)

[monsterfloofs]

Mallory (Male Vampire) x Anonymous Reader (Sfw)

(I am not sure when I will go back to this story as I am working on comicking stuff. . . <:) But I will share a piece of it here, the most solid bit of writing I have for it! A new house with a surprise resident, a shy vampire who just wants a peaceful life.)

It was an old Victorian style house. Tall and proud with long curving windows. The building had two layers with an asymmetrical design. The right side of the home bowed outward in a semi hexagonal shape. While the right side held a modest porch and wooden railings that ran around the space and flanked either side of the steps. Wooden gingerbread styling encrusted the bottom of the roof. It was a lonesome house, one surrounded by trees and that sat atop a hill with a twisting road. Through the forest of leaves, when they parted just right. It gave a wide scope of the ground below. There was a small town that sat nestled at the edge of the forest. From this vantage point, you could barely see the bumpy dirt road nestled between the brilliant fire red and yellow leaves.

It was a sunny day, some of the last warmth in October had come in a wave. Like the last expelling of warm breathe before cold nestled into the bones of the earth.

You had gotten out of your car, feet swinging from the vehicle to stand and look out over the treeline. The view alone was entrancing. Watching leaves tumble and twist through the air. Following an unknown path to an unknown destination. You heard a voice call your name, and with some reluctance you turned away from the picturesque view. Closing the door to your car with a satisfying snap before you turn and set your sights on the house. Your eyes travel along its details. It had been painted in black trim and the base a pale mint green that had faded with time. The paint was peeling in places, but it offered promise. A smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as you walked up the driveway, A nicely dressed woman in a navy suit was standing in front of the aging porch steps.

“Welcome to Wishwillow! I am so glad we had the chance to meet. I'm Loiuse, we spoke on the phone last week.” She gave a smile of perfect white teeth as she gave your hand an exuberant shake. She had walked towards you, closing the last of the distance.

“Hi Loiuse.” You reply, “I am really happy to take a look at the house." You pause to glance up at it's high windows. "it’s beautiful.”

“It really is, and we are so happy to finally have someone show interest in this old place. It’s almost one hundred years old, did you know? There is a lot of history here.”

You nod, bringing your attention from the house as she claps her hands.

“Well! Let’s take a tour shall we?” She turns on her heels, a confident stride has her dark curls bouncing as you follow her dutifully up the steps.

“Is there. . . a lot of need for renovations? Adding fixtures, things like that?” You ask tentatively as she produces a small key from her pocket and begins to jiggle the lock.

“Oh goodness no! The last person who lived here modernized it the best she could while staying true to the house's heritage.”

The door opened with a creaky wail, and you scrunch your nose at the sound.

“How long. . . ago was that?”

“Twenty years or so,” She chirped, stepping inside and flicking on the lights.

You grimace at that, “That sounds like a long time for a house to be empty.”

She flashes you a knowing smile, “We worked very hard to keep it maintained, Ms. Hemlock, that last owner of Wishwillow, had no heirs in her will. She put whatever money she had left into keeping this house in working condition.”

Past the entrance was a thin hallway that branched off into different rooms. A big parlor to the left with polished wood floors. A few coils of wire came down like tendrils from the ceiling. You gathered that at some point a chandelier had hung down from the ceiling.

"The kitchen is down the hall," Loiuse explains, patiently letting your gaze wander the interior.

"And the left is where the parlor was. There is a small sitting room by the kitchen, and upstairs are the bedrooms."

—

There was something that felt right, about this house. Something that lingered in the air.

You catch the woman's cheer as you head back to the car. Giving the sales rep. your thanks and one last handshake.

“Yes, Ms. Louise, we will definitely keep in touch.”

It was the most nerve wracking decision you had ever made. Taking the leap and buying this house. With the economy being how it was now, and homes becoming more and more impossible to buy. You had stumbled upon a chance you weren’t sure if you were going to be able to come across again.

You had moved as much of your personal life as you could. Only finally getting the help from movers once it was clear you were not going to be able to cart a few large choice pieces of furniture on your own.

“I’m doing great,” You leaned back on the couch, that sat in the middle of the sea of cardboard boxes, phone pressed to your ear. “Totally exhausted though, I tried to hurry up and move everything so I didn’t have to take too much time off of work. It’s a bit of a drive now, but the view is worth it. It’s so beautiful here.”

