#Wedding Bands Canada

[wjdexclusives]

Discover the Allure of WJD Exclusives: Your Go-To Jewelry Destination in the USA, Now Serving Canada

https://www.wjdexclusives.com/blog/discover-the-allure-of-wjd-exclusives-your-go-to-jewelry-destination-in-the-usa-now-serving-canada/

Discover the Allure of WJD Exclusives: Your Go-To Jewelry Destination in the USA, Now Serving Canada

In the heart of New York City lies a treasure trove of craftsmanship, quality, and unparalleled value—WJD Exclusives. We are a beacon of luxury for jewelry enthusiasts, a place where the discerning Canadian shopper finds not just a piece of jewelry, but a testament to excellence. Our Canadian customers rave about our competitive prices, swift shipping, and the convenience of shopping with a neighbor. After all, there's a unique comfort in proximity, especially when it's paired with WJD's commitment to exceed expectations.

A Sterling Relationship with Our Canadian Neighbors

We understand that for our Canadian customers, the magic of fine jewelry is magnified by the ease of purchase and delivery. It's why WJD Exclusives has fine-tuned the shopping experience to ensure that every step, from browsing to unboxing, is seamless and satisfying. With us right next door, Canadians can enjoy rapid shipping that makes the international border seem like a mere formality.

Unmatched Prices That Shine Just Like Our Jewelry

Affordability is key to the WJD experience. We believe that luxury should not be elusive, and it's this belief that has endeared us to our customers in Canada. Our pricing doesn't just compete; it leads, ensuring that every budget finds its match without compromising on quality or design.

Speedy Delivery That's as Reliable as It Is Quick

Time is precious, and so is the anticipation of waiting for your new favorite piece of jewelry. We value your excitement and your time, which is why we've optimized our shipping processes to offer fast delivery to Canada. It's our way of ensuring that the joy of your purchase is not dimmed by delay.

Here's Why Canadian Customers Choose WJD Exclusives:

Price Point Perfection: We've struck the perfect balance between quality and affordability.

Proximity Advantage: Located in the USA, we're just a stone's throw away from our Canadian patrons.

Swift Shipping: Our logistics are primed for speed, making quick deliveries across the border a standard practice.

Engage with WJD Exclusives

We invite our Canadian customers to explore our extensive collection at WJD Exclusives. Our range of engagement rings, wedding bands, bracelets, earrings, and more are curated to cater to your exquisite taste. If you have questions or need assistance, our customer service team is as quick and reliable as our shipping—call us at 1.888.88-JEWELRY.

At WJD Exclusives, it's not just about making a sale—it's about forging lasting relationships built on trust, quality, and satisfaction. Experience the luxury of fine jewelry with the convenience you deserve. After all, when it comes to adorning your life with beauty, why wait?

[diamondvishwa01]

Shop Loose Lab Grown & Moissanite Diamond Bands for Wedding Online in Canada

Canada, September 2024 — diamondvishwa.com, a leading name in online diamond jewelry, is excited to unveil its latest collection of Loose Lab Grown and Moissanite Diamond Wedding Bands available for purchase across Canada. The collection reflects the modern couple’s desire for sustainable, ethical, and beautiful wedding jewelry that stands the test of time.

Ethical Elegance with Lab Grown Diamond Bands

Lab grown diamonds are fast becoming the preferred choice for wedding jewelry, offering all the brilliance of traditionally mined diamonds while being more environmentally responsible and ethically sourced. diamondvishwa.com’s selection of Lab Grown Diamond Wedding Bands showcases an array of designs from minimalistic styles to intricate patterns, all crafted with care and precision. These bands symbolize eternal love while aligning with modern sustainability values.

"Our customers are increasingly looking for ways to make conscious choices when it comes to wedding jewelry," said a spokesperson for diamondvishwa.com. "Our lab grown diamonds provide the perfect combination of ethical sourcing and luxurious design, making them ideal for couples who value both style and sustainability."

Moissanite Diamond Bands: Affordable Brilliance

Moissanite, known for its dazzling sparkle and hardness, offers an affordable alternative to natural diamonds without compromising on appearance or quality. diamondvishwa.com’s collection of Moissanite Diamond Wedding Bands is designed to cater to couples who want stunningly beautiful rings at a fraction of the cost of traditional diamond jewelry.

Each moissanite band radiates the same brilliance and fire as a mined diamond, making it a smart and elegant choice for couples who want to celebrate their love with a unique and ethically sourced gemstone.

Why Choose diamondvishwa.com for Your Wedding Bands?

Ethically Sourced Materials: All diamonds, whether lab grown or moissanite, are produced using sustainable methods that avoid the ethical concerns of traditional diamond mining. Diverse Selection: From simple, elegant bands to intricate designs, the collection offers a wide variety of options for every couple’s unique taste. Affordability Without Compromise: Both lab grown diamonds and moissanite bands offer exceptional value, allowing couples to invest in quality jewelry at more accessible price points. A Seamless Shopping Experience

With diamondvishwa.com, Canadian customers can enjoy a seamless online shopping experience, complete with detailed product descriptions, high-resolution images, and secure payment options. Fast shipping and dedicated customer support ensure that purchasing the perfect wedding band is stress-free and enjoyable.

About diamondvishwa.com

diamondvishwa.com is Canada’s premier online retailer for lab grown and moissanite diamond jewelry. Specializing in engagement rings, wedding bands, and other fine jewelry, the company is dedicated to providing high-quality, ethically sourced pieces that celebrate love in a sustainable and meaningful way. With a focus on affordability, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction, diamondvishwa.com has become a trusted name for couples across the country.

For more information or to explore the latest collection, visit www.diamondvishwa.com.

Media Contact: Diamond Vishwa Customer Support Email: customercare@diamondvishwa.com Phone: (250) 667-4943 Website: www.diamondvishwa.com

[gwbands]

Different Styles and Designs of Wedding Rings

Wedding rings, symbolizing enduring love and commitment, have played a pivotal role in matrimonial ceremonies across centuries. These bands epitomize the eternal promise of love, forging an unbreakable connection between two souls. The realm of wedding rings is extensive and varied, encompassing a rich tapestry of styles and designs. From classic to contemporary, from culturally inspired to bespoke creations, each ring narrates a tale of love, devotion, and individuality.

Traditional Designs

Traditional wedding ring designs have stood the test of time, embodying elegance and symbolizing enduring love. Consider, for instance, the Classic Solitaire: This timeless design showcases a single diamond gracing the band, making it a popular choice for wedding rings Canada. It's a representation of love's utmost purity.

Then we have the Eternity Band: It's adorned with a continuous line of identically cut gemstones, typically diamonds, encircling the entire ring. It symbolizes an unending love story that resonates with couples seeking beautiful wedding rings in Canada. The Three-Stone Ring is another classic choice. It highlights a central gemstone flanked by two others, embodying the past, present, and future of a couple's journey with their wedding rings in Canada.

Custom Creations

Delving into the world of custom-designed wedding rings unveils a realm of boundless possibilities. When it comes to fashioning distinctive pieces that resonate with the unique love stories of couples, the journey commences with a blank canvas, offering a level of personalization and creativity that standard designs cannot match.

Custom Designs Revealed

For those who seek singular expressions of love, the path often begins in collaboration with a skilled jeweler or designer. This journey allows couples to create bespoke wedding rings that encapsulate their one-of-a-kind connection, including options like mens rose gold wedding bands.

The Creative Journey

Crafting custom rings entails a labor of love from inception to completion. Couples embark on a creative odyssey, hand-picking materials, gemstones, and designs that mirror their individuality. This intricate custom wedding ring process, which also extends to men's rose gold wedding bands, fosters a profound connection to the symbol of their commitment.

Personalized Significance

The advantages of custom-designed wedding rings reach far beyond aesthetics. Every facet, from the selection of metals to the inscriptions, carries deep personal significance. It is a testament to love, a unique declaration that stands out in a world saturated with ready-made alternatives.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

ABBA - Waterloo 1974

"Waterloo" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA, with music composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and lyrics written by Stikkan Anderson. It is first single of the group's second studio album of the same name, and their first under the Atlantic label in the US. This was also the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA. The title and lyrics reference the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, and use it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship.

In 1974, "Waterloo" represented Sweden in the 19th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Brighton, winning the contest and beginning ABBA's path to worldwide fame. The song differed from the standard "dramatic ballad" tradition at the contest by its flavour and rhythm, as well as by its performance. ABBA gave the audience something that had rarely been seen before in Eurovision: flashy costumes (including silver platform boots), a catchy uptempo song and simple choreography. It was the first winning entry in a language other than that of their home country; prior to 1973, all Eurovision singers had been required to sing in their country's native tongue, a restriction that was lifted briefly for the contests between 1973 and 1976 (thus allowing "Waterloo" to be sung in English), then reinstated before ultimately being removed again in 1999. Watch the performance in Swedish here. Sveriges Radio released a promo video for "Waterloo" that was directed by film director Lasse Hallström, whose first notable English-language film success was What's Eating Gilbert Grape in 1993. ABBA recorded the German and French versions of "Waterloo" in March and April 1974; the French version was adapted by Alain Boublil, who would later go on to co-write the 1980 musical Les Misérables.

The song shot to number 1 in the UK and stayed there for two weeks, becoming the first of the band's nine UK number 1's, and the 16th biggest selling single of the year in the UK. It also topped the charts in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland, while reaching the Top 3 in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. Unlike other Eurovision-winning tunes, the song's appeal transcended Europe: "Waterloo" also topped the charts in South Africa, and reached the Top 10 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Rhodesia, and the US (peaking at number 6, their third-highest-charting US hit after number 1 "Dancing Queen" and number 3 "Take a Chance on Me"). In 2005, at Eurovision fiftieth anniversary competition Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, "Waterloo" was chosen as the best song in the contest's history.

"Waterloo" is featured in the encore of the musical Mamma Mia!. The song does not have a context or a meaning. It is just performed as a musical number in which members of the audience are encouraged to get up off their seats and sing, dance and clap along. The song is performed by the cast over the closing credits of the film Mamma Mia!, but is not featured on the official soundtrack. It is also performed as part of the story in the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, by Hugh Skinner and Lily James.

The Australian film Muriel's Wedding (1994), features "Waterloo" in a pivotal scene in which lead Toni Collette bonds with the character played by Rachel Griffiths. The film's soundtrack, featuring five ABBA tracks, is widely regarded as having helped to fuel the revival of popular interest in ABBA's music in the mid-1990s. "Waterloo" features prominently in the 2015 science-fiction film The Martian. The song plays as the film's lead, played by Matt Damon, works to ready his launch vehicle for a last-chance escape from Mars. In "Mother Simpson", the eighth episode of the seventh season of The Simpsons, Mr. Burns plays "Ride of the Valkyries" from a tank about to storm the Simpson home, but the song is cut-off and "Waterloo" is played, to which Smithers apologizes, advising he "must have accidentally taped over that".

"Waterloo" received a total of 89% yes votes!

(the video is posted by ABBA's own account, not Eurovision's = safe to watch)

[lilghostiequinni]

Crazy Coincidences

Main Masterlist Norlestappen Masterlist

Pairing: Mother! Fashion designer!female reader x Lando Norris x Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen

Warnings: Fluffy,

Summary: You are a designer who hasn't been seen publicly for 5 years, but you still have designs coming out and fashion shows going. No one expects you to return with a baby, let alone 3 other children and a wedding band on your finger. But what no one really expected was for you to return at a Formula Grand Prix.

Requested: NO / yes

There was a rumor that you were seen in the Mclaren garage at Spa.

Before that, it was rumored you were at Mclaren garage in Silverstone.

Rumors of you being at Red Bull for Canada.

Ferrari at Monaco.

Mclaren at Miami.

But it was never confirmed by any garage or person whether it was true.

After the Formula One summer break, you are seen with 4 kids walking into the McLaren garage.

That is the only time you are seen, but someone got a picture as you looked in their direction and were able to get a photo, confirming it was you.

The next day, people are celebrating Lando's second F1 win, but also people are deep-diving into the photo of you.

Many point out that you had a wedding ring on your finger and that even though you didn't know of the photo, you still had the baby in your arms shielded from the public.

Many wonder why you are at a Formula One event as you have never expressed interest in the sport before.

When you are seen walking into the Red Bull garage at the Italian GP with Lando and Charles following behind you, speculations arise as to why.

After the Italian GP, during post-race interviews, Lando and Charles are asked why they are with you, and Max and Checo are asked who you went to see in Red Bull.

Lando and Charles just said that they were helping you and Max and Checo told that you went to see Max.

It wasn't until Singapore that you were seen again, this time with all three drivers, Lando, Max, and Charles, with all four kids.

The oldest is around 5, the next is around 4, and the last is around 2, with the baby looking to be only a few months old.

You were nodding at something Lando said, and his eyes were lit up with adoration.

Lando, Max, and Charles are on the podium together again, and the three are all together when an interviewer catches up with them, asking about you.

The three look at each other, and then Lando goes to the interviewer to answer, "She's our wife, and those are our kids."

Max says, "We didn't feel the need to let everyone know about our personal lives and didn't want to subject our kids to the media so young."

Charles answers with, "We love our fans, but we also love her and out children, and we didn't want the world criticizing our decisions in our life about her."

A/N: Tied for first in this poll

Tags: @poppyflower-22 @samantha-chicago @barcelonaloverf1life @tallrock35 @ellen3101 @llando4norris @mcmuppet @issi-loves-dannyric @hellothere9597

If you want to be removed from a tag list, let me know so I don't keep tagging you. If you are striked through, I don't know if you want to be tagged, but just let me know if you want me to continue or stop

[music-orthemisery]

Pre-Folie Release Madness of (p)2- A Timeline

After spending a few days in cuckoo bananas world thanks to the video re: Patrick's best man speech, @grandtreeangel and I have some things to slide across the table.

Between October 19, 2008 and November 7th, 2008, FOB played a series of shows leading up to the release of Folie a Deux. Each show featured a Pete/Patrick banter moment that, when put together, creates a very...interesting narrative.

October 19th - Birmingham, England show

Pete making a Top Gun reference to the $20 bar bet scene while Patrick plays the Top Gun theme song.

The scene in question: "Total carnal knowledge...of a woman this time, on the premises"

October 22nd - London, England show

First live performance of Patrick's "Love Lockdown" cover

Please see @grandtreeangel’s post HERE for more context on this totally normal thing Patrick did.

October 25th - Lille, France show

OG "my little cabbage" moment Pete, in French, says to Patrick, "You are beautiful, my little cabbage."

October 27th OR 28th - Blog post

Pete posts this on his Tumblr . It says 10/27, but there's some disagreement on time zones so it may be 10/28. EITHER WAY...

Originally, this linked to a clip from the movie Love, Actually. In this scene, a man confesses his love to a woman who is married to his best friend.

There's plenty of debate about this movie, scene, and storyline in general, but we aren't here for that right now!!!

Let's just focus on the facts:

Woman. Married. To BEST FRIEND.

The man was the best man AND the videographer at the wedding.

This whole moment is done secretly. He confesses, they kiss, she goes back inside and tells her husband it was just some carolers.

In general, this whole story arc is ripe with longing and unattainable love due to a marriage keeping the man from being with the woman.

I...wonder what this sounds like...

October 28th - Toronto, Canada show

Love Lockdown cover where Patrick says, "That's for you, Pete."

Again, Patrick being very normal!!!

October 29th - Blog Post

Pete contributes an entry to Bill's "Mondayeyes" poetry club on friendsorenemies.com:

Credit to @alphadog's post for this HERE

The entire poem is quite impactful, but a few lines of interest:

"Where do you get off?" or more like "how"

and...

"You chose this"

When Pete uses quotes, it's noted that this indicates things that have been said to him.

There are scents and spells that keep us coming together, there are sparks that keep us forever

The art of keeping up disappearances

Also, big hello to some Rat-A-Tat lyrics

Whenever I could make the sweat roll backwards and your pulse stream in reverse

(Big thank you to @dykeandyhurley for sending this to me)

November 6th - Boston, MA show

Pete shares the story about Patrick's best man speech.

Huge props to @predoom for finding this moment!

If you haven't seen Top Gun (?!), the context here is very important:

The line "Ice, fire, or clear," is said in the scene where Goose dies.

Scene: "Ice, Fire or Clear!"

Also, it should be noted that, to Pete, he is Goose and Patrick is Maverick.

The fact that Patrick picks this quote to say to Pete...in his best man speech...at PETE'S WEDDING. A quote said when Maverick LOSES Goose.

AND...apparently no one else in the reception quite...get's it. Pete is the only one who does. That line was just for Pete. From Patrick.

Of all the lines in that movie, he picks that one, from that moment.

Then, of course...

We have "The Kids Aren't Alright."

Featuring the lyrics:

Stuck in the jet wash Bad trip I couldn't get off And maybe I bit off more than I could chew And overhead of the aqua blue

Along with Pete's annotation:

November 7th - Philadelphia, PA show

Patrick sings Lullabye.

Take a peek at this post for all of that mess.

"Well, Bronx was about to be born!"

Sure, sure. I'm not DENYING the relevance there. Just. Go look at the post, damn it. Trust me.

And then...?

Nothing. They take a break, Bronx is born, and then they play a show in Columbus, OH on December 1, 2008. This whole little back and forth ends. Folie a Deux is released on December 10th and...well...we all know what happens after that.

[skyeet-the-writer]

The One With the Girl from Canada

while im cleaning out my drafts, here's something from a few months ago. i really like this and i've written and are currently writing some more little chapters, so be on the lookout for them!! this is also posted on my ao3 if you want to go read it there too :) chandler bing x female!reader summary: new york city is a big place for a girl who lived in canada her entire life, but you manage. one afternoon, while getting some work done in a cozy coffee shop, a very handsome brunette asks to sit beside you. who are you to tell him no? word count: ~2.3k warnings: none i don't think lmao that never happens next>

Central Perk is a special spot for Chandler Bing. That's where he talks with his friends, it's where they all relax, it's where he met Rachel just a couple of months ago, coming in wearing a wedding dress and looking highly frazzled. It's got a nice, calming atmosphere, pretty good coffee, and the absolute best spot in all of Manhattan.

The area with the couch is where he and his friends always sit. Sometimes he feels bad for taking it, but nobody seems to mind, ever. And so he always sits there, usually on the couch when it is available.

When he walked into Central Perk one afternoon after work, he just wanted to grab a coffee and wait for the rest of his friends to show up eventually. He didn't expect there to be anyone there, no one ever was at this time on a Thursday.

But then he saw someone sitting in his spot.

Normally, he would have been upset, probably ask them to leave, nicely, of course, and pray to God that they left because he hates confrontation.

However, the person sitting in his spot was probably the most beautiful person he had ever seen. She looked like she had been there for a few hours, at least, because there was an empty plate with crumbs on it and a large mug drained, both sitting on the coffee table her feet were propped up on.

For a moment, Chandler stood at the counter and stared at her like some kind of creep. He had never seen her around and he knew he'd remember if he did. She wore gray jeans rolled up at the ankles to show off her colorful socks underneath a pair of black and white Converses. As his eyes traveled up her frame, he saw her wearing some kind of band tee and a tiny, silver necklace around her neck. She seemed to be writing something and, from what Chandler could tell, she seemed to be deep into thought. Her pencil scratched across the notebook and every so often, she would pause and read over it before promptly erasing something and writing once more.

He heard his name being said and turned around to see Guther holding out a coffee cup to him.

"Oh, thanks, Gunther," he told the worker, taking the coffee from him.