You laugh, a tired weary sound. “I keep wondering if I made the right choice, it’s a big house for one person— No, no! I’m not complaining, just fretting. I think I am going to start on dinner now though, talk with you later?”

You nodded, even though the loved one on the other side of the line couldn’t see you. Listening intently to the voice on the end of the phone.

“I will take care of myself, I promise. Okay. Love you. Bye.”

You threw your head back onto the cushioned armrest of the couch, tapping the red button on your cell phone and turning off it’s screen. You heaved a heavy sigh and glanced out at the sea of cardboard.

First step of moving in, done and done. Now all that is left is unpacking. The thought of unpacking so late at night was quickly rejected. The cushioned armrest was stationed to the couch via rounded metal pins, and you reached over to rub your thumb against the cool metal bumps while you stared out at the room. With enough oomph you pushed yourself to stand, picking your way out of the living room to reach the kitchen.

You stood in the cramped kitchen space. Staring blankly for a moment while you realized how much of an ordeal it would be to dig out pots and pans, on top of cooking.

". . . You know what. . . I think I'll just order take out tonight."

With a quick call to the closest pizza shop, you had pushed boxes off the small coffee table and set up a laptop computer while you waited for dinner.

Now, with the pizza sitting next to your computer, you sat cross legged on the couch. Balancing a plate on their thighs while you watch a movie. You had picked something from your old favorite collection. A black and white movie that you remember fondly from your childhood. A comedy movie starring Abbott and Costello that contained a number of the classical monsters being portrayed by their original actors.

—

Something had changed. Something or someone was here, in the house. Within the walls. A steady heartbeat with silent ghostly vibrations echoed through the beams and floorboards.

Mallory’s eyes snapped open, and he sat up quickly. The dreams about noises hadn’t been imaginary phantoms. The cars, the voices, things being shuffled, moved about, it had been real. Now the house was quieter, though, there was still noise. A static noise that lingered behind the voices in an old televised movie. With accents that haven’t been used in a long time.

“I know it, and you know it. But does Dracula know it?"

Underneath the sounds, was the beat. He slowly rubs at his temples, trying to soothe the ringing in his head. Like a mosquito that hummed right beside your ear, the sound was impossible to ignore.

Th-thud

Th-thud

The attic stairs creaking faintly under his shoes as he descends, grimacing at the noise. From the attic stairs he moves to the window, peers down at the dark lawn below.

An uncomfortable feeling settling into his stomach, as the for sale sign was gone. Now there was a car parked in the driveway, and someone unknown downstairs. For twenty years no one had held even the remotest interest on the house atop the hill. But alas, it had been wishful thinking to believe that it would last forever.

He hesitates about what to do. An unsteady hand tinkering with the necklace around his collarbone before he gingerly steps out of the guest room. One glance. Just one. It has been a while since he had come face to face with a living being. Once satisfied he could formulate a plan from there. He moved on the stairs gingerly, hovering in the entryway where the kitchen split into the kitchen and living room.

And there they were, sitting and watching a movie. A blanket curling around their shoulders. A tired but amused expression played upon their lips, as they watched a short bumbling figure almost collide with the tall imposing figure of Bella Lugosi.

The back of his chilly hand presses against his lips as he backs away from the scene.

Then the person watching the movie shifts, their head turns, looking up, their eyes widening as Mallory moves out of sight.

[1eaf-me-alone]

𝖀𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕸𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖔𝖊

This is my Secret Santa for @st6rly I hope you enjoy, have a great Christmas if you celebrate, if not happy holidays :)

Summary: In which you’re working in a coffee shop near Christmas Eve and Heizou wonders in to keep you company.

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None. 

length: 1.9k words. 

Other: modern au, reader works in coffee shop, the relationship between the reader and Heizou is established, Heizou is a criminology student, and both are in college/university, Gender-neutral reader

— — — — — — — —

The coffee shop was filled with an array of people overflowing onto the polished wooden tables which cascaded with chatter and laughter. 

Christmas decorations adorned the walls and golden tinsel had been carefully taped along the ceilings. A pretty garland of lush red berries and deep green holy hung below the counters and on top of the cakes. Mistletoe had been appended below the entrance door (an incentive for couples that were in a romantic mood.) A small green Christmas tree stood on the counter next to the till and was embellished with a variety of colourful quaint trinkets and baubles.