Chandler had never been good at talking to girls and more often than not chickened out on the opportunity to do so. But he didn't want to chicken out on talking to you.

And so, with confidence, he walked over to the area he always sat at and stood just beside the couch, next to your arm that was leaning on the armrest.

Before now, he didn't notice the headphones around your ears and the Walkman that sat beside you, but when he clears his throat and you don't react, he understands why. And so, again and a little bit louder, he clears his throat, gently tapping on your shoulder.

Your eyes tear away from the page in your lap at the touch of another person and you whip your head up to see a man standing beside you, looking at you with a smile. Perhaps too loudly, you exclaim, "Oh, shit, sorry!" and hastily pause your music and let the headphones rest around your neck. You blink up at the man and ask, "Yes?"

"I, uh." Chandler swallows thickly because even your voice is one from a dream. "You're, uh, kind of in my spot."

With a mischievous smile, you turn around in your seat like you're looking for something. "Oh, word? I don't see your name on it."

And then you smile at him snarkily and Chandler forgets how to breathe. But then he laughs, a bit awkwardly. Your sarcastic grin fades into a true one and you add, "Don't worry, I'll move."

When you start to gather your things, Chandler is quick to put a stop to it. He doesn't want you to move, not now, not ever. Not when he's just started to talk to you. "No, no, you're fine, I'm just kidding."

You stop your movements and look up at him. "Oh, alright. You can sit next to me, though."

Chandler doesn't have to be told twice. He sits beside you on the opposite side of the couch and takes a drink of his coffee like that will do anything to cure his jitters.

"What's your name?" you ask him, setting your notebook in your lap for just a moment. You wonder if he wants to have a conversation, but not many people in New York do.

He answers, "Chandler."

"Nice to meet you, Chandler. I'm y/n."

God, even your name sounds like something from a song.

"It's nice to meet you, too, y/n." He takes notice of the notebook in your lap and feels the urge to ask, "Mind if I ask what you're writing?"

With another grin, you say, "What if I did?"

Chandler can only wonder if your smile is contagious because he feels his lips curl upwards. "I mean, I'd still ask. I'm nosey."

You laugh and tilt your notebook for him to read. "It's a screenplay I'm writing."

Chandler's eyes widen. "You're a screenwriter? What, you make movies and stuff?"

"I wish." You scoff and feel a slight heat rise to your cheeks. "No, I write stories for movies and stuff. At least, I try."

"Is it not going so well?"

You shrug. "I don't know. Some studio called me up a few months ago, said they liked the idea I submitted and gave me a few months to come up with a first draft. And I've got two more weeks to finish it, so we'll see."

"I'm sure it's great," Chandler says and he means it. He can't write for shit, but something about you seems so...creative and special. "Even if I just met you."

You laugh again and close the notebook, stashing it away in the tote bag that rests on the floor. "Thanks, really."

"Of course." When you turn your body to face him, he sees what band is on your shirt and, even though he knows who it is, he asks, "What band is that?"

When he points to your chest, you look down and answer, "Oh, Nirvana."

"Oh, my God, I love them!"

"Really?" Your face breaks into a grin and you lean forwards a little. "What's your favorite song."

"'Heart-Shaped Box'," he says.

"Oh, that's good. I like 'Come As You Are'."

Soon, the conversation seems to flow quite naturally between the pair of you. He tells you about his boring job, something with a bunch of numbers and nothing exciting. You both compare bands and he realizes you're much more into rock and alternative works, but he guessed that the second he saw the leather jacket that rests beside you.

Joey is the first to arrive. Chandler glances up at the door when he hears the bell above it jingle and sees his roommate falter at the sight of you. You're not looking, rummaging through your tote bag for something and Chandler's eyes widen at the sight of the other person. If Joey flirts with you, Chandler will kill him.

Joey, clearly not catching on to Chandler's look from across the cafe, sees you and smirks, walking over.

"Hey, Chandler," he greets but doesn't look at his friend, eyes settling on you. "Who's, uh, your friend?"

You turn up at the sound of another person and spot the Italian-American smiling at you. You smile back and say, "I'm y/n."

"How you doin'?" Joey smirks and sits himself down on the high stool beside you. "I'm Joey."

"Hi, Joey," you reply, glancing at Chandler who quickly wipes the glare from his face and smiles at you. "You guys know each other?"

"We're roommates," he answers, motioning at his friend who is still staring at you.

You blink and shift in your seat. "Oh."

"I like your shirt," Joey says.

"You like Nirvana, too?" Your face brightens and Chandler almost melts.

But then his roommate says, "Who?"

And that look on your face is gone. Your smile falls and you look away back into your tote, mumbling, "Never mind."

Chandler meets his friend's eyes and shakes his head twice, brows furrowed. Joey always gets the girl. Chandler deserves to hope, at least.

You pull out a packet of gum and open it. You take a piece out and unwrap it before offering one to Chandler. He smiles and takes it, popping it in his mouth and shoving the wrapper in his pocket.

"Want some gum?" you ask the other man with darker and messier hair.

He takes one and thanks you. You return it with a grin and put the gum back in your tote, on top of your notebook.

Joey says your name and you look at him. "So, you live around here?"

You nod. "Yeah, I live in Hell's Kitchen."

"Oh, cool, cool. How long have you lived here? You grew up in New York?"

Immediately, you shake your head. "Oh, no, no, I didn't grow up here."

"Where'd you grow up?" Chandler asks, tilting his head

"Winnipeg," you answer, biting back a smile.

Chandler's brows furrow and Joey asks, "Where's that?"

"Manitoba." Your straight cracks a bit and you try to fight the smile that wants to paint itself across your lips.

Joey looks lost and asks again, "...Where's that?"

"Canada," you tell him, fully grinning now.

Joey gasps and Chandler tries not to roll his eyes. He figured it out when you said Manitoba. He says, "You're from Canada?"

You nod, turning your head to look at him. "Yep."

"Do you speak French?" Joey asks, touching your arm, clearly already friendly with you.

Turning to him, you answer, "Non."

Chandler laughs and you giggle, crossing one leg over the other.

"I speak Italian," Joey says.

You raise a brow. "Yeah?"

He nods and leans forward in his chair, smirking. "Sei bellissima."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're beautiful," he answers, voice a little lower than it was before.

Some heat rushes up your neck and you look away at your lap. "Oh."

Chandler glares at his friend, but Joey doesn't catch it.

Thankfully, before Chandler reaches over you to choke Joey, the bell dings and he glances at the door. Monica, Ross, Phoebe, and Rachel are walking in and while the rest of his friends make their way over, Rachel immediately goes to clock in for her shift.

They walk over and greet the other two and Phoebe is the first to address you. "Oh, wow, you're pretty."

You laugh out loud, blushing even harder at the compliment from a woman, touching your necklace. "Thank you. I like your skirt."

Phoebe giggles and swishes her skirt. "Thanks."

"This is y/n," Chandler introduces you to his friends.

"Hey." You lift your hand in a wave of sorts, feeling like you're butting in on their group. You should leave, but in a minute. You don't want to be rude.

Chandler's friends introduce themselves--Ross, Monica, and Phoebe, you repeat their names in your head to remember better--and then he gestures towards the coffee bar. "And the girl over there is Rachel."

"It's nice to meet you guys," you say politely, squeezing your hands in your lap.

"You too." Monica smiles. "I love your shirt, by the way."

"Thanks." You grin, basking in all the compliments.

Ross looks at Monica and asks, "You listen to Nirvana?"

Monica fixes him with a look. "Yes, because I'm cooler than you."

You chuckle at their interaction when Joey suddenly blurts out, "Ask her where she's from!"

You giggle at the man's antics and look at the others.

Ross smiles and asks, "Alright. Where are you from?"

"Winnipeg," you reply, still smiling. Chandler thinks he's going to swoon.

Monica is the first to figure it out. "You live in Canada?"

You nod. "I mean, I used to. I moved to Hell's Kitchen a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh, my god, so you just moved here," Chandler says.

"Why did you move all the way from Canada down to here?" Ross wonders.

"I'm a screenwriter and ended up getting a job down here," you answer. "Besides, Canada is boring, so I was looking for a change of scenery."

"Well, how do you like it here so far?" Phoebe asks.

You shrug. "It's pretty nice. A little colder, somehow, but I like it. There are a lot more people and a lot more things to do and see. I lived in Winnipeg my entire life so I kind of felt like I saw everything."

"I've always wanted to go to Canada," Rachel says, coming to hand out coffee.

You smile. "It's nice. Alberta is really pretty."

Mustering up some courage, Chandler says, "Hey, if you ever need someone to show you around the city, I'll be happy to help you."

And then you look at him and grin, nodding. "That'd be sick."

He feels heat start to creep up his cheeks, and he smiles back. "Awesome."

You look at the time on the clock and say, "I've got to head out, but it was great to meet you guys."

"Yeah, you too!" Monica says.

Taking a Post-it note from your bag, you write down your number and hand it to Chandler. He takes it and tries not to stare at it too hard. "Hope to catch you guys later."

Chandler's friends wave to you and you walk out the door, shrugging your jacket on before walking off. Chandler stares at the window for several seconds after you're gone and only snaps out of it when Monica says something.

"Chandler, how the hell did you get her number?"

He shrugs, looks at the bright blue Post-it note, and reads it.

here :) (xxx-xxx-xxxx)

He smiles and puts it in his pocket, trying to ignore the looks his friends are giving him. You're very cool and very pretty and Chandler can't wait to see you again.

[ihni]

A moment in the rain

My last fill for @harringrovesummerbingo, square C3, prompt: "Wedding party ruined by a thunderstorm"

5,3K, general audiences, no warnings.

Summary:

Billy and Steve are at a wedding, when there's a sudden downpour. While the other guests scramble to run inside, the boys both decide to escape the rain under the same gazebo.

(On AO3 here)

Fic under the cut:

With about a hundred guests, the whole backyard decked out in flowers and decorations, a band playing live music and enough food to feed twice the number of attendants, it was a surprisingly grandiose wedding for a couple roughly a year out of high school, even if their families happened to be upper middle-class. But if one scratched the surface a little, one could see that there had been attempts at reducing the costs, and perhaps not everything was as fancy as it looked at first glance. The tablecloths were old sheets, the glasses and plates didn’t match from one table to the next, and the flowers – except for the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere – were mostly wildflowers and picked locally. Besides this, Steve recognized the wait staff as mostly teens from the neighborhood, and the guitarist in the band was Tommy’s older cousin from Canada. Steve also happened to know that all the food had been prepared in advance by relatives and friends of the bride and groom over the course of the last week or so – he’d actually been a part of it himself, spending an evening a couple of days ago scrubbing thirty pounds of potatoes for the potato salad.

From what Steve could see, the only thing they hadn’t had a hand in preparing themselves was the wedding cake, which hadn’t been rolled out yet but which he had gotten a glimpse of in the kitchen – it was a square two-tier cake the size of a small table that looked like it was more than big enough to feed everyone in attendance. Steve was currently on his second helping of potato salad – seeing as he had helped make it happen, also it was really good – but he made a mental note to leave space for dessert.

The reception was held outdoors, in a huge backyard where Steve had spent countless afternoons when he was younger. In the middle of the lawn and in the center of attention, the newlyweds held court. Tommy looked more proper than Steve had ever seen him in a grey three-piece suit and a powder blue bowtie, and Carol looked like a dessert herself in a dress that had to have had more fabric than all the tablecloths put together. Both of them were radiating happiness, and despite everything, Steve couldn’t help but be happy for them. The three of them may not have been as close as they once were, but they’d made up after graduation, and as all three of them remained in Hawkins instead of leaving town like so many others, they stayed in contact and eventually started tentatively hanging out again. Steve had even helped Tommy pick out the morning gift for Carol – a small gold circlet, a simple band that would go around her wrist. Steve knew Carol, and suspected that she would cry when she got it.

Just like Carol’s dad and Tommy’s mom had cried in the church, during the ceremony. In all fairness, it had been a beautiful ceremony, and even Steve had gotten a bit emotional and had to blink away tears.

Seeing as they were in Hawkins, and considering the fact that both Tommy and Carol had lived in Hawkins their whole lives – just like Steve – Steve knew or recognized just about everyone at the reception. It was kind of nice, actually – like a reunion only a year after graduating. And he found himself thinking that it was a wonder what a year out in the real world could do. People who Steve hadn’t been able to stand at the end of the school year suddenly seemed more grown-up – talking about college or their work, rather than partying – and he had a surprisingly pleasant and only slightly stilted conversation with Debbie, who he’d avoided for a whole school year after a disastrous second date which ended with him throwing up on her shoes.

The less said about that, the better – a sentiment Debbie seemed to share.

All in all, it was a beautiful wedding and Steve was having a good time. He’d brought Robin as his plus one – knowing full well that it wouldn’t exactly stop the rumors that they were dating – but he hadn’t seen her since Heather Holloway whisked her away an hour ago. He didn’t mind, though, as it gave him a chance to catch up with old friends and acquaintances.

There was one more thing that the newlyweds hadn’t skimped out on, and that was the booze. Considering how they both used to party, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that there was a wide assortment of alcoholic beverages to choose from – and even though Steve had stuck to the (cheap) champagne, he was feeling the effects of it, which in retrospect might be why he found everyone he talked to to be more pleasant company than he remembered. Other partygoers did not stick to champagne, though, and people were already getting louder and a tad more disorderly. Steve suspected that at least one fight would break out before the night was over – which was honestly a staple of a good wedding in Hawkins, Indiana. He doubted that the police would be called, though, as Tommy’s uncle worked for the Hawkins Police Department, and he was already one of the loudest people in the crowd.

Eventually, the cake was brought out to the delight of the assembled, and the crowd cleared an empty space on the grass. The band started playing a slower song, and Tommy reached out a hand for Carol, who took it and let herself be led to the improvised dance floor. She had kicked off her shoes so she was barefoot in the grass as they danced their first waltz together as a married couple. The two of them were beaming and only seemed to have eyes for each other. Once more, Steve had to swallow against a lump in his throat and blink away tears as he watched his old friends be so happy together. He hadn’t even known that Tommy knew how to waltz.

A while into the song, Tommy’s parents, followed by Carol’s parents, started dancing too, which signaled that the dancefloor was now free for all. As couples started swaying on the grass – perhaps swaying a little more than planned, due do the uneven surface and the amount of alcohol already consumed – Steve extricated himself from the crowd and walked off to the side of the big yard. From here, right at the tree line, he could see everything clearly. The house, the people; all familiar in a way that made his heart feel warm, like it had been wrapped up in cotton.

The song ended, and everyone applauded. The band started up a new song – a faster one – to the whoops and claps of the crowd, and the dance had just started anew when the sky was lit up by a flash of lightning. The backyard was bathed in a shockingly white light for a fraction of a second, followed by a loud boom which seemed to shake the earth and rattle the windows of the house. People screamed and ducked before realizing that it was only thunder, at which point nervous laughter spread through the crowd instead.

Then the rain started. Up until this point, Steve had barely noticed the way the sky had darkened – had assumed, in the back of his head, that it was because it was getting later – but now he looked up and saw that the reason why it was darker was that the sky was heavy with thick grey clouds. Another flash of lightning struck somewhere close by, and the rain intensified from one second to the next.

Chaos ensued. People dispersed from the yard like cockroaches; men and women both snagged whatever they could off the tables and ran for the house. Carol’s aunts grabbed whoever they could reach and directed them to carry the cake inside to save it while the band scrambled to protect their gear against the rain. Meanwhile, the air was full of the rumbling of thunder and the sound of people shrieking and laughing as they fled the open space of the backyard. And in the middle of it all, alone on the suddenly abandoned lawn, were Tommy and Carol – laughing and kissing in the downpour, still dancing to music no one else could hear and getting their fancy clothing all wet.

Steve couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them.

But then it suddenly registered how the rain wet his suit and seeped into the fabric and ruined his carefully arranged hair, and he made a run for it, too. People were still cramming into the house, though, so instead he headed for the old gazebo at the edge of the woods, where he and Tommy had played for hours and hours when they were kids. It was run down nowadays and could use a paint job, but the roof was intact and it would be enough to protect him against the rain.

Just when he ducked in under it, though, someone else came running from the other direction to take refuge under the same roof, and in the flash of another lightning, Steve found himself facing Billy Hargrove, who he up until now had only seen snippets of in the crowd. They both stopped at opposite edges of the gazebo, water dripping from their clothes and hair – although Billy seemed to have gotten off lighter, since he’d come from the cover of the trees.

“Harrington,” Billy said as the thunder rumbled, one side of his mouth tipping up in a leering smile as he shook his head to get the wet tendrils out of his face. “Long time no see.”

It had been a long time, was the thing. Steve hadn’t really seen him since graduation day when Billy had sped out of the parking lot immediately after the ceremony. According to Tommy, he hadn’t gone back to California though, like everyone had expected – no, he’d ended up in Indianapolis, of all places. Steve had been surprised to hear it, since he hadn’t gotten the impression that Billy liked Indiana. But perhaps his dislike had only applied to Hawkins.

“Hargrove,” Steve said cautiously with an acknowledging nod, and watched as Billy’s smile widened. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Nah,” the man said. “I live in Indy now.”

Steve nodded, but didn’t speak as he shook his sleeves to get rid of the excess water droplets, and they fell into silence. It wasn’t really an awkward kind of silence, despite their history, because the rain beating down on the roof was too loud for casual conversation anyway. Steve twirled the glass he was still holding between his fingers, and downed it. He put the empty glass down on the railing and looked out across the yard, considering if it was worth it to cross the yard in this weather.

Everything looked grey in the rain, and the house was barely visible due to the downpour. Tommy and Carol had disappeared, and all that was left on the lawn were the abandoned tables and scattered and overturned plastic chairs.

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve saw Billy come up next to him, but keeping a respectful distance.

“Nice party,” Billy commented, his voice more audible now when he was closer.

Steve couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but before the rain had hit it had been a nice party, so, “Yes,” he said simply, “it is.”

Billy huffed out a breath. “It suits them. A wedding party as stormy as their relationship.”

It rankled, for some reason, to hear Billy talk about Tommy and Carol like that, even though Steve knew that what he’d said was true. Billy hadn’t known them for more than a couple of years – what did he know? “You think you know them so well?” he couldn’t help saying.

Billy peered at him and then turned to face him. “You think you do?”

Which, as much as he hated to admit it, was fair. Steve had been the one to pull away from Tommy and Carol back in school, while Billy had spent most of senior year at their side. And Steve knew that they were still in contact with Billy, that they’d been visiting him in Indy a couple of times, even. He just didn’t like to be called out on it. But he wasn’t about to argue. The last time he’d argued with Billy, he’d ended up on the floor of the Byers’ house with a concussion. So, “Maybe not,” he said between clenched teeth and a stiff smile. He turned to Billy to say a polite goodbye, planning on making a run for the house after all – that cake had looked good, and he wanted a piece – but the words died on his tongue as it registered that Billy was shirtless under his suit jacket. Not just wearing a shirt that was half-unbuttoned, like he’d expected – no, there was simply no shirt at all.

He stared for a moment too long, because Billy let out a laugh and said, “My eyes are up here, Harrington.”

Face burning, Steve’s eyes snapped up to Billy’s, expecting to see a mean smirk or calculating eyes. Instead, he was met with a smile and eyes glittering with mischief. It made him want to relax and tense up at the same time, not knowing what to expect. “Where’s your shirt?” he blurted out, in a too-obvious attempt at distraction. He had to have been wearing a shirt earlier – Steve doubted that the priest would have let him inside the church if he hadn’t been wearing one.

“Someone spilled wine on it,” Billy replied, still smiling.