The fireplace, which had been lit to combat the unforgiving snowy weather was thriving in the heat of the fire, its ruby red flames licking the logs provided and enveloping anything in its path. Although wild and untamed, the fire still seemed to dance in a captivating manner. The bright yellows and oranges meandered with the reds creating a powerful hue which constantly changed and shifted in the light. 

In front of you, an arrangement of freshly baked cakes had just been deposited on the counters.  Warm gingerbread cookies, sea-salted gift-shaped caramel swirls and Christmas tree brownies decorated with white spiralling icing all lay in front of you.  The sweet and irresistible flavours of spiced cinnamon and aromatic chocolate wafted leisurely up your nose. 

You heard the bell of the front door jingle, indicating the entrance of a new customer, and being pulled back into reality, you looked up and saw a familiar-looking face. 

 A man with maroon hair tired loosely back in a ponytail, vibrant, emerald green eyes and the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth sauntered towards the counters. 

“May I have the spiced gingerbread latte?”

You raised your eyebrow “Suprised to see you here, I thought you had that assignment on the history of criminology to complete?” Veering around the counter, you stepped towards the espresso machine. 

Heizou nodded.

“I still need to start it, but I needed a break from the same environment and I wanted to visit you so I figured I could revise here.”

Swiftly measuring out and smoothing the dark coffee grinds in the portafilter, you tapped lightly on it and tamped by pressing into the espresso grounds. You apacely inserted the porta filler back into the machine and pressed the gauge button, watching as the previously dust-like coffee grinds transformed into liquid which poured and submerged into the latte glass. 

Laying his arm on the counter, Heizou quirked an eyebrow. “When does your shift end?”

Hearing his voice, You glanced up at him and sighed.

“Two hours, unfortunately.”

You quickly grabbed the milk from the mini fridge below the coffee machine, pouring it into the milk jug. Then you turned back towards the espresso machine with the milk in hand and pulled down on the steam arm into the jug. You watched as the jug replenished itself with steam which overflowed out of the container and floated torpidly up in the air. 

Heizou’s brows creased hearing your unenthusiastic response.

“You don’t seem too happy about this job.”

Wiping your hand with a handkerchief, you turned quickly back towards him. 

“Well, I need the money for university funds and bills.” 

You spun back towards the coffee cup adding the espresso first and mixing it with a bag of gingerbread flavouring into the mug. You began to pour the frothed milk into the coffee lowering the milk and steeping your angle to swirl it with the milk. Lastly, you grabbed the cinnamon shaker and tapped lightly onto it as the cinnamon sprinkled onto the coffee.

Tucking the loose strand of hair behind your ear and brushing off the coffee granules on your apron, you handed Heizou his coffee.

“A spiced gingerbread latte, hope you enjoy it.”

Heizou beamed, the dimples on his face revealing themselves.

“Why thank you.”

Hearing him say that, a warm smile spread across your face. However, you were quickly pulled away to attend the next person in line. In a momentary glance, you caught sight of Heizou and conveyed your regret with a subtle expression of "I'm busy" and "sorry" Heizou returned your silent apology with a reassuring nod and a mouthed "No worries.”

As you worked diligently, Heizou watched you with a grin that radiated pride. For a brief moment, you disappeared behind the counters, leaving Heizou to take in the coffee shop's ambience. He gazed at the glittering decorations, the colourful atmosphere, and the lights that hung from the ceiling. Holding his drink in hand, he scanned the wooden tables, searching for one that was unoccupied. When he found an empty table, he strolled over to it, pulled a sleek laptop from his bag, and settled into the chair.

I suppose I’ll have to start studying at some point.

Sipping his drink, he started to type.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Darkness had unbeknownst crept upon you. The sun had descended beyond the horizon; a blanket of darkness plummeted upon the sky. From the windows of the coffee shop, the world outside was hardly discernible - only the vague outlines of objects could be seen and deep shadows swooped the trees and buildings, smothering them in temporary darkness. The only sources of light were the newly lit street lamps which framed the snow-covered roads and the twinkling stars above, adorning the sky with speckled patterns.

Once a bustling hub of activity and laughter, the coffee shop now lay empty, save for one individual who remained seated, their laptop resting upon the table. The silence was only broken by the low hum of the coffee machine and the sound of fingers tapping away at the keyboard.

As the clock struck 7 pm, signalling the end of your shift, you carefully removed your work badge and placed it in your pocket. Dusting your hands off, you neatly folded your apron and set it down on the counter. You glanced around the nearly empty café and noticed that only Heizou remained. You smiled as you made your way over to him.

“Did you… wait for my shift to end?”

As soon as he heard the sound of your voice, he swiftly turned his face away from the screen and shifted his gaze towards you. His eyes met yours, and for a brief moment, everything else seemed to fade away.

“Mhm.”

He looked back up at you. And in a matter-of-fact tone, he commented“You look stunning today, by the way.”

Despite knowing Heizou for so long, you didn’t expect the sudden compliment and felt a sudden rush of heat from your ears. Instinctively, you pulled the strands of your hair down and tugged them over your ears. 

Gaining your composure, you smirked "Of course I’m stunning," you flipped your hair back with your hands. 

He closed his laptop lid promptly and slipped it into his bag. His eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief, and his lips curved into a smug smile.

“Are you…blushing?" his tone was laced with a sense of satisfaction and playfulness.

Immediately your masked confidence fell, and about to deny this allegation you opened your mouth to speak, but before you had a chance; Heizou pushed his chair back and stood up from the table  “It’s dark outside. We should probably head back to campus soon.”

You nodded.

“Let me put my jacket on.”

You reached for your jacket hanging on the back of your chair. You slipped your arms into the sleeves and pulled the jacket over your body. Hastily, you zipped it up to the top, ensuring that you were well-covered and protected from the chilly air and snow.

You glanced back at Heizou, a look of “I’m ready” in your eyes as he pulled out his hand for you to take. You accepted it and looked outside.

“Let’s go.”

As you both approached the door, you felt a sudden tug on your hand. Looking back, you noticed that Heizou had come to an abrupt halt, causing him to stop in his tracks.

You stared back at him, the words “What are you doing?” About to exit your mouth. You stopped.  He was looking up at the wooden frame of the door where the vibrant leaves of the mistletoe hung.

He looked back at you, a smile stretching upon his face.

“Would you like to kiss under the mistletoe?” his question was direct.

You glanced up at the mistletoe, then back at the man in front of you. His big green eyes glittered in the darkness, and a hopeful smile on his face.

You nodded. A soft smile radiated on your face.

Before you had time to react, Heizou leaned forward and embraced you. His heartbeat was thumping loudly against your own. His lips were feathery and cushioned they were smooth and soft and gentle. His hands clasped you and your heart throbbed faster, your head was buzzing, feeling your cheeks grow hot once more. With your eyes closed, you felt his mellow breath against yours, his hair lightly tickling your neck, his eyes half-lidded, eyelashes tickling your face. And then slowly, he stepped back, his face beaming and equally as red as yours.

For a moment, you both stood in silence. Not knowing what to say. The gentle sound of snow falling outside could be heard, accompanied by the temporary howling of the wind as it rustled the branches of the trees.

You looked back at him, with your cheeks still flushing red, and you rubbed the back of your neck. “We should really start heading to campus now, it’s getting late.”

“I agree.”

As you pushed the door of the cafe open, a harsh gust of wind slapped your face and penetrated through your skin, sending a sharp prick all over your body. Its icy fingers seemed to crawl into your bones, making you shudder. You quickly wrapped your coat tighter around your body in a desperate attempt to ward off the chill and find some warmth. "It's freezing out here," you shivered.

“Yes, but look up.” he tapped your shoulder, and gently, Heizou turned your head so you could see what he was pointing at.

The night sky was alive with falling snow, each flake gliding down as if performing a delicate dance amongst the stars. The snowflakes landed ever so softly, wrapping the the ground beneath in a blanket of pure white. The warm glow of the lamps along the path cast a shimmering light upon the snow, illuminating the way ahead. As you walked hand in hand with Heizou, gentle snowflakes landed gracefully upon your nose, eliciting a small laugh from you. Feeling his hand tighten around yours, you both continued your journey home, the snowflakes falling steadily around you like a serene, calming melody.

— — — —

After wandering for a while, you finally arrived at the campus. Heizou had stepped alongside you up the stairs to your dorm until the two of you reached it. You inserted the key into the lock and turned it, feeling a satisfying click as the door unlocked. As you pushed the door open, you turned back to face Heizou and offered him a soft, appreciative smile.