“And, what?” Steve said. “Carol just let you walk around with no shirt on at her wedding?”

Billy took a step closer so Steve could hear the purr in his voice as he said in a low voice, “Carol was the one who spilled the wine. Accidentally, of course.” He raised one eyebrow. “She was also the one that pointed out I couldn’t very well walk around with a shirt with a wine stain on it. She basically begged me to take it off. And who am I to argue with the bride on her wedding day?”

Of course. Steve wasn’t even surprised, Carol had always had a wandering eye – and even Steve had to admit that Billy was nice to look at. “And Tommy was okay with that?”

“Tommy had no complaints,” Billy said, voice low and rumbling like the thunder overhead.  “I caught him staring, too. Kinda like you, just now.”

The reminder brought a flush to Steve’s face, and he took a step back. Desperate to change the subject, he grasped for something, anything to ask.

“What were you doing in the woods?” was what he came up with.

Billy leaned back so he was half-sitting, half-leaning on the wooden railing, comfortable as you will while giving Steve his space. “Had to take a piss.”

“In the woods?” Steve asked, struggling to regain his composure after Billy had knocked him off-balance by getting so close and being so … shirtless and sultry. “Classy as always, Hargrove.”

“Have you seen the queue to the bathroom?” Billy cackled. “It was the woods, or piss my pants. And then I’d been without a shirt and pants, and then the horny little newlyweds would probably have ravaged me right there on the lawn.”

Pointedly not thinking about Billy out of his pants, Steve snorted. “You wish.”

Billy made a so-so motion and shrugged. “I mean, none of them would be my first pick, but it’d be rude to ruin their big day by refusing …”

Steve clenched his teeth. He knew he was being baited, knew he shouldn’t ask. He really shouldn’t ask.

“Who’d be your first pick, then?”

Fuck.

Billy’s eyes were sparkling with delight at Steve playing along with whatever game this was, and he flicked his eyes down Steve’s body, making sure to take his time as he dragged it up again. When he met Steve’s eyes, looking at him under his lashes, he bit his bottom lip and said, “Wouldn’t you like to know, pretty boy?”

Steve had to work to get enough spit in his mouth to swallow. Billy just stayed there, leaning back, watching. Waiting. His suit jacket was open, showing off his chest, still damp from the rain – or was it sweat? His eyes were hooded and his hair fell in messy curls over his shoulders, longer than they’d been when Steve last saw him. Steve wanted to grab a handful and pull, which was an insane urge that would probably get him killed if he gave in to it. Billy oozed danger; like a tiger in tall grass, waiting for its prey to get close enough to go for the kill. But it was a decidedly different kind of danger than he’d exuded back in high school. Back then, the end result would have been a beating. Now?

Steve was startled to realize that he kind of wanted to find out.

But playing along just to see where this would lead would be stupid, and dangerous, and Steve had had enough of being stupid and running into danger to last him for a lifetime. He much preferred to face the threat head on. Which was why he straightened up and stood with both feet steady on the ground as he asked, “Okay, what is this?”

It seemed to throw Billy off, but only for a moment. His smile faltered, but was quick to reappear. “What is what?”

“This,” Steve said, motioning between the two of them. “What are you trying to … What are you saying, exactly? What is this? Are you flirting with me?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Doubt made him impatient, and he was a second away from stomping his foot like toddler. Swallowing against sudden bile, he huffed, “Cut the crap, Hargrove. We both know you hated me in school, so what the fuck are you –“

“What? I never hated you,” Billy interrupted, looking honestly surprised.

Which just added to Steve’s ire. “What do you mean? Of course you did! You were a right asshole, you were on my case all the time, wouldn’t leave me alone at practice or in the hallways. You beat me up!”

That elicited a reaction. Billy pushed off the railing and mirrored Steve’s posture, feet planted and arms at his side. Not threatening yet, but ready for a brawl. “Okay, first of all, you lied to me about my sister’s whereabouts after she’d gone missing, when I finally found her in that weird house in the woods with you and a bunch of boys. That was super sketchy, and I won’t apologize for what I did, back then. You deserved that.” Steve took a breath – to say what, he didn’t know – but Billy continued before he could speak. “As for the rest of it …” He shrugged and turned his head so he was looking out over the lawn. Another flash lit up the world, and for that bright white second, he looked uncertain. When the rumble of thunder followed, it almost drowned out his voice. “I liked you.”

Sure he’d misheard, Steve blinked and shook his head slightly as if to clear it. “I’m sorry, what?”

Billy took a deep breath, and pulled on the mask of confidence like someone else would pull on a jacket; he straightened his shoulders and turned back to Steve with a cocky smile that was too wide to be real. “I used to crush real hard on you, man. Guess I didn’t handle it very well.”

He was pulling Steve’s leg – it had to be a joke.

“You’re joking.”

“I’m not, actually.”

“But you slept with like, half the girls at school!”

“So?”

Frustrating! Billy was so frustrating. Was he seriously standing here, telling him he used to have a crush on Steve, and that that was why he was such an asshole in school?

“I don’t believe you,” Steve all but spat.

Shrugging, again with just a little too much flair to be real, Billy took a breath and turned away, as if to leave. “Believe what you want, then. I’m out of here. Have a nice life.”

Steve’s hand shot out before he could think it through, grabbing Billy by the arm to stop him from leaving. Billy didn’t speak, just turned his head slowly to look down at Steve’s fingers around his bicep. Then, just as slowly, he looked up at Steve. There was something wary in the way he looked, but there was steel in his eyes and voice when he spoke; “Didn’t know you were so homophobic, Harrington.” Steve reeled at what he saw in Billy’s eyes; words that were supposed to be a joke, which hid a threat, which hid … vulnerability?

He pulled his hand off the other man’s arm as if he’d been burned. “I’m not. Homophobic, I mean.” Billy watched him cautiously, and Steve babbled on. “One of my best friend is a homo. I mean, she –“ Shut up, Steve! “I mean, I don’t have anything against –“

“Fags?”

The word cut through the air between them just as another flash of lighting lit up the sky. They stood in silence while waiting for the accompanying thunder to pass – it took longer this time, so maybe the storm was waning – and when the only sound was the noise of the rain around them, Steve opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn’t. The silence grew to discomfort, and something in Billy’s posture crumbled. He smiled, sardonically, and looked down at his own two feet. “Great talk, Harrington. See you around.”

Steve didn’t reach out this time, but he called out “Wait!”, and Billy froze. “I don’t have anything against … fags,” Steve said, rushing to get the words out and not caring if the words were right or wrong. “I really don’t. I have friends who are like that, and, and. It would be pretty hypocritical of me, actually, considering my first kiss was Tommy!” His eyes widened and he sucked in a breath – he hadn’t meant to admit to that – but it worked, as in that it drew a surprised laugh out of Billy.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.” In for a penny, and all that. Steve braved a smile and gave a one-shouldered shrug that probably failed at making him look indifferent. “We were like, nine or ten, and he was crushing hard on Carol even then, and we got it in our heads that no girl would want to kiss someone who didn’t know what he was doing. So … we practiced. With each other.”

Billy still looked guarded, but there was a small smile playing on his lips even as he said, “Kid’s stuff, Harrington. It doesn’t count.”

“Well,” Steve said and swallowed in preparation for taking the plunge. “We continued practicing until our second year in high school, so …”

That got a reaction. “No shit? You and Hagan?”

“Why are you surprised? You just said that Tommy ogled your bare chest when Carol got you shirtless. You have to have suspected.”

“Tommy being at least half gay doesn’t surprise me, I’m pretty sure he and Carol are plotting to try to get me into bed with them on their wedding night as we speak … But you! King Steve.” He looked honestly flabbergasted, but there was delight tinting the surprise. “You’re shitting me.”

It was a thrill to be able to throw Billy’s words from earlier back in his face. “I’m not, actually.”

“Huh,” Billy said. He didn’t look like he was planning on leaving any time soon. “How about that. The biggest womanizer in the history of Hawkins’ High … playing for the other team?”

“Now, now,” Steve said, holding a hand out. “I wouldn’t say that. I like girls. I just …” He thought about everything he and Robin had been talking about, and finally decided on, “I’m just an equal-opportunity guy, I guess.”

“Really?” Billy said, and looked almost impressed.

Steve felt warm under his gaze. “Yup.”

“So …” Billy said, and that mischievous glint was back in his eye. “Did you ever …” He made some lewd gesture, complete with raised eyebrows, “… with both of them? Tommy and Carol?”

Steve was pretty sure that the way he blushed at that question was answer enough. By the way Billy threw his head back and cackled, it was.

“Shut up! It was one time!”

“Oh this is too good! Wow! You are such a slut.”

“You’re the one to talk!” Steve said, but he couldn’t help smiling because this felt … this felt more like friendly ribbing than anything else.

Billy ignored him. “Oh my god. You should have brought that up in a speech during the dinner.”

Steve actually hadn’t done a speech. Instead he’d bought the happy couple a set of expensive kitchen appliances, and called it a day.

“Yeah, well. It’s not exactly something that one should speak of out loud in Hawkins.”

That had a sobering effect on Billy. His smile dimmed. “Don’t I know it.”

Their whole conversation had been a roller-coaster and Steve still didn’t feel all too stable in it, but Billy looked almost wistful – so much unlike the Billy he remembered from a year ago – that he couldn’t help but ask. “Is that why you …?” When Billy looked over, he made a face. “You know. Went out with all those girls?”

Billy exhaled and tilted his head to the side. “I mean, yeah. There’s no better place to hide than in a crowd.”

Silence descended on them again, but it wasn’t so awkward this time. And this time, Steve was the one to break it.

“So … are you also an equal-opportunity … player? Or …?”

“Oh,” Billy said, then shook his head. “No.” And for a second, Steve felt a thrill of fear run through him, suddenly convinced that Billy had been lying in order to get blackmail material on him. But then Billy continued, “No, I was never really into … girls.”