You reached out your hand and gently pulled him towards you, feeling the heat of his body against yours. As you leaned in, you pressed your lips softly against his cheek, savoring the comforting sensation that spread through your body. The moment was fleeting, and you pulled away just as quickly as you had drawn him in.

“Merry Christmas Heizou.”

He grinned.

“Merry Christmas.”

[victory-cookies]

bought more nail polish today. someone’s gotta stop me from doing this

[moralesmilesanhourlibrary]

pass a good time (pt. 1, 2, + 3)

summary: a new girl moves in from louisiana and has her eyes on a special someone. originally posted: oct. 19, 26, 2019 and june 16, 2023 (yikes) a/n: I may re-write this one day but that day is not today <3 as much fun as this was to write at the time i'm not super proud of it but whatever

pt. 1:

Adélaïde moved to Brooklyn from New Orleans about a week ago, and started school at Visions Academy. To be quite honest, she was only impressed with the building for about a day. The polished walls, colorful quotes, and escalators were cute, but it was all for show, anyways. Most of her friends weren’t there to “give the place some seasoning”, as they used to say. Maya was the only friend Addie had at Visions.

The eight classes she had every day were a blur, except one: physics. Addie’s mom was a physicist, and taught her everything she knew. Addie wanted to decipher how the world moved; how time flowed, and how people got pulled around. That’s the best she could describe it. There was one other thing that made physics special, though: the boy that sat in the third row, three seats from the left.

For the life of her, Addie couldn’t catch his name. Teacher spoke it too fast. The boy’s hand confidently shot up every class, loaded up with a smile and a right answer. She wanted to talk with him for hours about the multiverse and relativity so he could flash that little smile at her, just once. But alas, Addie only had that one class with him, and his locker was nowhere near here, that was for sure.

“Girl, go talk to him!”

“How? I don’t even know where he be at!”

Addie was doing her usual monologue on how fine “the boy in my physics class” was, and Maya had had enough. “I have like, most of my classes with him. Name’s Morales, or something like that.” The brown-skinned girl shook her head. “He always be sleepin’ in class, but somehow he got all As. I feel like he cheats.” Addie gasped.

“But that boy seems so nice! Can you talk to him for me, please?” The girl pouted at her friend. “Nope,” Maya stood firm. “You can talk to him yourself”. She glanced behind her, and sure enough, there was Morales. Addie tensed as Maya’s eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Aye Morales!”

Addie’s eyes widened as the Morales in question approached the table. He practically slid into a seat at the table. Right next to Addie.

Her heart was suddenly in her throat as Maya introduced him.

“My friend thinks you cute”-

“She’s lying,” Addie interrupted. “I’m Adelaide.” Taking a deep breath, she mustered a grin, trying her best to look the boy in his face. “Um, I-I saw how much you knew about, you know, physics and stuff. I’m just tryna talk.” Real smooth. Addie winced internally at her awkwardness.

To her surprise and delight, the boy’s face lit up. “It’s all good, I’m Miles. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Finally. So he’d been waiting…? A little more comfortable now, Addie continued, “I’m kinda new here. From New Orleans, actually.” Miles noted the way she pronounced ‘New Orleans’ like 'Nawlins’ and grinned.

Chuckling, he asked, “So, how you like Brooklyn?” Addie’s cheeks heated up, and she thanked the Lord her gingerbread skin kept Miles from noticing. “It’s real fast out here. Beautiful buildings, but it’s a lil’ noisy, y'know?” Miles nodded thoughtfully. “Alotta people from the South say the city’s too fast. It’s interesting. Maybe time moves different down there. Time is relative.” He winked after making the physics joke, making Addie feel like she wouldn’t be able to get up from her seat after the lunch period ended.

Like clockwork, the bell rang, and students began packing their things to go. Maya grinned at her friend knowingly, having watched the conversation unfold. As Addie zipped up her bag, Miles stopped behind her.

“Hey,” he began, “It was nice talking to you. I never hear you speak in physics.” At a loss for words, Addie could only nod her head. Miles inched a little closer. “I like your accent,” he almost-whispered. Cheekily mimicking the girl’s cadence, Miles called out, “see ya 'round, N'awlins!” as he left.

pt. 2:

Addie had been staring at her phone for five minutes now at the notification.