Steve raised his eyebrows, mind whirring. “Huh.”

“Yeah.”

It was weird. There must have been something about this particular place, and this particular moment. The two of them were standing in a run-down gazebo, rain beating down on everything around them and separating them from the outside world. It was like they were in their own little bubble, outside time and space. It felt as if everything revealed here was … safe. In that way, it didn’t feel real.

“Why are you telling me this?” Steve asked, softly. Because he suddenly had a lot of things that he would have to think about, but that question was on the forefront of his mind.

“Because …” Billy started, and hesitated. Like he wasn’t sure himself. “Because I don’t live in Hawkins anymore,” he decided. “No one here can hurt me.” His eyes flicked to Steve at that, as if to make sure that Steve didn’t mean any harm. When Steve didn’t move, he relaxed a fraction. “And because … I saw you today, and.” He cut himself off, looking down at his shoes. Scuffing one against the wood underneath his feet. “And I think I might have lied to you, just now.”

Furrowing his brow, Steve tensed up. “What?”

“I said I had a crush on you,” Billy said, and Steve had time to feel crushing disappointment in the split-part of a second before Billy added, “But I think that I still do, actually.”

And before he knew it or could react, Billy was in his space and his hands were in Steve’s hair on either side of his face, and that was Billy’s lips on his and –

– and time stood still. Like if lightning had stuck him where he stood, the world lit up with white light and electricity. Gone was the sound of the falling rain and the rumble of thunder, gone was the house and the woods and the lawn, gone were the whole world outside of this gazebo, outside of this moment. His heartbeat made its way through his body drumming like an army marching to war. Steve didn’t breathe, didn’t blink – just existed in this moment where there was only Billy, and Billy’s lips on his.

And then the world turned white for real and shook with a boom, and they jumped apart. Billy swore and ducked over the railing to check the sky.

“Shit,” he said. “That was a close one.”

Steve’s whole body was tingling, the hairs on his arms standing up. The air smelled crisp, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the lightning, or because of the kiss. Maybe both.

“We should …” he said, a bit shakily. “We should get inside. It’s not safe out here.”

Billy glanced at him, with a hint of apprehension that might as well have been a blaring neon sign pointing at his head. He was obviously nervous about Steve’s reaction to the kiss.

“You worrying about me, pretty boy?” he said, but his voice shook a little, as if he was struggling to hold on to the confident façade. And Steve marveled, because had he always been this transparent? He couldn’t believe he’d been fooled by Billy’s cocky attitude back in school.

“Well,” Steve said, and pointedly looked down at Billy’s bare chest. “It wouldn’t do to deprive Tommy and Carol of their eye candy on their wedding day, now would it?”

Relief, in the form of a smile. “Eye candy, huh?”

“Well,” Steve said, and gestured kind of helplessly to Billy. All of him.

The smile grew. “I’m staying at Motel 6 when I’m in town,” Billy said, apropos of nothing.

They both drifted forward, and were suddenly in each other’s space. The thunder rolled over the sky, but without a flash this time. The rain wasn’t coming down as hard anymore. The storm was abating.

“Uh-huh.”

“So I was thinking …” Steve watched, mesmerized, as Billy bit his lip; watched with bated breath as his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. “If you want to, you could stop by tonight … after the party …?”

“Yeah?”

“And we could …” He exhaled on a laugh. “Practice kissing some more.”

Steve leaned back, if only to attempt an insulted gasp. “You think I need the practice?”

Billy honest-to-God giggled. Fuck, Steve was screwed.

“I don’t know, Harrington. You don’t exactly seem to be a hit with the ladies these days.”

“Hey!” Accurate, but still. “I get around.”

“Uh-huh,” Billy said with a smirk. “You do know your date is a lesbian, right?”

That actually had Steve take a step back, mouth open. He didn’t think he’d let that particular cat out of the bag, Robin was going to kill him –

“Relax, I saw her smooching with Heather in the pantry after dinner,” Billy said, which – huh. Way to go, Robs. “And also, I clocked her on my first week in Hawkins. No straight girl draws boobs on her shoes.” He gave Steve a significant look. “Like knows like, I guess.”

Steve didn’t have time to answer, before another lightning lit up the sky – further away this time, though, and the rumbling of thunder took some time to reach their ears. When he turned to look at the house, he could clearly see the lit-up windows and the people milling about inside. When concentrating, he could hear music coming from inside, and he realized that he could only do that because the rain had slowed to a drizzle.

Their bubble was gone.

“We should probably …” He gestured towards the house.

“Yeah.”

Not knowing what to say, he only managed an awkward, “So …”

Billy rescued him with an all-too-aloof, “So, I’ll see you later?”

Steve could feel himself grinning. “Yeah. Room 10, right?”

Billy matched his grin. “Room 10.”

“It’s a date,” Steve said, heart fluttering, and grabbed his empty champagne glass. “Now let’s get out of this rain. I want some cake!”

[veryace-ficrecs]

Zosan Modern Au Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

One Heart [For The Two Of Us] by curlystrawhat - Rated T

“Who are you?” Zoro asked, because he really has never seen this guy in his life and he’s pretty sure neither Koushirou nor Mihawk know him, so why the fuck was this guy leaving flowers on Kuina’s grave? The blonde bit his lip and took his time to answer. Zoro was getting impatient, he opened his mouth to say something, but the blonde beat him to it. “I’m Sanji.” he said, staring right into his eyes, “Kuina gave me her heart.” or Two boys, one heart connecting them, a meeting by chance, a friendship by choice. Falling in love along the way? Well, that just happened all on its own.

To Have and To Hold by eflo - Rated T

Sanji just woke up from surgery to see some guy in his room.

A Trip Down Memory Lane by Kaiisan (orphan_account) - Rated G

Sanji recognises a familiar face on the train. ((AU based off of the cute couple sitting in front of me on the train a few days ago))

Minutiae by LibbyLune - Rated T

Normally Zoro would hate to find a stranger picnicking at his favorite secret photography spot, but there's something special about this blond chef.

In Lieu of Payment by Harubo - Rated T

Sanji spends an afternoon trying not to ogle the mechanic fixing his furnace. He does not succeed.

Just Need this Love Spiral by three_days_late - Rated T

When beloved Hollywood star Sanji came back from Bora Bora after three weeks of being off the grid, no media, no paparazzi, no contact to anyone, the tabloids went insane. The fact that he came back with a husband was the icing on the cake. The fact that no one had ever even heard of this husband before was the cherry on top. The one question on everyone's mind: Why?

Two Left Feet by Harubo - Rated T

Zoro is forced into taking dance lessons for his sister's wedding. It turns out better than he expected.

Love You Better by 8ball - Rated M

“What about you?” The cook had asked. “Any BDSM or anything?” Zoro had stared blankly at Sanji, trying to remember if BDSM was the name of a band. It sounded like a fighting style, maybe related to MMA. “I thought you practiced savate and kickboxing?” Needless to say, he’s blown his cover pretty quickly. And thus, the list.

Point and Click by modeoheim - Rated M

Sanji Black, Executive Chef and owner of Le Tout Bleu, successfully defends his restaurant and its customers from aggressive paparazzi one evening with style. A video of the fight goes viral, though, and one of the celebrities in the center of the whole mess develops quite the intense—and public—crush.

Grounded by Hazel_Athena - Rated T

Sanji stares up at the screen that lists all inbound and outbound flights, his heart catching in his throat when he spots the little flag that says ‘canceled’ next to his own.

Double Play by auspizien - Rated T

After a horrible car accident a year prior, Sanji finds himself wheelchair bound and a little lost. When his sister forces him to go to a baseball game, he really isn't expecting much from it; until a certain green-haired baseball player makes it his mission disrupt all of Sanji's carefully thought out plans.

Zoro's Boyfriend, Who Lives In Canada by donutsandcoffee - Rated G

Everyone knows Zoro has the perfect boyfriend—tall, blonde, and handsome. He cooks Zoro’s bento every day, fights as well as Zoro does, and has the clearest, bluest eyes mankind has ever seen.

Wildcat by Harubo - Rated T

Captain of the soccer team Sanji Black gets recruited to be a replacement kicker on Thousand Sunny High School’s American football team. The problem? An unfortunate crush on star running back, Zoro Roronoa. Oh, and Sanji has no idea how this sport works.

Steady, As She Goes by auspizien - Rated E

Zoro Roronoa is a retired black-ops agent suffering from PTSD; after moving to a small town and getting married in hopes of leaving that life behind him, a chance meeting with a smarmy, blond paramedic changes all of that. Thus ensues a summer of tempestuous desires, heart-wrenching decisions, and unforeseen espionage. [Modern AU. ZoSan. Slow Burn.]

blue by adietxt - Rated T

Zoro doesn’t see it, until he does. One moment everything seems normal — Sanji meeting him at the back of the gym building, passing Zoro his bento before the Kendo club starts like usual — and then Zoro sees it, the way Sanji stands with a weird slouch on his shoulder, his body leaning to the side, like he’s favoring his left. Zoro always thought the slouching was just an act, a way for the stupid Love Cook to look ‘cool’ and impress the girls in their school, but a different thought crosses his mind for a second. A different, terrible thought.

keep playing that song (hey mister dj) by adietxt - Rated G

Usopp isn’t scared. The stranger might be a tall, burly dude with one eye, two large scars, and muscles that could rival a god’s, but Usopp is not scared. Nope. Sure, the guy could probably crush Usopp’s head if he does so much as flex, and the scars seem to indicate that he’s trained in some kind of deadly martial arts, and even without all those things he’s still big enough to be able to beat Usopp up into a pulp through sheer strength, and — Okay, so Usopp might be a little scared.

[pawseds]

"We're finally on the field, we've had quite a run--" "Immigrants, we get the job done!"

American founding father musical x green triangle cosmic horror ttrpg was not on my 2024 bingo card but, uh, sorry LMAO I kept looping Hamilton during my internship and both Finan and Gavrill/Hrothgar are Canadian immigrants, sooooo...

I've been so busy, I first made the file for this drawing on 29 Aug and only finished it exactly a month later. But I've only really worked on it in the past few days, how embarassing :') process shots and a bit of rambling are under the cut!

The original idea was to have the background white, but then I accidentally inverted the white bits of the background which made it go black, and I thought it looked pretty cool! This was really a trust-the-process drawing, too. The lines are nice, but I wasn't really feeling it until I accidentally made the background black LOL

Both guys are wielding the guns they use the most in the game. Gavrill has a RPK-74 Kalashnikov (light automatic rifle with 10% lethality, something he's used to from fighting in Chechen wars), while Finan has an SPAS-12 (shotgun, model made by Griefyn on Sketchfab).

Finan 🤝 Gavrill dubiously straight male wifeguys who immigrated from an Islamic region to Canada for a better life only to end up working at an organisation that fights the Unnatural, lose their partner who's firecly skilled in a field of study (and their partners' lost is a part of a bigger conspiracy), wear wedding band(s) to commemorate said partner, never properly processed their grief and guilt so it turns into some flavour of obsession, are/were pretty depressed ngl without being mechanically depressed, but pretend everything's fine with their immediate family. I swear they are different characters LMAO

Also, I worked on this in Indonesia, Canada, and on the flight from the latter to the former (sponsored by The White Vault). Packing my bigass screen tablet away while the plane was suddenly hit with wild turbulene was NOOOT fun HAHA I'm telling you, my bag and I were some centimeteres off the air before I crashed to the ground so hard, I was forced on my knee (and the seatbelt light was off before that lmao)

[blurredcolour]

You Arms Pull Me In Like The Tide Pulls Me Under | Epilogue

Your Arms Pull Me In Like The Tide Pulls Me Under Masterlist

Dick Winters x Female SOE Agent!Reader

The end of the war is just the beginning of the rest of your lives.

Photo Credit: East Islip Historical Society

Warnings: Discussion of War Hardships, Permanent Injury/Disability, Holiday Party Setting, Inevitable Historical and Military Inaccuracies, Language, Mature/Explicit Themes - 18+ ONLY.

Note: This is a work of fiction based off the portrayal of Dick Winters by Damian Lewis. I hold nothing but respect for the real life individuals referenced within. Non-English is denoted in italics.

Word Count: 1244

-------------------------

Nixon, New Jersey – December 20, 1946

The sprawling home of Stanhope Nixon was overflowing with guests, alcohol, and music as the annual Nixon Nitration Works holiday party was in full swing. Catering staff were milling about with silver trays of canapés and champagne while the management staff and their wives ate, drank, and made merry amongst the millwork and art that adorned Lewis’s father’s New Jersey home.

Lewis himself was busy playing host alongside his father, with his British war bride Irene in tow, as Dick kindly introduced you to his immediate supervisor. The modest diamond engagement ring and matching wedding band on your left ring finger refracted the light against the glass of champagne Lewis had planted in your hand upon your arrival, snagging your attention as it still tended to do, even eight months on.

The end of the war had come around the same time for you and Dick, with the Japanese surrender for him and with your discharge from Major Wilke’s command upon the arrival of the Allied prosecutorial team in Nuremberg furnished with a fleet of translators freshly released from Bletchley Park and other frontline duties. It had been bittersweet to be no longer needed, but as you had admitted to Dick that dreamy summer day in Austria, you were quite finished with your time in Europe.

It had taken over five months for Europe to let you go, however. Returning to England had been the easy part, your uncle’s widow in Oxford welcoming you back with open arms. With your more ambiguous service record under CWAC, however, return to Canada had taken rather longer. Priority on troop ships was naturally given to the boys in uniform, and then the girls who had enlisted in Canada. You had waited impatiently for your turn, working with your aunt to alter the wedding gown she had squirreled away from her own marriage in 1936. It had been her hope for her own daughter to wear it someday, but she had insisted as you were the closest thing she would ever have to such a person now, you ought to have it. So, it had become your joint project to turn it into something more modern for whenever you could find yourself standing in front of Dick Winters again.

That chance had not presented itself until March of 1946. Dick had arrived by train in your hometown in Canada, insistent on asking your father’s permission to marry you in person. He brought a ring, as promised, and married you one week later. Immigration paperwork had taken six weeks to clear, but you were grateful that it was nothing like the delay women from overseas endured. By the time you arrived in Nixon, New Jersey, Dick had a modest house and a car waiting for you, true to his word again. By the fall, you’d started offering private French lessons and you and Dick were seriously discussing whether or not you would attend vocational school to become a public-school teacher. Life was good, better than you could have ever imagined.

This party, however, had begun to drag on. Your feet were beginning to hurt as you stood around in your heels and you were feeling the strain of trying keep up with the myriad of conversations swirling around you amid the din of music and laughter. Dick’s hand on your lower back had you turning to him as he leaned into your left ear. “Let me show you the library.” His thumb swept along the fabric of your dress soothingly and you nodded gratefully as he excused you both.

Leading you down the hallway confidently, you wondered how many times he had been in this house, but felt your shoulders relax as the oppressive wall of sound faded away behind you. Guiding you around a corner, you couldn’t help but gasp as you stepped into a room filled with an expansive collection of leatherbound books, a fire laid in a stone hearth with a cozy seating area in front anchoring the space.

“Did we just find heaven?” You whispered conspiratorially and he chuckled as he kissed your temple, leading you to sit on an overstuffed leather sofa.

Setting down your now-empty glass on the low table in front of you, you sighed as you pressed a thumb between your brows. “I’m sorry it was so obvious I was having a hard time in there.” You apologized softly.

Sliding an arm around your shoulders, he gave a gentle squeeze. “Only to me, honey.” He assured you.

The sound of footsteps in the hall had both your heads turning sharply, concerned your sanctuary was about to be disrupted, but it was only Lewis who appeared in the doorway. “I thought I saw you two sneak off here.” He smirked, a glass of whisky in one hand and a bottle of Canada Dry ginger ale in the other. Kicking the door shut behind him, he came to sit in one of the armchairs across from the pair of you.

“Apparently we were not as subtle as we hoped.” You laughed as he poured half the bottle into your empty glass before handing the remainder to Dick, raising his own glass of amber liquid in a toast.

“Happy Holidays.”

“Happy Holidays, Lew.” Dick replied before your glassware came together in an awkward symphony of mismatched ‘clinks’ before you each took an appreciative sip.

“And to think we spent the last few scattered hither and yon.” Lewis remarked.

“Eating potatoes…” you muttered.

“Or nothing at all.” Dick added thoughtfully.

“Couldn’t get beef, Vat 69…nylons…” Lewis gave a nod in your direction, and you glanced at the closed door before eyeing him over the rim of your glass.

“Oh, I suppose it was a bit of a nuisance, but I honestly did appreciate having silk in my parachutes.” You took a leisurely sip, waiting for his reaction.

It unfolded slowly, his eyes widening before he sucked in a breath laced with droplets of his treasured whisky before coughing violently, pointing at you. “I knew it.” He wheezed eventually as you tried not to laugh too brightly at his expense. Dick held no such qualms, laughing richly beside you.

“Of course you did, you saw my last day firsthand.”

“But you finally admitted it! Please, you have to tell me everything…” He leaned forward eagerly, and you swallowed, wishing more than anything that you could.

There was still a great deal you hadn’t even shared with Dick; The Official Secrets Act preventing you from divulging anything. How you longed to share everything with them – the training schools in Scotland, the slosh of an aggressive amount of rum in your belly as you had fallen no more than ten seconds to hit the ground outside Lyon, your harrowing journey across the Pyrenees mountains into Spain to find passage back to England with your fresh side wound nagging at every step. The determination that had driven you back to Normandy just weeks after you return to London, and the eight months of exhausting, tension-laced work that had preceded their arrival. How you longed to share everything, to commiserate and to laugh. To be honest.

“Someday, Lewis. Someday it won’t be treason to talk about it and I will tell you everything.” You promised.

“To someday, then.” He grinned, raising his glass in another toast. “And believe me I will hold you to that.”

Laughing warmly, you raised yours in return. “To someday.”

-------------------------

Your Arms Pull Me In Like The Tide Pulls Me Under Masterlist

Tag list: @allthingsimagines, @bcon24

[call-me-eds]

Anniversary

Written for the August @steddiemicrofic prompt ‘Cake’

WC: 311 | Rating: G | CW: none

Masterlist

Steve thought it was impossible to be taunted by a cake. It wasn’t even whole, just a slice. The rest had been eaten a year ago at the wedding.

The wedding that took place just four months before Corroded Coffin finished their sophomore album, and the last minute track “Honeymoon” took to the alternative radio waves and peaked at number 4. A full six months of rehearsal, contracts, and expedited passports led them here: Eddie on a stage in Canada before the sun went down and Steve, alone in their kitchen on their first anniversary.

The saran wrap had a web of ice around it, mimicking the veil on the plastic cake toppers Steve ordered for the big day. He had bought two, cracked them in half, and burned off his fingerprints when he hot glued to the two grooms together.

Steve knew the cake was melting quickly, so he peeked under the stiff covering just for a moment before putting the slice of cake back in the freezer, not too far in the back that it would get freezer burn, but nowhere near the danger zone of pizzas and chicken nuggets he and his husband still navigated towards when they were drunk.

His husband; who was trying his best not to cry as he slipped his wedding band back on his finger after he came off stage.

Eddie hated taking the thing off, but he didn’t trust himself not to accidentally fling it off while getting taken over by the energy of playing guitar in front of hundreds, even thousands, of people.

Eddie pulled his first diva move, despite the band’s name not being big enough to read on the festival poster without a magnifying glass, and demanded a flight home before 8 pm so he and his husband could feed each other their wedding cake for the second time.