'Adelaide has an updated grade of a B (89%) in Spanish I'.

Addie sucked in a breath. A 'B'? That was the best she could do? The girl had an A or higher in every other class and that 'B' was really fucking up her vibe. Addie had to do something. There was a quiz in exactly 3 days; that was her chance. She found Maya the next day at breakfast.

"Maya, how you feel about Spanish?"

Flippantly, Addie's friend replied, "I got a C in that class. Not too fond of Spanish." Addie groaned and slumped in her seat. Failed quizzes were no joke. She could barely stomach a B, let alone a C. "I can't fail this class, Maya. Help ya girl out?"

Sighing, Maya thought for a second. A smirk appeared on the girl's face.

"Miles speaks Spani--"

"Now you stop right there!" Addie sharply interrupted. Exasperated, Maya retorted, "What is it with you and avoiding this boy? You want good grades, don't you? That 4.0 GPA?" Addie knew she was right. Why'd she have to be right...?

Still, Addie refused. Instead, the girl opted for flashcards on Quizlet, and they helped. A little. The night before the quiz, it'd slipped Addie's mind to look at Quizlet a second time, though. Big mistake.

Addie sat stiffly at her desk, brows furrowed at the piece of paper in front of her. '¿Que día es ante miércoles?' Addie had all but forgotten the days of the week.

At some point, the teacher announced, "Treinta segundos!" Thirty seconds. Shit. Addie started randomly filling in the answer sheet and hoped for the best. Sooner or later, time was up. She sighed in resignation.

The next day, Addie almost fainted at her updated Spanish grade. Yup, she had a C. For fear of getting an 'I told you so' speech from Maya, Addie said nothing.

"I dunno, I think Mr. Edwards would be more of a scammer," Addie was explaining. "What about Coach Morris?"

"Yeah, he definitely killed somebody." The two girls burst into a fit of laughter at the lunch table. A voice called out from behind, "What's all this about killing people?" Maya and Adelaide looked up to see Miles, having just walked in and approaching a seat next to Maya.

"We was talking about which teachers got a criminal record," Maya answered. "Whatchu think?" Miles thought about it. "I think Ms. Morreira kinda"-- Miles makes a hand motion as if smoking a cigarette--"if you know what I mean?" Maya snickered, but Addie straight up cackled, earning her a few weird glances from passersby, at which she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. Real awkward. Thankfully, no one really noticed, and kept the jokes going.

Maya chimed in again, "I really do think she be coming to class high sometimes, though!" Imitating the woman's drawl, Maya and Miles said in unison, "Vien-te se-gun-dos!"

While the other two had their fun, Addie stayed relatively quiet, gaze drifting toward Miles and his boisterous laugh. What if she told a bad joke? Actually speaking was too much of a risk, in her mind.

"Oh yeah, speaking of Spanish," Maya starts, "Did you do good on that quiz?" Miles boasts, "I got a 100. Nothin' new." Addie saw her chance. "Could you help me study? My grades look ugly right now and I was told you speak a lil Spanish." The boy grinned and nodded, to Addie's relief.

Miles reached into his pocket for a pen and scratched out something on a napkin, handing it to Addie. She had to keep her eyes from becoming saucers as she realized the digits hastily written on the napkin were a phone number. His phone number! "Thanks," Addie squeaked, as the bell rang. She'd never entered a new contact into her phone so fast.

pt. 3:

Addy’s thumb hovered over Miles’ contact as she sat in front of her chromebook, bleary-eyed. She’d gotten Miles’ number (or rather, Maya had gotten it for her) after Addy had gotten a ‘C’ on her last Spanish quiz and nearly fainted.

 The empty PowerPoint presentation woefully would not complete itself. The assignment should’ve been simple: discuss three dishes from your Spanish-speaking country of choice. She had chosen Puerto Rico, easy, right?

‘Easy’, until it was 11:55 pm, 24 hours before the shit was due. Desperate times, desperate measures.

Adelaide, 11:56pm: hey, sorry to bother you so late! I’m struggling bad w this Spanish assignment and I was wondering if you could help?

Miles, 12am: hey addy 

I gotchu right now gimme a second

Addy nearly jumped as a FaceTime call from Miles lit up her screen not moments later, ripping off her bonnet with a speed that could cause whiplash. She sat up in her bed as straight as she could, fumbling for her glasses as she accepted the call.