[diamondvishwa01]

Buy the latest Moissanite diamond wedding bands in Canada from Diamond Vishwa's latest collection. These bands symbolise enduring love and commitment with their radiant appearance. Our bands are budget-friendly, and great alternatives for their matrimonial jewellery.

[gwbands]

Complete Guide on Rose Gold Wedding Bands Canada – Timeless Choice for Any Bride

There is nothing more classic than a gold wedding band in Canada. These gold wedding bands have been adorning both the wedding sets and ring fingers as a symbol of promise & eternal love. This wedding band seems to be the timeless choice for any bride or groom. Just simply try to put on the cla ssic gold wedding bands, and they will never go out of style.

Most of the traditional exchanging of rings seems to be the symbol of love & devotion, and it has been in this tradition for thousands of years back and is continuing. But the gold bands found their groove in the Victorian era of 1830 to 1899.

Pros &Cons of Rose Gold Wedding Band Canada

Like a black dress, this gold wedding band goes well with all types of combinations. It pairs well with anything, and it's incredibly versatile. Having a classic gold band in your collection is the perfect solution when you are traveling or when you have softer gemstone rings like opal, morganite, and emerald gemstone rings.

But those classical gemstones can be destroyed easily due to their lack of strength. So having gold wedding bands Canada that you can wear all the time is the perfect solution.

Most of the setting styles work well with the classic gold bands, and some call it a staple in any of the collections. So, you can surely say that the sky is truly your limit for your unique ring stack or vibe.

But even when you are more captivated by the idea of wearing the vintage ring, then there are a few details that you need to consider. If you want to make sure that they still have a lifespan for daily wear. Try to look for any deterioration signs. Pitting and thinning are the most obvious signs that the gold is breaking down.  

[jessicanjpa]

army

Maria's first impression of the Cullens when she "visited" in Calgary. An excerpt from this 1950 outtake. She and her two yearling soldiers have been scouting around Canada and have just caught Jasper's scent.

I paused again, taking in the air. Two more scents were tangled in Jasper's: one was a sickeningly adorable blend of honey, lilac and sunshine. The other scent was a more respectable, woodsy aroma reminiscent of pine sap. Both scents smelled about as stale as Jasper's.

I grumbled to myself, torn between anger and an embarrassing sense of possessiveness. It was one thing for Jasper to be out here, free and lonely and miserable. It was another for him to be making friends and enjoying that undeserved freedom. I wondered for a second if he might have created these two, but I seriously doubted it. Self-control was hardly one of his finer qualities. Who had he given his allegiance to? A mate? But then who was the third? Or maybe the other two were a pair…

"What?" Paul griped, stopping beside me.

"There are two more with him," I said tightly.

Carlos stood taller and stuck out his massive chest. "We can handle it." Paul nodded his assent, not willing to be outdone. Well, that was easy.

"Of course we can," I agreed lightly. "We'll just have to be more careful. If they're all together, keep your distance. I'll do some talking first, and we'll attack when, and only when, I give the signal. Remember, I want to bring him back without a fight if at all possible. Got that?" They nodded grudgingly. It was time for a little inspiration.

"This is it," I announced, turning around to face them with a dazzling, promising grin. "Things are about to change. We'll make our way back down to northern Mexico and start rebuilding the army immediately. We should be ready for battle before three months is out, what with Jasper…" Running things again? That wasn't what they needed to hear. "…there to help us. I'll set him to work managing the wilder newborns at first; his gift is good for that sort of thing.

"Paul, you'll be in charge of teaching strategy to those who can handle it. Carlos, you'll be in charge of discipline and reinforcing essential skills on a nightly basis." I blabbed on, filling their ears with whatever I thought would help. If Jasper gave me a hard time, I might need to keep them alive for a while. It might be helpful if Jasper's two new friends could come along for the ride… I didn't want any divided loyalties, but on the other hand killing them probably wasn't the best way to regain his goodwill. Why did he have to complicate this?

We picked through the woods more slowly and quietly now, following the three scents. I finally found a footprint—a shoed print, of all things—which told us we were heading in the right direction along the scent trail. It looked to be about Jasper's size, too. We picked up the pace after that; Carlos and Paul were getting worked up as my flattering speech got more and more ridiculous. I was just in the middle of inventing an official title for each of them when the wind changed and stopped us in our tracks. There weren't three of them.

There were seven of them.

Jasper had gotten himself an army.

.

.

.

We were upon them soon enough. We paused again as soon as we were within visual range, scanning the steamy forest for escape routes before moving forward. It was unsettling to find them ready and facing us in formation: three mated pairs standing frozen in an organized line with Jasper alone out in front. That was an interesting arrangement.

Everyone, including Jasper, wore fine clothes that fit them perfectly. Every hand except Jasper's wore a small band of polished gold that glittered in the sun alongside with their skin. Wedding rings—props for conducting their hunts in the human world?

And were they newborns or not? I drew forward a little more, signaling for Carlos and Paul to follow as I squinted to see the eyes of Jasper's new friends.

No, not newborns. At least their eyes didn't glow with the telltale brightness of infancy… But as I drew closer, my instincts shivered. Something wasn't right here. A few more steps and I was sure: their eyes weren't red at all, they were yellow. And something was wrong with Jasper's eyes, too. They were red enough, but something seemed off. Almost an orange tint… what the hell?! What was wrong with these people, and what had they been doing to Jasper?

But first things first. I looked down the line again, sizing everyone up. A tall, skinny redheaded male stood on the left, nervously clutching his mate's hand. As if killing her would be worth the effort. She was even skinnier, and so tiny she made Peter's mini-mate Charlotte look like a ready soldier. The girl's awful haircut was an interesting feature, though… maybe a deserter like Jasper, though she didn't have any visible scars.

Directly behind Jasper were an older pair— older physically, anyway—and the male's eyes were an even sicklier yellow than the others. But there was no mistaking the seriousness in those eyes, and the threat; he was the leader. No doubt about it. Jasper's position out in front was a ruse. And if they so obviously wanted me to think Jasper was in charge... that meant he wasn't. And since no one was brand new, that meant that Jasper could very well be the newest, lowliest addition to this group. Good to know.

Off to the right was an imposing couple. The female was blonde and tall, dressed like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine, but the danger in her posture told me what I needed to know. And her mate… well, I'd let Carlos handle that one if it came to it. He was enormous, and I could just tell he was aching to put those huge muscles to good use. This pair had potential on the battlefield, if they could be persuaded to come along with Jasper. Then we could get rid of Paul right off the bat, and see if Carlos was worth keeping or not.

The scents were too muddled to tell which two had been Jasper's companions up to the northwest, where we had first found his scent. That might be useful in sorting out who trusted him and who didn't, and vise versa.

"Hello, Maria," Jasper said. He held himself loose but ready. His expression was neutral. No new scars, and no gold ring, but like the others he was clean and wore fine clothes and shoes. His hair was even combed.

He looked ridiculous.

[stargazer-sims]

list 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to simblrs whose sims you adore ʚ♡ɞ

Thanks for the ask @108sims !

At this point in their lives, we really can't have one without the other. They are a package deal. So, here are some facts about Stan & Milena:

Stanislav & Milena Kovac

Stan is a figure skating coach. Milena is a lawyer.

They were born in the same year, and their birthdays are only three days apart, with Stan's on 3 June and Milena's on 6 June.

They both came to Canada from the Czech Republic (known as Czechoslovakia at the time) when they were seventeen. Stan came to train with a well-known Canadian figure skating coach, and Milena came to learn English, graduate and go on to university. They didn't know each other before arriving in Canada, and actually met at school during a welcome event for exchange students. Stan was allowed to attend even though he wasn't part of the official exchange program. He was still a student at that high school, so the administration decided they could not in good conscience exclude him.

Stan's original plan was to return to his country of origin when he retired from competition, but by the time he retired, he and Milena were already married and had their daughter Alzbeta, and they were happy with their life in Canada, so they decided to stay. Eventually they both became Canadians.

Milena and Stan's wedding bands are made from one of Stan's medals. He proposed to her on the same night he won a gold medal at Skate Canada, and they later had that medal refashioned into their rings. Since gold medals are mostly made of silver and only covered in gold, their rings are that way as well. Milena is still completely enamoured by the idea that she's wearing part of one of Stan's medals on her finger.

Stan learned how to cook and do all kinds of household chores during the time Milena was in law school. These days, they share the household duties almost equally, with a few exceptions. Milena would prefer that Stan never touches the washer and dryer, as there have been too many laundry-related disasters that can be attributed to Stan over the years.

"Stan" is Stan's English nickname. Almost everyone he knows calls him Stan, and he's totally okay with that since he speaks English a majority of the time. Milena refuses to call him Stan, though. She calls him by a Czech diminutive of his name (Slavek) or by his full name when he's in trouble. In turn, Stan calls her Mila, which no one else who knows her uses for her.

Stan and Milena are both fully fluent in English now, but they speak Czech to each other almost exclusively. The only time they don't is when they're in a group with people who don't know the language. They have no problem not speaking English in public when it's just the two of them, however. Grocery shopping, having dinner at a restaurant, running errands or visiting the local pool or park, it's definitely not unusual for them not to use English with each other.

Milena and Stan are both dog people, and they've had many dogs over the years. Stan absolutely did not want a cat, but more or less stumbled into cat ownership when he found two abandoned kittens in the parking lot of the arena. They were so young that they needed to be bottle fed, and Stan became unexpectedly committed to saving them. He called the grey one Blade and the white one Ice. Unfortunately, Blade didn't survive, but Ice has grown into the fuzzy overlord bent on world domination that she knows she was always destined to be. Stan likes to complain about Ice and tries to give the impression he doesn't like her, but he's secretly devoted to that cat.

There is a running joke among their friends about their tendency to wear "matching" outfits. Not that the outfits themselves are particularly similar, but Milena and Stan enjoy wearing outfits with the same colours, at the same time. (such as both of them wearing green sweaters on the same day).